You Were There For Me Through Gifts:
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I don't make any money with this fiction.
Note: If you don't like it, please don't read it. Comments and constructive criticism are welcome. English isn't my first or my second language so forgive me for grammar mistakes.
Rating: M
Warnings: It's TMR/HP slash.
(A/N: Thank you for all the reviews)
Chapter 09:
Harry looked around the common room of Ravenclaw house along with fellow first years sorted in this house. It was impressive but he was not in the mood to admire anything, he just wanted to go to the bed and bury himself in pillows. Harry was new to all this. He had never gone out much and he never interacted with anyone other than his family members and house elves. He listened halfheartedly to what the short Professor Flitwick was telling about rules and house points.
After what seemed like the biggest and boring lecture he had ever had, the Professor called his name after dismissing everyone to their rooms,
"Mr. Potter"
Harry moved towards the Professor while everyone lingered behind curiously looking at them,
"Four students will be paired up to a room but since the headmaster as per requested by your father due to your condition, you're given a room for yourself, come with me."
Harry could see the curiosity in his eyes but pretend to be not noticing. Headmaster Dumbledore himself doesn't know about him being a seer and it's going to be that way. Aunt Cassiopeia had scared him enough with the stories of what happened to the people who had been discovered as seers. Harry was okay with the his house but wondered for the first time after sorting that how is he going to keep his secret hidden while being in the house filled with most of intelligent and curious students.
The Professor led him through the stairs which led to boy's dormitory.
"These stairs lead to all first year's dormitory and your room is here in the corridor."
The stairs led them to a corridor of doors. Professor Flitwick pointed the last door of the corridor.
"This is your room Mr. Potter and your trunk is already placed in the room. This room has what the other boys have in their dormitories, nothing more and nothing less. If you need anything, come to me"
"Professor", Harry called the retreating Professor after noticing that it didn't have any outside lock and anyone can enter it.
"Yes, ?"
"Can you please make this room have a password or something so that no one can enter?"
Professor Flitwick stared at him strangely,
"Mr. Potter, A child can't be left alone of his own with this much privacy."
"I know Professor; I am not abusing the special treatment Headmaster had provided me. It's just I don't want anyone figuring out what's wrong with me."
Professor Flitwick looked at him intensely for a minute and said,
"Very well Mr. Potter. I will speak with headmaster and will make this door a password one"
Saying that the Professor headed back and he moved inside, looking at the room.
The room was rather simple; it had a double canopy bed, a bookcase, a desk and a wardrobe. The walls, floor and ceiling were in stone giving the room a rather dark look, the bed sheets and cover were a light blue, and the pillows a darker shade of blue. There was a door that led to a bathroom; it had a bathtub with a shower. He went towards the bed, missing Tally immediately. Tally always attended his needs and took care of everything about him.
Harry sighed and opened his trunk to change his dress, only to find it empty.
What?
He looked around to find all his clothes neatly arranged in the wardrobe and his books and things on the desk and the shelf above it.
Did the Hogwarts elves do this?
"Master"
Harry looked around and found Tally standing near the bed. Harry ran towards Tally and hugged Tally.
"I is not breathing Master Harry"
Harry relieved the elf from his hug and asked,
"Tally, how are you here? Is it even allowed?"
Harry swore he saw Tally smirk. Do elves smirk?
"Ask I no questions and I tell no lies Master Harry"
Harry let it go, knowing the entire Potter house elves have a mischievous streak on their own.
"I am so happy Tally that you are here but it's ok if you don't come, I have to do my works sometimes and people are going to be angry if they come to know about this", Harry said looking sadly at Tally. He didn't miss Tally because of work but he missed Tally because Tally was always there for him.
"Oh Master is too kind. I is never going away from Master. I is taking care of Master forever. I is being hidden in future so no one sees I."
"Oh Tally"
But Tally vanished with a pop before master chokes in the name of hug.
Harry felt immediately better after speaking with Tally. No matter how magnificent Hogwarts is, this will never be home to him. Home is where Siri, Tally and Potter manor is. And he has to learn how to have a false window or create a real window here, this room felt like suffocating him, after all he has to stay here for seven years and he has to learn some wards too. He knew they are advanced magic and his magic isn't matured enough but he will have to do that somehow.
Harry changed into night clothes and pulled the two way mirror, wanting to inform Siri of his sorting before going to sleep.
"Hey baby, what took you so long? First of all tell me the house you sorted in so that we can settle the bet between us"
Harry could see the familiar messy Potter hair behind Sirius, in the corner of his mirror.
Was his dad too listening this?
Harry chuckled. James Potter and Sirius Black will never cease to bet among silly things even if the world ceased.
"Ravenclaw", He could hear Sirius laugh and James groaning from the mirror.
"Oh, Thank Merlin… I get to prank Prongs without any retaliation from his side for a week since he betted that you will get sort in Gryffindor."
"OK then you go and sleep baby. You look tired; I will speak with you tomorrow."
"Goodnight Siri and don't call me baby"
Harry closed his eyes, lying on the bed, hoping against hope not to have visions since he's already tired, hugging the plush toy Sirius had gifted him which he had packed in the trunk.
~~~~~xxxxxxxx~~~~~~~xxxxxxxx~~~~~~~xxxxxx~~~~~~~~~
Tom along with other first years went to the dungeons and stopped in front of a stone wall. The Prefect boy turned to face them and explained.
"Here is the entrance to our Common Room. As you can see it looks like a simple wall, however in the right upper corner, if you look closely, you will be able to see a carving of a snake, and that is what shows the entryway which allows you in when you said the password" and said looking at the snake.
"Pure-blood"
Tom sneered, for being Slytherin that was a very obvious password. Then what use for the secrecy?
Before his eyes the wall slid to the side and revealed the entrance to the Slytherin Common Rooms. Tom felt immediately at home, it was decorated in silver and several shades of green. It had two big fireplaces, on opposite sides of the room and one wall was covered in bookshelves. There were several couches and armchairs throughout the room, as well as a few work tables and chairs.
The other Perfect girl joined by the one who lead them here, turned towards the first years.
"Welcome to Slytherin. We are the prefects. If you have any questions, or any troubles you come talk to us, if we don't know how to help you we will talk to the prefects the year above ours. Your dorms are trough those doors", the Perfect told them pointing to the first door to the left of the fireplace on their right,
"It is the dorm for the boys and the girls. You all have grouped in three or two per room and they will be your rooms until you leave Hogwarts at the end of your seventh year."
Tom closed his eyes, sitting on the bed not wanting to look at the empty beds nearby his. The Slytherin house and Hogwarts immediately felt like home in spite of being frowned and sneered upon.
Three or two members grouped for a room and since he's the so called one and only mudblood to be sorted in Slytherin, his roommates shifted to another rooms as if his blood contained some sort of disease, going straight to the prefects. He gritted his teeth in anger and some strange emotions flowing through him.
He's not a mudblood…
He's nothing simple or anything to be sneered upon…
He was, is and will always be special… he can't be related to the filthy muggles he hates so much. Surely his father might have been a wizard. He will search for his birth parents especially his father.
Suddenly tiny creatures appeared, startling him and vanished with the extra beds, trunks and wardrobes with them, probably to where his supposed to be roommates had been shifted too.
Nothing's changed…
Even after discovering magic, he still felt like the freak in the orphanage, maybe he would have done better in other houses. But he can't change who he is just so people to accept him.
Tom shook his head since when did he needed friends. But looking at the large room, this complete abandonment from his fellow housemates bothered him, not that he's going to accept it, even to himself that he feels alone.
He's fine…
He doesn't need anyone in his life. He will prove them one day… No, no, no… he will make them pay and kneel before him that he is superior; his blood is purer than them. Just wait till he learns everything.
Tom moved towards his trunk to change his dresses and immediately, a smile appeared on his face replacing the scowl.
"Oh Mr. Terror, you sneaky thing"
Tom really, really didn't know how Terror got in his trunk and managed to come to Hogwarts.
Well… he has this big room all to himself and he doesn't have to be worried about anyone. It's probably a good thing if he looked at the positive side. Tom changed his dress and lay down on the bed while Terror seemed to be sentimental and hugged him as if consoling him from the loneliness.
If his finger circled around hugging Terror back then it's only because Terror is so emotional now, not that he needed hug or anything.
As like always….
You are with me H…
When you're here for me then how could I be alone….?
With that as a last thought Tom drifted to sleep with a small smile on his face and arms full of an emotional Terror.
~~~~~~xxxxxxx~~~~~~~~~xxxxxx~~~~~~~~xxxxxxxx~~~~~
Harry could feel it in his heart that something is going to happen. His insides quivered looking at the door to the Potions classroom. But Harry pulled up his courage and moved inside and sat in the last desk, hiding in shadows of other students.
Come on Harry, Harry encouraged himself. The charms and transfiguration classes were fine and it's the last class. Nothing is going to happen, Harry convinced himself.
Professor Snape, like Flitwick, started the class by taking the register, and unlike Professor Flitwick, he paused at Harry's name. Harry could see the clenching of the Professor's hands from where he sat. He then continued as if nothing happened while students looked around noticing the strange pause from the Professor.
Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His eyes were black and they were cold and empty and made you think of the darkest night without any lights.
He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word – like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. Harry didn't dare look up at the Professor but still listened to his words.
After he finished what must be his usual speech to scare them off, suddenly he called out, "Potter"
Harry closed his eyes and the vision which were keeping at the bay behind his shield because of the runes slipped past the shield and he got a glimpse of it,
-~~~A young boy of what appeared to be ten, looking strangely resembling like the Professor said to a girl with fiery red hair and green eyes, "You are a witch."
The girl near the red haired one laughed cruelly, "You're that Snape boy! They live down Spinner's End by the river"~~~~-
Harry gasped inaudibly and looked at the Professor searching for him, raised his hand to let him know he's here.
A memory of Snape and his mother?
Harry clenched his fingers to will away the visions and one slipped up before he strengthened his occlumency shield.
He shouldn't have been nervous and tense; haven't Cassiopeia told him that letting emotions rules him will weaken his occlumency shield.
"What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
-~~~~~"Lily . . . thought we were supposed to be friends?" A teenage Snape was saying, "Best friends?"
And Harry could hear the longing in his Professor's voice resembling the same his father had whenever anyone reminded him of Lily~~~~-
Thankfully his visions ended when he strengthened his shield and Harry could feel himself defeated…
Great… One more person to hate him because of his mother, anyhow now is not the time to think this and also he completely missed the question. But he just instinctively knew the answer, his seer ability helping him.
'Asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death.' said Harry.
Snape's lips curled into a sneer.
Snape could feel his heart clench looking at the boy's green eyes…
To come here and to torment himself with the very same green eyes and with her name… Lillian… Snape alone know how much he had to control his emotions for even calling this boy Lillian Potter while taking the register.
This demon child is the very reason his dear Lily is not here today… Snape could even forgive James Potter since he had allowed him to be friends with Lily even after marriage somehow a sort of strange peace between them because of Lily, but he will never forgive this boy… to have the nerve to have her name while the reason for her death is the boy alone.
He knew the boy didn't listen to the question he had asked and yet answered correctly in a soft voice which almost made him sick. The boy isn't like his father or like the mischievous twins and Snape can't help but hate him even more.
The answer angered him more because he had expected the boy not to know the answer.
"Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"
Again the boy answered in his infuriatingly soft tone as if he is speaking and trying to calm down some monster,
"A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons"
Severus clenched his fingers, nails digging his palm enough to draw blood.
If Severus closed his eyes he could still hear Lily calling out his name. It didn't matter if she married James Potter as long as she was alive… But to never saw her smile again, to never saw her eyes again… And this boy had her eyes, his lily's beautiful green eyes…
"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"
"They are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite."
Snape's hands trembled as the time passed, his hatred for the boy increasing.
"Detention Potter, Tonight with Filch"
Severus has no intention to be with the boy's presence longer than necessary.
And to Snape's surprise, that boy kept silent without asking about the unfairness and the boy had an expression of resignation as if he had expected Snape to do this. How utterly infuriating!
"And 5 points from Ravenclaw for your insolence Potter"
Yet the boy didn't say anything or his indifferent expression from the moment class started hasn't changed till now. Snape knew he's doing this for his own personal reason but he was beyond caring. He will make this boy's Hogwarts life a living hell.
~~~~~~xxxxxxx~~~~~~xxxxxx~~~~~~~xxxxxxx~~~~~~~
Harry looked through the window he had enchanted in his room with a little bit help from Tally and the Hogwarts library and Professor Flitwick who was somewhat impressed with his charm's work. It acts as a real window, letting the fresh air in and with the view of Forbidden Forest. His homework's all done finally since the due is tomorrow. Harry sighed, disappointed in himself.
He would have finished the day itself if not for the fact that he is busy. Even though he finishes his work late, he still gets 'O' in every subject's homework except Potions. He is still the best in class since he had learnt all this during the amount of time he spent with his tutor and Potter library not that anyone knew he is smart.
He has no time at all to rest because of the amount of detentions he gets from Professor Snape. He gets detention at least thrice a week and his rest of nights are filled with suppressed visions. He don't get that much visions a night but even one vision will keep him awake with curiosity of what it is and who it is.
His every Sunday was spent with Aunt Cassiopeia for his lessons. He needs a break. Even though he had done nothing, the professor gets angry all the time just by looking at him. He knew if he went to complain then it will only make his Professor worse. He thought his Professor will let go of his anger as the time passes.
A month and a half have passed…
But nothing has changed. Harry hadn't had a good night sleep in weeks and he could see the dark circles under his eyes which is the reason he hadn't spoke with Sirius through mirror instead sent an owl that he is too busy. He so missed his home. Tally is the one and only relief here and Tally helped him getting dinner to his room. He usually doesn't goes to great hall for dinner.
It's not suspicious since no one notices him in his house. In fact he has to thank one thing for Snape because his housemates avoided him not wanting to be Professor Snape's new target being with him. His Professor unintentionally helped him in avoiding his housemates getting near. And also the fact that he got a new room also a reason no one wanted to befriend him. Rumors spread starting from 'that he had some sort of disease that's why he is having an own room' to 'the disease will spread with skin contact.'
Hedwig suddenly came through the window since it is real yet not real… ugh, complicated theory. He looked at the letter eagerly; his worries disappeared since it must be from his Siri.
Harry,
Call me through the mirror as soon as you get this or I am coming to Hogwarts right now.
-Love Sirius.
Harry took the mirror from the nearby table immediately, forgetting to glammer his dark circles in worry of Sirius coming here.
Sirius Black
Harry called and waited for Sirius to pick up and to his surprise he had picked it up immediately.
"Hey Harry, what is going on? Why haven't you contacted me for five days?"
Sirius looked at his baby through the mirror and sighed. He was going insane with worry. Even though kids of his age don't like to show affections openly or speak with their parents regularly, Harry is not like that.
He first let it go for two days and James too snickered calling him a mother hen worrying stupidly just because his godson didn't call him for two days. James even said, "Come on Padfoot, give the kid a break. Remember, at his age how busy we were exploring Hogwarts, pranking students and making friends."
Sirius had let that go but still worry kept him awake, not letting him sleep. Even though James and Harry's relationship got better, James doesn't know Harry like he does. He knew Harry is a very affectionate when it comes to him and called him once a day at least to greet him.
The third day Hedwig came with a note letting him know Harry is busy and he had called Harry every hour in the mirror trying to get in contact with Harry. Fifth day he had enough of this nonsense. Harry doesn't like to inform anything thinking he's a burden to him and others.
Harry sent the menacing owl that bit his fingers off much to the expense of Sirius, making Prongs laugh. Then Sirius waited for hours for Harry to call him.
It was a relief to see his baby's face. Sirius has to reconnect with his inner inventor self who had enchanted the motor bike and marauder's map, so that he can enchant a mirror with the ability to allow him to see his baby whole rather than the face alone. He will do this and will gift him for Christmas.
"I was little busy with homework Siri"
Harry mumbled not quite meeting his eye or like his usual happy self. Just then Sirius noticed the dark circles and how pale Harry looked even in the mirror.
"Harry, what's going on?"
"Nothing Siri… just tired"
"Since when did you start lying to me baby? Do you take me for a fool?" Sirius knew he sounded harsh rather than the usual goofy tone he used. But he is beyond caring this because of his unsettled heart. Sirius really felt like a mother hen worrying about Harry all the time.
Harry bit his lip, hearing how worried and edgy his godfather was. This must be what having an overprotective and loving Parent feels like. He didn't let Sirius know not wanting him to worry but since when did he start to lie to Sirius? And that too for whom? Who cares if Sirius gives a scolding to Snape? It might be even fun to watch them going at each other. It felt like foolish for enduring all these detentions for almost two months. But still he didn't want to worry him or be a burden to Sirius.
Seeing Harry so silent in the opposite side, Sirius changed the tone and question while ignoring James behind him trying to calm him.
"Why aren't you sleeping well Harry? Why the dark circles?"
Oh Merlin! Harry had forgotten to hide them. He was going to tell Sirius the truth anyway,
"I had too many detentions…"
What in Merlin's name..? Sirius ignored James's gasp and wondered which Professor had given his innocent baby detentions. Harry was not a trouble maker. If it was his twins, he would have ignored it knowing they're like Marauders. This is his innocent baby who had never put a toe out of his line; his baby wasn't even interested in pranks.
"Which Professor Harry? I know you are not the person to make mistakes and always like to study and do your works."
Harry's mood lightened up hearing his godfather's trust in him. Somewhere in his heart, he was afraid too how Sirius will react if he heard about how many detentions he had.
"Professor Snape"
He could hear curses muffled from the other side from his godfather.
"But Why?'
Then Harry vented out the unfair treatment, the detentions, his fellow housemates ire for loosing Ravenclaw so many points even though it is not his fault, the nightmares and visions.
Sirius listened without interrupting and Harry felt better, feeling childish for hiding things like this from Siri.
Sirius face was so serious and expressionless that Harry became worried,
"Say something Siri"
"Leave it to me Harry; I will take care of this"
"But Siri, I don't want you to…"
"Leave it… Now tell me how Tally is doing?"
"You know Siri?" Harry asked, forgetting everything, he thought Tally is overworking by sneaking into Hogwarts for him without anyone knowing.
"Oh come on baby, if it was that easy, many Pure-blood families will sneak their house elves to Hogwarts. I helped Tally"
Tally thought that elf is smart and sneaking around but in fact he had asked Dumbledore to let that elf once a day to see if Harry is okay, just to check on him.
"You will never change Siri"
"And you've changed a lot Harry baby. Keeping things from me, lying of all things to me… I thought better of you"
Harry felt disappointed with himself for hiding things from the one person in his life whom he loved and cared.
"I am sorry Siri but I don't want you to….."
"It's ok baby but don't do things like this in future. Let me take care of it."
"Ok… but I am not a baby"
Sirius chuckled hearing that from Harry and felt relieved to see a smile in the pale face.
James could see Sirius hiding the emotions behind the smile for Harry. James could see Sirius hands trembling in fury, hiding from the mirror.
"It's no use hiding things like this from me Harry. I know you are not a kid but still you're not a grown up. That's why I am here to take care of you, so let me take care of you."
Harry nodded, not able to tell anything in response.
Sirius bid good night and he could see the light in Harry's face. Before he could cut the connection of, he could see the same look in Harry's face again.
There….
As if he's Merlin himself… the utter adoration in his godson's usually indifferent face just for him. Harry gets so emotional just for him.
James tried to calm down before Sirius exploded, doing things he may regret.
"Padfoot calm down, you know Snape is taking it hard still not forgetting her death" like me, James left the last part.
"So, that makes it ok to do all this to Harry? You know that kid, he barely does anything troublesome other than studying."
James still tried to calm him down before he does something like the shrieking shack incident. Sirius could be a little too violent and sometimes dark which James had rarely seen yet aware that part exists in Sirius.
"No James, I won't let anyone doing anything to him. I've had enough of it people punishing him for Lily's death which he really has no part in it."
Sirius could see his words affecting James,
"Oh don't look like that James. You and I know very well it is not his fault. I haven't forgiven you still for treating Harry like that in his childhood. Childhood is very important to every child James, you who grew up in a good family will not understand this yet I let it go knowing you're his father but no more… I won't let anyone hurt Harry no matter what I have to do."
Sirius turned towards the exit not wanting to be with anyone.
"But Sirius…"
"Don't worry I am just going to warn him. If he doesn't stop this, then we will see." With that Sirius left.
Sirius couldn't let it go. The child had suffered a lonely childhood without any caring parents, friends and all the stress of being a seer along with having visions most of the time forgetting his present. It took Sirius years to coax him to be this open at least with him. Harry had suffered enough. Harry's Hogwarts years are going to be stressful enough to hide him being seer. Sirius can't let anything or anyone hurting his Harry again.
Next morning Snape was sipping his tea in the great hall, with his usual scowl on his face. Just when about a hundred owls had suddenly streamed into the Great Hall during breakfast like every day, circling the tables until they saw their owners and dropping letters and packages on to their laps. Merlin, why don't they just deliver it to their dorm?
Severus never understood this irritating thing and continued his breakfast ignoring the ever smiling Dumbledore, with his stupid twinkling eyes beside him.
Just what makes him so twinkling all the damn time?
Thankfully every owl returned and to everyone's surprise one was still circling around with a red envelope.
A howler?
Severus's day brightened a little bit. Oh! Definitely to a Gryffindor student, I hope.
But it circled around still not landing, now everyone's attention on the owl. Snape could tell the parent must be an attention seeker or he wanted everyone to see the humiliation, increasing it tenfold.
Snape watched feeling a chance to ridicule the student if it's a Gryffindor or at least watch the drama in the usually boring life.
But to his shock, the owl flew dramatically towards the high table where the professors sat.
Now this seemed even more interesting.
A howler for a professor?
Severus hoped it's the haughty, prideful McGonagall or the twinkling Dumbledore. To his utter surprise, the howler was dropped in front of him.
Severus heard gasps (definitely his Slytherins) and giggles (definitely unruly Gryffindor students)
Who would dare?
Is it one of pranks from the Potter twins? Or the Weasely twins?
No, they wouldn't dare.
He took his wand to vanish it only to find it already opening,
Severus waited to hear just so he knew which one sent him this or who pranked him.
Severus would have dealt with any kind of voice except the one which filled the great hall.
A sickly sweet voice belonging to no gender filled the great hall.
"OH… My Dear Snapey-poo… Sorry, Sorry, You Don't Like That Name Right? Then How About Sevy-Poo… You Don't Know How Much I Want To Be With You…"
Severus had enough of this nonsense; he could already hear laughter from students and professors despite his death-glare. He tried to vanish it but to his utter horror, it made kissing noises. He tried to silencio it only to find it answering,
"Oh Stop Acting Like You Don't Want My Attention… That's why I Sent You a Special Howler that will follow you around, letting the world know about my love for me, That You're Taken… So Every Time You Use a Spell It will let you know My Thoughts of you…"
Severus tried to burn it,
"Oh I Know You Will Try To Know My Thoughts Of You….
Oh Sevy-poo what Do you Do To Your Hair? I've had Never Seen Anything as Greasy as Yours"
Severus could feel a vein throbbing in his forehead. This is utter humiliation and a mark in his menacing and scary Professor reputation. Severus tried one strong spell to silence it.
"Your nails are as yellow as your Teeth Sevvy-Poo and Your Nose Is As Long As a Broomstick."
Merlin… Students were laughing around especially the Gryffindor house. It looked like Marauder's work.
Oh!
Just then the howler came very close to his ears whispering in his ear just so he alone could hear and he recognized the voice.
Black!
"Snape… This is just a simple prank to warn you… you know how cruel I can be… Do not make me crueler…. Stop troubling my godson for no reason or else you will find this nothing compared to what I would do"
Snape fumed while Dumbledore who sat beside him also heard those words and decided to look into this matter.
While everyone giggled and joked around the howler for a week since it followed Snape for an hour before he managed successfully to banish it and Harry, who missed breakfast in Great Hall will see in his visions that night, lightening his heart with laughter and the proof of Sirius's caring towards him one more time. But not everyone got happy like Harry because Fred and George earned a week worth of detention from Snape for Fred singing those howler's lines in a sickly sweet voice while George made kissing noises in background.
~~~~~~~~xxxxxxxx~~~~~~~xxxxxx~~~~~~~~xxxxxx~~~~~~~~
Shhhhh…
Harry has to be silent because he's following (not stalking!) Tom Riddle to wherever he's going, under his invisibility cloak. Merlin, he is going towards probably Slytherin dorm.
Should he follow?
Will there be some sort of magic which will recognize him under invisibility cloak?
Nope, Sirius once said him sneaking into Slytherin common room under this invisibility cloak to prank someone.
And above all he has to go in there to check this thing bothering him for weeks now. It's the first week of December and after finishing all his works, he had made free time to follow Tom Riddle. Because he had noticed Riddle's clothes two weeks before.
He knew he could never forget those clothes since he had sewed those clothes or handpicked them with Tally but he had let it go since it was of larger size. But his suspicions increased when he saw him wearing almost similar to all the clothes he had gifted on Christmas every year.
He thought it may be probably coincidence and ignored it but then the shoes too seemed similar when one Saturday he was roaming through library. That's when he noticed Riddle seemed to have an obsession to learn everything in library because he was always there as frequent as him, reading variety of books.
Harry thought may be this boy received one of his Christmas gifts but still not convinced with his suspicions, watched him closely in Ravenclaw and Slytherin combined classes. He got to know his name and the usual scowl in Riddle's face. Is he an orphan? Harry didn't know whom to ask since he had never spoken with any of students or any classmates tried to speak with him.
Most of the Ravenclaw classes were combined with Hufflepuff and that house stick close to together while his fellow housemates avoided him. That's what he wanted too. So he started noticing Tom Riddle out of curiosity a week before, he saw some sort of chain in Riddle's neck.
Harry wanted to know what is really going on.
Are these things he had gifted? But he had sent that to a child of his similar age that time and how it got bigger?
As the second week passed, Harry started observing him curiously, this thing still not leaving his mind. He knew it was like the time he wanted to replicate the colors of all his drawing to his mother's hair color. This Riddle is not leaving his mind so he had to confirm this somehow and let go of his curiosity and suspicions. Today is the first time he is following him around with the help of invisibility cloak because he wanted to know are those things he had gifted.
So here he was, trying to catch a glimpse of Riddle's chain so that his suspicions may confirm or not.
What a relief that nothing revealed his identity when he entered the Slytherin Common room. He kept close to Riddle and thankfully Riddle was reading late in library that there aren't many students here to bump into. He had already silenced his feet which of course his Siri taught him.
He had noticed the few students in the common room sneering and calling the slur word for muggleborn at Riddle. So he is a muggleborn… It will be tough to be among the house famous for containing most of blood racists. He knew not everyone in the house is like that like his Uncle Reg but still this house has descendants of Malfoy, Avery and many more.
He had entered the room fearing the rumors of Slytherin students warding their rooms. Thankfully he had entered the room without anything happening and silently breathed in relief.
Merlin, he is never going to sneak like this. The tension and fear of getting caught is driving him insane. Harry doesn't like these extreme emotions running through him because he always wanted to be cool and calm with a non-changing indifferent expression on his face which Aunt Cassiopeia is training him to master so that people don't know what he is thinking or when he is lying or it will weaken his shield when he became highly emotional.
He looked around and froze in shock…
This is a very big room almost three can be in this room. Then why he is alone and there's only one bed in here?
Is it because these pure-bloods didn't want to be in the same room as him? Riddle must have been felt like hell in here.
And why Harry is sympathizing with Riddle now of all time under the cloak, sneaking in Slytherin house of all places. Merlin if Snape knew, he will take this as a chance to give detentions to him or worse expel him.
Harry looked around for the boy to see him taking the sweater (which too resembled strangely like the one he had gifted along with the gloves and scarves). Ok... Harry has to calm down. This is nothing, nothing at all and averted his eyes from Riddle not wanting to look at the chain. Harry didn't know what to do if he finds out he is one of the children he had gifted.
What to do?
What to do if he is one of the children he had gifted? So what next?
And gasped in shock looking at the overlarge Teddy bear he had gifted for a Christmas.
Ok… this is insane…
Harry's mind raced to find the list in his memories.
Clothes- his first gift.
Teddy bear, scarves and gloves– his third gift.
He looked at Riddle again to find him sitting on the bed with a blanket over his lap and reading a book, the chain shining in the dim light.
Oh Merlin…
The blanket- his second gift.
The muggle book he is reading – his forth gift.
The necklace - his fifth gift.
Had all his gifts gone to Riddle alone?
How is this possible?
How the clothes did have gotten bigger?
Merlin, what is going on?
Just then Riddle looked around the room and asked,
"Who is there?"
(A/N: Forgive me for grammatical errors and Love you all… See you soon.)