A/N: Thanks for the reviews, y'all. Sorry it took me awhile to get this one up. I hope it was wort. the wait,

Chapter 10

Tom loved Hogwarts. It would have been good enough to get away from the orphanage to anywhere, but attending a school for magic surpassed his wildest dreams. He finally felt like he was somebody important. He had access to what most people did not. He was special. If he studied diligently, he could become a very powerful wizard.

He found every one of his classes fascinating in their own way. He tried to copy down every word his teachers said so that he could revisit them later. He did not want to miss anything. Defence Against the Dark Arts especially intrigued him. He wondered why there were certain types of magic they were not allowed to learn, but he did not press the issue for now. He was satisfied enough to be able to learn what he could.

He got along with everyone reasonably well. He got along with those in his dorm, especially Aden and Sebastian. The three of them often hung out in the Slytherin common room, discussing what they had learned in class and what they wished to explore in the future. The students in the other houses seemed to respect him as well. The only ones who gave him any trouble were Elora's siblings.

He still did not understand why Elora's family treated her the way they did. He had thought that perhaps it was normal, but after talking to some other kids, he learned it was highly exceptional. No one else wanted to investigate the reasons with him because they did not care for Elora, which made him think that there was something going on beyond her family.

Tom did not let anything stop him from spending time with Elora. She was still the only person who had cared about him before she even knew he was a wizard. He was pleased that he was not bullied at his new school, but this did not mean that he could trust them all. He knew they may have treated him differently if he had turned out to be a muggle. For this reason, he prized Elora's company above all others'.

He was looking forward to going home to her Granny's with her for Christmas break. He was relieved that Elora would be with someone who actually cared about her. He liked her Granny, and he thought it was good that she had her in her life. He wondered if she was what kept Elora so good. The girl certainly could not have learned it from her parents or older siblings.

Tom had been planning to spend the holidays at Hogwarts continuing his research, but he accepted the change of plans readily. It would be good to spend some time with Elora without the pressures of school and peers. Plus, he would get to know her in a different environment. He was eager to learn more about this girl who he could still not fully understand. Maybe her Granny would have answers about her and her family.

He did have one concern going into the break. Christmas would be coming up, and he had nothing to give Elora. He had given her presents in the past by finding flowers or pilfering toys from the other orphans, but that was not going to work this time. What little money he owned he needed for school. He hated asking others for help, but perhaps Granny could offer a solution. He did not want to look like a fool on Christmas morning.

Tom woke up the Saturday they were to leave feeling like it was going to be a good day. However, his outside demeanor was perfect calmness. He packed his trunk casually as if he were getting ready for any other morning.

"Are you going home?" Aden asked curiously from his own bed.

Tom lifted his head to look at his housemate. He had not told anyone of his plans, for he knew what children were like at this age. "Elora's grandmother offered to take us both for the holidays," he responded smoothly. He hoped there would be no further questions.

Aden's eyes widened in surprise. "You're going home with a girl?!"

"Don't spread that around," Tom said. He was remembering the teasing he had so often received from the children at the orphanage. He had seen no signs that the students at Hogwarts were like those muggles, but he still chose to be careful.

"Oh, have fun," Aden.

"Thank you," Tom said politely, glad there was no further discussion.

He was somehow able to get through breakfast without looking over at the Ravenclaw table. His upbringing had given him the patience to wait for what he really wanted. Soon enough, it was time to leave for the train. Tom walked out with Aden and Sebastian, but he excused himself when he saw Elora's white-blond hair in the crowd.

He slipped his way through the excited students until he was directly behind her. He touched her shoulder, and she turned her head. Her blue eyes were lit up bright when they landed on him. "Tom!" she said in a happy tone.

He did not say anything in return. He knew he did not have to. The two of them walked side-by-side to the Hogsmeade train station. The crowd was not as large as it had been at the beginning of the year, but Tom still found himself disliking it. If he had to be around other people, he preferred small groups. Large crowds were too loud and caused him anxiety.

Finally, they reached the train. Tom walked to the back with Elora. He found an empty compartment and slipped inside. He and Elora sat across from each other. He hoped no one else would try to join them. He had plenty enough company for the long trip.

"I can't wait to get to Granny's house," Elora said, a huge grin on her face. "I haven't seen her in so long!"

"I am sure the visit will be pleasant," Tom said. He was not quite sure what to expect, actually. He had never lived in a real home before.

"Don't worry; she likes you. She makes the best desserts. I bet she'll have some ready for both of us when we get there!"

Tom had to admire the girl's spirit. After all she had been through with her family, she still had reasons to smile and have a positive outlook on the world. He wondered what it was about her that made him different than himself. Did she have something that he could gain?

He did not have much time to think because she kept going on and on. He did not really mind, though. He enjoyed listening to her stories and plans. He was sure they were going to have a good time during this break.

The trip seemed to be shorter than expected. Elora grinned at him as they stood up and made their way out into the corridor. The children were already there, pushing and shoving to get off the train first. Tom took Elora's hand in his so that he would not lose her, and he skillfully navigated them through the crowd. He let go once they stepped onto the platform of 9 ¾.

"Granny!" Elora exclaimed, and she ran forward. Tom recognized the old woman with long, blond hair who she now clung to. He casually made his way over to them.

"Hello, dear," Granny said warmly. "It's good to see you. I missed you."

Elora pulled back and smiled at her. "I missed you too."

Granny looked past her and smiled at Tom. "I see you have brought your friend along. It is nice to see you, dear. I am delighted you accepted my invitation."

Tom nodded his head. "Thank you for asking me."

"We're going to have a good time," Granny said. "Now let's be off." She helped them drag their luggage outside where a taxi cab was waiting for them. Tom had not had much experience in cars, and he found he enjoyed the ride.

Then they arrived at what appeared to be a bakery. "Granny lives on top," Elora whispered. Tom nodded at her. He remembered her saying something about Granny running a bakery. This must be it.

Granny took out a pair of keys and unlocked the door. "Come on in," she said with a smile as she held the door wide open. "Elora, you can take Tom up to the guest room to get settled in. Come back down when you're ready."

Elora nodded. "Ok, Granny." She looked at Tom and grinned. "Let's go!"

Tom looked around at the bakery as they walked towards a door in the back. The place was pretty small, but it had a warm and cozy feeling to it. It also smelled absolutely delicious. He hoped Elora was right about dessert being ready for them. He had not been able to eat on the train for lack of money.

Elora opened the door to review a spiral staircase that led up above the bakery. Tom glanced down at their luggage and found himself wishing that they were allowed to use magic outside of school. Not wanting to look weak in front of his friend, he trudged up the stairs after her. It took a good amount of effort, but eventually they made it. They both let go of their trunks once they reached the top in order to take a breath.

"The guest room is to the left," Elora said.

Tom nodded. Two long corridors stretch in both directions. He dragged his trunk behind Elora as they entered the left corridor. Elora stopped after the second door. She dropped her luggage so that she could open the door.

"Here it is," she said with a slight smile. She pushed the door open and then dragged in her trunk.

Tom was close behind her. He set his trunk down in the room near the door so the he could look around. Everything was colored a light blue, reminding him of Ravenclaw. There were two double beds in the room. The first was on the left next to the window on the other side of the room. The other was to the right next the door. If they were together, they would have been perpendicular. Both were flanked by tall dressers and short night stands with lamps. There was a door that probably led to a closet. Directly right of it was a long mirror. A writing desk sat on the right wall near the window.

"What do you think?" Elora asked with a nervous smile.

"It's fantastic," Tom said. He had never had such a nice room in his life. His dorm at Hogwarts has great, but it was smaller than this and he had to share it with four other boys. He was really going to enjoy this break.

Elora beamed at him. "I'm glad you like it. Let's unpack so we can go see Granny."

That sounded like a good idea to Tom. Again, he wished they were allowed to use magic outside of school. This work seemed too tedious to do by hand. He watched as Elora chose the bed by the window, and he pulled his trunk over t he bed next to the door. He opened the bottom drawer of the dresser and began to fill it up.

It did not take too long to get everything done. Elora had finished first, and it looked to Tom that she had just thrown everything into the drawers. He, on the other hand, tried to be a little neater. He was not judging, though. He nodded at her, and the two of them left together.

Granny had her back turned to them as they reentered the bakery. It appeared she was setting something down on one of the round tables. "Granny!" Elora said happily.

Granny turned around and smiled at them. "Hello, children. I've got something for you." She moved out of the way to reveal what she had placed on the table: two plates of some sort of chocolate pie. "French silk pie."

"Oh, that's my favorite!" Elora squealed. "Thank you Granny!" She turned to Tom excitedly. "You have to try it!"

Granny chuckled lightly. "You're welcome, dear. Go right ahead."

Tom was intrigued by the pie. It was not like anything he had had at Hogwarts, and he defiantly did not have anything like it at the orphanage. He sat down at the table across from Elora. She smiled at him as he picked up his fork. Then he took a bite.

"This is good," he said. He was not a huge fan of chocolate, but the rich flavor really was enticing. I glanced up at Granny. "Thank you."

Granny smiled. "You're welcome. I'm glad you like it."

Elora grinned. "I told you." She took a huge bite herself.

Tom continued to eat. He could tell his friend really enjoyed it because she did not speak until they had both finished. Even then, she sat back in her chair silently, looking satisfied. Tom wondered what else was in store for them over the holidays.

"I'm going to start making dinner," Granny said. "Elora, why don't you take Tom on a tour?"

Elora nodded eagerly. "Ok! Come on, Tom!"

Tom got up and willingly followed her to the staircase again. Perhaps some family members were not so bad after all.

OOO

Dinner turned out to be delicious as the pie. Tom knew he was going to enjoy his stay with Granny. After dinner, they all sat around the fire in the drawing room sharing stories. Granny told the children about her time at Hogwarts. It was interesting to see how so much had changed and yet remained the same.

"Maybe we should call it a day and head to bed," Granny said from her rocking chair.

Elora yawned from her spot on the couch next to Tom. "No, we're fine," she said sleepily. "Go on."

Granny smiled. "Alright. I will finish this one story…"

But before she could get to the end, Elora had fallen asleep. Tom was surprised that she was leaning against him, though he did not object. He moved his arm to put it more comfortably around her. She unconsciously responded by moving so that her head was now in his lap. He stared down at her, wondering at the strange emotions stirring within him.

"You mean a lot to her, you know," Granny said, causing him to look up at her.

"I know." He had seen the way her family treated her and the way she was treated at school. The truth was, she meant a lot to him as well. "Why does her family hate her?"

Granny's mouth twisted down in a frown. "They don't hate her-"

"Yes, they do," Tom said darkly. "They abuse her. She's shown me. Her parents don't treat her siblings like that. Why?" He wanted answers, and he was no going to accept the excuse that he was too young to know.

Granny let out a heavy sigh. Her face now looked weary, finally showing her age. "Oh Tom…"

"I want to protect her," he said, gazing down at the girl. "Tell me what you know."

"Alright," Granny said softly, causing him to look up at her in anticipation. She was silent for a minute before going on. "I'm afraid Phoebe – Elora's mother – dislikes her because she reminds her of me."

"But you're all Ravenclaws."

Granny nodded slowly. "Yes, that is true, but there are two main types of Ravenclaws. One type is those who are focused on grades and performing their best. The other type is those who think differently than others and can come up with creative solutions to problems. Most Ravenclaws are a mix of the two, but some lean heavily to one side. Phoebe and her son are the first type, and Elora and I are the second. My husband Donald was also of the first type. We taught Phoebe that both are import members of Ravenclaws, and we complement each other rather than being at war.

"Donald and Phoebe were very close. It broke her heart when he passed away while she was at Hogwarts during her second year… as it did mine." She was silent for a moment. There was strong emotion in her voice when she resumed speaking. "Phoebe was never the same. She seemed to blame me for her father's death. In order to deal with her grief, she idolized everything about him and hated everything about me.

"She became closed any way of looking at life that did not mirror her own. Her friends reinforced her views. She always believed she knew best. She ended up marrying someone just like her – a Slytherin who taught her about blood purity. She easily latched onto the idea because it made her feel superior to others."

In the silence that followed, Tom let the story sink in. He could sort of understand what had happened. His question still had not been answered, though. "And what about Elora?"

Granny hesitated. "Phoebe raised her children to be like her, but her teachings would not stick on Elora. Even at a young age, it was apparent that Elora was very creative and individualistic. She took after me. We were always great friends." She smiled softly at this. "Phoebe did not approve, of course." Her smile faded. "She attempted to punish Elora in order to force her to behave the way she wanted her behave. Her methods are somewhat…"

"Cruel?" Tom said bluntly.

Pain shown in Granny's eyes as she nodded slowly. "Yes. I'm afraid so, Tom."

"Can't you do anything to stop it? Why doesn't Elora live with you?"

"I've tried, Tom, but there's nothing I can do. You'll understand when you're older."

Tom looked away and glared at the floor. Why couldn't he understand now? "I'll save her then," he vowed. He turned his head to gaze at the sleeping girl in his lap. He gently stroked her hair with his hand. He knew he would do anything to make it come true. "I promise to protect her."