Note: I have a couple of weeks before residency starts (post-graduate work for medical students) and so I'll be updating as much as I can.
THE HAND OF FATE
by Yih
Unraveling the yarn/1938
"I'd like to talk to you," Tom said.
Abraxas looked up from the book he was reading. "What bothers you?" he asked, motioning for Tom to take a seat next to him. "You know you can tell me anything."
Tom turned his head away from Abraxas before her eyes reflexively narrowed at the choice of words. He could tell Abraxas anything, but what about ask? Tom felt Abraxas touch his chin and move his face back to his direction.
"You can ask me anything as well."
Tom stared into Abraxas' gray, which reminded Tom of a storm brewing even though he was almost certain he could trust the Malfoy heir. But it was the touch of uncertainty that niggled at him. Tom did trust Harry, but Harry more than deserved his trust. He would never trust anyone like he trusted Harry.
"Something bothers me," Tom stated flatly.
"What does?" Abraxas asked, gesturing for Tom to sit down at the other chair. "Is there anything I can do about it?"
Tom wondered if he asked, if Abraxas would truly tell him what was going on between him and Harry. He knew there was something going on. There was tension between them. There was something going on, but what? And why hadn't Harry said anything?
"What's going on between you and Harry?" Tom asked without preamble.
Abraxas hesitated and Tom saw it, noted it, so if he said nothing Tom knew it would be a lie.
"He's tutoring me," Abraxas said. "I asked my godfather to recommend me a talented wizard to help me further my own magical abilities and he gave Gaunt's name. We decided to keep our business relationship under wraps as it's not really necessary to advertise it."
"Is that all?"
Abraxas nodded. "That's all."
Tom wasn't really sure if he believed that was really all, but he nodded anyways because what could he say. "I was just wondering," Tom said nonchalantly as if he didn't really bother him and he was just asking for curiosity's sake. "You two seemed tense at your party and I thought you might not like my guardian."
Abraxas smiled. "We get along well enough."
"He knows," Abraxas said as he sat down in Harry's office without any greeting whatsoever. Harry wondered how he even knew that he had an office when he hadn't even been introduced to the student body yet. The other Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor wasn't leaving until the end of the fortnight, although Dumbledore had already installed him in an empty office to use at his leisure until he was officially instated. "Tom knows about us."
The way Abraxas said it sounded like it was a dirty, adulterous secret. Harry was rather annoyed at the entire situation as Abraxas had gotten him into the situation. He had asked to be taught by him. He had wormed his way into his life. For what purpose? Tutoring? It was ridiculous.
Harry still hadn't figured out his ulterior motives and he wasn't sure he would. Abraxas wasn't Draco, or even Lucius. He was much more formidable for all his tender years. He wasn't knowable.
"You seemed settled," Abraxas remarked as he took a seat across from Harry's. "Although the accommodations could be more impressive and less dusty, but I bet you don't much care about where as long as you're near Tom?
"I am most curious," he continued, resting his arms on Harry's desk and leaning forward, "why did you adopt Tom? Even though you claim to be distantly related, possibly a bastard of the Gaunt family, why adopt Tom? Your life would be easier, much easier without a half-bred child at your side. With your talent, you could go far, very far."
Harry was stunned. How had Abraxas known? Harry had carefully erased traces of Tom's existence at the orphanage—
"I am a Malfoy," he stated. "If I want to know something, I will find it." Abraxas tilted his head. "Did I not make you a true Gaunt?"
"You're excessively arrogant."
"But I am on your side," Abraxas said. "Because to make you an enemy would be foolish."
Harry narrowed his eyes.
"You don't need to worry about Tom. He was simply curious about our relationship. I told him the truth. There was no need to hide it. I don't know why you didn't tell him from the beginning, that you knew me and that you were tutoring me since I am his friend and your employer's godson. There is no shame in such an association, is there now?"
Harry just looked away at the stacks of books he had pulled from the library. He had to go through all of them and figure out lesson plans midway through the calendar school year. It was going to be a Herculean task to do it before the other Professor left. No wonder no one else wanted to take over the job.
"I don't know how you know I'm here," Harry said, "but I haven't told Tom yet that I have accepted the appointment. I would like to tell him myself in person."
"As you wish," Abraxas murmured, inclining his head deferentially. "I won't say a word."
Harry didn't know what to say but his thanks.
Abraxas smirked. "All you must do is ask, Harry."
The familiarity of his name on Abraxas' tongue was unnerving for some reason. It wasn't a slimy feeling, but it was hardly comforting. Harry didn't see a way of getting Abraxas out of the picture, especially when he was close friends with Tom. So if he couldn't get rid of Abraxas, he would simply have to work with him and make use of him.
Harry smiled, feeling quite like a fellow Slytherin that he almost could have been, and said, "Then I shall ask."
TBC
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A/N: All the reviewing certainly helped me get to writing this. I'm pleasantly surprised that it didn't take me too long to get back into the feel of the story. I am also brainstorming a vampire clan/war type story that will be coming out soon if the muse cooperates. Look for that (which should alert you if you have me on author alerts).
Thanks for reading and please keep supporting me!
Released on May 3, 2011.