With so much help, they'd been able to finish the interiors with nearly two weeks left until the start of the school year – according to Tom's original plans which didn't include the volunteers, they only would have had the rough construction done by then with significantly less money left. The least they could do was to throw one last party for everyone to celebrate the completion – they had a large brass plaque made and solemnly hung it by the front door that evening:
Custodarium
Home for the Wizarding Youth
1944
Bellow was a smaller, commemorative one listing the names of every volunteer in alphabetical order. It was a nice touch, giving credit where it was due, as well as a political statement.
The main task was over, the volunteers had been dismissed, but that didn't mean Harry and Tom weren't busy. Tom set out to dig a shallow pond about thirty metres from Custodarium and equip it with runestones that would keep it from drying up or dropping in temperature.
Harry meanwhile planted enough oaks to lay a foundation of a wood around the pond, then some more near the building and all across the island. Once he was done, he started laying a road from the mooring up to the plateau, following the outline they'd made of the potential wizarding village.
The 1st of September fell on Friday, so they made their shopping trip to Diagon Alley on Monday – it occurred to Harry that he could return the favour from seven years ago, so he owled Hagrid and offered to take him with them. It was fun, but not quite as fun as going fishing with Tom on Tuesday and Wednesday. (Tom thought) they could have simply bought a fry of fish to release in the pond, but (Harry argued) what was the fun in that?
Voldemort was certainly pleased with their efforts, although he was unsurprisingly a bit salty about being left on Staffa while his Masters finished their education at Hogwarts. Tom had appeased him by showing him a twelve-inch-wide tunnel complete with a Parseltongue-controlled flap door which connected the outside with Harry and Tom's bedroom, and solemnly appointing Voldemort as the Custodarium patron.
Harry realised he hadn't really gone sightseeing around the Muggle world of the 1940s, so they used the last day to wander around the mundane Edinburgh with a generous spending budget of six pounds. They would have gone to London, but it was just Harry's luck that the first time he'd had the opportunity to actually enjoy the city, it was at the height of the Nazi bombings.
Edinburgh was stunning, everyone's accent sounded like Minerva McGonagall when she was angry, they wore elegant suits and hats, occasionally even kilts. The two undercover wizards browsed through endearingly antique-looking shops with shoes, clothes and books. They ended up getting teach-yourself textbooks of German and French, since some of the war orphans might only speak those, and they both bought some clothes for casual wear.
It was the closest Harry had come to a fun date. It was a fun date, but it really hit him that this was Tom's world – so very different from the one he'd grown up in; simpler, but full of uncertainties. Electricity just barely became a thing, so did mass-produced plastics and cars. Was it too late to start feeling a little claustrophobic about being stuck here?
The answer was yes, so he tried to concentrate on the good stuff, because there sure was plenty: he'd finally become a seventh-year tomorrow, two years late (or technically, fifty-three years early). Tom made Head Boy and Harry's O.W.L. marks came out better than the original ones – he got additional Os in Charms and Potions. He had a home waiting for him, and his future was headed in the direction he'd chosen for once. There was a lovely berry brûlée on his plate and his lovely boyfriend in the seat opposite to him.
Life was good.
xXx
Tom arrived at the Platform 9 early as he had to meet with all the other prefects and give them a pep talk along with the Head Girl, a Hufflepuff called Lena Smilebrite. She was annoyingly talkative, so he planned to save his breath and dignity, tag along and mostly just look imposing.
He nodded to Harry when he saw him at the platform later, entering the Hogwarts Express with the rest of the Slytherin Knights. Tom had to sit with the other prefects and patrol the train.
He noticed some students had been giving him curious glances, more so than before. His suspicion was confirmed when he joined Harry for the Welcoming Feast, and the looks intensified.
Perfect.
Tom hadn't honestly believed they could keep the whole project a secret, he'd thought as much when Harry proposed letting the Knights and their friends participate. Twenty youngsters disappearing who-knows-where all summer, reportedly to do charitable work, an island getting registered with the Ministry under Harry's name,… Someone was bound to start asking questions, and some of the volunteers were bound to talk.
If they went public with a bang; an official announcement of some sort, it would reek of propaganda once they turned to politics. This way, they could play the good samaritan card immaculately: let the rumours spread, reluctantly confirm them and claim they didn't want to make a big deal out of it, maintaining the perfect image of guileless students just out to do the right thing.
They could go even further – offer the "extra" land on the island for free, as long as the beneficiary promised to actually build a house and live there, "to create a sense of community for the children."
Someone might accept the offer, but most adults would hate to simply take land off students – they'll want to pay at least the fair amount. However, Custodarium would only accept a symbolic amount, getting the "buyer" to commit to their decision to live on the island both because of the money they'd invested in it and because of feeling indebted due to the the money they'd saved. Tom would make sure to mention their kindness in public if he ever needed to curry favour with them.
The gossipmongers didn't disappoint – within days, both Harry and him had been asked about the matter multiple times, and some Knights reported questions as well.
Someone had predictably been relaying the Hogwarts rumours to their parents, because two weeks into the semester, there was a big article in the Daily Prophet: "Children to Children: Hogwarts students covertly build an orphanage with their own wands!" The reporter (not Morgenstern's mother, but presumably a colleague of hers) had apparently done his research and visited the Staffa island to look around and take a few photos. Harry's name was mentioned since he was the owner, Tom's name was mentioned because one of the volunteers let slip that he was the architect and coordinator.
The article was what really set things in motion. People kept whispering wherever the two wizards went, Slughorn gave an ode to "his most honourable students" so flowery he rivalled Beethoven's, even Albus Dumbledore would do his twinkling-eyes thing when he looked at them, no Legilimency Tom could detect behind it. The man was the reason he'd studied the mind arts so early – in the years past, he could always sense suspicion off him and had been horrified to learn that he was a Legilimens. Tom also thought Dumbledore a hypocrite based the contrast between the valour he preached and his stalling attitude towards Grindelwald. All in all, Tom wasn't very fond him and reckoned the sentiment was mutual; the sudden change was unnerving.
In the days immediately following the article, they'd been bombarded with hordes of letters – mostly of support, some offers, some inquiries, a few sceptics. Unfortunately, it didn't stop at letters – a very annoying fan club of younger girls emerged at school, "inconspicuously" following them around and "secretly" fawning over them.
Harry wasn't happy about the attention at all; he apparently hadn't been exaggerating when he said he hated it in his original timeline, but at least he seemed somewhat used to it.
There was a letter from the Ministry, too, promising their full support, but no specific amounts – not surprising, considering the tight position they'd been in; a government on the losing side of a war was desperate for all the public recognition they could get. Soon after, the Daily Prophet printed the Ministry's official statement, its contents pretty much the same. Tom was fine with that. After giving it more thought, he realised they'd be directly obliged to the Ministry if they accepted their money, definitely not what he wanted to be at this point. All he needed from them now was the formal acknowledgement.
xXx
"Do we really have to?" Harry asked for the fifth time, even as he dawdled to the main entrance door to welcome their guest.
"No, but it will prove very advantageous for us in the future if we do it," Tom answered patiently, feeling a tiny bit sorry for pushing Harry into something he so obviously disliked, even though it was objectively important and not that unpleasant.
Harry sighed and opened the door.
"Mr. Potter, Mr. Riddle, such a pleasure to make your acquittance! My name is Norbert Dodderidge from the Daily Prophet, I'll be the one interviewing you today."
Dodderidge was a podgy man in his fifties, dressed in a grey suit that would allow him to blend with both wizards and Muggles of this era. He sported a professional smile and overall seemed like one of the more legit journalists Harry had the pleasure to meet.
"The pleasure is ours, Mr. Dodderidge, please come in," Tom answered politely. They shook hands, and Tom led the way to the Custodarium common room. There were several sofas and armchairs in a neutral décor of cinnamon brown, conference tables and a fireplace.
xXx
You have done quite a bit of fine work here, gentlemen. To be honest, I was sceptical when I first heard of your project – that is, of course, until I have seen it with my own two eyes. How does it happen that a group of Hogwarts students decides to build an orphanage?
Harry: It was a series of coincidences – I transferred to Hogwarts last year, and Tom was the prefect assigned with showing me around. We became friends and found out we both wanted to do something meaningful for the wizarding world. Then one of our classmates tragically lost her parents, she had a hard time finding a place to go, and since both of us are orphans, too, the idea came to us naturally. We mentioned it to our classmates, many volunteered to help – we were only able to complete the construction this quickly thanks to them.
Pardon my curiosity, but how do two orphans and twenty other students raise enough money to buy an island and build a house this spacious?
Tom: Harry was so generous as to use most of his inheritance for this. The others also made donations.
Harry: (smiles wistfully, eyes glistening with the ghost of his past): I'm sure mum and dad would have been happy to see me do this.
Why have you chosen an island? Why Staffa in particular?
Tom: We wanted a place where the wizarding children could be themselves, not worried about their accidental magic or feeling alienated from their Muggle peers. Staffa happened to be on sale and fit our needs. Besides, you have to admit it already looks magical with its rock columns and caves. (chuckles)
Indeed, and it is quite a large island, too, at least thirty acres. Are you planning to make use of the extra space?
Harry: We're not sure yet, but we're hoping to welcome other residents on Staffa at some point. It would be brilliant to have some sort of community for the youth staying at Custodarium.
You named the orphanage Custodarium. Does that mean anything?
Tom: It means "place of protection" in Latin.
Harry: We thought it sums up the purpose nicely. Other than an orphanage, we want to make it a shelter for any youth in need, like when someone needs to escape abuse or when families refuse a Squib child.
You'll be accepting Squibs?
Harry: Of course, we'll be accepting children from a young age – we wouldn't stop caring for them if they turned out to be Squibs, they'll just have different options in the wizarding world than the magical ones.
And you plan to run all this yourselves after you graduate?
Tom: For now, yes. Harry will be in charge of the operation.
Do you have experience with children?
Harry: Some. We knew it would be a challenge from the start, but I'm sure we'll make it work.
You mentioned an orphaned classmate – will she be joining you at Custodarium this summer?
Tom: That depends on her. If she wants to, she is welcome.
What about foreign children? War orphans from the continental Europe?
Harry: They're welcome, too!
Tom: We've been learning basics of German and French to better accommodate their needs, although they'd still have to learn English eventually.
Est-ce vrai?
Harry Tom: (laugh) Oui.
What is the capacity of this building?
Tom: Without any Expansion Charms, twenty-five residents plus the staff, but the rooms upstairs are ready to be Expanded should we need more room.
You have Runed them beforehand? How very prudent of you, and you made the entire design yourselves, correct? Why the secrecy? Why not involve adults?
Tom: Firstly, we are adults – all the volunteers have turned seventeen and have acquired their Apparition licences. Secondly, we have involved outsiders, we just didn't want to make a sensation out of it… although that part obviously didn't worked out. All we wanted was to give some young people in need a better chance at life.
I see. I am sorry for publishing the previous article, then.
Tom: No, we should be thanking you – we realised it's better this way, we received lots of support and more people will know that there's a place they can turn to.
Oh, that's a relief, I would hate to interfere with your admirable efforts. Would you mind to show our readers around?
xXx
The interview printed in the Sunday 27th of October issue (they had to give it on a Hogsmeade Saturday when they could officially be away from Hogwarts for the day). It had been accompanied by the wizarding photographs and descriptions of the interiors (the playroom with its Animated wall painting, a couple of the bedrooms, the dining room) and one large photo of the two of them.
The effect was even more prominent than the first article: people started recognising them everywhere, not just Hogwarts, pointing, whispering, sometimes openly commending them. Tom basked in the attention, though on the down side, it made sneaking out of Hogwarts to do business unnoticed a touch more complicated (that touch was called Polyjuice).
Among the letters they'd been receiving appeared offers of financial help or volunteering, and two new types of letter which Tom had been waiting for: invitations to important parties, most notably the Ministry of Magic Christmas Gala, and inquiries about the possibility of construction on the island.
To Harry's dismay, they also became Witch Weekly's new favourite bachelors – the tabloid printed a special on the whole volunteer crew in the next issue, using photos obviously taken by a student from afar (or at least they hoped not by a professor, unless that twinkle in Dumbledore's eye was actually a flash!?).
Tom wasn't sure whether to try exploiting this kind of attention, but he wasn't bothered by it. As for the volunteers, most of them were happy about it, especially the actual bachelors.
͛
"Sorry, um, Tom, right?" said a thin voice.
He looked up from his essay, keeping his expression neutral, although he inwardly suspected it was just a fangirl trying her luck again. Harry turned to the source, too.
It was Sarah Jacobs and her two best mates. She was a third year Ravenclaw now, on the shorter side, long dark blonde braids, brown eyes and a timid, slightly freckled face.
It was one of her friends speaking, though. "Were you serious? … That Sarah could stay with you?"
"Of course! We'd be happy to have you if you want to come, Sarah," said Harry quickly. Tom could hear the warm smile he must have had on his face.
"She wants to, she's just too scared to ask."
Sarah did look quite scared. "I… think I want to. I mean, can I try?"
Tom gave his most welcoming smile and said, "Sarah, why don't you have a seat and let us tell you more? You can ask any questions you have afterwards and decide if you'd perhaps like to give Custodarium a test run over the Christmas." Harry nodded enthusiastically and pushed his chair to the side, offering the girl a seat beside him.