"We'll be good," Gellert promises as Harry does a pat down on the blond just to make sure.
The crowd of Platform 9¾ is loud as always, students carting around trunks like they can't take out an unsuspecting person's knee and parents standing in all manner of places but always in the most annoying spot to slow down foot traffic.
Harry pops back up, a snake he found curled around Tom's ankle in hand, and puts it in his pocket along with the three others Tom is not allowed. Harry gathers them all close in a group hug (which is very difficult with how tall they're all getting) and squeezes them as hard as he can.
"You boys be safe okay? Only half a year left," Harry says reassuringly.
"We'll be good," Credence echoes Gellert and then has to be half dragged out of Harry's arms and to the train by Tom.
Gellert does a twirl in front of the huge mirror he asked for in the Room of Requirement and comes to a stop, his outer robes twisting around his calves from the remaining momentum. He's decorated in fancy robes with Potter Family clay reds and soothing, glimmering silver embroidery. Blazing gold rune chains encircle his wrists and bleed across his skin like snakes.
None of it really does anything for two reasons.
One, Priya insisted the party was on neutral ground and while Gellert barely restrained himself from laughing in her face because no where is neutral and everyone always has their own priorities, he is at least willing to play along.
Two, Gellert wants to be intimidating enough to the common rabble that they don't bother him but still underestimated by the people who are smart enough to actually read his nonsense runes.
"What do you think?" Gellert asks happily, turning to Tom, who also stands in front of the large mirror.
Tom is in darker red and deep grey trim, a nice compliment to Gellert. He's also wearing dust bunny Credence.
The thing is, they can't leave Credence to stay in Hogwarts because he needs to get some understanding of a political arena. They also can't leave Credence alone in a party like this because it isn't safe – for Credence, for everyone else. It would be a disaster.
This is also partly because if someone shows up feeling like an Obscurus, that's an issue. If someone shows up with part of an Obscurus, that's fashion and a statement of power.
So now Tom looks at Gellert through the mirror, ash flaking off his back as roiling, deep black dust with an inner core of reaching red lightning strikes wraps his shoulders. The fake cloak is lifted by some unknown current, rippling and billowing with abrupt turns like a wave crashing against cliffs. It curls around Tom's upper arms, breaks over his skin and reforms behind him again.
"You look like an idiot," Tom tells Gellert. "Are you holding complete nonsense runes?"
"Yep," Gellert answers and swipes through Credence, fingers trailing through. "Wow, you're really stable, well done."
th-a-anks
The whisper echoes and stutters as the dust fluffs up a little bit, proud.
"Can you not talk in this form?" Tom asks in confusion. "How have I not realised until now?"
i ca-an talllllk nooot good-d tho-ugh
"If you need to say something do it in Parseltongue," Gellert advises. "Wouldn't want people gossiping about Tom's talking cloak."
"Scandalous," Tom deadpans. He turns this way and that and Credence twists with him. Tom abruptly steps to the side and Credence trails a bit but catches up fast enough it doesn't look odd. "Alright, I think I'm done."
Gellert clasps his hands. "Off we go then!"
They trek through hidden hallways and out into the Forbidden Forest, far enough in that the wards end and they can apparate to a public floo, then through the fire into the large manor house in Argentina.
Credence is trying very hard to not fall sleep. Tom is warm and his voice is soothing, and Credence is very comfortable in this form of dust, much better than holding together human skin.
Credence sort of drifts along behind Tom as his (little) brothers talk about things Credence doesn't really care about. He feels proud of them when they talk about their science things and whatnot but he doesn't understand.
The manor is big with sprawling acres of outside gazebos and sunrooms and colourful mountains on the darkened night time horizon but it's still packed full.
People are staring at Credence (at Tom) and many step away when they come closer but it draws others in. Credence was told not to hide himself or the wrongness so tensions are high as they move about the rooms and people shudder when they feel the presence of broken magic.
Tom specifically changes the story each time so people know he's lying; it's a gift, I tamed an Obscurus, I am an Obscurial, it was inherited from my father, I don't know what you mean there's nothing wrong with my cloak.
Gellert chimes in with; it's our little dust bunny, we found him in the street and took him home, it ate Tom's real cloak.
Credence tunes in and out for most of the party after he relaxes from that initial nervous shot of adrenalin. He eats the tiny hors d'oeuvres Gellert feeds him, swallows the detection spell aimed at Tom's back, chews through another charm attempting to restrain his ash, devours half a man when he attacks because Credence is wrongwrongwrong and it's overwhelming for the lesser.
Tom cleans up after him and no one makes any comment because this place is sink or swim. This is not money or political power, this is a gathering of intellect. There are creatures here, muggles, powerful because they took control with their own hands.
Credence meets several Dark Lords and Ladies and thinks Albus is stronger. He sees shadowed figures off in corners with their faces obscured and thinks his family's Unspeakable is more powerful. He listens to conversations with researchers of all types and thinks his brothers are smarter.
He does not see anyone like Harry.