Eleonora flipped through a stack of papers in her arms, having told Isidore that she needed to pick up a manual about her prefect duties. She advised him to go back to the house, as he had seemed exhausted and was walking unsteadily from his lack of sleep.

She passed through a doorway into an outdoor corridor, looking up at the clear night sky from underneath the gothic arches above her. She saw Isidore sitting on the grass, gazing up at the stars, and immediately sighed with a smirk.

He never listens to me.

Eleonora looked around, seeing they were alone, removing her emerald ring from her left hand, pocketing it. She immediately felt the absence of the limiter enhancing her magical strength, whispering an old spell that turned her invisible. She folded the packet, shoving it in a deep pocket of her robes, looking back up to ensure Isidore hadn't noticed her.

She softly stepped out of the stone corridor, quietly hurrying across the grass. She slowed down about six feet behind Isidore, bending over as she prepared to tickle his ear. It was his Achille's heel, and his friends loved to take advantage of it.

She reached her hand forward, holding the long robe sleeve off of his shoulders as she inched closer. Her hand sat six inches from his ear, then he caught her wrist. He yanked, and she toppled forward, then felt another pull back. She fell onto her back across his crossed legs, staring up at him as he smirked to where her face was, despite not being able to see her. His eyes once again seemed happier than she had ever remembered them, indicative of his pleasant mood. They had an ethereal silver hue to them in the moonlight, and the gentle breeze blew his black bangs in the direction of his perfectly parted hair to reveal his face a little more. He rested his arm across his leg next to his hip, his hand brushing against her hair that was surprisingly softer than it already looked.

Isidore could feel left side of her robes falling off his leg onto the grass beneath them, then leaned forward and placed his hand on top of them. He traced a hand against the robe on top of the grass, feeling the ring against the surface of the ground beneath the fabric he couldn't see. He took it, pulling his hand out of the pocket, seeing the ring once it passed out from under the fabric. He took her hand, knowing where to grab it from feeling her elbow resting against his waist, then slipped the ring onto a finger. She appeared in his lap, looking stunned, and he said, "found you."

"What are you doing sulking around outside?" She muttered, and he replied, "nothing. What are you doing sulking around outside?"

"I thought I'd give you a good tickle to make you laugh, if you must know," she reluctantly grumbled, and he gave her a half-smile with a snort of laughter.

"It seems like you just wanted to use my lap as a bed," he said, and she retorted, "my mistake. You pulled me so aggressively I thought you were insinuating that you wanted me on it."

"Oh, and did you like that idea more than you wish to admit?" He suggested, prompting Eleonora to quickly pull herself to a seat on the grass next to him.

"You have quite the imagination, Lestrange. I clearly am trying to see how you're doing but can't find myself able to just be serious about it since that's not how you and I work, usually," she huffed, looking at him as he nodded.

"You've got me there. I would've been concerned if you had been completely serious," he admitted, leaning back on his elbows looking back up to the sky. She nudged him with an elbow before hugging her knees to her chest.

"I'm fine, Eleonora. Really," he answered, looking over to her.

"You are?" She asked, and he nodded. He inhaled and exhaled deeply through his nose with a smile, adding, "I just want my mom to be happy. And I think she will be. It'll take some getting used to, but I think everything will turn out fine."

"Are you really okay?" She inquired, then he gave her a squinted stare as she added, "because you aren't even making a sulky joke. It's creepy!"

"Creepy?!" He cried, unable to hold back a chuckle as she began laughing.

"I meant I'm not used to it. But it's nice to see this side of you. I guess this is a moment where I can see your mom's personality in you," Eleonora told him, and he nodded.

"Sure, it's something like that."

"Well, as long as you're sure," she said, laying onto the grass, using her hood as a pillow.

"What are you up to now?" He asked, and she gibed, "how else would I stargaze comfortably?"

"I was sitting a second ago to do it."

"Yeah and I bet you'll be bitching about your neck if you keep doing that. Plus, sometimes it's nice doing it with someone else."

"Alright if you insist—" he said sarcastically, and she went, "sometimes, I said."

"Should I leave?" He sneered, and she tugged him down. He was laying a few feet to her left on his back, his head level with hers as he stared up at the twinkling stars.

"Hey Isidore," he heard, going, "hm?"

"Your mom said some things to Tom. Really nice things— where I was almost moved to tears. And I'm being serious," she said, and he blinked in surprise, asking, "is that so?"

"Yeah. She was sorry that she didn't know Tom had been alive. She told him she would've raised him, if she had known. And that he shouldn't be surprised, since she's his family. I think it made him really happy."

"I figured she would say that. I wanted to tell Tom before, but so long as she was in prison, there's no point in getting his hopes up," Isidore sighed.

"Your mom's really incredible, you know?"

Isidore turned to see Eleonora smiling up at the stars. She added, "I think Tom can finally relax a little now that she's back. Maybe he'll get to have the family he's never had."

Eleonora turned, meeting Isidore's eyes as he nodded. They both knew the dynamic at Wool's was less than ideal, and always felt bad leaving him behind each school break. But now that he had something to look forward to, they felt a bit more at ease.

"Well, Tom is my cousin. But, in a more real sense, I kind of see him as a brother at this point. And I hope he'll see that someday."

"He's important to me too," Eleonora mumbled.

"What, do you like him or something?" Isidore smirked, and she looked back up to the sky with a sigh.

"I don't know," she answered honestly, surprising Isidore into silence for a moment. He then smiled, saying, "you two would be good for each other. Just think about it, I guess."

"You think so?" Eleonora asked, a smile spreading across her lips as she felt her heart beginning to race. Isidore laughed, poking her glasses gently as he said, "c'mon Specs, why're you so surprised?"

"Uh, because I just am."

"Well, whatever your reason truly is, I guess it doesn't really matter. I know it's a weird topic to talk about, but it's me, so relax a little," he told her, folding his arms behind his head to lay on them. She looked up at the constellations, her eyes tracing the zig-zag shape of Cassiopeia as she thought about her response.

"Are you basically saying I can come to you if I need anything, Isidore?"

"That goes without saying!" He insisted, then added, "you know how Eva insists we're two peas in a pod?"

"Yeah."

"Well, that's why you can come to me. If we're that like-minded, we can help each other. You came through for me with my mom's trial, big-time. I'm not sure what I would've done if you hadn't been there."

Eleonora smiled, saying, "well, I'll always have your back."

"And I'll always have your back. So just give it some thought and time. You'll figure out what you want."

"You don't sound like a 14 year-old boy, you know," she snarked, and he gave the stars a grin as he said, "The world didn't let me ever act like a kid. I've been an adult for the past 10 years."

"Thanks though, Isidore," she said quietly, to which he nodded.

"I thought I'd say this before we get back to school in September. Tom will probably have grown a few inches and will just come back as devilishly handsome his fifth year or something, then knowing you, you'll just be an awkward and bumbling mess—" he said snorting with laughter.

"Shut up!" She cried, then felt Isidore lift her glasses off her face. He put them on, grunting as he squinted through the lenses, seeing her blurry frame moving as she sat to look over him.

"Merlin's beard, Ella, you're blind!" He cried, and she went, "yeah, it's called astigmatism!"

"I wish I didn't need glasses," she grumbled, laying back down.

"Don't worry, you're not the only glasses-wearer who feels that way," Isidore said.

"I don't mind how they look, but I want to see the real me without them. I can't even see my reflection in the mirror, so I don't know what I really look like."

"Neither do I," he said, realizing he had never seen her face without glasses. He reached up, removing them from his face, looking up to see her eyes straining as she looked down to him. Her face was much more delicate without them, almost giving her a doll-like appearance. She was pretty, and was bound to be a head-turner by the time she would be grown. He saw the same elegance in her refined features that her mother had, now that the glasses couldn't hide them.

"Oh," he rasped, feeling strangely self-conscious. He couldn't really find any words to say to her that wouldn't make the both of them feel awkward.

"I look way better without them, don't I?" She grumbled, taking the glasses back and shoving them on her face.

"Not better, just different. Either way would work for you. I just wasn't used to it, is all," he answered with a shrug, then he asked, "don't you have some sort of superior vision with your powers?"

"Uh, I could, yeah. But I have to give it more practice. I haven't really needed to use it, so I don't. When I use the vision power or whatever you call it, I can see as well as a dragon. It's almost overwhelming for an average person with normal vision. So for someone like me who can't even see well, it's too much. I can see in the dark for miles, and during the day, colors are so vibrant and different that it kind of gives me a headache."

"Do me a favor, then. Practice it, and then take a look at yourself in the mirror. You should know what you truly look like."

"I could just take a picture I guess," she thought aloud, and he said, "nope. No cheating. It wouldn't do you justice anyway."

"What?" She asked then he stretched as he quickly said, "obviously everything's better with your own eyes. You need that sense of accomplishment. Don't rely on technology."

He stood up, holding out his hand as he said, "we should get back. It'd be a shame for you to lose your prefect privileges over stargazing after curfew."

"Yeah, it's getting late," she mumbled, checking her watch. She gave him her hand, and he pulled her up. The two of them made their way back into the school, seeing the people in the portraits beginning to drift off to sleep. Even Sir Cadogan was sprawled out on a table in someone else's portrait, knocked out for the night.

The two of them entered the Slytherin common room, seeing a few groups of students quietly talking as usual as the curfew hours came. The merpeople in the lake were singing nearby, giving the common room a serene feel as their voices softly reverberated through it.

"Alright Isidore, goodnight," Eleonora said, giving him a smile. He nodded with a grin, saying, "goodnight, Ella. Don't forget what I said."

"Yes, yes, Professor Lestrange; I'll practice seeing without glasses," she replied with a snort as he turned and began walking away. He gave her a lazy wave, then disappeared into the men's dormitories. She turned on her heel, eager to get in bed after the long day they had.

For once, things were finally going smoothly for them all.


June 20, 1941

Eleonora sat in her usual spot in potions class, reading over a potions study guide she had just completed. Finals were only a couple of weeks away, and the school was bustling with sleep-deprived, stressed, and slap-happy students alike from all the cram studying. Evander had finished his lessons early, and kindly gave his students a study hall to combat the abundance of procrastination.

Tom sat next to her, quietly writing out ingredients from memory of fourth year potions that were guaranteed to be on the final exam. Isidore blankly stared at the table beneath him, and Eva was deep in thought as she worked on the study guide. Evander was on the other side of the classroom, helping a different table that had been unable to work through a formula.

"Did you finish your work, Tom?" Eleonora asked, closing her packet to look over at him. He nodded, and she asked, "can we compare answers, then?"

"Sure," he answered, putting down his quill and setting aside the scratch parchment. They both began to compare their work, quietly discussing any differences and reviewing important concepts they came across. Soon after, Eva let out a squeal, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. Isidore let out a yell, and the two of them crashed into the table as they tried ducking out of their seats.

Tom and Eleonora both jolted up, only seeing a brown blur before she was slammed in the face by a flying projectile. She shrieked, feeling feathered wings flapping frantically against her body, then squinted her eyes open to see an owl flailing its way over to Tom.

"What the hell-" he yelped, shielding himself as the owl slammed his chest then rolled onto the table. It finally stopped moving, laying on its back with its feet in the air and wings spread out on the table. Evander sighed, walking over to their table, and a handful of students stood up to take a look at the owl's crime scene nearby.

"Leviathan," Evander called to the stunned hawk owl.

"Its name is Leviathan?!" Isidore cried, staring at it with Eva, Eleonora, and Tom. The hawk owl's leg twitched, then it sneezed, and Evander let out another sigh. He reached out and picked it up, settling it upright in his arms against his chest.

"Aptly named, as you can see," he grunted as Leviathan's neck twitched.

"Is it- is he- you know..." Eva began to say, then Tom finished, "okay?"

Evander rolled his eyes, saying, "surprisingly, yes. This owl is actually Theodora's. He was like this as a baby during our Hogwarts years, and we thought he'd grow out of his spastic clumsiness. Instead, it only got worse as he got older."

"Wait, he's been around that long?" Eleonora asked, and Evander said, "yes. He's narrowly escaped death more times than I could count solely from the fact that he can't fly in a straight line nor land without hitting something."

"Merlin's beard," Tom murmured, and Evander pulled the string that strapped a few letters to Leviathan's back. He flipped one over, laughing as he read, "'Evander, please tell the people Leviathan crashes into that I'm very sorry that he hit them.'"

Tom and Eleonora snorted with laughter, straightening their uniforms as Isidore pulled a feather off of Eva's shoulder.

"Sorry for the interruption, everyone. He's alright; just keep working on your review packets," Evander announced, prompting the students to return to their seats and continue working. He placed an envelope in front of Isidore, and one in front of Tom. The two boys opened their letters as Eva and Eleonora eagerly sat, waiting for them to allow them to read the letters. Isidore smiled at his, then saw Eva giving him a wide grin. He immediately jumped in surprise, reddening as she inched closer with a grin.

"You're smiling," she whispered, poking his cheek. He grumbled, "no I'm not," then felt her hand pulling his cheek up for a forced smile.

Eleonora found Tom with a bewildered gaze, and asked, "is everything okay?"

He looked at her, then folded the parchment with a nod. He handed it to her, saying, "yes, you can read it if you'd like."

Eleonora could hear muffled arguments about Isidore's smiling in the background, seeing him sway back and forth as she tugged his face. Eleonora opened the letter, seeing the same neat cursive writing just the way she had with Isidore's birthday card. The letter read:

Tom,

You probably weren't expecting me to write, but I couldn't think of a better time to do so. I wanted to wish you luck as you go into the final weeks of the school year with your exams. I'm sure you've been studying hard, so take a break. Your O.W.L.s. are next year, so enjoy the end of this year a little more. And when the time comes, don't worry too much about O.W.L.s., because I'm sure you'll do fine.

I found a full-time job at a flower shop near home. Which is terribly unfortunate, since I have bad allergies with pollen. However, it has been the perfect job for me right now to get me used to being back in the real world. I get to hear people from all walks of life and their stories as to why they want flowers to improve someone's day. It's a positive environment, and is a place where I can forget Azkaban, since the customers don't even know what Azkaban is. I also like caring for flowers and memorizing everything about them, so it keeps my brain active for the time being.

Yesterday, I had a really good day at work. And I just couldn't wait to get home so I could write to you about it. A nice widower who frequents the shop yesterday came in as usual, buying flowers for his wife's grave. He's a lovely person, and always brings a smile to my face when he comes in. A handsome young man came in, wanting to buy some flowers for a date he had that night while the widower was there. He seemed nervous, and the two of us helped him arrange a bouquet for him. He then explained why he was so nervous; he lost his own wife a few years back in childbirth, and was finally going back out with a nice woman he met from his commute to work on the train. The older widower paid for his flowers, as I could tell it made him beyond happy to see this man letting go of his past. He was around my age, and asked me for any words of advice, and I found myself a little lost. It had been so long since someone had asked me for help like this or since I had been in his situation, but then I just told him not to worry. I thought of my time with Evander when I visited the school, and that there really was no reason to be nervous. When you're surrounded by people who are important to you, you'll find a way to relax. And that brings me to my next point.

You've been at Wool's Orphanage since you were a baby, and I got to thinking. I know you love Hogwarts, and probably hate having to leave it each summer to go back to a place where magic doesn't exist, and to be around people so different than you. I could've guessed this, but Isidore actually was the one to write to me about this. I spoke to my parents, and we all unanimously agreed to offer you a place to live. You can say goodbye to Wool's for good, if you so wish. They are also your family, and welcome you with open arms. So think about it, and let me know what you decide to do. Isidore's guardians want him to spend time with his grandparents too, so they'll be over more often than not this summer from what I'm hearing. You'll be able to see him all summer, and it'll give you a chance to learn about your mom's family.

I understand this is probably a bit of a shock for you, so take your time. Just know that the Gaunt family is always here for you.

Warmly,

Theodora

Eleonora looked back at Tom with wide eyes, and he only nodded twice. She leaned forward, asking, "are you gonna do it?!"

Tom looked down at the parchment, reading the last paragraph again with a nod. He said, "I think so." He felt that the offer to leave Wool's was almost too good to be true. It had been a dream of his for so long, and had never expected an opportunity for it to actually come true. Plus, he was curious about the Gaunt family. He knew nothing of his father's and only found vague records of the Gaunt family from his research in the school. It was almost suspiciously hidden. He was indeed eager to finally speak with members of the Gaunt family, and couldn't help but feel excited at the thought of belonging to a noble bloodline.

He looked over at Isidore, who was busy swatting Eva's hand away as she periodically reached out to poke him. He remembered the image of Theodora embracing Isidore when they reunited, feeling the slightest twinge from his heart. He was curious about having a mother-figure in his life, and admittedly was looking forward to having her in his life. It was a new feeling, but not as scary as he thought it might be.

"Tom, this would be perfect for you," Eleonora said, shaking his shoulder a little to get him back from his daydream. He offered her a charming smile, asking, "you think so?"

"I know so, Tom. I saw Wool's all those years ago. I felt so sad having to leave you behind! And honestly, I hate saying goodbye to you for each summer break. I think about that place, and that you have to go back all alone. Now I can finally relax and trust you'll be with the right people-" she shook her head in surprise, saying, "I can't believe I just said that all out loud."

He blinked a few times in surprise, only making her ears redden with embarrassment. She then said, "I can't deny that it's the truth, though. I just wanted you to be happy outside of Hogwarts too."

"Then I'll write to you more often. I had no idea you cared that much. Let's make a deal-" he said, his tone somewhere between flattered and sly. He extended his hand, saying, "I'll write to you about the Gaunts, and you write to me about your father's clinic as you work there over the summer."

"It won't be nearly as interesting, he's a primary care-"

"Don't jinx yourself, Ella," he replied with a wink, and she chuckled as she gently tugged her long braid hanging down by her ribs. Although she was around him all the time, she still fell victim to his charm. She nodded, finally shaking his hand with a firm grip, saying, "deal. I expect great things from you, Riddle."

"Likewise," he replied, giving her a grin. Isidore went, "when you two are done flirting, I have a question-"

Eleonora shot him a glare, closing her notebook, then stood up and leaned over the table to whack his shoulder with a loud slamming sound. Isidore laughed as he jumped with the impact, then felt a crumpled wad of paper hit him in the forehead.

"Tom- what the fuck-" he began, then was hit with another wad of paper from behind. He turned around, seeing Evander smirking from his desk, his arms still in position from throwing the paper at him.

"Watch your fucking language," Evander hissed from his desk with a wide smile, making the entire class laugh. He stood up, checking the clock, saying, "alright, all of you are dismissed. That concludes our last class before final exams on Monday. Good luck, you're in the final stretch. By this time in two weeks, you'll all be relaxing at home! I'll see you all next week for the exam. It's been a pleasure being your potions professor, and I'll see you all in September."

The class stood from their chairs, with loud and bittersweet chatter erupting around the room as the students extended appreciation to Evander for all his hard work. Tom looked at him, seeing two of his classmates being clapped on the back by Evander as they gave him a hug from the side. Evander was loved by all his students, and definitely had become one of Tom's favorite professors in the few months they knew each other. One thing that Tom couldn't help but wonder was what it would be like to be a professor like him one day in the future. Then he would never have to leave Hogwarts, and could be where he felt safe. And have people that respected him.

It wouldn't be so bad, Tom admitted to himself.


The following Saturday morning, Tom and the others were wearing regular clothing, carrying their belongings as the headed toward the Hogwarts express. The seventh years had their graduation the night before, and were saying bittersweet goodbyes to each other as they took their last looks at the school. Somehow, Tom dreaded that day that would come in the next few years.

As if Elaine was reading his mind, she announced, "I'm not looking forward to leaving our seventh year. School is school, but then when I think about graduating and leaving here, it makes me sad."

"Well, try not to worry about it now. We're just finishing our fourth year, we still got three more to go!" William said cheerfully, trying his best to take his own advice.

"I feel like we'll be more ready to leave by seventh year too. Three years is a ways away," Eleonora said, stepping onto the train.

"Plus, you can just work for the school if you really don't want to leave," Eva added, following her inside. The others followed her in, finding a compartment where they collapsed onto the seats with exhaustion. They had been studying and losing sleep for so long that they were burnt out, not to mention that they had to be packed and moved out by the next morning. The students were all loaded on within twenty minutes, as the platform below was clear with the exception of some professors.

Tom sat against the window next to Isidore, and they felt the train begin moving. Tom didn't want to see Hogwarts growing smaller out the window, but looked anyway. It was a clear summer day, and the school stood against the beautiful landscape, ready for the students to return that September. And like always, just as quickly as the school appeared, it was gone.

They sped toward London, and Tom sat in quiet contemplation. In truth, he was nervous. Anything was better than Wool's, but leaving Hogwarts for a new home was still just as difficult as it always had been.

Eleonora sensed it in him, seeing that he had been quieter than usual the entire morning. She knew this was always the hardest day of the school year for him. Most students counted down to the day they'd go home for summer break, but he dreaded it more than those who anticipated it.

She looked out the window, leaning on the wall as she sat across from him, deciding to call out to him through her mind.

Hey Tom, she said, then she saw him look at her with surprise. She merely smiled in return, and said, you're gonna be fine.

Can you promise, Eleonora?" she heard, his tone serious. She smiled again, saying, absolutely.

Because, Tom, you've been through much worse and made it out just fine. You'll finally get to relax this summer for the first time. And, at the end of it, you have your prefect position to look forward to. Hogwarts will be waiting for us, and we'll be back soon enough.

He smiled a little to himself, and she let out a happy sigh as she looked back out the window.

Of course she missed Hogwarts while she was gone. She enjoyed learning, and her second family at the school. The school itself was a home for her, as it had been for students for nearly 1,000 years. She was ready for this summer, and eager to see Tom enjoy a break for the first time.

Then when they got back for their fifth year, she was ready for whatever was to come.


A/N: I finally ended the fourth year! You'll probably need to read a chapter about what Tom learns about the Gaunts next (during the summer break), but then I can finally get into the fifth year when he starts to get more Voldemort-y like he did in the books.

Thanks for reading! Leave a comment, it'd be much appreciated. :D