Tom had stayed for one week in Oxford and had managed to impress principal of the law college who had then agreed to allow him to write the entrance exam, which was to be conducted in few months. So Tom spent the week gathering information about the entrance exam and sight seeing. Not once had the thoughts of the incident or the letter crossed his mind. He obviously looked well rested when he returned to Little Hangleton.
Mr and Mrs Riddle were very happy to see their son back to health and be his normal self. Tom then settled down to prepare for the entrance exam diligently and soon the month flew by. As promised the young woman had sent the rent for month and the next. Tom had ruefully smiled at that. Soon the month of entrance exam arrived and Tom set for Oxford to attend the external exams.
Tom was very confident that he would secure the seat in the college. And a week later he got the admission letter. He was ecstatic at the news, his father was proud and his mother simply congratulated him.
Soon I would be at the college in Oxford. Tom stood looking through the window at the night sky. Sighing, he looked down at the garden. He would miss his parents and his home but one week that he had spent in Oxford had changed him completely. He had felt independent; more connected to his self than he ever had. His father loved him, though his mother fussed around him she left him alone generally, he was barely ever on his own with his thoughts. His father's presence was overwhelming.
He couldn't wait to go to the college. To experience the beauty of Oxford and the sense of independence that it gave him. Maybe I'll start painting again! The beauty of Oxford is worth capturing. He had even purchased a diary to record histime at college and life in Oxford.Sighing in contentment he walked back to his bed and finally fell asleep.
Next week the college began. His mother had dragged him to buy a whole new wardrobe, toiletries and his father had gifted him a new pocket watch. And now he was packing, which not so surprisingly took many hours. Looking around the room for one last time he unconsciously walked towards his desk and opened the false bottom in the last drawer took out the letter and put it in his new journal and slipped it into the inner coat pocket.
Though he had completely forgot about the letter, his eyes unconsciously landed on the drawer as he went to sleep every night. He hadn't told about it to his parents for obvious reasons. Only he knew the truth about the Grants and the existence of magic and wanted to keep it that way. But as the months passed since receiving the letter he knew it was not the real reason. She was the first and only one who understood him, who had helped overcome his depression, made it possible for him to follow his dream. There was something about her that called to Tom, made him feel possessive of her even if he hadn't met her in flesh. He didn't ever want to share her with anybody, even his parents. Clambering down he made his way to the car waiting outside as a servant fetched his luggage and got in. His parents were coming to send him off.
Tom waved as the train began to move, his parents simply stood on the platform though his mother was crying. Leaning back at the train gathered pace, he opened his journal and began writing.
