Tom decided the first order of business he and Ailill had to deal with was exploring the castle, and yes they did do that when they first arrived but they never really got enough time with school to do an in-depth exploration like the kinds where walls disappear when you go through them, or the tapestries that shimmer and scream when you get close. Tom's really excited to see if he can find any hidden rooms, a place he can claim for himself.
Ailill wasn't too enthusiastic about the whole walking around thing, he kinda just wanted to lay in bed and sleep forever but apparently, that is called a 'coma' and unacceptable by societal standards. Ailill just thinks everyone else is a coward. So here he was being dragged across the foundations of a very old, very sentient castle that could by all-natural and magical reasons crush them if they pissed it off. Maybe it won't be that bad after all.
"Hello, boys,"
Never mind, the universe hates him. There in all his eye-watering horrific style was the one the only Albus I-must-be-colourblind Dumbledore. The man was wearing a orange robe so offending Ailill thinks he's entitled to some financial compensation. Tom to Ailill's right didn't look too happy with the newcomer either as the three stood just a few feet away from the dining hall.
"Hello….sir," Tom spit with a sugar-sweet smile.
"Staying at Hogwarts for the holidays?"
"Well, I'm sure a person of your esteemed standing can understand the reluctance for two orphans to be sent back to a city whose country is practically on the brink of war where they live in an orphanage where food is scarce and love even scarcer." Ailill rattled off with no hesitation not giving a single fuck about propirerty, he's still only considered twelve therefore able to get away with some less than polite things being said due to his 'childish' and 'naive' nature. "Yeah, Hogwarts was the better choice, at least here I can make sure Tom eats properly and gets a decent sleep, speaking of sleep we should go do more of that. I'm exhausted."
"...but you've only been up for two hours…" Tom pointed out.
"Seasonal depression, doll."
"Right…" Albus said half thrown off, all he wanted to do was make well wishes to the children and they head off but now he feels like he's been slighted in some way but it's not obvious enough to be pointed out. "... I will see you both for dinner, have a nice day"
The two boys watch the teacher make his way out of their sight and a flurry of god-awful shades. "Maybe we should invest."
"In what?"
"Eye surgery? I feel like I should be colour blind every time I see him."
"Understandable, now let's go."
"Where?" Ailill whined not wanting to go anywhere.
"Oh hush you big cry baby, since you're so tired we'll head back to the common room and I'll read while you nap."
"Look at you," Ailill teased. "Looking after your old man are you? What a filial child."
"Never say that again…"
The echoing of laughter left the castle warm and happy for their students who were joyous and carefree.
Gellert thinks he is a rather charming person, I mean you don't just gather masses of people from simply asking you've got to be persuasive, cunning, manipulative and know how to twist a person's deepest desires into them seeing it fit into the plan he was creating….now if only he could fucking find just what exactly that little Peverell desired.
He's sent out spies from everywhere, had children whose parents worship him attempt to find out but nothing, it's like the child is a walking husk of a person aimlessly whispering through life, it was annoying to a whole other degree.
All the information he's gotten is that the Slytherin Heir brat is super clingy to the boy and that the Peverell indulges him. Grindlewald can't take the Heir of Slytherin as bait, that would be stupid. As much as his British followers admire him he is still a foreigner to them, if it came down to a choice between him or the heir of one of their greatest wizards he would lose by a landslide. A hit to the pride that was but he is not stupid to ignore facts.
With this knowledge he needed another way in, he never did end up sending that planned letter, mostly because the wards surrounding the castle would notice the over the sea's magic signature and raise an alarm that the last thing he wants right now especially without the elder wand in his grasp. Realistically his best chance would be to wait for summer when the child isn't under Albus' eye, it's not like he can't wait, patience has been at the forefront of his campaign for so long and it has yielded fantastic results, war is brewing in the land of Germany as he idles right now. That muggle Hitler was so easy to manipulate, a few sweet promises of joining the wizarding world and the muggle world together where he will have complete control and the man sold like the greedy slug he was.
As if he the great Grindlewald would ever share something with the disgusting, festering race known as muggles. A weak, powerless lot they were, they could never amount to the glory of a witch or wizard, even a weak one at that. But the muggles have their uses, they will be the perfect opening act for his cause, they will create confusion, brew unease, and maximise the fear that will entrap the hearts of both societies. By now he should be in the east making final preparations to begin moving west but no, why? Oh that right HE DOESN'T HAVE HIS GODDAMN ELDER WAND.
...on another note, however, it has been reported that the Slytherin boy seems to harbour some rather unsavoury feeling towards Albus which is very nice to know, partially if what is rumored to be true which is that what the Slytherin boy wants, the Peverell gets. So...maybe befriend the Slytherin instead? Is that the better route to go down? This needs whiskey and a miracle to solve. But the base is there, plans may be halted until summer but that is not a huge loss. Not a huge loss at all.
The Efile had been continuously seeding letters getting more and more obsessive in their pursuit if the frequency was any indication. Ailill had been trying his best to hide them from Tom before he could burn them but man is that hard, he did not realise how close Tom is to him constantly. Well, that's a lie he did but jeez that boy needs a hobby.
A quick Incendio and poof the letters are gone, it really doesn't abate Tom's rage if Ailill's being honest. Perhaps he should get the boy some therapy, nah that will just make him angrier. On the bright side, Tom's after warming up to the other boys in the dorm a lot more than AIlill expected of him which is really nice, it's probably got to do with the fact that they're all magical instead of muggles.
As of right now, Tom was sitting by the fire reading some overly large book on Time magic or something while Ailill was laying on his back with his knees over the side of the chair creating small tendrils of fire to come over his finger then moving them around like they were little fire spirits. It was very entertaining to him, made him feel like he was seeing a tiny dragon. He did have a book beside him, one on healing magic, it was complete Ailill having read it all a few days ago. He had sent a letter to the matron enquiring about if the school had a medi-magic apprenticeship program available. He hasn't heard anything back yet but isn't put out by it, the lady probably has to check the request with the teachers, other medical professionals and the principal before she can give him a response.
Thankfully Tom's headaches seemed to have subsided, for now, whether that is his own magic doing its part or Ailill's attempts at pain relieving during the night, it's honestly a guess at this point. The only thing he cares about is the fact that Tom isn't in pain anymore, it could be the will of some hillbilly bearded goat and Ailill wouldn't care. All that matters is that Tom, his lovely psycho, possibly needs therapy, Tom isn't in pain.
No one else decided to stay for the holidays, from Slytherin that is, they all went back home celebrating the time for family and renewal of magic. Come next Yule more than likely Tom and Ailill will be invited to this function...yay...socialising.
The two idled their day around, it kind of bothered Tom cause he wanted to explore but he supposes Ailill did look far more relaxed staying in one spot even if it was just for today. Around dinner time the two reluctantly got up stretching out kinks and cracking in their backs from having been in one position. They trekked their way to the hall and were greeted with a different layout than usual. Instead of the usual four gargantuanly huge tables there now was only one, it was lined down the middle of the hall and everyone that was left in the castle was seated at it, even the teachers. Tom was honestly ready to head back and starve for the night instead of dealing with the shitshow that was this.
But….they had roast chicken so he stayed. Dragging an unwilling Ailill, Tom made his way to the table, uncaring of the eyes on them. He sat down across from some unknown Hufflepuff who watched the two with wide eyes. He was definitely older than them, but his skittish behavior really made that hard to believe.
"Glad you two could join us, my boys!" Slughorn bellowed from his placement farther up the table. With a grinch of a smile, Tom replied, "of course, sir. How could we miss a meal like this?"
"Too right you are Tom," the older man guffaws with rosy cheeks that make Ailill suspicious that there was more than likely something more than pumpkin juice in his system.
"Let's eat the get out," Ailill whispered to Tom under his breath who fervently nodded.
"Wait," Tom paused. "What if they have rice pudding?"
"...okay just don't make eye contact and hopefully no one will wanna talk to us."
The two boys agreed with their plan and dug into their meal.
"So, Peverell about that charms paper…"
Ailill is going to remove someone's eyeball, might be his own, might not be but someone will be eyeball less. He had to suffer through mundane talk of some high privileged brat from third year spinning a lecture about the joys of the full body bind curse, Ailill was ready to full body bind the brat where he stood by sheer will alone if they did not shut up.
As Ailill murdered people in his head continuously throughout dinner Tom was happily chewing away praising Ailill for being the one to get stuck with someone wanting to make chatter instead of him. His sacrifice shall be noted. His friend's actions of cutting chicken may have gotten progressively more and more violent but he held up his composure like a champ.
"So how come you two didn't go home to your parents? Didn't want you?" Some bastard gryffindor fifth year huffed further down from the Hufflepuff. His words while not singling anyone out was clearly for the two first years if the piercing stare was anything to go by.
"We're orphans…" Ailill said deadpanning. The boy didn't expect that answer and turned red with embarrassment and shame, I mean what kind of arsehole mocks an orphan, that so...low.
"Oh…" He shifted uncomfortably and quickly turned away to not continue the conversation. His comment may have been a shitty move but it did stop anyone else from talking to Ailill so he thanked the boy in his head. Finally desert came and the two young ones were swift in their mission to rob some pudding. It was fluffy white with sweet creamy milk, they could eat it forever.
The teacher had no filters it seemed as the night wore on, they were red faced and loud with their jokes that no one but themselves found funny. Tom was wondering if he punched one cough dumbledore cough would they remember come morning? Best not to find out. Once they were done eating both Tom and Ailill stood to leave, catching a certain transfiguration professor's eye.
"Oh? Tom, Ailill not going to stay for a bit longer? What are you too off in such a hurry for?"
The two boys stopped and barely kept in a groan of utter annoyance. Ailill whipped around with a bright smile popping his dimples, "why we're just off to water the couch sir, no need to worry about us! Have a nice night." he then grabbed Tom's arm and booked it out of the hall.
"...water the couch?" Albus asked himself in bafflement.
They giggled madly to themselves as they legged it down the halls, the look on the man's face will give them serotonin for days. They slowed in their movement and just strolled through the castle taking in the place that was their new home. It was beautiful from the rounded arches to the aged oil paintings. They were getting sleepy as the food they consumed started to settle down. They passed windows and admired the night sky as stars ran across an ocean of black lighting their way for those lost.
Ailill usher Tom back to Slytherin as he started to yawn, a haze of sleep settling over icy blue eyes. After they were done prepping for bed both settled down into the soft comforting sheet. Tom was the first to fall into sleep's grasp while Ailill stayed conscious for a bit longer softly running a hand up and down Tom's back. It felt a bit off for some reason, he did it time and time again until it finally clicked in his head.
He didn't feel Tom's spine, he couldn't feel Tom's spine. A nice healthy layer of fat was covering the once prominent indents of the boy's spine. Ailill's hand splayed flat against his bedmate's back as with utter relief he couldn't feel a malnourished frame any longer.
That night in the darkness of the room with no one to witness, Ailill let tears fall knowing that for once Tom is actually fully fed, happy and content with the life he is living. He's not starving through the night or plagued by nightmares. He's not worrying about Ailill coming home or the matron finding a reason to beat him and lock him away while Ailill wasn't around.
His tears fell but they were not of sadness but consuming love for the one he held in his arms.