Inseparable

CHAPTER FOUTEEN

On the Hogwarts express Tom and Harry went back to the last compartment they were in last year and put away their luggage. Tom sat down next to the window and pulled a shrunken book out of his pocket and enlarged it so he could have something to read on the way to Hogwarts. Harry sat next to him and rested his head on Tom's shoulder and curled his legs up next to him, trying to get comfortable for the long journey ahead.

Tom hadn't even finished reading the first page of his second-year book on potions when they were interrupted by the door of the compartment bursting open.

Outside stood Abraxas Malfoy, Cygnus Black, Atticus Avery and Roderick Lestrange. 

"Well, hello, mind if we come in," Abraxas asked. The question may as well not have been asked as in the next moment all four of them walked into the compartment and sat themselves down. 

"You know I went father and mother to the Cayman Islands for the whole of July. It was lovely. How was your summer?" Abraxas said, subtly bragging about his holiday.

"That sounds lovely. I went with my parents to Spain," replied Atticus.

"We went to France, to visit my cousin," Roderick added in.

"How about you two?" Abraxas asked when neither of them spoke.

Tom cleared his throat and sat uncomfortably. Harry spoke, "We were in the orphanage in London."

An awkward silence filled the compartment. Tom went back to his book and Harry just looked at the others with a slightly uncomfortable expression.

Abraxas cleared his throat. "Well, anyway, um, my father thought you might like this, um, it's a book, to read, as a gift," he stuttered in a very un-Malfoy like way.

Tom's interest perked up at this;  when would he ever decline free stuff, especially books.

"It's from the Malfoy library," Abraxas said before reaching into his bag and pulling out the book.

He handed it to Tom, who glanced at the cover and quickly read the title.

Easing Your Way into the Dark Arts

"It's a subject not taught in Hogwarts, but since you seem to have a talent for being at the top of the class, my father thought you might like to experience all sorts of magic," Abraxas said. "Just keep it away from the teachers, most of them are quite opinionated against the dark arts," he added in afterwards.

Tom nodded gratefully, but otherwise, his face remained blank.

Harry smile and mumbled a quiet "thank you" blushing ever so slightly, it was the first gift Tom and he received.

Tom couldn't help but wonder what the meaning of the book was. Why would people who treated you less worthy than the dirt on their shoe suddenly give you a book from their own library? Something must have changed over the summer. Tom had his suspicions that somehow Abraxas' father - Lord Malfoy - was part of this change; but then why would a Lord be interested in two child wizards. Tom also had suspicions about that as well; he guessed that it was because of the fact that Harry and he could speak to snakes. Tom would have to find out what exactly that skill meant in the wizarding world. This called for a trip to the Hogwarts library- many trips to the Hogwarts library.

...

Lord Malfoy had heard enough about the two mudbloods, well really half-bloods, by now he had decided to have a meeting with his acquaintances (other pureblood Lords, mainly Abraxas' friends' fathers) over the summer holidays to discuss the matter.

They had a long talk while drinking tea out of fancy china teacups on fancy china saucers, courtesy of Lady Malfoy. 

After their talk and many cups of tea, they came to their conclusion. They would have to be certain of their blood heritage; the orphanage name gave them absolutely nothing; they needed an official Gringotts document. They would tell their children to befriend the two boys and get close to them, and by the end of the year, one of them would suggest an inheritance test from Gringotts which would tell them what exactly they were dealing with.