The Life He Deserved

Chapter 15

Tom started fitting in right at home after Yule. While he spent most of his time with Harry, he had occasional conversations with Sirius and Remus. Harry spent most of the holidays helping Tom get stronger, magically, and physically, while Tom spent his time alone to mend his mind. Mentally, Tom was doing quite well, at least as well as someone could after coming to terms that he turned into a psychopathic dark lord. He apologized numerous times to Harry and to Sirius and Remmy, despite Harry brushing it off. Sirius and Remus while were okay with Tom, they weren't quite ready to forgive. The two were still slightly wary around him, but they still accepted him in the group. To that, Harry was extremely thankful. Currently, Harry and Tom were sitting together on the couch while Harry explained Death Magic.

"The spell I used to knock you out for the ritual was a death magic spell. It puts its target into a deathlike state," Harry told him. Tom looked at him curiously.

"What is the difference between this and the Draught of Living Death?" he enquired with bright wondering eyes.

"Unlike the Draught, the spell also stops heartbeat and breathing. One would truly think you are dead. However, it also preserves the body so it won't decay, only temporarily shut down," Harry explained. Tom nodded thoughtfully.

"Is there a counter or will it wear off on its own?"

"It doesn't wear off, the only way to remove it is with the counter curse."

"Could you teach me an incantation for them?"

"Actually, death magic doesn't use incantations, rather it uses will and power. Unfortunately, mortals cannot use death magic without killing themselves in the process. Unlike me, their souls cannot handle the power and it'd be ripped apart."

"So is necromancy not really death magic?"

"No it isn't, they are mortals who use soul magic on the dead. Death magic is a lot more than that, they can't even access a fraction of soul magic either."

"So horcruxes are soul magic, even if it revolves around death?"

"Precisely, the soul passes on after death, so soul magic ends up tampering with death." Harry quite enjoyed their conversations like this. Tom was always curious about different topics and had a strong thirst for knowledge. Tom was looking at the wall with a contemplating expression. In the silence Tom's eyebrows furrowed and he turned to him.

"Hey Harry, during Yule you mentioned Draco Malfoy. Have you told him about me yet?" Tom asked. Harry stiffened a little bit before giving a small sigh.

"I haven't told him anything actually. He has no idea about me being the Master of Death. I wasn't sure when I should tell him either. I'm not sure how he'd react towards it," Harry honestly replied, looking down. Tom gave a thoughtful nod.

"Well you two are close right? Perhaps you should tell him soon, I am going to Hogwarts with you, so he's got to know," Tom advised. Harry nodded.

"I guess, are you up to meeting him so soon though? I know you still are recovering, and I don't want you to feel uncomfortable," Harry told him slightly worried. Tom gave him a grateful look.

"I'll be fine, I should meet him after all. He seems important to you," Tom said. Tom wasn't lying either. The past few days of recovery went quite well. He could move around quite well and his mind was stable. Harry nodded slightly.

"Okay, how about tomorrow?" he questioned, to which Tom agreed. Harry wrote a hasty letter to Draco later that day.

Draco was on a couch reading a book when Hedwig appeared through the manor into his room. Looking up, he saw a letter from Harry. Hastily, he grabbed it from the landed owl and ripped it open, full of anticipation. When he read it he gave a small frown.