You Made Me What I Am

Chapter 5: Training

The next several days flew by as Harry met with Tom each afternoon to continue his education and magical training with him. Tom was a very good teacher and also an invaluable source of knowledge. It was no wonder to him now of exactly why Albus was always so worried of his potential threat, but also Harry no longer cared to save them if they didn't first want to save themselves of their own volition.

In his short time with Tom; it had already shown him how their world was right now and taught him a very valuable lesson. It was that the current structure of wizarding society; especially the aspects that were controlled by the purebloods or other higher-ups in the status quo...they had very little interest in doing anything of any sort that had benefits for the common witch and wizard unless it somehow benefited them too.

No one simply gave something without wanting something in return; there was no simple acts of generosity or compassion. Unless, you happened to simply be that sort-of person...to which Harry knew most magical people were not. There were a lot of kind people, generous people, and or compassionate people; he had no doubts of that...it was more that these traits came with strings attached to them.

Harry found that particularly saddening; though he now understood better of why most were this way, even if he didn't agree always. The magical community of Britain had long suffered from those dark wizards and witches seeking to conquer or to change the world. They had learned to live with the phrase, 'An Eye for An Eye' literally. If you made a bargain; you had to be willing to risk yourself and live with it.

So, Harry had to admit that his satisfaction at deciding to remain neutral now was becoming more enticing as he learned more of the world he came from and their views.

Harry had also found his time spent with the older man surprisingly pleasing. He found that Tom was quite likable; if he wasn't out to get you that is. Harry thought maybe Tom would become more of a new friend if he had time to continue fostering this association. Harry had also found him rather mysterious sometimes and not so sociable, but he was at least tolerable to his aunt and his cousin when they were around.

Because he had to be. Vernon had only been home once or twice after the first few initial times when Tom had been here, but he had barely said anything of the situation. If his Uncle had had issues with what was happening; he had obviously curtailed his arguments due to the aura Tom exuded over all of them.

Vernon had personally seen exactly how protective Tom was of Harry as his student and charge; the man had gotten quite angry once while he was there. He had tried to verbally assault Harry with that anger. It hadn't ended well for him since Tom got quite angry and did something to Vernon; though he wasn't sure what and Harry was still surprised the older wizard had managed not to kill his Uncle.

Tom's training had Harry honing not only his magic, but also his physical body and mental fortress of a mind.

He rose at six each day to run around the block until seven-thirty; taking pauses as he needed, where he would then return to shower and eat a light meal. He would then rest himself till eight. Promptly at eight in the morning, after Tom arrived; he went to the backyard where he was forced to engage in magical practices that taxed him and his core severely, and when Tom decided he had enough of that... he was then made to eat lunch.

Meals that he and Tom shared alone usually in the backyard as he went over the progress Harry made, but sometimes his Aunt and his cousin joined them for the meals. When that happened; it was a mixture of irritation and awkwardness due to how polite they had to be in their presences

After lunch was done, he and Tom went back to his room where Tom taught him the finesse of Occlumency and Legilimency. Helping him to not only keep up the natural barrier with ease, but also; to now learn how to notice real visions from false one. How to change or to alter dreams and memories without making them seem false. And how to use subtlety to invade another's mind if he had need to.