Animal Instincts

Chapter III: An Evening for Stories and Revelations

As good as his cat meows and feline honor; Harry Potter, currently posing as the Arctic Snow-Tiger named Loki; he had made sure to watch Tom closely after they had both retreated back inside and Tom once more barricaded them into his office/study to research the meanings behind the words in the...dream or vision that Harry had tried to convey to him from the memory he shared wherever he was.

As much as Harry would enjoy the bubble bath he'd get for cooperating; the young teenager in the cat-form was now more concerned over Tom's emotions and mental state of health from all this. His observations were done with care and meticulous watching; always watching the man with utmost scrutiny.

Tom had idly noted the cat's almost unnatural amount of observance and intelligence. That Loki seemed to be intent to ensure he stayed healthy. To ensure that he would follow through on his words; almost strangely so, but Tom also perhaps wondered if it was more because the cat had grown fond of him due to his rescue and care.

Tom honestly; he wouldn't mind having another predator animal around the house that could defend him if the Order ever found this place while he was here by himself. He knew he could always defend himself and usually well, but the factors depended greatly on various settings.

Loki was proving to be one of his kind that initially from birth had started off tiny, weak, and pretty much useless to the others. But then given the chance to grow; he had continued to prosper. It was clear to Tom as well as anyone else who happened to see him that Loki was very smart, and now he had grown up more to be much larger and more fearsome than many of his so-called pack-mates that had run him out.

At least, this is what Tom believed; given what he had seen and witnessed from the feline as it continued to stay here with him.

Finally, at about nine in the evening, Tom none too gently sat his book down and stared to it with a hard look. His emotions churning like stormy seas in his eyes while Harry watched him on alert for the need to hide.

Fingers curled so tightly to the pages he risked paper-cutting himself or ripping them out of the binding as his gaze was nearly about to turn that blood-crimson shade in his fury, "I knew it. I knew Albus was demented; but this...this is just..." His voice was hoarse with emotions, "I hope it is not too late to fix this."

Harry, as Loki, watched him warily as he lied on his cushion quietly now; what had Tom known or discovered to be true?

Tom suddenly sat back down as his gaze hollowed with immense sadness bleeding into his body and aura; so much so that Harry stood and walked to him cautiously before jumping to his lap and nudged him with his head.

Tom smiled sadly to the feline, "It is as I suspected; the prophecy is false. I noted in the memory that Albus's aura and actions did not match. He conveniently manipulated Harry using his guilt and Sirius's death or other behaviors to do so. When he extracted the memory of the prophecy; the memory strand was not silvery-white...indicating that it was tampered with and the recording that was smashed in the Ministry of Magic; it was illegitimate and used as a decoy to lure me out."

"What remains to be seen is; was it a decoy to cover a prophecy, one that Albus didn't like what the seer told him? Or a decoy because there was never a prophecy at all, and he wanted something viable to cause me to act?"

Tom paused petting him a moment as guilt flooded him, "I understand Albus's actions in some ways. He likely didn't believe that I could ever regain my sanity after what I had done to myself; that even a soul-bond as strong and connected as mine and Harry's would be...that it would in time be able to heal the immortal wounds to the soul."

Tom then petted him, "But I stole Harry's blood during my rebirth ritual; something I believe is part of the reason my sanity is now restored. Though I am unsure of why. Perhaps because he is meant to be my other half? So...in essence, his blood can heal him as much as I and or vice versa if allowed.