the gift of fear (tomarry) (harry x death)

hope

The scene before the evening it -- the brand new and improved definitively egregious incident -- goes down: Harry, Selene, and Charlus Potter. The pair is again visiting Tom's home. This time for the last time -- such is presumed, at any rate.

The evening of, Tom is doing homework in his usual seat. Klippers and Kreacher are in Klipper' room upstairs, currently theorizing what would happen if they dug deep enough under the house, if it could be a viable escape method, how they would avoid letting Harry know, etc, etc. They always have been more ambitious than Tom. Some part of him has regrettably accepted his fate, and it's a part he fights against every day. He likes and hates Harry and this conflict is not good for his soul.

While they are working on an escape method, Tom is waiting readily for his own. He recalls constantly the parting words of Harry and the Potter's last meeting: I look forward to seeing you again. Partner.

Charlus and Selen will return and maybe, by then, Charlus will have figured out an escape plan. He knows better than to trust or like adults, but if Harry has proven anything it's that Tom is very bad at holding himself accountable.

So on this evening of suspended hope, Tom is working. He is talking with one of the eldest house elves and practicing the wording and wand movement of new spells. Harry has offered to teach him more, but Tom knows what happened last time an offer like that was made, looks down at his scarred hands, and knows he isn't too keen on a repeat. Tom will be his own magical education.

On this evening, this evening of still suspended hope, Tom works... and then Tom hears a pop -- the tell tale sign of apparition -- and is immediately out of his seat. He abandons his current conversation without so much as a goodbye. He takes to hovering by the door with anticipation. This house is known for having no visitors, nothing in or out excluding Harry, their mantron, their guardian, all-seeing, all-knowing. And this fact of loneliness is true except when it isn't; they have no visitors except for, in recent weeks, Charlus and Selene Potter. Though Tom barely knows Charlus enough to like him, he finds Charlus also representative, a symbol of opportunity.

Charlus is the one trustworthy adult. Charlus is a man who promised freedom and always, always carries through what he says he'll do. This is the land of changing your situation; Tom will not be accepting. No matter what his heart wants, he knows to think with his brain and not his body.

The door opens. There is Selene, looking mean, stern, and harsh, as always. Her polar opposite, her son, raising a hand to knock on the door. He is surprised to see that Tom has already opened it.

"Kiddo," says Charlus, letting his mother in behind him and closing the door. "I'm glad to see you."

Tom feels his stomach jump. He hopes, prays, that means that he has found something out, something he is eager to share with Tom. Hope is an infectious thing and Tom is sick, sick, sick. "Can we go talk?" he asks.

Charlus's face twinges with apologeticness and Tom's smile falls. "Sorry, Tom. This visit will be rather brief. I'm afraid we'll be here only a short moment. This is the last time for a long time that we'll be seeing each other."

Apologeticness. We can't talk. This visit will be rather brief. We won't be seeing each other again. It all paints a rather dreary picture.

But...

Tom studies Charlus's face again. There it is, plain as day: apologeticness... but not guilt.

Which means he is lying. Lying in a manner he knows Tom will understand. Tom does not even nod his head in acknowledgement as he slinks back into the shadows, back into his seat, into the conversation he just so rudely left. He apologizes, resumes listening, but is all the while watching from the corner of his eye the following transaction.