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

you'll feel it coming

Tom discovers God on a fine evening in November -- the evening right before Harry takes him out of school for the day for what will be both an enchanting and a daunting expedition. But before that expedition, Tom is wandering the corridors. He's still unsure exactly the layout for this place -- as they don't exactly provide a comprehensive tour here -- and is half sure he is lost. He is looking for the owlery, letter in hand.

He is still unsure how he feels about his friends trying to take down Harry. He will, he decides, because they're friends, let them do as they please. He knows what it is like for your every action to be predicted and controlled -- and though he has already forgiven Harry for it, there's no possibility of him ever forgiving himself if he was to. He misses Kreacher. He misses Charlus. He is on his way to mend one of those bonds when he spots a door.

It is glowing red around the edges, with special inscriptions carved into it that Tom can't quite make out or understand.

He makes out vaguely: Visible... to those... whose hearts... align with his. His, thinks Tom. Who is 'his'?

And for some reason, though he is no Gryffindor, has no real search for adventure, he approaches the door. It's not all that subtle, he decides, whatever it's for. It is evident that there is something important in there -- maybe Dark, but definitely important.

Why hide something in such a conspicuous place? Unless...

Unless it's something only Tom, and people like him, can see.

He remembers Harry's sentiment: You are special. And Tom's own conclusion: Harry is just like me.

He is regretting the action and wishing he could take it back by the time his fingers wrap around the doorknob and push the door open.

Inside is a very similar, nearly identical, image to what resided in the room at the end of the hall in Harry's house. But it is only nearly identical because it lacks the suitcases, the vials of blood and hair and nails, and in their place are maps and a screen displaying Europe and dozens of red dots.

In the middle of the room, there is the figure from before. God. But this time it is not writhing in pain, or moaning. It is sitting on its little pentagram of blood, meditating, looking much more human, if still noncorporeal, than before.

Tom is frozen for a second. Then he squeaks out a, "Sorry," and slams the door closed.

He is breathing heavily. "Harry," he says to himself, quietly. "Still at it, aren't you?"

He is left to wonder why God looks so much more human now, and will not realize until much later that it has to do with the proximity to Harry's invisibility cloak. The Master of Death is regaining his status very, very slowly, and magic recognizes this. Life feeds on life and boy is it growing.

Terrible things are at play. Soon enough, they will become unstoppable.

Tom straightens his back, gets on his way, and continues on to the owlery. He has a letter to send, is ready to send him pouring out his little heart on paper. He's ready to mend bridges... not fret over already burnt ones. He shoves this new information about Death out of his mind and tries vainly to forget about it.

The following evening Tom is sitting in the library, researching his side project, when Harry's head pops into midair. Tom blinks at him. "What the..?"

Harry removes the rest of the invisibility cloak, smiling. "Thought it might be nice to break the bad boy out, eh?"

"Erm," says Tom, setting his book down slowly. "That's what you got from Charlus, yes? I've been wondering. What did he even get in return for it? That's been plaguing me."