The Not so Dark Hours (Tomarry)

CHAPTER 13

Previously: "Now who invited the order of burning excrements here?" Tom asks silkily, his eyes settling on me. I gulp.

"Why did no one ever tell me that the dark lord was such a comedian? We could have had a final showdown between jokesters!" Fred exclaims excitedly and George grins in affirmation. I sigh, resigned.

"Why don't we all move to the library for a civilized conversation?" Tom suggests in a friendly manner, which seems to surprise even the twins. Sirius places his right arm around my shoulder, his warm grip on my shoulder soothing me. No matter how he managed to awaken from the dead, he is here now and that is the most important thing.

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We are now all sat around the table, which I previously used for my studies and all of us have a hot tea in front of us thanks to Violet.

"So... How did you know that Sirius really is Sirius?" George asks Remus and me and we both reply at the same time:

"I just knew." I say as he says: "I felt it."

"I mean Harry-kins often 'just knows things', so I get that," George begins and Fred ends off with: "but what do you mean you felt it?" Remus and Sirius both get slightly red and that makes the twins sit up. Tom just watches us patiently, which I am thankful for.

"We are mates. Romantically." Remus states neutrally and Sirius just looks away, obviously uncomfortable with the silence his mate's statement caused.

I cannot say that I am shocked. I already had slight suspicions after Snape compared them to an old married couple and now those suspicions are proven. If I told Trelawny that Severus Snape, the master of no-nonsense, actually predicted something correctly for once in his life, she'd have a heart attack. I snort at the thought.

"Alright, enough of this nonsense, why was the order of fried chicken here? The ministry knows... Well, you know Harry. Well, they know that I cannot be held responsible for the things I did in the past... 50 years? I was so out of it, even I don't remember some things." Before anyone can say something he fills them in. Kind of. "I was under a very dark spell that backfired when I was 16. My soul was... Ripped apart, for lack of better terms, and thanks to my 'employees' I suppose, I managed to mostly heal my soul. That of course doesn't make up for all the people that were lost and I'm going to spend the rest of my life making amendments for that." Tom looks genuinely hurt and disappointed by his past self and I can relate.

I'm not all good, but people only see 'the saviour' or 'boy who lived', when really... I want to get angry at people, I want to hex the haters and rant about things that make me livid, but I always have this fear inside me, that people might not accept me for who I am. Even though Tom never said it, I believe he must have experienced something similar as well. Of course he still had to kill Myrtle to create his first Horcrux, but seeing as he was even driven to that point as a child I can only feel bad for the discrimination he must have felt growing up in a strict Christian orphanage during two great wars in both the muggle and wizarding world.

"Moving on, will somebody please answer my question? What are the Weasley spawns and the supposedly dead cousin of one of my 'employees' doing here? Not to mention an overprotective werewolf currently glowering on my favourite chair." Tom continues and Moony flinches, while the two devils just grin and Sirius leans into Moony leisurely.

"I don't know to be honest, they could probably answer that better than I can. I was just sitting here, reading and minding my own business when suddenly the manor started shaking and I heard shouts from outside. I sent Violet to gather all the house elves and hide in safety, which cost me five minutes because she just wouldn't go and leave me alone. She is really sweet and caring. Moony, what did bring you guys here, although I can already partially guess. Does it have anything to do with trying to save me?" I ask and the four look at each other secretively.

"Well Harry-kins, that old fart of a headmaster first wouldn't let us go, but then surprisingly the dungeon bat argued that leaving you here was like sending a pig to the slaughterhouse and arranged for a team to come get you once your new friend wasn't in the house, which- You still have a lot to explain brother." George explains and eyes me. I shrink under his gaze.

"Well, you haven't tried to kill him, and you heard what he said about that curse. I know how strong and dangerous that curse is, no I will not say what it was, that is for him to decide. Yes, he isn't exactly the tooth-fairy, but he isn't all evil either, just like most of us." I reason, closing my eyes, waiting for the backlash. Nobody says anything and I open my eyes to find everybody with contemplative looks on their faces. Tom just looks at me gently and his hand grazes mine. I blush.

"Well, now that we know that... How in Merlin's name did you alive yourself Siri?!?" Fred asks, voice getting higher towards the end of his question. Sirius gives his little signature smirk before sighing.

"To be honest, I didn't do anything. I was proper dead and fell behind the veil, when I met death." Sirius says seriously. Tom flinches when his nemesis is mentioned. He has become more acceptant of the fact that he will die at some point, but he is still weary of it. "He only said one thing: I will only help you because my future master needs you, so live and protect. I don't know what he means and I will not search for this 'master of death'. I am here for you Harry. I'm sorry it took so long, but I gave you my promise – we will be a proper family. I won't allow for you to go back to those muggles." I feel tears pricking my eyes and look down at my lap, so that nobody can see. I don't deserve this much love. I couldn't save him and now he came back for me, not even death could stop him. Well, that's relative. Death helped him live after all, pretty ironic if you ask me. I wonder... Is there really a master of death? I mean, he said 'future master', so maybe they don't know that they are yet.

Tom clears his throat, successfully ripping me out of my train of thoughts. "This has been quite delightful, but there is still one thing amiss." I look at him curiously. "I left the manor alone. I left all death eaters – I am still changing that name by the way –... What I was saying is, I left all of them here to protect you and the manor, so how come none of them were there?". Silence spread throughout the room and I can't tell if it's an awkward or confused one, but it is deathly silent. You could honestly hear the tip of a pin drop. And it's kind of scaring me. I've never liked the silence, but then again, I'm not one to break it either.

A/N Hullo everybody, I know, it's been awhile. I got caught up with life as you do, but here is another chapter. Stay happy and healthy and if you like the story please comment and vote!