Before the Storm

Chapter 15

Potter.

The name reverberated through Tom like a gong.

Potter. Potter. Potter.

He looked to Harry, who was skinny and had dark hair, and maybe he looked a bit like Charles who had graduated a few years past. Though he couldn't remember the Potters ever being so short.

Not that Tom had paid more than a passing interest in him. He had been Head Boy but not a prefect. He had done well in his classes but had not been particularly studious. He had been in Gryffindor like the rest of his family before him.

Which would make Harry the little black sheep of the family, if that were the case.

before he could dwell on it for too long though one of the twins broke away from the others.

"Now, now, Hermione, that's hardly the way to greet our good friend who has been missing for most of the year," he swaggered over and draped a lanky arm over her small shoulder.

The other Twin moved in a near mirror image of the other to stand on her other said, "exactly, we have more pressing questions."

"I suppose you're right-" The girl began but was summarily cut off.

"Yes," one said, "we are," said the other. They shared a grin over her head and the first one broke away once more. "First things first, dear Harrikins."

"What in the name of Merlin are you wearing?" the other twin moved forward and as one they draped themselves over Harry.

Before Tom's blood had a chance to boil, or his head a moment to stop spinning, Harry shook out of his own shock. "What...How are you even here, and stop that!" He shook the twins off of him, and batted away hands that had been poking at and smoothing over the shoulders of his robes.

"That's sort of a long story, I guess," the last red head spoke up for the first time, a blush tinting his pale face as he smiled a bit shyly, "hey, mate."

Harry laughed, there was relief there, and joy as well. He took a few steps forward and the redheaded boy moved to meet him, accepting the hug as Harry threw his arms over him. "Hey, Ron. Missed you, man."

"Missed you too," Ron whispered back.

Tom did not seethe. This was a friendly reunion, if the familiarity and adoring looks were anything to go by. But he wanted some answers, sooner rather than later. And the pointed, piercing looks that the girl and twins were giving him when they weren't indulging in Harry and the boy's open affection, were not helping matters.

Tom crossed his arms over this chest, and waited.

When Harry broke away from Ron he turned to Hermione, a little bashfully, until the slope of her shoulder softened and she flew forwards into his arms.

"Oh, I'm so sorry for yelling, I was so worried," her words were mumbled into Harry's shoulders but were still loud enough to carry in the still morning air, "we didn't know what had happened."

"Yeah," said one of the twins, "everyone's been going mad trying to find you."

"Hey," the other twin cut in, "stop hogging him, come on!"

Harry happily accepted a hug from the both of them, at the same time, squished between them and smiling a bright smile that had only been reserved for Tom and Alphard before.

He was not jealous at this at all.

Harry laughed as they all pulled away, taking his time to actually look them over. He shook his head, "what am I wearing? What are you wearing? You look like you're starting a very depressing boy band." They were all wearing the same nondescript black robes. They were of a slightly older fashion than what was commonly worn now, but of good quality wool, as far as Tom could tell.