A Change of Heart

Chapter Twenty One

Tom looked around the crowded platform. He had his hood pulled over his head. Of course, not many knew what he looked like these days, so the chances of being recognized were minimal. He had not used any enchantment like he had in the ministry, trusting to the throng of humanity on the platform and his own changed looks to stop him from being recognized.

Tom was transported to his own childhood as he stood on the platform. Thus had he stood once, one among many, eager to go back to Hogwarts, his school, his one real home. He wondered how it might have turned out for him had he been accepted for a teaching position when he had first applied for it, fresh out of school. He grimaced. Not much would have changed, probably. After all, he had never wanted to be a teacher. He had only wanted to stay on in Hogwarts.

He moved back unobtrusively, away from the uniformed children and the parents bidding goodbye to them. His eyes scanned the crowd. It was the red-heads that caught his attention. And with it, an unexpected problem. Ginny Weasley. She was bound to recognize him. He wondered what he should do. Harry just then said something to her. She nodded and disappeared into an empty compartment. One of her brothers took Harry's trunk from him and went into the same compartment. Harry was looking around and Tom lifted his hand to wave.

Harry came running, a black dog at his heels. Tom suppressed an inward groan. Harry did have quite a few overprotective people around him. But Tom chose to ignore the dog as he enveloped Harry in his arms.

"You look fine," said Tom, grinning as he looked at Harry. Harry looked happy. And it made Tom glad.

"I am now," said he. "I told my friends."

Tom lifted an eyebrow, "And?"

"They were really cool about it."

Tom noticed the dog wandering away, presumably to give them some privacy. But though it stayed out of earshot, it still watched them intently.

"Did you tell your godfather too?"

Harry nodded. "He freaked out at first, but now he's cool with it."

Tom chuckled. "You have my sympathies. His freaking out can't have been easy to take."

"No, it wasn't. But he was worried about me. I could understand that."

"And you said you know about the prophecy."

"Is it safe discussing it here?"

"No one's going to hear us in this pandemonium. This is actually the best place for a private conversation."

Harry smiled a bit half-heartedly and told Tom about the prophecy, word for word as Dumbledore had told him.

"Neither can live while the other survives," murmured Tom. The words shook him more than he cared to admit. But he knew they could not be true. They could never be true. Not now.

Harry fidgeted.

"Did that worry you?" asked Tom quietly, guessing that Harry might have spent a few sleepless nights worrying about it.

Harry nodded.

"It's bullshit," said Tom calmly. "The best thing would be to ignore that crackpot prophecy."

He had spoken to reassure Harry, but even as he spoke, he realized that he was going to do just that. He was going to ignore the prophecy.

"Just like that?" Harry was astounded.

"Just like that. I'm glad you told me. Saved me a trip to the Department of Mysteries."

"But it's a prophecy," Harry protested.

"It's still bullshit," muttered Tom. "I should never have paid attention to it in the first place."

He looked at where the dog lay, its watchful eyes still on them.

"Do you think it's safe for him to be out like that?"

"Probably not," muttered Harry. "But he's been cooped up in the house for so long."

Tom nodded. "Don't even think about that damn prophecy." He paused. "Is she any good? She teaches at Hogwarts now, doesn't she?"

"Trelawney? She's a right old fraud. But she did make this prophecy. And another..." his voice trailed off.

"Another?"

So Harry told him about her prediction regarding Wormtail and the rise of Voldemort.

"Ah well, she was bound to get one right," Tom grinned, though he did feel uneasy and shaken. That prophecy hit too close to home for his comfort. But he would make certain that the other one would not come true.

Harry grinned too. He could not help it. "I've to go," said he. "The train's about to leave."

"Send me an owl with the date of your Hogsmeade weekend," said Tom.

"You'll come there?"

"Why else would I want the date?" asked Tom, amused.

"That's the whistle. I've to run! Bye!" and Harry ran off, the dog following.

Tom waited till the train had left before following the dog to outside the station.