Death is but the Next Great Adventure

Summer Storm

In the last chapter: Sirius and Harry have a heart to heart and he reassures Harry that he will love him no matter what. Harry and Tom have their second meeting and seem to be getting along quite well.

(AN//:) Hello everyone!

It's been a hot second, and for that I would like to apologize for everyone anxiously awaiting these updates. I am so sorry it's taken so long for me to update. I've been having a lot of computer troubles lately, so it's been a struggle. To be honest, I'm sort of still having computer troubles, but I've found a small, temporary solution for now. I can't guarantee that updates will immediately pick back up to a regular schedule, but I definitely won't be letting this much time pass again without updating if I can help it.

Thank you all for being so kind and patient with me. You all are truly so lovely and understanding and I wish all of you the absolute best! Now, enjoy the chapter!

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Harry held out his hand to catch a few of the heavy raindrops from the downpour just beyond the protective awning he stood under. The sky was filled with thick purple-grey clouds, but strangely enough, the afternoon sun was out and turning the summer shower into a warm haze of golds and green foliage. The air was alive. The refracted light of a hazy rainbow no more than a thin veil of color over the clouds overhead. The onslaught of rain was so heavy it was hard to see through it very far.

"I suppose that walk will have to wait," came the low timber of mild disappointment from beside him and Harry turned to look at Tom, arm still outstretched, and shirt sleeve already soaked through. Tom was watching the rain as well, but instead of seeing the brilliant force of nature, he was staring at the rapidly growing puddles on the lawn with distaste and took a small step away from the splattering drops at his feet that threatened to wet his gleaming oxfords.

It had been a week and half since their first meeting and so far, each visit had ended with the invitation for the next day. They had eaten lunch together, taken several walks around the glorious grounds around Riddle Manor, taken a tour or two of the manor, even ventured into the town of Little Hangleton to explore a few shops. All the while sharing an easy flow of conversation that started the moment they met and petered out reluctantly when Harry knew he couldn't avoid departing any longer.

It had been strange at first, how easily they communicated, how much they had in common, and how well their personalities fit together, but either was too afraid to stop it and pull back from what was happening. Before meeting and getting to know Tom Riddle, Harry would have never imagined that Tom could be so . . . bright. Not bright as in intelligence, the man clearly had that in droves and from what he already knew about him, it wasn't a surprise at all just how knowledgeable he truly was. No, he meant 'bright' in a more literal sense. The wizard shown like a blazing sun in the middle of a void, his very company was invigorating, the way he spoke was elegant and collected but there were moments when a fantastic, whip-like humor would poke through and catch Harry completely off guard in the best ways.

In all honesty, it was hard to stay away from Tom. He was magnetic. He felt himself coming alive when he was around the young man and more comfortable and like himself than any other time. It was bizarre and beautiful and a flourishing gift of friendship he hadn't known was possible. He didn't have to hesitate, think, calculate when he was with Tom. He was already dreading the approaching end of his summer.

Today, Harry and Tom had spent time wandering around the manor for a few hours, exploring. Tom had admitted that he hadn't really looked through the entire manor, as he only ever had need for the main amenities and a few rooms to hold any guests he had. When Harry heard that, he suggested they take a better look around and checked every door they came across. Most of the rooms were either empty, a guest bedroom, a closet, or a bathroom. Though, every once in a while, they encountered a room that they either didn't know the purpose of, or held some new, hidden surprise. They even found one room filled with dusty muggle instruments. Many were out of tune, but that didn't stop them from plucking the strings or dancing their fingers over ivory keys.