Chapter 12- Man Alive!
He woke up with his day all planned out. Feeling excited, he bounced out of bed, had a quick shower and headed down to breakfast. There he found Amber and Natalie whispering to each other. “What’s up?” he said happily as he sat down next to Amber.
“You’re what’s up, you arse!” exclaimed Amber.
“Whoa. What’s happened?” asked Tom, completely shocked.
“Don’t act like you don’t know,” added Natalie.
Tom was bewildered, he said, “Well I’m sorry, I don’t.”
“So you deny going into Clara’s bedroom on Christmas day and Boxing Day for a few hours both times?” asked Amber.
Tom was completely startled, he’d not been expecting that. “How do you know about that?”
Amber replied, sounding hurt. “A Hufflesnuff told us this morning that she saw the two of you enter her bedroom and saw you leave a few hours later. Twice!”
“It’s not what you think, I promise. We’re just friends.”
“What was it then?” Amber said, intimidatingly.
“We were just talking,” replied Tom, defensively.
“If you are just friends and you were just talking, you can tell me what you were talking about.”
“Fine. I was talking to her about my parents dying.”
That shut her up. That shut her up good. Tom hadn’t realised it but both their voices had been getting louder and louder throughout the conversation to the point where he’d almost shouted the last line. The entire hall was watching him, including the teachers. Amber looked mortified. “I’m so sorry Tom. I didn’t know.”
Tom returned to his normal voice and said, “I forgive you. And I’m sorry too for getting angry like that.”
“Don’t be, it was justified,” she said, sounding mortified.
Tom glanced round at everyone watching, then said, “I’m sure you’ll want to discuss this later, but for now, can we drop it?”
“Of course. I’m so sorry.”
They sat in silence for the next few moments whilst they ate. After a few more minutes, Tom couldn’t take the silence any more. “Listen, I’ve come to terms with it. I know they’re gone and I’ve let them go. I won’t say more here but you don’t need to worry about me.”
He got up before she could respond. Spotting Hermione, he went over to her to give her phone back. “I’m sorry Tom,” she said in a gentle tone.
“Thank you but don’t be. They lived good lives and they are in a better place now.”
He then left her and went back to his room for some privacy. He thought he’d moved on from his emotions but perhaps not. Perhaps this was his ‘chink in his armour.’ Eventually though, he decided that he’d got upset because of being accused by his girlfriend, not because of his parent’s deaths. They just happened to coincide. Whether this was true, Tom wasn’t a hundred percent sure but it didn’t matter because it was what he believed and therefore it was true in his mind. He spent a long while coming to this decision, the upshot being that he missed his potions lesson. Thinking that his day could only improve, he set off for charms.
As soon as Tom joined Clara and Isabelle at their usual table, Clara spoke, sounding upset. “I heard what happened at breakfast. You shouldn’t have been put through that, it’s my fault.”
Tom reassured her. “No it’s not. Besides we didn’t do anything wrong… There are two things you should know about me. I don’t do anything that I don’t want to do and I take responsibility for my actions.”
“Even so, you shouldn’t have had to tell the hall, I know how hard it was for you when you told me.”
“That was different. That was the first time I’d told anyone. I’ve come to terms with it since then and, frankly, I don’t mind if people know.”
“Wow, you’re brave. I don’t think I want many people knowing about my brother.”
“I understand. Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.”
“I know you won’t.”
Isabelle then joined in, “It sounds like you two got close over Christmas.” Seeing the looks on Tom and Clara’s faces she added, “I don’t mind. I’m over you Tom. Besides, I believe you when you say you’re just friends.”
“Thanks Isabelle, you’re pretty cool.”
Tom was suddenly starting to wonder if he’d made a bad decision by breaking up with her. She had appeared clingy at the time but she didn’t now and Amber did.
In today’s lesson, they were to practise banishing charms. Tom had already master them so he set about helping the other two. They both really appreciated his advice. The more he help them throughout the year, the more he was liking teaching them. They were ever so grateful, which gave Tom an idea. “How good are you two at defence magic?”
Isabelle replied, “We can do what Dumbridge sets us but you can’t really call that defence. Some practical help would be useful.”
“Great. I’m part of a secret defence class that goes on behind closed doors. Interested in coming?”
They looked at each other before they both said, “Yes.”
“Good. But I can’t let you in. You need to ask Hermione Danger first.”
“Ok,” they both said.
Then Isabelle added, “Are you the teacher?”
He chuckled. “No, but if you tell Hermione how I’ve help you two then I might be soon.”
They looked slightly surprised at this but said nothing of it and went over to Hermione to ask her. Tom watched their conversation out of the corner of his eye. He noticed Hermione kept glancing over at him. Thankfully, Professor Funwick was otherwise engaged, having being banished himself by some kid who accidentally hit the Professor rather than his cushion. Isabelle and Clara returned to him, just as the bell rang. Clara was the first to speak. “She said yes, after Trotter agreed to it. We also told her about the help you’ve given us just like you asked.”
Tom privately celebrated. “Thank you, it means a lot.”
“Happy to help… We better run, we’ve got to get out into the greenhouses next.”
“See you later then.”
Glad that something had gone right today, Tom set off for Defence against the Dark Arts in a much brighter mood than normal. Dumbridge’s lessons really were even duller than history of magic. All they had to do all year was read a book. Something which Hermione had finished by the second lesson and Tom finished within a week. Therefore all they’d been doing was sitting there, pretending to read. Today was different however. The class got out their books and started reading in silence as usual but then Tom felt his phone vibrate. Hermione was texting him.
Sure enough, he looked over at her to see her with her phone hidden behind her book and her looking eagerly at him. ‘I hear you’re an excellent teacher?’ said Hermione’s text. He decided to play dumb.
‘I never said that. Who did?’
‘Those girls you just invited to the DA.’
‘I didn’t. I just merely told them of its existence.’
‘Well whatever. Are you a good teacher? What have you been teaching them?’
‘I’ve just been helping them with whatever Professor Funwick sets us.’
‘Don’t you need to practise as well?’
Tom struggled to write his next reply without sounding cocky. ‘It’s quite simple to me. I’ve learnt much more advanced stuff than these little charms.’
She took some time to send the next text. Tom thought she might be thinking less of him. Although her next text didn’t suggest that. It read ‘Oh yeah? Like what?’
‘Disillusionment charms, patronuses, leg breaker curses. Stuff like that.’
‘Whoa! That’s advanced.’
‘I guess.’
‘Do you think you could teach me sometime?’
Tom tried to kill two birds with one stone with his next text. ‘You don’t need my help, you’re top in every class!’
‘Based on what you’ve just told me, I think I do. You appear to know more than me. Please w
ill you do it?’
He had her now. By complimenting her and refusing her at the same time, he’d made the proposition sound irresistible to her. ‘If you insist,’ he replied feeling smug.
‘Great. Let’s meet up sometime.’ She ended the conversation and went back to pretending to read her book.
Tom hadn’t asked her to invite Harry and Ron for one key reason. He knew Hermione. He knew that she would get them to come without any prodding from him. Besides, it might have looked odd if Tom had suggested teaching anyone else with her when she had been asking him.
The rest of the day’s lessons went by as usual. More rants from the teachers about C.A.T’s. More homework. More rants at those who hadn’t done the previous homework. As the 6 o’clock bell rang to signal the end of the day, Tom raced off to the great hall for a quick dinner before going down to apologise to Professor Snipe for missing the morning lesson. He knocked on Snipe’s office door and went in when called. The office looked just as it had at the begging of the year except that in now included what Tom thought was a pensieve.
“Ah Tom, you’ve come to apologise I take it?”
“Yes sir.”
“Well there was no need.”
“Really?” Tom had expected him to be angry but he was mysteriously calm.
“Really. I know how hard it can be to lose the ones you love. I will let your absence slide.”
“Thanks sir.”
“Don’t mention it.”
Tom’s curiosity won him over. “Sir, is that a pensieve? Is it new?”
“I’ve borrowed it from the headmaster. I have an action packed evening ahead.” Snipe said, very sarcastically.
“That bad is it?” Tom asked, trying to supress a laugh.
“Unfortunately yes. I have to give up my evenings for Trotter.”
“My sympathies.” He knew how much Harry and Snipe hated each other. He then looked at his watch and realised he needed to get to Hogrod’s. “Sorry sir. I need to get going. There’s somewhere I need to be.”
“Ah yes, give Hogrod my best won’t you.”
Tom froze. “How do you know I’m going to Hogrod’s?”
“The plan, Tom. Dumby’s plan. We are all part of it. Why else do you think I would have agreed to spend my evenings with Trotter?”
“What’s Lyrotth got to do with the plan?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” said Snipe but Tom didn’t believe him. They stared at each other for a second. Tom wanted to question Snipe but didn’t have time.
“Thanks again sir,” he said and headed off for Hogrod’s.
When he arrived at Hogrod’s hut, he found Hogrod already waiting for him round to the side, armed with his crossbow like before. “Ready?” Hogrod asked once Tom reached him.
“Ready.”
They walked off on their usual path, Tom having memorised it now. As they strolled through the forest, Tom asked, “How come Snipe knows about this?”
“About what?”
“About me, visiting Lyrotth with you.”
“Does he?” Hogrod said but he wasn’t as good as Snipe at keeping a straight face.
“Come on Hogrod, you know why.”
“Oh alright, I’ll tell you. There’s a reason you’re the only student visiting Lyrotth.”
“I thought it was just because I have more of an interest than any other student and because I’m in Dumby’s task force.”
“It was at first. It was. But after that first time, I told Dumby what had happened and he came up with a scheme to help us win the war.”
“Which is what?”
“Don’t ask me, I don’t know. All I do know is that my job is to get Lyrotth as familiar to you as possible. If all goes right tonight, you can visit her without me from then onwards.”
Tom said nothing more till they reached her. The thought of being left alone with a dragon was terrifying and yet amazing at the same time.
Lyrotth was staring at them as they approached as if she’d been waiting for them. Tom, under Hogrod’s instruction, slowly went right up to Lyrotth and gently stroked her on the top of her head. To his amazement, from the moment he touched her scales, a shot of something, that could only be described as magic, flew up his arm and went right into his very core. The feeling felt electric. His heart started to race and he started to sweat on his brow. To add to his amazement, she made a sound almost like a purr and leaned in towards him. Tom continued to stroke her, moving from the top of her head to behind her ears. After a few minutes, Hogrod came over to join them. He had a huge smile on his face. “What do you think?” he asked.
“It’s wonderful! I can’t believe I was ever scared. Thank you so much Hogrod.”
“You’re welcome. Although it’s Lyrotth you should be thanking. Go on, speak to her.”
Feeling slightly foolish, Tom spoke to Lyrotth. “Lyrotth, you are magnificent. It is an honour, truly, to meet you. Thank you for letting me touch you.”
As he finished, he felt a warm jolt fly up his arm. This one was different to the last one. This time it was much more friendly and soft. Tom also got the feeling that Lyrotth had understood him and was appreciative.
“How was that?” Hogrod asked nervously.
“I’m not quite sure, I think she understood me. The feeling I got inside me was like nothing I’ve ever experienced before.”
Hogrod looked extremely pleased. “Whilst dragons can’t speak, they do have their own ways of communicating as you’ve just experienced. There’s nothing else like it trust me. I still remember the feeling when Nigel hatched and we first touched.”
“Nigel?”
“Oh blimey I forgot to tell ya. A few years back I hatched a dragon in my hut, called him Nigel. But he had to leave after a while because he was starting to tear the place up.” Only Hogrod, Tom thought.
They stayed for another 15 minutes or so. Tom didn’t want to leave but, in the end, Hogrod made him. As they turned to leave, Lyrotth let out a ferocious roar of flame into the sky, causing all the birds in the trees nearby to squawk and fly off. Tom and Hogrod both laughed. “So that’s why she’s called Lyrotth,” Tom said cheerily and they walked off back to the castle.
Before Hogrod said goodnight, he gave Tom some advice. “Like I said before, you can now visit her without me. But, make sure you don’t go too often and not when people can see you leave. It would not be good to draw anyone’s attention. Also, remember, keep a sharp eye. There are many things in that forest. Never attack anything unless it attacks you first. As long as you stick to this, you should be fine.”
“Cheers Hogrod. Will do.”