Chapter 13 - Manipulation
“Tom, wake up.” Someone was calling him and even started shoving him but he didn’t open his eyes. It was a Saturday and he was so comfortable after a brilliant night’s sleep that he didn’t want to move. The shoving didn’t cease so, reluctantly, Tom opened his eyes.
Sleepily, Tom raised his head and said, “Morning Amber. What are you doing in my room?”
“Morning to you too. I just wanted to see how you were. I couldn’t find you yesterday so I was waiting for you to go to breakfast but you never showed.” She sounded mad and relieved at the same time.
“I’m getting up, I’m getting up.”
“It’s too late now, breakfast is over!”
Tom felt bad for her now. “Sorry you missed it.”
He got up and put on some cloths, having only been in underwear. “Hold on a second,” he said and went over to his fridge and pulled out a few bacon sandwiches and some juice. “Here,” he said, handing her a sandwich.
“You have a fridge?” she asked, incredulously.
“Doesn’t everyone?”
“No! You’re the only one. How did you manage that?” she demanded, sounding jealous.
“Bonky must have hooked me up.” Amber’s face was blank. “My friend who’s a house elf,” he added.
“I didn’t know you were friends with the house elves.”
“It pays to have friends in all places,” he said matter-of-factly as he took a bite out of his own sandwich. “Juice?” he asked and handed it over.
“Oh, err, yes please,” she said, still in shock. Tom secretly loved watching her expressions of shock and bewilderment whilst he acted like it was another completely normal day.
“So, Amber, you wanted to talk?”
She took a deep breath and said, “I just wanted to make sure you were ok. Also, if you are willing, I’d like to hear the whole story.”
“I’m ok, seriously I am. I struggled with their deaths for the past few months but my chat with Clara helped me and I’ve come to terms with it. People die all the time. Like I said before, my parents lived good and full lives and now they’re at peace.” She still looked worried. “Their legacy and memory lives on through me. Do I wish they were still alive? Yes. But am I going to live in the past? No.”
Amber looked impressed. “Clara seems to have done a good job on you.”
“She really did.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t trust you before.”
Tom waved it away. He said, “Forget about it, it’s in the past… As for what happened, it goes like this…”
He told her everything, just like he’d told Clara only this time there were no tears. Amber got gradually more shocked throughout. When Tom finally finished, she said, “There’s so much I didn’t know about you. For one thing, you’re Swedish!”
“No, I’m English. I just grew up in Sweden,” Tom corrected her.
“And you’re a blacksmith???”
“Not really. I can handle a forge and stuff but my skills are nothing compared to my parents.”
“Were they really that good?” Amber asked, sounding impressed.
“Some of the very best.”
“Do you plan to go back to forging after school?”
Tom had thought long and hard about this and had come to a decision quite recently. “No, I don’t think so.”
“Really!? Why not?”
“I feel like that part of my life should die with them. It was there passion, not mine. I want to move on to something else.”
Amber was shocked to hear him say this, she didn’t agree. “But don’t you want to forge in memory of them. You said they live on inside you, but aren’t you ignoring them if you stop that part of your life?”
This had been Tom’s main opposing argument but he’d made a decision and he wasn’t going to change it. “Their forge is now rubble, their quality is no more. If I continue in a different forge and at sub-par quality, it wouldn’t feel right.” Amber opened her mouth to argue but Tom stopped her. “It’s my decision and you’re not going to change my mind.”
She looked taken aback at the seriousness in his voice and said, “I wasn’t going to. I agree that it’s your decision alone.”
There was a pause in the conversation, then Amber asked, “So you moved in with your uncle and haven’t been back to Sweden since?”
“That part of my life is behind me. Even my old friends haven’t got in contact, even though I’ve tried to get in touch. There’s nothing left for me back there.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You shouldn’t be.” She looked puzzled. “Think about it. If none of that had happened, none of this,” he spread his arms open, “Would have. I would never have met you for one thing. Every cloud has a silver lining. Something my dad always told me was to always make the best of every situation and then try to improve on it.”
“That’s very inspiring.”
“And I try to live by it.”
They held each other for a time, then suddenly, Amber pulled away in shock. “Tom, you’re vibrating!”
“Oh, haha. It’s just my phone.” He took it out and read the message from Hermione, ‘meet me at 2 by the crushing oak.’ He quickly texted back, ’I’ll be there.’ He then said to Amber, “That reminds me. I’m yet to teach you how to use yours properly.”
“I’ll just go and get it,” she said and hurried off.
She was back within 2 minutes. Tom spent the next 30 minutes teaching her how to use it. She interrupted with things like “So that is the power button?”
He replied, pityingly, “That’s the camera.”
“That is a camera! It’s so small!” And “How can you store music on a phone?”
Tom didn’t think she’d understand the scientific answer so he just said, “Think of the music like a file of homework. The phone has storage space to hold the files, like a bookshelf.” She sort of understood.
By the time they’d finished Amber could talk, text, listen to music, use the camera and even play a game. Tom hadn’t bothered telling her about the internet capabilities because that was the one thing he was yet to figure out how to get working in the magical world.
They next went down to lunch together. The hall was full of people who were looking over at the pair of them. Tom supposed they were waiting to hear some more information. Just how quickly had yesterday’s outburst spread, Tom wondered.
They both found it easy to ignore everyone and just enjoy each other’s company. Tom tried to think up an excuse for a reason to leave. Happily though, he didn’t have too as Mark came over to talk to Amber about some chaser moves. Tom slipped away and headed off for the crushing oak. On his way, he tried to think of some more excuses for leaving in preparation for the next time it happened but it turned out to be really difficult, probably because he never lied and so didn’t have practice at it. They had Quidditch practise together, they were in the same house and they had some meals together. He couldn’t find any wiggle room.
As Tom approached the oak, to his delight and as he had expected, Harry and Ron were with Hermione. “How’s it going guys?” Tom said cheerfully.
“I brought Harry and Ron too, I hope its ok.”
“Sure, no problem.”
Harry then spoke up, “Hermione’s told us a lot about you. We heard you could produce a patronus and since I’m the only other person of our age who I know can do it, I wanted to see for myself.”
Tom smiled, thought of his old friends and said, “Expecto Patronum.” Nothing happened.
Ron slipped in, “Looks like you can’t do it. Were you just trying to show off?”
Tom was confused, “Hang on.” It had always worked for him before but it dawned on him that his old friends were no longer such a happy memory due to them ignoring him since he moved. He poked around for a new memory and one came flooding to him. The feeling he’d got when he first touched Lyrotth. “Expecto Patronum,” he said again but this time it worked. A dra
gon came thundering out of his wand and circled the willow a few times. Tom was taken aback. Every time previously when he’d cast a patronus, it had been a hawk.
“She’s beautiful,” said Hermione.
Ron said, “Whoa, a dragon!”
“That’s odd,” said Tom.
Then Harry asked, “What’s odd? Patronuses are meant to represent the human so you must be proud to be a dragon, there’s nothing better.”
“I agree but it’s never been a dragon before.”
Hermione said in surprise, “You’re patronus has changed? I didn’t know that could happen.”
“Neither did I,” Tom said admittedly. “What animal are you Harry?” Harry produced his stag which cantered off into the distance. “Cool stag.”
Harry looked pleased and said, “Listen Tom, now that you’ve proved you can produce one, how do you feel about teaching them to the DL?”
“Whoa, really? Why don’t you do it?”
“People keep asking me when the next meeting is but I haven’t got the time to do one. So what do you say?”
“Yeah, alright then.”
All three of them looked relieved. Harry continued, “Excellent. I’ll set a meeting for tomorrow evening.”
Out of the blue, Tom heard his dragon roar. He looked up and saw Dumbridge on the horizon, coming towards them. “Quick, get out of here. Dumbridge is coming.”
“You can tell that from back here. You must have good eyes,” Hermione said.
“Never mind that, go.”
Tom split up from the others and started walking towards the greenhouses in the hope that he could blend in with the crowd.
“Collivander, wait a moment.”
Oh no! Somehow, Dumbridge’s tiny legs had managed to catch up with Tom. He turned around to see her speed walking towards him. Trying to act innocent, he said, “Professor. Can I help?”
“What were you doing with Harry Trotter? I saw his patronus come cantering past me and then spotted you with him.”
“I didn’t know it was a crime to talk to someone.”
“Watch that attitude. Why did he produce his patronus?”
“How do you know it was his?”
Dumbridge scowled and said, “He almost got arrested in the summer for using his patronus in front of a muggle. I ask again, why did he produce his patronus?”
Tom was surprised to learn Harry had used magic in front of a muggle. He didn’t think Harry was that stupid. He assumed there was a part of the story he didn’t know. “We were just showing each other our patronuses,” he said.
“You can produce one too?” she said, interestedly. Tom didn’t like the way she was smiling. “Where did you learn how to do that?”
“From my mother,” he answered quickly and truthfully.
“Oh, err, alright then. You can go this time but I’d advise you to stay away from Trotter in the future if you want to stay out of trouble.”
Tom didn’t need telling twice. He went back into the castle, trying to work out what she had been after. Once he thought he knew, he thought to tell Dumby. He went straight to his office, but took a detour just in case he was being followed. Thankfully, the password hadn’t changed again and he headed up the eagle staircase and entered the office.
“Professor, I’ve come to report.”
“You’ve become Harry’s teacher?” asked Dumby hopefully.
“Sorry, not yet but I’m working on it. I’m going to teach the next DL lesson to win his trust and show him what I can offer. But that’s not why I’m here.”
“Oh?”
“I think Professor Dumbridge might be on to us. She just,”
Dumby cut him off. “I wouldn’t be so sure. She’s looking for any detail which she can manipulate into getting me sacked so she can take my job.”
“But Albus, Hogwash needs you.”
“I quite agree. But don’t worry, if a time does come when I’m no longer headmaster, I have taken precautions to ensure the school doesn’t stray into madness. If I leave, you must report to Severus.”
“Of course, Albus. So, is Dumbridge not a threat?”
“She is a threat, but only a small one. One that can be dealt with. Don’t worry about her.”
“Alright then sir.”
“Also, again hypothetically, if she tries to harm any student, do I have your word that you will try to stop her, within your limits?”
“Yes, sir. Although forgive me for asking, but I’m also a student. Why do you entrust this task to me?”
“For the same reason I’ve asked you for help throughout this year. Because you are no ordinary student and I see you having a key part to play in the outcome of this war. The more responsibility you have now, the better prepared you will be when the time comes.”
Tom admired how much faith Dumby had in him. “Thank you. I’m sorry to have wasted your time, this has been a bit of a pointless meeting.”
“I always have time for you Tom.”
“In that case, I just have a quick question.”
“I’m all ears.”
“Why can patronuses change animal?”
Dumby looked puzzled. “That’s an odd question. Has this happened to someone you know?”
“Yes, me.”
“May I ask what animal your patronus has become Tom?”
“A dragon.”
Albus leaned forwards in his chair. “Will you cast it now?” Tom did as requested. The dragon came to settle between the two of them. Dumby smiled broadly. “Look closer Tom. It isn’t just a dragon.” Tom inspected his patronus. He got close enough to distinguish the dragon’s markings and scales. It was Lyrotth. Albus continued “I believe you know the specific dragon your patronus has taken the shape of. Does this answer your question?”
Tom thought for a moment and then it hit him. “The animal your patronus is depends on the memory used to cast it”
“Yes and no. It can depend on the memory, but only if the memory in question is of particular significance to the individual.”
“But Albus, does that then mean that the animal doesn’t represent the person?”
“No. The animal is a combination of the two. What was your previous patronus?”
“A hawk.”
“So in your particular case, both animals have similarities and these are the properties related to yourself. They both fly, they are strong, gracious and highly useful is befriended but deadly if not.”
“Thank you. That makes a lot of sense.”
“No, thank you Tom.”
“For what?”
“For being my friend. Your patronuses have shown that you are not a person to be an enemy of.”