Chapter Text
Harry glances at the window, a soft tapping coming to his attention. He stands from his desk, walking over to the window and letting in a large brown owl. It lands on his shoulder, offering him a letter tied to his leg. Harry thanks the owl, giving it some water before it flies away. Harry glances down at the letter, smiling when he sees the wax seal. He walks downstairs, seeing his Aunt Elara walking on the roof.
"And what is my little shadow doing?" Elara questions, gliding down to the floor.
"I've just gotten my Hogwarts acceptance letter. Im going to show Tom." Harry replies, walking down the corridor with Elara floating next to him.
"Oh, well, that's wonderful! Im so happy for you, my little ghostling." Elara scruffs his hair, gliding ahead and opening the door.
Harry walks into the room, seeing Tom and his Uncle Malikar sitting at the table, discussing something in hushed tones. Harry stands near the door, not wanting to catch them off guard.
"Oh, Tom!" Elara sings, "Our little ghostling has some news. And I suggest you listen, you too, Malikar." She settles down beside her husband, who grunts in response.
"Harry, come sit," Tom says, gesturing to the seat next to him.
Harry doesn't understand, since Tom is speaking in English, but he gets the memo. He shuffles next to him, placing down the letter on the table. Tom smiles as he reads through, handing it back to Harry when he's done. Harry looks up at him, confused, until Tom sighs and takes the letter back, reading it in Parseltongue for Harry.
"Dear Mr Potter, We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl no later than 31 July. Yours sincerely, Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress. You really need to learn English, Harry, it's not an excuse anymore. You will begin tomorrow, two hours a day, with me. Today, however, you will begin to read some textbooks you have and translate them into Torcumon from English. I want at least a chapter done by dinner, if you finish before, you can do your potions. I'll come with you to select your books." Tom says, standing up and nodding at Malikar.
Tom leads Harry to his room, opening the door and walking inside. Harry looks around his room. His bed is pushed against the far wall, below the large window which juts out, giving Harry a cosy place to read. Harry's desk is beside his bed, a corkboard pinned above it. At the foot of his bed is a large bookshelf that wraps around half the room before it stops beside his wardrobe. Harry sits at his desk, pinning up his letter and watching Tom select books for him. Nagini slithers in then, sliding over to Harry and wrapping herself around his torso and resting her head on his shoulder. Harry chuckles as Hera emerges from under his desk, hissing at Nagini, who hisses right back.
"Nagini, you know Hera is protective. Give her some space to adjust before wrapping yourself around me. And Hera, you dont have to worry. Nagini is a friend, and she's your cousin. So behave, both of you." Harry lectures, reaching his arm down so Hera can slither up and rest on his neck, her favourite spot.
"Fine, I'll back off for now. Im going to find Elara, she's always kind to me." Nagini slides off Harry, shaking her tail goodbye at Hera before slipping out the door.
"My human. You're safe now, Harry." Hera hisses, snuggling against his collarbones, cosying up around his neck.
"Thank you, Hera, but Nagini is like a sister to me; she is family, and you must see that. She means no harm." Harry reassures Hera, who promptly ignores him.
Tom comes over then, placing down a pile of books.
"You will do one chapter on your choice, and translate the chapter into Torcumon. After you may continue your little concoction in the corner." Tom smirks, petting Hera before walking out.
Harry sighs, grabbing the first book on top. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, by Newt Scamander. Harry knows who Newt is, and he understands most of the title. He doesn't know the word Fantastic, so he takes the Torcumon to English dictionary Malikar got him for his tenth birthday, out. He places it on his desk, flipping to F to find the word. He finds fantastic, and sees Falokita, which means fantastic in Torcumon. He gets out a parchment and quill, writing down the title in Torcumon.
Falokita Bitures Actul Wvyter tok Fotik Tukip, Bwve Newvt Scamendaor.
Harry sighs again, flipping to the first page of the book and prepares himself for a long afternoon.
"I dont understand why you are still friends with them. They are bound to find out soon." Malikar argues, his brow furrowing.
"I cannot suddenly abandon them. If Harry goes to Hogwarts, Remus and Sirius will recognise him. And his name on the roster is Harry Riddle-Potter." Tom says, twisting his fingers.
Malikar opens his mouth to say something, but another voice cuts him off.
"Oh, Tom! Our little ghostling has some news. And I suggest you listen, you too, Malikar." Elara sings, floating down beside Malikar, who grunts in response.
"Harry, come sit," Tom says, gesturing to the seat next to him.
Tom can tell Harry doesn't understand, but he sits down anyway. The boy really needs to learn English soon. Harry places a letter on the table, looking at Tom with hopeful eyes. Tom takes the letter, his smile widening as he reads through it. He gives the letter back to Harry, smiling proudly of his godson. Harry looks up at him in confusion, and Tom sighs before taking the letter back and reading it in Parseltongue for Harry.
"You really need to learn English, Harry, it's not an excuse anymore. You will begin tomorrow, two hours a day, with me. Today, however, you will begin to read some textbooks you have and translate them into Torcumon from English. I want at least a chapter done by dinner, if you finish before, you can do your potions. I'll come with you to select your books." Tom stands up.
Tom walks out of the room, hearing Harry behind him. He opens the door to the bedroom, heading to the bookshelf. He leafs through books, finding a few that are suitable for his age and that he will enjoy. As he's doing this, Tom hears Nagini slither in and talk to Harry, Hera soon joining in. The little protective snake has loved Harry since she first saw him. Harry loves her equally, but Tom can hear him lecturing the two on getting along. He hears Nagini leave, and he walks over to Harry, who is talking to Hera.
"You will do one chapter on your choice, and translate the chapter into Torcumon. After you may continue your little concoction in the corner." Tom smiles, petting Hera before leaving Harry to work.
Tom closes the door behind him, sighing as he walks back downstairs to the others. He is forever thankful for their help and support, but he now thinks it was a mistake having Torcumon as Harry's first language. He enters the dining room, seeing Malikar and Elara in conversation. Elara is floating in the air upside down, her hair swishing from side to side. Malikar has remained seated, and he is the first to notice Tom.
"Is he learning your language now?" Malikar asks, tilting his head.
"Yes, he's upstairs in his room. Hopefully, he can learn the basics before he has to leave. I will obviously contact Minerva and tell her that he does not know English, and I'll set up a tutor for him. Although it might be a little tough considering we most likely are the only humans in England to know Torcumon." Tom replies, sitting down at his seat.
"What are we to do about your friends and the boy's parents? They are sure to find out, and they will resent you for it." Malikar questions, crossing his arms.
"I know. But there is nothing I can do about it. We just have to wait and see where it-" The doorbell cuts Tom off.
Tom stands up, signalling to Malikar and Elara to go upstairs and get their cloaks on. They both nod, silently gliding out of the room and up the stairs. Tom follows them, arriving at Harry's room. He locks it, making sure Harry is inside before walking downstairs. He approaches the front door, looking out of the peephole. He curses under his breath and pulls open the door.
"Why hello, Remus, Sirius. What can I do for you?" Tom says, smiling at the two people on his doorstep.
"Hello Tom. We've just come for a checkup; we've not seen you for a while," Remus says, smiling back as Tom leads them to the dining room.
"How is your new position at Hogwarts going, Sirius?" Tom asks, setting down tea for the three of them.
"It's going well, thanks. I'm excited about the new year. I have the lesson plan, of course, but I think I'll change a few things to make it more fun and interesting for the kids." Sirius replies, sipping his tea.
"How are you, Tom? We haven't heard much." Remus asks.
"I've been doing well. Im in the process of renovating the garden, moving out the old weeds and planting some nice flowers. How about James and Regulus? Are they doing okay?" Tom questions, looking at his friend's pinched expressions.
"They... They're not doing so great. They're trying to move on, but it's hard considering... You know." Remus says, sorrow filling his voice.
"I feel so sorry for their pain, I hope they can get better. I'll try to pop in soon, send me an owl for when you're available." Tom says, drinking more of his tea.
Tom feels something brush his leg. He looks down to see Nagini slithering around under the table.
"Sorry about her, she loves to eavesdrop." Tom smiles, reaching down so Nagini can climb his arm, wrapping herself around him.
"It's no bother. So what else have you been up to lately?" Sirius responds, smiling warmly at Nagini.
They fall into easy chatter, and around an hour later, Remus and Sirius leave. Tom waves them goodbye, watching them leave the wards and apparate to wherever they're staying. He sighs, closing the door and walking upstairs. He unlocks Harry's door, heading to Malikar's and Elara's room. He opens the door, smiling tiredly at the pair. They take off their cloaks, walking back downstairs with him. He sits at the table, listening to Malikar ramble on about something.
Oh, how will he survive the backlash of this problem? The problem being Harry.