Ink and Parchment ~ blood and bone

65- What Happens In the common room & A riddle interlude

Alas what light through yonder window breaks?

Tom grinned to himself full of a childish glee that was usually foreign to him and came to a stop beneath the window. He could have knocked on the door, could have asked for Eliza to come down, could have done a lot of things which would have left him with his dignity intact.

Instead, he scaled the wall in front of him, using the old crumbling brick as handholds as he tried to manoeuvre himself from ledge to ledge until he was clambering up onto Eliza’s windowsill. Rapping on the window he shot Eliza a smug smile when she startled coming over to let him in.

“We have a door you know” she said as Tom swung himself in through the now open window and decided to stay relaxing on the edge of the windowsill.

“You also have a dog-father guarding said door – I’ll take my chances thank you” he replied primly and Eliza let out choked muffled laughter, casting cursory glances to her bedroom door. Knowing her she probably had silencing wards up anyway.

“Happy Birthday Little Star” Tom wished and her gaze snapped back towards him, curiosity resting in her eyes.

“Do you come bearing gifts? Seventeen is quite a big birthday after all” she probed wandering closer to Tom’s perch.

Tom could have given her rare books, fine jewels, necklaces from royalty or lost wards from forgotten emperors. He was a bit of a magpie and he felt no reluctance in sharing his hoard with Eliza. But he knew for all that she coveted knowledge Eliza was far more sentimental than she would like to be.

“It isn’t much for a Seventeenth” Tom began, pulling the present out from his pocket and unshrinking it “But I thought you would appreciate it all the same”

He watched as Eliza carefully tore away the wrapping paper, watched as her breath hitched and eyes shone as she took in the picture she now held in her hands. Barty had taken it, a picture of him and Eliza messing around in the snow and the image practically radiated pure unrestrained happiness.

And if Tom had also kept a copy of the picture than no-one else had to know.

Eliza grinned widely and reverently placed the framed photo by her bed-side table.

“Thank you Tom, really – you always seem to get me exactly what I want”

“Anything for you Eliza” he replied and hated how achingly sincere he sounded. Eliza hovered uncomfortably for a few seconds before grabbing Tom by the hand and yanking him from his perch. He stumbled slightly as Eliza led them to the bed rambling on about the holidays and the places she’d visited and the plans she’d yet to enact.

Tom was sat on the bed listening indulgently as Eliza pulled out a stash of post-cards and Honeydukes chocolate. They stayed up well into the night idly taking about nothing and everything all at once. Eventually Eliza’s yawns became more frequent, her speech more slurred until she dozed off mid-conversation, passing out on the bed.

He paused only to drape a blanket over her as he left.

Anything for you Eliza.

For Eliza, he would give the world.

~

There were a lot of places Sirius had never wanted to see again.

Azkaban was one of them, obviously, then there was Gordric’s Hollow, a pub somewhere in Cornwall that his memories were too hazy to properly recall, and Potter Manor.

What he would give to be in Cornwall right now.

The manor felt almost hauntingly empty, hollowed out and covered in dust and Sirius felt like every time he rounded a corner he was confronted by another ghost. By this front door The Potters had seen a kid worth keeping around. He spent Yule in this living room, baked cookies in this kitchen. He had found a family in these halls, spent nights curled up with his best mates in these bedrooms.