When We Were Young

C H A P T E R S I X

August 23, 1943

Tom decided that Harry should get kicked out of the more-mature-than-your-age club.

They took one step in Diagon Alley and then Harry was running, dragging Tom around every shop that caught his fancy and babbling away excitedly.

Tom didn't even get to say that they should go to Gringotts first to pick up the scholarship school fund that was given to them (they were orphans, after all. Where else would they get the money for the course books and necessities?) and whenever he tried, Harry continued talking and cutting him off as if Tom never opened his mouth in the first place.

This happened for 3 minutes straight when Tom finally snapped.

"Harrison Peverell."

Harry stopped chatting about how cool it would be to actually fly on a broom, his mouth clicking shut and a sudden shyness overcoming him as he peered up at the older boy through his lashes.

"Yes, Tom?"

All annoyance that Tom had melted away as he looked at Harry, seeing his cheeks slowly turn a bright pink.

So whipped-

"We have to go to Gringotts to pick up our school fund so that we can actually buy things."

Harry gave Tom a scowl, his cheeks turning into a darker red in embarrassment.

"Well, why didn't you say that before?"

Tom gave Harry an exasperated stare before rolling his eyes and grabbing Harry's hand to lead him to Gringotts.

Oh the things he was willing to go through for Harry.

Tom and Jerry- ahem- Harry waive through the crowd, heading back to the beginning of the alley where Gringotts was located.

Once the boys got inside the bank, they headed to the nearest free accountant, both bowing and saying good morning.

Tom had drilled in Harry's brain on how to greet a goblin, he must have had him practice his bow at least 10 times.

"Your posture and placement is all wrong," Tom snapped, fixing Harry's feet and hand placement, pressing up on Harry's chest to get his spine to straighten. The bow required balance and precision. The left foot had to be placed straight forward while the right foot's heel pressed against the middle of the left foot, pointing to the right. Both hands must be held out to the respective side, palms facing the goblin and fingers spread apart. It was a courtesy to hold the position for at least 5 seconds, maintaining eye contact with the goblin. If all is well, they will bow back.

"Well, gee. One would think that I wasn't raised as a goblin. Oh yeah, that's right! I wasn't," Harry muttered sarcastically, rolling his eyes as Tom moved his right foot a centimetre more to the right after his first adjustment.

Tom ignored the sarcastic remark, circling around Harry to see if anything else needed to be fixed. After a minute, he nodded.

"Hold that position for a bit, memorize it. I'm going to go use the bathroom. When I come back, I'll know if you moved, so. . . have fun."

And with that, Tom turned around and walked out of his room with a smug little smile.

Tom took his sweet time coming to his room, wanting to create at least some annoyance for Harry after all of his sarcastic remarks. Tom liked it when Harry used his sarcasm on other people, not him.

Maybe that was because he never knew how to respond to it.

When he came back to his room, Tom was pleased to see that Harry followed his directions- something he never liked to do, that little minx- two apples in hand for him and Harry.