Mrs. Cole was absolutely furious when Tom and Frankie walked in nearly three hours later from when Dumbledore had promised they'd be back. They didn't arrive until nightfall and, not only were they incredibly late, but it appeared they'd ditched their chaperone somewhere along the way. The demonic children had obviously given the kind, handsome educator 'the slip'. They often did it to Mrs. Cole when they went out together. Sometimes she prayed for them to get lost in the city and continue on with their lives as street vagabonds, but the two always managed to find their way back to her. Last winter, they'd ditched her while out shopping and didn't turn up for nearly an hour. When she asked where they'd been, Tom made up some rubbish about trying to help a lost girl and Frankie had claimed she'd only gone running after Tom. She didn't understand their convictions. Why bother coming back, if they clearly hated the orphanage so much and were only intent on making the place worse?
It was clear by the look in Mrs. Cole's enraged eyes that she assumed the absolute worst had happened that day. They'd surely gone gallivanting throughout the city causing mayhem and destruction in their path, like the hell spawns they were. Even though Tom and Frankie had two cauldrons filled with extraordinarily odd things, like robes, wands, scales, and telescopes, they went unnoticed by the eyes of an ignorant old hag. Frankie went back inside willingly and apologetic, but Tom was naturally intent on causing as much trouble as he possibly could. Despite his skeletal structure, he could still semi-successfully deadweight the situation, and very purposefully collapsed to the ground without warning. Knowing Tom far too well by now, Mrs. Cole instantly knew he wasn't ill and just being a stubborn little menace. She started forcibly yanking him back through the doorway with every ounce of her strength, shouting about how they both weren't going to be eating any meals during their last week at the orphanage, despite the fact Tom was the one on the ground. He was immediately tempted to show off some of the potion ingredients they'd bought while they were out. It would be an immense struggle to hold himself back from dumping his vial of salamander blood into the various meals they would be missing this week.
Tom was being slid just barely inside, when he spotted a small envelope lying on the steps. It was far past the time for post, and it was bare of any stamps or addresses. Tom looked closer and saw it had both of his and Frankie's names scrawled across it in a dark emerald ink. He immediately turned back and dove to retrieve it, but Mrs. Cole slammed the door closed in his face before he got the chance. He glared at her in annoyance for a brief moment. Suddenly, there was a giant crash coming from the next room, followed by wailing and howls of pain. Tom might've 'cursed' a block tower to fall on Billy Stubb, but no one would ever have the physical evidence to prove that brutish brick of a boy hadn't knocked into it on his own accord. Mrs. Cole was forced to rush into the room to see what had happened, while Tom managed to sneak the door back open and grab the letter. He silently beckoned for Frankie's attention, and they sat crouched near the door to read it together,
"I hope you both managed to find all your school things and return safely back to Wool's Orphanage. I apologize for leaving you so suddenly, but there was an emergency that could not have been avoided. Enclosed are your tickets for the Hogwarts Express. The train will leave King's Cross Station from Platform 9 ¾ at precisely 11:00am on September the 1st. If you would, please make sure to arrive well before that time. I would escort you myself, but I fear I will still be dealing with the matter at school, and I find myself a little tied up at the moment. However, I'm confident you two will do fine on your own.
I look forward to seeing you at school in a week.
Best regards,
Professor Albus Dumbledore"
Tom took out two tickets from the envelope and handed one to Frankie. She stared at it oddly, probably in disbelief, and he couldn't help but do the exact same with his own ticket. All of this was still pretty unbelievable, even after spending the entire day in Diagon Alley. Tom, for one, was still waiting for the catch. Logically thinking, there had to be at least one. A school for magic, filled with other kids just like them. Kids who were different and freakish. The girl they had met a few hours ago at Madam Malkin's was already seemingly unreal. They'd also had that brief encounter with a boy in Flourish and Blotts. They had both been friendly and did not look at them with automatic disgust, like everyone in the orphanage did. Would that really be everyone's reactions? Yes, they could still hate them. Tom's personality needed serious adjustments before he could even consider the possibility of having anymore friends. However, if they were going to still be hated at Hogwarts, it certainly wouldn't be for being able to use magic. After the horrible lives they'd lived up until now, that simple notion of acceptance seemed too good to be true.
They were too busy staring at their tickets to notice Mrs. Cole had returned from the small diversion Tom had created for her and was now hovering over them. Frankie looked up, noticing her looming shadow, and tugged on Tom's sleeve to alert him. He looked up as well and they both simultaneously jumped up and took a step back from her. Tom quickly concealed the letter and his ticket by slipping them into his cauldron, for safety, and made Frankie take a couple more steps back with him for an extra cautious measure.
"Now, that you have your school things, the two of you should really start packing." Mrs. Cole insisted, sounding a little too eager. She had that hint of joy and excitement in her voice, as well. She wanted them out of the orphanage more than anyone, possibly more than they wanted to be out themselves. Even if it was only till next summer, it was better than having them around all year to cause her trouble.
"Leave us be! We'll pack when we bloody well feel like it!" Tom snapped back at her. Mrs. Cole looked affronted by his comment and drew closer to the pair, with the back of her hand at the ready. Tom instinctively blocked her from Frankie. Even though he had said it, that wouldn't stop her from punishing both of them. They were a pair, after all. However, this time she unexpectedly stopped mere inches from Tom's face, smirked at the pair of them, and simply walked away. The slight fear and paranoia was apparently enough for the moment. Besides, it would've probably reflected rather poorly on her character if they showed up to their fancy new school with bruises. Frankie lowered Tom's blocking arm for him because he seemed to be frozen in this defensive stance.
"Sorry. I thought she was going to hit us."
"Thank you, Tom." she smiled. However, she didn't look very pleased with him. Tom could see it in her expression that his actions made her uncomfortable and, after all this time, he should've suspected it. Frankie didn't like it when he stood up for her. Tom didn't know exactly why she never swooned, like the girls in novels did when men stood up for them. But, after a while, he'd developed his own theory about it. When he defended her, she must've felt like he was trying to repay her for that day with Billy Stubb and, it was as if she feared that once he did, their friendship would be over. Tom thought it was a stupid notion, if she really felt that way about him, but he would not dare to actually bring his theory into the light to see if it was true. He didn't want her to feel that way. "She wasn't actually going to hit me, you know—and even if she was—I can handle her punishments."
"Yes-yes. Of course..." he replied, hastily. He was unnerved and anxious to escape her gaze yet had still managed to hold onto that little sarcastic note he always kept within. She frowned thinking he was merely chiding her strength yet again. Frankie refused to be weak and pitiful, like all the other orphans. Even if it was only as simple as putting on a smile in the darkest of times, she was braver than anyone else Tom had ever met. Ever since the Billy Stubb incident, he knew that she was fully capable of holding her own when she needed to. He didn't know what had come over him. All of a sudden his body had acted of its own accord, and he had an overwhelming urge to protect her, even if it meant he would get hurt instead. Embarrassed, he started up the stairs alone and put as much distance between them as he possibly could.
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The week after Diagon Alley and preceding Hogwarts was the single strangest week at the orphanage Frankie and Tom had ever had. Normally, they were treated infectious. No one wanted to touch them for more than a second, less they be turned wicked as well. However, in this limbo week, Tom and Frankie couldn't seem to find a minute alone together. The orphans were talking to them. Well, mostly talking to Frankie and simply treating Tom with courtesy smiles. They were no longer freakish demons, but a young boy and girl heading off for a luxurious boarding school to get a higher education. Frankie was swarmed with female admirers, just as she had been at the bathroom sink. They clung to her hem and every word, as if she were already a refined upper-class woman they'd only ever read about in stories. Some of them had the tendency to borrow some of Mrs. Cole's Jane Austen novels, without asking, and thought her situation to be the perfect start of one of her stories. She would surely marry into wealth and sophistication, even though she came from such a lowly place.
Meanwhile, Tom bore out the week mostly on his own, consumed by all the fantasies and possibilities that had suddenly been laid out before him. He'd never really thought about his future, thinking pessimistically on how the orphanage would kill him long before he'd ever manage to have one. Tom began to scratch little tick marks under his bed, counting the long summer days between him and Hogwarts.
Thankfully, the week went by fast...
It was drawing near midnight of the night before they left. Frankie had technically gone to bed hours ago, but was still lying wide awake in the darkness. Soon it'd be officially the day she and Tom left for Hogwarts and the day that she started developing her new future as a witch. Reality was refusing to sink in. Before this brilliant magical discovery, Frankie had anticipated that her future would be normal. She prayed it would be normal and, when she grew up, she would have no use for her powers. She might've even hoped that they would gradually disappear with enough time and suppression. Truthfully, she had a secret that she wouldn't dare to admit to anyone, even Tom. Especially Tom. He'd be so ashamed of her if he knew the true reason she scarcely ever used her powers.
Frankie didn't use her magic because she was afraid of it. She still didn't have as much control over herself as Tom did. Her parents had never let her use magic when she was younger. Some of her only memories of her life before the orphanage was of her mother shouting at her for accidentally using magic. So they locked her away to protect her from mortal men and women. However, when she saw that creep Billy picking on Tom, she just knew she had to do something. There was the strongest desire to fight for him, even if they were strangers. Thankfully, Tom had magic too. If he hadn't, he probably would've rejected her and thought her a freak like everyone else. After the incident that kindled their friendship, he began teaching her that using magic and having it was a privilege bestowed upon them. Despite the fact that people literally called Tom the son of Satan and historically witchcraft was thought to be one of the ultimate sins, he was able to sooth most of her secret fears. He believed that attempting to hide their abilities would be a foolish fleet when magic is an integral part of who they are. Finally, for the first time in her life, she'd had someone who encouraged her powers and thought she was special. And, going to Hogwarts, she would have people all around her encouraging her magic and supporting her. She'd finally be able to let go of her fears for good.
Of course, she couldn't sleep a wink. How could she when such a bright future was at her fingertips?
She had been laying there for too many hours already. It was obviously no use. She wasn't going to be sleeping tonight. Frankie finally leapt up out of bed, with a small, frustrated grunt, and left. She walked the short distance to Tom's room and opened his door without knocking. It was just as she thought. He couldn't sleep either. He was sitting on his bed reading, Hogwarts, A History, in the dim lamp light. It wasn't a required book, but he'd "bought" it anyway to learn more about the school.
"So, you can't sleep either? I thought as much." Tom sighed, closing the book and getting off his bed to go meet her. The walls might as well not have been there, for he'd heard her bed creaking for the past hour. Frankie shook her head in confirmation and walked right past him to grab the book. Tom backtracked and went to sit next to her on the floor as she re-opened the page he had just marked.
"It's going to be amazing." Frankie stated, as she smiled down at a picture of the school upon the open page. It was a great big castle that pictures alone could probably not do a bit of justice. Any kid would be lucky to go to school there. But, she grew a small frown. Her life at the orphanage obviously wasn't ideal, but she was still fearing such a great change all at once. What if the kids from wizarding families judged them for being orphans and they were unable to make friends? What if her magic wasn't strong enough, after all those years of suppressing it? What if she and Tom drifted apart? "Everything is going to change tomorrow, isn't it?"
"It'll be a change for the better. Don't worry." Tom assured her. She had sounded sad. Or was it tired? He flipped the pages of the book in attempt to show her something that might lift her spirits a little. Frankie was excited about going. Tom was sure she was. He just needed something to get her back to that feeling in this moment. "We're finally getting out of here..."
"I can't help but be worried. I'm nervous about going," she admitted, suddenly sounding so much more tired than she had been before. Tom could see her eyes start to droop as she tried gazing upon the enchanted pictures. "What if it's not everything we hoped that it would be?"
He had to act. This was surely going to be the greatest day of their entire lives and he wouldn't have her regretting it, not even for a second. He grabbed the light from his desk and dove under his bed. Her drooping eyes widened as she watched him struggle to make it further underneath.
"What're you doing?"
"Come here a second." he whispered from somewhere below. She followed. All that could be seen was Tom's face in the lamp light. She scooted closer to him. They were soon huddled under with the lantern between them. Frankie looked around, expecting to see something worth crawling there for besides dust bunnies. "See this?"
The wall was by no means immaculate, but the six little tick marks were intentional and bolded amongst various anonymous stains. There was an extra Knut sitting on the ground that he'd spared from shopping, committing him to the crime. "I'm counting down the days like a prisoner. You clearly don't know how thrilled I am to be leaving."
"I do."
"If you're doubting for even a second that a school for magic is going to be anything less than brilliant, you clearly don't know how I'm feeling right now." Tom admitted, flatly. He sighed and offered her the coin, "It's going to be the best day of our lives. I promise..."
Frankie cracked a small smile, scooted closer, and accepted the honor of making the seventh mark.
They emerged more tired and content. Frankie made plans to go back to her room, but they got caught up in their textbooks and other school supplies. She'd nearly undone all of his packing when Tom suddenly remembered the mysterious box. Maybe whatever the man at the moving picture stand had given him would relieve some of her nervousness about going to Hogwarts. He hadn't had the opportunity to open it yet, what with the many distractions they had encountered over the week. Now, was as good a time as ever to see what it was.
"Here..." he spoke, nervously, taking the box out of a particular pair of socks he'd been hiding it in and practically shoving it in her face. Luckily, she was too nice and too tired to care.
"What is it?" Frankie asked him, letting out a ginormous yawn. Tom was surprised she had even managed an answer at this point.
"I don't know. That man that took our picture gave it to me, but I haven't opened it yet." Tom replied. To be honest he was a bit curious about the contents of the small box as well. It was from the wizarding world. Surely, it must have been something full of magic. "I thought we could open it together."
They opened up the box to find a small heart-shaped locket of a dulled smooth gold. She clicked it open to find the picture of them spinning in slow endless loops.
"Pretty." she chimed, in a rather muddled sort of way before just collapsing asleep on his shoulder. Tom mentally panicked a little. He didn't know it was going to be a clearly romantic gift. That man definitely had thought they were a couple, which was wrong for many reasons. He sat there frozen, just staring down at her sleeping expression. He didn't know what the proper protocol was for this type of situation. No one would ever be so comfortable to fall asleep in his presence, let alone use him for support. Should he wake her up, or let her sleep? And how was he supposed to explain the locket to her in the morning?
He fell asleep trying to decide what to do...
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Tom woke up the next morning, leaning against the side of his bed, with one horrible backache and the spot where Frankie sat now vacant. She must have woken up earlier to get ready. Mrs. Cole was screaming at the top of her lungs for him to 'get the hell downstairs' and she wasn't yelling for Frankie, so she must have already been down there. Tom quickly got dressed and placed the rest of the stuff back in his trunk. When he got downstairs, he saw Frankie already stuffing her school trunk into the taxi. It wasn't that far, but Mrs. Cole wanted to give them a grand send-off purely for appearances. A couple of the neighbors had come around too and were all chatting to Mrs. Cole, completely ignoring them.
Frankie agreed to accept one of the driver's many offers of assistance, embarrassed she had even tried on her own, and noticed Tom standing at the bottom of the stairs. Tom pushed his trunk towards the door, trying not to return her gaze, until he was actually standing right in front of her.
"Good morning!" Frankie beamed, sounding wide awake and chipper. Tom looked at her funny. Was last night just a dream? Maybe he had fallen asleep, and it had all been a weird hallucination. Then, he saw the locket around her neck. She twirled it around her fingers and smiled but said nothing else about it.
"Good morning." he replied back, stiffly. The driver behind them gestured for Tom's trunk as well and Tom shuffled past her. She seemed to be unaffected by his rather odd behavior. Thankfully, it seemed like she wasn't going to bring last night up.
"Are you excited?" Frankie asked, as they watched the driver try to fit a second trunk into the car.
"Somewhat." Tom answered, hesitantly. A school filled with kids just like them still seemed so unreal, despite being minutes away from seeing an entire train station full of them. He suddenly felt the need to distract himself from the big changes ahead of them, like Frankie had last night. "What house do you think you'll get put into, Frankie?"
"What house?"
"I finally know what a bloody Ravenclaw is," Tom sighed, thinking on his unanswered question from Diagon Alley. He had just gotten past the section on houses last night when she had come in. "Apparently, at Hogwarts there are four houses that we can be sorted into. Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. They all value different personality traits—"
"I suppose, it doesn't really matter to me where I go." Frankie answered, abruptly, only giving it a moment of thought. This was a typical answer from her. She wouldn't even let Tom explain what they were, or what made them so important. "I just want to be there. I really don't think something like houses will change that very much."
"You're right. It doesn't really matter." Tom remarked, trying his best to smile and look as happy as he felt. It really didn't matter what house they were in. They could be bloody Ravenclaws, like Prue said, or Hufflepuffs, or Gryffindors, or Slytherins. Tom found presently that he didn't care about every minor little detail. A welcomed change from constantly worrying and wondering what the future holds. The car was packed, and they were heading off to the best school in all of Europe. Nothing else would ever compare to the jump in his heart, as they climbed in together and drove away.