"You become beautiful the moment you start being yourself."
~*~*~
Since their classes were canceled, Tom had some free time that day. Though his time was free, his mind was not. It was constantly thinking about his past, present, and future.
Tom was satisfied with his present. He was a Prefect of the most vibrant house in the Hogwarts. He was the most charming and intelligent pupil of his age. Any girl of his age would gladly accept the offer to elaborate on how handsome he was. Even any pure-blooded wizard would like to be in his shoe. He was arrogant, yes, but he had a full right to flatter himself. Tom was sure that with his grades and persona, it won't be difficult for him to have a secure future.
What troubled him the most was his past. When he looked back to all those years that he spent in Wool's orphanage, his blood boiled. All those teasing - that misery - tormented him in his tender ages. No one was there for him. When those idiotic magic-less folks bullied him, no one was there to protect him, to look out for him. He used the grasp he had on his magic to keep those bullies at bay.
No one provided him any warmth of a mother, father or even a sibling. He had no family. Before he came to Hogwarts, he never gave a damn about parents or family, since all his life he was surrounded by orphans. After coming at Hogwarts, however, his young mind processed the difference these things made. He compared his life with those of his classmates. A boy, who was orphaned since his birth with nothing he could say was his but his name, wanted nothing more than to find his origin. Not because he wanted them to pity and take him back. He just wanted to ask them the reason they abandoned him. They had no right to leave him to rot in that hell.
"Felix Felicis," he muttered. Lost in his thoughts he didn't realize he had reached his common room. The door opened to reveal his home.
Tom entered his common room, only to see most of his gang was already there.
He saw that Marcus and Alphard were sitting on the chairs. Their parchments were rolled in front of them. For once they were discussing something other than Quidditch. Tom guessed they were writing their dream diaries because every once in a while they would come up with some ridiculous way in which they died in their nightmares. They were sitting on the wooden table across from the fire. Since the Slytherin common room was in dungeons, it always lacked warmth. The only source of any physical warmth in that magnificent emerald room was its fireplace. Still, the coldness of those stone never made him uncomfortable. It was more home to him than that place in London would ever be.
Beside the divination duo, on their ancient yet beautiful sofa, Benjamin and Anthony were discussing something. Tom decided to go and join them. He wanted some time to relax.
"Did this really happened?" asked Benjamin. His light brown eyes were shining out of curiosity.
"Yeah, you should have seen his face," Anthony continued, "Slughorn had never been more entertaining in his life." He laughed securely clutching a book between his slightly pale hands.
"I can't believe it," Benjamin replied. This time instead of curiosity his eyes were showing disbelief. Benjamin Lestrange's eyes were his most expressive feature.
"I bet he was wishing he had his wand with him. From his face, I could tell he wanted to hex her so bad." Anthony chuckled.
"Ah! Having the discussion about today's potions I presume?" Tom asked as he took a seat on the right side of Anthony. The mention of her was enough to lighten the burden he was feeling to some extent. She was a clown, after all.
They both nodded their heads.
"I am so jealous of you guys. I could have been there instead, I am stuck with Evan and Abraxas," Benjamin complained.
"You are acting as if they are the worst," Tom said. Though he successfully kept his face expressionless, the twinkle in his eyes was enough to show that he was teasing him.
"You will get how worst they are if you were in my place. They argue constantly like some married couple and I have to sit between them. It's a headache." Benjamin whined like a kid.
Tom and Anthony chuckled looking at his face.
"Speaking of them, where are they?" Anthony asked.
Suddenly, the door of the common room opened. All of them turned to see the devils themselves had entered the common room. Benjamin turned to Anthony, his eyes blazing with fury, "You had to ask."
At this, Avery held up his hands as if to mock surrender, but it was clear that he was totally enjoying Ben's situation.
"No Evan, I am not doing it," Abraxas spat.
"But I am saying please," Evan replied his tone was anything but pleading.
They came and occupied the places around Benjamin trapping him between them successfully. Lestrange looked like he would cry at any moment. In all those mishaps, Tom nudged Anthony and nodded his head for him to follow, and before anybody could notice they skipped the common room and entered in their shared dorm.
The moment they entered their dorm, Tom shut the door carefully.
"Silencio." Tom waved his wand at his dorm.
"So should I ask?" He turned to Anthony.
"Probably you should," Anthony replied, "dad sent this one to me."
He handed Tom the book. Tom looked down at the book and frowned. It was an old edition of 'Founders of Hogwarts'. What does it have to do with anything?
"Look in the Gaunt family section, Tom." Anthony nudged him.
Tom opened that section. On the top, there was a picture of three wizards. Two males and one female. The oldest male was sitting on his chair with his one leg crossed over another with whom Tom assumed were his children standing on either side of him. They all were wearing very poor clothing, but what the girl wore was the worst. If not for the embroidery on the edges, Tom almost thought she was wearing rugs. The males in the picture were even uglier than those he had seen in his orphanage. Tom was about to scold Avery, but his eyes caught the name that was written below the picture.
'Marvolo Gaunt with his children Morfin and Merope.'
Tom was trying to search for his heritage. His first name and surname were common muggle names. His middle name, Marvolo, was however different. He was trying to trace his ancestry using that name for the past two years, and this was the first time he thought he did it. For the first time, he saw some hope. After all, there was a chance that he was not a filthy mud-blood.
This summer he was going to find his ancestry, no matter the consequences. He would dig up the answers to the questions that tormented him all his life. He looked up to meet Avery's eyes, to see he was already looking at him with a smile plastered on his face. At least he had a best-friend with him
~*~*~
I wanted to add something about Tom's background, to show his vulnerable teenage side. I don't know if I did at least a little justice to his past. If you have any suggestion please do add a comment.
If you are wondering Felix Felicis is a password for Slytherin common room. I wanted it to be something that suggested Slytherin's ambitious nature and what is better than Liquid luck itself?
The quote, in the beginning, has nothing to do with today's chapter. I just read it and couldn't help but share it.
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Thank you all!!!