The rumours spread like wildfire. Everywhere Tom went there would be stares, scared looks, hateful glares and awful, awful whispers. Like everything else, Tom ignored it, focusing instead on what was directly in front of him. Corridors full of students would stop to stare at him as he walked slowly through them. His gigantic size did little to help him as it made him stand out more than he already did. As usual, his face bore its usual blank frown with his eyes looking more and more tired as the days went by. Ever since their last 'session', Tom hadn't heard from the Headmaster. He feared that maybe he'd ruined that as well... or worse the Headmaster believed the rumours. As the days had gone on, Tom had become more clued in to what they all meant mostly thanks to Alannah. She'd explained it to him at the breakfast table. She, herself, seemed pale-faced when describing it to him. There must've been something about it that Tom just wasn't getting. Tom found it a miracle that Alannah still even sat with him or associated with him at all. He did notice that she sat a little further away from him but she was still there and talking to him so what did it matter?
"What are they saying?" Tom asked gruffly to the pale-faced Alannah.
"That you are a descendant or reincarnation of He Who Must Not Be Named," Alannah's voice came out as a dry whisper. Tom grimaced.
"Why?" That one question was filled to bursting with scorn. Alannah gulped.
"I-it actually makes a lot of sense-"
Tom turned his head away and kissed his teeth in disbelief.
"I-it does! I didn't say I think it but it does!" Tom rolled his eyes.
"How?" another question that Alannah could tell had been building up in Tom. All this unwanted attention clearly wasn't making him feel too good.
"W-well..." Alannah began unsteadily, "First of all you're a Slytherin-"
"So are you," interjected Tom. Alannah continued like he hadn't spoken.
"You were very small and pale like he was-"
"I'm not small anymore," Alannah decided to tune out Tom's comments at this point.
"You're from an orphanage. Your talents are very strange and..." Alannah paused, "And that you tried to open the Chamber of Secrets."
"The what?" Tom asked impatiently.
"In your first year? Remember? That stuff that was written on the wall? And you were right next to it?"
Tom's mind instantly shot back to that night. That horrible, horrible night. Now things were beginning to make sense. The person who could have started this rumour now became obvious in Tom's head; the same person who betrayed him that night: Aubyn Young.
"I didn't do anything," Tom said through gritted teeth, "I was set up."
"Maybe so but not everyone's going to believe that," Alannah said, turning her gaze down to the floor.
"But you don't... right?" Alannah didn't look up. Tom couldn't see her face clearly. If he could, he would've witnessed a look of pure guilt.
"His name was Tom as well," she whispered breathlessly. Tom felt a hole in his stomach. She really did think it was true.
"Malumis, you're wanted."
The words made Tom look up from his boring desk and to the open door at the back end of the classroom. Up until that moment he had been partaking in (or more accurately sleeping through) a lesson in Divination. Tom pulled his head up and turned around. The distinct figure of Ron Weasley stood in the doorway, an expecting frown on his face. Tom held back his desire to groan. As soon as the word 'Malumis' had been said, all the eyes were back on Tom. Tiredly, Tom brought his whole, hulking body upwards and walked slowly over to Professor Weasley who was waiting for him. He didn't say a word to him. He cared little for conversations with Professors outside of the Headmaster. Knowing this, Professor Wealsey took him aside and set him down in an empty classroom to practically force a conversation. Tom walked over and sat down on an empty chair whilst Professor Weasley stayed standing, looking down at him.
"What's just about to happen is going to be really important, ok?" Ron spoke with his most authoritative voice. Tom completely ignored him.
"Why'd you take me out of the lesson?"
Ron's face became slightly indignant from being spoken to in that way but he managed to try and calm himself.
"It was not my decision-"
"It never is with you guys," Tom cut him off. His voice was deep and slightly melancholy, "If you had your way I'd be long gone from this place."
"The Headmaster has booked for someone to come in and have an appointment with you," Ron ignored what Tom was saying, "As I said, I had no say in the matter but both the Headmaster and the woman coming in were adamant that it be you."
"'Woman'?" Tom repeated. He had no idea who this could be referring to. Unless it was the matron... Tom held back a shiver.
"She's from the Ministry of Magic, Esther Young."
Tom's ears instantly pricked up, "'Young'?" his voice grew deeper.
"Yes, she's the wife of Professor Young from a few years ago and of course the mother of Aubyn Young from your year."
"Why the fuck would I ever want to speak with her?"
Ron's face instantly flushed with anger, "What did you say to me? Do not use that language young man-"
Tom slowly stood up, revealing just how much taller and bigger he truly was than Professor Weasley. Ron's voice slowly quietened. Tom, a small frown and a tired look on his face, slowly tilted his head to the side.
"I said, why the fuck would I ever want to speak with her?"
As Ron stared up at Tom, he found his lip had begun to unconsciously quiver. He quickly steadied it and cleared his throat.
"J-just do it, ok?" he said, putting on the strongest voice he could. Tom's eyes slightly narrowed. He was weighing all the options in his head. He sighed.
"Alright," Tom said calmly and gestured forward, "Lead the way."
Tom followed Professor Weasley through the castle, listening in occasionally on classrooms that they would pass by. However they quickly arrived at their destination: a small doorway which opened up into a room that was considerably small compared to the rest of the castle. The room was about as big as a medium-sized kitchen. Standing inside, waiting for them, was the woman that Tom instantly recognised. Many of her features, including her shining blonde hair and blue hairs, looked completely identical to those of her son. Esther Young stood with a small smile on her face, sitting on a chair next to a table that was centered in the middle of the room. Tom's face fell into a grimace. He saw a seat opposite Esther's that he guessed was meant for him.
"Good Morning," Esther Young said politely. Professor Weasley grinned.
"Good Morning Esther, hope the journey wasn't too rough."
"You're too kind Ron, it was perfect. How's Hermione, it's been a while since we've had you two over-"
"Where's the Headmaster?" Tom interjected. He noticed a small look of offense flash over Esther Young's face as he interrupted her.
"Not here," snapped Ron, annoyed that he'd spoken up, "He's busy."
Tom responded with silence. He walked into the room and slumped down on the chair meant for him. Was the Headmaster really busy? Or did he just not want to see him after their last session? Tom didn't want to think about it.
"So this is the student, right?" Esther asked, looking over at Tom. Tom looked back up at her, causing her to look away.
"Yeah," Ron said and walked over to Esther. He then whispered quietly, assuming wrongly that Tom couldn't also hear, "Between you and me- he looks like an adult but he's still a brat. Don't let his size intimidate you."
Esther nodded in understanding. Tom simply stared at them both.
"Well... Tom... is it?" Esther read off a board she held in her arms, "I have a few questions that I need to ask you."
Tom didn't respond. Ron turned around and left the room, shutting the door on his way out.
"Tom is your name, right?"
Tom didn't respond.
"How old are you Tom?"
He still didn't open his mouth.
"Where do you live Tom?"
Silence.
"How did you get to look like that Tom?"
Tom slightly brought his head up.
"What do you mean?" Tom spoke as if his voice hadn't been used in years. Esther smirked.
"What do you mean, what do I mean? I asked how you came to look like that?"
"Look like what?" Tom's voice had a hidden layer of aggressiveness that he wasn't sure if Esther Young could hear or not.
"Well how did you grow so much? Before you looked... so much smaller."
Tom leaned in, "How do you know what I used to look like?" His tone was not accusatory in the slightest but now the gears in Tom's head were beginning to turn.
"Aubyn showed me a picture. You used to be so little," she paused, "So pale... so tiny..."
Tom's suspicions were all but confirmed. He stared back at Esther, a look of confusion clear on his face.
"You acted like you didn't know my name earlier but you definitely asked if you could see me specifically..." Tom was thinking out loud. Esther smirked again.
"When Professor Potter reached out to bring me in to see you... I couldn't refuse," she shrugged cartoonishly. A knowing look was clear on her face. Tom knew she was toying with him.
"Why would he do that?"
"Something about 'proving you wrong'. I don't remember. He just wanted a Young to come in to see you," Tom didn't know what but something about that last sentence sent a shiver down his spine.
"I don't understan-"
Now Esther interrupted, "I probably shouldn't be here but I couldn't resist the invitation. Not after Aubyn and Alistair got a look at you... You know Tom, you are the most entertainment our family has had in years."
Tom couldn't help but have all his hairs suddenly stand on end. An instinctual burst of fear ran through him like a bolt of lightning.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Now Tom's suspicions were fully being confirmed.
"You're a different type of Malumis than all the others your age," To Tom, Esther's comments were all but complete nonsense, "Just watching you flail around and act all different and unique... it's just so funny."
Tom felt his muscles clench a little, "What the HELL are you talking about?!"
He felt his rage begin to boil up inside him. Soon it would bubble and come out to the surface.
A smug smirk still plastered onto her face, Esther Young continued, "You're certainly a lot more brutish than your mother and father were."
Tom practically jumped out of his seat. The table was tipped over as he got up. He stormed a foot over to Esther Young and effortlessly pulled her up by the neck. He slammed her body against the wall. He could practically feel the rage swimming around his veins. Esther Young let out a small croaky laugh.
"WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT MY PARENTS!? WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU EVEN TALKING ABOUT?!" Tom's voice boomed around the small room. Esther gave him one last smirk before there was an instant shift in her actions. It was like a veil fell over her or a facade. Her face instantly changed.
"HELP!" she called out, "HEELP!"
The door burst open and Professor Weasley ran in.
"Hey! HEY! STOP! STOP!" he screamed, running over to Tom who was still holding Esther Young against the wall, a look of pure rage and hatred on his face.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY ABOUT PARENTS!?"
"H-HELP!" Esther screamed out helplessly.
"TOM MALUMIS, STOP THIS NOW!!"
Tom finally came back to reality. He slowly let go of Esther's throat and turned around to look at Professor Weasley. Esther struggled to get her breath back.
"T-thank you, R-ron," she panted. Tom wasn't done yet. He raised a fist and struck one blow directly to the right side of Esther's face. His hand was like a bludgeon that sent her directly to the ground.
"WHAT THE HELL!" screamed out Ron, shocked by the sudden violence. Tom the bent down and picked her up by her hair.
"You shouldn't have told me that," he hissed furiously, "You really shouldn't have told me all that. The weak don't stay weak."
Tom threw Esther's head back down to the ground. She quickly pulled herself up and got out of Tom's reach as fast as she could. Her face was soaked with blood and a bruise looked to be forming on her right side. Tom's muscles were still clenched and he stared at Esther Young with a look of concentrated rage. He thought though as he looked at her, if he did somehow have the ability to smile, he certainly would have at this moment.
"Esther! Go! Go to Madame Pomfrey!" said Ron, his voice panicked. He walked up to Tom in pure shock of what he just witnessed.
"What the HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" he screamed. Tom stared down at him.
"You wouldn't understand."
"HELL YEAH I WOULDN'T!" Ron felt so much anger at that moment he wanted to punch Tom. He could tell though that that would not go so well, "YOU JUST BEAT UP AN OLD LADY!"
"You wouldn't understand," Tom repeated, his voice distant.
"WAIT UNTIL THE HEADMASTER HEARS ABOUT THIS!"
Tom looked up calmly, "If you kick me out from this school there will be nothing stopping me from hunting them down and killing them like the rats they are."
Ron's face instantly turned to one of fear. He backed away slowly before he turned around.
"I'm going to get the Headmaster!" he said, in the most teacher-like voice he could put on, "Stay where you are!" Ron didn't know why or how he could order Tom around but he just did. And Tom listened. He couldn't care less to move somewhere else than this.
Only when all the yelling had stopped and everything had gotten quiet did Tom really have a chance to sit down and internalise. He processed exactly what Esther Young had said and a mystified look took over his countenance.
"What the fuck was she even saying..."
Harry Potter sat in his office quietly, contemplating to himself. He was still in shock. He could at least admit that to himself. The silence that surrounded him was deafening. All he could think about was... those memories. The rhythm of the cracking sounds. The incessant beatings. Having to witness that made him want to vomit. It still echoed in his head. He literally couldn't bear to have gone down to look at Tom today. Because all he saw now when he looked at his face was suffering.
'But at least I'm helping him now,' Harry thought to himself, 'Bringing in Esther Young and showing him that his grudges are unfounded was a good first step. If he lets go of his desire for vengeance... I believe he will be in a better place overall.'
Harry leant back slowly in his chair.
Suddenly he heard quick footsteps getting closer and closer. He leaned forward attentively. Professor Ron Weasley burst into his office, panting and obviously disturbed by something.
"Ron?" Harry stood up in his seat, "What's wrong? What happened/"
"It's that boy!" Ron stopped to catch his breath. Harry was shocked by the fury in Ron's tone.
"Ron? What the-" now Harry's curiosity was beginning to get the better of him, "What happened?"