Learn From the History

Chapter 7: Talking and Bonding

Alex woke up early on the Christmas Day. He was the only one in the dormitory. All Slytherins except Alex and Tom went home to spend their holidays with their parents. Alex quickly got up and went down to greet his friend.

Alex went straight to the second year's dormitory and found Tom half-awoken in his bed.

"What are you doing here?" Tom mumbled from his position under the blanket.

"I beg your pardon?" said Alex cheerfully, dropping himself in the bed next to Tom's.

"What are you doing in the second year's dormitory at..." Tom glanced at the clock besides him and groaned, "five o'clock in the morning?"

"Finding you, of course." answered Alex, watching Tom with amusement.

Tom groaned and buried himself deeper into the pillow.

"Oh, wake up, Tom. It's Christmas today."

No respond. Alex grinned mischievously and took out his wand.

"Accio pillow!"

A cried from Tom immediately followed by a loud "bump" was the effect of the incantation. Tom, who had been burying himself firmly in the pillow, was expelled out of his bed by the force.

Tom crawled up from the floor and immediately sent his counter attack to the laughing Alex.

"Expelliarmus!"

Alex went through a similar routine as Tom and ended up hitting the floor heavily.

Rubbing his aching head, Alex pulled himself on his feet. "Hey! You don't need to do that."

"You are the one who started it!" Tom countered, standing up as well. "What are you doing here anyway, and at this hour?"

Alex smiled. He pulled out something from his robe and handed it to Tom. "Merry Christmas, Tom."

Tom eyed the present in Alex's hand. "This is for me?"

"Of course!" answered Alex, not understanding Tom's reaction.

Tom hesitated before he whispered, "I hadn't received any Christmas presents before."

Alex didn't know what to say. 'So he didn't have any close friends before then...or is it because of the orphanage? Anyway...' Alex faced Tom and said, "It's the first one then." He smiled and handed the present closer to Tom. "And you better prepare to receive more."

Tom met Alex's gaze for a while. Alex saw the doubt in his friend's eyes slowly faded. Tom smiled and took the present.

"What's it?" he asked.

"Open it."

Tom opened his present to reveal a wand holster. It was made of leather, with a silver badge pinned on it. The badge was in a shape of a wand, which was coiled by a silvery snake.

"What do you think? Do you like it?" said Alex.

Tom nodded. He eyed the silvery snake for a while and chuckled. "It suits me well."

"Yeah, a serpent," teased Alex.

"Oh, shut up," said Tom. Then he lowered his gaze and whispered, "Thank you, Alex."

Alex grinned. "Friends, right?"

Tom looked up to meet Alex eyes and nodded. "Yeah, friends."

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After breakfast, Tom dragged Alex to the seventh floor corridor, saying that it was his turn to give Alex Christmas present.

He stopped suddenly in the middle of the corridor and looked at Alex thoughtfully. "Where do you want to be?" he asked.

"What?" asked Alex, puzzled.

"Um... let's see...you like Qudditch?"

Alex nodded.

"And I remembered you once said you like to drink the butterbeer in Hogsmeade?""

Alex nodded again.

Tom thought for a while. "Well, let's see if you like this one."

Alex gave his friend a questioning look as Tom started pacing to and fro the corridor. Tom didn't reply and continued pacing for about five times. Suddenly a door appeared in the wall of the corridor. Tom smiled and gestured Alex to open the door.

Alex frowned at Tom but followed the boy's instruction nonetheless. He grabbed the handle and opened the door slowly.

Alex's eyes widened as he saw the scene in front of him. He was currently standing in front of a forest. There were trees everywhere and nothing of it seemed like a room.

"What... "Alex turned to Tom for explanation. But the boy just stepped in the forest and gestured Alex to follow.

Alex followed Tom through an invisible path through the forest. After a while, Tom stopped and moved aside to allow Alex to look at the scene before him. Alex opened his mouth in awe as he found himself staring at a large clearing of the forest. There was a small wooden table in the middle with several bottles of butterbeer placed on it. On the ground next to the table were two broomsticks and a box of Quidditch balls.

"Where are we?" Alex asked in awe.

Tom chuckled at his friend's reaction. "Do you like this place?"

Alex nodded. "How do you know of this place? We're... still in the castle, right?" he asked, looking up to the blue sky.

"Yes, we're still in the castle," Tom answered. "And for this place, I knew it, because I was the one who created it."

"What?"

"We are in the Room of Requirement, Alex. I found it in my first year," said Tom as he walked towards the table. "That time I wanted a quiet place where I can be left alone. Well, you know, without the other Slytherins...I still hadn't get used to their...attitude towards me at that time. I went into this room and found myself in this forest, where I can do whatever I want without anyone disturbing me. Soon I found out that this room will change according to the requirement of those who enter, or according to where that person wants to be."

"The Room of Requirement, eh?" Alex said in amazement.

"No one knows of this room. Not even the headmaster," said Tom. "Keep it a secret, will you?"

Alex looked at Tom and nodded. "I promise. Thank you for sharing this secret with me, Tom."

Tom grinned mischievously. "Oh, and it is a good place to do homework and read books as well."

Alex rolled his eyes but then fell into laughter together with Tom.

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The two friends spent the whole afternoon together in that room. At last, the two of them lay down under a tree, exhausted.

"I haven't...felt this way for a long time." whispered Tom with his eyes closed.

"So carefree, so happy." Alex finished for Tom.

Tom nodded and opened his eyes. He stared at the sky for a moment before he asked, "What do you want to ask me, Alex?"

"What?" Alex turned to face Tom, but the boy was still staring at the sky.

"There's something you want to ask me. You've been like that for quite some time... you wanted to talk to me but then you hesitated and closed you mouth," Tom said without looking at Alex. "Is it... about muggles?"

Alex was startled by Tom's keen observation. The boy had placed piece and piece together and got this conclusion, which was very close to the truth.

Alex sighed. "Why do you hate muggles? You seemed to be so... angry with them." he asked tentatively.

Tom fell silent. Just as Alex thought he wouldn't answer, Tom replied in a low voice, "My muggle father... he abandoned me, even before I born. He left my mother just because he found out she was a witch. My mother died soon after I born, when I was one I guess. I don't have much memory about her. I was left alone in... an orphanage since then. Those muggles were not so happy about my existence though, especially after those strange accidents happened after my arrival. You know, magical children always tend to use magic unconsciously. I had no friends there. They ignored me, and sometimes even..." He closed his eyes as those memories flowed back.

"Beat you?" Alex whispered. Yet he already knew it was true.

Tom nodded slowly. "They always did that to me whenever they were angry. And I didn't even know why. I hadn't done anything wrong. They simply wanted to let off their anger on me. Just because they didn't want to accept something that would prove what they always believed was wrong. Those muggles... I hate them. I will never forgive them."

'That's why. No wonder he hates them so much, I'd have felt the some way...' thought Alex, 'But...'

I will never forgive them.

He remembered Tom's last sentence. He wanted to tell Tom not all muggles are that bad, but what did he know? Tom's experience with muggles were far more then him. He didn't remember anything, and he hardly ever met any muggles since his arrival. But if Tom let his anger took over him, it would be dangerous.

Alex didn't know what to say. "Don't do anything stupid, Tom," he whispered. This was the only thing he could think of.

"I won't," Tom promised.

Alex nodded. "You are not alone, Tom," he said softly.

"I know," Tom whispered. He turned and their eyes met.

At that moment, a strong bond was formed between the two of them. One who lost his memory and lost in an age where nothing was familiar. One who had a sorrowful past and a lonely life. It was not the bond that existed through the curse, but a strong bond of friendship. Both of them were grateful to have each other as company. Yet both of them were still unaware of their future, unaware of their interrelated destiny.