Holly & Yew

C28

Chapter 28: Later on, we'll conspire ... As we dream by the fire ... To face unafraid ... The plans that we've made

Harry finally brought Tom down to the kitchens to introduce him to everyone after class. They were greeted by a flurry of excited elves. Harry hugged them all.

"Wee Harry brought a friend?" Cozy asked eagerly.

"Yes. This is Tom. He's a Slytherin too," Harry introduced.

"Wee Harry?" Tom murmured after greeting her back, smirking. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't wee mean little?"

"Shut up," Harry said.

"I'm fascinated, Harry. Here you have a whole fleet of elves all calling you little Harry, yet you appear so sweetly composed. However, when I attempt to do the same, you throw a hissy fit. Why is that?"

"Because the elves call me little out of love," Harry snapped.

"I beg your pardon," Tom said, raising his eyebrows. "I also call you little out of love."

"No, you don't," Harry said.

"Yes, I do," Tom argued.

"No, you don't, you lanky scoundrel!" Harry scolded. "When you call me little, you are gloating over your own tallness at the same time. A tallness which you use tyrannically."

"Dear Harry, please tell me: how do I tyrannize you?" Tom questioned with delight, his eyes gleaming so Harry knew that Tom already knew the answer.

"You're always picking me up and flinging me around," Harry accused.

"Flinging you around?" Tom looked scandalized. "I have only held you with the utmost ca—"

"You know what I mean," Harry interrupted. "Either way it doesn't matter because I'm going to be taller than you one day, and then I'll be the one flinging you everywhere. Just you wait."

Tom broke down laughing.

"That's never going to happen, dear," he said between laughs.

Harry ignored him to catch up with his precious elves. Everyone was doing well. Jazzy asked for Harry's help spelling a word in a letter to her younger sister and Harry gently corrected her hand grip like Tom used to do for him when Harry was just learning how to write properly.

The elves had received the first set of postage—creamy envelopes and crisp parchment—to communicate with their family and friends today. Headmaster Dippet had authorized them to use the school owls. Many of the elves included a blank copy of the postage in their letters so the elf on the receiving side would have something to use to write back in case their families wouldn't provide them with paper and envelopes.

Cozy was just finishing a story about her sister when the painting swung open again.

It was Micah Bones with another Hufflepuff boy.

"Harry?" Bones exclaimed, looking excited. His magic fluttered like clean summer sheets drying on laundry lines.

"How do you do, Micah," Harry greeted, waving. It was definitely a little odd that they were already on a first-name basis, but some experiences were just inherently bonding, such as falling off brooms from very tall heights.

"Harry, may I present my good friend, Alaric Diggory," Bones said, with a little flourish of his hand towards the other Hufflepuff. Diggory's magic was sleek and powerful as an outstretched hawk wing. He had caramel colored hair and dark, earnest sky blue eyes.

"How do you do, Diggory," Harry said politely. "Micah, Diggory, may I present my best friend, Tom Riddle."

"How do you do," Tom greeted, prowling closer to Harry like a panther.