HP: The Son of Tom

Winter was slowly approaching over the Hogwarts grounds, tinting the sky gray and covering the edges of the black lake with a thin layer of frost. In the castle, routines had already settled in: classes continued their course, the corridors vibrated with the bustle of students, and the floating candles in the Great Dining Hall seemed lower and warmer, as if seeking to resist the cold.

Aurelian walked the corridors as quietly as ever. He had learned to move between classes without attracting too much attention, to appear just where he needed to be and disappear when it was no longer useful to be present.

But in the last few weeks... he had begun to notice something strange.

It wasn't footsteps. Not whispers. Not even obvious glances. It was a feeling. Sometimes around a corner. Others, while going over his homework in the library. Once, even, while practicing alone by the greenhouse.

A light sensation, like a brush against the back of his neck. As if someone was watching him from afar....

It was constant. Persistent. Undeniable.

Aurelian ignored it most of the time. He pretended not to notice. But his eyes always swept the environment. He learned to enter classrooms by looking at the reflections in the windows, to use picture frames as mirrors. Always in silence. Always calmly.

The most curious thing of all was that despite the silence, that look... it seemed somewhat familiar.

Somehow, it provoked an unsettling warmth in him. As if, where others saw a strange and quiet child... that gaze saw something else.

The faculty meeting room, located in one of the highest towers of the castle, was illuminated by the warm light of the floating lamps that danced softly on the oak table. There, the Hogwarts professors had gathered for the semesterly evaluation of their students.

Dumbledore, at the head, in his dark blue robes decorated with silver tones, raised his wand slightly to indicate that the meeting would begin.

"My dear colleagues," he said serenely, "enough time has passed since the term began. I would like you to share your observations about our new students. This year seems to be... promising."

McGonagall was the first to speak.

"Cedric Diggory, of Hufflepuff, has shown maturity and level-headedness unusual for a first-year student. In Transfiguration he is progressing remarkably quickly, is respectful and cooperative. Not only does he follow the rules, he also gains the trust of his peers with ease."

"Yes" added Professor Sprout, with a proud smile "In Herbology he has a special sensitivity. His patience is an example. I assure you great things."

Professor Sinistra, looked up from her parchments and added:

"Moira Selwyn of Ravenclaw has also excelled. She is meticulous, curious and seems to have an innate affinity for the skies. She is the first to turn in her star charts, without error."

"The Weasley twins" commented Professor Hooch, with a mixture of resignation and amusement "Fred and George, they have caused more than one startle, but they are talented. In flight, they have impressive instincts. With the right discipline, they could become excellent Quidditch players...or dangerous pranksters."

There was restrained laughter around the table.

It was then that Dumbledore gently turned his gaze to the other end of the table.

"Professor Rowle, any observations from your class?"

Lucan Rowle, dark-haired and piercing-eyed, his charcoal gray robe adorned with a metallic brooch in the shape of a dragon's fang, nodded slowly. His voice was deep, controlled, as if he always measured what he said.

"There are many promising students, but there is one who stands out for very different reasons. Aurelian Gaunt."

A few teachers looked up. The name still caused subtle reactions.

"His ability for tactical analysis is remarkable. He not only understands the fundamentals, he anticipates them. He never repeats a mistake AND most importantly...he shows no fear. Not even when we simulate tense situations. He is... eerily serene."

"How does he behave with his peers?" asked McGonagall.

Rowle leaned back slightly.

"Curious. You don't see him bonding with too many. But I've noticed he maintains a close relationship with Cedric Diggory. They talk often. They even train together when they have free time. I've also seen him sharing comments with Fred and George Weasley... which could be dangerous" he added with a slight smile.

"Do you consider him friends?" inquired Flitwick.

"Yes, though the Weasleys let's just say they respect him. In their own way. He seems to choose who he hangs out with. Never out of obligation. Never out of interest."

Snape, who until then had remained silent, spoke in a low but clear voice:

"Gaunt is... peculiar. He has advanced magical control, discreet but firm. He knows more than he should, though he hides it well. I have observed him. In Potions, he is disciplined, though he avoids standing out more than necessary."

"Do you think he is pretending not to know?" asked Sprout, surprised.

Snape did not immediately respond.

"I think he's careful. As if he knows we're all watching him."

"Has he caused trouble?" insisted Hooch.

"None" added McGonagall "He is impeccable in conduct, yet there is something about the way he acts...not arrogance, but something that sets him apart from the rest"

"Interesting" muttered Dumbledore, thoughtfully "Sometimes, the real complexity is in what is left unsaid."

The conversation continued for a few more minutes. Students from other houses, curricular adjustments, and future evaluations were discussed. But when Dumbledore closed the meeting, his mind kept going over a single word: Aurelian.

The wind blew gently through the branches near the Black Lake, Aurelian who had grown accustomed to taking shelter there in the afternoons, walked with his hands in his pockets and his mind scattered. Hogwarts was still a place full of secrets, but the outside offered him something that the corridors did not: air, space... silence.

He was about to sit down near a rock when he heard a voice.

"And what are you guys doing here alone?" said a voice laden with mockery.

He turned her face slightly. Near the edge of the lake three older students, all Slytherin by their badges, had surrounded two girls. The girls' robes billowed in the wind and though Aurelian could only see their backs, it didn't take much to recognize them.

Their posture was rigid, their wands still unraised. They didn't look frightened, but they didn't react either. They were like statues, frozen with a mixture of wounded pride and something deeper: distrust.

One of the elders raised his wand.

"Come on, move a bit. Tarantallegra!"

"Expelliarmus!"

The wand flew before the spell was complete. Everyone turned around, startled. Aurelian walked calmly towards them, unhurried, unafraid.

"Three against two" His voice sounded calm, almost polite "Does that make them feel powerful?"

"What's it to you, Gaunt?" the older man growled.

Aurelian didn't respond. He raised his hand gracefully and uttered a Protego to intercept a treacherously thrown Rictusempra. Then with precision, he disarmed the other two swiftly. They were no match.

"Enough. Go back the way you came."

The three retreated angrily, knowing they had lost. One of them spat on the ground before walking away, muttering insults and empty promises.... Aurelian barely looked at them.

Aurelian turned to the girls. This time he could see them clearly. Their faces were identical, though not quite. Hestia had an expression of steely concentration, Flora eyes of wonder so pure they almost seemed to glow.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his tone soft.

The twins looked at him as if they saw something no one else could see. A savior, perhaps. A beacon.

"We are" said Hestia, firm.

"Thank you, Aurelian" added Flora, with a particular warmth.

"You already knew my name?" he was surprised.

"For some time now" replied Hestia with unsettling honesty.

There was a brief silence before Flora took a small step forward, with a slight impromptu bow, she said:

"Flora Carrow"

"Hestia Carrow" her sister added, retorting the gesture gracefully.

Aurelian sketched a faint smile. He removed a pair of magical sweets from his pocket and offered them to her.

"A gift for the scares. Be sure to use them wisely" he joked.

The girls reached out their hands at the same time, briefly brushing Aurelian's fingers as they took the candy.

"We'll make sure of it" they said almost in unison, as if they were one voice.

Aurelian, satisfied with the exchange, said goodbye with a quiet gesture and began to walk away down the path without turning back.

But if he had, he would have seen how Hestia and Flora watched him in complete silence. How a faint smile that was beginning to peek out of her lips and how in her eyes, there was no longer fear or surprise... only a silent, unbreakable desire. Something dark, haunting, sweet: devotion.

"He hasn't forgotten us." whispered one of them.

"And he never will." said the other.

The dim light of the enchanted lamps fell softly on the library shelves. Aurelian, sitting in a little-traveled corner, was slowly turning the pages of a dusty tome on concealment incantations. Silence reigned, interrupted only by the soft rustling of leaves and the rustle of a quill taking notes.

He was concentrating... but not so much on noticing how he was being watched.

He looked up slightly without looking up at all.

Two figures were approaching.

"Good afternoon, Aurelian" they said in sync, in a voice that seemed almost rehearsed.

Hestia and Flora. They were carrying books in their arms, but from the way they walked, Aurelian suspected they weren't reading. They were looking for him.

"Good afternoon," he replied with a slight smile, closing his book gracefully.

The twins took a seat across from him, moving with the calmness of those who already knew they would be welcome, even if they had never been given permission.

"What are you reading?" asked Flora, tilting her head slightly, like a curious cat.

"Techniques of magical concealment. Nothing fun."

"Sounds useful" said Hestia with a slight smile "Though we don't think you need to hide from anyone."

Aurelian held both of their gazes for a second. It was as if they were speaking with ulterior motives: a statement... some warning.

"Sometimes even he who has no enemies must know how not to be seen" he replied subtly.

Flora pulled a small thin object out of her robe and laid it on the table. It was a handmade bookmark.

"We made it ourselves" she said, not giving it any thought "It has some basic protections. We thought you might need it."

Aurelian took it gently.

"Thank you... You didn't have to."

"We know" they said at the same time.

For a few seconds, they could only hear pages turning and a quill writing. Then, Hestia spoke in a casual tone.

"If you need anything...anything at all...you can look us up."

"Yes" whispered Flora "We're always close by."

Aurelian nodded diplomatically, but his mind had already taken note of the pattern. Too many coincidences. Too much precision.He watched as the twins got up with their books and walked away together, talking to each other in such low tones that not even the library itself could hear them.

Aurelian returned to his reading. Although she wasn't reading with the same concentration. The bookmark was still on the table, laden with a meaning he still didn't quite decipher.

"They'll always be around..." he thought wryly.