Pondering Professor Dumbledore's meaningful look, Tom walked with his head lowered toward his dungeon. Catching the familiar scent of flowers, he looked up at the figure who remained as noble and elegant as ever. His steps paused for a moment before he put on a fake smile and gave a slight nod. Then, he walked straight past Abraxas and into the corridor leading to the dormitories.
"..." After a moment of silence, Abraxas's fingers twitched. In the end, he merely said softly, "Good night... Little Tom..."
As though he had not heard that murmur, Tom did not pause. He closed his door without a trace of reluctance, his thin back resting against the wooden panel as he slowly slid down to sit on the cold floor. "Sweet dreams..." He had no right to say good night, much less any reason to say he missed him. Maintaining the status quo was the right choice.
After class the next day, Tom gathered his books and jogged after the professor who was about to leave. "Professor Merrythought, please wait."
Professor Merrythought stopped and looked down at the child curiously. What an obedient, outstanding child~ How had he ended up among that nest of little snakes? It was a pity he had not gone to Ravenclaw. With a warm smile on her face, Professor Merrythought reined in her wandering thoughts and placed a hand on Tom's shoulder. "What is it~ Do you want to learn more advanced spells from me?"
Tom nodded shyly, his eyes sparkling as he stared at the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Unlike Dumbledore, this professor did not mind teaching students offensive magic. Tom strongly agreed with that. The best defense was offense, wasn't it? As long as one mastered great power, whether facing Dark creatures or enemies, one