Slughorn gripped both of them tightly on the shoulder, flicking his wand around the area to ensure that no Muggle was in the vicinity to where he was about to Apparate. When the wand came back with just three presences in the radius miles, he relaxed and looked back to make sure they had a hold of their trunks before wrapping his magic in the three of them and Apparating to the Leaky Cauldron.
"Is it going to be safe here? I mean what would happen if a bomb came near?" Harry asked curiously, looking around it was very neat and tidy, nothing like the dingy place he had known. There was actual light in the room, he was distracted and looked immediately up at Slughorn when he spoke.
"The wards on the Leaky Cauldron will ensure nothing happens," Slughorn said grimly, when he'd received that letter from his Slytherins realizing their living conditions he hadn't been able to help himself but help, he knew they would go on to do amazing things these boys' mark his words, but to do that they need to be alive not killed or at the mercy of the bombs that dropped relentlessly. "The Ministry has added a few as well, making it next to impossible for any damage to be sustained." he soothed him as they waited in the albeit small queue.
"Wouldn't that be odd? I mean if everything around it is utterly destroyed?" Tom enquired neutrally, arching an eyebrow hiding his boredom.
"The wards stretch out in a mile radius, it protects the buildings next to it, and so no it wouldn't be odd." Slughorn informed him, "You will be learning about warding this year if I'm not mistaken! Professor Meadowes usually begins teaching that after the winter holidays." he knew Felix quite well, and his schedule rarely changed if at all. He knew how curious Tom was, unfortunately he had somewhere to be, and couldn't quite take he necessary time to educate the curious youngster about warding.
"Horace how can I help you?" the owner of the Leaky Cauldron said with a smile, "You're usual?"
"Not today, Ross, these boys need a room for the remainder of the summer," Slughorn said, patting both of them on the shoulders. "Is there any available?"
"You're in luck, there is one," Ross said nodding his agreement, moving over he grabbed a key with long strip of plastic beside it, that prevented anyone from unlocking the door magically whether they were in or not. The strip of plastic was just placed on the back of the door for the duration of the stay. Even housekeeping had to knock on the door and be granted entrance otherwise they wouldn't get in. "Fill that in," he added also floating a clipboard over to the teacher.
Slughorn nodded, "Three Butterbeers," he added moving towards a table realizing he wasn't going to get away as quick as he thought, thankfully though he had hopefully enough time before he was expected at. The boys followed him as he quickly wrote with the self inking quill, as the boys Head of House he knew everything about them, so had no trouble filling the blank spaces.
"Thank you, Ross!" Slughorn said joyfully taking a large gulp from the brown glass bottle. "Have you boys finished your homework?"
"We've not had a chance to do it," Harry admitted pensively, "We're down in the underground all night, when we get back we're so tired that we fall straight to sleep. We get up around lunch time and we have chores to do all the way to dinner then the Sirens go again."
Slughorn grimaced, that wasn't a summer holiday anybody wanted, at least here they would be able to relax and not worry about the damn sirens. He noticed it was just the single parchment, no others tucked underneath it, good that made it less complicated as he flicked the paper up to observe this. Yes, he wouldn't have been very impressed if they had shown up without their homework done, but he hadn't realized it kept them up all night and that they had chores. Thankfully the rest of his Slytherins were safely in manors spread out all over the United Kingdom. Not that they would be hit, even if bombs did go near, but for all intents and purposes the land was barren, same could be said for what the Muggles saw of Hogwarts.
"Drink up," Slughorn insisted, as he stood and made his way over to Ross once again and passed it over wordlessly, accepting the key and card without a word, before silently gesturing towards the boys to come with him. Flicking his wand and uttering the words made the trunks levitate through the air towards him. The Leaky Cauldron only had one level so it didn't take long for the trio to make it to the room which was number eight.
The trio found the room and Horace opened it for them, before gesturing towards the trunks and placing them down at the bottom of their temporarily beds. "I will be by in two days to make sure you're settling in, and every two days after that to make sure you are behaving." he warned them still smiling, he had no doubt both boys would behave, he never had any trouble from Tom and hadn't this year from Hadrian.
"Yes, Sir," Tom and Hadrian echoed their agreements perfectly calm.
"Very well, I'll let you two settle in," Slughorn said ambling from the room, placing the card behind the door to do its job and gave them another nod before closing it and Apparating away.
Harry turned and grinned, where he got the energy to feel so excited he didn't know, but looking at the bed he felt it waver slightly as he slumped down on it sighing in relief. His unopened bottle of Butterbeer was clumsily put on the table as he lay down; thankfully it remained standing and didn't go crashing to the floor.
"You know what?" Tom said as he sat down graceful as always. "It's annoying that the magical world doesn't have a library, it would be great being able to read more books this summer." wishful thinking since the magical world didn't have a library. He too absently put his own Butterbeer down, but it was open and he occasionally took a sip of it.
"It's a good idea to have," Harry agreed, "Start a petition and hand it into the ministry or wait until you're out of school and make sure it happens then."
Tom snorted at the idea; he did things to suit his needs and himself, not others.
"Hadrian?" Tom said after a few seconds, but there was no answer, arching an eyebrow he peered over to find him fast asleep. It was a good idea to get some sleep but he was too full of energy and exited at the fact he was out of that orphanage, that he would never have to go down to the underground again, that he was blessedly safe at long last. He just had to figure out a way to get money and fast, as much as he liked Hadrian he didn't want to be in anyone's debt.
With nothing better to do, he brought out Hadrian's book; his pocket was expanded to let even large items go inside of it. Flipping the book open, he began to read it for the second time, despite the fact he remembered most of it. He'd already read the first through third year books five times, as well as a lot of books in Hogwarts library. Just reading the bit about the trace being removed caused excitement to thrum through him, he didn't dare do magic here, since he wasn't under his mothers protection wards. Which he still had trouble believing actually existed! If it hadn't been for the proof he would have been liable to believe it wasn't true.
Before long the flipping of the book pages stopped and the reading did as well as Tom thought about what could be going on in the orphanage now. A sadistic grin flashing across his face, they would be in trouble for months to come, it was nothing more than they deserved. He would have liked to have made sure they were actually in the room, but what he had done was sufficient in making his anger disappear.
As soon as he had gotten the book he'd made his way to their rooms and summoned a hoard of food, mostly the sweets, bread and other edibles that could be eaten alone. The sweets he had removed some of the outer wrappings and placed in his trunk the wrappings went with the bread and stuff under the bed. He left crumbs upon crumbs lying, from the bread without making it too obvious, he didn't want them to realize the boys had been set up after all. Then to finish it off, he left the room light on, not only would the matron be furious for stealing food the other orphans would be too, and added to the fact the lights were left on causing them to get fined heftily. They would notice the lack of food right away as soon as they got back to the orphanage; the bread was always kept in the same place as were the sweets. He had wanted to lock them in their room, stop them from leaving during the evacuations but he hadn't had the time to force the boys to do what he asked. Still they wouldn't be getting allowances, the others would beat on them and the Matron would give him chore after chore in fury - they wouldn't be granted respite any time soon.
It was nothing they didn't deserve he thought with smugness, before finishing off his Butterbeer and shrugging his shoulders, the tiredness was beginning to set in now, although he was sure he could stay up for a few more hours if push came to shove. Without undressing he slid into the bed, and within moments he actually fell asleep, a weight he hadn't realized he was carrying around was lifted off.
Tomorrow he could finally do whatever he wanted, he thought before unconsciousness claimed him.
Harry yawned and blinked at the ceiling in front of him, before blinking again, where was he? Had he moved through time without realizing it? Jerking awake, he sat up abruptly, looking around his heartbeat calming as he realized he was just in the Leaky Cauldron. The purple canopy he was seeing was just the bed, he looked around the room, but Tom wasn't anywhere to be seen, although it looked as though he'd been doing homework and for quite a while, bloody hell how long had he been asleep? He thought as he saw the size of parchment Tom had gotten done already.
"Tempus!" Harry muttered, as the time appeared before him in big bold red letters. Huh, it was actually quite early all things considered, but he had slept from what half six he would say until now. He'd definitely needed it though; he hadn't been sleeping right at all. Eight o'clock, well he had been sleeping an extraordinary amount of time, it was definitely time to do something, and homework seemed a pretty good guess. He chuckled wryly, remembering the look on Dumbledore's face as he removed all the homework he had given him. He'd never forget it as long as he liked.
"What's funny?" Tom enquired in that usual demanding tone of his as he entered the room - having obviously been in the bathroom if his undressed state was anything to go on. He stood there looking like a fashion model with a towel wrapped around his waist as well as a towel worn casually around his neck. His hair gleaming with wetness and occasionally dropping water droplets down his chest.
"Oh, nothing, just remembering Dumbledore's face," Harry said flippantly as he shoved the covers aside. "Is there any hot water left?"
Tom just gave him an incredulous look.
Harry just rolled his eyes, it was habit Merlin's balls! If you didn't get a bath or shower quickly at the orphanage you ended up bathing in cold water. It was different here in the magical world; of course, he could just heat the water up with his wand and have a bath whenever he pleased. He padded over after flinging his jacket on the bed, peering in he found the towels had already been replaced. Grinning in contentment he began to run another bath as he quickly stripped of his clothes, he had a lot to do today and he didn't want to waste time. He guessed the homework could wait a while, he wanted to bathe then get something to eat quickly he was actually really hungry he realized as his stomach growled loudly at him as if to remind him of that fact. He was also thirsty, and probably should have drunk some of the Butterbeer; thankfully it only took a single spell to make it cold again otherwise it would have been utterly disgusting. Butterbeer did not taste nice when it was warm and had been left lying all night.
Just as he had stripped completely he turned the taps off and tested it, before submerging himself in the tub. Flicking his wand he opened the door with his wand and summoned his shower bag, only once it was safety within his view did he close it again. He didn't have much of anything, if he won anything at the gambling he planned today then he would definitely get himself some new stuff. Wait, what if he couldn't bet? He wasn't legally off-age yet? Cursing under his breath, he hadn't even thought of that! They would be too smart to be fooled by aging potions, damn it, he was a bloody idiot! He kept forgetting he was so damn young.
Which meant he would need to go to Knockturn Alley after all, which was where the big betting took place, either that or Hogshead, which he…wouldn't have to avoid if he took an aging potion - nobody would know who he was. Hmm, he would try at Gringotts first; the betting in Knockturn Alley was mostly card games and the like, with the occasional big Quidditch game betting. He really hadn't thought this through. Hopefully Tom might have a solution, although how against he had been against him betting anything, he knew the bloody boy was going to be inordinately smug about it.
Half an hour later he exited the bathroom, "Tom? I've completely forgotten something…I can't bet at Gringotts at least I don't think so…I think you need to be off-age or at least emancipated…what do you think? And you don't need to look so smug!" he threw over his shoulder without needing to look at Tom.
Tom just glared at Harry's back half amused half exasperated, "I don't know, why don't you go to Gringotts and find out first before we have a useless discussion on what you need to do?" he wanted no part in losing money.
"It's not useless, Tom, we need every penny we can get! I think if we calculate it up, I'll only have around thirty Galleons for food if I set aside all I'll need for the bed and breakfast money and having a roof over our head does come first!" Harry told him firmly as he began to dry himself off and dress. At least he wouldn't have to worry about that next year, come his birthday in September he was officially emancipated. He could do whatever he liked and even Dumbledore couldn't tell him what to do. He was considered an adult so even he couldn't force Tom back to the orphanage if he gave permission for the teen to stay with him. "At least I can owl order stuff come September but its no good for new robes."
"You need new robes?" Tom enquired sitting leisurely on the bed gazing at Hadrian his face impassive despite his thoughts.
"Of course, I've grown a lot over the past year," Harry said giving Tom a strange look over his shoulder.
"You have, perhaps a bit too much," Tom mused out loud.
"I may have used a potion that doesn't exist yet," Harry admitted quietly, he couldn't risk anyone overhearing them.
Tom chuckled wickedly. "Inventing spells and potions…you most certain as far away from a Hufflepuff or Gryffindor as one could get."
Harry shifted, "Hat's always said I'm Slytherin," Harry told him, telling him he completely truth without being honest. He thumped his chest closed, as he finished getting ready, "But as Slytherin as I am…I don't want to take credit for other peoples work."
"So you actually invented the spell to correct other people's eyesight's?" Tom asked in query.
"Yes, but I didn't expect it to get around! I just wanted Myrtle to stop crying about being bullied for having big glasses!" Harry said. "I wanted her to stop being bullied for it, and then it sort of escalated from there, especially when she gave me money and started telling everyone and she even told them I wanted money for it! I'm glad for it though," he had wanted to stay under the radar now everyone thought he was a genius.
"You have enough money for us to stay and for food, I would suggest you don't bet anything, we will have enough money to get our school things in a few weeks, everything will turn out well, and as soon as we get back to Hogwarts you are showing me that room so I can pay you back." Tom said adamantly.
"I'll show you it, just don't be too hasty about selling things, some of the stuff is bound to be old and rare now," Harry said, "I'd suggest making sure you know everything about it before doing anything. Once that happens definitely get the Black's involved."
"The Black's?" Tom blinked uncomprehendingly.
"Yeah, although it might just be Orion and Walburga's…but they will have one of the biggest libraries in the world…or should I say the biggest collection of Dark Art books? Either way, it's quite extensive so maybe you should ask them if you find any of note. Also maybe keep one for your own collection?" Harry suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "But maybe you're right, perhaps I shouldn't risk betting, if I even can, if we are carefully we'll get through it and come September we will be back at Hogwarts."
"Orion and Walburga?" Tom asked with deceptive mildness, a show that he wasn't bothered about the subject at all. Of course, Harry just turned to stare at him as if he knew what he was thinking. He couldn't manipulate him to get what he wanted; all he got when he tried was amused green eyes sparkling at him in that knowing way - like now.
"They are the oldest Black's in this generation, even if it's two different direct lines," Harry said sticking his tongue out as he thought about it. It disgusted him really; how they could do that marry their own children together to preserve their line.
"Do they end up with squibs?" Tom asked seeing the look and misinterpreting it.
"No, actually from what I know of the Black line…Orion and Walburga's kids end up the sanest of the lot, but there's definitely a strain there," Harry said sadly, thinking of his own godfather. "In fact the direct line is gone, the only remaining family are females and one was actually stricken off for marrying 'beneath' the family. Another family line to bite the dust. There's nothing I can do to change it either, its going to happen they believe so much in blood purity they can't see what its doing to them…messing with their mind and magic." Harry was genuinely saddened by this.
So they do end up together, Tom thought, wondering what else he could figure out about the future while Hadrian was in a giving mood. The thought of the Black family line dying out was quite frankly horrifying to the boy who wanted to preserve the magical world, make it better. How did he save a world that seemed like it was on its own path to self distruction! It seemed to him that it was too much for just one man, in one single lifetime.