Chapter 16: More Alike Than Not

                                    

                                          
When Harry entered their dorm he looked haggard and tired, filled with a bone deep sort of exhaustion.
"Um. Hey", he said awkwardly as he walked over to his own bed and sat down.
"Harry", Tom said softly, wrinkling his brow in concern, "where did you run off to? I looked all over for you."
"I..I'm not sure. I was just running and suddenly this room appeared.."
"The room of requirements."
"Is that what it's called? Well anyway I went inside and just.. well I guess I was just hiding." 
"For that long?" 
"Yeah... I know it's kinda embarrassing but I just wasn't ready to face anyone yet after.. you know."
"And you... were alone? The whole time?" 
"Well yeah. Like I said, I didn't want to talk to anyone. Um, still... sorry for just running away like that." 
Tom repressed the urge to ball his hands into fists out of anger. 
What was Myrtle thinking? 
Did she just change her mind? Get distracted by some other boy? 
Tom wanted badly to invade Harry's mind and just take a look for himself but he knew that the other boy had powerful magic and would probably feel it when all his attention was on Tom like this. 
He'd have to wait. 
Instead Tom let out a sympathetic noise and said: "Oh Harry you don't need to apologize. I completely understand. Do you... do you want to talk about what happened?" 
Harry visibly hesitated: "I'm not sure..."
"You don't have to talk about it of course but I just want to let you know that you're alone. I'm here for you, we all are." 
Harry swallowed and looked down: "Well maybe... maybe I should.." 
Tom nodded in encouragement and decided to be bold and take one of Harry's hands in a comforting grip. 
The ravenette froze for a second but then relaxed again, not pulling it away. 
"Right okay... My boggart.. It's the reason I moved here. You see, my village was attacked. No one saw it coming, it all happened late at night and most people only woke up once they started setting the houses on fire. They were everywhere, there was no escape."
"Who? Who would do something like that?" 
Harry sucked in a deep breath and said: "Muggles. They... they found out about the magical nature of the village and decided to get rid of us 'devil worshippers'. I.. I lost everyone in that attack and I was the only one who managed to get away. I had been sleeping outside since it was a warm summer night, just listening to music. They didn't see me since I was kind of hidden in the tall grass surrounding the village itself."
"Muggles did this?", asked Tom, heart beat accelerating, "How come I've never heard of such a large scale attack?" 
"The ministry decided to sweep it under the rug", Harry said bitterly, "They didn't want it causing political scandals and possible muggleborn right reforms."
A burning fury spread throughout Tom's body like fire and he squeezed Harry's hand tight: "And the muggles? What happened to them?" 
Harry squeezed his eyes shut and grit out: "Nothing. Their memories were altered and they were sent back on their merry way."
"Oh Harry... I can't believe you went through something like that", he whispered and put a finger of his free hand under the boy's chin, lifting it so that his hypnotizing green eyes would meet his, "Harry believe me when I tell you that we'll get revenge for you. We'll make them pay. They'll regret ever lifting as much as a finger against you. Do you want that?"