Chapter 5: Tom's Plan
Tom did not have a plan when he assured Hermione of a safe passage out of Hogwarts. However, the rest of the evening, he spent his time in the Gryffindor common room, the Great Hall, and the library, working on one. He practiced the Confundus charm repeatedly and on multiple targets.
Tom sent Neville to the girls' lavatory thrice. The third time the boy came back with a black eye. Neville was always clumsy and forgetful, so nobody gave his antics a second thought.
Crabbe found himself stepping on a trick stair even though he had consciously tried to avoid it. He was stuck there for an hour until a teacher arrived to help him out.
Tom made Filch call Snape, Pofferson Snape. The Potions Master perhaps recognized the spell's effects and immediately approached the Weasley twins. He banged their heads with a heavy book and confiscated their wands for the rest of the evening.
At seven o'clock, Hagrid arrived at the foot of the grand staircase, waiting for the second-year students.
The lot shuffled down the stairs in a bunch, all hundred and twenty-six students. The actual strength of the second year was a hundred and twenty-two. However, there were four extras: Tom, Harry, Hermione, and Ron.
"Why don't they recognize us?" Hermione whispered to Tom as they walked nimbly as part of the crowd.
"It's the confundus charm," he replied with a wink. "I've cast it on the entire lot. They think we are their classmates."
"Awesome!" Harry said.
"Oh boy," Ron squeaked.
****
It took a while longer for Tom to charm Hagrid. The huge half-giant was about ten feet tall, with a large flush of hair and beard. His laughter was not muffled by it, though. Hagrid would not have noticed them anyway if they had stayed in the back.
The Keeper looked exceptionally happy as he led the children out of the Hogwarts grounds, past his hut.
"I got somefing special for ye kids," he announced. "We going to the very edge of da Forbiddn Forest."
"Are we going to see a unicorn?" a second-year girl asked.
Hagrid shook his head. "Heya, we'd both be lucky to see one, eh? Mind ye, there are many frienlies n unfrienlies in there. Ye must stay together. Don't fire off your wands until I say so."
The students nodded and shuffled forward.
Harry wanted to hug Hagrid, but that would blow their cover.
"Where's the adventure, Tom?" he asked. "I have a feeling Hagrid is taking us to see bowtruckles."
Tom said nothing for a minute, then took a sharp detour to the left.
"Where are you going?" Hermione posed with her eyebrows raised.
"Follow me," he replied.
Reluctantly, the trio joined him.
"Tom? Have you been here before?" Ron asked nervously.
The boy shook his head. "No, but a friend of mine has been, and she drew me a map."
Harry bit his lip, looking around at the dark clearing they had walked into.
"I think we should turn back and join the group," he suggested.
"Nobody's going anywhere," Tom responded without emotion, walking in front of them.
Harry sighed, raced ahead of Tom, and turned to face him.
"What is it?"
"You've been acting strange, Tom. You easily top in every class. An underage wizard who confunded an entire year of students, not to mention Hagrid! Now you're leading us to an unknown destination in the Forbidden Forest. Are you really a first-year student? What is your goal?"
"We should not be apologetic about being good at magic, Harry," the boy replied with a mask-like expression. "And you three agreed to go on an adventure! I did not force you to join me! Then why are you backing off?"
"We were silly," Hermione interjected. "We did not realize the danger we'd be in. I read students have died venturing into the Forbidden Forest. Let's go back, please."
"Dumbledore wouldn't make a rule against it unless he were convinced, right?" Ron piled on.
Tom took a deep breath. "That old fool knows nothing! Guys, why are you being so alien to me all of a sudden? Aren't we friends?"
"Friends?" Ron exclaimed. "No, we barely know each other, Tom. What are you talking about?"
Just then, they heard a flutter somewhere near.
"Shh, Ron. Did you hear that?" Harry whispered.
"What?"
Another flutter sounded.
Tom felt the hairs on his forearm rise. Something dark was approaching.
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