'Wake up, Harry.' Tom's voice pulled him from his sleep the following morning. Yawning, Harry sat upright on the green sleeping bag and looked over to see that Severus was still there. The man's bed was gone and in its place was an armchair in which he was sitting in while going over several pieces of parchment.

'Good morning.' Harry said to his friend with a small smile.

'Morning.' Tom nodded but did not return the smile. He glanced at Severus and narrowed his eyes. 'I've been watching him. He woke two hours ago and has just been sitting there since.'

'What time is it?' Harry wondered and looked for Dudley's watch but his cousin was rolled over on the couch, facing away from him and towards the the back.

'Nearly seven.' Tom responded. 'The muggles are awake but are staying upstairs.'

Severus looked over and noticed that the boy was finally awake. He stood and with a simple wave of his wand, the armchair disappeared along with his parchment.

'We are leaving.' Severus announced. 'We shall have breakfast upon arrival in London.'

Harry nodded and glanced at Tom; after seeing the accepting look, he relaxed and stepped forward to follow Severus out of the shack. The rain had stopped but the air was still very cold. He looked around for a boat but didn't see one.

'Hold tightly onto my arm.' Severus lifted his wrist and Tom quickly faded away while Harry reached out to do so.

'He's going to apparate.' Tom explained. 'It's how wizards travel quickly by magic.'

And surely enough, they did. Harry felt a bit queasy and disorientated afterwards but rushed to catch up with Severus as they stepped out of an alley and headed towards a cafe.

'Sit.' Severus instructed as they approached a table with four chairs. 'I shall bring you a sandwich and than we must proceed.'

'Can I have two please, sir?' Harry asked quickly when Tom reappeared beside him.

Severus was about to make a comment about the boy being greedy but Harry was rather thin for his age so the man merely nodded. He returned with two plates of ham and tomato sandwiches as well as a larger one with more salad for himself.

'Thank you.' Harry smiled and moved one sandwich so it was in front of the seat beside him and started eating the other hungrily.

'If you eat, won't he notice?'

'Yes.' Tom nodded with a light frown and eyed the second sandwich hungrily. 'If I touch it, it will disappear.'

Harry wasn't sure what to do or if he could manage a diversion so he simply continued to eat and let Tom work it out. An opportunity came when Severus lifted a newspaper to read; Tom silkily moved his hand across the white surface of the table and snatched the two slices of sandwich. Harry grabbed the plate and placed it under his own dish while finishing the last of his sandwich.

Tom sank into the chair beside Harry and ate. Once his friend was done, Harry told Severus that he was full and thanked him again.

Severus did not conceal his surprise towards how quickly Harry had eaten both sandwiches, although he folded his copy of the Daily Prophet and proceeded with his schedule without giving the food much further thought.

--

Severus was once again confused by the boy's knowledge when they entered the Leaky Cauldron and after being quiet for a brief moment, Harry simply answered those that hurried to meet him; the boy did not seem too surprised by the fame bestowed upon him. Convinced that the brat was simply used to adoring attention, Severus continued onwards and led Harry through to Diagon Alley. Here the boy was surprised but still very silent; Severus was unaware that Tom was telling Harry about each store and the ones he recommended.

'We do not have all day.' Severus said and Harry was startled by the sound of his voice. 'I trust you brought along your letter and list of the supplies in which we require?'

'Yes, sir.' Harry nodded and pulled out his list from one of his pockets. Severus held out a hand for the pieces of paper and almost snatched it when it was passed to him; he was not a man of patience when surrounded by shoppers in an alley.

--

Afterwards they entered Gringotts and Tom appeared further interested while Severus went about requesting service and handing over Harry's key. He was not an easy person to surprise, and yet Severus found himself becoming more concerned and curious when the boy didn't ask many questions about the goblins, even if he had clearly been shocked to see them at first. He made mental note of everything for when he was to report back to Dumbledore.

He knew Hagrid had retrieved the stone the previous day, so thankfully the only vault to visit was Potter's.

When the doors to the vault opened, Harry's eyes became wide and Tom stepped closer to stare as well, although the latter when unnoticed by Severus and the goblin with them.

'It seems you have inherited your parent's fortunes.' Severus answered Harry's befuddled look.

Harry took a moment to recover and than started loading money into his bag. He noticed Tom grabbing a small handful of gold coins, which were shoved into pockets, but Harry said nothing since he didn't really mind.

And once Harry had his money, they proceeded to buy all the required things on his list until there was only one store left to visit.

'Finally.' Tom said as they stepped inside Ollivander's, leaving the noise and movement of the shoppers outside. Severus had wandered elsewhere to buy several more items, trusting that the boy could behave in one store on his own; even if Severus considered it to be the worst store in which one could leave a child unsupervised inside.

'Hello?' Harry asked when he couldn't see anyone else around; no other customers or a storekeeper.

'Harry, you require their services...you are in charge.' Tom sighed. 'Speak up!'

'Hello?' Harry asked in a louder, more demanding tone and Ollivander came into view.

'Ah.' The man nodded while barely giving Harry a second glance. 'I wondered when I'd be seeing you, Mr Potter.' He began searching through the shelves that were loaded with hundreds of boxes.

'It feels like only yesterday that your mother and father were in here buying their first wands.'

Tom rolled his eyes and moved to examine a few of the nearest boxes that rested upon the counter. He was still painfully aware that he did not have his own wand and the longing for one remained deep inside him. He picked up the first wand and nothing happened, not even a single spark. Annoyed, Tom went to grab another, which hissed at his touch and as a result, he decided to time it with Harry's to avoid suspicion.

And so Harry tried wand after wand and Tom did the same. Tom smirked when one lit up for him but Ollivander was at the back of the store getting another for Harry and didn't notice.

'Redwood, twelve inches with a phoenix tail feather core.' Tom said, remembering Ollivander's words previously; this particular wand was one that Harry had tried but it hadn't suited him.

'Perhaps, this.' Ollivander handed another wand over to Harry. Tom turned to look as well and saw that his that his “friend” had also finally found a wand of his own. Tom gripped his wand while Ollivander spoke of his older self and how the wands were brothers. He wasn't entirely sure what that meant but almost dropped his wand in surprise when Severus swept into the store while Harry paid for his wand.

--

Although they had everything on the supplies list, Severus allowed Harry to select an owl for his familiar and purchased it for him as a “birthday gift”. Harry was overjoyed.

'I need to get something.' Tom said quickly as he glanced towards the sign that read “Knockturn Alley”. 'Delay him.'

'I'll try. Hurry!' Harry said as his friend rushed away. 'I need to sit down for a minute, sir.' He lied and Severus paused in his long stride to turn and eye him with a blank but clearly not impressed expression.

'We will be arriving at Privet Drive shortly, Mr Potter,' Severus said. 'You may rest then.'

'No, I think something got stuck on my shoe.' Harry invented, panicked that he would lose his friend if Tom didn't get back in time. And while he agitated Severus with his constant reasons to stop for a moment, Tom rushed through the crowds and entered Knockturn Alley. He quickly spotted the store he was looking for and stepped inside. As Tom passed through the doorway, he enabled himself to become visible and lcasually ooked around at the spiders and other creatures.

Inhaling, he hissed at a snake resting on a branch nearby and felt relieved when it turned its head and looked at him, hissing back in mere acknowledgement.

'Need anything, dear?' A beastly woman at the counter asked, having appeared from inside a dusty storage room out the back.

'Yes.' He nodded. 'I would like to buy a snake.' Tom said and hoped that Harry could delay Severus long enough for him pick one and pay for it. Even though he could probably just disappear with the creature, he preferred not to risk that in case there were hexes in place to prevent thievery.

The woman assisted him and he quickly chose a black snake as long as his forearm and paid for it with galleons while snatching the information and care guide from her hands. He ignored her protests and turned to rush out of the store. He knew the way through the darkened alley well; he turned a corner and soon found himself coming to a halt beside Harry.

'Is that a...?' Harry stared at the snake around Tom's shoulders but quickly turned back to Severus. 'I'm ready, sir.' He said.

Severus watched Harry with clear suspicion for a moment, having noticed the unmistakable look of alarm in the boy seconds previous. But having no objection to leaving, Severus turned and led the way once again.

'Youngssster movesss too fassst' The snake said with obvious annoyance as she perched on Tom's shoulders, knowing that he was a speaker based on his hissing towards the other snake in the store.

'[I do apologize.]' Tom answered. '[I was in a grand hurry. This is Harry Potter. He speaks too]'.

'Two sssspeakersss?' The snake sounded pleased as she lifted her head to look at Harry while they walked along behind Severus.

'[Hello.]' Harry nodded at the snake but Severus halted suddenly and spun around; it seemed that the language of the snakes did go noticed because Harry wasn't talking to Tom but instead to the creature.

'Did you say something, Potter?' Severus asked with narrowed eyes, so sure of the certain hissing he had just heard.

'No.' Harry said innocently while Tom snarled and the snake hissed at the reaction. Harry tensed but continued to stare at Severus as though he was confused as to why the man would think that he'd said something.

Severus cast the area a nervous glance and than raised his wand as he pushed Harry ahead of him and into the interior of The Leaky Cauldron.

--

Within minutes, Harry was once again staring at the house of Number Four Privet Drive. Sighing with reluctance, he bit farewell to Severus Snape and dragged his trunk inside the place he wished he didn't have to live in.

His uncle spotted him first from the kitchen as Harry attempted to pass by unnoticed. The beefy man harbored no hesitation and instantly locked his trunk and belongings in the cupboard under the stairs while informing Harry that he was now residing in Dudley's second bedroom. Despite losing his magical belongings, Harry fought to keep the small smile off his lips as he turned to the stairs and climbed them.

It was an hour later and the two boys were sitting cross-legged on the floor across from each other. Tom looked rather bored while Harry nervously watched the snake slither around on the floor in a semi-circle.

'It won't bite Hedwig, will it?' Harry asked Tom anxiously.

Tom looked at the snowy owl with a thoughtful expression (who was in her cage, over on the desk near the window), and glanced back down at the snake in which they had named “Salazaria”, which was a more feminine version of “Salazar”.

'[I must insist that you do not inflict anything harmful upon Harry's owl Hedwig. She is his familiar.]' Tom hissed.

'Of courssse.' The snake replied while raising her head in the direction of the glaring owl. 'I ssshall not bite the pretty birdie'.

'[Thanks.]' Harry added with a relieved smile. 'Is she poisonous?' He added to Tom.

'Yes.' He smirked. 'But only upon command.' He pulled out his wand and ran a hand over it, glad to finally have one again which came with the advantage to once again enhance his abilities with ease.

'I wish I had mine.' Harry scowled as he watched his friend enviously. 'Stupid Uncle Vernon.'

'He's a muggle, Harry.' Tom said in exasperation. 'That is how they act.'

'Well I hate him.' Harry muttered. 'It's stupid! I don't even know how to do magic.'

'Than I shall teach you.' Tom said with a eager expression. 'Not all magic requires a wand.'

'I've noticed.' Harry shifted closer. 'Okay cool, what kind of magic?'

'Anything you want.' Tom's smirk widened. 'Anything at all.'

'Anything, huh?' Harry thought for a moment but his thought process was trampled by the door of his new bedroom opening. He turned quickly and frowned as his cousin stared at him with a sickening grin.

'I heard you muttering to yourself' Dudley chuckled. 'Gone mad too, have you freak?'

Tom jumped to his feet with those words. He read some of Harry's thoughts as he stared angrily at his cousin; Tom saw the bullying and mocking he had enacted towards Harry, added with envy towards Dudley having so much that he was deprived of. It was almost too perfect.

'Here's your first lesson.' Tom approached Harry, who was now standing as well and had clenched his fists while his cousins laughed.

'I ssssensse anger.' Salazaria said from under the bed. 'I ssshould bite the ungrateful muggle.'

'[No. Harry can handle this.]' Tom said eagerly and whispered into Harry's ear while Dudley delivered more insults about how his insanity probably came from his freaky parents.

'He hurt you.' Tom coached. 'Make him pay. Hurt him back.'

'I can't, he's much bigger than me and Aunt Petunia is right downstairs.' Harry argued although his anger increased with his friend's encouragement to take a stand and get his cousin back for all the horrible things he had caused him in ten years.

'You're a wizard and he's nothing but a muggle.' Tom continued. 'Think about it...imagine him hurt.' He said in a strong but soft voice. 'Look at the lard, laughing and mocking you! He should hurt for what he has done to you.'

Harry narrowed his eyes, thinking of all the times Dudley had punched him, chased him and caused him so much trouble as well as the humiliation. His anger swelled and he felt the magic at his fingertips, willing it to attack Dudley; it urged his anger into a form of suffering for the boy who took everything from him, such as food, toys and a chance at comfort etc.

Dudley laughed until his stomach felt strange and he finally realized the look Harry was aiming at him. He tried to move but his feet were stuck to the floor of the doorway and he tried to yell for his mother but no sound came out of his mouth other than a strangled whimper. His stomach felt alive and his ears throbbed while his chubby hands and feet started to burn and sting.

'Stop it!' He gasped out although it too great struggle. 'Stop it!'

'Did he stop when he was hitting you?' Tom asked Harry and the boy shook his head. 'Why should you show him mercy when he showed you none?'

Dudley fell to his knees as Harry continued to seethe with anger and the desire to repay his cousin for everything he had tortured him with.

'Dudders?' Petunia noticed the silence and strange air about the place. She came upstairs but stopped in terror to seeing Dudley on his knees, choking mutely and looking as though he was in intense pain.

'Dudley?!' She shrieked and rushed to his side while clutching her precious son. Her tone and movement broke Harry's focus and the pain Dudley had been experiencing instantly stopped.

'You!' She growled at Harry while cuddling her silent, gasping son. 'You freak! What have we told you about doing...that, in the house?'

'Tell her.' Tom whispered into Harry's ear again, having heard his thoughts.

'He got what he deserved.' Harry answered calmly but as his anger faded he felt a little unsure about what he had done. He remembered how horrible Dudley had been to him and the anger, but there was something inside him telling him that perhaps he had gone too far and maybe it wasn't really the right thing to do. The doubt clouded over and Harry hands trembled but still he remained firm.

Petunia was about to say something when she shrieked again and both boys turned to see what had frightened her. Salzardia had apparently left the underneath of the bed.

'Kill it!' Petunia yelled in alarm to no one in particular but the more rational side of her brain was washed out by the shock of seeing the undoubtedly poisonous creature emerge with deadly speed.

'Ssssuch noisssy humansss.' Salazaria complained and slithered up Harry's leg. She coiled around his shoulders, knowing that the muggles couldn't see Tom and if she was on him than they couldn't see her either. At this particular moment, she wanted to be seen and feared.

'She's my friend.' A plan formed in Harry's head just as he said those words to Petunia while Tom looked on smugly. 'Bother me and you might anger her.'

'What issss youngssster ssssaying?'

'[I'm warning her to leave me alone or else you might be mad. But I don't want you to really bite her, just scare her].' Harry hissed back and Petunia became deathly pale as she tried to pull Dudley away from further harm.

Salazaria rose like a cobra and hissed venomously at Petunia until she had clutched Dudley with surprising strength, which led to her dragging him downstairs at running speed.

And so for every day leading up until the night before Harry and Tom were about to head to Hogwarts...the Dursleys let them sit in the room entirely unbothered. They even cleared any room Harry came into, such as the kitchen when he was hungry or the living room when he was curious about what was on TV.

Harry could not be happier.