When they reached the study, Tom was already standing by his desk, flipping through a file. He looked up as Harry entered, his sharp grey eyes immediately zeroing in on the raven.
"I see you brought company," Tom said, his tone neutral but curious.
"Don't ask," Harry replied quickly. He shifted slightly, and Thanatos preened his hair as if to remind him of his presence.
Tom's lips twitched faintly, but he didn't press.
"Let's begin," Tom said, his tone sharp but measured. "What did you find at the warehouse?"
Harry nodded, rubbing the back of his neck before launching into his account. "The guards were easy to handle. Once inside, I avoided detection and reached the leader without issue."
Snape's dark eyes narrowed, his arms crossing as he listened. "And the leader?"
Harry's gaze shifted briefly to the floor before meeting Tom's. "He didn't know much. The mercenaries were hired anonymously, but the name Lestrange came up."
Barty's eyebrows shot up, and he exchanged a look with Snape, who remained silent but visibly tense.
Tom's expression darkened, his gaze sharpening. "Lestrange," he murmured, his voice low and dangerous. "Not a surprise."
Harry tilted his head, studying him. "You seem to know who it might be."
Tom's lips pressed into a thin line. For a moment, he said nothing, his gaze fixed on some distant point as if wrestling with a decision. Finally, he spoke, his words clipped. "It's likely Bellatrix's former fiancé. Rodolphus Lestrange. His family had ties to the Black family, but their alliance fractured after… certain events."
Harry's brow furrowed. "And now he's coming after you? Why?"
Tom's gaze flicked back to Harry, his voice like steel. "Rodolphus's grudge isn't with me. It's with what I took from him—Bellatrix. And through her, Sirius."
Harry's stomach churned. He hadn't thought much about Sirius's other family connections, but this added a layer of danger that made his jaw tighten. "So this is about revenge?"
Tom's smile was thin and humorless. "Revenge, power, desperation. Take your pick."
Barty leaned forward, his good arm resting on the table. "If Lestrange is involved, this won't be the last attempt. We need to move preemptively."
"Agreed," Snape said, his voice low and clipped. "But we can't present this information to the authorities. 'I read their minds' isn't exactly admissible evidence."
Harry sighed. "I figured as much."
"Then what's the plan?" Barty asked, his sharp gaze darting between Tom and Harry.
Harry glanced at Tom, his voice firm. "I can investigate further. Alone. Lestrange won't see me coming."
"Absolutely not," Tom said sharply, his voice cold with finality. Though, afterwards, he rubbed his temples, a clear sign of him being tired. It was almost morning, after all. "We will talk about this later."
Harry nodded. However, as Harry turned to leave the study, Tom's sharp gaze caught something amiss. "Wait," he said, his tone laced with authority.
Harry froze mid-step, glancing over his shoulder. "What now?"
Tom's eyes narrowed, his focus shifting to the faint smudge of blood near Harry's shoulder. "You're injured."
"It's nothing," Harry said quickly, waving a dismissive hand. "Just a graze. Already healed."
Tom didn't look convinced. In two strides, he was in front of Harry, his fingers gripping the younger man's arm as he turned him slightly to inspect the wound.
"Let me see," Tom demanded, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"Really, it's fine," Harry insisted, but Tom had already tugged the fabric aside, revealing a faint red line where the bullet had grazed him.
Tom's jaw tightened. "This is what you call fine? You could have—"
Before he could finish, his grip on Harry's arm jostled Thanatos, who let out an indignant squawk as he flapped his wings to steady himself.
"Oi!" the raven snapped, glaring at Tom with an expression that was almost human. "Gentle, you brute! Harry isn't a rag doll. He bruises easily."
The room went deathly quiet.
Tom froze, his grey eyes widening as he stared at the raven. Behind him, Snape straightened abruptly, his ever-present scowl deepening, while Barty, leaning against the doorframe, let out a sharp laugh of disbelief.
"You've got a talking bird," Barty said, his tone caught between incredulous and amused.
"Not just a talking bird," Thanatos grumbled, fluffing his feathers indignantly. Before anyone could respond, Thanatos leapt from Harry's shoulder. The room seemed to dim for a split second as the raven transformed, his shape elongating and twisting into that of a man.
Thanatos's human form was as striking as it was unnerving—lean and graceful, clad in a dark suit that seemed to absorb the surrounding light. His jet-black hair fell in soft waves around his angular face, and his sharp, otherworldly eyes still carried the same raven's glint.
He stretched languidly, as though testing the limits of his human frame, and then fixed Barty with a mischievous grin, before turning his piercing gaze to Tom. "I'm his companion, his guide, his—"
Harry groaned, rubbing a hand over his face. "Could you not?"
Thanatos ignored him, his gaze narrowing on Tom. "Also, don't grab him like that, again. Honestly, for someone with such a reputation, I expected more finesse."
Tom's brows rose, his expression carefully neutral but his voice sharp. "What… exactly are you?"
Thanatos tilted his head, his eyes shimmering faintly in the dim light. "I am many things. You may call me Thanatos, though. As for who I am… let's just say it's above your pay grade."
Tom, for the first time in years, looked genuinely stunned. He recovered quickly, his expression hardening into a mask of composure. "You have an explanation for this, Potter?"
Harry, pinching the bridge of his nose, muttered, "Would you believe me if I said no?"
"I do love making an entrance. And for the record," he added, his gaze flicking to Tom, "You should be more careful with your words and actions around me."
Tom's grey eyes narrowed. "I don't take kindly to threats."
"It's not a threat," Thanatos said airily. "Just advice."
Harry groaned again, shooting Thanatos a glare. "Could you please not antagonize him?"
Thanatos tilted his head, his smile turning mischievous. "Oh, but it's so fun. He's wonderfully easy to rile up."
Tom's voice dropped to a dangerous calm. "Potter, if this is your idea of a joke—"
"It's not," Harry interrupted, stepping between Tom and Thanatos.
"I will repeat once more: what, exactly, are you?"
"Someone who takes excellent care of your Mr. Potter," Thanatos replied smoothly, his tone laced with mischief as he ran a hand through Harry's locks. "Not that you're doing a bad job… well, mostly."
Harry groaned, rubbing the bridge of his nose while his other hand was used to push Thanatos' hand away. "Thanatos, could you not?"
Thanatos ignored him, his gaze locked on Tom. "Really, I don't see why you're all fussing over a little scratch. He lets me preen his curls without complaint, but the moment I touch him in this form, it's all grumbling."
Harry shot him a sharp look. "You were a raven then. It's different."
"Is it?" Thanatos asked innocently, his lips curving into a faint smirk. He stepped closer to Harry, reaching out to gently tug at a loose curl. "I don't understand the difference."
Harry's face turned an alarming shade of red as he batted Thanatos's hand away. "Cut it out!"
Thanatos chuckled, thoroughly enjoying himself. "You're adorable when you're flustered, you know."
The room fell into a strange, tense silence as Harry and Thanatos bickered like an old married couple, their words fast and familiar.
"Enough," Tom said, his voice cutting through the conversation like a blade. "Thanatos, or whoever you are, this is neither the time nor place for your antics."
Thanatos blinked, then tilted his head as if studying Tom for the first time. "My, my, aren't we touchy?" He smirked again, his gaze flicking briefly to Harry. "You sure know how to pick your employers."
"Thanatos," Harry warned, his tone low and exasperated.
Thanatos raised his hands in mock surrender, stepping back with an exaggerated sigh. "Fine, fine. No need to glare, Mr. Brooding. I'll behave."
Tom's lips thinned, but he didn't rise to the bait. Instead, he turned to Harry, his voice cold and composed. "We'll discuss your… friend later. You may go to your bedroom."
Harry nodded, grateful for the change in subject and for some sleep.
Thanatos perked up. "We're going to sleep now, Harry?"
"You're not going with Mr. Potter," Tom said between gritted teeth.
"But I'm always with him, in one form or another. It's just more exciting now."
Tom didn't respond immediately, his expression unreadable as he studied the pale figure before him. Finally, he turned to Harry, his voice low but commanding. "We will discuss this later. For now, get some rest. And keep him out of trouble."
Harry nodded, grabbing Thanatos by the arm and steering him toward the door. "Come on, you've done enough damage for one night."
Thanatos chuckled, allowing himself to be led away. "Oh, Harry, you're such a delight when you're flustered.
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