Birds of a Feather (Stick Together)

It was the fifth day after the dinner in Riddle mansion, Harry was crouched near the second-floor landing, a hammer in one hand and a stubborn nail in the other, trying to secure a loose wooden panel that had been rattling every time someone went up or down the stairs. The faint smell of varnish lingered in the air from an earlier repair, and Harry's mind wandered as he worked, thinking of the endless tasks still left to do around the orphanage.

He promised himself to not use magic until it was necessary, not wanting to use it as a crouch. He would have to go to the library to learn more about how to fix things with Victor and Eli, maybe this time Jones would join as he admited to being interested in fixing things and the mechanic behind it.

A knock echoed through the quiet house, firm and deliberate. Harry froze, his head tilting toward the sound. Most of the children were at school, and it wouldn't be until an hour later when they would return. It wasn't the typical time for deliveries, either.

He heard Mary Anne's footsteps as she moved to answer the door. Her voice was faint but carried a note of polite curiosity as she greeted whoever was on the other side. Harry's curiosity spiked, and he quickly set down the hammer, wiping his hands on his trousers. He moved toward the stairs, his instincts urging him to check who it was.

"…and you are?" Mary Anne's voice reached him just as he started descending.

"Thomas Riddle," came the smooth, cultured reply.

Harry's stomach dropped, and he quickened his pace, his boots barely making a sound on the stairs. By the time he reached the first floor, he could see Mary Anne standing in the doorway, her posture polite but wary. She hadn't recognized him immediately, but at the mention of his name, her expression shifted.

"Viscount Riddle," she said slowly, the recognition dawning in her sharp eyes. "You're… you're running for mayor."

"Among other things," Tom replied, his faint smile both charming and calculated. His sharp grey eyes flicked past her, scanning the modest interior of the orphanage before landing on Harry, who had just stepped into view.

"Ah, there he is," Tom said smoothly, his gaze sharpening.

Before Harry could say a word, a small figure darted out from behind Tom. "Harry!" Sirius's voice rang out, bright and full of excitement.

Sirius ran straight to him, his curls bouncing as he grinned up at Harry. "I knew you'd be here! I told Father we should visit!"

"Sirius," Harry said, his voice caught between surprise and warmth. He knelt slightly to meet the boy's eager gaze. "What are you doing here?"

"Visiting, obviously," Sirius said, his grin widening. He tugged on Harry's hand. "You have to show me everything! Father says I can look around while he talks."

Harry glanced up at Tom, who stood in the doorway with his usual air of quiet authority. Mary Anne still hadn't moved, her posture tense as she regarded him.

Tom inclined his head slightly, his smile faint. "I hope you don't mind the interruption," he said, his tone polite but unmistakably firm. "I thought it appropriate to personally thank Mr. Potter for saving my son's life."

Mary Anne's gaze darted between Tom and Harry, her brows furrowing. "You didn't mention anything about saving someone's life," she said quietly to Harry.

"It wasn't a big deal," Harry said quickly, straightening. He gave Sirius a small smile. "He just needed help."

"It was a big deal!" Sirius protested, his small hands gripping Harry's sleeve. "You saved me, remember? You made that golden shield!"

Harry winced slightly, feeling Tom's gaze weigh heavier at the mention of magic. He looked at Mary Anne, whose expression softened as she glanced down at Sirius.

"Well," Mary Anne said, her voice cautious but polite. "It's good to meet you, Viscount Riddle. Would you like to come in?"

"I'd be honored," Tom said, stepping inside with the grace of someone accustomed to being welcomed wherever they went. Mary Anne led the way into the sitting room, her hands clasped tightly in front of her as if trying to keep herself steady. Harry followed, Sirius still attached to his side, chattering nonstop about the orphanage and how much he wanted to see everything.

As they entered the modest sitting room, Tom's sharp eyes swept over the space, taking in the mended curtains, the threadbare rugs, and the faint smell of cabbage lingering in the air. He didn't comment, but his faint smile remained, as if he were filing away every detail.

"Please, have a seat," Mary Anne said, gesturing to the worn armchairs.

Tom nodded graciously, lowering himself into one of the chairs with an air of practiced ease. Sirius plopped down on the couch beside Harry, his enthusiasm undimmed.

"You'll have to forgive the state of things," Mary Anne said, her tone polite but edged with a hint of defensiveness. "We do the best we can with what we have."

"It's a testament to your dedication," Tom said smoothly. "Running an establishment like this is no small feat. I imagine it requires a great deal of resourcefulness."

Mary Anne gave a tight smile. "It does. But the children are worth it."

Tom's gaze flicked to Harry, his smile deepening just a fraction. "And it seems you've found an unexpected ally in Mr. Potter here. He's proven himself… quite resourceful as well."

Harry shifted in his seat, feeling the weight of Tom's words. He didn't miss the subtle challenge in his tone, nor the way his grey eyes seemed to probe for a reaction.

"Harry's been a great help," Mary Anne said firmly, her voice cutting through the tension. "The children adore him."

Tom's lips twitched, but he didn't respond immediately. Instead, he turned his attention to Sirius, who was tugging on Harry's arm.

"Harry," Sirius said eagerly. "Can I see the room where you sleep? I bet it's cool!"

"It's not that exciting," Harry said, smiling faintly.

"Please?" Sirius asked, his grey eyes wide and pleading.

Harry glanced at Mary Anne, who gave him a small nod. "Go on," she said softly.

"All right," Harry said, standing. "Come on, then."

Sirius beamed and grabbed Harry's hand, dragging him toward the stairs. Harry shot one last glance at Tom, who remained seated, his expression unreadable as he watched them leave the room.

Whatever Tom's intentions were, Harry knew this was only the beginning.

Sirius bounded up the stairs, his small hand gripping Harry's firmly, his excitement radiating off him in waves. "Your room is at the top, right?" Sirius asked, his voice filled with wonder as they climbed.

"Second floor," Harry corrected with a faint smile, amused by Sirius's enthusiasm.

As they reached the modest door to Harry's room, Sirius glanced at him expectantly. Harry pushed it open, revealing the simple space within.

The room was as humble as the rest of the orphanage—a narrow bed tucked against one wall, a small chest of drawers, and a window that let in a faint stream of light through curtains that had seen better days. The floor creaked slightly underfoot, and a faint scent of varnish lingered from Harry's earlier repairs.

Sirius stopped in the doorway, his wide eyes scanning the space. He tilted his head, his excitement dimming ever so slightly. "This is it?"

Harry chuckled softly, stepping inside. "What were you expecting?"

Sirius shrugged, plopping down on the bed and bouncing lightly on the mattress. "I don't know. Something bigger, maybe? Like my room."

Harry smirked. "Not all of us get canopy beds and train sets, Sirius."

Sirius grinned, undeterred. "But it's cozy," he said after a moment, leaning back and staring at the ceiling. "Kind of boring, though."

Harry tilted his head, considering. "Boring, huh?"

"Yeah." Sirius turned to him, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. "What would Hermione do to make it better?"

Harry chuckled, crouching beside the bed. "Hermione would fill it with books. Probably stack them so high I couldn't even see the walls."

Sirius laughed, his earlier energy returning. "She sounds amazing. But I think you can do better."

"Better, you say?" Harry murmured, his tone teasing as he stood and moved to the center of the room. "Well, I set up this for one of the kids here, but I think you will appreciate it, too."

Sirius sat up, watching him intently. "What are you doing?"

"Just watch," Harry said, raising his hand slightly and letting his magic flow through his fingertips.

With a subtle flick of his wrist, he took off the spell hiding the charm in the ceiling. Now, it shimmered and shifted, transforming into a vast, enchanted expanse of sky. The dull plaster disappeared, replaced by a canvas of stars twinkling against an inky backdrop. 

Sirius gasped audibly, his jaw dropping as he stared upward. "Whoa…"

The enchantment didn't stop there. With another gesture, Harry zoomed in, and the constellations above became more defined, their shapes and patterns glowing softly.

"Is that… the real sky?" Sirius whispered, lying flat on his back as he stared up in awe.

"Not quite," Harry said, lying down beside him. "But it's close. The stars are all in the right places, though."

Sirius's eyes darted across the expanse, his voice filled with wonder. "They're beautiful."

Harry smiled faintly, his heart unexpectedly lightened by the boy's innocent amazement. "Do you see that one?" He pointed to a cluster of stars forming a crooked 'W'.

"Yeah," Sirius said eagerly. "What's it called?"

"That's Cassiopeia," Harry explained. "It's named after a queen from Greek mythology."

"What's her story?"

"She was… a bit vain," Harry admitted with a chuckle. "She bragged that she was more beautiful than the sea nymphs, and they didn't take kindly to that. So, they had her punished by the gods. Now she's stuck in the sky, sitting on her throne forever."

Sirius stared at the constellation, his brows furrowed in thought. "That's kind of sad."

"Maybe," Harry said. "But it's also kind of amazing, don't you think? To be remembered forever, even in the stars."

Sirius nodded slowly, his gaze never leaving the ceiling. "What's that one?" he asked, pointing to another cluster of stars.

"That's Orion," Harry said, his voice soft as he began naming and describing the constellations one by one.

Minutes passed in peaceful silence, broken only by Sirius's occasional questions and Harry's quiet explanations. The moment was unexpectedly peaceful as Sirius lay on the bed, his small fingers tracing invisible lines in the enchanted stars above him. Harry watched as the boy's grey eyes darted from one constellation to another, his expression a mixture of awe and curiosity.

"Is there a star named after me?" Sirius asked suddenly, breaking the silence.

Harry chuckled softly. "Actually, yes. There's an entire constellation named after Sirius. It's called the Canis Major—'the Great Dog.' And Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky. Sometimes it's called the Dog Star."

Sirius's face lit up, and he sat up quickly. "Really? The brightest star? That's me?"

"That's you," Harry said with a smile. He pointed toward the enchanted ceiling and shifted the view, zooming in until the Canis Major constellation shimmered into focus. "See that one, right there? That's Sirius."

Sirius's mouth dropped open, his gaze fixed on the star. "It's amazing," he breathed.

"It's fitting," Tom's smooth voice cut in from where he stood in the doorway, arms folded as he observed the scene. Harry turned to look at him, surprised, his posture stiffening slightly. He hadn't noticed him coming.

Sirius, oblivious to the tension, grinned up at his father. "Father! Did you see? Harry made the ceiling look like the sky!"

Tom's gaze flicked to Harry, lingering for a fraction too long. "It's… quite the spectacle."

Harry sat up as well, his posture stiffening under Tom's scrutiny. "Just a bit of harmless fun," he said lightly.

Tom's lips curved into a faint smile. "Harmless indeed. Sirius seems quite taken with it."

"Did you know there's a star named after me, Father? The brightest one!"

"I did," Tom said, stepping into the room with a measured stride. "And now you know as well. But unfortunately, it's time for us to go."

Sirius's face fell, and he turned back to Harry with a pleading look. "Do we have to? Can't we stay a little longer?"

Tom's smile was faint but firm. "We've already stayed longer than I intended. You have lessons to attend in one hour, remember?"

Sirius groaned but slid off the bed, his shoulders slumping slightly. "Fine." He turned to Harry, his expression brightening again. "Will you show me more stars next time?"

Harry hesitated, glancing at Tom, whose expression remained unreadable. "We'll see," Harry said finally, offering Sirius a small smile.

"Promise?" Sirius pressed, holding out his pinky.

Harry blinked, surprised by the gesture, but he linked his pinky with the boy's. "Promise."

Satisfied, Sirius beamed at him. He darted to hug him for a quick second before darting out of the room, his energy seemingly endless.

Tom lingered for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the enchanted ceiling before settling on Harry.

"You have a way of captivating him," he said, his tone neutral.

Harry didn't respond, his green eyes meeting Tom's unflinchingly.

Tom inclined his head slightly, a faint smile playing at his lips. "Until next time, Mr. Potter."

And with that, he turned and followed Sirius down the hallway, his polished footsteps fading into the distance.