[HP] Dearest Enemy

Tom ended up getting nowhere.Two hours after he left the apartment, Harry found the teenager sitting on a bench in a park in the middle of the street, staring blankly at the sky.

"Come back with me." The green-eyed man's voice was gentle and low, with an imperceptible begging.Harry held out his hand to Tom.Tom looked coldly at the hand he had shaken a few hours ago, clenched his fist stubbornly and turned his face away.

In those childhood memories that have begun to blur, it was so difficult for Tom to hold his hand, but at this time Tom just wanted to open that hand and let its owner stay away from him.

Harry looked at the stubborn young man, and sighed slightly: "It's getting dark, the streets are not safe, come back with me."

"You don't need to worry about it, Mr. Potter." Tom said coldly, without looking at the person opposite, "I know what I'm doing."

After the man and the boy looked at each other for a few seconds, Harry sighed again: "Tom, I apologize for my irresponsibility. Come home with me, okay?"

A complex look flashed in Tom's eyes, and he pursed his lips.He didn't want to admit that he had been wondering if Harry would come out to find him, to prove that Harry really cared about him.Tom was ashamed of such a thought.

And Harry just said to go home, Tom stared at a tree not far away, wanting to agree, but unwilling to be coaxed back by Harry as a child.

The man opposite waited patiently for the boy's answer.Harry followed Tom out not long after he left, and soon found Tom's trail.But Harry didn't drag Tom home right away, but waited until he had calmed down completely.Like Tom, he needs a little time to think.

"I don't intend to forgive you just like that." After a long while, Tom finally threw out a blunt answer, "I won't forgive your dereliction of duty so easily."

"I know." Harry said as he stretched out his hand to grab Tom's wrist. Tom was startled and struggled unconsciously, but he didn't break free. Harry held him firmly, "Let's go back."

Before Tom could answer, the man took the boy and walked towards home.This time Tom didn't break free, and followed Harry back obediently.He could feel the unusual strength in Harry's hand, and the warmth from his palm, softening the hard shell around Tom.Harry still cares about himself, he still worries about himself, doesn't he?A little joy rose in Tom, so small that he didn't even know it.

But I still can't forgive him.Tom thought silently, just forgiving this guy, Tom felt that he would not be able to continue in Slytherin.Tom felt a twitch at the thought that he was being dragged back without grace now, but he didn't want to make Harry let go.

"There is one thing I didn't have time to say just now." Harry, who was walking in front, said suddenly. Tom was taken aback, and immediately pricked up his ears, "I will go to teach at Hogwarts when school starts in September."

"Are you going to Hogwarts?" Tom couldn't help asking, "What do you teach?"

"Defense Against the Dark Arts." Harry looked back at Tom, "Professor Mellors proposed to retire after he knew that I applied for this position."

Tom couldn't help but stop and retract his arms.Harry stopped too, turning to look at his godson.

"You've been to Hogwarts before you came back?" Tom narrowed his eyes.He didn't know about it at all, and Tom felt his anger that had just subsided suddenly flare up again when Harry had been to Hogwarts and hadn't looked for him.

"I wrote a letter to Principal Dippet and Professor Mellors on the way back home, and I will go to Hogwarts for an interview in a few days." Harry had already expected what kind of reaction Tom would have. Explain slowly, "Not long after you went out, I received a reply from two professors."

Tom stared suspiciously at Harry for a short moment before walking alongside him. "Why did you apply for a position at Hogwarts?"

"Hogwarts pays well," said Harry briskly, "and I'm looking for something lighter. It's better than serving plates at the Leaky Cauldron, isn't it?"

Tom ignored the man looking at him, and rolled his eyes at the streetlight next to him.He didn't believe that Harry went to Hogwarts to find a job for that not so high salary.Hogwarts has the largest library in the UK. Of course, Harry went to Hogwarts to continue his unpopular and dangerous research. After all, only professors can read all the books and materials in the library without any scruples.Tom suddenly wanted to know what was Harry's purpose in studying time magic so persistently.

Dumbledore finally met this young man who had made him curious for a long time.As Vice-Headmaster of Hogwarts, Dumbledore had to be present when a new professor was hired.

Harry Potter was not what he had imagined.He does not exude unstoppable charisma like his godson Riddle at any time.Harry is much more restrained than Tom, but he also has an aura that makes people attracted to him unconsciously.He is good at all kinds of spells and has rich experience in black arts.Harry frankly admitted to the Headmasters that he had delved into the Dark Arts in order to complete his studies.

"Whether a person is a dark wizard or not should not be judged by how much dark magic he knows." Harry said, "What matters is what he can do with the magic. Magic is just a tool. In the hands of dark wizards, black magic is killing people." It is a sharp weapon, but in the hands of the white wizard, black magic is a good way to save people."

Headmaster Dippet was disturbed by Harry's remarks, but he also didn't want to refuse such an outstanding young man to stay in his school.After all, Professor Mellas was getting old, and he wished for someone to replace him.

Logically, Harry passed the interview at Hogwarts and became the new professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"Professor Dumbledore, if I may, can I have a few words with you?" Harry stopped Dumbledore after the interview.

"Of course." Dumbledore also wanted to chat with the young man, "Go to my office."

Dumbledore's office was not the prototype office Harry was used to, but McGonagall's rectangular office.Harry froze for a moment before entering, before he remembered that Dumbledore was teaching Transfiguration now.

"Would you like some?" Dumbledore held out a sugar bowl and handed it to Harry.

Seeing a pile of cockroaches crawling inside, Harry shook his head lightly: "Thank you, no need."

"How about a glass of lemonade with honey?" Dumbledore didn't care a bit about Harry's rejection of his favorite, and changed it.

"Okay, thank you, Professor Dumbledore." Harry nodded politely.

"You can call me Albus, Harry." Dumbledore said, waving his wand, and two glasses of lemonade appeared on the table, one of which floated towards Harry. "We will be colleagues from now on."

Harry was startled for a moment, quickly took the glass of drink in front of him, and replied a little unnaturally: "Okay."

Harry wasn't used to calling Dumbledore by his Christian name so directly.In his eyes, the young version of Dumbledore is still as difficult to deal with as the wise old man in his memory, let alone talk to him so intimately after knowing his life and experiencing his betrayal.He's not him, Harry told himself, he's not the old headmaster he was at school, you don't have to be so careful.

"Albus, can you tell me about Tom's behavior at school?" Harry asked straight to the point.

"Riddle is the most outstanding student I have ever met," Dumbledore replied leisurely, watching Harry with his penetrating eyes, "polite, quiet, and hungry for knowledge. I observed closely as you requested He, I think it probably pissed him off."

"So did he do anything wrong?" Harry asked, feeling uneasy and anxious.Tom sounded as good as Voldemort had been before, which was the cause of Harry's uneasiness.He couldn't guarantee that the dangerous factors hidden in Tom's blood had been completely suppressed under his 11 years of education. Harry didn't know what the house of Slytherin would teach Tom.

"He's very likable, and he doesn't do any evil," said Dumbledore, and Harry frowned. "The professors like him very much, because he is smart, studious and humble. Tom has many friends around him. There is a charismatic quality about him. As you said in your letter some years ago, there is no doubt that Tom will achieve great things in the future."

"Tom didn't make any mistakes?" Harry didn't pay attention to the praise and affirmation in Dumbledore's mouth. "He didn't do anything to attack or threaten his classmates?"

"At least I haven't found such a situation." Dumbledore said, "I see Tom's attitude towards his classmates is still very friendly. Harry, I have a question."

"Please." Harry sat up straighter.

"You seem to have been worried about Tom becoming a heinous person." Dumbledore asked directly. "And in my opinion he is just a clever boy. Can you tell me your reason?"

Harry stared into Dumbledore's piercing eyes, not knowing how to answer.Finally Harry sighed softly, he couldn't refuse to answer Dumbledore's question: "I know Tom, and I'm worried that he will gradually go down the path he shouldn't take."

"Did something happen?" Dumbledore asked.

Harry nodded: "Tom has done some very...bad things before." He thought of Voldemort with the snake face, "He is not an honest and honest boy. Tom is very smart, and he knows how to use himself I can't say I'm not worried about his nature." Harry paused, "And I haven't seen him for three years. Time changes everything, I don't know Tom How far have you grown?"

"You still have a long time to observe him, Harry." Dumbledore comforted his new colleagues, "If you find that he deviates from his own path, you can correct him yourself. Alex told me that Tom I value you very much."

"Thank you, Professor Dumbledore." Harry said gratefully, "I hope I can still get your help when I am confused."

"Call me Albus, Harry." Dumbledore blinked mischievously, "I'm always welcome."