[HP] Dearest Enemy

Harry jerked awake from the dream and touched the scar on his forehead.The scar wasn't as painful as being pressed with a red-hot wire, and in fact it hadn't moved since the night Tom was born that it felt like it was going to burst his head.But Harry was used to touching it after waking up from nightmares, because Harry's nightmares were invariably related to this scar, or to the child who was lying in the same room as him.

It was still dark, but Harry couldn't sleep anymore.He glanced at the alarm clock on the bedside, picked up the glasses on the bedside and put them on, sat up on the bed, and habitually walked to the opposite bed to observe the sleeping child.Tom wrapped himself in the quilt like a ball, only a head with black hair was rubbed messy, and half of the blanket that was originally covered by the quilt fell to the ground.Gently pulling up the blanket to cover the boy, Harry straightened up and ruffles his bird's nest of hair irritably before getting dressed.Harry was always in a bad mood after waking up from a nightmare.Harry used his wand to relight the fireplace that had been extinguished at some point, and gently closed the bedroom door.

Harry washed his face in cold water, then lathered his chin and began shaving.It has been six years since Merope passed away, and Tom has changed from a baby who can be held with one hand to a precocious but obedient child.Taking care of Tom can be called a protracted war for Harry, and young Tom is still his most troublesome enemy.

Harry had never known that taking care of a child could be such a hassle.Harry missed Hermione and Ginny more than ever in those early days, even his Aunt Petunia, who had been tormenting him for 11 years.They must know how to take care of a baby, whether he's hungry or sick when he cries, what the strange sounds in his mouth mean, why he uses those night-dark eyes when he's not crying. The clear eyes looking at you... The most painful thing for Harry was washing the diapers of his sworn enemy. Fortunately, this torture didn't last long. After Tom was two years old, Harry didn't wash any diapers again.

In some ways Tom was a very well behaved boy.Harry rarely hugged him, and he rarely cried.Whenever he wanted to hug him, he would stare at Harry with those dark eyes until Harry could no longer pretend to ignore him, because those eyes would cause Harry who chose to ignore A strong sense of guilt.Tom likes to follow Harry like a little tail, but in Harry's impression, Voldemort was a person who never believed in others when he was young. He likes to do everything alone and doesn't like to have any close contact with others .Of course, Tom isn't Voldemort, at least not yet.

Harry felt that it was a very correct choice for him to take Tom to live in the Muggle world. Although he had to change jobs constantly because of Tom and the war, it also allowed him to walk around almost everywhere in six years. Half England, and enjoying it.The only more troublesome thing is to be careful when casting magic. Harry didn't plan to tell Tom about the existence of the wizarding world so soon, because he hadn't found much magical fluctuations from Tom.It stands to reason that young wizards at Tom's age have somewhat begun to realize their magical powers, but Harry didn't find many signs of this in Tom.Harry didn't actually know that Tom had realized his difference. Compared with Hermione, Harry was still not careful enough.

If only Tom wasn't a wizard, Harry thought sometimes.

Tom woke up right after Harry went out.The temperature in the bed made him reluctant to get up, but Tom still sat up after counting to ten.Harry had already started drinking his coffee when he climbed onto the dining table.Harry's face was not very good, and Tom almost choked on seeing that he was not talking to him.

"Eat slowly, don't get your clothes dirty." Harry said displeased, but he never took his eyes off the newspaper in his hand.

Tom ate his breakfast in silence, without making a sound.He watched Harry's face carefully as he ate.Today was his sixth birthday, and Harry would take him out every year on this day, but Harry was in a bad mood today, and Tom didn't dare to ask questions.

For Tom, being able to play with Harry is the happiest thing.Harry seldom took him out to play. From the beginning of Tom’s memory, what he saw the most was Harry working on the sidelines, taking a toy or an apple for himself and then hanging himself aside. There was a little boy waiting to follow him home.Harry was a gentle and polite man, easy to get along with, and always had a good laugh with his friends, but rarely at Tom.Harry is very strict with Tom. Once Tom does something wrong, Harry's expression will become terrible, and then he will ignore Tom's existence as if he is air.

Because of the frequent moving, Tom doesn't have any friends.Many times Tom was afraid of Harry, but he liked to see Harry's gentle expression, especially when Harry was asleep, his expression was gentler than ever.

Harry watched Tom finish his breakfast and wash the dishes before throwing the newspaper aside: "Get dressed, we're going to the zoo today."

Tom's eyes lit up.Although Harry was in a bad mood, he didn't forget his birthday.

The sky was gloomy as if it was about to snow, and it was freezing cold outside.Tom was trotting to keep up with Harry, rubbing his hands together.Harry would never walk down the street holding Tom's hand like other fathers did. The only exception was when Tom lost Harry in the market, and on the way back Harry held a bag full of him in one hand. bag of food, holding Tom by the hand.Tom kept holding Harry's hand tightly, and it took him a lot longer than usual to get home that day.

Harry looked back at Tom.It was the habit that kept him after Tom was lost and found.The black-haired, black-eyed little boy always reminded Harry of his terrifying snake-faced appearance as an adult, and then he would think that the well-behaved little boy in front of him would not be like that.Harry was always contradictory when dealing with Tom, and Tom's overly obedient behavior made him a little uneasy.Tom had been left a few steps away by him inadvertently, and Harry felt a little guilty when he thought of losing Tom last time, but his face was habitually expressionless.Tom staggered towards him with his little hands folded on his chest, and Harry saw that those little hands were already red from the cold.

"Is it cold?" Harry asked.Tom nodded. He had left his gloves on the stool by the door on his way out, and was now too far away to go back and get them.Tom looked at Harry nervously, afraid that he would abandon himself and turn away again like he had made him angry once.

To his surprise, Harry knelt down and refastened his scarf, then took one of his little hands in the palm of his hand and continued walking.Tom felt a happy balloon inflate in his chest, and trotted to keep up with Harry.

The two took the tram to the zoo, but found that the animals were hiding in their houses and refused to come out because of the cold weather.But this did not affect Tom's good mood.He happily ran wildly on the empty cobblestone path, to tease the animals curled up in the iron cage, and let out the tender and melodious laughter unique to children.Harry put his hands in his pockets and stood not far away to watch him. Tom was a very beautiful boy, and his happy smiling face from the bottom of his heart really looked like an angel.Harry felt that it was becoming more and more difficult for him to connect the happy little boy in front of him with the murderous monster.He's not going to be like that, Harry thought, noticing that the morning's bad mood from the nightmare had completely disappeared.

Tom looked back happily, seeing Harry looking at him gently, the haze on his face was swept away, slightly surprised, and then turned his head back.Tom liked mild Harry to hard-faced Harry, but he dared not tell him.Tom had been busy all morning greeting the animals who were unwilling to come out, and Harry, who was not far from him, showed no sign of impatience.

Harry seemed in a better mood than usual today.Tom hesitated for a long time when leaving the zoo, and finally reached out and took Harry's hand boldly.Harry glanced down at the little thing following him, and raised an eyebrow.

"what's up?"

Tom flinched back a little.Harry's hand was big and strong, warm and reassuring to Tom.Tom wanted Harry to take his hand home, but he was afraid that Harry would be angry.Many times Tom was afraid to look into Harry's green eyes, although he thought they were beautiful.

The kid is a little weird today.Harry thought, turning back and walking on.Although Harry is currently living in the Muggle world, he will return to being a wizard sooner or later.Harry took Tom on a trip to find a way to return home, but in the Muggle world, such information was pitiful, and he had to take care of young Tom.But now that Tom was able to take care of himself to a certain extent, and Harry had saved some money, he decided to try his luck in some remote places first.It just so happened that Tom of the Broken Ax Bar had given him an address some time ago, and Harry planned to visit the old wizard mentioned in the letter after the New Year, to see if he had any way to let him go back.

Angry and ashamed of his cowardice, Tom followed Harry silently.At this age, he couldn't understand why Harry had such an uncertain attitude towards him. He didn't know what Harry was thinking at ordinary times, and he didn't know what Harry was thinking at this moment.Harry walked fast, and Tom was panting after chasing him, but he didn't dare to stop. It wasn't until Harry belatedly remembered that the child behind him turned his head back that Tom was sweating and running softly. The black hair is stuck to the forehead.

"Sorry, I forgot." Harry knelt down and wiped Tom's sweat, "Why didn't you call me?"

Tom wiped his sweat with a handkerchief from his pocket, watching Harry's face carefully while panting.

Harry suddenly felt guilty.After all, Tom was just a child, and I felt a little sorry for ignoring him like this.But Harry just habitually motioned Tom to follow, without saying anything.

"Harry, go slowly," Tom called.

Startled, Harry finally understood what Tom meant, and gently took Tom's little hand.

Tom looked up at Harry, clutching his big hand tightly.

"Tom, we're going on a trip soon."

"Travel?" Tom's eyes widened. "Are you moving again?"

"No, I'm looking for someone."

"Will Harry take Tom?" asked Tom anxiously.

"If you behave well, I'll take you there." Harry turned his head to look at the little boy, and the boy's little face immediately became serious.

"Tom promises not to trouble Harry!" said Tom firmly.

Harry rubbed the little boy's head.Tom's existence is a trouble, but Tom doesn't know it.