[HP] Dearest Enemy

The dark lobby of the Leaky Cauldron was bustling with voices as usual, but they were no different to Tom than the dusty wallpaper on the walls.He was sitting at the farthest table in the bar eating breakfast at the moment, staring intently at his plate, slowly chewing on toast, but couldn't taste it.

While Luo Er was busy in the store, he glanced into that corner from time to time.Two days ago, Dumbledore personally picked up Harry after receiving the news. Before leaving, he asked him not to tell Tom Riddle about Harry's whereabouts. Today, Tom appeared at the door of the bar.When seeing Tom, Luo Er couldn't help but shivered. He was completely frightened by the black-eyed young man's thin appearance and undisguised gloomy expression.

Tom, however, said nothing, and ordered a breakfast, and paper and pencil.Roll saw Tom send him a letter while another waiter was bringing him breakfast, and began to eat quietly.Luo Er forced himself not to look at Tom who was sitting in the corner, but his eyes always slipped there unconsciously.

Something must have happened between Tom and Harry, but Dumbledore, the only one who knew, didn't say anything. Rolle was so curious that he couldn't ask a word.

The doorbell rang, and a man with black long hair in a luxurious black robe appeared at the door.Tom, who was drinking coffee, heard the sound and looked towards the door. He calmly put down his coffee cup and stood up, his expression finally relaxed.

"Dear Tom, I haven't seen you for a long time!" Alpha strode across the crowded tables to Tom, with an unconcealable excitement on his face.

"Good morning, Al." Tom greeted Alfred peacefully, and accepted the hug from his friend.

"Sorry, I think we need a box." Alfat said to Roll, who was peeking around the corner, startling his old classmates.

"Okay, okay." Luo Er stammered and replied, and then led the two of them to the small living room upstairs.Tom seemed to have just realized the existence of Rolle, and kept staring at his back, making Rolle's hair stand on end.

"I'd like a glass of canyon water," Alphat said. "Tom, would you like something to drink?"

"I just had breakfast," Tom replied. "Roll, can I ask you a few questions?"

coming.Roll swallowed and nodded.

"Have you seen Harry Potter lately?"

Luo Er felt that those black eyes seemed to have shot through his skull, and shook his head quickly.

"No, I didn't see it." Facing Tom's gaze, Luo Er felt his mouth dry.

Alfart looked at Tom, then at Rolle, and pursed his lips slightly.

"I see." Tom looked away at last, and sat down in an armchair.Luo Er almost fled out of the small living room with some fear.

"You scared him, Tom." Alfred sat down on the chair opposite Tom, "Roll is also your follower."

"He lied to me." Tom propped his head on one hand. "He saw Harry yesterday."

Alphat showed a surprised expression, and then suddenly realized: "Occlumency?"

Tom nodded.

"Very remote magic." Alphat said, at this time the waiter came in with a drink, but it was not Roel.

"You've changed a lot this year." Alfred sized up his friend while stirring the ice in the glass, hesitating for a while before continuing, "You and Harry... how did you get separated?"

"I don't know whose fault it is," Tom said after a long time. "Al, will you help me?"

"Of course," said Arfart, taking out his wand and casting a spell over the room, "but you have to tell me why."

"Harry, he seems to have thought of it a long time ago." Tom sighed a long time, and took out the crumpled letter from his pocket, "He won't come back this time."

The letter was not long, and Alfat read it quickly.After thinking for a while, Alphard looked at Tom with some concern: "Are you going to find him?"

"Yes," Tom replied, "even if Dumbledore hid him."

Alphat pursed his lips lightly: "This is not an easy task, Tom."

"So what?" Tom replied softly. "It's enough if you'll help me, Al."

"What are you going to do?" Alphard asked.

"You will definitely agree with me, Al." Tom said, the corners of his lips were habitually bent, but he smiled bitterly.

The feeling of being first in the dark is familiar, but deeply unpleasant.It took Harry a moment to realize that the sensation was pain.

Although the pain was not as unbearable as the Cruciatus Curse, it penetrated into every pore and invaded every inch of skin.The thought of wanting to move the body a little will affect the nerves that seem to be broken soon. The body and five senses seem to be stuck in thick muddy water. Harry can feel someone walking around in a hurry, but he can't touch it. those people.

"Harry, can you hear me?" a muffled voice asked, and Harry struggled to respond to the voice, but there was no strength in his body.

"Professor Dumbledore, Mr. Potter's condition is much better now, and he will wake up as soon as the medicine wears off." Another voice said, this time Harry clearly identified the owner of the voice.

The powerlessness gradually disappeared, and the pain became sharper.Harry frowned involuntarily, then opened his eyes.

"Harry!" Dumbledore's face with a broken nose appeared in his blurred vision, Harry blinked, and subconsciously reached for the bedside table.

"Glasses."

Someone put glasses on him and helped him sit up.Harry recognized the man as Brian, St. Mungo's therapist.

"You're finally awake, Mr. Potter." The therapist breathed a sigh of relief, "How do you feel?"

"Very bad," Harry whispered, looking at Dumbledore.

"It's just me and Mr. Bryan," said Dumbledore. "Miss Prince has gone back."

"Prince?" Harry was a little surprised.

"Miss Irene Prince," said Dumbledore gently, "without her help, I'm afraid you will have to sleep for another week."

Dumbledore handed Harry a piece of paper, and Harry took a look at it, recognizing Tom's handwriting on it, which was the prescription he had written.

The heart suddenly seemed to be clenched, and the pain was unstoppable.

"How long have I been asleep?" Harry asked, his voice hoarse.

"Two weeks." The therapist pushed up his glasses. "You're getting worse, Mr. Potter. You'll need to stay in bed for at least a month."

This is not the worst situation, Harry thought to himself: "Thank you, Mr. Brian, I hope you can keep my illness a secret from me, and that I have returned to England."

The therapist gave Harry a dissatisfied and somewhat annoyed look, and said goodbye to him abruptly: "Then I'll come back to check you tomorrow."

Dumbledore saw Brian off and sat down in the chair beside Harry's bed.

"Sorry, Albus, I've troubled you," Harry whispered, "I didn't want to bother you, if I could."

"Ah, I'd love to be bothered by you." Dumbledore said kindly, crossing his fingers and looking at Harry, "but now I really want to know why you came back to me all of a sudden."

"I want you to help me," said Harry. "I can't see Tom Riddle again. I need to find a safe place to hide."

"With all due respect, I don't seem to be inquiring about your privacy," said Dumbledore, "but you should tell me what happened."

Harry shook his head very slowly: "It was a mistake, Albus, and I can't tell you what happened. I can't stay with Tom, I'll ruin him!"

"It's just your thoughts, Harry." Dumbledore said, "You have been having nightmares when you were unconscious, and you got better after drinking the potion made by Miss Prince, but that potion can't heal your body .This medicine is different from Alex's formula?"

"I know what the consequences will be. The potion was improved by Tom, and the effect of the potion has been greatly enhanced after his modification."

"Not only that, Harry," said Dumbledore sadly, "I'm afraid you won't be able to continue taking that potion in the future."

Harry froze for a moment, looking at him in surprise.

"Do you remember what Mr. Bryan inferred about your condition when you were hospitalized last time?" Dumbledore said, and Harry nodded. "Your condition is exactly the same as his inference."

Harry struggled to recall, and the expression on his face gradually froze.

"So." Harry said with difficulty after a long while, "My memory and thinking will be confused. This may happen in a few hours."

"Maybe a few days, maybe a few months." Dumbledore sighed, "Although that potion can relieve your fatigue and help you maintain your sanity for a certain period of time, it will make your life force go away. faster, and its side effects—"

Harry smiled wryly and shook his head: "It's nothing, Albus, I know I still have a year left. I'd rather keep my sanity than be a lunatic."

Dumbledore was silent.

"Where are we now?" Harry looked around the room he was in with feigned ease.

"This is my mother's house." Dumbledore took off his glasses and wiped the corners of his eyes. "No one has lived in it for many years. I cast a spell on the house. As long as you don't go out, no one will find out that it lives here again." people."

"Aberforth isn't coming back to live here?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore shook his head: "No, as far as I know, he rarely comes back here."

Seeing that Dumbledore had no intention of continuing, Harry changed the subject: "Irene Prince also knows I'm here?"

"She was recommended to me by Horace." Dumbledore said, "Miss Prince promised me to keep it a secret from you, and she would be happy to come and talk to you at the weekend."

Harry thought of the taciturn girl and didn't object.

Dumbledore took a pocket watch out of his robes, looked at it, and stood up. "I'm sorry, Harry, but I have to go back to school for the start-of-term dinner." Dumbledore paused suddenly, and then acted like nothing happened He continued, "You need a good rest. I found a house elf to take care of you. I think you probably remember her."

Dumbledore clapped his hands, and a small figure appeared in front of Harry with a bang.

"Professor Potter." The elf bowed deeply.

"Hello, Kaka, nice to meet you." Harry nodded to the elf.

"I'll see you tomorrow," said Dumbledore, turning to tell the elf to notify Harry if anything happened, and left the room.From the window Harry saw Dumbledore Disapparate in the yard and sink back heavily into the pillow.

The pain still hasn't disappeared, but the heart is more uncomfortable than the body.Harry could almost imagine Tom's anger and shock when he read the letter, and he could also imagine that Tom would go crazy looking for him everywhere.Harry involuntarily put his hands on his chest and closed his eyes tightly.

Erin sat down at the long table in Slytherin. Although her face was as expressionless as usual, her heart sank after seeing the person on the teacher's bench.The newly appointed Defense Against the Dark Arts professor confirmed the rumors he heard during the holidays, and Tom Riddle persuaded the school board and President Dippet to once again agree to the resignation of Professor Mellors and let him succeed Professor Harry. Defense of Magic class, becoming the youngest professor in the history of Hogwarts.

If it wasn't for the secret in her heart, Irene would have laughed from the bottom of her heart at the good news.The students next to them were whispering in the short time before the sorting ceremony began. Some people were talking about the rumors that Dumbledore strongly opposed. Irene shifted her gaze to Dumbledore who was walking in with the sorting hat and the triangular stool.She knew that the rumor was true, and she could still guess why Dumbledore objected to letting Riddle take over the position, but she didn't know the reason why Dumbledore finally compromised.

Tom told Dumbledore that it was Harry's intention to stay at Hogwarts, and he hoped that he would take over from him to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts.Slughorn testified for his favorite student.At that time Harry was still unconscious in St. Mungo's intensive care unit, unaware that his godson had returned to England.

The young man with dark eyes smiled and watched the freshmen sorted into different colleges one by one, and then greeted his future students in the proud introduction of Principal Dippet and the warm applause of all the students in the school.After the dinner, Tom caught up with Dumbledore, who was striding forward, and stopped his former teacher in the corridor.

"Professor Dumbledore, I would like to have a chat with you."

"Now?" Dumbledore was not surprised.Tom didn't immediately ask him about Harry's whereabouts after he came back, but Dumbledore was sure that this clever Slytherin must have guessed Harry's whereabouts, otherwise he wouldn't have entered Hogwarts so quickly.

"If you don't mind—" Tom had the expectant expression Dumbledore was used to.

"I welcome you to my office tomorrow afternoon at 03:30 for afternoon tea," said Dumbledore finally. "I think we should indeed talk."

"Thank you, Professor Dumbledore." Tom bowed slightly, "Good night, then."

Tom watched Dumbledore go up the stairs, and walked in the direction of the cellar himself.Travers and the Slytherins who had followed him all this time were standing at the edge of the corridor, looking tense and excited.A good leader should not disappoint his subordinates, should he?