Tommy, Son of a Dark Lord

 

Chapter Thirteen: Tommy - A Riddle

 

‘Tommy’ woke two hours later, screaming like a frightened child until Harry came running into the room. He found the man curled up in a corner, crying loudly, eyes darting around and a red spot on the side of his face rapidly turning the purple of a bruise. Harry rushed over, reaching out carefully to touch the damaged skin while saying comforting words. “It’s okay.  You’re safe. How did you do this?”

“Harry! Harry!  Harry Potter!” Tommy cried until Harry touched his face and his eyes found the green one’s that were looking his way. “Harry Potter?  You are here?” Harry’s lap was again filled with the crying man and his nose detected a fresh odor similar to the one he had spelled away earlier.  “You found me.  You saved me.  I knew you would. You are my savior.” Tommy said rocking in the wizard’s arms as Harry cuddled him close.  The words stopped and he looked down to find hazel eyes staring at him innocently as the ‘boy’ in his arms sucked the same thumb as earlier and tears wet the front of his shirt.

“It’s okay.  I’m here. You’re safe, . . . Tommy.” Harry repeated pausing before using the unfamiliar name and watching the face that watched him. “What happened to you?  I‘ll bet you are hungry.” Innocent eyes looked excited at the mention of food and Harry laughed heartily. “Okay, so that was a good guess. How about we clean you up, first?  A nice hot bath and then lunch, okay?”  Tommy nodded slowly and Harry helped him to his feet. “The bathroom is in there.  What do you want to eat?”

“I wiked it when Daddy fed me milk.” Tommy said looking at the door that Harry had indicated. “It was sweet and made me sweepy.”

“Milk? Um, how about soup and sandwiches, too?” Harry suggested and Tommy shrugged. “Go take a bath.  I’ll have Kreacher make some.” 

Tommy crossed into the bathroom and stared at the various pieces of porcelain.    

Harry had convinced Kreacher to make a special lunch and bring it to the guest room and he was returning to the room when he heard sobbing coming through the door. He hurried through to find Tommy sitting on the floor rocking back and forth with his arms around his knees. He was sobbing softly as he stared at the tub.

Harry wrapped his arms around the boy and pet him gently.  “What is it?  What’s wrong now?”

“I-I don’t know what to do . . .” Tommy said, his words broken by hiccoughs.

“Don’t know . . .how to bathe?” Harry asked and the dark curls bobbed in answer. “Well, that’s  . . .um, that’s okay. I’ll help you.” he said and Tommy stopped rocking and looked up. “Yes, I will. Just wait while I fill the tub.”

Harry saw a look of joy suffuse the face that he’d only thought could sneer before today. He moved away to fill the tub, then he helped Tommy undress and lifted him into the water. Soon, the boy was splashing Harry until he was nearly as wet as the other and Tommy was completely clean. Harry dried his charge and looked at the pile of dirty clothes. Tommy looked at them, too.

“I took those.  They aren’t mine.  I couldn’t find mine.  Daddy kept them in a trunk near my crib.  He kept my nappies there, too.” the black-haired boy said.

Harry stared in shock for a second as the words became clear. He stammered around unspoken words for a minute then took a deep breath. “Okay, so we’ll improvise. First, we’ll need . . . .nappies.” Harry said looking around.  He pulled two smaller towels out of the cabinet and held them up.  They seemed the right size and doubled they’d be thick enough.  He hoped.

Tommy watched silently, his thumb installed in his mouth, until Harry laid the larger towel down on the floor.  He quickly lay down, his knees bent and his butt lifted conveniently. Harry smiled inadvertently, and slid the doubled towels under the proffered buttocks and wrapped it over the other’s genitals.

“Daddy had pins.” Tommy said.

“I don’t have any. I’ll spell it closed for now.” Harry said waving his wand.  “Now, clothes.  Accio bag.” He said, waving his wand toward the other room.  The bag from Wrongnat’s came flying through the air. Harry reached inside and pulled out the items, putting them on the towel as he dug deeper. Tommy picked up the pacifier and smiled.  He put it into his mouth and sucked while he grabbed the toy wand.

When Harry pulled out the t-shirt and shorts he had bought for Teddy‘s next visit, he looked back and found Tommy sucking happily on the dummy while rattling the toy wand.

“You like those, do you?  Well, okay.  Watch this, now.” Harry said holding up the pale blue shirt with a hippogryph flying across it and a matching pair of shorts.  He waved his wand and the cloth stretched in his hand.  When it was large enough he put his wand away and started to dress the black-haired boy.  Tommy smiled around the dummy and lifted his butt again.  

“So, how did you hurt your face?” Harry asked as he pulled Tommy up and put the shirt over his head.

“Fell out of bed.  No rails.” Tommy pulled out the pacifier and explained as Harry sized up some socks and began stuffing them over his feet, then he helped Tommy up and they returned to the bedroom. Kreacher had set up a small table with soup and sandwiches and a pitcher of milk.  Harry pushed in Tommy’s chair and poured him a bowl of soup.  Tommy eyed it dubiously.

“Can you use a spoon?” Harry asked and Tommy stared at him. “Oh, okay." Harry said, picking up the spoon and scooping some for his guest. “Open up.” he coaxed as he aimed for the other’s mouth.  Tommy accepted the spoon and smiled as he swallowed.

“This is good!” he said, opening for another bite.

It took an hour to finish the bowl and tear the sandwich into small bits.  The milk was a bigger problem, so Harry accio’d one of Teddy’s bottles and filled it with the drink.

Tommy climbed down and sat on the floor, tipping the bottle up and swallowing its contents.  Before it had emptied, he was curled up and dozing on the carpet.

After a quick levitation spell, Harry tucked him into the bed, smiling as Tommy’s lips curled around the nipple. He waved his wand at the bed, causing the sides to rise and emulate the bars of a crib, just high enough to keep the sleeping man from rolling over the side.

 

 

“Kreacher, watch him and come get me if he wakes up. I will be at Malfoy Manor.” Harry said as he pulled his robe closed.

“Kreacher will guard young Master Tommy, but Kreacher does not change messy clothes.  Never did for Masters Sirius or Regulus,” the elf muttered looking irritable. 

“No, that ’s fine.  We probably won’t have him long, once I talk to the Malfoys. I’ll be back.” Harry said stepping out and lifting his broom.

The Malfoys hated anyone apparating onto their property, so Harry would apparate to the countryside nearby then fly to their home. He had not been there since the time before the battle of Hogwarts.  A half an hour later, he was walking through the entry and being led to a parlor by a house elf.  Inside, Lucius, Narcissa and . . .Draco, sat around a glowing fireplace. 

Harry froze in the doorway.

“Mr. Potter.  What a surprise. Is there something we can do for you?” Lucius asked standing and stepping forward.

“I . . .I’m sorry. I thought I had found something of yours . . .but, I can see that I was mistaken.” Harry said nodding toward the blond, who looked exactly like he had sixth year. 

“Something of ours?” Narcissa said, looking at her son. “What could you have possibly found that would bring you here?”

Harry continued to stare at the younger Malfoy as he processed the words of the blonde witch.  “Oh, eh. . A wand. . I thought it might be Malf . . Draco’s.” he said, pulling out the hawthorn wand.

“You’re wand, . . .Draco.” Lucius said taking a step forward, then stopping and looking at his son.

Oliver stared at the wand, swallowing so hard his Adam’s apple bobbed, though no actual sound emerged.  “How . . .how did you get it?” he asked, but made no move to stand or get closer.

“I took it from you, . . . right here.” Harry said, looking around the room. “Don’t you remember? When I was brought here . . .with the others and I grabbed it when we escaped . . .them.”  

Oliver swallowed again as Harry moved closer, holding the wand toward the blond. “I . . I don’t think . . . I can take it back.” Oliver said.

“But, it’s yours.  It belongs to you, I only borrowed it. Please take it.” Harry said shaking it in front of Oliver.

Oliver lifted his hand slowly, blinking hard and trying not to shake. Narcissa’s hand went to her mouth, hiding her quivering lip that she was sure would tell the world their secret.

“Take your wand, son. Merlin know we could use it around here, until Ollivander can replace mine.” Lucius commanded though his voice held no security and his eyes darted back and forth between his son and the hand that held the proffered tool.

Oliver looked at the man once more before reaching out.  His mind repeated his mantra, “I am Draco.  I deserve this wand. I am a Malfoy, it’s mine.” as he touched the handle and his fingers wrapped around the hawthorn wood. A glow seeped from the wand and up the arm of its owner, accepting the wizard as if it had just come from the box in the wandmaker’s shop.

Oliver looked up.

Harry nodded and stepped back, releasing his hold on the other end and turning toward the door.

“That takes care of that.” he said as he continued through and out of the manor.

 

AN: This is the only story that I had a back-up for more than was already posted.  Anna and I are struggling to recreate the others and I'll post as soon as possible.  Sadly, one of her other stories, that I was going to post on here, was also lost and she will have to dig out an old disk that has a copy to do so.

I'm not expecting to get my laptop back, but at least I got a partial reimbursement and I'll be investing in a new desktop for now.

Thanks to everyone who expressed their concerns.