Chapter Fourteen: 1st Day II and Dumbledore knows

Summer walked through the class to check on everyone's progress. Tom was awake now, but was contently coloring at her desk. She had questioned the child about the nightmares he had seemed to be having during his nap, but Tom had professed that he hadn't had any. Summer got him settled and then began patrolling the class to make sure they were doing the spells right. Well, not right, but as close as could be achieved. She was getting more nervous as the class wore on. She had Harry's year next. She didn't know how it was going to work, or how Tom would react.

Class ended far too soon for her comfort and in only minutes Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Kayla walked into the classroom. Harry smiled briefly at her, also unsure as to what was the proper way to act in their situation. Tom was looking insecurely at him, wanting desperately to run into his surrogate father's arms. Harry turned his attention to the child. Most people knew that Tom was his cousin now that would simply know that they were very close. Harry only had to take a few steps toward the child to get Tom running into the chair and into Harry's open arms.

Tom didn't remember any nightmares like Mummy had asked about, but he still felt scared. He just wanted someone to hold him and not let go. Daddy was doing just that, but he knew his Daddy was here for class and that meant he was going to have to be put down. Harry hugged the child closer to his body, concerned. Tom was clinging to him tighter than he had ever had before. There were no tears but the fear was palpable. What had happened to make him so afraid?

"Tom?" Harry tried to pull back a little to see the child, but the five-year-old only clung tighter. "Did you fall asleep and have a nightmare?" He felt Tom shake his head against the crook of his neck and pull back slightly.

"I did fall asleep, but I don't remember any nightmares. Mummy said I had nightmares, but I can't remember any." Harry nodded, rubbing his back.

"Why are you scared?" Now it was time for tears. Harry hadn't expected Tom to start crying at the question, but he was now used to dealing with a crying child.

"I-I dunno why I'm scared. I just want you to hold me, but I know you can't for long because you're here for class, and Mummy can't either because she's teaching and it hurts her back to hold and the baby inside her tummy." Harry wrapped both of his arms fully around the small body desperately clinging to him.

"If you're quiet I think I convince you're mummy to let you sit on my lap, but you have to be quiet, okay?" Tom nodded immediately while trying to get his crying under control. Harry threw Summer a desperate look and shrugged desperately. She simply nodded her consent, having heard most of the conversation. Most of the class had in fact. Most of the girls were sending sympathetic looks to the child while the boys seemed to be oblivious.

"Does anyone have any objections to Tom staying with Alex while I'm speaking?" No one said anything as Tom raised his head and looked around. Seeing no objections he curled back into Harry and closed his eyes. Harry knew that the child needed to be reassured, what of he wasn't sure, so he settled for stroking the child's hair. He tuned Summer's speech out about how the class was going to be and what she expected of them. He had only heard it a thousand times before school started as she rehearsed everyday.

Five minutes later, Tom had stopped crying, but Harry would still fear coming off the child. Harry stiffened as Tom's hand went his forearm. That wasn't possible. Tom didn't have the Dark Mark. Harry would've noticed it months ago when he had given Tom his first bath. Could he have phantom pains like amputees did? Harry gently the child's hand and rubbed the spot, gently pushing up his sleeve. He felt no mark on the skin and saw none when he checked. Tom shifted against him moving his arm. Harry placed the shirtsleeve back down and began rocking slightly. Tom sighed and relaxed against, letting his muscles go limp but refusing to sleep,

Harry focused back on Summer as she paced in front of their desks. She was now explaining to the class the spell they were going to be doing. It was an advanced shield that Harry learned the first week of being with Phillip. Summer assigned them a foot long essay about what could happen if the spell was done incorrectly and a spell was sent at it. "Once you've completely the spell successfully, and shown me, you can work on your homework assignment." Tom sighed as he heard everyone move around. Harry smiled down at him, gently stroking his cheek.

"I'll show Summer I can do the spell and then you can get back on my lap while I work on homework, okay?" Tom nodded, smiling. Harry knew he was still a little scared, but it was no longer tangible. Tom now just looked like a sleepy child who wanted a lap to curl up on. He trotted over to Summer and folded himself into her robe. Harry smiled at the child making a note to carry a camera with him to capture all of the adorable moments. He quickly practiced the spell with Ron before going up to Summer. Ron was walking with him.

"Did you know how to do this before class started?" Harry smiled sheepishly.

"Yeah, I learned it several months ago. Phillip was attacking a lot of towns near us so Summer taught it to me. I've always been good at Defense Against the Dark Arts anyway." Ron nodded and smiled down at the child who now came out his mother's robes. Tom smiled up at him, suddenly shy.

"I'm Tom." Ron shook the extended hand and Harry laughed. Ron had never been good with meeting strangers no matter what the age. He had heard from Ginny a couple of years ago that he was always uncomfortable around children. Harry could tell that was still true. He was smiling down at the child, but that was it. Tom turned his attention to Harry and lifted his arms in a silent demand to be held. Harry willingly met the demand as Tom curled against him again. Harry stayed to talk to Summer as Ron went to try to convince Hermione to let him join.

With his back to the class, Harry let his mask slip. Summer sighed and leaned against the desk. "I know what you mean. I'm exhausted." Harry simply nodded his agreement, sagging where he stood. Summer's fact softened. She was carrying a baby, teaching, worry about both children, and trying to take care of both. Harry's exhaustion was purely emotional; Summer didn't know which was worse. "How are you holding up?" Harry sighed and shrugged.

"Okay, I guess. It's been hard, and I'm still trying to figure out how I ended up with all my old friends so quickly, but it could be worse." Summer didn't even want to think of all the ways it could be worse. Unconsciously she placed a hand on her stomach.

"OH!" she said loudly causing the whole class to turn to her.

"What's wrong? Is it the baby?" Summer smiled and shook her head,

"I'm fine. The baby just kicked hard. See, there he goes again." Harry relaxed now, breathing returning to normal. Something bad happening to the baby was one of his biggest fears. Wait, what had Summer just had?

"He? The baby's a he?" Summer shrugged.

"I don't know for sure, but I think it might be. I've been saying he in my head. I think I'm going to go to Madame Pomphrey and ask her to check. She if she can tell this." They had asked at Summer's last appointment, but the baby hadn't been in the right position to discover the sex of the child. Tom wiggled in Harry's arms, wanting down. He knew Mummy had said she was fine, but he was worried. He didn't want anything to happen to Mummy or the baby. Summer pulled the child into her lap and hugged him tightly. "I'm fine. It was just the baby kicking. Did you feel that?"

Tom looked down at his side, eyes wide, where he had felt something hit. He nodded as his parents, and several students, looked on smiling. "That's the baby inside. I think he wants to play." Tom placed his hand on Summer's large belly as the baby kicked again.

"That's him?" Summer nodded. She hadn't wanted to have a baby, and sometimes still didn't, but it felt so amazing to know that there was this little human growing inside her, kicking around. It was also incredibly terrifying, but what choice did she have? If she didn't have the child everyone she cared about, and many others, would die. Tom laughed as the baby kicked again against his hand. "When he's born can I play with him?" Tom was smiling at her.

"Yes, but at first you have to be very gently with him." Tom rolled his eyes at her making Harry laugh loudly.

"I know I have to be careful with him. He'll only be a baby," he said this in an "I'm not an idiot" tone of voice. Summer shook her head laughing.

"Okay, smarty pants," she said teasingly and lightly tickled his sides. She glanced back up as a few students came forward. "Alex, you need to start working on your homework." Harry went back to his seat with Tom right behind him. Harry made sure the sleepy child was settled on his lap before dipping his quill in ink and beginning to write. He was almost finished when someone spoke to him.

"He's so cute." Harry looked up, startled, into Kayla's eyes. Suddenly, he couldn't breathe. How could she be so beautiful? Everything would be so much easier if he just told her what was going on. She had a right to now; he knew his death had hurt her.

I have the capability to hurt you, Tom, and Summer through your minds.

Harry focused back on the present and smiled at her, looking down at the now slumbering Tom in his arms. "Yeah, he is pretty cute. He can be a pest sometimes to." Kayla laughed at that.

"I'm sure he can be. I've got some younger cousins. They're adorable when they're sleeping, but then they wake up and the spell is broken." It was Harry's turn to laugh.

"I'm going to remember that." He turned back to his essay as she pulled out her things and began working on her own assignment. Tom looked up at his father and hugged him around the waist. Harry smiled sadly down at the child and hugged him back. Tom knew about his past with Kayla and everything that had happened before he joined Phillip. Harry then frowned down at him. When had Tom woken up? Harry shrugged it off as he felt the child's breathing even out and deepen as the brown haired child fell back asleep.

Harry sighed as class ended. He was going to have to move Tom now and chances were he wasn't going to like it. Harry tried his best not to wake the child, but when placing him back on the day bed Summer had transfigured. Tom blearily opened his eyes and whimpered, arms reaching up for Harry. "Shh," Harry soothed. "Go back to bed honey, I have to go to class now, but Mummy's here, okay?" Tom scowled lightly, but was to sleepy to really protest.

"Go to class, Alex. If you don't leave now you're going to be late. Tom will be fine; let me worry about him for now." Harry didn't bother. There was no arguing when she used that tone of voice.

Professor Binns was as boring as Harry remembered, possible more so. He didn't even try to stay awake. He was going to need all the sleep he could get especially if Tom ended up having another nightmare. Harry was just walking into the Great Hall, still half asleep, when he quite literally ran into the person he desperately wanted to see. Kayla was even easier to deal with than this person. The only one that would hurt more to see, or be more tempting to tell, would be Sirius.

"Sorry," Greg apologized. "I didn't mean to run into you." Harry just stared at him, blind blank. This was his little brother. Wasn't he supposed to protect his little brother? He wanted to protect him. He wanted to protect him so badly.

Give him any indication of who you really are and Tom will be very sorry.

"It's fine; it was my fault, sorry." Greg smiled at him and walked past him out of the hall. Harry took a deep breath and shakily walked over to the Gryffindor table. A very grumpy Tom was walking toward him. Harry scooted over to make room for him on the bench.

"Mummy woke me up. She said I couldn't sleep any longer because I wouldn't be able to go to bed tonight. Can I get on your lap and go to sleep?" Harry shook his head piling both their plates with food.

"Summer's right. If you sleep anymore today you won't be able to sleep tonight, and we need you to sleep at night." Tom sighed, pouting before beginning to eat his meal. Harry gently ruffled his hair and then smoothed it back down. The pout left his face to be replaced by sleepiness. Harry knew Tom was going to need to be back with Summer in the teacher's quarters soon. Harry was distracted from Tom as Ron and Dean began talking Quidditch. He hadn't realized how much he had missed Quidditch, or even just talking about normal things. Talking about something besides stuff you had to so you or someone else wouldn't die, obligations, kids, or something horrible.

Harry forced back the tears rising, suddenly sad. Everything had turned so horribly wrong. He was supposed to stay with Sirius and Greg. He was supposed to get the chance to be a kid, the reclaim his childhood, but everything had been shattered in one instant. He was never going to have that chance. There would be no parent in the middle of the night when he needed comfort. He would never have someone do for him what he did for Tom, Jenny, and what he would do for his future child. Phillip had taken that all from him. Phillip had taken any chance he had of ever having an even semi-formal live.

If you forget that, I'll take something else from you.

Harry fed up with everything got up and left. He couldn't stay here one more second. He needed to hit something. He needed to scream. He needed to cry. He needed…someone. He wanted a parent, as much as he hated to admit it to himself. Harry started running. He didn't know where he was running, or where he was running to, he just needed to move.

Albus Dumbledore calmly made his way to his office unsurprised to find Harry Potter bent over, huffing and puffing. "Hello, Alex." The teen shot up, startled. "Why don't you come with me to my office so we can talk?" Harry swallowed, nervous, but followed the headmaster into his office. Harry sat across him in the same chair that he sat in numerous times before.

"How have your classes been, Harry?"

Bluff. Do not tell him who you really are.

"My name's Alex, not Harry." Dumbledore smiled gently at him, eyes twinkling, but Harry noticed they were oddly sad.

"I have to disagree. I noticed yesterday at the feast. You are Harry Potter. I don't understand why you caved and acc-

"I didn't cave, as you put it. You would've done the same thing."

SHUT UP! One more word, and I will hurt Tom

What if he really had figured it out? He is said to be the greatest wizard alive.

Then we have a problem. Don't tell him the truth. I have something even more important to attend to at the moment.

Harry frowned. There was something more important than him exposing himself to the Headmaster and everyone else? Phillip had acted like this was the most crucial thing, and now something was more important?

"I'm sorry if I offended you. I don't know the circumstances of why you are here, but I do know that you are Harry Potter, you are obviously not dead, and your "cousin" is somehow Tom Riddle though I do not know which potion was used to de-age him. I also do not know what Summer is hiding, but I know she is not your aunt nor is she Tom's aunt. I also do not think that she really is a single mother. I think the father is here." Dumbledore gave him a knowing look; Harry's mind was once again blank.

I do not care if you tell him. Dumbledore is a meddling, foolish, egotistical-

Harry drowned Phillip out and nodded. "I'm the father, but I can not tell why we are having a baby. In fact, I need to leave. Now." Harry stood up and left the office without a look back.

Summer was wrestling with a cranky and tired Tom to get into the tub. The only thing Tom had off was his shirt. "Harry, will you get Jenny?" Summer snapped at him before turning back and snapping at Tom. Harry felt slightly sorry for the child as fat tears rolled down his cheeks because of Summer's harsh tone. Jenny cried a couple of minutes longer, but was quiet once Harry gave her a bottle.

Summer was still struggling with Tom as Harry came back past the bathroom. "Do you want me to get him to take a bath? I think Jenny's wanting you anyway." Summer sighed and looked at the baby in Harry's arms whose arms were reaching toward her. Summer wordlessly stood up and took Jenny from his arms. Harry knelt in front of Tom who was still crying with his arms crossed, lower lip out in a pout. "Why don't you want to take a bath? You usually like taking a bath."

"I don't wanna." Harry could hear the exhaustion in the child's voice. Harry reached and pulled his pants down. Tom was rubbing his eyes read to sit in the floor and cry. His throat, head, and tummy hurt. Once he was ready to get in the tub Tom did sit down in the floor, curl his knees to his chest, and cry. Harry stepped away from the tub and scooped the child up again in his arms.

"Tom, are you feeling bad anywhere?" Tom nodded against his shoulder.

"My head, throat, and tummy. Everything things feels sort of funny. Am I sick?" Tom was crying and shriving slightly. The towel wrapped around him wasn't very warm.

"I think you are, but you need a bath. The warm water will probably help that funny feeling." Tom reluctantly allowed himself to be lowered into the tub. Harry noted the child's pale face and flushed cheeks. He must've caught what Jenny had. Harry quickly washed the sick child, dried him, and dressed him in his pajamas. Summer was sitting in Jenny's nursery, rocking her. "Is she doing any better? I think Tom has it now."

"Yes, she's doing better. There's some medicine here that you can give to Tom. It's a twenty-four hour thing and Poppy sent down some extra medicine incase Tom or once of us got it." Harry gave Tom the medicine and then laid down beside him at the child's request. It was only when he was falling asleep when he realized that he hadn't told Summer about Dumbledore knowing some of their secret.

Author's Note: Okay, an update after almost 2 years!!! nervous giggle for anyone who is reading this. Hopefully people will. I'm going to try to send alerts to people who have reviews, and DEPENDING ON THE RESPONSE I GET, I WILL UPDATE! I have ideas, and I will update. I still have a week left until school starts so if the response is good I will update before the week is over, so REVIEW!! I feel lame for saying sorry for the delay, but this note would freakishly long if I listed the reasons for the almost 2 year hiatus. So, I'm sorry, and

PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!