Blinded By The Past, Ignored In The Future
Chapter 22
TWENTY-TWO: Behavior Problems
Disclaimer: I do not own the lyrics. They belong to a group that I strongly dislike even though they are not together any more.
Response To Reviews:
Emma Ackroyd: I didn't get much for Christmas (yeah I did). I have a headache for some reason so sorry if I can't go into detail. But I did get lots of gilry stuff that I didn't want.
deathsoul-shiningami: I love being unpredictable. It's nice but I don't think I will try romance between Tonks and Remus.
Natalia R: Yeah umm try to ignore the mistakes in grammar and spelling. Otherwise I think this is one of my better stories. You ask so many questions *grabs head* but I'm sure most of them will be answered in the story soon enough. Oh and about their Animagus forms Lucius was a Falcon, Tom was a King Cobra, and Ruby was an albino Arctic Fox.
Miss Mina Murray: I'm still not too sure if I will have romance between Tonks and Remus but I might so be prepared for either. I hope I-I mean you have a wonderful New Year's too.
Lady Evanescence: I thought bringing Tonks in would lighten the mood a bit. I'll try to keep it up but I'm also working on my other story I Am Dansmesyeux Riddle. Maybe you could look into that if you're interested.
Marauder1prongs: Finally you decide to catch up. That took forever.
DeadlyFate: Don't worry. Tom's still not completely happy yet. Though I'm not sure if Tonks and Remus will hit it off.
Vencficium-Femella: Hermione will be back. As a matter of fact she is in this chapter.
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Previous Chapter: He looked at the ground as the smell of blueberry muffins filled his nostrils and the two Order members began to talk freely. Through all of the facades that Tom daily put up, trying to pretend that he had no memories of his two friends plagued him the most. He was reminded of them every time he turned around, every time he saw Remus watching him, and even every time that Tonks paid a surprise visit. Perhaps one day, Tom though, I will forget it all and finally be able to stay herein peace.
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The next day (Dumbledore had done his check up on them the day before) Tom and Remus decided it was time to decoration the house for Christmas since they hadn't gotten around to it yet. Remus had set up the tree and pulled out a huge box of ordainments and lights, telling Tom that he could decorate the tree however he wanted. Then, to add to the feeling of Christmas, Remus brought an old cassette player into the room and just as he went to play the tape there came a knock from the door.
"I'll get it," Remus announced. Once he had left the room Tom walked over to the cassette player and saw a button that said 'Play'. Hoping he wouldn't break it, he pressed it and the button stayed down. As he began to think that he messed it up it began to emit rather loud music. He starred at it at first then listened to the words.
"Merry
Christmas and Happy Holidays
Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas
Happy Holidays
We've been waiting all year for this night
And the snow is glistening on the trees outside
And all the stockings are hung by the firseide
Waitng for Santa to arrive
And all the love will show
'Cause everybody knows
It's Christmastime and
All the kids will see
The gifts under the tree
It's the best time of the year for the family
It's a wonderful feeling
Feel the love in the room
From the floor to the ceiling
It's that time of year
Christmastime is here
And with the blessings from above
God sends you his love
And everybody's okay
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas
Happy Holidays"
Tom let the music take him away, ignoring the voices from the other room. He sat down on the floor by the black radio-like thing and sighed in relaxation. Completely oblivious to the sound of footsteps coming into the room he closed his eyes and listened to the next part.
"Bells are
ringing
It's time to scream and shout (scream and shout)
And everybody's playing cause school's out
Celebrating this special time we share
Happiness cause love is in the air"
"What is he doing?" someone asked.
"I believe he has discovered the uses of a tape player," came Remus's reply. He felt himself being pulled to his feet by his arm much to his silent protests. "Tom, aren't you going to get working on the decorations for the tree?"
"Mmmm…" murmured Tom.
"Hey, like they say 'music sooths the inner beast'."
Tom's eyes shot to the visitors and he saw Potter, Weasley, and Hermione. "I thought they died," Tom moaned silently.
"Leave him be," Remus warned the Gryffindors. Tom made Remus let go of his arm and he walked over to the tree, the Golden Trio still starring after him. "Tom?"
"Hmm?"
"I'm going to show you what each set of lights and ordainments do so come here. Harry, Ron, Hermione, you three come here too." Remus knelt down by the tree, motioning for the others to do the same, and he picked up a box of golden tree ordainments that were flashing red.
"James and Sirius put a spell on these when we were in out sixth year, Harry, and they offered them to Dumbledore who decided that they would look good on the Great Hall's Christmas tree." Potter seemed to not want to comment on what Remus had told him. Tom cast him a sneering look but Potter ignored it and watched Remus with interest. "And do you know what? I haven't the finest idea of what to get you for Christmas."
Potter looked startled then he said hastily, "You don't have to get me anything, Professor."
Remus held up his hands to quiet the raven-haired boy. "Please, Harry. I'm not your Professor and I really want to get you something; something beside a book or things revolving around school." A mischievous smile spread across his face then he said, "How about I take all of you to Diagon Ally so you each can pick something for yourselves."
"You don't have to do that!" Hermione exclaimed. "That's really to much, Pro-Remus."
Potter nodded. "Yeah we can't let you do that! It will coast too much!" They both looked at Weasley who hadn't tried to talk the werewolf out of it.
"Do what you want," he said and both of his friends elbowed him in the side. "Owww…umm...I mean you can't do that…but, you know, if you want to." Again Potter and Hermione elbowed him in the side. Remus laughed at their show but and Tom looked at him with a perplexed face; he failed to see the humor in their idiotic act.
Remus clapped Tom on the shoulder when he noticed that he wasn't enjoying himself. "Try to relax, kid. Harry, Ron, and Hermione aren't here to harm you. They're here with on my invitation so I ask you to please try and get along with them." Even after the small speech Tom looked at the old Professor as though he hadn't understood a word of it. "What's wrong? Surly you don't doubt that Harry and Ron are grateful that you saved their best friend, Hermione?"
It took a while for Remus's words to register through his mind. A quick feeling of jealousy of how he treated Potter ran through him and he quickly said while trying to hide his anger, to the two boys, "I didn't intend to act like a complete jerk for ignoring your presence. I'm sorry if I offended you in anyway and hope that you understand that I helped Miss Ganger out of pure instinct and nothing more." To add to his fake politeness Tom made sure that his eyes didn't met those of the Gryffindors. He just prayed that he hadn't screwed up so bad that Remus wouldn't want him around.
"Tom." Remus sighed.
"Yes, sir?" Tom asked. At that moment he silently prayed that Remus wasn't too angry with him.
"I'm not mad at you."
Though it felt as though the weight of the world was lifted from his shoulders, he decided to comment. He forced his voice to be steady and without emotion as he said, "I'm glad to hear that but I was taught never to meet the gaze of your superiors."
"Tom!"
"Yes, sir?"
"Knock it off! Your act isn't very impressive and I'm not very happy with you."
"Big whoop," Tom meant to say to himself but it somehow came out of his mouth and Remus's brow furrowed, a frown upon his face that Tom never thought possible of the gentle werewolf's nature.
Remus turned to his three guests and said, "I'm terribly sorry bout his behavior. He's not usually like this." Remus looked at Tom harshly and added, "And I think a nice nap would do him some good." The trio exchanged looks as Tom stubbornly folded his arms over his chest in a child-like manor. Seconds later Remus was dragging Tom out of the room and down the hall to his room; all the while Tom yelled that he was hurting his arm.
As much as he didn't want to Remus forced Tom into his room and shut the door rather forcefully. "What the hell was that? Well? The Headmaster said that you were a brilliant child, where's the brilliance in what you just did?"
Tom mumbled something that Remus couldn't hear. "I didn't quite here that, Tom. What did you say?"
"I said I don't know, sir," Tom repeated as calmly as he could. "Why don't you break out the belt? I'm sure your arm needs the exercise!"
"Stop it. I warning you to stop it now," said Remus, pointing a shaking finger at the teen.
"Make me!" challenged Tom.
"I. Will. Not. Hit. You." Remus slowly whispered, still furious.
"Go ahead! Everyone seems to like to! I'm just a "little weed" that can't understand how humans feel, right? That's all I am! You invited those Gryffindors over here just to make me see that you don't really like me! Truth is you can't stand me! I'm just Lord Vol-Vold-" But Tom never finished. He fell to his knees willingly showing his weakness to Remus whose facial expression went from enraged to worried in a second.
Remus dropped to the ground and pulled Tom close. He had almost forgot that Tom was still fragile; that he was ready to beak at any moment over the slightest thing. Maybe a hug once a day would help him more than just me being there could, Remus thought.
He sat there patting Tom's back for a while as the boy tried to regain control. Remus heard the door shut with his heightened wolf sences and realized that Harry, Ron, or Hermione must have come looking for him and left after finding Tom in this condition.
"You wouldn't have hit me, would you?" Tom finally asked.
"Of course not," Remus said while helping the Slytherin to his feet. "I'll tell you what." Tom looked up at him. "If you swear you won't start anything you can come back out there with me."
"What if they start it?"
"Then feel free to use your Slytherin charm in defence," replied Remus, giving him a warm smile. "Now let's go decorate that tree."
"Can I help with the other decorations too?" asked Tom.
"Sure." Remus said as Tom wiped his eyes dry. He grinned and Remus put him in a headlock and ruffled his black hair so it looked as untidy as Harry's. As soon as the door was open he gave Tom a friendly push out of the room in which the teen didn't seem to mind.
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A/N: Sorry if anyone's confused or if this wasn't at all that good. Please feel free to say that sucked. I'll stop the "I'm such a bad author thing now". I hope you al get the picture that Tom is still unstable.
