Disclaimer- I do not own Harry Potter
Warnings- AU, horror, non magic, Violence, supernatural, Grammar and spelling.
Protecting Yours Truly
Chapter three ~ Murky Waters
"Come on James this can't be right." Lily pleaded as she paced the length of the kitchen, hands wringing in front of her. "I mean isn't Harry too old for imaginary friends?" James sat back in the chair he had taken when Lily dragged him into the room.
"Relax Lil's, he's just being a kid." Lily turned to her husband green eyes narrowed.
"Relax!" James sat up straighter. " James Potter don't you dare tell me to relax. Do you even understand? this could hurt Harry." Standing James walked over to Lily and gripped her by the shoulders; he dipped down looking into her eyes.
"Lily dear it's fine, this wont hurt Harry at all. It's most likely due to the move. Pretty soon Harry will forget all about Tom." He smiled at her hands soothing over stiff shoulders.
"How could you possibly know that James?" her eyes pleaded with him, looking at him seeking answers. Answers, which James could grant her.
"Because I had an imaginary friend. Though I was younger then Harry. But the fact remains I had one and nothing ever happened to me." He ran a hand to her face gently stoking away the worry lines. "You have nothing to worry about. Most kids end up with an imaginary friend at some time."
"I never did." James smiled at her.
"Well you did have your witch of a sister growing up." Lily's hand snapped out smacking James on the arm.
"Don't you dare make fun of Petunia." James rubbed his arm a wide smiled on his face; even when Lily glared at him full force.
"Oh come on Lily you and I both know your sister's a dreadful witch." He grinned cheekily.
"James!" Holding up his hands James backed away from his scorned wife, her hands on her hips and her green eyes narrowed to slits.
"Alright, alright. Now before I got side tracked, I was just trying to say, that imaginary friends are more common in families with an only child." James took a step towards Lily and wrapped his arms around her. "Toms just here to help Harry cope with the change of moving. I'm sure that when he makes his first real friend, Tom will just fade away. For now we just go along with it." Lily looked up her bottom lip caught between her teeth. "Fine, if it doesn't go like that then we will seek help, that make you feel better?" She leaned up pecking James lips; pulling back she smiled up at him.
"Very."
Harry leaned on the top of the couch; his green eyes burning a hole at the entrance to the kitchen where, not to long ago his parents had retreated. He didn't understand why they had to talk, nor why they couldn't seem to see Tom. Harry glanced to his side seeing the dark hair boy sitting properly next to him. Harry twisted and flopped on the couch sideways.
"Tom?" said boy turn his head looking at Harry; he raised a brow in question. "Why couldn't my parents see you?" Tom let out a soft sigh.
"They didn't want to see me, not a lot of people do. You're the first person to see me in a while." Harry scooted closer to Tom his bright eyes wide. There was a lingering sadness to Tom's answer.
"Are you really here?"
"But of course, you can see me. That makes me real."
"Are you lonely?" Tom took in Harry's rapid attention it was strange coming from the hyperactive child. Thinning his lips Tom hissed out a short answer.
"Yes." Harry lunged forward hugging Tom with all his might. Pulling back Harry looked up seeing Tom's bewildered features.
"Don't be, you have me now. I promise to always see you." He smiled sweetly. "It's a deal yes?" he held his hand out to Tom. Blue eyes stared at the hand then traveled up the length looking to Harry's face, slowly as if Tom was in disbelief his own hand rose, Harry quickly latched onto Tom's cold hand and stated firmly. " I promise not to forget you Tom, not now, not ever." Blue eyes flashed, their hands shook firmly. Tom breathed in sharply then his lips moved, Tom made a promise to Harry.
"I'll protect you." Bright green eyes widened and Harry gasped out.
"Protect me? Protected me from what?" Tom's hand not being held by Harry's drifted upwards and fingered a strained of Harry's hair, then it fell down to his side.
"Indulge me Harry, let me have this without explaining." They looked at one another Harry's eyes seeking out answers and Tom's lingering on Harry. "Please." The cold hand griped Harry's just a little tighter.
"Alright Tom, but you still have to tell me one day, ok?"
"Only if I have to." Their hands slid from one another, Harry shivered from the cold of Tom's own touch.
"Fair enough." Harry looked around the room becoming fidgety, snapping his gaze to Tom Harry blurted out. "Hey Tom want to see my room?"
"That would be acceptable." Harry pulled a face; the pout forming had Tom sigh. "Yes Harry I would like that." Harry grinned at Tom then shoot off the couch, his hand gripping Tom's and yanking him off the seat.
"Mom, dad I'm showing Tom my room!" Lily and James walked into the entrance; Lily frowned as she looked to her bouncing son.
"Harry I-" a firm hand was placed onto her shoulder, gently squeezing. Lily looked to James who was smiling; Lily smiled back then looked to her expecting son. "Be careful, no horsing around."
"No problem mom." Harry looked to the side smiling widely. "Come on Tom its this way." He raced out of the room, unknown to Harry's parents Tom followed at a slower pace, making Harry have to wait by the stairs. "Tom! You're so slow." Harry wined drawing out a smirk from the other boy.
"I am not slow Harry, I just like taking my time." He arrived at the stairs, Harry looked down as he was up on the first step.
"But-"
"No buts, now show me to your room." Harry's pout fell and a happy smiled graced his lips.
"Alright." He grabbed Tom and raced up the stairs. "This way." He turned a corner and jerked open a door holding it to allow Tom to enter first. "This is my room." Looking around the room Tom was happy that everything was in order.
"You are very clean." He looked to Harry, who had rushed to his bed and flopped down on it. Green eyes looked to him and Harry let out a soft snort.
"Mom say's I have to keep-" he rose on his elbows, freeing his hands as he made quotation with his fingers. "-'My space' clean, or suffer the consequences."
"What are the consequences?" Tom went to the bed and sat down next to Harry, as the smaller boy scooted over then sat up looking into blue eyes.
"I have one day to clean my room, but if by the next day it's not done, she'll come in with a trash bag, and anything on the floor not suppose to be, goes in the trash never to be seen again." He pulled a face bottom lip sticking out. "I only had it happen once. She though out a lot of cool stuff. Ever since then I've kept my room clean." He blinked tilting his head. "I've grown use to having a clean room, all my things are where they should be." Tom smiled lightly at that.
"She installed a good habit in you."
"Hey I'm not a computer Tom, things don't get installed in me, I learn." Harry grinned his one hand pushing Tom's shoulder; Tom chuckled and pushed Harry back. "Boo. Oh hey wanna play hide and seek again?" Tom nodded his head. "Awesome, I'll be 'it' this time. Um no hiding in my parents room ok?"
"No basement." Harry grinned. "I don't want boxes to fall all over me." The grin grew.
"Alright!" Harry flopped to the bed. "Better hide Tom!" he then pronounced loudly as he counted down. Making out when Tom took off out of the room, smiling Harry joyfully continued.
He raced down the stairs pausing at a closet door Harry tore it open. He and Tom had been playing hide and seek for a few hours now. Each taking their turns, and now Harry had to find Tom again. It was becoming harder to find him, like the older boy knew just where to hide so Harry couldn't find him.
Harry let out a sigh not seeing Tom in the closet; he shut the door and raced by his mother, who was holding a plant up away from him.
"No running in the house!" He slowed down to a very fast trot, till he made it to the liven room, and then he was running again. James smiled as Harry dashed by him on the couch. Pausing once again Harry looked to his grinning father.
"Dad you see Tom?"
"Can't say I have kiddo." Harry pouted his breath coming out in pants. "Why not try the kitchen yeah?" Harry nodded and raced over to the doorway to the kitchen, Lily caught sight of him again.
"Harry James Potter I told you no running in the house!" she hollered even as Harry ran into the next room. "Harry!"
"Sorry mom, wont happen again!" Lily shook her head then went to the dinning room table to place the plant there.
"You better not."
Harry looked around the kitchen, ducking down to look under the kitchen table, and opening cupboards. Frowning Harry looked to the basement door, he went to it touching the cool doorknob, twisting the handle to open it. He got inch then he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end, just as wisp of air blew on his neck. Shivering Harry looked over his shoulder. He let out a gasp jumping back and falling sideways, Harry hit the ground exclaiming.
"Tom!" smirking Tom looked down on Harry as Harry held his hands to his rapidly beating heart.
"Yes Harry?"
"Don't yes Harry me, you scared the living day lights out of me. Where did you come from." Tom leered at him crossing his arms Tom leaned coolly against the basement door, effectively closing it the inch it had opened.
"I was in the pantry, I would not have come out, if you had not been looking in the wrong place." Harry sat up, but looked at Tom with a sour expression.
"You play dirty T-" Lily waked into the room; she stalled at the entry looking at her son sprawled on the floor.
"What are you doing on the floor?" Looking over Harry smiled brightly up at her.
"I fell down." Shaking her head Lily went over to the stove, pulling a lid off the pot steam rose and curled into the air. Looking in Lily took a spoon and stirred the spaghetti sauce.
"Get off the floor Harry." Jumping up the 9 year old trotted over to his mother, motioning for Tom to follow. If Lily saw the gesture she ignored it.
"Looks really good mom, we going to have bread, or garlic bread with it?"
"Bread." Harry smiled one hand fiddling with the counter top; he then looked up to Lily green eyes wide and pleading, drawing a sharp breath from Lily.
"Can Tom stay for dinner?" Lily bit her lip and looked away from Harry and stirred the sauce. She was thinking about her response and missed as Harry tilted his head slightly like he was listening to someone whisper into his ear.
"Well I guess, um-" A hand tugged on her wrist, and Lily looked down to Harry who was smiling up at her.
"Never mind Tom says he has to go soon."
"Oh, ok, maybe next time?" Harry beamed up at her then leaned in hugging her middle.
"Thanks, I'm going to my room for a bit." He pulled back. "Come on Tom." He looked to the other boy smiling all the way to his eyes, even if Lily or James couldn't see Tom, Harry could, and that's all that mattered. He raced from the room hearing his mother scold him.
"No running!" letting out a laugh Harry jumped up the stairs, Tom diligently following him, all the way into his room. Harry spun around and looked to Tom.
"You really got to go?"
"No." Tom walked over the bed and sat down, he flattened the wrinkles in his pants then turned his attention back to Harry as he plopped down next to him.
"Oh why'd you say you did?" Tilting his head Harry watched as Tom moved his hand to move a piece of hair out of his face.
"I don't eat." Harry blinked.
"Oh." He frowned and shifted on the bed. "What are you going to do when I'm eating?"
"I'll wait for you."
"Really?" Tom nodded. "Then we can play some more?"
"Naturally." Harry jumped up and danced around the room. Tom watched in amusement.
"Harry! Come and set the table dinners almost ready." Harry stopped and looked his door pouting.
"Well that was quick." He looked to Tom tilting his head. "See you soon?"
"I'll be waiting." Tom pulled a book off of the night table and made him self comfortable on the bed, Harry grinned.
"Awesome, bye for now Tom." Blue eyes watched Harry run out of the room.
"No running Harry!"
"Sorry mom." Tom hid his smirk behind the book. Harry was a very hyper child, but that also made the younger boy more endearing. Shaking his head Tom looked down to the book and began to read.
Harry looked into the foggy mirror, squinting Harry made a face. He had been forced into a bath right after dinner. Lilly telling him he had to clean up. She ushered him in the room telling him she would get his nightclothes. Harry hadn't had the time to tell Tom, and now he was sulking about it. Grabbing his toothbrush Harry set to his task, the sooner he got this done the better.
He bounced up and down on his stepping stool as he counted in his head. His dad had told him he had to brush his teeth for at lest 60 seconds, and even if he counted really fast Harry always got distracted, and had to start over again. On the fourth try Harry finally made it to 60, he spat the foamy paste into the sink. Then rinsed his tooth brush off and ran his hands under the cold water splashing it around the bowl.
Placing his toothbrush into the cup, Harry turned and jumped down from his stepping stool, his feet recoiled at the cold tiles. Harry's feet made tapping noises was he walked across the bathroom, looking to his side Harry frowned at the towel on the ground, walking over he picked it up. Going over to the rack he didn't notice the sudden absence of the sound of his feet hitting the tiles. He shivered as the room became strikingly cold, shaking it off Harry struggled to put the towel on the rack. Just hooking it over there was the sound of a loud bang as the door -which had been a smidge open to clam his mom down- slammed shut. Harry squeaked and rushed to the door, hands grabbing the handle he pulled.
"Mom?" He blinked and tried again, it wouldn't budge. Letting out a breath Harry frowned as he could see a white cloud form in front of his face. his panic rose, his toes curled on the floor seeking warmth. Harry's heart hammering in his chest he tugged at the door again. "Ma!" just then the tap turned on full blast, Harry snapped his head to the sink seeing the water turned from crystal clear to mucky brown. His mind dizzying, and unnatural fear running wild, his hands clenching the door handle so tight Harry did the only thing he could think of, he screamed.
"Dad! Daddy!"
A/N Oh now that's interesting. some supernatural stuff going on there. I'm starting to get right into this story, but I want to get to the supernatural stuff so bad, but I don't want it to be too soon. am I setting the pace alright? I hope so. anyways hope you all like it, sorry for the cliff hanger. and thanks for reviews, alerts and favorites. I love you all to pieces. =)