The Re-Education of Tommy Weasley
Disclaimer: We do not own any of these characters, JK Rowling does.
Warning for the fairly harsh spanking of a megalomaniac turned small child.
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Chapter 3
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Tommy squirmed on the couch as Arthur went on and on and on and on, he was trying to pay attention but he was hungry he had fussed about breakfast, he didn't like oatmeal, and this refused to eat, and he was bored and had been sitting still entirely too long to be able to give the man the attention he was demanding of him.
"Tommy!" Arthur exclaimed, "Are you even listening to anything I am saying?" he asked the little boy.
Tommy jumped a bit his eyes popping up to look at Arthur. The guilty look on the little boy's face telling him all he needed to know.
"This is important Tommy." Arthur said with a sigh "The kids are coming home this morning and I labor under no delusions that it is going to be easy. Harry is coming with them... eh eh don't say anything. The boys practically made these plans last Christmas and I won't make them change them now. You will not have to worry as you will not have to be alone with them, either mummy or I will be with you at all times until Harry leaves on boxing day." Arthur assured.
Tommy frowned and squirmed; he wasn't sure how he felt about Harry. He wasn't sure if he hated the boy or feared him, quite likely both. Either way he didn't want to be around him especially not on Christmas but he sighed and bit his bottom lip hard, he knew it didn't matter what he wanted, he knew they didn't care if he had a happy Christmas. Why should they? He was still, no matter how they tried to pretend he was their son, seen as their enemy.
It didn't matter that he didn't have magic, it didn't matter that at this point the part of him that wanted to be part of this family had grown nearly as large as the part of him that wanted revenge and to take over the wizarding world. He had started to see what a real family could be like. But in a way that only distressed him more as he knew deep down that they would never love him as they pretended to. How could they? That ache in his chest grew with each passing day knowing that none of this could ever really be real not with what he had done in the past, which he had started to come to begrudgingly accept was wrong.
He knew that no matter how repentant he became it wouldn't matter, none of this could ever really be his, not when they all knew what a monster he had been and deep down still was.
That dark part of him that had made him go out and seek to eradicate muggles and torture wizards and witches that opposed him, and even those that didn't, was still there fueling his anger and need for violence and he didn't know what to do about it and sometimes he felt frustrated and helpless to make it go away, he wasn't sure it ever would, he wasn't sure he could ever be truly good until it was and he didn't know how to ask for help to make it go away but the one thing he knew now that he had never before felt was that he wanted it to go away. He didn't want to want to hurt people anymore; he didn't want to be so angry.
"Tommy? Tommy!!" Arthur exclaimed again when it seemed the boy had drifted off again "Did you hear me?" he asked again a bit exasperated.
Tommy nodded sadly "Harry come'n." he said dejectedly with a note of resignation.
"Yes, now that means that I want you on your best behavior. If possible it might be a good idea to avoid Harry." Arthur instructed.
Tommy nodded "Yes daddy." he agreed, he didn't want to see Harry at all, didn't even want to be in the same house as him.
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Arthur came running into the room "Molly, Molly we have to go we have to go now, its Charlie there has been an accident at the reserve!!"
Molly jumped up causing Tommy, who had been in her lap to fall to the ground at alarming speed, though thankfully he landed on his bum instead of his head as he landed rather hard letting out a pain filled scared yelp.
"What happened? Lets go!!" Molly said frantically running for the floo.
"Wait Mum!! What about the little monster?" Ron asked after her coming into the room from the kitchen where he had been with Harry when he had heard his father.
"Oh, oh dear, he can't come, it is too dangerous on a Dragon preserve and we won't be able to keep an eye on him." She fretted before going over to the steps "Children!!" She called and waited for the herds to come.
Tommy got up from the floor with tears in his eyes rubbing his bum and frowning at Ron for the little monster comment, well more like pouting, even more so because it didn't seem Molly cared enough to even scold Ron for it, nor did she seem concerned with the fact that she had sent Tommy flying she didn't even ask if he was ok. He sighed it wasn't any different then he had expected so he didn't know why it made his chest ache.
Moments later Ginny, Fred, George and even Percy, who was visiting since he had some time off for the holidays from his job at the ministry, came bustling down the stairs.
"We have to go there has been an emergency at the reserve and Charlie has been hurt, we will be back as soon as we can, Percy would you please keep an eye on Tommy? He wont be any trouble, will you Tommy? " She asked.
"Yes, yes mum don't worry." Percy assured her, he had been all for the idea of reforming little Tommy and probably the only Weasley child okay with the idea of Tommy becoming their brother.
Tommy nodded "Yes mummy" he said dutifully in a small voice before he felt Arthur's hand on his arm pulling him to the side.
"Good, good. Now we really have to go. Lunch is already prepared and ready for you, we will be back as soon as we can." She said heading to the floo with speed. Ron followed her none to pleased with all of this.
"Mum you cant really leave him here with us." He said to her.
"Listen Ronald this is an emergency, he won't bother you and you don't bother him and we will be back as soon as possible. Oh and by the way I forgot to mention, Tommy needs a sippy cup for his drinks, he is very prone to spilling as his coordination has suffered a bit from the de-aging." She instructed her youngest son while she waited for Arthur.
At the same time Arthur was giving instructions to Tommy. "Now I want you to be on your best behavior. Percy is in charge and I want you to listen to him. I find you have caused trouble while we are away, you will be in BIG trouble when we get back. Do you understand?" Arthur said seriously.
Tommy whimpered and then gulped, nodding his head "Y-Yes Daddy." he said, he wasn't about to cause any trouble, he had not really been spanked since Arthur had insisted on stopping the mandatory spankings but he wasn't stupid enough to think if he misbehaved the man wouldn't reconsider and start up with them again.
Arthur nodded and patted the child on the head and with that, went to join his wife at the fireplace and the couple floo'ed away.
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Ginny with the help of Ron, got lunch set up and on the table and called everyone to eat.
Tommy walked to the table cautiously, he had been hiding in his room since Arthur and Molly had left and he would have gladly stayed there till they got back but his tummy was arguing with him on that account it was still mad at him for missing breakfast.
He sat in his booster seat and frowned a bit to see Harry was sitting next to him on one side and Ron on the other.
Ginny gave everyone a sandwich and Ron gave everyone pumpkin juice placing a glass filled to the brim right in front of Tommy no one seemed to notice that Ron had filled Tommy's glass nearly twice as full as everyone else's.
Tommy saw it was a regular glass and was about to open his mouth to protest before thinking better of it, he didn't think the boy would take kindly to him speaking up about it, besides he could handle a regular cup he was pretty sure of that.
"Percy said-" Fred started
"-He would be right down," George continued
"After he finishes some important work-" Fred went on
"-For the ministry." George finished.
Ginny nodded and placed a plate to the side of the stove for Percy as everyone sat down and started eating.
Tommy ignored the glass of pumpkin juice for as long as possible but it only took a couple of bites before he was really rather thirsty the peanut butter from his sandwich making his mouth sticky and dry. He reached over for the glass with a clumsy hand causing it to tip over to the left, a tidal wave of pumpkin juice flying into non-other then Harry Potters lap.
Harry shot right up to his feet. "You little brat! You did that on purpose!"
Tommy gasped wide-eyed shaking his head "Nooo!!" he insisted "a-accident!!" he stammered nervously, well that answered that question he was definitely afraid of Harry Potter.
"Bollocks! You just knocked that glass over! I saw you!" Harry said, angrily grabbing Tommy's wrist.
"Not on purpose!! Honest!!" Tommy exclaimed emphatically, fearfully and he tried to pull his wrist out of the angry teen's firm grip.
"Now you're just lying. Well, we know what happens to naughty little boys who lie, don't we?" Harry's anger diminished and a satisfied smirk formed on his lips.
Tommy gasped realizing what it was that Harry had in mind and he renewed his efforts to pull away from the older boy "Nooo!!! NOO!!! Was an accident!!" the little boy cried out.
"Naughty little boys get a sound spanking." Harry said as pulled the protesting boy away from the table and over to the couch before sitting down on it and pulling Tommy over his wet lap.
"Noooo!!!! Nooooooo don't!!! PEASE!!! I not do it on purpose!!!!" Tommy protested dragging his feet as Harry pulled him away, looking pleadingly at the other Weasleys though he didn't know why he bothered Harry could be taking him to his death and no one would stop him.
He kicked his legs and wriggled as he was upended over Harry's cold wet lap. He whimpered realizing that if Harry had to spank him that he would be in a lot of trouble when Arthur and Molly came back, they would assume because he had gotten spanked he had been a bad boy and he remembered what Arthur said before he left, there was no way they would believe him over the others if he told them he hadn't done it on purpose he would never believe Harry spanked him for no reason and then he would be spanked... AGAIN. He whimpered helplessly at the thought.
Harry pulled down Tommy's pants and underwear baring his bottom. Not wasting any time, he brought his hand down sharply on the tiny bottom.
Tommy let out a little wail feeling his bottom bared, red-hot shame flaming his face at the thought of Harry Potter of all people spanking him bare bottom, it was the ultimate insult, the ultimate humiliation. He wriggled uncomfortable feeling the cold stickiness of the pumpkin juice soaked lap irritate his bare skin. However, he didn't have long to contemplate this before he felt Harry bring his hand down on his bum and he couldn't help but yelp.
Harry brought his hand down hard and fast quickly covering the tiny bottom with stinging swats.
Tommy didn't want to make noise, didn't want to cry but Harry was landing swats that were harder then even Arthur had and it really hurt and soon his helpless yelps gave way to sobs.
Harry continued to pepper the smaller boy's bottom with searing swats until the pale little bottom had become a dark red.
Tommy howled and sobbed kicking his legs, Harry was spanking very hard and it really hurt "OWWWWWWWWWWWWW n-no moressss!!" he cried throwing his hand back to protect his throbbing cheeks.
Harry simply grabbed the offending appendage and pinned it to the small boy's back. He then continued to land the smacks fast and hard.
"P-Peasssee!!!! Not do it o-on purpose!!!" Tommy sobbed his legs kicking as he twisted frantically over Harry's lap.
Harry continued to spank until Tommy had gone limp over his lap, only then did he stop. Harry winced a little at his own hand, which was stinging pretty badly.
Tommy howled at the spanks he didn't think Arthur had even ever spanked him this hard though the brush had hurt pretty bad but that had been on an already sore bum this time his bum had not even been sore at all when Harry had started. He went limp over Harry's lap sobbing helplessly a choked "I s-sorry" making its way out every now and then.
Harry pulled up Tommy's briefs and pants and then set the boy on the ground. "I think you should go to your room now, if you can't behave you don't get to eat."
Tommy didn't even take the time to respond he simply took of in a run to his room.
He closed the door lightly behind him not wanting to think what they would do to him if they thought he had slammed the door, quickly changing his now wet clothing; the bottom of his shirt and top of his pants had soaked up the juice from Harry's pants. Putting his sticky wet clothing into his hamper, he then crawled into bed face down, only too late realizing that Jerry had fallen during the scuffle with Harry and was still most likely on the floor next to the couch. He mourned the loss of his stuffed friend but didn't dare go get him he simply sobbed harder for it pulling his pillow tightly to him but it wasn't the same.
His tummy growled, he had only managed about two bites of his sandwich before needing that drink and then spilling it, and his stomach was making its displeasure known, and he was still thirsty he never did manage to get any of his drink and the remnants of the peanut butter still stuck to his mouth uncomfortably making it feel dry and sticky and gross.
When Arthur and Molly left he had wanted nothing more then for them to come home but now he was far too scared of what would happen when they did. He was going to be in so much trouble.
All in all he was absolutely miserable.
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Harry ran to his own room the one he shared with Ron and quickly changed before going back to the table and grabbed his plate going over to Percy's dry clean seat he sat down and finish his lunch, the Weasleys, who had been watching the spanking with wide eyes also resumed eating and chattering as if nothing had just happened.
Percy had still not made an appearance for lunch and the others were sure he had gotten caught up in work and they probably wouldn't see him till dinner.
Finishing up they placed their dishes in the sink. Harry Ginny and Ron heading out to play quidditch and the twins heading back to do whatever experiment they had been working on.
On the way past the couch a little orange fluff caught Fred's eyes and he leaned down to pick it up, he grinned and held it up to George.
"Brother?" Fred asked
"Are you thinking what I am thinking Gred?" George added in.
"Oh, yes, Forge I think we are on the same track" Fred grinned and he waved his wand over the stuffed toy before placing it back on the floor where he had found it and heading up the stairs behind his brother.
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It was around mid-afternoon that the Weasley parents came home. The very relieved couple came out of the fireplace with good news. It had been mostly a false alarm, Charlie had been injured, but it was only a broken arm, which the healer was able to fix right up. The only thing that had complicated things, and made it seem worse was that Charlie had received a rather nasty burn. It was one of the new handlers that had made the call to the Weasleys, and was unaccustomed to seeing the accidents that occur on the dragon reserve and so had over-reacted.
The Weasleys were simply happy that Charlie was okay and would still be well enough to come home for Christmas.
Molly bustled around the kitchen to start some baking; the thought of Charlie being seriously hurt had her all wound up, even though it turned out to be a false alarm. She enjoyed baking because it relaxed her. She would have time to bake something for dinner. A treacle tart would be a good idea; it was Harry's favorite after all.
Ron, who had touched down to get himself a drink, flying was thirsty work, entered the house and saw that his parents were home. Walking over to his father he wasted no time ratting Tommy out.
"Tommy was rather poorly behaved and Harry had to spank him." he told him bluntly.
"Is he in his room?" Arthur asked with an exasperated sigh, he had warned the little boy. He didn't even worry about the fact that none of his children were to discipline the others without his or Molly's permission, Harry wouldn't have known that rule anyway and he wasn't shocked that the others didn't tell him given the fact it was Tommy who had misbehaved.
"Yeah, Harry sent him there after his spanking." Ron affirmed.
Arthur sighed again and made his way to Tommy's room. Along the way, he noticed the stuffed kneazle by the couch.
'Odd, Tommy never goes anywhere without this thing.' Arthur thought as he grabbed it walked up to Tommy's room. Opening the door, Arthur found Tommy quietly lying on his stomach on his bed soft sniffling noises coming from him.
"Tommy?" Arthur asked in a firm voice.
Tommy jumped up looking at Arthur with wide scared eyes still puffy, swollen and red from all the crying he had done. He scrambled over to the far wall, this was it, he was in so much trouble there was no way the others had missed out on telling on him.
"I sorry daddy I sorry!" He babbled out frantically his body shaking a bit.
Arthur closed the door behind him and locked it, walking over to Tommy, Arthur noticed how scared he was. "Tommy come here." Arthur said in a softer voice.
Tommy let out a resigned sigh and screwed up all his courage to take the few steps it took to bring him to stand right in front of Arthur. "I sorry daddy, really sorry!" he continued to babble tears welling in his eyes, his bum hurt so bad he wasn't sure he could take another spanking, it would hurt something terrible!
"Tommy, Ron tells me that you misbehaved while we were gone. I told you to be on your best behavior, do you want to explain what happened?" Arthur spoke softly, but there was no mistaking the command in his voice.
Tommy took in a deep breath his shoulders rising with the rushed intake of air. He wasn't sure what to say, he didn't mean to get into trouble but he didn't think Arthur would believe him.
"S-Spilled my drink on Harry. D-Don't s-spank me `gain daddy pease!!" he told him in a small voice not bothering to elaborate to defend himself, he knew it would be a waste of breath, breath that he would need greatly for the howling he was sure he was about to do when Arthur pulled him over his lap for another spanking however he couldn't stop the bit of begging that tumbled out his mouth, he was just so frightened.
Arthur blinked, there had to be more than that. "Did you do it on purpose?" Arthur asked.
Tommy looked a bit shocked at that, he had not expected to be asked that, he expected that Arthur would just assume he had and spank him for it. He shook his head 'no' almost frantically.
"So you accidentally dropped the cup on Harry? That's the only way you would really be able to spill the drink from the sippy cup." Arthur said, trying to piece it together.
Tommy shook his head "K-Knocked it over, I sorry, I really sorry not do it on purpose!! Ron gived me big cup wif lotsa juice in it. N-Not g-give me my sippy cup" Tommy sniffled he sounded and looks positively frantic.
Arthur sighed, he had been a little worried about this. The kids would see Tommy in the worst light possible because of his past. "I'm going to talk to one of the kids, I don't have to tell you that if I find you were lying you will be in big trouble."
Tommy literally quacked his legs shaking so that he didn't think he would be able to stand much longer.
This was it, he knew he should have just kept his mouth shut, now it would look as if he lied because there was no way that any of the other kids were going to tell the truth and there was even less of a chance that Arthur would believe him over one of his kids. If Arthur wasn't already going to spank him hard Tommy was sure that lying would mean the brush or some other equally unpleasant implement, he mentally kicked himself for not just telling Arthur the lie he knew the kids would tell him and just take the spanking he was going to get, now he was going to get an even harder spanking for 'lying'.
Arthur opened the door and stuck his head out. "RON!" He called out.
Ron, who had been sitting at the kitchen table with Harry sighed and went running up the stairs and towards his father's voice.
When Ron arrived Arthur asked. "Did you give Tommy his sippy cup for lunch? I know your mother told you he needed one. And is it true that Harry spanked Tommy for spilling his juice on him?"
"The little monster did it on purpose." Ron said sparing a glare for the little one in question not bothering to answer his father's first query.
"Ronald." Arthur said in a warning voice and then leveled Ron with a stern gaze. "Answer the first question. Did you give him a sippy cup to put his juice in?"
"Of course I did, mum told me too." Ron lied.
Arthur's eye's narrowed on Ron's ears, they were a bright red, it was a Weasley trait. "Don't lie to me Ronald! Now tell the truth."
"I am telling the truth, don't tell me you are going to believe that little monster over your own son!" Ron thundered causing Tommy to jump back a bit his shaking legs giving causing him to fall back on his sore bum and he couldn't help the little wail that escaped because that had really hurt. He looked up at Ron frightened he wouldn't put it past the youngest Weasley boy to smother him in his sleep.
"Ronald Billius Weasley! You will not talk about your brother that way! I don't care who Tommy was before; right now he is Tommy Weasley, my son and your brother. And I don't appreciate you lying to me!" Arthur scolded.
"That... That thing!! Is not my brother, and I can't believe you would take its word over mine!!" Ron yelled glaring daggers at the child.
Arthur whipped out his wand and cast a silencing charm on Ron. "That is enough! If you can't speak civilly, you should not speak at all."
Arthur stuck his head out the door again and called out. "GINNY!"
Ginny, having retired to her room after a long day of flying heaved a heavy sigh at hearing her father bellow her name. Jumping off her bed she went in search of her dad finding him in Tommy's room she looked at the scene curiously. "Yes dad?"
"Was Tommy given a regular cup or a sippy cup for lunch?" Arthur asked abruptly.
Ginny crinkled her nose, that was a rather odd question. She look from her father to her brother and then back again in total confusion, "A regular cup, why?" She asked
"Thank you, Ginny. You may return to what you were doing." Arthur said and then he turned to Ron.
Ginny batted her eyes taken a back before shaking her head and heading back to her room some times it just wasn't worth the mental energy it took to try to figure her parents out.
"Ronald, I want you to go downstairs, find Harry and the two of you wait for me in the sitting room." Arthur said as he dispelled the silencing spell.
Ron wanted to argue but seeing the look on his fathers face thought better of it and so with a red face he stomped out of the room and down the stairs in search of Harry.
Arthur turned to Tommy and for the first time since his rage at Ron had flared he got a good look at the terrified child. He reached down and scooped him up; he could feel the little one positively quaking in his arms. He ran a soothing hand down his back.
"Hey, hey now calm down Tommy." He shushed rubbing the child's back "Why don't you lie on your bed and I'll get some cream for your bum, hmm?" Arthur asked as he placed the child on his tummy on his bed.
Tommy blinked stupidly for a moment not quite believing what had just happened or that Arthur was being so nice. This had to be a dream, that was it, he had cried himself to sleep while waiting for Arthur and Molly to get home. That had to be it otherwise there was no way things could have possibly worked out this way.
Arthur returned with the cream and then bared Tommy's bottom. He was shocked at how red the bottom was, he was horrified to see a few small bruises that were cropping up on the fullest part of the chubby little cheeks and he had to fight down his anger. Harry must have spanked him really hard, he'd have to speak to the boy about that. He spread the cream all over Tommy's abused bottom and watched as before his eyes the bottom healed over and became first a pink and then a pale color once more. When he had finished he pulled Tommy's pants back up.
"I'm going to go speak to Ron and Harry. I'd like you to stay in here while I talk to them, okay?" Arthur asked gently.
Tommy whimpered feeling the cold cream on his bum but relaxed a bit feeling the terrible sting and ache that had been plaguing his cheeks, recede. He gripped his pillow tight and hid his face trying to stave off a new bout of tears, he was still very confused about what had just gone on, his mouth was still incredibly dry and sticky and gross and his stomach was aching a bit from hunger, it gave a loud growl and he frowned.
He simply nodded when Arthur issued his order, he wasn't planning on leaving his room anyway, though he didn't know why he suddenly felt like breaking out in sobs at the thought of being left alone.
"`m I in troubles?" he asked in a small tight, trembling voice, he wasn't completely sure why he had been healed and Arthur had not told him he wasn't in trouble for spilling on Harry even if it had been an accident spilling his juice on Harry Potter was a bad thing, maybe Arthur had healed him so that he could spank him again without bruising, Arthur didn't like when Tommy bruised, Tommy knew that was just because it made the man feel guilty and not out of any real concern for his welfare.
"No, you're not in trouble. Harry really should not have spanked you for such a minor thing." Arthur gave the small boy a hug. "I'm sorry you had to go through that, I'll speak to Harry."
Tommy was taken a bit aback by this, it wasn't what he was expecting or what he had been prepared for and he stiffened a bit in the hug.
"Harry was real mad." Tommy sniffled a shiver running through his body at the memory.
He resisted the urge to just cling to Arthur knowing that the man wanted to leave to deal with his real children and not be bothered worrying about a needy clingy little monster, he didn't understand why he just wanted to be held.
Arthur sighed. "Harry has lost so much to Voldemort, he can't see you as anything but his parent's murderer. Harry would get mad just from looking at you."
Tommy hid his face in Arthur's chest and not for the first time he thought about how stupid Dumbledore and the ministry was. It was impossible for him to be raised by a loving family because no one could love him, this was a stupid idea and just a way to torture him, his childhood had been miserable the first time around but at least then he wasn't tortured by having a family he knew he could never really have, dangled in front of him like this.
They didn't want him and he couldn't blame them he really wished he didn't want them either but over the last few months he had learned to be more honest with himself and he knew he did really want it even though he knew he could never have it. At least when the kids weren't home reminding him who he really was and how none of this was real, he could almost pretend he was really part of the family and let himself be fooled by Molly and Arthur's acting, sometimes he really felt like they did love him like when he had been sick. He whimpered and his stomach growled again rather loudly.
Arthur heard Tommy's stomach growl. "Are you hungry? Dinner will be in a couple hours but I could ask Molly to bring you a snack."
Tommy looked down and bit his bottom lip and then nodded his head.
Then a thought occurred to Arthur, sure it was a few hours after lunch and it was feasible Tommy might be a bit hungry for a snack but his stomach could not be empty enough to make him hungry enough for his stomach to actually growl like that.
"Why are you so hungry? Lunch was just a couple hours ago." Arthur asked curiously. Sure the child had stubbornly missed breakfast but lunch should have more then filled him.
"Not 'llowed to eat." Tommy mumbled barely audibly.
"What do you mean, you're not allowed to eat?" Arthur asked somewhat indignantly.
Tommy squirmed uncomfortably "Harry sayed... Bad boys don' get food, 'n I bad, Harry not let me has my lunch cuz I spilled on him." he lowered his eyes staring at a random spot on the floor.
"Tommy, you weren't bad. And even if you were we don't withhold food as punishment. I'll have Molly bring you a small snack, and I expect you to eat it." Arthur said, and then sighed. "I'll talk to Harry about that as well."
Tommy gave a slightly nervous nod before sliding back on the bed leaning up against the headboard and putting distance between himself and Arthur. He didn't want to put the man out by clinging to him when he had better thing to do then sit there and cuddle him, and Voldemort didn't NEED cuddles. Besides this wasn't going as he thought and though that was a good thing it still made him very uneasy and oddly made him feel like crying. While he would have loved nothing more then to cling to Arthur he was too unsure of it all to try.
Arthur rose from the bed and turned to leave when he spotted the stuffed kneazle where he had placed it on the stool by the door. "Oh, here's Jerry, I found him by the couch." He said handing the stuffed toy to Tommy, understanding now how Jerry could have gotten left behind.
Tommy's eyes actually seemed to brighten at that and he grabbed at the stuffed toy pulling it tightly to his chest before letting out a loud frightened yelp and tossing the largest spider he had ever seen across the room. His eyes filling with tears, the little boy let out a strangled sob.
Jerry!! His best friend, his only friend and they had ruined him!!!
Tears rolled down his cheeks as he scrambled off the bed trying to put as much distance between himself and the spider, who was recovering from its flight and crawling in Tommy's direction at an alarming speed as if he had a homing beacon set on the tiny child.
Arthur whipped out his wand and changed the spider back to its original form.
He picked up the stuffed toy and held it out to Tommy. "I'm sorry, Fred and George must have gotten to it. It's safe now."
Tommy shook his head wildly and backed away, tears streaming down his cheeks, eyes filled with terror and fear.
Arthur sighed, the child was an emotional mess and with plenty reason after the afternoon he had, had. He had planned on talking with the boys and having Molly come up to comfort the boy but he could see now that, that would probably just cause the child more emotional harm leaving him to think he didn't care.
He mentally kicked himself, if any of his other children had been this upset he never would have even through about leaving them and he shouldn't have even considered it with Tommy not when it was so blatantly apparent the child needed to be held and comforted and was too scared to ask for it. Scared to ask for what any child would think their due, scared to ask to be held for fear of being rejected or scolded or even hit.
Arthur's heart tightened a bit for he knew that they had had some part in instilling that fear in the child. Even if most of it had been instilled by the orphanage and his first childhood they never should have agreed to such harsh punishments when they first took the boy in, it had set in his mind that his mum and dad were scary. Now he needed to be going out of his way to reverse those fears not leaving the child alone like this and thus reinforcing them. He had spent too many years as a father, raised too many children to be making such rookie mistakes!
He walked over and kneeled in front of the boy holding the toy out to him "It's ok, I promise.... Here, watch." he pulled out his wand and uttered a series of protective charms over the stuffed animal knowing the boy would most likely recognize at least some of them.
"Now the children wont be able to do anything to him again." He assured.
For some reason Arthur couldn't bear the thought that the child would be to scared to hold onto his favorite toy any longer, it was the one constant normalcy for the boy, his security blanket and a sign that he was adjusting to his status as a four year old.
Tommy reached out tentatively and took the toy pulling it again to his chest this time much slower. He let out a large sigh of relief when it did indeed remain a stuffed toy and he quite literally hugged the stuffing out of it, though to Arthur's dismay his sobbing intensified.
Reaching out, Arthur pulled Tommy to him and then stood, picking him up, holding him tight and patting his back.
"Okay, okay Tommy its all right. I know that was scary but Jerry is fine now. Shh… I know, calm down son. I know, you had quite an afternoon." He commiserated softly rocking a bit; Tommy wasn't the first distraught upset child he had, had to deal with.
Sitting on the bed he cradled the child to him and conjured a cool wet flannel using it to bathe the boy's hot, red face.
"You're alright, Jerry is alright, shh... that's a good boy." he cooed gently as he soothed the inflamed skin with the cool flannel, cradling the little boy as if he was an even younger child.
Tommy started to calm under Arthur's ministrations relaxing, despite himself, against the man's chest and closing his eyes holding Jerry tightly.
Arthur held Tommy for a long while letting the little boy know it was ok to cuddle into him and seek comfort. He rubbed his back and rocked him till the sobs and tears were nothing more then a few random sniffles. When Tommy had finally calmed down, Arthur stood up, hearing the boy's tummy rumble again.
"Let's get Mummy to fix you up a snack, hmm? You can sit with mummy while I deal with the boys." Arthur said and carried Tommy to the kitchen.
Tommy nodded holding Jerry cradled protectively and tightly in his arms.
Though he would never admit it he really, really liked to help in the kitchen, he liked to help Molly cook and bake.
Arthur carried him into the kitchen and sat him on the counter for a moment and pulled Molly to the side, quickly explaining what had happened, to her. A look crossed her face that told him the youngest red headed boy was now on Molly's bad side and he wouldn't want to be in his shoes, not that he was about to go easy on the boy either but he could never quite scare the children like an angry Molly could.
Arthur left the kitchen and Molly quickly set about preparing a snack and sippy cup of pumpkin juice for Tommy.
"After you finish your snack you can be mummy's helper, you always do such a good job helping me bake and cook." she praised as she lifted him off the counter and sat with him at the table keeping the boy in her lap knowing the physical closeness was always a big help when a child had been emotionally harmed.
She set the sippy cup of juice and a plate of Tommy's favorite biscuits and half a cut up peach, Tommy was very fond of peaches, on the table in front of him.
Molly knew that Tommy loved to help in the kitchen, though she knew he would never admit to it out loud, and it pleased her to have found something that she and the boy could do together. It was odd, for when she first agreed to take Tommy in, she never imagined she would find anything they could both enjoy together let alone that she would be happy that they had.
Tommy found himself blushing a bit at the praise and actually snuggling down into Molly's lap before tucking into his snack with great hunger. He would analyze that warm feeling in his chest later when he wasn't so very hungry.