Was it truly a surprise?

4. Small Step

"My dear sweet Harriet, please live on." A woman's voice sobbed. Her voice for a moment didn't sound familiar, but at the same time it did. (So I was sent back to the night it all started, it would seem.) Harriet thought as she opened her eyes to see a glimpse of her mother Lily turning herself to the door with wand in hand ready for combat. Footsteps could be heard coming towards the door of the nursery, then they abruptly stopped. The silence was consuming, Harriet took that moment to move herself as best as she could into a better line of view. She needed to see for herself if her hunch about Tom being spelled was correct, she was desperate to help him.

After some hesitation, a decision was made with a bright green flash that blasted the door off its hinges. "Please she's just a baby, don't do this." Lily stood firmly between Tom and Harriet. Harriet looked at Tom, his eyes.... dulled over a small red spark flashing through periodically. (He's trying to fight! He doesn't want to do this!) Harriet wanted to stop the chaos and help him, but couldn't do anything since she was in a one year old's body. "Get out of the way, you don't have to die." Tom said with a slight shakiness in his voice, trying desperately to fight against the Imperius Curse. Unfortunately Lily wasn't able to see anything that Harriet was seeing, she was blinded by the one thing that's on her mind; protecting her baby. She retorted and raised her wand, "I'm not moving. You're not getting any closer to her while I'm still breathing!"

Tom stared at Lily, an emotion flashed across his face for only a second before raising his wand, "I've given you a chance, you've squandered it." Lily flung Expelliarmus at Tom, but he was faster and casted Avada Kedavra that hit Lily square in the chest with a sickening crack. To see her mother's body hit the floor was not something Harriet wanted to experience, but there it was. (Oh, oh shit...Please Tom, come on! You can fight this!) Harriet desperately struggled to pull herself up from where she laid.

Tom saw her movements and walked over to her crib, his eyes wavered with each step he took towards her. (That's a good sign! If I can just get him to come close enough so that I can touch him, I might be able to help him fight it!) Just when she thought this, Tom made a compulsive move and gently picked her up. (Thank you Klotho, you beautiful being!) Harriet linked to Klotho, "You're welcome master, help him." Tom looked confused and surprised as Harriet reached up and placed her hand on his heart. A gentle glow erupted from her small hand, slowly piercing his heart and soul.

(I'm here to help you, the old bastard is going to pay for doing this to you and I!) Harriet made a link to him, pushing her magic into him, dispelling the curse as she did. She wanted him to understand and trust her. Tom was stunted for a second, his eyes flashing with more vibrance. "You- You're stronger than what you are credited for at your age, Potter. Thank you." Tom Smirked. (You got that right! I want to make a deal with you, since I helped you. Allow my aunt, cousin and myself to live with you. We all have been manipulated and controlled. If we live and work together, we'll have a higher chance of getting out of this alive!) Harriet reasoned, trying to forge a one way ticket to help get her family and herself away from Vernon sooner rather than later. "Hmm, I'm not opposed to the idea of helping you, but why do I have a feeling that you want to be left here?" He questioned her. (That's because I do want you to leave me here. If that dumbass doesn't find me here, he'll have his rotisserie style chicken club looking in every nook and cranny for me. We can't have that, we have to make him think that I'll be where he left me, at 4 Privet Drive with the child molester......... Oh Fuck!) Harriet was horrified that she let that slip, especially in front of someone who just regained a sliver of their senses. She slowly looked at Tom, the expression he made was horrific and deadly. "Care to elaborate more?" Tom asked in a deep, dark undertone voice. Harriet gently looked at Tom, (I will when we have more time. Hurry you must go before they come. I assure you, we'll see each other again soon.) With reluctance Tom placed her gently back into the crib and turned away to leave, (See you soon) Harriet offered, making Tom look back to give her a gentle smile that surprised her a little. "See you soon Harriet."