Chapter Text
As of the close of business today, our store will no longer be in need of your services. The company thanks you for your hard work during this holiday season and wishes you the best of luck in your future endeavors.
Thomas Riddle
“Oh, Harry, I’m sorry.” Hermione said, having read his letter of dismissal over his shoulder.
“Did you get one, too?” He asked.
“No,” She said apologetically, “That’s really too bad, I wish they had kept you.”
She patted him on the shoulder a little awkwardly. He smiled his thanks and she started on organizing their toy display.
After the last month of working together Harry knew better than to try and organize, too. She had her own way, ‘the proper way’, of how the toys they sold in their department were arranged for sale. She’d let him know what to pass her soon enough.
The Riddle Department Store employed mostly females to sell products on their salesfloor. Men filled floor supervisory roles and did the heavy lifting tasks, bringing stock out to the floor as needed. Some roles were further separated by secondary-gender. As an Omega, Harry had been assigned to the children’s department, more specifically toys, a fitting place for the secondary-gender that was seen to be good with anything related to children.
He didn’t mind that this was the only department he had been considered for, just glad to have been able to secure a job at all. Work had been hard to come by even as the holiday rush had begun a little over a month ago and stores needed the extra staff. Now, with the season coming to an end, it would only be more difficult.
“Would you like to go out to lunch one more time today? We haven’t done that in a while.” Hermione offered.
“No, thank you. I should head over to the unemployment office, get a head start on finding my next job. Everyone else that got a dismissal today will be heading there, too. Though hopefully they’ll wait until after work.”
He could easily skip lunch, he was used to not always eating anyway thanks to the Dursleys. Plus he might need to get used to skipping meals here and there for a while until he did have an income again.
“That’s smart of you.” She smiled, looking relieved. Then fixing him with a critical eye, “I’d fix your hair before you go, if I were you. You are trying to make a good impression.”
Harry rolled his eyes once she turned away. There was no dealing with his hair, but he agreed anyway, “Yeah, good idea.”
“Good morning!” A voice called out to them. Ron had arrived with a cart of product to replenish their display before the store opened. Though the beta was lanky, he was strong, and easily unloaded their stock.
“Mornin’, Ron.”
“Good morning, Ronald.” Hermione said with a shy smile.
The ginger nodded at her, but launched into talking with Harry, obviously excited about something. Behind him, Harry heard the girl huff quietly in annoyance.
“Say, Harry, you’re not too bad with a broomstick, aren’t you?” He leaned over the counter on an elbow, “I saw you flying at that little drop-in game over the weekend.”
“Er, thanks.”
He’d never had many opportunities to fly, but he’d always loved it. Being in the air had always felt so natural and freeing. Someday, he’d own his own broom, too, an adult model unlike the toy ones he sold here. Though that particular dream might be further off now that he would be unemployed again in a few hours.
“Open the boxes of plush creatures first, Harry. I need more unicorns over here.” Hermione requested, pulling out their step stool to reach the shelves behind the counter. “We’re supposed to get fairly busy today with last minute shoppers. Really, Christmas is tomorrow , how anyone can put off all their gift purchasing until now, I’ll never understand.”
“Okay, I’ll get them.”
“Here,” Ron pushed the right box on the counter to him. “ Anyway , I was thinking that you and I could pair up tonight for a match. There’s a tournament in the park tonight. Simplified for quicker matches so there’s only two to a team.”
“I’m not really in the mood for going out tonight.”
“Oh, come on! There’s fifty dollars in it for you.”
“Fifty dollars?” Harry paused in opening a box and blinked at the redhead grinning at him. “What do you mean?”
“It’s a tournament , so there are prizes. Second place happens to be fifty dollars. We’d split it even, of course.” Then he leaned in closer and whispered so Hermione couldn’t hear, “I know a few of the judges and with your flying, second place is pretty much guaranteed.”
Fifty dollars was a lot. Okay, so it’d be split, yeah. Still twenty-five dollars would be a lot, too. That would alleviate some of the pressure to find a new job immediately. Heck, it’d be a tempting amount even if he wasn’t losing his job.
“So what d’ya say? You in?”
“I haven’t got a broom.” Harry said, before he could let himself become too hopeful. “I borrowed one last time.”
“That’s fine, we’ve got an old one you can use. Not the best model, but you should be fine with it.” Ron waved off the concern, “All good, then?”
“Yeah. I’m in.” Harry returned the grin.
“Great! I’ll meet you at your apartment at seven o’clock!”
-
A few hours later, as he left the unemployment office, Harry was looking forward to the tournament and the potential cash prize even more. He wasn’t even remotely qualified for any of the positions that they were looking to fill.
He started walking at a leisurely pace back to the department store. The task hadn’t taken much time at all and he did not want to get back too early
He didn’t have much saved. He hadn’t been at Riddle’s long enough to build up a savings. Before that, his relatives didn’t leave him time to have a job, piling his days up with chores. When they had tossed him out earlier that year, on his eighteenth birthday, he’d scrambled to find work. He was lucky to have a decent amount of magic and the knowledge of a few useful spells that kept him warm, dry, and somewhat unnoticed the weeks he spent without a roof over his head.
He had only been in the apartment for a little less than a month now. It would be small to most other people, but to him it was spacious in comparison to what he had before. With the prize money he would be able to pay the next month’s rent, so he wouldn’t be out on the streets again immediately. After that he would hopefully already be working…
He stopped.
There was a woman hunched over the top step of a stoop the next building over. He was about to ask if she was alright when she stood and rang the bell, leaving a baby wrapped only in a blanket in the spot where she had been leaning over. He rushed over and grabbed her arm before she could leave.
“Hey! You can’t- you can’t just leave a baby here.”
She pulled her arm free, sniffling as she looked back to the bundle on the step. “I care for my baby, but I just… It’ll be okay, they’ll take care of my baby here.”
Harry followed her gaze over to the baby as it made a babbling sound. He sighed and turned back to the woman, “Look, you- hey! ”
She had already started to walk away. He made to follow after, but the baby babbled louder and started to wiggle. Afraid that the child would roll down the steps he bent down to soothe them. “Hush, hush, it’s alright.”
He had just gotten his arms under the babe when the door to the building opened and a young woman glanced down at him with a kind smile, “Please, do come in.”
Harry stood with the happily gurgling baby, peering first down the street to see that the woman had completely vanished. She may have disapparated, ducked into an alley or building… no matter how she made her escape, she was gone.
He followed the woman inside and she led him over to a desk where a short greying woman sat. The baby in his arms babbled again for his attention and made grabby hands up at him. He couldn’t help but smile back. “Aww, you are a good baby, aren’t you.”
How could that woman have left this little baby here? He secured the weight of the child in one arm and brought his free hand up for them to grasp onto two of his fingers.
“What’s your name, dear?” The woman behind the desk asked.
“Harry Potter.” He answered, still keeping his attention on the child, “Oh, don’t put my fingers in your mouth, sweetie.”
“Are you employed anywhere, Mr. Potter?”
Not for long, he thought to himself, then aloud, “Riddle’s. I work over in the toy…” He frowned as he looked up. The woman was filling out a form. “ Oh, oh, wait a minute. I’m sorry, but this baby is not mine. There was a woman outside, she had set this baby down, you see, and I…”
He stopped when the first woman let out an amused chuckle, “We’ve heard that before,” she said with a knowing smile.
“No, honestly!”
“It’s alright dear, there is no need to make up a story.”
“Make up?”He huffed, annoyed, he was not a liar. He passed the baby over to the slightly shocked woman, “Here, I’ve done my part. I’ll just be-”
The baby wailed.
He stared down at the baby, surprised, missing the two women glance at each other with small smiles. Stunned, he didn’t resist when the child was placed back in his arms and immediately stopped crying. “Wow... “
“Now, Mr. Potter, about your child.”
“No, I’m serious. This- I see how this looks, really, I do… but this baby is not mine.”
“Please understand, we’re here to help you. You’re not the only young mother to come to us with a child that they claim isn’t theirs. We’ve found it helps to admit that the baby is theirs as a first step.”
He stood unmoving, looking between the two of them in bewilderment for a long moment. Soundlessly he opened his mouth a couple times, before he strode back over to the same woman as before and dumped the baby back in her arms. The child, as expected, started crying again, but he didn’t have anymore time to waste arguing over whether he was the child’s mother or not.
“Mr. Potter!”
“I don’t care what you think, that baby is not mine.” He held his hands up defensively as he walked quickly backwards to the door, “Besides, I can hardly take care of myself right now!”
He ignored their calls after him as he hurried down the steps to the street, walking now at a brisk pace back to the store.
-
“Where have you been all day?” A tired Thomas Riddle asked his son. “It’s already noon.”
“Out. Thought it’d be a nice day to spend the morning in Paris.” Tom Jr said easily as he slid into one of the two chairs in front of the older man’s desk.
He may have only spent the first eight years of his life in an orphanage— before the caretakers realized that with his looks, the father he was named after could only be Thomas Riddle, wealthy business owner— but he would never tire of the fact that he could have anything he wanted when he wanted it.
Today this meant a two-way international portkey to France to search for more rare items to collect and a visit to his preferred seamstress.
“With someone?” His father inquired, failing to not appear too interested.
Tom scoffed, recently all the man wanted to know was if Tom had found someone. “No, I travelled alone.”
He had made connections with other important and wealthy people, but no one had caught his interest yet. Nor did he need his father pestering him.
“What did you buy, then?”
“New robes for a dinner I will be attending tonight with my usual circle.”
“Another?” The man asked, though not sounding that annoyed, “I wish you’d spend more time thinking about this business, instead of going out all the time.”
They didn’t have the best relationship, Tom couldn’t help but be bitter that he’d spent any amount of time at an orphanage. The older man had taken some time to come to wrap his mind around the fact that he had a child that, for years, he had no knowledge of. Tom eventually acknowledged that his father had not abandoned him, like he had grown up thinking, and his father, likewise, realized that he didn’t need to know why the boy’s mother never told him, only that he did have a son.
They weren’t as close as they could have been had the first eight years of Tom’s life had gone differently, but it worked for them.
“I don’t need to be here a full day to get more work done than an average person.” Tom said as he stood to leave, “However, if it would make you happy, I’ll start now.”
-
There was a woman outside his office down the hall when he arrived. Unfortunately, a woman he recognized.
“Good afternoon, Mrs Cole.” He greeted the matron of his former orphanage politely, despite his mild dislike for her, “I do hope everything at Wool’s is alright. I understand my father sends a rather large donation every year, has he forgotten this time?”
He never cared for the other children there. They had been scared of his magical strength, far more powerful than the rest of them combined. Now, though, twelve years later, not many of the same kids he had been stuck with still resided there and benefited from his father’s money.
“No, we’ve received it, something we are most grateful for.” The stern older woman said, “This concerns one of your employees, a Mr Harry Potter. It seems the young omega dropped his child off at our door earlier. He told Martha that he worked here, but did not mention why he wouldn’t keep his child. ”
Tom clenched his jaw at the thought of an employee of his abandoning his own child. “Have you talked with him yourself?”
“No, I wanted to find out more about him first before confronting him. I did find out from one of your staff that the boy is being let go today. It seems that he feels like he cannot provide for his child. I was hoping you would allow the boy to keep his job.”
And prevent another child from growing up without a parent, that didn’t need to she didn’t say, but Tom understood anyway.
“That is reasonable, though we will do more than just that.” He agreed and finally opened the door to his office, holding it open for her, “Would you come in so we can talk this over a little more?”
-
Harry nervously made his way to the store’s offices. He had already gotten his dismissal notice, what else could they have to say to him? Were they upset that he was a few minutes late from lunch? If so, why did that matter? He was already being let go!
“Mr. Riddle is waiting for you.” The secretary gestured to a closed door. Harry nodded and entered when his quiet knock knock knock was answered with a, “Come in.”
Oh, it was the younger Riddle seated behind the desk. He wasn’t sure if that made him more or less nervous. They looked very much alike, father and son, tall with pale skin, steely gray eyes and dark hair. But the son was very close to his own age and he’d never been so close to such an attractive alpha before.
“Please, have a seat, Mr. Potter.”
Harry did and, rather belatedly, noticed a serious looking woman seated in the chair next to his own. She was staring at him intently.
“Am I in trouble, sir?” He asked as calmly as he could, turning his attention back to the man.
“No, not at all.” The man smiled and Harry fought back a blush at it’s intensity up close, “In fact, the opposite. I understand you were given a notice about being dismissed at the end of today, is that correct?”
Harry nodded.
“We would like for you to keep on working for us, instead, Mr. Potter. I’d like to apologize for the stress this may have caused you. I have already seen to having your pay increased going forward.”
“Really? Oh, that’s such a relief. I can- I mean, thank you. Thank you very much.” Harry beamed back at the man. A pay increase! He could hardly believe it. This morning he had been worried that he would be homeless in a month and now he was getting a raise.
“To further make up for the inconvenience, there’ll be a few gifts delivered to your home tonight as well.” Tom nodded at the woman next to him, who smiled just slightly at that.
“I- wow, this is amazing. I can’t thank you enough.” He struggled to express his gratitude.
“Think nothing of it, Mr. Potter. I wish you, and your family , a very Merry Christmas.”
Well, he didn’t have any family, but Harry smiled all the way back to his department and an extremely curious Hermione anyway. A raise and gifts? He couldn’t begin to imagine what the store would give him as a-sorry-we-almost-fired-you gift, but he’d be happy with anything. Other than his cousin’s old clothes, he’d never received any gifts before.
-
Harry hurried to change out of his work clothes and into something more suitable for flying. He didn’t have any riding clothes, though with a raise and the prize money, that could change. So he settled on a well worn pair of pants and a soft somewhat faded olive green sweater under a thin black outer robe.
That was another purchase he could hopefully soon make. A warmer robe. His heating charms had managed well enough, but it would be wonderful to just own something warm. And perhaps, he could buy it new . Riddle’s sold many expensive robes, but he’d seen a few cheaper options that might be in his price range now.
His excitement at the days events kept him from being able to relax, so he busied himself with tidying up his small apartment. One person didn’t make much of a mess, but the landlady’s many cats and kneazles roamed the apartment building freely. Though it was rare that any of them made it into his own space, their fur drifted in under the door or fell off his own clothes when he stopped to pet them on his way in.
The rent here was cheaper than most, so he didn’t mind the creatures or their fur. The landlady was kind to him, too, so sweeping up fur once in a while was well worth it to live here.
Knock Knock
He paused in his sweeping at the noise. A quick glance at his clock told him it was too early still for Ron, though not by much. This must be the gift!
“Come in! It’s unlocked!” He called out as he quickly swept the pile of hair he had collected out of sight of the door, and left the broom leaning against the wall.
Excitement turned to confusion when he recognized the two women who entered his apartment. One was the young woman from the orphanage earlier, smiling widely, with her arms piled high with wrapped boxes— the same kind he used for wrapping up purchases at Riddle’s.
The other woman, was the stern looking lady he’d seen in Riddle’s office earlier. Her expression was a lot more reserved than her companion and in her arms was a large baby basket.
Shocked into inaction for the second time that day, he watched as they entered, placing the basket on his small sofa and the boxes on the coffee table in front of it.
“Merry Christmas, Mr. Potter! From all of us at Wool’s and Tom Riddle, as well.” The young girl told him happily, spinning around, arms wide with dramatic flourish.
He found his voice finally, “Just what is going on here?”
“You got your job back, so you can raise your child again.” She said, smile fading a notch at his obvious distress. “We told you we were here to help you, Mr. Potter.”
“Help me? That-” He gestured at the basket, “ That baby is not mine!”
“Normally mothers are much more well behaved and grateful when they are reunited with their children.” The stern woman said flatly.
“That’s because I’m not it’s mother!” He said, exasperated at the situation.
“Come along, Martha,” The woman turned to the younger girl, who followed, frowning at Harry as she did. “We shouldn’t continue to intrude on this emotional reunion.”
“Wait, wait!” He called out, darting around the sofa as they reached the door. “You can’t leave this baby here! Take it back! It’ll just end up there again, I won’t be keeping it.”
The stern woman turned back, hand on the doorknob, with disappointment and disgust clear on her face, “ You wait, Mr. Potter. It’s about time you took responsibility for your child and stopped trying to force them upon others. You leave that poor child at our doorstep again and we will just bring them right back to you. And next time I may inform Mr Riddle of your despicable attitude.”
She shut the door in his stunned face.
Take responsibility!?
He covered his face with his hands and screamed in frustration. This was ridiculous! He had only been trying to help earlier, so the child wouldn’t hurt itself by rolling off the stoop. How could no one believe him?
The baby let out a questioning babble and Harry peeked over at the basket through his fingers.
He could see two tiny hands reaching up over the lip of the basket. He let out a frustrated sigh and approached the baby.
When he got closer and the baby saw him, the babbling got happier. Little hands clapped together and the child smiled gummily up at him.
“You sure didn’t help me with that crying earlier.” He told the baby, “You know they think I’m your mother?”
The baby smilied wider, still flailing it’s chubby arms up at him.
“Well, you are cute, but I can’t keep you, understand? No, I guess you don’t, do you?” He said amused. Annoying situation or not, the baby had no control over anything, and it’s happiness was infectious. He smiled back as it grabbed at it’s own feet.
Louder knocking than before sounded at the door, startling him.
“Harry! Are you ready?”
Ron! The tournament! He’d forgotten for a moment, too absorbed by the situation he’d found himself in.
“Just a moment!” He yelled back in a rush. He grabbed the basket and moved it to the floor behind the couch in the middle of the room just in time as Ron came in anyway, two broomsticks in one hand.
“Well, c’mon!” He said excitedly.
“Er, I-I don’t think I feel up to it anymore.”
Harry resisted looking down at the baby in the basket by his feet. Honestly, what was he supposed to do? He didn’t need anyone else thinking he was an unwed omega with a baby.
“What? Why not?”
“I’m sorry, er, just not feeling all that great.”
“Oh, are you nervous?” The redhead smiled reassuringly, “Don’t be, like I said, you’re a good flier and I know some of the judges. Already talked to them!”
“No, really, I don’t think-”
“It’ll be fine! Here, I brought the broom like I promised.” He held one out and came closer.
“No,” Harry tried to wave him off, “I’m not feeling well…”
Ron came around the sofa just as the baby let out another happy noise, he faltered in his approach, looking down at the child with wide eyes. “Oh.”
His eyes darted between Harry and the baby rapidly, “Uhh…. where’d that come from?”
Harry sighed, running a hand through his hair before reaching down to pick the basket back up, “Christmas present.” He said, dryly.
“ Last Christmas, you mean?” Ron whispered under his breath as he peered closer at the baby and just how big it was.
Harry shook his head in exasperation, not bothering to say anything more about it. He wasn’t about to go into the whole ‘It’s not my baby’ again after how well that had been working out so far. Apparently his word meant nothing.
“Well, uh, I understand now. I should just be going… don’t worry about the tournament.”
“Hold on,” Harry thought quickly, “How much time do we have until we need to be there?”
“Er, about half an hour.”
“That’s plenty of time,” Harry said as he picked up the baby out of the basket, thinking about the way Tom Riddle had smiled at him earlier and made plans for Harry to take responsibility for a child that wasn’t his. He didn’t even bother to ask Harry his side of the story!
“Hey, you can’t- Harry, you can’t fly with a baby!”
“I’m not going to. We’re going to make a stop on the way first.” He made his way past him and to his door, missing the beta’s eyes go impossibly wider at his next words. “Tom Riddle got me into this mess, so he can get me out of it!”
He ignored the warm feeling he got as the baby gripped tightly at his sweater and rested their small head in the crook of his neck.
-
Tom descended the grand staircase in Riddle Manor, swinging his expensive new French outer robe on that he’d purchased that morning as he did so.
At the bottom of the stairs, in the large entryway, the butler looked frazzled, holding a baby in his arms.
Tom raised an eyebrow at the man as he approached.
“Sir,” The old beta talked quickly, “A Mr. Potter just dropped this off for you. I tried to stop him, but he just took off!”
“Potter?” He repeated, mood darkening and thoughts of a pleasant evening evaporating. “A young dark haired omega?”
“Yes, sir. You do know him?”
How dare that omega drop off his child here, after Tom had done all he could for him. More than he had needed to, even. He gave him his job, a raise, and plenty of high quality baby items that he surely couldn’t have afforded on his own! The nerve of that ungrateful heathen.
“Where did he say he was going?” He asked as evenly as he could.
“He didn’t say, sir, but his companion had two broomsticks. There is a Quidditch tournament tonight at-”
“I know about that.” He cut in, “Give the child here, I’ll go take care of this myself.”
-
The city park didn’t have a full size quidditch pitch, as it would have taken up too much of the available land. Instead it was scaled down. The goal rings were still plenty high, sitting above the treetops, though nowhere near as high as regulation standard. Each side of the pitch had two wooden bleachers, with open space between them. The bleachers were already packed with spectators and the open spaces were beginning to fill as well.
Tom entered the gathering crowd, ignoring the aww’s of random strangers at the sight of him with a child. He made his way through to stand on the edge of the pitch, temper rising as the child continued to wail in his arms. The babe had started crying the moment he left the manor and he had not been able to get them to stop since.
It appeared the matches had not started yet, but there were plenty of people up in the air already warming up. He searched the sky for a glimpse of the omega.
“Pardon me,” one of the tournament officials approached him, dragging his attention away from the air, “What color robe is your wife wearing? We’ll help you find them.”
“Wife?” Tom seethed, “That omega is not-!”
“Woah, woah,” The man held up his hands in defense, making eye contact with another official as he did, “Easy, just trying to help.”
“I do not need your help. I will drag that omega back by myself.” He turned narrowed eyes back up to the soaring players.
He caught sight of a slight form with dark hair doing graceful loops in the air. The undisciplined boy appeared to be having a great time, laughing as he did so.
“ There you are.” Tom said, darkly, raising his free hand not holding the baby up at the omega—
“Sir!” The official he thought had left exclaimed in horror, blocking his path, “You can not cause a disturbance!”
“This will only take a moment.” He said through clenched teeth.
“No. I’m going to have to ask you to leave.” He said and two more officials stepped up, nodding in agreement.
“I will not leave until that Omega is back on the ground and taking care of his child!”
“Yikes,” One of them said.
“I think not. You will leave or we will be forced to call the authorities.” The first one said, “Then you can spend the night in jail thinking about how to treat your omega.”
Tom growled, thinking. He was not about to get arrested for something like this. He had a perfect public image and he was not about to tarnish it over one stupid irresponsible omega.
“Fine.” He bit out at last.
He’d see the omega soon enough.
-
“That’s tough luck, mate.” Ron said to him for the umpteenth time since they left the tournament.
Harry sighed, he really could have used the money. Especially now after he’d dropped the baby off at Riddle’s and left. He was a little nervous to show up to work the next time he was scheduled.
“I don’t know why they would have the tournament prizes arranged so that second place was a monetary one and first was a trophy.” Harry muttered, swinging the large polished metal cup by one of it’s handles.
“The twins knew it, too. I shouldn’t have trusted them.” Ron groaned, following Harry up the stairs to the apartment.
“It’s alright. You didn’t know.” Harry assured.
“Still, I feel bad.” The beta continued as Harry pulled out his keys, “I was right about you being a good flier though. You did amazing.”
“Thanks,” Harry unlocked his door, but didn’t open it.
“It was hard keeping up with you,” Ron praised, “All that work gave me an appetite, do you have anything to eat?”
Harry blinked at him, “No. Isn’t it late?”
“No, of course not.” He tried to push past, “C’mon, I tried to help, right? Just a little snack.”
“I don’t have anything right now, Ron. Nor do I feel up to cooking after today.” Harry said more than a little annoyed. He wasn’t lying, he didn’t have anything that he could make. He was due to go shopping, and now he wasn’t sure how much he had to spend on food. Plus from what he’d heard from his coworkers that had gone to lunch with the beta in the past, Ron could eat a lot.
“Not even after I made sure you got home alright?” He whined.
“I told you that you didn’t have to.”
“And let an omega walk home in the dark alone?” Ron gasped, “My mother raised me better than that.” He laughed and pushed past Harry into the apartment. “Honestly, even just an apple would be fine!”
Harry spun on his heel, ready to tell him what he thought of his manners, when he caught sight of Ron who had stopped in shock and then the reason for his shock sitting on his sofa, baby in arms, beyond him.
Shite.
He gulped. Tom Riddle looked exhausted and pissed and yet... still so handsome .
“AH. I get it now,” Ron said in a hurry, “I-I’ll just, I’ll just be— bye!”
Ron was gone before Harry could say another word.
He had expected to hear something from someone about the fact that he had left his supposed child at the Riddle’s. But he had expected the stern woman from the orphanage and he did not think it would be tonight. He certainly did not think it would be Tom Riddle himself to confront him.
He bit his lip as he closed the door behind him and faced the alpha, “How did you get in here?”
“Your landlady was kind enough to let me in so your child and I didn’t have to wait out in the cold.”
“Listen, I don’t know what the people at the orphanage told you, but that is not my baby!” He crossed his arms in front of him. This was not going on any further. “This is all just one big misunderstanding. Another woman dropped that baby off and I was just looking out for it.”
“Why must you keep denying it?” The alpha shook his head, glaring. He stood, gently placing the baby back into the basket, before rounding on Harry. “As someone left on the steps of an orphanage myself, I don’t much care for your denying your child of it’s mother.”
Harry stepped back as the alpha seemed to tower over him now that he was standing. He had forgotten that the man had been in an orphanage. He felt bad for a moment disappointing the man before he came to his senses. He had not dropped his baby at an orphanage. He did not have a baby!
He stood up straighter, “For the last time, that baby is. Not. Mine!”
Riddle’s eyes narrowed and he stalked closer, “You want to keep your job, don’t you?”
“You- you’re…” Harry spluttered at the implication, “You’re threatening my job over a child that isn’t mine?”
“ I am ensuring that your child is raised by it’s mother, Mr. Potter.” The alpha said coldly, “Our store employs decent honest people and your attempted abandonment of your child shows neither of those traits.”
“Fine,” Harry gritted out, “I will find work elsewhere!”
“You won’t be able to find work elsewhere.” The alpha promised with a dark grin that sent a shiver down Harry’s spine.
“What do you mean?” He asked, unsure under that gaze. He stepped back when the man moved forward again, only to hit his back on the door behind him.
“New employers will ask for references, don’t you know? Even if they don’t, I will know where you go and gladly provide my detailed opinion on your deplorable character.” He said evenly as he glared down at the omega with icy-gray eyes as he caged him in by the door, “You will never work in any respectable business again, Mr. Potter. I will personally see to it.”
Harry struggled to find words as the taller male continued to glare unblinkingly for a long moment. He eventually stepped away returning to the basket, to check on the baby.
“You’re going to persecute me?” Harry finally said, voice smaller than he hoped it would be.
Riddle didn’t say anything, he didn’t need to. He just waited until Harry shakily pushed away from the door and sat down in the chair nearby it.
He felt like crying. What was he supposed to do in a situation like this?
“Are you ready to ask for your job back, Harry?” He asked, his voice calm and devoid of any of its earlier malice.
Harry stared back at the man, unsure.
What choice did he have? There was a limit to the man’s influence, of course, but how far would he have to go to escape it and find someone to employ him. He didn’t want to leave the area, this was the only place he knew.
“Please.” He murmured quietly. “I want my job.”
“Of course.” The alpha replied simply, acting like the entire situation had not been so serious. Like the whole ordeal had a simple solution the entire time and he was pleased that Harry finally understood.
The man appeared thoughtful as he looked at the child in the basket. Harry didn’t know what to say to him and so remained quiet. Part of him wanted the other to take his leave, while another part didn’t want him to leave yet because Harry didn’t know how to take care of an infant.
Eventually, the alpha spoke again. He was still looking in the direction of the baby, but his eyes didn’t appear to be focussed on them.
“I am curious, however. Tell me, why did you fight this so hard? Why would you want to give up your child?”
Because it’s not my child, His mind automatically supplied.
“Because I can hardly take care of myself.” He said instead. It was what he told the ladies at the orphanage as well. “My only living relatives threw me out and I only recently managed to get this apartment.”
“I see,” He looked around the shabby apartment, “I shall provide a few more necessary items, I had not realized how hard of a time you were having. What of the father? Where is he?”
Harry gestured to his unmarked neck, “Obviously he didn’t care to stay.” He didn’t feel like making up some mystery man, but now needed to pretend the child was his to keep his job.
“Oh,” He said softly and Harry took pleasure in the other’s discomfort at whatever idea of the situation that gave him. “Well, you have a secure job now. I’m sure you will be a most capable mother now that you have a chance. Have a good night.”
Harry didn’t stop him as he left.
He slumped in his seat and stared up at the ceiling. A secure job? How was he supposed to show up to the job if he had to take care of a baby? What did Riddle expect him to do with the baby during working hours?
There was a quiet rap on the door. What did he want now?
“Yes?” He called out tiredly.
“Oh, Harry!” Mrs Figg poked her head into the room and he stood up in a hurry, “I saw the man leave. He told me about the baby earlier.”
“Oh, uh…”
She caught sight of the basket and tottered over faster than he’d ever seen the old woman move, “There they are! You didn’t need to hide the baby from me, dear.”
“I’m sorry.” He said, not sure how to handle the situation. Three of her kneazles darted in through the open door while he stood still where he was, uncertain.
He grimaced at the thought of more hair after he had just swept. He’d have to sweep more often, too, if there was going to be a baby crawling around.
“He said you were having problems.” She said kindly, picking the baby up, “Don’t worry, I will help you. You know I don’t go out much, I have plenty of time. I told the man that, too. So what’s his name?”
“Tom?” Didn't he introduce himself earlier to her?
“Oh, Thomas. Very nice. Hello little Tom, I’m Arabella.” She cooed at the baby.
“Oh, I-” He thought she was asking about the alpha. Well, whatever. The baby needed a name anyway. Might as well name him after the man who pretty much gave him the baby, though not in the normal way. “Yeah, Thomas.”
“He looks just like you.”
Bewildered, Harry flopped back down into his seat.