Chapter 13
Rodnuk steered the cute family reunion to a much different topic once he received orders from his prince.
"Before they leave our nation, I will need you to convince the emry-wixen boy to take an inheritance test identical to the one done for Prince Hadrien. It's not every century that emrywix blood becomes emery-demi wixen blood, with the ability to control their magic. Explain to them what that means. I must speak with King Valoblade; he wants to know that the new monarch has returned."
"If you three would come with me for a short walk, we should discuss a few things in my office."
"What kind of things…random goblin I don't know?" Hadrien didn't want to go anywhere with a random goblin, however, he knew he would likely have too.
"Ah, my apologies. I am Rodnuk, and I have been keeping your family company and answering your aunt's questions. My wife Reednuk came by not too long ago to explain the submissive/dominant part of your soul bonded relationship. I assume you understand what that means now that you're clear of malicious magics?"
Hadrien's eyes widened as a small influx of information entered his brain…he could have children. Birth them. He could change his sexual organs at will…ah. He blushed hard at this new information, squeaking, "yep, yep. Got it now… let's go."
Rodnuk chuckled a raspy laugh and led them out the door and to his office.
Hadrien, Dudley, and Petunia were shocked to discover they had descended from a former squib line of emrywixen. The term meaning magically inclined wixen, without the final development of harnessing powers. It was a term created by Hadrien's ancestor, by magic, Emrys Merlin. A large portion of the creature nations still use the term, as well as demiwix, and wix; however, the wix themselves seem to have forgotten their ancestors' origins as time passed. Merlin created the fail-safe on magical blood so the wixen population would never die out. Hence, the term was named after him. Rodnuk explained that during Merlin's time, groups of wixen were becoming prejudiced against the muggle population. And instead, marrying closer to their family lines, rather than introducing newer blood to prevent congenital disabilities. It wasn't until much later, closer to 1870, that wixen people started to notice those defects. They developed in the mind, and the magic of the children being born to people marrying too close to their families, or marrying their families directly. A good example is the famous Black Family Madness, it isn't something that just developed because they are dark wixen, it's because they focused on keeping their blood 'pure' rather than boost their magical prowess with the introduction of new blood.
He also explained that soul bonds are a complete exception to that rule. They are made, bonded, and maintained through Mother magic, so she has accepted whatever relation the two people have as null and void—for example, Lycoris Black and Catarina Black nee Burke. Lycoris was the grandson of Phineas Nigellus Black and Ursula Black nee Flint, while her maternal grandparents were Phineas Nigellus Black and Ursula Black nee Flint. Mother Magic had given them a soul bond. Although they didn't have any children, neither was affected by any of the defects running through their families, despite being first cousins through their parents, Sirius Black and Bellvina Burke nee Black. They lived a happy life together.
Rodnuk walked them through the explanation of what being Prince Hadrien Pendragon meant. Hadrien could control the European Wixen world, united under a single monarchy. It used to be an entire dimension, separate from the muggle world entirely, with only a few places that housed a gateway between both worlds. Much like two worlds stacked on top of one another, without the possibility of collapsing into one another, but with doors to and from each.
"If the two worlds could never collapse into each other…then why did the witches and wizards come to the muggle world? Why were there burnings and hunts between the 17th and 19th centuries? Why are we here if a perfect home world is supposedly waiting for us to return?" Hadrien was slowly getting angry. How could he be here learning about this from the goblins when he could have learnt all this from his mother and fathers in a castle, with love that enveloped him like a blanket. A place where he wasn't afraid to be who he was but was praised and celebrated for it. A safe space to cry and be comforted…why does he have to be an orphan? He knows his aunt loves him as her own now… but for a long time it felt like it was himself against the world. He knew Vernon hit her too, and that she tried to make the best out of a situation where she had zero power. But it was hard to trust her. It was even hard to trust Dudley. They were undeniably his family but he was just so angry that he had to grow up in that house with that man. Why…why did he have to do that when there used to be a place where he would never have had to get hurt, or learn to shut up and be quiet. A place where he would never have had to learn how painful a broken rib, or slightly punctured lung could be. A dislocated shoulder and gardening not fifteen minutes after. Where he never would have learned what it was like to have your head bashed into the wall, so hard that it goes through. Then getting beaten black and blue for having to spend the money to get the wall fixed before fall. He never would have learned…or relearned what devastating pain, tearing, and torture was when Uncle Vernon came home late from the bar, too drunk to think his actions through before swinging the cupboard open to where Harry was. Why did his parents have to die…why couldn't he have been loved?
Rodnuk watched as the child's rage grew to a catatonic sadness that ripped through his chest. Goblins were always very empathetic creatures, that ability comes in handy when dealing with greedy people…but it does not deal with genuine hysterical sorrow, or wrathful agony very nicely. He stopped speaking, and walked over to Hadrien's chair. Never would Rodnuk have done this if he thought he was overstepping, or forgetting his place in front of another nation's prince…but right now this was a child who put on such a brave face for the people around him. Rodnuk hugged him…and that was when Hadrien started crying. It wasn't loud, or in great heaving sobs. He was quiet, but held onto the small goblin with every fibre in his body. Hadrien buried his face between Rodnuk's shoulder and neck. The top of Rodnuk's undershirt and waistcoat were damp with tears, whether he noticed or not, nobody said anything. They stayed like that for a very long time. Petunia grabbed the one semi-free hand of Hadren's and kissed its back. Dudley rubbed circles on Hadrien's back as he hunched over Rodnuk. Nobody said a single word until Hadrien calmed down and let go of Rodnuk.
Petunia whispered as if she didn't want to break the comfortable silence that had fallen over them after Hadrien had stopped crying, "I think it's time we get some rest. It's been an extremely long day for all of us, some sleep would do us good."
Rodnuk nodded his head, and waved them to follow him. He led them through a few small passages until they reached what looked to be a village of little houses, and a moderately sized castle in the center. He led the small party to one specific house, one bigger than the rest, and more stylishly decorated than most. It was his house that he shared with his wife. The house was quiet and somber but not sad. Comfortable. He magiced up two additional beds and expanded what looked to be a guest room to fit them all. He nodded to Petunia once before exiting and closing the door. All three of them were out in minutes.