Introspection and Year's End (June 1992- July 1992)
June 15th 1992
When Harry woke up again after his… emotional conversation with Dumbledore and found Hadrian Black sitting at his bedside and reading a book, the first thing that came out of his mouth was.
“You were right.” That startled the boy a bit, as he whipped around to see Harry sitting up on the bed.
“What was I right about?” Hadrian asked calmly, shutting the book and giving Harry his full attention. It’s nice to know at least one person cares, Harry found himself thinking.
“Snape. He tried to save me during the game, not curse me. It was Quirrell that was possessed by Voldemort, not Snape helping him.”
“He was possessed, huh? I’d think he was just helping him. Possession seems excessive.”
“I know, right?” Harry exclaimed in exasperation, getting a chuckle from Hadrian.
“And…? There’s something else you want to tell me.” Hadrian guessed, and Harry wondered when the boy had gotten so well at reading him.
“I should’ve listened to you and let it go, but I did make sure Voldemort didn’t come back….”
“That’s good, although I would’ve preferred if you’d just let it be like I asked.”
“I know….” Harry sighed out, letting his head drop back on the pillow, “Honestly, it would’ve been fine if I hadn’t interfered; he wouldn’t have been able to get it and would’ve been caught.”
“Harry, don’t take this the wrong way… but I highly doubt it was the real Philosopher’s Stone.”
“What?”
“I did some research after you told me about it, and I found out it was actually a protected artefact by the International Confederation of Wizards. I highly doubt Nicolas Flamel and his wife would just… let Dumbledore borrow it when it could be in danger. It might have just been a fake.”
“But…. Isn’t Dumbledore his friend?”
“Would you let your friend burrow a very powerful artefact and allow him to hide it in his castle full of children?”
“When you put it like that….” Harry said hesitantly.
“It’s just a theory Harry, don’t think about it too much. I’m just glad you’re alright.” Hadrian consoled, patting the boy on the knee.
“I- yeah, I’m okay.” Harry said softly, but he kept looking at Hadrian as if unsure how to continue.
“Alright, what is it?”
“Dumbledore talked to me about a lot of things and I….” Harry explained, getting a bit frustrated.
“Okay, what did he talk about?”
“Well, first he told me that the stone would be destroyed and the Flamels would… pass on.”
“Ah, I highly doubt they’d let that happen, but okay. And it’s not your fault Harry; it’s Dumbledore’s for keeping the stone here in the first place when he knew it would be in danger.”
“Okay…. He also told me Voldemort wasn’t dead.” Here, Hadrian flinched a bit.
“I’d imagine he wouldn’t be, no. A body was never found, and if you say you met him… then I guess he’s not dead.”
“Yeah…. Why did you flinch when I said his name?” Harry asked, curious about the reaction because it wasn’t just Hadrian who had it.
“Well, most people were just scared of him and didn’t want to say it, but for me… well back in the first war, there was a taboo curse on his name. Whenever you’d say it, some of his crazed followers would come and kill you for daring to utter their master’s name. Witches and Wizards started really fearing it since then.”
“That’s… that’s awful!” Harry exclaimed, eyes wide in shock and slight fear.
“Yeah….” Hadrian sighed out, looking away as if in a faraway place.
“Hadrian… you’re not a muggle-born, are you?”
“I suppose not, no.” The older boy replied with a bitter laugh, turning to Harry with hooded silvery grey eyes.
“What are you then?”
“You’ll find out soon, I guess.” Hadrian said vaguely, giving Harry a small smirk before changing the subject, or rather bringing them back on track. “What else did Dumbledore say?”
“He explained how I was able to… subdue Quirrell.” Harry hesitated at the last part, and Hadrian understood immediately.
“You killed him, didn’t you?”
“I didn’t mean to!” Harry exclaimed, tears building in his emerald green eyes from the guilt.
“I know Harry, it was completely understandable. You were defending yourself.” Hadrian consoled, patting the Gryffindor on his back.
“I- it’s just, I didn’t know what else to do! And Dumbledore keeps saying it was my mother’s love that saved me, but would my mother have really wanted me to….” And the fact of the matter was, Harry couldn’t even say what he’d done to the other boy; that was how much the guilt was eating him alive, and Hadrian didn’t really know what to say except the truth.
“If it meant keeping you safe, yes, she would’ve wanted the man to die, hell, she might’ve done it herself. I don’t agree with the Headmaster on many things, Harry, but I do agree with him on this, your mother’s love, any mother’s love really, is a very powerful thing, we’ve just been unlucky enough to never experience it.”
“But we’ve seen it with other people….” Harry continued, trailing off at the end with a soft sigh.
“Yeah,” Hadrian said with a sad smile, “we’ve seen it. My point is, don’t ever feel guilty for protecting yourself, Harry, no one would ever begrudge you that.”
“I… that’s hard.”
“I know, but you can’t always take the blame. That’s not how life works. It’ll keep affecting you until you explode.” When Harry didn’t stop looking hesitant, Hadrian sighed and shook his head. “Alright, did he tell you anything else?”
“He said Snape was… protecting me. That he hated my father when they were students, but my dad saved his life so he’s protecting me to repay him or something.” While talking, Harry looked rather annoyed.
“So he owed your father a life debt, but because your father died, it transferred to you? That… I don’t know if it makes sense too much or not at all.”
“What does it mean?”
“Well…. Life debts of any kind are very important in the Wizarding World. They’re magically binding, and breaking one would mean very serious repercussions. If Snape really owed your father one, I’d think it’d end with his death, but I guess the debt transferring to you would also make sense in a very roundabout way.”
“Huh….” Harry whispered, tilting his head a bit in thought. “So he’s right about that?”
“I’m not sure…. I’ll ask and let you know.” Hadrian said vaguely, and Harry didn’t understand what he meant by that but let it go. Another one of Hadrian Black’s unspoken secrets. “Did he say anything else?”
“No…. That’s it I think. Oh wait! No, I asked him why Vol- I mean You-Know-Who is after me. I thought he’d been after my parents, but then he told me he was actually after me. Dumbledore just told me he’d tell me when I’m older.”
“Probably for the best, Harry, there are just some things that you don’t want to know so they don’t ruin your childhood and innocence.”
“I guess….” Harry said, not sounding very convinced but letting the matter go… for now.
“Now stop thinking about stressful things, Harry. Tell me, how were your exams?”
And that got Harry going, distracting him from what happened. Hadrian just smiled in amusement as he listened to the boy ramble, happy to see him finally at ease, at least a bit.
July 24th 1992
“Another year gone!” Dumbledore said cheerfully. “And I must trouble you with an old man’s wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were … you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts….
“Now, as I understand it, the House Cup here needs awarding and the points stand thus: in fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Ravenclaw have four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy-two.”
A storm of cheering and stamping broke out from the Slytherin table. Harry could see Hadrian smiling proudly and Draco Malfoy grinning in triumph. It made a weird feeling rise inside Harry, like a mix of jealousy at losing and happiness for his friend.
“Yes, yes, well done, Slytherin,” Dumbledore said, and Harry felt the man was a bit sarcastic in his congratulations, but he wasn’t sure. “However, recent events must be taken into account.”
The room went very still. The Slytherins’ smiles faded a little and Harry could see Hadrian glaring at their Headmaster.
“Ahem,” Dumbledore started with a small smile. “I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes…. First – to Mr Ronald Weasley….”
Beside him, Ron went purple in the face; he looked like a radish with a bad sunburn. It was quite a funny sight.
“…For the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house fifty points.” Gryffindor cheers nearly raised the bewitched ceiling; the stars overhead seemed to quiver. Percy could be heard telling the other Prefects, “My brother, you know! My youngest brother! Got past McGonagall’s giant chess set!”
At last there was silence again. “Second – to Miss Hermione Granger… for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house fifty points.”
Hermione buried her face in her arms; Harry strongly suspected she had burst into tears. Gryffindors up and down the table were beside themselves – they were a hundred points up. “Third – to Mister Harry Potter….” Dumbledore said, sounding a bit proud. The room went deadly quiet. Harry didn’t know whether to feel pleased or embarrassed. “… for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points.”
The din was deafening. Those who could add up while yelling themselves hoarse knew that Gryffindor now had four hundred and seventy-two points – exactly the same as Slytherin. They had drawn for the House Cup – if only Dumbledore had given Harry just one more point. Dumbledore raised his hand. The room gradually fell silent.
“There are all kinds of courage,” Dumbledore started once more, smiling. “It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mister Neville Longbottom.”
Someone standing outside the Great Hall might well have thought some sort of explosion had taken place, so loud was the noise that erupted from the Gryffindor table. Harry, Ron and Hermione stood up to yell and cheer as Neville, white with shock, disappeared under a pile of people hugging him. He had never won even a point for Gryffindor before, not until now that is.
“Which means,” Dumbledore called over the storm of applause, for even most of the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were celebrating the downfall of Slytherin, “we need a little change of decoration.”
He clapped his hands. In an instant, the green hangings became scarlet and the silver became gold; the huge Slytherin serpent vanished and a towering Gryffindor lion took its place. Snape was shaking Professor McGonagall’s hand, with a horribly forced smile. He caught Harry’s eye and Harry knew at once that Snape’s feelings towards him hadn’t changed one bit.
Turning towards the snake table, Harry couldn’t help frowning a bit at the dark look on Hadrian’s face, but he relaxed a bit when the older boy made eye contact with him and smiled at Harry, clapping a bit in his direction. He was glad Hadrian wasn’t mad at him, just angry at the loss. This made Harry relax enough to re-join the celebrations, putting everything on the backburner for now.
They’d won the House Cup, it was time to celebrate.
July 25th 1992
Platform nine and three quarters was as busy as ever, and Harry couldn’t help feeling such a profound loss at having to return to his dreadful aunt’s house. He’d already said his goodbyes to Ron and Hermione, promising to write. He’d greeted Mrs Weasley and was now standing with his uncle, ready to leave and go back to misery.
“Wait!” A voice exclaimed behind the duo, and Harry turned towards the sound to find Hadrian coming towards them with a blonde man trailing behind him with a small smile on his face.
“Hadrian! What are you doing?” Harry asked incredulously, staring at the boy.
“I just wanted to see you before I leave. Hello Mister Dursley, I’m Hadrian Black, a friend of Harry’s.”
“Yes yes. Hurry up, boy, we haven’t got all day.” The man glared at Harry, while his wife and son stayed behind him.
“If I may have a moment of your time.” Hadrian said politely, but when the large man went to object, both Hadrian and the man behind him glared and secretly showed their wands. Vernon, getting a bit scared of the threat, nodded once and went to the side.
Harry didn’t know what Hadrian was telling his uncle, but he saw the man getting purple-faced, then paling considerably before shaking his head in confirmation and moving away from the boy.
“See you next term Harry!” Hadrian said brightly before leaving with his guardian.
Harry didn’t know what Hadrian had told his uncle, but the man stayed silent for the rest of the way home.
Harry counted this as a good start to the summer, and who knew that all he’d had to do was get lost at the start of the school year.