Chapter 31- Shadows in the Alley
Hadrian stepped out of the Knight Bus and onto the worn cobblestones of Grimmauld Place, his mind still clouded with thoughts of the gang's hideout. The bus's abrupt departure left a gust of wind in its wake, ruffling his hair as he stood before the imposing, grim facade of Number 12.
The house, hidden between two mundane residences, seemed to exude a sense of foreboding—a stark contrast to the warmth and camaraderie he had just left behind.
As he opened the front door, the familiar scent of old wood and dust greeted him. The house was eerily silent, save for the faint creaking of floorboards. Hadrian's footfalls echoed as he walked through the dimly lit hallway, the gloom pressing in on him from all sides.
Sirius was waiting for him in the drawing room, a glass of firewhisky in hand. He looked up as Hadrian entered, his usual mischievous grin slipping slightly when he saw the expression on Hadrian's face.
"How was it, kid?" Sirius asked, his voice laced with concern.
Hadrian mumbled something noncommittal, avoiding his godfather's gaze. The melancholy from the farewell with the gang still weighed heavily on his heart, making it hard to muster the usual enthusiasm. He walked over to the nearest armchair and sank into it, the cushions swallowing him up as he stared blankly at the fireplace.
Sirius opened his mouth to say something more, but before he could, Tonks burst into the room, her hair a vibrant shade of pink today. She took one look at Hadrian and immediately crossed the room to sit beside him.
"What's wrong?" she asked softly, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. The warmth of her touch sent a shiver down Hadrian's spine, and he tensed slightly, not wanting to betray his inner turmoil.
"I'm fine," he replied, his voice tight. "Just... tired, that's all."Tonks wasn't convinced, and it showed in the way her brows furrowed and her lips pressed into a thin line. But she didn't push further, instead reaching into her pocket and pulling out a letter."Here," she said, handing it to him. "Your Hogwarts letter. Thought it might cheer you up."
Hadrian took the letter, the familiar crest of Hogwarts embossed on the wax seal. The sight of it brought a small smile to his face—second year, it was time to go back. The weight of the parchment in his hands was oddly reassuring, a reminder of the magical world that had become his second home.
"Thanks," he muttered, tucking the letter into his pocket. "I guess I should start getting ready, then."Tonks smiled, her earlier worry fading as she caught a glimpse of the old Hadrian peeking through the cracks. "Well, you'll need to go to Diagon Alley, won't you? I'll come with you. We can make a day of it."
Hadrian's heart skipped a beat at the thought of spending the day with Tonks. She was always so full of energy, so alive, and her presence was a beacon of light that cut through the darkness that had settled over him. He nodded, trying to hide the flush that was creeping up his neck."Sure," he said, trying to sound casual. "That sounds good."
The next morning, Hadrian and Tonks made their way to Diagon Alley. The bustling crowds, the bright shop windows, and the lively chatter of witches and wizards going about their day brought a sense of normalcy that Hadrian hadn't realized he craved.
The vibrant energy of the alley was infectious, and despite the lingering sadness in his heart, he found himself beginning to relax.
Tonks walked beside him, her hair now a soft lavender that matched her robes. She was close—so close that Hadrian could feel the warmth radiating from her body, and it made him slightly nervous, though he couldn't quite place why. As they moved through the crowd, her hand occasionally brushed against his, and each time, Hadrian felt a jolt of electricity shoot through him.
They stopped at Flourish and Blotts first, the musty smell of old books and parchment filling the air as they entered. The shelves were stacked high with books of every size and color, and Hadrian's eyes roamed over the titles with a hunger for knowledge that had only grown since his first year at Hogwarts.
"Let's see," Tonks said, pulling out Hadrian's Hogwarts letter and scanning the list of required books. "We'll need 'The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2,' and 'Magical Drafts and Potions.' Oh, and don't forget 'Defensive Magical Theory.'"
Hadrian nodded absently, his attention already drifting to the more obscure sections of the store. As Tonks gathered the required books, Hadrian wandered over to a shelf labeled "Advanced Studies." His eyes lit up as he found volumes on martial arts, Occlumency, Legilimency, and even some on grey hexes and curses.
One particularly thick tome on wards caught his eye, and he pulled it off the shelf, thumbing through the pages with interest.
"Quite the selection," Tonks remarked, suddenly beside him. She looked at the stack of books in his arms and raised an eyebrow. "Planning on becoming a master of all trades, are you?"Hadrian shrugged, trying to ignore the way her proximity made his heart race. "I just don't want to be weak again, I never want to feel how I did with the Dursleys."
Tonks chuckled nervously, her laughter light and teasing. "Always thinking ahead, aren't you? Well, I suppose it's better to be over-prepared than under."
They continued their shopping, moving from store to store, picking up supplies and other necessities for the school year. Throughout, Tonks remained close—closer than Hadrian was used to. She seemed to find excuses to touch him, whether it was brushing a stray lock of hair from his forehead, or playfully poking his side when he made a sarcastic comment.
It was during one of these moments, as they stood outside a small shop, that Tonks leaned in, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "You know," she said in a low voice, "I think I deserve a reward for helping you with all this."
Hadrian blinked, caught off guard. "A reward?"
Tonks nodded, her smile widening as she tilted her head, her lips hovering dangerously close to his. "A kiss, perhaps?"
Hadrian's breath hitched, his mind racing. He hadn't been prepared for this—hadn't even considered the possibility that Tonks might...in public...But before he could overthink it, her lips brushed against his, soft and warm, and the world seemed to stop.
Hadrian felt his heart hammering in his chest as he tentatively returned the kiss, his hands awkwardly finding their way to her waist. But just as he was beginning to lose himself in the moment, something caught his eye—a flash of movement in the distance.
A cloaked figure was moving swiftly towards Knockturn Alley, slipping through the crowd with practiced ease. Hadrian's instincts flared, and without thinking, he pulled away from Tonks, his gaze fixed on the retreating figure.
"Hadrian?" Tonks called after him, confusion and hurt mingling in her voice as she watched him take off after the man.
But Hadrian was already weaving through the crowd, his mind focused on one thing: finding out where that man was going. He followed at a distance, careful not to draw attention to himself. The man moved with purpose, his cloak billowing behind him as he ducked into a narrow alleyway that led deeper into the shadows of Knockturn Alley.
Hadrian slowed his pace, his heart pounding in his ears. The alley was dark and foreboding, the tall buildings on either side blocking out most of the light. He kept to the shadows, his breath shallow as he trailed the man to a small clearing—a dead-end surrounded by tall, twisted trees and old, crumbling buildings.
It was eerily silent, the only sound being the rustle of leaves in the wind. Hadrian's eyes widened in shock as he realized where he was. This place... it was exactly like the dream he had at St. Mungo's. The same twisted trees, the same dilapidated buildings. The same suffocating darkness.
The man stopped in the center of the clearing, his posture tense as he muttered something under his breath. Hadrian strained to hear, his heart racing as he caught the words.
"Tenebris Occultus Aperire."
The words were harsh and foreign, Latin, perhaps. They seemed to vibrate in the air, filling the clearing with a strange, oppressive energy. The man's hand reached out, and to Hadrian's astonishment, a door appeared in the side of one of the buildings, its outline glowing faintly in the dark.
The man glanced around, his gaze sweeping over the shadows where Hadrian was hiding. For a terrifying moment, Hadrian thought he'd been seen, but the man quickly turned back to the door and slipped inside, the door vanishing behind him with a soft click.
Hadrian stood frozen for a moment, his mind racing. He had to remember this place, this password. The connection between his dream and reality was too strong to ignore. He knew he couldn't just walk away from this.
But the growing sense of danger made him pause. He couldn't go in after the man—not yet, at least. He had to plan, to think this through.
As he turned to leave, the darkness of Knockturn Alley seemed to close in around him. The strange witches and wizards that lurked in the shadows eyed him with predatory interest, their gazes following him as he hurried back towards the safety of Diagon Alley.
Hadrian's nerves were frayed by the time he reached a corner where a small, almost forgotten bookstore sat nestled between two larger shops. The sign above the door was faded, the letters barely legible. Needing a moment to collect himself, he pushed open the door and stepped inside.
The interior was dimly lit, the air thick with the scent of old parchment and dust. Shelves lined the walls, filled with ancient tomes that seemed to pulse with a malevolent energy. Hadrian's skin prickled as he walked further in, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end.
"Can I help you?" a voice rasped from the shadows.
Hadrian turned to see a man sitting behind a counter, his form barely visible in the gloom. The man was incredibly old, his skin pale and almost translucent, as if he had spent centuries hidden away from the sun. But it was his eyes that caught Hadrian's attention—eyes that were impossibly dark, like twin voids that seemed to peer into his very soul.
The man's gaze bore into Hadrian as he repeated his question, his voice a hoarse whisper. "What are you looking for, boy?"Hadrian shook his head, trying to dispel the uneasy feeling that had settled over him. "Nothing... just looking."
The man's lips twisted into something that might have been a smile, though it held no warmth. "There's always something... if you know where to look."
Hadrian's gaze wandered over the shelves, his eyes skimming over titles in languages he couldn't read. And then he saw it—a worn, thick tome, its cover cracked and faded with age. The letters on the spine were indecipherable at first, but as he stared, they seemed to shift, rearranging themselves into words that he could understand.
"Herpo the Foul," he read aloud, his voice barely above a whisper.And beneath it, in smaller, different letters, " Continued by Emeric the Evil."
The names sent a shiver down his spine. Herpo the Foul—one of the darkest wizards to ever live, the creator of the first Horcrux. And Emeric the Evil—a dark sorcerer who terrorized Britain centuries ago. The book seemed to pulse with a dark allure, drawing Hadrian closer with every beat.
Without thinking, Hadrian reached out, his fingers brushing the cover. The moment he touched it, a wave of cold washed over him, but instead of pulling back, he found himself lifting the book off the shelf.
"It's yours if you want it," the old man's voice rasped from behind him. "You can steal it—it's of no use to me."
Hadrian's head snapped around, eyes wide in shock. The old man was watching him, a knowing look in his dark eyes. "You... knew?"
The man let out a low, rattling laugh. "I know many things, boy. More than you could ever imagine. But take the book—its knowledge will be more valuable to you than it ever was to me."Hadrian hesitated, the weight of the book heavy in his hands. The old man's cryptic words echoed in his mind, sending a thrill of fear and excitement through him.
"Thank you," Hadrian muttered, more out of habit than gratitude, before quickly turning and heading for the door.
He moved swiftly, his heart pounding as he stepped back out into the alley. The strange residents of Knockturn Alley still watched him with unsettling interest, their disfigured faces eyeing him like a peace of meat to be chewed upon, but Hadrian kept his head down, walking quickly back towards the safety of Diagon Alley.
He slipped the grimoire into the back of his robes, feeling its weight pressing against his spine as he moved. He could still feel the malevolent energy radiating from the book, but he forced himself to focus on getting back to Tonks and Sirius.
When he finally emerged into the bright, bustling atmosphere of Diagon Alley, the stark contrast made his head spin. He spotted Sirius and Tonks near the entrance to Gringotts, their expressions tense as they scanned the crowd.
Hadrian's eyes narrowed as he observed them from a distance. Sirius was talking to Tonks, his hands gesturing wildly as he spoke, while Tonks looked worried, her eyes darting around as if searching for something—or someone.
As Hadrian approached them from behind, he overheard their conversation."Where could he have gone?" Tonks was saying, her voice laced with anxiety. "I thought he was right behind me, but when I turned around, he was gone!"
"Don't worry, Nymphadora," Sirius replied, though there was a tightness in his voice that belied his calm words. "We'll find him. He can't have gone far."
Just as Tonks was about to respond, Hadrian leaned in close, whispering into her ear, "I'm here."Tonks spun around, her eyes wide with shock, and before Hadrian could react, she slapped him hard across the face. The sound of the slap echoed through the alley, drawing the attention of several passersby.
"That's for leaving me in despair!" Tonks snapped, her voice shaking with emotion.Hadrian rubbed his cheek, wincing at the sting, but before he could say anything, Tonks grabbed him by the collar and pulled him into a fierce kiss. Hadrian's eyes widened in surprise, but the feel of her lips against his, the warmth of her body pressed against him, made his thoughts scatter like leaves in the wind.
When she finally pulled away, her face was flushed, and her eyes were bright with both anger and relief. "And that's for coming back unharmed," she said, her voice barely more than a whisper.
Sirius, who had been watching the whole exchange with a raised eyebrow, crossed his arms and gave Hadrian an inquisitive look. "Care to explain where you disappeared to, Hadrian?"A crowd had started to gather, curious onlookers watching the scene with interest. Hadrian glanced around, his discomfort growing with every second.
"I think it's best if we discuss this behind closed doors," Hadrian replied, his voice steady despite the turmoil churning in his gut.
Sirius nodded in agreement, the worry in his eyes not entirely hidden. "Right. Let's get back to Grimmauld Place."
As they made their way back through the crowd, Hadrian couldn't shake the feeling of the grimoire pressing against his back, its dark energy whispering promises of power and knowledge that made his pulse quicken.
But beneath the excitement, there was a flicker of fear—fear of the path he had just stepped onto, and of the darkness that awaited him at its end.
He walked beside Tonks, her presence a comfort even as his thoughts grew darker. Whatever the future held, he knew that this journey was one he would have to face, with or without the support of those he cared about. But for now, he would keep his secrets, and prepare for the challenges that lay ahead.