Headmasters and Trapdoors
"Headmaster?" Hadrian asked nervously. "You asked for me?"
The office was odd. It had all sorts of muggle toys and knick-knacks. Some spinning, some not, and some that floated around the room. He honestly thought Uncle Arthur had to have helped with this room if he didn't know the Headmaster used it as a way to present more muggle-loving.
"Ah, yes, Harry, my boy, sit."
"Sir," Hadrian started softly. "My name for you would be Heir Prince or Mr.Prince. I would also ask that my Dad be here with us. If not him, one of the other Heads of Houses."
"Surely that is not required, my boy?" He noticed the twinkle slightly dim as the Headmaster glared at him.
The first year, he took a deep breath and sat up straight. He shut his emotions from his face and blankly looked at the old man before him. He finally put his hands in his lap and spoke.
"I demand the presence of either my Father or another Head of House. If one is not provided, I will leave. It is against school policy as well as illegal to deny me a Head of House or my parent."
He watched as Dumbledore debated the pros and cons of simply giving in quickly before floo calling Severus in. His blue eyes held anger as he attempted to catch Hadrian's eyes. It was fruitless to try, and Hadrian refused to look into the man's eyes. His walls and defenses were good but needed to be better to fend off Dumbledore; even if he had his heir ring, he did not wish to chance it. So he quietly waited for his Father to arrive.
"Albus, what is the mean-" Severus looked at his son blankly before glaring at the Headmaster. "Albus, why is my son in here?"
"Severus," Albus began sternly as Severus sat down. "Your son has been quite rude to young Miss Granger. She has then brought to my attention Minerva, and your relations to young mister Prince clouded your judgments."
"I assure you, they did not," Severus drawled. She was treating Mister Ronald Weasley horribly and was promptly punished. If you truly have a problem, take it up with Minerva. Leave my son out of it." Severus stood and made his way to the door. "Come now, Hadrian. We are late for dinner with the Malfoys, and your Aunt Cissa does not care for tardiness."
"Yes, Father." Hadrian stood and bowed respectfully as Heir Prince, despite having no respect for the old man, and said, "Goodbye, Headmaster."
Upon arriving at Malfoy Manor, Hadrian smiled softly at his Aunt Cissa. Given Hadrian's more feminine nature, he often got along better with her in certain aspects, particularly his love of feminine clothing and makeup. Severus, although never understanding it, accepted it with ease. He lost his son once. He wasn't going to lose his son over something so trivial as clothing.
"Oh Hadrian, dear, are you behaving? Doing well? How are your grades?" Narcissa asked in rapid fire.
Despite being Lady Narcissa Malfoy and having proper pureblood etiquette ingrained into her at a young age, the woman let down her pureblood masks around her family, especially when it came to her son and godson.
"I am behaving Aunt Cissa." Hadrian began smiling softly. "I am doing quite alright. My grades are as they should be for someone of my intelligence."
"We are glad to hear it."
Hadrian smiled at his Uncle Lucius. The two were not as close as Hadrian and Narcissa, but they were relatively close. They both shared an interest in politics and the political games that could be played.
"Uncle Lucius!" Hadrian said with a grin. "How was Wizengamot this week?"
"We got the bill passed." His Uncle said, smiling softly.
"The one for creatures?!"
"That we did."
"Yes! I am so proud of you, Uncle Lucius!"
Lucius chuckled as his godson hugged him tightly before running off to find Draco. He looked up to see Severus with an enraged look on his face. His eyes were darkened, and his lips pursed together. Lucius approached cautiously.
"Sev?"
"He tried trapping him in the office. He nearly denied Hadrian to have me or another Head of House present." Severus sighed as his body curled into itself. "I was so close to not getting there in time. What if I had been too late? What if I fail to get there in time?"
"Sev," Lucius held his shoulders gently, making the other man's onyx eyes meet his. You arrived in time. You were able to stop anything from happening. He is alright and most likely finding Draco or Cissa and doing Goddess knows what."
"The boys are currently playing a seeker game with Dobby and Narry looking after them."
The two men looked over to see Narcissa Malfoy sitting calmly as she sat on one of the sitting chairs in the small informal sitting area. Her ice-blue eyes bore into the eyes of her husband and his best friend, the Godfather to her son, and pointed to the other two seats.
"Sit down so we may plan a countermove as well as preventative measures."
Hadrian sighed as he and the others made their way to the Slytherin common room. To say he was exhausted was an understatement, although the others were breathing heavily with their hands on their knees.
"Did you see that?!" Pansy asked, huffing.
"The huge Cerberus, uh, YES!" Draco exclaimed quietly.
"No Dray. The trapdoor underneath, right Pansy?"
The group of Pansy, Draco, and Blaise all looked at him in shock. He seemed too calm. He sat on one of the sofas in the common room with ease. His pureblood training kicking in. He asked one of the house elves for some hot cocoa. The group moved slowly, their eyes still widened, to sit in the other seats nearby. Hadrian looked at them with a chuckle.
"I wonder what they are protecting."
-Edited August 17th, 2024-