Hadrian
Two bright flames of red hair interrupted the view of a calm sky, paired with the hair came two pairs of eyes, who were as well attached to juvenile faces (Hadrian’s age or so, certainly no older than Dudley). The faces, attached to their respective heads and their respective bodies, peered down on him with curious expressions of the most peculiar nature.
“He is just some child, see” Spoke the soft voice of the youngest flame, as she poked him with a wet stick. “Prolly’ just having a nightmare. His magic must’ve acted up!”
“What mighty magic then! Most kids your age haven’t even showed signs of magic yet, let alone built up a storm!” Responded the older flame, gesturing wildly and attempting, at the best of his abilities, to drag the first flame away from him. It was only logical, you see, since Hadrian was made of storm, and fire could seldom survive that kind of weather.
“Oh, would you quit it! He is harmless! Can barely stand on his own feet now, can he?” She said, slapping away the hands trying to get her to safety.
“You will drive me insane one day, you looney girl! One does not approach a wild hippogriff, and neither should you approach an unstable child as such!” Complained the boy, in a tone Hadrian recognized with longing as the same one Aunt Petunia used to use when reprimanding Dudley. “He could be an obs—cur—ial for all you know!” he continued, in a shout-whisper.
Curious out of his mind, Hadrian could not contain his words any longer. “What is an ob—scu—ri—al?”
The sound of his voice startled madly his company, bright red hair standing upwards like a cat’s fur. It appears the children, in their dispute, had not prepared for the occasion Hadrian would be awake enough to participate in the conversation at all.
The boy got its bearings back first, and with an alarmed expression went to tug the girl’s shirt sleeve. “Merlin! Its awake! Ginny we must leave now!”
“Hi.” Said the girl to him, ignoring the efforts of her companion. She wore a light smile that could not compete in force with the intensity her curious eyes refused to close with.
“Hello.” Hadrian responded, still on his back on the freezing floor of what he could now tell must’ve been the seaside. The light breeze of the ocean rustling the flaming hair of his audience. The boys anxious face did not fall, and while politely waiting for their conversation to end, he stood tall and as menacing as he could be, which was not little given that Hadrian was sure he was at least a full head taller than him.
“What are you doing here?” Asked the girl (Ginny, if Hadrian wasn’t mistaken).
“Where?”
“On the floor, or on the sky? Either way it is not a place you should be in.” She explained, not unkindly.
“Whyever shouldn’t I?” He responded, miffed.
“Why, it is no place for children, that’s why! Flying is not to be done unsupervised at our age, and the floor must be mighty cold—there is no reason for you to be on it, now is there?” She argued.
“Well, it is where I am regardless of reasons, isn’t it?” He answered, lifting his arms just to see if he could.
“Yes, it does seem so. You must change it now! Get up!”
And up he went, as he agreed the floor was very cold, and there really was no reason for him to be in it.
“Very well, my name is Ginny, and this is my older brother Ron. Who are you?”
“My name is Hadrian James Potter.” He responded shortly, for he had no more information to give.
“That can’t be! That is the name of a very important boy, you see, so it simply can’t also be your name! You mustn’t lie like that, boy, it is mean to do so!” Complained the boy, directing his words to him for the first time.
“I am not lying! It is my name! I only just found it! It is mine! I say so because it is so!” Hadrian defended himself.
“If you really are Harry Potter, you must show us the scar then.” Interrupted calmly Ginny before her brother could argue any further.
And with a huff he did just so. The sight of his bare forehead, like a scary movie, spooked them into action.
“Harry Potter! You’re Harry Potter!” Exclaimed with excitement Ron, rushing to shake his hand like the Minister had done some time ago.
“That is what I said!” He protested, for he had never been called a liar before.
“Ronald!” Chastised Ginny as she approached him too, pulling on her brother’s sleeve to stop him. “Will you agree to help him now, then? Since he is so famous and you’re so vain?”
“Why must you believe I do things in evil’s name all the time! It is not unreasonable to try to stop you from running towards the middle of a storm and poke an unconscious child with a stick like you want your life to end today!” Ronald cried.
“You are here to help me?” Hadrian asked, puzzled.
“Of course we are! We were here with our family today—”
“—who must’ve already left without us.”
“When I saw a boy inside the storm! Ron didn’t believe me at all, but since I was already coming to your rescue, he had no choice but to follow me—”
“—because you would’ve died!”
“Thankfully the storm stopped before we could reach you, but since I see no parents of yours around, I assume you must be some sort of lost.”
“I am not found, but I’m afraid I am also not lost. I have nowhere to go back anymore, all who have loved me have died. I am alone.” He explained, once they had finished, less burdened with the knowledge now than he was before.
“That can’t be! There are no such thing as alone children! Surely there must be someone looking for you right now!” Refused him Ronald.
Hadrian was about to refuse him back, when the memory of the transparent cat reached him like a comet. “Well… A cat told me this morning, or was it this afternoon?” He started. “It said that my godfather was looking for me.”
“Well, there it is! We will help you find your godfather! He can’t be that far away.” Declared Ginny, before being interrupted by her brother.
“Wait—no, wait. Cats don’t speak!”
“It could’ve been a magical cat!” Protested Ginny.
“That can’t be! If there was such thing as a talking cat, surely Charlie would’ve brought it home already!”
“Well, what did the cat looked like, Harry?” Asked Ginny.
“It was transparent, blue-ish, perhaps? It came into the room, spoke and then the air took it back, for I could not find it anymore.” He explained, as their faces brightened with realization.
“A patronus! Someone sent you a message Harry!” Celebrated Ginny, vindicated in her trust of him.
Hadrian ached to ask what a patronus in question was, but just as he opened his mouth to do so Ron started his speech with a graveness only ever seen in adults. “Now that I remember, Aunt Murriel mentioned something of the godfather of Harry Potter. Nothing fun, I fear.”
“You know who he is?” He asked, hopeful against his better judgment.
“Oh! Sirius Black!” Said Ginny, horrified with the knowledge.
“Sirius Black?”
“He has been on the run for years now! They said he killed tens of muggles and a wizard!” Explained Ginny, with the excitement one has when reciting the plot of an astonishing comic instead of yet another tragedy in the line of Hadrian’s life.
“Gin, you know Aunt Muriel is always saying he is innocent! Said anyone who ever knew Sirius Black would know he would sooner end his own life than make right on his family’s values!” Argued Ron.
“True! Aunt Muriel is always saying he was a big rebel! First in his family to get sorted into Gryffindor! Fought for Dumbledore in the war and all. She said once that he often would say he considered the Potters his real family. He was that kind of man, you understand?” Asked Ginny.
“I’m afraid not.” He answered, perplexed.
“What don’t you understand?” Asked impatient Ron.
“What is it that he killed to begin with, and why was he sorted somewhere, sorted for what, perhaps who is Dumbledore as well. I fear I am confused in general.” He answered, abashed.
“Why, Harry! Where on earth have you lived, that you are so far behind on all a wizard must know!” Said Ginny.
“Underneath the stairs.” He answered, and it baffled his audience so much they immediately changed the topic.
“None of it matters anyway, if Sirius Black is innocent or not, he is still not here, so however could we ever find him?” Protested Ron once more.
“Could we not a send a message—a patronus—like the one that was sent to me?” Asked Hadrian.
“Don’t be ridiculous!” Said Ron. “We are far too young to wield wands, let alone cast such a complex spell.”
“Can’t Bill do it for us Ron? He just turned seventeen! He can do magic on his own!” Proposed Ginny.
“I’m afraid I meant it when I said they’d have left without us by now, Gin. We will have to take the bus home.” Said Ron, an apology in his voice.
“That’s it! The knight bus!” She cheered, jumping up and down in excitement. “We just ought to tell it to take us to Sirius Black!”
“That’s not how the bus works, Gin! We must give it a place to take us, not a person!” Corrected Ron.
“We could ask it to take us to his house then?” Interrupted Hadrian, hopeful with the turn of the conversation.
“Well—I reckon it could work. But Gin and I must be back before sundown. Even if mom and dad don’t notice we’re gone is no good to be out that late.” Compromised Ron. “And if we haven’t found him by then we’ll just take you home! There’s so many of us I doubt they’ll notice one more.”
And so, they started the trek back to the beach, so they could then reach the road and call for the bus that could take them any place they asked it for. Hadrian considered thoroughly the idea that he might’ve stumbled upon insanely creative children, who were doing nothing but playing an intricate game of pretend, but as today he had witnessed places and things so terribly strange, he thought it hasty to assume this one curious bus would be the one to break the streak of curious events that he had lived through thus far.
“Now, most adults will tell you that you need a wand to call on the knight bus, but Bill told me the truth, just in case we got left behind like today.” Started to explain Ron as they reached the road. “You must only lift your writing hand and ask for the knight bus, and it will appear for any wizard or witch, regardless of age or magical prowess.”
Ginny rushed to lift her hand then, before Hadrian or Ron could, and took a big breath like she was about to submerge her head underwater. Closing her eyes tightly Hadrian guessed she was in the process of wishing the bus into existence when his doubts creeped back in. How could a bus just know three lost children were in need of a ride, without even verbal request? Hadrian had been raised a skeptic, for magic and wonder had never been allowed in the perfectly normal house of the Dursleys, so it was no surprise his skin prickled with shame and fear as the seconds passed and no bus turned the road towards them.
Just as his hope was beginning to die out, a rush of wind pushed him back to the floor. Looking around Hadrian found three things, Ginny and Ron sprawled in the floor right beside him toppled over by the biggest bus Hadrian had ever seen. It was a gigantic purple bus, just magical enough in its foundations that Hadrian could no longer doubt the words of Ron and Ginny.
From the front door a man not old enough to be considered elderly poked his head out. “You three younglings called for the Knight Bus?” He asked.
“Yes! We would like to be taken to the house of Sirius Black, please.” Explained Ron, as he rushed to stand back up.
“We don’t have any money on us, but our friend here has plenty! He could give you an autograph too!” Said Ginny as Ron helped her up.
“Oh, don’t talk nonsense! Children don’t pay for the Knight Bus, what kind of help would that be? Come in, come in!” Said the man, uninterested in his autograph. “You will have to tell the bus your destination, I’m afraid I don’t know where Sirius Black lives, and even if I did, I wouldn’t go, crazy bastard that one! Eleven muggles! You children must have your reasons, but don’t go around thinking that he isn’t someone to be wary of.”
They were ushered in, and as the door closed Hadrian caught sight of the empty driving seat Ron gave their destination to. Ginny took him by the hand and then he was being dragged inside the bus, Ron behind him. Bellow every window there were seats, but not bus seats, corner breakfast nooks, park benches, table baby seats and car baby seats, tall bar stools and full on mattresses, they each had a small wooden table by them, with extravagant light fixtures on each and every one of them. Hadrian could say with confidence that this was the most peculiar place he had ever set foot on before.
The bus was almost completely empty, save for a couple of odd looking beings at the very back, who upon meeting eyes with Hadrian showed him all three of their sets of teeth. Ron pulled them onto a park bench, with Ginny in the middle, and then insisted on Harry and him holding hands in front of her lest she was to fall once the bus came to a stop. This was a real concern as the bus seemed to have no speed limit and followed no path. Hadrian wondered if they were flying at points, but as he was using up all his efforts in ensuring he wouldn’t throw up all over the floor he did not ask if it was so.
“You’ve got an obs—cur—ial then?” Asked Ron all of the sudden, earning a slap in the arm from Ginny.
“That depends, what is an ob—scur—ial?”
“They’re nasty parasites, Bill says they attach themselves to any children who loses control of their magic, some adults too but it’s very rare.” He explained.
“It’s not true, Ron! Bill only said that so you wouldn’t try to use Charlie’s wand! He is always making up stuff like that to scare you and you always fall for it!” Complained Ginny.
“No, no, this one is true, he showed me his textbook on it and everything! It’s said to feed of their host, and it happens to children who grow so sad or angry they lose control of their magic! He said there was even a case of a witch who fractured her magical core, and it attracted one. There is no cure, so it was terribly tragic for her family.” He went on, making the hairs on Hadrian’s arms stand up in fear and perhaps worry, he had grown very sad just recently after all. “I only ask because that was a very big storm, I’ve never seen anyone who could make such a ruckus out of pure accidental magic.”
“He could just be really powerful, you know, it doesn’t have to mean he is sick.” Defended him Ginny.
“I reckon it could also be that. He did defeat You-Know-Who as a baby and all that.” Admitted Ron.
“I hope it’s that then, I wouldn’t want to be sick like that.”
“How did you get your accidental magic to be that powerful then?” Asked Ginny, a little more intrigued than before.
“I don’t know. I wasn’t aware that’s what it was until now.” He admitted.
“Ginny hasn’t had her first accidental magic yet; it’s a bit worrying.” Confessed Ron, only to be slapped once more.
“Don’t tell him that!” She protested.
“I’m sure its fine, you did call for the bus yourself, didn’t you? It’s supposed to only answer witches and wizards.” Hadrian reasoned.
“That’s true! It must be coming soon then, like my teeth, it took a while for them to grow but they’re here now, all of them!” She said, visibly comforted.
“Yeah, like teeth. Perhaps you’ll get a second round of accidental magic like teeth too.” He said before catching Ron’s grimace.
“What do you mean second round?” She asked, and just as he was about to answer, Ron stopped him.
“Well, you see, these teeth are only the firsts, they will fall again and then your grown-up teeth will grow in.”
“Oh! I want my grown up teeth now! Let’s just pull all the ones I have right now, then the grown-up teeth will have to grow quickly!” She planned, a serious expression in her face, Hadrian wondered how Ron could keep her from jumping off roofs on the daily basis.
“I really don’t think—” Ron started, before being interrupted as the bus came to a grinding halt.
“Three down on the house of Sirius Black!” Called the bus man from the front, having descended from the upper floor of the bus to escort them out. “Be careful now, and if you need an out, remember; writing hand up and wish for the bus to aid you. We can find you anywhere.”
They got down in a chorus of thank-yous, and where promptly met with a dirty and destitute street on what Hadrian guessed was some British town or city (all the signs were still in English at least).
Three houses met them full on, two just as dirty and unseemly as the rest of the street, but right in the middle of them a front garden extended behind a tall and imposing gate of shinning silver. The construction was so obscenely out of place it almost felt mocking. He started walking towards it as he recognized the magnetic feeling that had coursed through him at the touch of his prophecy calling him from the air around the middle house.
Ron reached for his shirt to stop him form wandering before he could reach the beginning of the house. “It can’t be any of these two, the Blacks are an old and noble house, rebel or not they would not have their oldest son living in misery.” He reasoned.
“Of course not, he lives in the middle one, the gated one!” He pointed out.
With this both his companions turned to look at him sharply, as if he had gone insane. “There are no gated houses here, Harry.” Said Ginny.
“It’s right there! How can you not see it!” He complained, still caught by the scruff like a disobedient kitten.
“Harry, there is no such thing here.” Explained Ron. With that statement Hadrian’s patience finally ran out, and with a huff he took both of their hands in his and pulled them to the house against their protests, craving the rightness of being in contact with, what he could now recognize as, magic.
Past certain point on the sidewalk it seemed even the air changed to accommodate for the ornamented house of Sirius Black. From up close Hadrian could make out the carved text on the front gate; The Ancestral Home of The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, read the sign, in a calligraphy so intricate it almost felt alive, curling and uncurling like carved snakes.
At some point or the other, perhaps when they stopped trashing about and became overcome by awe, Ginny and Ron had been able to see the house, and with the realization they once more turned to argue with one another.
“Surely we should’ve been able to see the house before him, are we not related to the Black family somehow?” Asked Ginny, not sounding half as annoyed as she attempted to.
“Aunt Muriel is, I believe.” Responded Ron absentmindedly.
“Is it his house then?” He asked, just to be safe.
“I believe so. The Ancestral Home of the Noble and Ancient House of Black.” Answered Ron, awe spacing out his every syllable.
“Noble and Most Ancient House of Black.” Corrected Ginny, not quite joking, too overcome by the sheer grandiose facade of the house.
“Do wizards have ring bells?” He asked abruptly, having gotten his fill of the view.
“Some do, but old houses like these don’t. One was only supposed to show up if expected.” Explained Ron, hands hovering just out of touch with the door, perhaps too scared he would scar the expensive material with a careless touch.
“How are we supposed to get inside then?” Asked Ginny, reading Hadrian’s mind probably.
“I—I’m not sure.” Said Ron taking a step back from the door.
“I will knock.” Hadrian said before knocking as loud as he could, he did so fast enough that neither of them could stop him, but it was to no avail, it appeared the door refused to make any sound regardless of the force inflicted upon it.
All three of them were discouraged for it, but just before any of them had the will to suggest their leave, the door opened a small incision right where Hadrian had knocked, small enough it would only fit his fingertips. Ron and Ginny opened their mouths to debate of their next course of action but before they could do so Hadrian had already placed his fingers on them, having finally answered the magnetic call of magic.
The door prickled him lightly, like it was doing its best to bring the least amount of harm to him, and after a momentary consideration, it opened its gates in halves to allow them entry, clearing the view of the front door.