The dinner.
Dinner started to pass by rather quickly, Hadrian was both disappointed and slightly happy about it. The concept of a ‘family dinner’ one that he had never truly prepared himself for, so while he was happy to be included and welcomed a part of him just felt uncomfortable and as if he was intruding in a place he was unwelcome. Hence why he was sat in silence as the rest of the table conversed with each other.
Chatter about the ministry was exchanged between the men who apparently were very involved with their roles, even though apparently Rabastan wasn't himself in the ministry as of yet or so he suspected from the words he was overhearing.
Narcissa and Bellatrix and Draco were all talking about Yule and at one point about the rest of the large group that had only just recently left. Though Hadrian quickly tuned that part out, not wanting to know too much about the gossip that surrounded his friends’ parents just yet.
Hadrian did feel eyes on him multiple times during the dinner, mostly from Draco who seemed to be making sure he wasn't about to run out. However even in the midst of their conversations everyone seemed to have looked in Hadrian's direction at least once. Hadrian didn't want to draw too much attention, less they realise he was slightly on edge, he didn't want to make them feel bad after offering their home to him and letting him experience a meal with them. He was more than happy to sit in silence.
Of course until curiosity seemed to get the better of them all.
“So Hadrian, Narcissa says you went exploring. What do you think of the manor?” Lord Malfoy spoke, the chatter in the room seemingly having disappeared while Hadrian was in thought. The sudden question made him jolt in shock ever so slightly.
“Oh, yes I did. Your manor is gorgeous.” Hadrian answered, incredibly careful as to not unknowingly say the wrong thing. Calling a manor gorgeous was okay right? Did Lord Malfoy want him to go into detail? Did he want him to -
“Oh that's wonderful, we are glad you like it Hadrian.” Narcissa chimed in. Large and calming smile on her face as she looked from Lord Malfoy to him before turning to look her husband in the eyes with an expression Hadrian couldn't quite see from his seat. “Isn't it dear?”
Lord Malfoy took a second to look between Narcissa and Draco before adorning his own smile. “Yes dear, we are glad you like it Hadrian.”
Hadrian smiled timidly at them both, worried that he might have done something, which was rash of him to think. A look he couldn't see passed between them didn't mean he had insulted them. Did it? Draco was smiling at him so it couldn't be anything too bad if that was the case.
“The Lestrange manor is far more spacious though Hadrian. You can be honest if you think the manor here is too plain, I've been telling Cissy to go all out for years.” Bellatrix chimed in. Her tone was even more cocky than it had been earlier. Her smile was just the same, her eyes darting to an annoyed Lord Malfoy before turning to fully stare at him as she had previously done before from the chair directly across from him.
Hadrian was beginning to panic,a feeling of uneasiness washing over him as the seconds of silence following Bellatrix’s words seemed to suddenly turn into hours. Hadrian gulped. Plain? She thought the decor here was plain? It was by far the most extravagant place he had ever visited. Hadrian was starting to regret the food he had eaten as right at that moment it seemed to all want to come up again.
“Aunt Bella- “ Draco hissed out, Hadrian didn't have to look at his friend to know he had that squinted look on his face as he spoke. Especially if the way he was suddenly motionless and gripping his cutlery tighter from the corner of Hadrian's vision was anything to go by.
Bellatrix seemed to straighten ever so slightly at her nephews words, her large smile dropping slowly as she did. Her eyes slowly panning from Draco to Hadrian. Her mouth qivered as if she was about to speak yet she stayed silent. Hadrian swallowed as if to push his panic away.
“Hadrian doesn’t want to hear just how great your manor is i’m sure.” Draco spat.
Draco,ever the concerned friend. It would have warmed Hadrian to note how Draco seemingly did listen when he explained that he lived in an orphanage and taken in the comment he made earlier about his room if he wasn't close to being sick from panic.
The rest of the table was silent. Of course none of them knew, or maybe just hadn't thought before speaking. Hadrian was too out of it to really relish over that incredibly worrying thought.
“Ah, yes of course. I’m sorry Hadrian.” Bellatrix spoke softly, her smile though not as large returned to her face.
Hadrian's panic subsided enough for him to move his gaze to the rest of the people at the table.
Rabastans face was void of any emotion, his eyes were focused on Draco and Lord Malfoy however. Rodolphus’ face was tight, his eyes more focused on his wife and his own plate. Lord Malfoy was watching Draco from the corner of his eye and Narcissa was doing the same.
Draco was - angry? No, the expression on his face was closer to his disgusted one than anger, but still not the same.
Hadrian, who had long since set down his cutlery and placed his hands on his lap the second his panic had kicked in, slowly moved one hand from its place on his lap and discreetly squeezed Dracos wrist. Draco was surprised slightly by the sudden pressure and slowly broke out of his apparent stare off with Bellatrix.
He turned to look at him. Hadrian smiled slightly, going against his panic to do so. Draco just stared at him for a second.
“It’s okay, Draco. -” Hadrian whispered before turning to face Bellatrix whose eyes were still trained on him. “- Your manor sounds lovely.”
As he spoke the air in the room seemed to settle almost instantly and it was as if everyone was breathing again.
After a second, Rabastan decided to speak.
“How has your school year been Hadrian? Of course Draco writes but it's all the same nonsense to us.” Rabastan asked, his voice fading into a mocking laugh as he finished. A smile on his face.
Hadrian took a breath. This was normal. People have conversations, ask about your day.
This is what normal people- normal families do.
Normal people- cared. They didn't ask to mock him. Hadrian took a breath.
“My school year? Well-” Hadrian looked at Draco, did they want to know about the whole ‘situation’ or just an ‘it’s been good thanks’ kind of answer? Draco just nodded with a smile as if telling him to go on. Hadrian decided to go with a mix of both. “Well aside from Dumbledore and Black, it’s all been good. I suppose.”
Bellatrix scoffed.
“Sirius? What's that disgrace been doing sweet boy? - I told you he would be trouble even as a man Cissy, useless” She spat, disgust all but dripping off her tongue as she spoke. Concern was evident in her eyes though. So Hadrian assumed she wasn't mocking him. Though it did make him question why she had such a dislike for the man.
“That man has always been useless, even as a boy. I know he's family and all but come on he's just pathetic.” Rodolphus spoke, casually sipping from his goblet as he did. His eyes moved from Narcissa to Bellatrix.
Family?
Now Hadrian was confused, all other emotion vanishing from his body.
“I'm sorry, Family? Whose family?” Hadrian asked. His eyes scanned the room as the question laid in the air, looks of slight shock and hesitance were plastered on their faces.
“Hasn’t Draco told you dear?” Narcissa asked. Hadrian quickly became more than confused and he was sure it showed on his face. What hadn’t Draco told him? Slowly he turned his head to look at his friend whose face was slightly scrunched up.
“Told me what?” He questioned.
“Sirius Black is mine and Cissys cousin. We are both Blacks by birth.” Bellatrix answered. “Sorry sweet boy we thought you knew that.”
“Your ….Blacks? “ Hadrian slowly sputtered out.
No. Draco wouldn’t have kept something that big from him; right? After all that Black has been messing with his head. All this time they've been related and yet not a word.
Hadrian felt betrayed. As if a small piece of him was hit. Disbelief filled his mind.
Draco looked.. ashamed? Hadrian couldn't tell, or maybe he just didn't want to look at him enough in that second to be sure.
“Hadrian, he was already stressing you out. I didn't want you freaking out over nothing.” Draco slowly spoke, Hadrian felt his eyes on him every other word.
“Nothing?” Hadrian sputtered in disbelief.
“None of us have anything to do with him Hadrian,I assure you. Draco has never been personally introduced to him and they have never spoken. Just a sad coincidence that they are related. I'm sure Draco meant nothing by it.” Narcissa reassured. Draco did his best to nod slightly while looking at Hadrian.
“I’m so sorry Hadrian I just wanted you to not freak out over a man I've never even spoken to.”Draco spoke.
“No, I'm sorry. I'm just overreacting. You were looking out for me and I can't hold that against you.” Hadrian smiled slightly. He had been dramatic, like they said they've no contact nor do they speak so no harm done.
‘Wow Hadrian just take a breath’, he thought to himself. He was so on edge today.
“So - what has the disgrace done to you dear boy?” Rodolphus asked. Curiosity laced in his words.
“He and Dumbledore have been- uh…” Hadrian started, though it felt like the words were caught in his throat. It was as if saying it made it seem all too real; which was nothing short of pathetic. With his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth Hadrian turned to Draco.
Draco locked eyes with him and without even a word being exchanged took the ropes from Hadrian and started to speak.
“For the past few months, both in class and out, they've been staring at Hadrian. Black especially. Even in a room full of kids that he needs to be paying attention to and helping Professor Lupin to teach, all he can do is stare straight at Hadrian the entire time. Even in the great hall,but there Dumbledore joins in not as subtly as he must think he's being. We have all noticed.” Draco explained, getting increasingly agitated with every word.
“It’s pathetic to have something like that affecting me but-” Hadrian started to say, his head tilting down as if to hide from their judging expressions.
“It's nothing of the sort.” Lord Malfoy spoke. Hadrian was shocked, his head lifting up instantly, his shock mirrored on his face.
“But-..” Hadrian tried to say.
“It’s creepy at the very least, sweet boy, but I'm assuming it's more than just that. Am I right? Something else inlaced to make it so alarming?” Bellatrix questioned, having seemingly leaned in closer on the table as she spoke.
“Well yes.. Black- “ Hadrian took a deep breath. “Over the last few years I've been in the same class as the man and; nothing. He has never once looked in my direction or spoken to me even when we have been in the same class. In all seriousness I thought he had eyes purposefully to stare at Longbottom and his shadows. So when I came to school this year and he hasn't done anything but look at me it started to, well it is freaking me out. It's as if he is around every corner. “
The looks on their faces as he finished were reassuring in their confusion.
“Freak, the man is a freak I've been telling you.” Rabastan spat, before taking a swig of his drink.
“Rabastan!” Narcissa exclaimed, shock on her face. Though Rabastan was unfazed.
“What? He is. Our entire lives he's been freakish. The way his attention is now on a boy he's apparently never even spoken to? Freakish! Just like when he was obsessed with-” Rabastan rebutted, getting more passionate with every word before he was cut off.
“Enough Rabastan, there are children here.” Rodolphus exclaimed loudly, leaning back to grasp Rabastans attention from where he had pushed his chair slightly and was leaning behind Bellatrix. His eyebrows jutted towards Hadrian's direction as he spoke.
Rabastan, upon seeing the expression on his older brother's face, quickly snapped his mouth shut. Shock on his face as he seemingly took notice of his words and his surroundings. coughing quickly he sat straight and pulled himself together.
Hadrian just stared at him, confusion lacing his expression at the odd behavior.
“Ah yes sorry boys. I forget myself at times.” Rabastan quickly apologized with a laugh.
“It's okay.” Hadrian said, though confused on what the man had actually been sorry for. What had he been about to say?
“The man does make a point though. Sirius has always been a freak in his behavior. This turn of events does not surprise me. Does it surprise you Cissy?” Bellatrix asked, feeling somewhat smug in her words.
“No Bella it doesn't. We are sorry that this is happening to you though dear.” Narcissa spoke, addressing her sister before apologizing. Not that she had anything to apologize for, she wasn't Black. He is the one that should be sorry.
Everyone nodded at Narcissas words.
Silence slowly filled the room as the words died out.
“It’s getting late. Why don't we all turn in early for the night? After all, the boys have had a long day of travel and I'm sure they wish to be well rested for tomorrow.” Lord Malfoy spoke, breaking the heavy silence. Everyone nodded slightly. He made a point, and it was obvious that no one wanted to let this top drag on at that moment.
Though Hadrian had no doubt they would all be talking about this again very very soon.
“You are right Lucius, an early night sounds lovely. Don't you think boys?” Narcissa questioned.
Draco and Hadrian exchanged a look, one of agreement. Though Hadrian did not doubt that if he wanted to stay up Draco would still agree with him even if said boy had been dead on his feet.
“That sounds great, Lady Malfoy.” Hadrian smiled. Narcissa chuckled slightly, Bellatrix mirroring her slight smile.
“Please Hadrian, Narcissa is fine. Now off to bed you two. We will see you early tomorrow morning. Okay?” Her voice was smooth as she spoke, her words making Hadrian want to yawn in their wake. Hadrian nodded at her words.
Draco slowly stood from his chair, tucking it in as he moved out. Hadrian mirrored his friends movements, knowing that what Draco was doing was the right way to do things. As if Hadrian knew the appropriate way to leave a table.
He stood to Dracos side.
“Goodnight all.” Draco spoke.
“Goodnight everyone.” Hadrian softly spoke.
‘Good night’ was echoed by the adults at the table who didn't look even close to moving in that moment but Hadrian was too content with the idea of not having to speak about Black anymore to care too much.
Draco and Hadrian slowly walked out into the hall in the direction of their rooms.
As they got further from the room Hadrian could hear snippets of a new conversation in their wake.
“Rabastan, how could you be so careless?” Lord Malfoy, he thinks, spoke. All Hadrian heard as they got further away was a snippet of a response.
“Im sorry i forgot he doesn-” Rabastan Hadrian assumed started to respond.
Draco and him rounded the corner to the stairway and the noise died out before he could catch the rest.
Now he had to face his ‘room’. More like a house in its size.
All Hadrian could think of as he was led away by his close friend was- ‘please let me be able to sleep this day away.’