Prologue
Normal
Italic - emphasis or spell
“Speech”
‘Thoughts’
Bold - death
Bold italic - Parseltongue
“Oh gods…” He closed his eyes as those unforgettable bright lights flashed before him.
—
“Come to mama…” A tired breath shaked from Lily’s mouth. She smiled at the midwife as she was handed her baby. She looked down with tired eyes, bright green looked back. Oh how beautiful..
Of course, James fleamont potter had to make a big ruckus as he stormed in. Eyes filled with worry and a dog at his side “Nobody shuts me out of my own room!” A bark echoes in agreement beside him. Lily rolled her eyes as he started his rant.
The midwives exit the room after a very chaotic mess of cleaning the baby and trying to calm two very agitated dogs, one more metaphorical than the other. The crying of her baby didn’t help all too much..
[“He’s crying! He obviously needs me!” ‘Wroof!’ “Sir, please calm yourself. Babies cry all the time!” “Not if you do it right! I never cried. Now give me my baby!” ‘Wroof!’]
Soon enough, the baby is handed to the now very calm parents - one much more calm than the other - and one very excited ‘uncle’. Lily lifted her new child into her arms.
“What do you think we should name him, Lil’?” She smiled and tickled her baby's nose, “Harrison.” Sirius barked a very loud “No way! Remember that one Harrison from ravenclaw a year below? Proper git! We’re not naming my godson after him.” James let out a laugh “Lets name him Harold!” “James.” “Yes ma’am. Sorry ma’am” he saluted and the two boys laughed together. She rolled her eyes at their antics. “I think,” she looks back at her baby, “I’ll name you Hadrian.”
The two boys nodded as Sirius cooed at baby Hadrian, not like he’d ever call him that. No, he decided to nickname the small thing ‘prongslet’ as to which James proudly agreed with.
—
‘Nice name, Hades.’
Harry gave a mental eyeroll, “bugger off. Let me focus on acting like a baby.”
‘Ah yes, of course…’
‘Hades.’ ‘Bugger off!’
—
This was all so taxing, having to deal with the first few years as a baby. It wasn’t all too difficult to act and walk - or not walk - like one, seeing as his motor functions aren’t all fully developed yet. However, the problem was the struggle to not talk. At the moment he was always supervised and his throat was itching to say something. Only, he was just a baby and babies couldn’t talk.
Some things were better though. Like being able to sleep whenever and never having to feed himself although the food was always quite bland. Maybe this time he could make some better baby food… ‘You always say that and then you forget to do it.’ ‘Shut up, come back in a week or so’.
Death was a constant companion. Ever since he became master of death, he never left Harry's side. Always there, always watching. It was good though, most times, a companion to laugh with and the only one who understood inside jokes that nobody else understood. However, every time he was named Hadrian, he always seemed to call Harry ‘Hades’. He guessed things never really stop being funny. The little jokes lifted his days.
-
It was always funny to watch his dad’s smug face drop every time James picked Harry up. Harry couldn’t help but be a mummy’s boy. But when he did allow James to hold him, James’ eyes lit up like stars and happiness was always three times more than what it would have been.
Lily couldn’t help but let out a smug little smile whenever Hadrian cried for her when James picked him up. Knowing she was the favourite made her elated. Sitting in the corner of the nursery room, she couldn't help but look at the stars that sirius had painted with muggle paint. He claimed it was ‘Just another stab in the back of his family’ to use muggle equipment but she could tell that the stars meant something and maybe, maybe later on she could study astrology and see what the stars mean.
—
She looked back at her husband and her baby. She knew there was no god, but every night she would pray that Hadrian stayed happy. No matter what happens to her or her husband, she prays her little baby stays happy.
She closed her eyes and imagined a life of bliss with no war present. It felt ethereal to her. She could’ve had that life, with James and her little Hadrian, but instead she chose albus.
Albus Dumbledore.
That man. She followed his word and due to it, stayed in this small cottage, became a soldier, and became a prisoner in her own home. If only, she had chosen neutrality, then maybe her family would be safe. Maybe, if she did, worry would never come. Maybe, if she chose neutrality, she wouldn't have to pray every night for tomorrow morning to come. Maybe, she wouldn't be scared if this was going to be her last day. Maybe, just maybe, she would have saved her family from a death sentence.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, giving out a sad smile as James throws hadrian up and down; up and down, up and down…Up and- “JAMES!” She shouted as Hadrian stuck himself to the ceiling with laughter. “I’M SORRY!” He cries as he waves frantically at little Hadrian..
—
Harry couldn’t help but feel disheartened by the scream of his mothers death. Over time it had become routine, but he still couldn’t shake the pain of his mother begging for the life of her baby. Every time, he cried, and this time was no different.
Voldemort strolled over to the cot, the ginger woman forgotten almost immediately. Harry looked up and closed his eyes. “Ah, so you know you’re going to die then?” Voldemort said, expecting no answer. ‘Help me out a bit, dearest?’ ‘Prove you're worth it, darling.’ Harry bit back a laugh and opened his eyes. ‘Alright.’
~
Voldemort watched, wand raised, as the baby raised its arms. Cooing at the lord himself. He watched as the tiny hands of an infant began to scrunch and unscrunch repeatedly. Voldemort cocked his head sideways, surely babies could understand when they're in danger? The baby continued its mindless mumbling, but then “Tom!”
Voldemort jumped. How? His brows furrowed viciously and he snarled at this useless creature.
He shook his thoughts away and began to speak his signature spell. It was as if the baby had gotten his eyes to remind his parents of his future; death. Voldemort smiled as he spoke, “Avada Kedavra!”
Just as the light hit the baby's forehead, a gut splitting pain fell before him. A scream lurched out of his throat, guttural and deafening as his body flaked and cracked. His skin and blood boiled and smoke filled his eyes. The green curse ended and the dark lord ended with it.
~
‘Jesus, that was loud’. Voldemort’s scream punched baby Hadrian’s ears and almost deafened him.’Honestly, you would think you would be used to it by now.’‘He wasn’t the one screaming, sweetie.’ ‘…Excuse me?’
Smoke soon dissipated, leaving just a cloak on the ground to remind the world of a man long gone. ‘Snape’s coming.’ ‘Acting time’.
Harry let out an ear deafening cry, as loud as a siren. Snape stormed into the room, involuntarily falling to his knees as he saw Lily’s corpse. Tears spilt out of him like the thunderstorm outside, like an overwhelming flood.
‘Too bothered by the woman to care about the baby? Foolish human’
‘Oi, I’m human’
‘Yes, but you're one of the good ones.’ Harry inwardly rolled his eyes and continued crying.
—
Soon enough, Snape had apparated away. Tears were still flowing rapidly out of his eyes but there was another visitor tonight and he obviously couldn’t be seen.
Harry watched as Sirius soon stormed in, tears already streaming as he ran past his great friend. Sirius soon turned from Lily’s cooling corpse to the still alive Hadrian Potter. A great big breath Sirius didn't know he was holding withdrew from his lungs as he rushed over to little harry. “Oh darling, oh P-prongslet..” his words were scrambled as he weeped on little Hadrian. “Paddy..” Harry let out as he held onto Sirius’ shirt. That little name only made him weep more.
“Papa?” Harry knew what he was doing, but he couldn’t help himself. He was very sadistic now after living so many times. Sirius only held onto him dearly as he rushed out of the now burning house. How did it start to burn? Harry still had no idea but held onto Sirius as he was rushed out of the burning cottage.
“Oh, S’rius..” He could hear that familiar half giant anywhere “It’ll be alri’…” Sirius was about to start weeping again but halted. “Take care of Hadrian for me Hagrid,” ‘Oh for god’s sake Padfoot DONT-‘ “I’m getting revenge.” Hagrid took Hadrian carefully “Wat’yer doin’?” Sirius let out a shaky breath “Use my motorbike and take him to dumbledore. I have some unfinished business..” Sirius then apparated away with no time to explain.
~
‘For magick’s sake’ ‘You can never stop him, can you?’ Harry let out a small groan ‘Do I have to get him out of azkaban again? I’m not going to stay at the dursleys for more than a decade again..’ ‘Well.. It’s not truly necessary but would you rather him stay captive?’
‘I can-NOT. Be. Arsed.’
‘Well, alright then. Good, that blasted dog stopped our fun last time and he's supposed to be one of chaos's' favourites.’ ‘I’ll get him out at some point.’ ‘Let’s mark that down as a ‘do later’ task.’ ‘Yes, yes.’