Hadrian comes to Hogwarts
Tom was bored.
It was the start of his Third Year and he was desperate for something, anything to happen. Returning back to Hogwarts after a summer spent at Wools Orphanage always felt like coming home. It was the challenge, the need to be the best and the overwhelming feeling of pure power that infused his body when others realised his excellence that drove him to surpass his pureblood peers despite being muggle raised.
His Head of House Slughorn went from ignoring his existence, to praising his every action. His other professors (excluding the meddlesome Transfiguration professor) needing less than one lesson with the then First Year Slytherin before realising he was a prodigy. The other Slytherins took longer to acknowledge his superior power and intellect, but acknowledge it they did. The mudblood orphan of Slytherin House became its ruler in less than a year, and all those prissy purebloods who spat on his name like it was dirt on their tongues, now idolised him. Crowding around him like puppies begging for attention and a kind word from their master.
Pathetic.
His mussing were cut short by the entrance of around thirty First Years, huddled into little clumps, expressions ranging from awe and fear, to satisfaction and superiority. The Slytherin Third Year analysed them all, resolving to keep an eye on the ones that had a greedy glint in their eyes, who entered the Great Hall like they owned it, the ones that reminded him of himself. He could not allow any of these little upstarts to steal what is his, what he had earnt through two years of blood, sweat and tears (minus the tears), so yes, these ones will be highly watched indeed.
The first name was called, Tom was just about to turn and watch as – Bones was it – doddled up to the stool, when his eyes fixed onto another’s and Tom’s mind was overcome with green.
Such luminous green eyes, the same shade of the curse that fascinates and frightens him in equal measure. And just like that curse, the green is suddenly gone, as if it never existed at all. Tom straightens his back, arching his neck in a futile attempt to find where the green went. His followers seated around the budding Dark Lord shot him looks of concern, not daring to ask whether he was alright, unwilling to raise his ire.
Halfway through the sorting, Tom got his answer.
“Hadrian Peverell”
A petite figure made its way out of the remaining First Year huddle. A graceful figure in robes befitting a Lord with locks the same hue as a ravens wing, curling just below the shoulders. It wasn’t until the figure turned to face the student population as they sat down on the stool that Tom Riddle noticed three things.
One.
They were beautiful. The fascinating eyes that had ensnared Tom with a glance belonged to this enchanting child. This young boy who possessed the type of androgynous look that would outlast childhood, deathly pale skin, slightly chubby cheeks and petal like lips. This was the type of child that made old women want to coo and young men want to protect.
Two.
Everyone else had realised the child’s beauty. Even Tom’s Knights, who were trained to conceal their emotions, letting out little gasps of awe at the angelic radiance the First Year possessed.
Three.
Hadrian Peverell was not wearing any shoes.
The hats deliberation lasted three minutes. The boy on the stool kicked his feet and hummed a tune, singing something about ‘Cherry Chapstick’, whatever that might be, as if utterly uncaring of his house placement. And Tom planned. He could feel the child’s power from his seat at the Slytherin table, it was immense, dark and seductive. Tom wanted it. So he schemed. A child with a core that dark could only be placed in Slytherin and when he was, Tom will train him, take him on personally as his apprentice and when he raises to power, Hadrian Peverell will be fighting for him, indebted to the benevolent Third Year that taught him everything he knows.
Oh yes, Tom had a plan.
The slightly manic grin went as soon as it came when a slightly pouty Hadrian stopped his kicking, seeming to glare at the Sorting Hat on top of his head.
“H-Hufflepuff”
The badgers cheered as a radiantly smiling Hadrian skipped over to the Hufflepuff bench after giving a pat to the still stammering Sorting Hat.
‘Oh well’ Tom thought as he watched Hadrian’s robes take on a yellow lining, ‘you could have been great’. Turning back towards his Knights, he muttered in a voice that only carried to those around him.
“Meeting, tonight at 11, the usual place. Don’t be late.”
A chorus of “Yes my Lords” later, Tom Riddle glanced at the newest Hufflepuff First Year whose green eyes fleetingly met his, ‘oh yes, you really could have been great’.
Tom observed his Knights as they entered the meeting room, bowing deferentially as they passed him. They took their seats at the table, eyes affixed to the imposing third year at its head. The Fifth Year students: Malfoy, Dolohov and Nott, taking the seats closest to him, they were followed by Tom’s fellow Third Years: Orion Black, Lestrange and Avery. As their final member (little Second Year Cygnus Black) closed the door, Tom straightened his previously reclined position.
“Welcome my Knights, to the first meeting of the year.” The tall Third Year’s piercing gaze swept across the room.
“I gave each of you a task over summer. Malfoy. Report”
“Yes My Lord, as requested, I have three tomes previously hidden in the Malfoy Libr-” A piercing wail disrupted the blonde. The Knights looked around warily, glancing at the door, behind which the sound had come from. As the shriek abruptly ended, Malfoy hesitantly continued his report.
“As I said My Lord, the three tomes-”
The screams started again, high pitched and terrified. Tom pushed himself to his feet, raising his hand to prevent the other Slytherins from following him. Gliding along the corridor Tom followed the screams towards the Astronomy Tower. Realising as he got closer that along with the screaming, there was another voice, a softer, more childlike voice.
“Please stop screaming, my ears are starting to hurt.” A wet tearing sound followed the innocent plea and the shrieking started up again at an even higher pitch.
“I said please! Why are you still making that sound?” the childlike voice genuinely seemed curious. Tom was even more intrigued.
“Your earrings are just sooo…Pretty! I had to have them.” Tom entered the small room, the first thing he noticed was the tiny First Year Hufflepuff, Hadrian Peverell, dressed in Fluffy yellow pyjamas, animated images of badgers wandering over his body.
The second thing he noticed was the blood. Crimson splattered the floor, walls and especially the small Hufflepuff who had turned towards the door upon hearing Tom’s entrance, a look of pure innocence on his face.
“Oh Hiya! I’m Hadrian.” The child positively beamed at him, shuffling to the side as if his tiny body could hide the blood drenched Seventh Year Ravenclaw collapsed at his feet.
“R-Riddle, h-h-help me! P-Please!” Hadrian aimed a swift kick at the bloodied boys head.
“So sorry about the noise. I’ll keep it down next time, promise.” With that not at all ominous statement, the boy turned back to his victim, bloodied knife gleaming in the moonlight.
If Riddle was a lesser being, he’d be gaping at the interaction that had just happened, instead the only hint of his shock was the slight widening of his eyes. The smile on Peverell’s face had not lessened once during the one-sided conversation. Tom glanced down towards the child’s hands which were clasped behind his back.
“What’s in your hand?”
“O-oh, oh that, it’s nothing” the First Year stammered. Tom gave him a deadpan stare, Peverell returned it with a scrutinising look.
“…okay fine, but you can’t have them! I stole them first!” Peverell held out his hand, glittering sapphire earrings clasped within them, still encased in the earlobes Peverell had evidently cut out of the Seventh Year’s head.
“Hmm, interesting” Tom exclaimed to empty air, the younger of the two evidently bored of the conversation and comfortable that Tom wouldn’t try to steal the jewellery, had sat down near the unconscious body, twisting the sapphires this way and that. Childish awe overtaking his features.
“Very interesting” Tom repeated, watching the child giggle at his prize.
Extending his own hand, he patiently waited for Peverell to notice him.
“May I have the earlobes Pev-Hadrian?”
Emerald eyes focused on his own grey ones.
“Please?” the little devil demanded. Tom ground his teeth together.
“May I have the earlobes, please, Hadrian?”
“m’kay” the child chirped, quickly ripping the earrings from the earlobes and placing the bloodied flesh in Tom’s outstretched hand, then went right back to playing with his prize.
“episky, scourigify” Tom intoned, putting the lifeless Seventh Year to rights, ensuring there was no evidence of the crime that had just so nonchalantly been committed.
“Obliviate. You will forget any of the time you spent with Hadrian Peverell” Tom glanced quickly at the distracted child.
“And you will forget all about the sapphire earrings you were wearing today. They are not yours.”
The Seventh Year blinked his eyes rapidly, staggering up from his seated position. Tom’s eyes tracked the boy as he lumbered down the stairs ensuring he was far enough away before turning back to the First Year. The ethereal child guilessly looked up at Tom who offered his hand to help him up.
“You really must be more careful with who and where you torture” Hadrian scuffed his feet together, looking for all the world like a chastised puppy.
“luckily, I am here to teach you.” Tom quickly scourigified the walls, floor and Hadrian himself. The wide smile was back on the Hufflepuff’s face.
Tom made his way back towards the stairs.
“Well? Come on then.”
Tom was almost certain that Hadrian had squealed and muttered to himself, “told you I could make a friend Daddy”.
The small Hufflepuff caught up with the Third Year
“I’m Hadrian but my Daddy calls me Haddy!”
‘Daddy? Haddy?’ Tom was seriously wondering what he had gotten himself into.
“Are you my best friend now mister?”
“Hmm, yes, yes I am, which means you have to listen to what I say and promise not to torture anyone unless I’m with you.”
Hadrian gave Tom a scrutinizing look before picking up Tom’s hand and swinging their joined hands between them, “m’kay mister”.
‘What have I gotten myself into?’ “Since we are going to be best friends, I think you should call me Tom.”
Hadrian’s face lit up and he was definitely skipping now.
“Tommy and Haddy! I like it!”
“I don’t get it, he told us to stay, why didn’t he come back to the meeting room?”
“Malfoy it is not our place to question our Lord’s orders.”
I know that I’m just-”
“Hiya, I’m Haddy, I brought banana pie”
The five students at the Slytherin table turned towards the tiny shoeless Hufflepuff who had dared approach them. Malfoy was turning an alarming puce colour in rage.
“Can you not see we were having a conversation you disrespectful, little idio-”
“Ah Pev-Haddy” Tom sauntered towards his spot at the Slytherin table, giving a brief grimace of distaste both at the juvenile name and at the lack of shoes.
“I’m glad you have chosen to join us for breakfast.”
The Knights seated around Tom collectively turned towards their leader while the rest of the Slytherins and the few Ravenclaws who had noticed the commotion gawped in shock as the miniscule first year took a seat next to the Slytherin King.
“Would you like some banana pie Tom, I made it myself!”
The banana pie in question was set in front of the Third Year it was a worrying brown colour with a dubious mud like consistency sludging out from the bottom. Tom did his utmost best to withhold his grimace of disgust.
“Not now Haddy, it’s breakfast time”
“oh” the First Year looked absolutely distraught as if Tom had just taken his Sapphire earrings and for some reason that look made the Slytherin feel vaguely ill.
“But I am sure Abraxas would love a piece.” That statement seemed to shock his Knights back into coherency as they all gave Abraxas glances of pity and disgust.
“My-my Lord?”
The quirky Hufflepuff gave him such a look of hope that Abraxas was almost tempted to try a bite of the toxic sludge just to make the boy smile. However, it was his Lord’s expression that truly made him put a fork into the pie, better food poisoning than a crucio. As the strangely meat tasting dessert slid down his oesophagus, Abraxas prayed to Merlin that the expression of horror on his friend’s faces were not mirrored on his own.
“That *gulp*, that was d-delicious Hadrian”
The boy positively beamed
“Aww thank you, you know as soon as I saw you I knew you were nice. Anyone who can rock blonde highlights better than Gaga has to be nice.”
That comment once again silenced the Slytherin table with stunned disbelief. Who is this child? What crazy gibberish does it speak?
Hadrian picked his bag back up, seemingly done with breakfast in the time the Slytherins had spent staring at him.
“Bye guys, I’ll see you at lunch, don’t let Braxy eat all the pie.” The First Year beamed and waved as he skipped out the hall, bare feet slapping against the cold stone floor. Tom carried calmly on eating his breakfast.
“p-pie, high-highlights, Gaga?!”
“My Lord”, Orion haltingly spoke up, looking under his eyelashes at the blonde Fifth Year who was wide eyed and seemed to be twitching in his seat.
“I think the First Year has poisoned Malfoy.”
“GAGA!!”