Chapter 7
Chapter 7
Wednesday
"Is this true?" A hand slammed down on his table in the library, a newspaper pinned by a palm, and Hadrian looked up at Amelie in confusion. "Because if it is, I'll kill you myself. Got it?" Interest piqued, he took the newspaper. She must've received the article just after breakfast. That's when she usually went to the Owlry.
———
Dumbledore's Words
British wizard and Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Albus Percival Wolfric Brian Dumbledore has been spreading rumors since the beginning of summer that You-Know-Who has returned. He informed the British Minister of Magic, various members of the British Ministry for Magic, told various journalists and authors around Britain, and did a vast number of interviews on the topic as well.
Now that the news has reached France, can we really believe it? Albus Dumbledore has been a source of great hope for many witches and wizards due to his immense involvement in the side of the Light during the World War with Grindelwald and You-Know-Who's rise to power, two and a half decades ago. He's accomplished much, and many people believe he is the most powerful wizard out there at the moment.
Despite his credibility, there is no evidence backing the Headmaster. There have been no attacks, no murders, no disappearances, nothing suspicious at all has occurred over the summer. This leads many to conclude Dumbledore is lying. Because of such bold claims from Dumbledore, many have been led to believe he is growing senile in his old age.
In addition, many British Newspapers (such as the Daily Prophet) go as far as to say he is lying to gain popularity, by inventing his story of You-Know-Who's supposed return, to overthrow Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge. There has been lots of speculation on the topic.
The biggest curiosity in Dumbledore's story is the suspicious mention of the mysterious fourth Champion in the Triwizard Tournament, Lord Hadrian Orion Black. Dumbledore states "Lord Black won, but he was heavily injured and remained missing for some time after his win. He claims the Portkey he was meant to use sent him to a wrong location, and when he touched it again he arrived back at Hogwarts easily enough."
Despite Dumbledore's words, many of the journalists present for the interview believe that Dumbledore suspects Lord Black had something to do with You-Know-Who's supposed return. Because of this, more and more people are using this as evidence of Dumbledore's slipping sanity.
There are many stories floating about in the British Newspapers, but they are slowly spreading to other parts of the Wizarding World as Dumbledore's words and claims have reached ears around the globe. But is this a good thing?
Is Albus Dumbledore letting us know of a true threat he genuinely fears? Perhaps he is lying to further some web of his own plotting and ambition? Could he be losing his mind, falling prey to old age and slipping into a horrible delusion?
Think on it readers, and come to your own conclusions.
More on Albus Dumbledore on page 7
More on Lord Black on page 18
More on the Triwizard Tournament on page 22
———
"What's on page eighteen?" Hadrian asked, moving to flip through the paper. It was snatch from his hands, and he once again looked up at Amelie's furious expression. "You're angry with me?"
"Don't play coy!" She exclaimed, crumpling the newspaper into a ball.
"Wait, you don't actually believe I resurrected the most evil wizard we've seen in a hundred years, do you?" Hadrian drawled, raising an eyebrow. "Because that's ridiculous, even for you." Amelie's lip wobbled, but her eyes were seething.
"No moron!" She said, voice close to a shout. "Missing!? Heavily injured!? You never mentioned that!" Hadrian's mouth twisted into an unpleasant frown.
The Third Task flashed in his mind, even as he tried to push it away. The Boggart, Harry Potter and his regrets. Cedric on the ground, screaming. Krum's blank eyes, his pained apologies. Voldemort. Crucio. Visions.
"I don't want to talk about the Third Task." Hadrian said firmly, deeply burying the urge to let his voice shake and betray his inner turmoil. He pushed to stand and started heading towards the stairs out of the library, determined to go read on a broom to cool off. Amelie followed him.
"What the hell happened?" She asked, grabbing his elbow before he could get far. Hadrian sighed, faintly reminded of Hermione.
"Nothing, okay?" Hadrian frowned. "Stop."
"Can you tell us how badly you were injured?" Henry asked, stepping forward a little. "You weren't injured in any of the others, as far as we know."
"It was just a maze though, right?" Jaecen asked, eyes filled with confusion.
"No, it wasn't." Hadrian sighed, trying not to outright glare at his worried friends. "It was filled with obstacles waiting for us to meet. Like every Task."
"What kind of obstacles?" Amelie's tight grip on his arm loosened, and she touched his shoulder much more lightly.
"I'm not entirely sure." He admitted. "I encountered a Boggart, some kind of illegally bred Creature called a Blast-Ended-Skrewt, a Sphinx, and an Acromantula."
"An Acromantula?" Henry paled. Hadrian ignored the way it reminded him of Cedric. Cedric had looked like that in the maze, when he'd spotted the giant spider heading for them.
"That's what injured you?" Amelie exclaimed, "How? What happened?"
"Yeah." Hadrian rolled up his sleeve, resigned, and ran a finger along the long scar running down his forearm. "It got me right at the end. I needed five blood replenishes? Around that many. Madam Pomphrey said I could have died if not for Cedric's Ferula Charm during the Task." He rolled his sleeves back up and stared at them evenly. "What? You asked."
Theo and Hermione had seemed embarrassed and chastised for pressuring him about the Third Task once they knew, but Jaecen and Amelie weren't like that. Jaecen looked furious, and Amelie looked just as mad as she had from the start, and Henry was glaring.
"They would've let you die?" Henry asked quietly, expression sharp in a way Hadrian hadn't seen before.
"Probably not." Hadrian said, narrowing his eyes. "But it is a likely possibility if I had been alone." He was almost positive his wandless Stupify wouldn't have been enough if Cedric hadn't cast at the same time he had. They had been lucky.
"Diggory saved your life?" Amelie said forcefully, making Hadrian raise an eyebrow.
"He did." Hadrian told her. She took a long and deep breath, blew it out, and then put both hands on his shoulders.
"I've decided Cedric Diggory has my undying loyalty." She said with narrowed eyes. "If you ever almost get killed again I'll have your head. Do you understand?"
"I suppose." Hadrian smiled.
"I might have your head anyway." Jaecen crossed his arms. "You know healing spells, why didn't you heal yourself?" Hadrian blinked in surprise.
"At the time, I hadn't thought of it." He admitted honestly. "Although, I was dizzy, and in pain, so I think I get a pass this time." Also trying not to panic due to one Dark Lord he'd stumbled upon in a graveyard.
"Is that so?" Jaecen raised an eyebrow. "In that case, you'll be practicing healing spells at least twice a day from now on to ensure it doesn't happen next time." Jaecen said firmly. "Don't think you're getting out of this, I'll know. We share a dorm."
Hadrian expected Amelie and Jaecen's reactions. They were furious because they hadn't been there to protect him. Not that they could have actually helped, but they were angry nonetheless. Hadrian's eyes went to Henry, wondering what the older boy saw as he stared at Hadrian's sleeve that once again covered the scar.
"Let me see." Henry whispered, stepping forward and taking Hadrian's wrist in his hands. His face was pinched in what looked like anger and pain, and Hadrian wordless pushed up his sleeve despite his confusion.
Henry's fingertips brushed the scar, tracing it and frowning at it as he explored the texture of a wound that had been too large to have the same feeling as normal skin. Hadrian studied Henry, and could not discern what he was thinking.
"Why did it scar?" Henry asked finally.
"Madam Pomfrey used Vulnera Sanentur." Hadrian explained suspiciously. "She did not administer dittany after the healing, which resulted in the scarring." Henry's eyes flashed darkly.
"The medwitch didn't heal you properly?" Henry accused lowly. Hadrian frowned.
"She did. I'm all healed." He shrugged a little. "I believe she was more worried about the blood loss, honestly. Vulnera Sanentur is a complex spell regardless."
"There is no excuse for missing an important step like that." Henry said firmly, finally taking his eyes off the scar to look at Hadrian. "The Tournament should not have left a mark like this on you." Oh, so that's what the problem was.
Hadrian realized Henry did not feel guilt because he wasn't there, he was angry that the people who were specifically meant to protect him failed. It made sense to Hadrian, in a way. Henry had no reason to believe the staff wouldn't have had a way to save him no matter what his injuries were. If Hadrian had been taken right to the finish line, not stopping in at a graveyard, he'd definitely have gotten proper medical attention because he'd have had time to spare before Cedric's return. Henry was angry because the ones who were meant to protect him failed, and they'd then left a permanent reminder behind.
"It's okay." Hadrian smiled. "It's just another scar." Hadrian knew he had plenty anyway. What's one more?
"Fine." Henry released his wrist, removing his fingers from Hadrian's arm, and stepped backwards. "I still can't believe she didn't administer the dittany."
"Well, I've decided you're never going back to Hogwarts." Amelie declared. There was a fierceness in her eyes, but she was obviously trying to lighten the mood. Hadrian let her.
"Oh no, I'm devastated." Hadrian drawled blankly. She grinned, and Jaecen sighed.
"You're grounded." He declared, "I've decided you're not allowed to leave French soil for the next four months. The rest of August? Grounded. September? Grounded. October? Grounded. November?" Jaecen paused raising an eyebrow at Hadrian.
"Grounded, I got it." Hadrian huffed, amused. "I'm ever so grateful you've allowed me to retain the right to go home for the Winter Break."
"Don't get smart with me." Jaecen said, narrowing his eyes with mock seriousness, and Hadrian was glad his friends had shifted to a more playful atmosphere. "You're still grounded."
"Yes sir." Hadrian saluted with an eye roll. Amelie snickered, and Jaecen grinned. "So, are you done with your little interrogation?" He raised an eyebrow.
"I suppose." Amelie flicked her long hair over one shoulder. "This better be a reminder not to get injured again."
"Oh, yes, I'm utterly terrified of your punishments." Hadrian nodded, "I'd better not get inured against my will again."
"That's right!" Amelie said, grinning. "Now, we're all going down to the lake."
"I can't, I have to study for Transfiguration." Hadrian shook his head. "You can go ahead though."
"Hadrian, you're coming down to the lake." Amelie said, narrowing her eyes. "Pack up your books if you want but if you don't come with us I'm stealing your bedsheets."
"I can get more." Hadrian muttered, but he dutifully moved back towards his table to collect his books. "Fine. Maybe some sun will be good for me."
—————
Hadrian found himself sitting near the edge of the lake, a wooden tray holding his books and keeping them safe from the lawn he sat on, and watched his friends laugh and splash around as he read.
Amelie and Jaecen had stuck close as he collected his books, and had Hadrian walk with them when they retrieved their swimwear. Henry, however, had gone to retrieve Trill. Hadrian considered asking someone to fetch Mind, but decided against it. He didn't really know her that well. Same with Trollman.
Hadrian set his book aside and smiled as he tilted his head back into the sun, enjoying the warmth on his skin, only to be promptly grabbed by the ankle and yanked.
"Hey!" He had time to shout, and then he was underwater. Hadrian didn't really have any air in his lungs, so he immediately kicked upwards as his ankle was released. "No fair!" Hadrian sputtered, blowing water out his nose irritably.
"You can't just read the whole time!" Amelie laughed as Hadrian climbed out of the lake to once again sit on the edge. Being dragged in was far too easy when there wasn't really a beach. Just an edge, spilling into the depths with no warning. "Come on, join us!"
"Damn, now I'm soaked!" Hadrian muttered, pulling off his blue silk jacket and wringing it out. He narrowed his eyes at the fabric and considered using a drying spell. Would Amelie yell at him for that?
"Might as well join us, eh Hadrian?" Jaecen grinned impishly, shoving his hair out of his eyes. It was slicked to his forehead oddly, and Jaecen seemed annoyed by it. "As you said, you're soaked now."
"I told you, I have work to do." Hadrian sighed, glancing ruefully at his pile of books that he could go longer touch. A quick drying spell would fix that though…
"What you need is a break." Amelie huffed, pushing upwards and sitting daintily on the edge. "Now get in the damn water. I've given you the privilege of some book time in the sun, now I order you to relax!"
"I still have Transfiguration after dinner." Hadrian frowned, absent-mindedly flattening the wet fringe over his forehead. "Professor McGonagall was a thorough teacher, but even she could have missed something–" Hadrian was then shoved from behind, tripping over Amelia's thighs, and toppling right back into the lake.
"Woo, go Bensoir!" Amelie was cheering when Hadrian popped up again. She sent Hadrian a wink as he glared accusingly at her thighs for being in his way. He wouldn't have fallen in if she hadn't been sitting there!
"What was that for?" Hadrian snapped, seeing Trill standing on the ledge with a smug grin.
"You were soaking wet and looking at your books a little desperately." Trill announced, "Who's to say you weren't going to dry yourself and go back to reading?"
"This is bullying." Hadrian muttered, treading water and ignoring that he had been, in fact, considering using a drying charm.
"This is an intervention." Henry corrected, coming up from behind Trill. "You cleary need a break." Henry's eyes went to Hadrian's arm, even though he couldn't seen the scar there with Hadrian's shirt on.
"But I need to study!" Hadrian exclaimed, dodging a splash from Jaecen.
"You're already here, so you might as well stay." Amelie declared smugly. "You agreed to come, so get in the water."
"But I have my Transfiguration–"
"Ah, ah, ah!" Jaecen clicked his tongue, "You're grounded, remember?"
"That's not how that works." Hadrian pouted, climbing out of the lake and putting his hands on his hips.
"No, it's responsible." Henry said, taking off his shirt. Hadrian briefly considered flirting with the boy, he really was very attractive, but decided it probably wasn't the best time. "Come on, we're not letting you go anywhere near your books until you relax a little. Please?" Hadrian frowned at his books. He really did need to study…
"C'mon, Hadrian, just for a little while?" Amelie smiled at him, and Hadrian paused.
Looking closer, he realized they were watching him with poorly hidden concern. He'd scared them, it seemed. Quite badly. Hadrian hadn't meant to, and yet he did. They were just trying to help, in their own way. He'd confided in them and shown them he wasn't completely over what had happened in the Tournament, and this was the way Amelie had come up with to make it better. Hadrian sighed in resignation.
He wandlessly muttered a drying charm on his shirt and jacket, and folded them both before tossing them towards his books. Turning around, he shrieked a little as Henry jumped in and created a huge splash.
"Hey!" Hadrian complained as he was hit with some water droplets, though he was grinning.
"You were already wet!" Henry laughed. "Get in the water before Bensoir's eyes fall out of his head."
Hadrian turned to Trill and recognized the way he was raking his eyes up and down Hadrian. It was the same way Cedric had reacted the first time he'd seen him shirtless. Hadrian grinned lazily, putting his hands on his hips and tilting his head a little.
"Eyes up here handsome." Hadrian called softly. Trill's eyes snapped up to Hadrian's, his face going even redder, and then he just jumped into the lake without a word.
"Ouch, get rejected!" Jaecen called, messing up Trill's hair as the boy surfaced. Fortunately he did look less red, so Hadrian took it as a win.
"A guy's gotta try, right?" Hadrian laughed, and then jumped in after Trill.
The water was nice, when you weren't being shoved in and stolen from your books, and Hadrian tried to enjoy it. The Hogwarts lake had been cold, being a more natural water source, but the Beauxbaton lake was warm and blue and soft. Welcoming.
"Can I ask about the Second Task?" Jaecen asked once Hadrian was fully in the water. Hadrian was briefly surprised, confused as to why he was asking permission.
"Yeah sure." Hadrian said, and then smiled as he made the connection. Jaecen didn't want a repeat of the library if he asked about the Tournament. Lucky for him, the Second Task went just fine.
"It was in the Hogwarts lake, right? Hostages." Jaecen prompted.
"Yep." Hadrian confirmed. "Easy." Amelie and Jaecen both had relieved smiles on their faces, and Hadrian just smiled back fondly.
"So, how was the Black Lake?" Jaecen grinned, swimming around Hadrian in a circle. "I'm guessing you went in there more than once?"
"Absolutely." Hadrian laughed, splashing Jaecen lightly. "It was definitely different."
"Different how?" Trill was still pink in the cheeks, which Hadrian politely ignored, and Hadrian tilted his head as he considered the question.
"Well, for one, the water was dark. Not blue at all. Freezing cold, and you couldn't see a thing underwater. Nothing like our Lake here." Hadrian said thoughtfully. "It's filled with Creatures, too. Merfolk, grindylows, they even have a giant squid."
"No way, I thought that was a joke!" Jaecen exclaimed, "Did you meet the squid?" Hadrian laughed.
"I caught sight of it a few times. It's mostly domesticated." He grinned, "Fred and George, my friends, told me that they get to play with it sometimes." Fred was more than friend, but that wasn't exactly relevant.
"No way." Amelie's eyes were huge with awe, and Hadrian smiled at her.
"I'm more interested in the merfolk." Henry confessed. Hadrian blinked at him, noticing Henry was floating on his back with his eyes closed. "Did you find anything cool?"
"I got to see their villages!" Hadrian exclaimed excitedly, "Before the Second Task I was only allowed on the outskirts, but during the Task I got to go to the heart of their city square! It's so beautiful, and the architecture differences from the outer edges to the city center is fascinating."
"The Headmaster must've said something to them to make them allow you entrance." Jaecen said thoughtfully.
"He knows Mermish." Hadrian shrugged. Then he gasped excitedly, and beamed at his friends. "Oh! You'll never guess what else I found in the Lake." Trill tilted his head.
"What is it?"
"A Mer Nursery." Hadrian told them, eyes shining. "It was beautiful, I can't even tell you. The pods were so different from the sketches, honestly, the books don't capture it at all. I'm a little disappointed I didn't get to watch the juveniles hatch. The pods were meant to burst over the summer, so unfortunately I can't go see it."
"Fascinating." Henry whispered, eyes wide as he stopped floating on his back. "How'd you find it?"
"A Mother Mer was guarding the pods from the water, so I found a small bank section that accessed the top of the Nursery above water. It was hidden behind some rocks, but I found it." Hadrian sighed, "I kept it mostly to myself, because I wasn't sure if someone might accidentally hurt the pods, but I showed my friend Theo." A fond smile slipped onto his face as he remembered the expression on Theo's face when he'd thanked Hadrian that day.
"You seem to have lots of friends." Trill raised an eyebrow. "Who's Theo?"
"Theo's probably my best friend at Hogwarts." Hadrian hummed. "Draco's my cousin, so he doesn't count. Oh! And Fred is–" Then he was interrupted by two people at once.
"Is Theo just a best friend?" Trill asked.
"Hold on, you have a cousin?" Jaecen completely spoke over Trill, and Hadrian went with Jaecen's question because it was louder.
"Yeah, his mother is my father's cousin, so we're second cousins." Hadrian said, "He's really cool, actually. Draco took me to the Hospital Wing when I'd nearly been drowned by some Grindylows one time." He smiled at the memory of Draco's soft hands and fond eyes.
"You nearly drowned?" Amelie snapped, eyes narrowed. "And you didn't tell us?"
"Uhhh…" Hadrian did not want to face her wrath again, and promptly splashed her with water and then dove under, shooting himself away from her with a few strong kicks. He came up for air further away, and wasn't surprised she was in hot pursuit.
Hadrian laughed as he swam away from Amelie, and then hid behind a surprised Trill. When Amelie went to shove Trill out of the way to get to Hadrian, Jaecen yelled "Trill's it!!"
That's what started their game of water tag.
For the next hour Hadrian and his friends just messed around in the water, splashing around and laughing without thinking about school or tests or traumatizing Tournaments. Hadrian did reminisce about the time he'd practically dragged Cedric to the Lake near the end of the previous year, though. It had only been the two of them, which was a stark contrast to the absolute chaos that was his growing Beauxbaton friend group.
"Gotcha!" Trill's hand swiped Hadrian's collarbone, pressing down firmly as he grinned triumphantly.
"Damn!" Hadrian exclaimed, grabbing Trill's wrist. "So rude, tagging me when I wasn't paying attention!"
"You deserved it!" Trill laughed.
"Still mean." Hadrian grinned. Trill was treading water without the hand Hadrian held by the wrist, and he seemed to freeze a moment before going a little pink. "You'd better swim away." Hadrian warned him with a grin. "The no-tag-back rule only keeps you safe for twenty seconds." He released Trill's wrist, and the boy immediately dove under, face red.
"Go easy on Bensoir!" Amelie yelled, "I'm over here!"
"Yeah, I know!" Hadrian paused, as if contemplating, and then lunged to the side and grabbed Henry's ankle as the boy tried to escape. "You're it!"
"God damn it Hadrian!"
When the group finally exited the water for lunch, Hadrian realized the tension that had been in his shoulders that morning had completely unraveled. His friends were right. He had needed that break to relax. Maybe he should listen to Amelie more often? The lake had been her idea, after all.
"I'm telling you, if you apologize you could theoretically get away with making noise during meals!" Amelie exclaimed.
"Oh yeah?" Henry raised an eyebrow as he dried himself and tugged on his uniform top. "I bet they'll still play tricks on you if you do it more than once."
"Nah, it'll be fine if I apologize." Amelie waved him off. "I'm totally going for it! Imagine how cool it would be if it worked?"
On second thought… maybe he shouldn't listen to her ideas much.