Chapter 10
Chapter 10
Hogsmeade
When Hermione Granger approached him while he was alone the week after, he was expecting more badgering about the second task. Hermione, Malcolm, and Fred had taken star seats, everyone wanting to know what had happened and if they knew. They didn't, but Malcolm was happy to relay the story he got from Cedric, and Fred usually used the time he was given to advertise his products just as much as he explained the task. Hadrian wasn't sure how Hermione reacted to the questions; he was usually avoiding her and the youngest male Weasley that seemed glued to her.
However, it wasn't about the Tournament, and Hadrian saw steel in her eyes. So he simply stared as she fidgeted, and waited until she was ready to talk and finished just opening and closing her mouth.
"I want to be friends." She blurted out finally. He blinked in surprise. Hadrian didn't know what he was expecting, but that wasn't it.
"Is this a proposition or a negotiation?" He asked in response.
"Uh, a proposition." She flushed. "I'm asking you to be my friend. But, if it needs to be, I'll negotiate." Granger said, determined. He eyed her, impressed.
"I'll be your friend if you occasionally tell me about what it's been like at Hogwarts these past years." He smirked at her confused expression. "For ease of friendship, I'll even tell you about Beauxbaton. Knowledge for knowledge, friendship for friendship. Fair?"
"I don't know what you're gaining from this, but I'm absolutely willing. Does this mean I can join you and Nott in the library?" Her eyes sparkled. "Your books look so interesting!"
"Absolutely. Actually, I'm headed there now." He eyed her. "Wanna come? I have no classes till dinner."
"I have one right before." She said eagerly. "But I'm free till then."
"Well, let's go." He beckoned to it.
"Call me Hermione." Granger beamed as she followed him.
"Hadrian, then."
Theo was not excited to see her. He didn't glare or anything, he just nodded and eyed her carefully, but Hadrian saw wariness and suspicion.
"Granger." She eyed him right back.
"Nott." Hadrian laid down on the table and put his head on Theo's book. It had become a usual thing, and Theo just sighed in fond resignation.
"Theo, Hermione, Hermione, Theo." He grinned at Theo innocently. "We made a deal, Theo. Play nice."
"As you wish." He made the effort to smile at Hermione and she smiled back.
"So, Hermione, how was your first year of Hogwarts?" He sat up, but stayed seated on the table. He was playing with Theo's curls casually as the boy started reading again, his book having been freed. The boy's face was red, and Hadrian figured it was because he was trying to ignore Hermione so hard.
"Uh, well, I'm a Muggle-born." She admitted, sitting down. "So I was really excited. I read as many books as I could so I would be ready, but I ended up sort of a know-it-all." She made a face, and Hadrian interrupted before she could continue.
"Why's that?"
"Well, I knew all the answers. I was good at magic, often called the brightest witch my age. I corrected other students, I showed off, I talked without raising my hand, that sort of thing."
"I imagine you didn't have many friends then." He said bluntly. He laid back down on the table as he listened, and Theo began playing with his hair. Hadrian smiled and leaned affectionately into the boy's touch.
"I didn't. Ron Weasley was probably my least favorite person. Called me a nightmare." She admitted, smiling a little.
"How'd you two become friends?" Theo asked, looking up slightly with his face still pink.
"I ended up crying in a bathroom, and was attacked by a troll. Ron had been told off by his brothers because he'd sort of insulted me, and had come to apologize. He saved me from the troll, and we became friends." Hadrian zoned in the information immediately.
"Fascinating. Where'd the troll come from? Coincidence?" He asked lightly. She immediately leaned forward.
"It was seriously suspicious. There was a forbidden corridor that year. The third floor corridor." Hadrian sat up once more, leaning in, interested. "We found out it had a cerberus up there. Malfoy challenged Ron to a duel because he was yelling at him one day, but he totally faked us out and we had to run to hide from Mr. Filch. We ended up with the cerberus.”
"What did the cerberus have to do with the troll?" Hadrian said immediately.
"Well, after the troll was defeated we saw that Professor Snape had a bite. It was the three headed dog for sure. So Ron and I went looking and were convinced Professor Snape was trying to steal what Fluffy was hiding, and he must've let the troll in."
"Fluffy?" Theo cut in.
"The cerberus, he belonged to Hagrid. Anyway, Fluffy was guarding the Philosopher's Stone. We were convinced that Snape wanted it, but there was nothing we could do. We couldn't risk sneaking out past curfew." She shrugged. "Dumbledore assured us at the end of the year that it was safe. Although, our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher disappeared pretty randomly. He seemed panicked and disappointed before his disappearance, and we didn't know why."
"Ever consider he might've been the one after the Stone?" Hadrian asked, feigning disinterest. "Imagine he was, and Snape suspected him. When his troll failed couldn't get it, Snape being bitten as he made sure your Defense teacher couldn't get by, he'd have panicked. In this scenario, he could have left out of utter despair and disappointment at his failure." Both brunette's were looking at him with wide eyes and he just smiled prettily.
"It could be." Hermione said finally, looking thoughtful. "But Professor Quirrell always seemed panicked regardless." She shook her head before looking at Hadrian curiously. "What's about your first year at Beauxbaton?" Hadrian smiled.
"Well I'm a Half-blood, but I grew up with Muggles. I had no knowledge of the Magical world." Hadrian noticed Theo closing his book entirely, attention on him as he spoke. "When I... stumbled upon Diagon Alley," Hadrian lied smoothly, "I was given some pamphlets and I sent them a letter, requesting to go to their school. Soon after, they sent me my acceptance letter. I had just moved into Black Manor, and so my house elves helped me buy all my things." He thought back to the actual school year, trying to recall anything interesting. "I got into mostly all classes above my age level, which I was delighted by, of course. My year was just learning French and navigating being new to magic."
"It must've been nice, having such a calm first year." Hermione smiled at him. He nodded.
"Enough about that, you came for books!" Hadrian clapped his hands. He'd gotten exactly what he'd wanted, information on Hogwarts. "Pick from the pile, and we can really enjoy ourselves." He smiled prettily, and sat down beside Theo properly in a chair to read.
"What's your book about?" Theo whispered as he looked over to see Hadrian reading something in French.
"It's called Vampires and Danger in the Woods, it's fascinating." Hadrian said quietly back. "I can make an English copy, if you want." Theo smiled fondly, and nodded.
"Thanks, you're amazing." Hadrian laughed under his breath.
"Nah, I'm just generous. Especially with my friends." He smiled at Theo, grabbing his hand to squeeze Theo's fingers lightly. "I'm really glad we're friends, Theo. You're my best friend, y'know?" Theo's smile was bright and flushed, but Hadrian couldn't figure out why his eyes seemed so sad. It bothered him for the rest of their library time that day.
The only problem Hadrian encountered in the following weeks with Hermione sitting with them, besides Theo's occasional annoyance, was the continued presence of Viktor Krum shyly peeking between the shelves. Whenever Hermione saw him she'd just smile fondly and he'd wave happily. Sometimes she'd even walk over and talk quietly with him, and even occasionally moving her stuff to another table to be with him instead. Hadrian didn't mind, but it was odd seeing Krum smile so easily. Hadrian sometimes wondered if he looked at Fred like that…
Hadrian was enjoying March, for the most part. His classes were easy and he didn’t have to worry about the Tournament, and he got to spend time with his friends. Unfortunately, it was the Saturday of the Hogsmeade trip, and Draco was going with Theo and all their Slytherin friends as a group. Cedric was going with his Hufflepuff friends, and Hadrian didn’t want to disrupt that. He had been monopolizing their time, afterall…
Hadrian walked around the castle, looking for things he hadn’t seen before. At Beauxbaton there were exciting things to see on every floor, but the Hogwarts corridors were pretty uniform throughout the castle. Suit of armor… a talking painting… a ghost waving at him… another suit of armor… some random student who looked surprised to see him… oh look more suits of armor… a redhead leaning on a nearby wall… another painting - wait…
“Fred!” Hadrian exclaimed, stopping his tracks. Fred was standing near a statue of a creepy one eyed witch, and he grinned at Hadrian when their eyes met.
“Hello, date mine!” The boy walked over, tucking a paper into his back pocket. “How are you today?” Hadrian sighed dramatically.
“Oh so very bored. I’ve been abandoned and everyone is in town.” He grinned then. “Shouldn’t you be in Hogsmeade with everyone else?” Fred laughed.
“My good sir, I am going to Hogsmeade this very moment. George and I decided to go separately--” He paused, and then held out a hand extravagantly. “Care to come with?” Hadrian beamed.
“I’d love to!” He took the boy’s hand and was surprised when he was pulled towards the statue, instead of along the corridor towards the staircase down to the exit. He watched with interest as Fred took out his wand and tapped the statue.
“Dissendium.” The Weasley said, grinning. Hadrian gasped as the statue opened, revealing a passageway. “This is one of the seven secret passageways in and out of Hogwarts.” Fred took his hand and led Hadrian through. “There’s another passageway behind a different statue in the castle, Gregory the Swarmy, and George and I found it our first week at Hogwarts.” Hadrian laughed.
“What horrors did the Weasley twins unleash as 11 year olds?” Fred looked back to send him a very amused smirk.
“George and I were born on April Fool’s Day, and we’ve always been little terrors.” He laughed. “We ended up in trouble with Filch at least once a week for our entire first year, we kept playing pranks on him. We blew up a toilet specifically because our Mother asked us not to in third year.”
“That sounds exactly like something you’d do.” Hadrian snickered.
“Right? You’d think she’d know better.” Fred then stopped and reached above his head, opening a sort of trapdoor. Hadrian followed curiously, and looked around the new area. “Welcome to the cellar of Honeydukes. It’s a sweets shop in Hogsmeade.” Hadrian beamed.
“Wow, this is so cool!” Fred led him by the hand up a set of stairs and Hadrian found himself inside a crowded store. There were rows and rows of candy of all sorts. He saw things like coconut ice and toffees the color of honey, but also barrels of Every Flavor Beans and Fizzing Whizzbees. Hundreds of different types of chocolates were all lined up in neat rows, people standing around and scrutinizing each kind as they tried to pick what to buy. There was also a section labeled ‘Special Effects’ which reminded Hadrian of the twins’ plans for their shop. There was a time of gum that filled a room with bubbles that didn’t go away for days, mints that made your teeth squeak like mice, and pepper imps that made the consumer breathe fire. He looked around in wonder, clutching Fred’s hand so as not to lose him.
“Your expression looks beautiful like that.” Fred’s voice whispered in his ear. Hadrian flushed and grinned.
“Not as beautiful as you, gorgeous.” Fred laughed. “This place has so much in it.” Hadrian said, ignoring his blush that hadn’t faded. “Those Special Effect things are like less cool versions of what you make sort of, right?” He tilted his head back to see Fred grinning.
“Very true, rookie stuff they do. Our products are much better and we make them all ourselves!” Hadrian beamed at Fred’s proud expression, and laughed happily.
“So what else is there to see in Hogsmeade?” Fred grinned, and Hadrian realized he was in for more than a leisurely tour, like Draco would’ve given him. Hadrian also found that he didn’t mind the thought at all.
Surprisingly, the first place Hadrian was led was a place called Tomes and Scrolls. Fred smiled at him before pushing the door open and leading Hadrian inside. Hadrian’s eyes widened as he took in where he’d ended up, and resisted just staring dumbly at from the doorway. It was a bookstore, with shelves from floor to ceiling full of books. He could see titles he recognized, as well as ones he didn’t. The sight of it made him inhale sharply before turning to Fred with huge eyes.
“Marry me.” He begged in French, clutching Fred's hand. “This is so beautiful.” Fred squeezed his hand.
“I thought you’d like it.” Fred looked at Hadrian softly, and Hadrian beamed. He walked around, examining the books, with Fred following along behind him fondly. Hadrian chose to browse Magical Creatures and Magizoology first.
Dreadful Denizens of the Deep
From Egg to Inferno: A Dragon-Keeper’s Guide
Merpeople: A Comprehensive Guide to Their Language and Culture
The Handbook of Hippogriff Psychology
Hairy Snout, Human Heart
Blood Brothers: My Life Amongst the Vampires
Most Macabre Monsters
The Encyclopedia of Bat Eyes
“I’ve only read one of these!” Hadrian exclaimed, delighted. “Dreadful Denizens of the Deep sounds fascinating!” He pulled Fred over and picked it up, examining the pretty cover. “It must be about underwater magical creatures. Did you know less than 20% of the ocean has been explored? I’d bet most of these creatures dwell in lakes and rivers. We’re more likely to see them there. Muggles don't seem interested in magical creatures most of the time if they stumble upon them, but that's because so many normal animals look so weird anyway.” Hadrian babbled happily, taking the book with him as he moved to a different section. Herbology looked interesting…
Wanderings of a Tree in the Alps
Winogrand’s Wondrous Water Plants
Sub-Aquatic Botanical Mysteries
Flesh-Eating Trees of the Wild
“No way!” Hadrian grabbed the last book, stacking it on his other one. “I’ve been looking into Carnivorous plants for months! This one is about trees!” He beamed at Fred, and then paused, staring at the boy. Fred was watching him with an expression on his face that Hadrian couldn’t quite place. His eyes were soft, his smile was warm and bright; it was almost adoration, but more than that. Hadrian flushed, feeling warm and oddly bubbly inside. “Um, thanks for bringing me here.” Hadrian said, suddenly shy. It had been years since he'd actually felt shy.
“I knew you’d love it.” Fred laughed. He bent down to kiss the top of Hadrian’s head and smiled. “Do you want to keep looking?” Hadrian shook his head as his cheeks got steadily redder.
“No, I just want these.” He clutched the books, smiling. “Where do we buy them?” Fred led him to a counter, and Hadrian easily pulled out his money pouch. He had to let go of Fred’s hand as he paid, and he thanked the person at the counter profusely as he was given his books back. They left the store, Hadrian positively glowing. “Where to next?” Fred laughed.
“Wanna see Zonko’s? It’s a Joke Shop. George and I used to love the place, using the products to mess with so many people.” Hadrian grinned and nodded.
“Sounds like a plan!” Fred pulled him along, Hadrian’s right hand clutching Fred and his left cradling his new books, Hadrian admiring the village as they walked. He remembered Diagon Alley being similar in his memory. Just as colorful with all the shops in neat rows. He tried to glance at as many names as he could see. He saw something called Dogweed and Deathcap that sounded horribly intriguing. Hadrian spotted a hairdresser, an owl post office, and something called Scrivenshaft’s Quill Shop. Did they only sell quills…?
In Europe there were Non-Muggle settlements scattered throughout, one being in France. However, Hogsmeade was the only one in Britain, and Hadrian had always ested to see it. Trailing behind Fred and taking in the sights was an experience Hadrian wanted to cling to forever.
“There it is!” Hadrian turned and Fred's words, and his first thought was that it was colorful. The outside was a pinkish sort of color, and the inside was brightly lit with oddly colored and shaped bobbles on various shelves.
As Fred led Hadrian around pointing out and naming different products, Hadrian listened with rapt attention. The redhead ranted about how he’d used something called a Dungbomb on his great-aunt Muriel and she never visited again, that one time they’d given Ron a Nose-Biting Teacup, and when they’d given their sister the Hiccoughing Sweets. Hadrian couldn’t stop grinning as Fred talked more about his years at Hogwarts and his favorite pranks. Suddenly Fred paused in his ranting, seemingly staring at nothing.
“Fred?” Hadrian squeezed his hand. The redhead then grinned, a mischievous yet playful grin, and turned to Hadrian.
“I just saw Ickle Ronnikins outside.” Fred answered, making Hadrian blink.
“What’s that?” Fred burst out laughing and then sighed, amused.
“My brother Ron, I take it you remember him?” Hadrian scowled, and nodded. Fred touched his pocket a little ominously, grin still in place. “Say, why don’t we have some fun?” Fred’s eyes were intense in a way that made Hadrian go a little pink, and he nodded slightly.
“I’m listening…”
“Okay, are you sure it’ll work?” Hadrian asked, handing the prank item back to Fred carefully. “I mean, it won’t actually hurt them?” Fred grinned.
“‘Course not. I’ve been pranking Ron since we were babies. I turned his favorite teddy into a spider once. He broke my toy broomstick, you see.” Fred said this a little wistfully, and Hadrian giggled. “Anyway, he’ll probably be fine.”
“All right, then.” Hadrian sighed. “Let’s do it.” Fred squeezed his hand and grinned.
“You got this.” Hadrian nodded and pulled out his wand. He tapped the top of the item, Hadrian couldn’t remember what Fred had called it, and it started to sputter and fizz in the redhead’s hands. Fred quickly peeked around the corner and threw it directly at his brother.
“WHAT THE-” Hadrian pressed a hand to his mouth to smother his laughter as the item exploded, cutting off Ron’s shout and Hermione’s surprised shriek.
“What did you call it again?” Hadrian said between muffled laughs as Ron’s angry shouts could be heard over the pops and explosions.
“Ah, it’s called a Dr. Filibuster’s Fabulous Wet-Start, No-Heat Fireworks.” Fred grinned, also laughing. “C’mon, you gotta see this.” Hadrian joined him, peeking around the corner, to see Ron’s robe had been blackened, sparks dancing in the air around him. Hermione stood nearby, seemingly untouched, and looked halfway between laughter and concern.
“FRED, GEORGE, I KNOW THAT WAS YOU!!” Fred and Hadrian ducked back behind the wall, muffling laughter, as Ron raged. Fred then took Hadrian’s hand and started running, Hadrian following with complete trust as he laughed freely.
Hadrian decided that his friends leaving him behind that day was the best thing that could’ve happened to him.
“Ron was mad, of course.” Hermione sniffed as she walked with Hadrian and Theo to the library the next day. “I think it would’ve been pretty if it hadn’t smacked right into the back of Ron’s head.” Hadrian choked on a laugh, and Theo gave him a suspicious look.
“I’m glad you guys had fun!” Hadrian beamed honestly.
“What did you do all day, Hadrian?” Hermione asked, apparently done with her ranting.
“I got two new books, actually.” Hadrian said happily, “I’m really looking forward to reading them.” Hadrian’s smile softened, remembering the feeling of Fred pressing his lips into Hadrian’s hair when he’d thanked the boy.
“That’s nice.” Theo gave Hadrian another suspicious look, and Hadrian grinned, slightly flushed.
“It is, isn’t it?” Hadrian smirked. Theo rolled his eyes, but they were sad again. Hadrian led them all to an empty table as they entered the library, and they began unpacking homework and books.
“How long until dinner?” Hermione asked when no one spoke.
“About two classes.” Hadrian shrugged. “We have Transfiguration before that, though, so technically some free time plus one class.” Hermione rolled her eyes.
“Helpful, thanks.” He grinned.
“At your service, always.” She rolled her eyes with a playful glare and Theo snickered.
“I’d skip dinner to read, if I could.” Theo admitted.
“We read during meals at Beauxbaton all the time.” Hadrian said pleasantly as he finished choosing which subject to cover.
“What?” Theo demanded, “How?” Hadrian blinked.
“Well, no one's really allowed to talk during mealtimes or else they’ll offend the Nymphs.” He blinked at their confused expressions. “What?”
“That’s it, I’m transferring.” Hadrian laughed at Theo's mockly serious face, and grinned in response.
"Back up," Hermione sputtered, "Offend the Nymphs?"
"Wood Nymphs." Hadrian nodded easily. "People don't talk during meals unless it's small murmurs. We never interrupt their singing." He smiled. "Last year, someone tripped in the hall during the song and offended them by dropping his plate and making a huge clatter, by accident. For the rest of the year he found dead flowers and insects in his shoes every morning." Hadrian snickered.
"That sounds so weird." Theo muttered. "What if you cough? Or clang your silverware?"
"You apologize, obviously. He never bothered. Said he could handle it, and then he regretted it." Hadrian laughed. "So Hermione, how was your second year?" Theo sighed, realizing he was info digging again.
"That whole year was a mess, actually. Ron was petrified." She said it so wistfully he wondered if she was sad he'd been fixed up.
"Petrified? What kind of curse does that?" Hadrian tilted his head.
"Actually it was a Basilisk." Theo's head whipped up. "The Chamber of Secrets was opened, and Slytherin's monster was a Basilisk."
"Basilisk eyes cause death, not petrification." Theo exclaimed, eyes wide.
"But nobody actually saw its eyes." Hermione said easily, not seeing to notice his utter horror. "Mrs Norris saw its reflection in the water on the floor, Colin saw it through his camera, Justin saw it through Nearly Headless Nick, Ron caught it in a window while watching some spiders." She shrugged.
"Did they figure out how to contain it?" Hadrian asked, watching her intently. Hermione's hand tightened on her book.
"It turned out okay." She said tightly.
"People thought it was the Heir of Slytherin opening the Chamber." Theo cut in. "Who was it?"
"She turned herself in, it was fine." Her knuckles were white.
"Don't tell me it was you!" Theo exclaimed, recoiling. Hermione glared, eyes narrowed.
"No." She sighed. "It was my friend, she turned herself in... to me. I had to bring her to Dumbledore myself." She shook her head with a frown.
"Was she expelled?" Theo demanded. Hermione faced him with anger in her eyes.
"It wasn't her fault!" She pointed a finger at him across the table, angrily. "She was being controlled by some stupid cursed diary of a boy named Tom Riddle. Dumbledore destroyed it, and the attacks stopped." Hadrian placed a hand on her shoulder and she inhaled sharply.
"It's okay, we can drop the subject if you want." He said quietly. He knew exactly who Tom Riddle was, and had gotten the information he wanted. The diary must've been like Hadrian, a Horcrux. Does that mean there could be even more…?
Hermione took a deep breath and shook her head at Hadrian sadly.
"It's fine." Hermione sighed. "She was just so upset. She has gaps in her memory, woke up from a trance covered in blood, panic attacks, breakdowns. She still has nightmares about it." Hermione looked down and glared at her book.
"I'm sorry." Theo crossed his arms and looked away. "It's a sensitive subject for me too, Slytherin got a lot of crap from the whole school that year." Hermione winced.
"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry too, I suspected Slytherin myself until G– I mean, my friend turned herself in." They nodded to each other, and Hadrian's eyes flicked between them.
"Ooookay, just so you know, we're late to Transfiguration." Hadrian smirked. Both bookworms panicked, Hermione shrieking, and they frantically started shoving books and papers into their bags. Hadrian laughed, happily knowing they still had fourteen more minutes.