Chapter 16
Chapter 16
Goodbyes
Hadrian was so close to leaving, so very close to being safe back at Beauxbaton, and he suddenly wanted to thoroughly bang his head against a wall as he received a request for his presence in the Headmaster's office.
"Thank you, for this. I'll think about it." Hadrian gave the Gryffindor a smile he put probably too much effort into as he took the little note. It was the same Gryffindor who escorted him to the Weighing of the Wands. Creevey?
"Actually, he said he wanted you right now!" The Gryffindor grinned. Ah, of course, send the message with a tiny little first year so Hadrian can't say no. Smart.
"Well then, lead the way." Hadrian sighed, knowing it would be… interesting. He was led through the castle, Dennis Creevey babbling the whole way. He'd introduced himself, again. The kid couldn't be stopped, it seemed, and Hadrian did not have a book with him this time.
Creevey informed him that the Headmaster's office was located in the Headmaster's Tower, which was hidden behind a gargoyle statue on the third floor. Hadrian briefly wondered how one would've gotten to the Headmaster's office during the year of 1991, considering the corridor was off limits at the time.
"Chocolate Frogs!" The Creevey exclaimed at the gargoyle. To Hadrian's surprise, the statue did not move aside, but began spiraling upwards to reveal a moving staircase. "You just go on up by taking the stairs." The child beamed at him helpfully. Hadrian sighed.
"Thanks, Creevey." The Gryffindor beamed at him again, and then skipped away. Was he an errand boy or something?
Hadrian stepped onto the moving staircase and walked upwards as it moved. At the top stood a door, and Hadrian pushed it open without hesitation. The room was large and circular, curious objects all around him as he poked about. Portraits surveyed him from every angle, and he grinned at a few who seemed to be suspiciously scrutinizing him. The rest of the room was full of silvery bobbles of every size and shape. Several were magical instruments he recognized on spindly unstable looking stools, some objects even releasing puffs of smoke. Hadrian noted the large desk as Dumbledore's, and what he assumed to be the Sorting Hat sitting on a shelf nearby.
Hadrian wasn't surprised. The room was as chaotic and fake as Dumbledore; seemingly harmless and joyful, yet very carefully crafted to fit the image he'd created for himself. Hadrian turned as the door pushed open, Dumbledore stepping inside with a smile that Hadrian resisted rolling his eyes at.
"Ah, Hadr-"
"Headmaster." Hadrian gave a short nod. "In future, I'd recommend waiting inside your office. I'll have you know that inviting someone to a meeting and then refusing to show up on time speaks of rudeness in volumes." Dumbledore's left eye twitched.
"Of course, Hadrian. Now-"
"I haven't given you permission to address me by my first name." Hadrian interrupted again, resisting a grin. "Lord Black, will do." He gave the Headmaster a nod, and the man's eyes were no longer joyful.
"Mister Black-"
"Lord." Hadrian repeated firmly. "Despite Mister Bagman's incapabilities of remembering my proper title, I'm sure a wizard of your stature and position will have no trouble with it." Dumbledore nodded slowly, smile never falling. However, Hadrian felt as though he'd won something.
"As you wish, Lord Black. Shall we sit?" He gestured to the desk and the chairs on either side, and Hadrian nodded.
"If the meeting will be lengthy, then yes. Thank you." Hadrian subtly cast a hand out over his chair as Dumbledore walked around the desk to his own seat, but Hadrian found no enchantments on it. Good. "Now, what is it you require? I am leaving with my school in a matter of days, and I wish to spend the time with my friends. I'm sure you understand." Dumbledore took his seat, leaning on his desk with a sort of mild dominance. Hadrian lifted an eyebrow.
"My dear Lord Black," Dumbledore started dramatically such that nearly had Hadrian choking, "Sirius was a very good friend of mine, and of this school, and I'd like to know more about you. I'd also like to extend an invitation to join our school, here in Britain."
"I'm not sure if my father's closeness with this school or its Headmaster matters much. Considering he's a wanted criminal, I'd say it would be a stain on this school's good record." Hadrian said coolly. "Thank you for the offer, but I am happy and thriving at Beauxbaton. It is where I belong, you see."
"Of course, of course." Dumbledore nodded. "How did you come to be at Beauxbaton? Is your mother someone from there?" Hadrian didn't feel any mental probing, so he merely shrugged delicately and internally scrambled for an excuse.
"I'm not sure why that would matter to you." Hadrian replied calmly. "We've never met before this, and as far as I know, you could have bad intentions towards me. You did, oh what would you call it… violate? You violated my mental space by attempting Legilimency on me without my consent. Furthermore, you did so without even looking into my eyes. This suggests a skill far beyond mine, which, correct me if I'm wrong, you seemed to take advantage of." Hadrian tilted his head, eyes wide as he looked innocently at the Headmaster.
"My dear child, I was merely investigating a foreign friend—"
"Without my consent?" Hadrian interrupted. "Myself being a legal adult, you have no right to cast any Magics on me without signed or verbal consent. I do not recall giving you either." Dumbledore laughed lightly, and a little nervously.
"Lord Black, this is not what this meeting is about." His eyes were dark in a way Hadrian did not like, so he merely shrugged again.
"As you say. However, I have addressed your two other topics. Is there more to discuss?" The man smiled, deceptively soft.
"I'd like to know if you need any support, Lord Black." Dumbledore seemed to beam, eyes lit again. "You may be an adult, but as a Headmaster myself, I'm concerned about where you've been living. There is no record of a mother, and your father is away."
"My father is not away, he is on the run from Azkaban Prison." Hadrian said a tad coldly. "A truth you should be well acquainted with, considering you signed off on his arrest." Dumbledore continued smiling.
"Ah, a difficult decision." The Headmaster nodded thoughtfully. "He and his friends at Hogwarts were such good students." Hadrian nearly choked. No they were not, James Potter had a list of pranks they'd pulled all written in a book in the Potter Vaults. He'd found it while assessing his assets the year before. "However, I myself like to think he's innocent."
"I do not have that luxury." Hadrian lied, examining his fingernails boredly. "As to where I've been living, it's perfectly safe and I'm well cared for there. My Headmistress is very capable." Hadrian saw irritation on the man's face. He couldn't very well insult Madam Maxime now could he?
"Of course she is, I wasn't insinuating otherwise. However—"
"Well then, I'm sure that helps alleviate any concerns you might have." Hadrian diverted, giving a pretty smile. "Is there anything else?" Oh dear, Dumbledore seemed thoroughly unhappy.
"My Lord Black, did you receive a Hogwarts letter?" Dumbledore asked, smile pressed. "All children of past students should receive an invitation of acceptance just before their 11th birthday."
"Ah, yes." Hadrian nodded, ready to lie his ass off. "October of 1990 I did get one. However, I knew of other schools and wondered why I never received acceptance from them. In my search, I fell in love with the very idea of Beauxbaton. As an art school, it had everything I'd ever wanted. I couldn't resist sending in my request for attendance." Hadrian gave another pretty smile.
"October of 1990? So you're 15, then?" Dumbledore pounced on the information, just as Hadrian predicted.
"Oh, yes." Hadrian nodded, as if wistful. "I was two when my father was arrested. I barely remember him." Dumbledore smiled in a comforting manner that Hadrian wanted to smack off his face.
"You must remember your parents fondly, then. What was your mother like?" Hadrian could’ve slumped in relief. Perfect time for a masterfully crafted lie.
"She was very beautiful, I have her eyes. Although, it's a pity I didn't get her hair. Blonde would've looked so much lovelier, don't you think?" Hadrian lied as he smiled serenely at the Headmaster, who looked a little disgruntled.
"Quite, Lord Black." The Headmaster seemed to say through his teeth. "You say she was beautiful? Has she passed on, then?"
"Hm." Hadrian hummed. "Yes, she's gone. I've been well taken care of though." Depending on who's definition of what 'taking care of' was; the Dursleys thought beating the magic out of him was perfectly fine, sooo…
"That's good to hear." Dumbledore's smile was strained, and Hadrian decided he was finished with the man.
"If there's nothing else I must be going, Headmaster." Hadrian got to his feet, panic flashing in Dumbledore's eyes.
"Ah, but we have so much to discuss." The man laughed lightly, gesturing for Hadrian to sit again.
"I don't think so, sir." Hadrian said, voice abruptly cold. "Stalling for time and prying for information will not work with me. I simply wish to end this meeting on proper, peaceful terms." Dumbledore's eyes held minor wrath, despite his smile. Hadrian faintly wondered how he managed it.
"It seems our meeting is adjourned then." Dumbledore smiled stiffly. "I hope we see each other again, soon." Hadrian bowed and headed for the door.
"We hope for very different things, Headmaster." Hadrian said, "Though, we shall see."
Hadrian was not ashamed to admit he completely skipped the Leaving Feast. He didn't care which Hogwarts House Won the House Cup. He didn't want to be surrounded by people anymore. Especially after the mess that was his meeting with Dumbledore.
Instead, he sat by the mer nursery and finally let himself think; to process what had happened. Dumbledore was dangerous, this, Hadrian was sure of. Dumbledore was a man who was politically powerful, as well as magically powerful. Someone Hadrian couldn't make an enemy of, and he already sort of had. Voldemort was Harry Potter's enemy, though... he might not like that Hadrian Black escaped him.
Voldemort... Hadrian had met him during the third task. Officially. Him and whoever Wormtail was, because Wormtail couldn't be his real name, and they'd tried to kill him. Wormtail had thrown the Killing Curse at him on Voldemort's orders. He turned it over and over in his head, but he couldn't make sense of it.
Dumbledore let his father go to jail, through malice or simply negligence. Hadrian didn't know what to think of that. If Sirius Black had never gone to Azkaban, he'd probably have taken custody of Hadrian, and raised him as Harrison Potter-Evans-Black as he was meant to be. It would've been a lot different, that's for sure.
As for the Dark Lord, Voldemort had attacked two of Hadrian's parents that Halloween of 1981, and ended up destroyed one way or another. During that same night, he'd somehow made Hadrian his Horcrux and Heir. Hadrian firmly decided it was accidental, because nobody picked an Heir and decided to kill them afterwards for no reason, it didn't make sense.
Hadrian tucked his knees to his chest and stared at the water, silver scales of the patrolling Mers flashing, Mermish eggs under the surface wiggling, small ripples skimming their way across the surface. They’d be opening soon, the Pods bursting to let little Mer young swim into the Juvenile Mer cove to stay until they were strong enough to join the village. He was disappointed he wouldn’t get to see it.
Voldemort, Tom Riddle, was weak. He needed strength and he was trying to find Harry Potter. That probably meant he'd found a way to use Hadrian to make himself stronger. Some kind of spell, or ritual? Hadrian didn't know, and didn't particularly want to know. He wondered if he'd be safe back in France, or if he'd just be hiding from the problem.
Dumbledore was the opposite, strong and honored in the public opinion. He was looking for Harry Potter, but not to kill him. He probably wanted to keep him safe and take him under his wing to drive him towards whatever Dumbledore believed to be the destined path. His intentions weren't malicious, it was just… manipulative. Regardless, Hadrian wanted to stay as far away from Dumbledore as he did from Voldemort.
Hadrian didn't want a war, and he definitely didn't want to be Harry Potter at the center of a war. A power struggle for whose side possessed The Chosen One. An endless tug-of-war over a child. All because of a single moment when he had been barely a year old.
It was what Hadrian had run from in the first place. He'd gone to such lengths for his peace and safety. A new identity, new parent, new school, practically fleeing Britain to escape it all. And yet it might've all been for nothing if one of his lies spilled the wrong way. It'd crash down if someone who knew a little too much said the wrong thing to someone else...
Hadrian just wanted to finish his education and get a job, preferably one with interesting experiences attached. A boring life wouldn't suit Hadrian, after all. He'd been considering a job with dragons, or other Magical Creatures. It would be thrilling… being able to study and help Creatures nobody else would or could. He imagined himself as an adult, covered in scars he'd receive doing something that he enjoyed and cared about, instead of something forced in him, and a life of enjoyment behind and before him.
Funnily enough, he’d never doubted whether or not he could. Not before Hogwarts. He'd been so sure he would graduate at least a year early, move on to a good and long life, and that he could live as a normal wizard did. Sure, he had a criminal father, but that didn't matter in the grand scheme of things. It wouldn't stop him from getting a job or living a fulfilling life. Especially since Hadrian was intelligent, talented, and had a good work ethic.
Staring at the water wistfully, chin perched on his knees, he wasn't so sure that was true of Triwizard Tournament winner Lord Hadrian Black anymore, and he didn't know how to feel about that.
As Hadrian and Fleur stood waiting for Madam Maxime to say goodbye to the grounds keeper, he was approached by a small gaggle of Hogwarts students, who Hadrian smiled at fondly.
"Didn't think you could leave without saying goodbye now, did you, cousin?" Draco smirked. Hadrian grinned and pulled his cousin into a tight hug.
"I'll write, I promise." He said as he released the blond. Hadrian turned to Theo, who stood behind Draco. "I'll write to you, too. Maybe send a few book copies." He smiled, hugging the boy tightly as well.
"I'll miss you." Theo whispered, pulling back and looking at Hadrian with those eyes filled with an emotion he couldn't understand. Hadrian could've sworn Theo was wiping away tears as he stepped away, but Hermione replace him too quickly for Hadrian to be sure.
“You’d better tell me more about Beauxbaton next year.” Hermione ordered, grinning at him. Hadrian laughed and pulled her into a hug.
“Let me know all the deets at Hogwarts, ‘kay?” He grinned at her, and Cedric almost shoved her aside waiting for her to step away.
Cedric took his hand. "Write to me." He said immediately.
"I will." Hadrian hugged him, holding Cedric tightly and shutting his eyes. "I'll miss you guys." He said softly, voice slightly muffled by his face being squished into Cedric's shoulder. As they all turned to leave, Hadrian spotted three redheads nearer to the carriages. He hurried over and George caught him in a warm hug.
"We'll send you letters, and notify you immediately when our shop is set up. Or about any available products." George said, squeezing him tightly.
"I'd love that." Hadrian was released and he smiled at George, friendly affection making him beam.
"We seriously can't thank you enough." Fred said, taking George's place. He kissed the top of Hadrian's head before stepping back, face tinged pink.
"There's no need." Hadrian reminded him. He then leaned up on his tiptoes to kiss Fred's cheek. The redhead smiled softly before Hadrian dropped back down with a sigh.
Ron stepped forward, glaring, arms crossed. Hadrian pulled away from the twins to face him. “So you’re leaving.” Ron said pointedly.
Hadrian grinned and reached into his bag. Rummaging around he produced a green sack that an owl from Gringotts had delivered. He held it up and shook it, coins jangling.
“100 Galleons, as promised.” He handed it over and Ron snatched it as if Hadrian would steal the money back at any moment. He then gave a glare with no heat, and stalked off quickly.
Hadrian turned back to Fred and gave him a wobbly smile. Fred opened his arms, and Hadrian dove in for another hug.
"Take care of my heart?" Fred murmured. Hadrian paused.
"What?" He asked, muffled by Fred's shoulder.
"Take care of my heart, Hadrian, because you're leaving and taking it with you." Tears pooled in Hadrian's eyes, and he nearly choked on them as he swallowed.
"I promise." Hadrian whispered, pressing his face into Fred's shoulder for another moment before releasing him.
Hadrian stepped back, turning away sharply. He glanced at Fleur who was watching him with understanding. He grabbed her hand and walked away, heading to the carriage. He did nothing as the tears slid down his cheeks and dribbled down his chin, droplets soaking into his shirt. Fleur didn't say anything to acknowledge them, but he felt her squeeze his hand and was reminded he wasn't leaving everyone behind. He still had her, and he still had Beauxbaton, and all the people waiting for him to come back.
The end… for now.