1970-1971
“Hey, Sev? Are you up for a trip to Diagon today?”
Severus looked up from his ever-present book and shrugged, “Sure. What for?”
“I need to go to Gringotts,” Hadrian hesitated slightly, knowing his next request was going to take some convincing, “but I also need you to agree to a privacy spell when I talk to them.”
The ten-year-old narrowed his eyes at him and slowly closed his book. Merlin, sometimes Severus acted so much like his adult self (minus the vitriol, of course) that Hadrian wondered if he was still the same boy that still enjoyed waking him up with some cuddling every now and then. Sadly, that type of wake-up call was getting fewer and fewer, and soon enough they would be gone altogether when Severus went to Hogwarts.
“Why?” Severus pulled him out of his thoughts and back onto their conversation.
“There is… sensitive information that I need to discuss with them that I don’t want the wrong people to find out about. It’s not that I don’t trust you,” Hadrian told the boy quickly, seeing him begin to frown, “but there are… ways to take information from someone without their realizing.”
Hadrian watched Severus tilt his head in consideration and scrutinize him for what felt like the millionth time the boy has done it to him. As always, the young man waited patiently for Severus to decide if he was going to go along with what Hadrian said.
“I’ll allow the silencing spell if you promise to tell me what’s going on when it’s safe to do so.”
He inwardly smirked at the Slytherin tactic and raised an eyebrow at his son’s flawed plan, “Even if it takes years for it to be safe enough for me to tell you?”
Severus narrowed his eyes, but after a second reluctantly said, “Yes.”
“It’s a deal, Sev,” Hadrian told the boy with a smile, still amused at the Slytherin tactics used.
Severus scowled at him slightly, obviously hating the idea of being left in the dark for so long. But Hadrian refused to put Severus in danger by telling him about Voldemort and the Horcruxes. Especially since Severus would be going to Hogwarts in less than a year and potentially finding himself in close contact with Dumbledore. The twenty-four-year-old knew he could potentially teach his son Occlumency, which he knew Severus would be good at, but he would much rather keep his son out of it all together; he’d much rather Severus have the freedom to remain a child without the bigger worries that Hadrian knew both he and Professor Snape had during the original timeline.
“Alright then. Let’s go to Gringotts, shall we?”
“Master Ragnok.”
“Lord Peverell, Heir Peverell.”
“Hello, Ragnok,” Severus smiled at the familiar goblin. The goblin in question immediately softened slightly and his lips to curled into a barely-there smile. After all, it wouldn’t do for Ragnok to ruin the goblin’s fierce reputation if another, less polite, witch or wizard were to see a goblin break into a grin.
Hadrian smiled at the familiar greeting between the three of them, “It is good to see you, my friend.”
“And you as well, Hadrian. Is there anything I can help you with today, or are you here to see Ironclaw?”
“I need to see Ironclaw, however, you are going to want to stay for this conversation.”
As Ragnok nodded and began to lead them to Ironclaw’s office, Severus huffed slightly, his displeasure to be the only one in the dark clear. Hadrian smirked slightly and raised an amused eyebrow at the boy.
“Yes, yes, I know. We made a deal,” Severus rolled his eyes. Hadrian had to stop himself from laughing at the obvious petulance.
The three maintained a comfortable silence in the short walk to Ironclaw’s office. Upon enter, Hadrian greeted his account manager, “Ironclaw. Thank you for allowing us some of your time.”
“Of course, Hadrian. Have a seat,” Ironclaw tilted his head at Ragnok, who nodded. The elder immediately accepted Ragnok’s familiar presence, nodded with a small quirk of lips to Sevreus, who smiled back, before he looked back at Hadrian, “What brings you to Gringotts, today?”
Hadrian looked at Severus in question, who reluctantly nodded and opened the book he had brought with him. The young man smiled fondly before placing privacy charm on Severus so that the boy would no longer hear them and be able to read in peace. The time-traveler looked back at the goblins who looked curious at his action of putting a privacy charm on Severus.
“If I were to tell you,” he began slowly, “that there will soon be, if it’s not there already, a Horcrux stashed within Gringotts, what would your response be?”
Ironclaw narrowed his eyes, “I would tell you that Horcruxes are an abomination to the soul and should be destroyed immediately.”
Hadrian let go of a breath he wasn’t aware he had been holding. He hadn’t realized he was so nervous that the goblins wouldn’t care about Horcruxes after his dealing with Griphook and their break-in to Gringotts.
“Bellatrix Lestrange’s vault will have an item that will interest you then. If not now, soon, as I am not exactly sure… when,” Hadrian watched as Ironclaw and Ragnok sucked in a breath, realizing that Hadrian was revealing part of the secret to his time-traveling, “I will, of course, pay you a sizable fee to destroy it and replace it with a fake as soon as its appearance is known.”
Ragnok spoke in Gobbledygook, to which Ironclaw nodded, before the younger goblin turned to Hadrian, “What is the item?”
“Helga Hufflepuff’s cup.”
Ragnok’s gaze darkened and he muttered in Gobbledygook before exiting the office. Not much later, another goblin entered Ironclaw’s office and began speaking the goblin language. He and Ironclaw had a swift exchange before they both turned to Hadrian. Before anything could be voiced, Ragnok returned, said something in Gobbledygook and left once more.
Ironclaw and the other goblin looked at him with a darkened gaze, “Ragnok has found the item and will be destroying it. Who disfigured their soul in such a manner?”
“Tom Marvolo Riddle.”
The other goblin’s gaze darkened much like Ragnok’s had before he too left the office.
“Borglaff will be searching Mr. Riddle’s vault for any more of those despicable items. That Mr. Riddle would store something so vile in the bank, on top of not adhering to his agreement to promote Creature Equality in the last two years for our neutrality to his alter ego is a great offense to the Goblin Nation. Should Borglaff find another item, we will destroy it as well as the cup and inform you of their destruction, free of charge, if you agree to work for Creature Equality in Mr. Riddle’s place.”
Hadrian inclined his head, “I would be more than happy to accept such an offer, but I ask the Nation for patience on the endeavor. Should I act on it now, fear of Riddle’s alter ego, as you put it, will prevent me from working towards your rightful equality, and will only cast suspicion on my person, making me an ineffective spokesperson for Creature Equality.”
“And once Riddle is gone?”
“A certain Headmaster will make the task difficult and slow-going, but not impossible,” the young man replied without pausing. He was unsurprised that the goblin had assumed he would be working for Voldemort’s demise.
Ironclaw nodded once, “Very well. If you are inclined to learn of Borglaff’s findings without delay, you are welcome to remain.”
Hadrian nodded and settled in to wait.
The time-traveler walked out of Gringotts with Severus, feeling the familiar feeling of accomplishment and motivation running through him. The last time the rush of success had flooded through him had been when he destroyed the ring before meeting Severus. This time, however, the feeling was much stronger. Not only did he no longer have the maudlin thoughts of loneliness that he had back then thanks to Severus, but the goblins had also found Slytherin’s Locket, already tainted by Voldemort’s soul, in Riddle’s vault. Hadrian had been worried about how he was going to gain access to the locket before Regulus died and Kreature secreted it away as he knew that Voldemort placed the locket sometime the same year Sirius’s younger brother died trying to get it. Now that the problem was solved, and the cup and the locket destroyed by the goblins, there were only two Horcruxes left: the diadem and the diary.
The thought that he was so close to his goal, made Hadrian almost giddy in relief and accomplishment. For the diary he would attend the Malfoy Yule Ball that Abraxas has been asking him to attend and, much to his regret, would sneak through the house to see if Lucius had received the diary for safekeeping yet. For the diadem he would sneak into Hogwarts, probably while Severus was attending since he wouldn’t have to explain why he needed to leave when he usually didn’t to Michael or Abraxas, who would probably be willing to look after his son if asked, but Hadrian didn’t want to explain what he was doing to him either. Despite being less of a loaner than he had been when he destroyed the ring, he still didn’t have friends outside of Michael and Abraxas that he would trust to keep an eye on Severus. Both plans for the respective Horcruxes would still probably take a few more years before they were completed, but Hadrian could almost taste victory. Until then, he’d continue to spend time with Severus.
As if reading his mind, Severus broke him out of his thoughts, “Dad, can we stop at Flourish and Blotts?”
Hadrian smirked, knowing that his son was going to ask and held open the door to the shop they had walked to while Hadrian had been in his thoughts. Severus blushed slightly at the smirk, but ignored his pink-tinted cheeks and rolled his eyes at his dad before entering the bookstore.
“Are you going to save any books for me to get you for your birthday, Sev?” the young man couldn’t resist teasing his son.
Severus’s blush returned and the boy ignored him as he continued to look for a title they didn’t yet own in the potions section, as he did every time they came into the store. When he didn’t find anything, he made his way over to his most recent topic of interest: parsel magic. Ever since they discovered that Severus was a parselmouth, the boy had been interested in parsel, but recently he found out that there was an entire branch of magic using parseltongue. Hadrian figured he’d have to find a way to show his son the Chamber after he dealt with the basilisk; hopefully he’d be able to get the snake to listen to him this time around so that the beauty wouldn’t have to be destroyed.
Hadrian watched Severus like he always did when he brought the boy into a shop he wanted to explore. The ten-year-old still tended to deny asking for something when he was embarrassed or thought he didn’t deserve for Hadrian to spend so much money on him. So, the young man had learned to watch Severus for small signs of wanting something, even if he didn’t pick it out. With the boy’s birthday now two months away and his Christmas gifts already hidden, Hadrian paid even closer attention than he did throughout the year.
An hour later, Severus walked out with a new book and Hadrian with a few ideas of what to get his son for his birthday.
As they were walking to the apparition point, Hadrian realized that Severus’s 11th birthday would be the last one he’d be able to spend with his son in person. Hogwarts would return from winter break only a few days before the boy’s birthday. Hadrian swallowed thickly and apparated them home, a part of him wondering how he was going to handle Severus leaving for Hogwarts.
Just after the New Year, Hadrian and Severus celebrated the boy’s eleventh birthday – and if Hadrian hugged his son a little tighter than usual, Severus was kind enough not to point it out – and Severus obtained his heir ring, as was expected by the wizarding community. After that, it was business as usual for them – Hadrian went to Wizengamot meetings and spent time with Severus, while Severus was tutored by Michael until June, when the man declared that Severus was going to great in Hogwarts and promised that he’d still visit the two of them as their friend, but no longer as Severus’s tutor – until the third week of July.
As expected, an owl came bearing Severus’s Hogwarts letter. The young man watched amused as Severus excitedly opened up the letter, while trying to maintain the neutral façade he had been crafting for as long as Hadrian had known him. The boy had mostly succeeded in creating the expression, except for his eyes, which still shone clearly with emotion, or when his emotions were strong. Opening his letter was one of those times, and the excitement was clear on Severus’s face.
Hadrian was surprised to see books for two subjects that he wasn’t taught as a first year: Government and Law, and Magical Theory. Magical Theory had been an extra-curricular class when he attended, not a required one, and Government and Law had been taken out altogether. The change didn’t surprise him, but it did confuse him, as he couldn’t understand why those two were changed.
After they had gone through the list and Severus had expressed his excitement in his reserved manner, the boy had immediately asked when they could go shopping for the items on the list. Plans were made for less than a week later, which went by too slow according to Severus, but to Hadrian it went by too fast.
They had been shopping for Severus’s Hogwarts supplies, when Hadrian saw his father for the first time. His son was getting fitted for his school robes so Hadrian left him to it so he could pick up the needed parchment and quills for both him and Severus. On his way back to the Madam Malkins, an eleven-year-old James Potter walking out of Flourish and Blotts with a cocky smirk on his face. He was accompanied by a boy around the same age, looking similar to Neville at that age, and was presumably Frank Longbottom. Longbottom looked just as impressed with James’s attitude as Hadrian felt. The smirk and James’s swagger reminded Hadrian too much of Draco Malfoy’s cocky and spoiled mannerisms. While expected after Professor Snape’s memories, it was still disappointing. James Potter truly was a spoiled and arrogant, and probably so many of the things Professor Snape had accused him of being. It really was a wonder how his mother fell in love with the prat, unless James really did grow up after Snape’s worst memory. Hadrian shook his head and continued on his way to Madam Malkins. He was much more interested in spending time with Severus than he was to observe his spoiled brat of a father. Hopefully, this time around Severus wouldn’t have to face too much of James Potter’s attitude since he was no longer “greasy” or poor as James and Sirius had been fond of calling Severus according to Professor Snape’s memories.
“Dad, can we go potion ingredient shopping?”
Hadrian raised an eyebrow at his son, “Are you telling me you went through your Hogwarts stock already with the very limited potions I am allowing you to brew by yourself?”
Severus blushed and looked down. The just-turned-twenty-five-year-old chuckled and shook his head in exasperation. Only Severus would be able to go through that many ingredients with the small handful of basic potions he allowed his son to make without supervision.
“I’ll make you a deal, Sev. I’ll buy you extra ingredients on top of the required ones on the list, if you promise to always have at least a prefect, though preferably a professor, around when you brew for the first semester,” when Severus opened his mouth to respond, Hadrian cut him off, “I already know you planned to brew on your own, and I know you have exceptional talent, but potions are dangerous. If you have someone around for the first semester, I’ll be able to pretend that you will continue to do so until you finish second year, when I will remove the restriction at home.”
The eleven-year-old thought about it for a second; Hadrian would bet that the boy was trying to decide if he would be able to get Hadrian to agree to move the restriction for home brewing removed earlier. He raised an eyebrow at his son, daring him to try it.
Seeing the look on his dad’s face, Severus glumly agreed, “Fine. I’ll make sure there is always either a prefect or teacher present.”
“Alright then,” Hadrian smiled, “Let’s go to Diagon.”
Severus smiled, perking right back up at the thought of going potion ingredient shopping. He quickly ran out of the room to get ready for their trip, and Hadrian leisurely followed the boy’s example.
With it being the last week of August, Hadrian had thought that the Hogwarts-shopping crowed would have lessened slightly, seeing as how school started in a meager three days. Instead, Hadrian was sure it was worse.
“I am really glad we made that pact.”
Hadrian glanced down at the eleven-year-old, glad to see only a small amount of trepidation to entering the crowds; while Severus was no longer afraid of getting lost like he had been when he was younger and still able to be carried, the young man doubted Severus would ever be okay with them. Though, if he was being honest, he was probably just as wary as Severus looked to be right about now. Diagon was absolutely packed, and it made him secretly agree with his son about being glad they had agreed never to go shopping for more than potion ingredients in the month of August.
Wanting to just get it over with, Hadrian pulled Severus closer to his side and began to wade through the crowd and into Slugs and Jiggers. Upon entering the ingredients shop, Hadrian was pleasantly surprised to see Abraxas accompanied by a young Lucius Malfoy, who he had yet to officially meet. He had seen the seventeen-year-old in passing a few times when the boy attended Wizengamot sessions as well as the times Hadrian had visited Abraxas at Malfoy manor, but due to circumstance and his desire to get away from the vultures after the sessions, had never been officially introduced. That hadn’t stopped the young Malfoy from showing distain for him after he found out Hadrian aligned neutrally.
“Abraxas.”
His friend turned and smirked, “Hadrian. This is a nice surprise.”
“Indeed. I didn’t expect you to be the sort to shop last minute.”
“The same could be said about you.”
Hadrian chuckled, “Touché, although I didn’t wait last minute. Severus required a restock on his ingredients already.”
Abraxas laughed, “Ah, yes. The passion for potions. How could I forget. Make anything interesting yet, Severus?”
“Not yet, sir. Dad won’t let me brew anything more than a few basic potions by myself yet, and he hasn’t needed to make anything more interesting than burn-healing paste.”
“Over-protective parents; one of the many troubles of youth,” Abraxas laughed, “Speaking of which, allow me to finally introduce you to my son. Lord Peverell, Heir Peverell, this is my son, Heir Lucius Malfoy. Lucius, this is Lord Hadrian Peverell, and his son Heir Severus Peverell.”
“It is an honor to meet you, Lord Peverell,” Lucius replied politely, holding out a hand to shake.
Hadrian smiled, “Likewise, Heir Malfoy. But please, you may call me Hadrian. It would be a bit awkward otherwise, seeing as how I am friends with your father.”
“Very well,” Lucius replied, slightly stiffly. Hadrian ignored it, and the lack of returning the courtesy, even as he saw Abraxas narrow his eyes at his son.
“Heir Malfoy,” Severus then neutrally acknowledged, but didn’t hold out a hand to shake. Hadrian narrowed his eyes at his own son. He knew it was in response to Lucius’s rebuff of him, and the boy hadn’t been cold, but he still didn’t approve.
“Heir Peverell,” Lucius responded in the same way as Severus, before turning back to his father, “Father, if it is acceptable, I will go and find Mother now.”
“Very well.”
“It was a pleasure, Lord Peverell, Heir Peverell.”
Hadrian nodded and Lucius was out the door. He turned back to Abraxas when he heard the man sigh, and saw the man was shaking his head.
“That boy,” Abraxas muttered before looking at Hadrian, “I warn you now, enjoy your son while he is still a pre-teen. The amount of attitude once they become teenagers is unbelievable.”
Hadrian laughed, “I will take your word for it, as I am sure Severus will give me plenty of trouble when he reaches that age.”
“Dad,” Severus complained with a frown, causing Hadrian to laugh again and ruffle his son’s hair. He then sent his son over to Mr. Jiggers so that he could have his usual potion discussion with the man as he picked out ingredients.
“So, Abraxas, you must tell me. What led to the last-minute shopping?”
Abraxas smirked, “I didn’t. I, like you, only came to restock on a few ingredients. My lovely wife, however, decided today was as good a day as any to browse around a few shops and ‘enjoy the atmosphere’ as she put it. I’m sure I don’t have to remind you what she’s like when she… insists.”
“No, I remember quite well,” Hadrian said, remembering when Acacia had refused to let him miss yet another Samhain celebration.
“Speaking of which, it has come to my attention that you have yet to come to a Malfoy party in your adamant desire to avoid the usual social functions,” Abraxas raised an eyebrow at him, and Hadrian blanched. He opened his mouth to explain but Abraxas cut him off, “Really, Hadrian. I know you are not fond of having to fend off the more… enthusiastic lords and ladies, but to not come to one of my parties in the past five years. Lucky for you, Acacia has not yet realized. I, however, will not let this mistake go uncorrected, any less than she would. So I, yet again, invite you to the Malfoy Yule Ball, but this time I insist, that you attend.”
At the look on his friend’s face, Hadrian nodded, knowing there would be no arguing against the man. He had planned to attend the ball anyways, now that he had to start looking for the diary, but after seeing the disappointment followed by Abraxas narrowing his eyes at him in a demand to obey, Hadrian felt like a chastened child. It definitely made him more inclined to do what the pureblood said.
Abraxas smirked at him, obviously well aware of his success, “Well then. I must go and inform Acacia the good news. I am sure we will be talking more about your attendance over our usual dinner next month. I do believe we are enjoying your marvelous cooking, yes?”
Hadrian laughed, knowing full well that the other man still didn’t understand why he cooked instead of hiring a house elf to do it, even if he thoroughly enjoyed his cooking, “Yes, I’ll be expecting you at the usual time. Tell Acacia Severus and I say hello.”
Abraxas nodded and said his goodbyes to him and Severus, before exiting the shop. Hadrian hoped that using the ball to search for the diary wouldn’t destroy his friendship with the other man, because, if it did, he would surely miss these interactions.
Hadrian shook himself out of his thoughts and began helping Severus pick out ingredients. Fifteen minutes later, they were ready to leave Slugs and Jiggers. In three days, Severus would be off to Hogwarts, and Hadrian would only have Abraxas and Severus’s letters to keep him company. Hadrian sighed, wondering if this is how Mrs. Weasley felt when she sent Ginny off to Hogwarts for the first time. Hadrian shook his head at himself and wondered when he became so sappy.