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Chapter Text

12 August 1995

Expelled.

Harry watched on with dull eyes as Minister Fudge snapped his wand, glee in his expression.

Expelled.

He stepped down from the chair, its chains retracted now that the verdict had been given. His face a mask, stoic in his grief as he walked from the Wizengamot Chamber.

Expelled.

He walked calmly past Arthur Weasley who was waiting outside, his face anxious, Albus Dumbledore at his side, his eyes twinkling.

Expelled.

Harry ignored their voices, walking on to the lifts and returning to the Atrium.

Expelled.

He floo’d to the Leaky Cauldron, then walked calmly into Diagon Alley, the wall opening for him with merely a thought. He was too numb to realise he had just done wandless magic as his steps carried him onward.

Expelled.

He climbed the steps to Gringotts. As soon as he passed the threshold, he stopped. Blinking, Harry looked around him, not realising where his steps had brought him at first. But, this was where he needed to be.

Taking a deep breath, he approached the nearest free goblin. “Good morning Master Goblin,” he greet with a bow. “Could you please assist me in accessing my vault? I need to make a withdrawal.”

Yes. That was it. He would need money. He would empty his vault and exchange it for muggle money, then go build himself a new life. The Wizarding World didn’t want him? Fine. He didn’t need them.

“Good morning young wizard,” the Goblin spoke quietly. “Do you have your key?”

Key? Harry had never had his key. In the four years he had know the Wizarding World existed he had never held his key. First Hagrid had it. Then Molly Weasley. Never Harry. “I’m sorry, no. I’ve never had my key.”

The goblin frowned at this. “Never?” Harry shook his head. “Most unusual, most unusual. Well then, we will need to undertake an Inheritance Test to confirm your identity.” He nodded and then stepped down and came around his desk to stand before the teenager. “This way if you please.” He indicated a hall and Harry followed him into the depths of the bank.

They stopped outside a door and the goblin knocked, then opened it without waiting for an acknowledgement. They entered the office and Harry saw an older goblin sitting behind an ornate desk, shelves and weapons adorning the walls behind it.

“Master Stonefang, this young wizard does not have his key and requires an Inheritance Test that he might access his vault.”

“Thank you Teller Razorclaw,” the older goblin spoke with a gravely voice. “Please young wizard, sit.” He indicated the chair before the desk and Harry sat. The teller bowing to them both before exiting the room and closing the door behind him.

Stonefang drew out a sheet of black parchment paper from a drawer in his desk and set it before Harry along with a sharp quill with a long black feather. “Please write you name at the top of the parchment. The quill will draw your blood to do so and the parchment is one that will read your heritage in your blood and so reveal the truth of who you are.”

The words sounded ominous but Harry shrugged and did as instructed, writing Harry James Potter as neatly as he could across the page. His chicken scratch looking very out of place in the opulent surroundings of the bank. Once he put the quill down, he scratched at the back of his hand which was tender but the skin had not broken so he shrugged off the feeling and watched with wonder as his writing sank into the page and then silver words began to appear, flowing over the paper before him.

Hadrian James Charlus Potter-Black

Born                                                     31 July 1980 (age 15 years)

Father                                                 James Fleamont Potter – pureblood

Mother                                                Lilianth Jayne Potter nee Evans (Maternal) – pureblood

Father (blood adoption)             Sirius Orion Black - pureblood

Blood Status                                    Pure blood

Creature Status                             Unknown

Familial House/s

• Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Peverell (Paternal)
• Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Black (Paternal – blood adoption)
• Most Noble and Ancient House of Potter (Paternal)
• Noble and Ancient House of Derwent (Maternal)
• Most Ancient and Illustrious House of Gryffindor (Paternal)
• Most Ancient and Illustrious House of Ravenclaw (Maternal)

Familial Magiks

• Shadow Magic (Peverell)
• Necromancy (Peverell)
• Metamorphmagus (Black)
• Eidetic Memory (Potter)
• Mage Sight (Potter)
• Creature Speak (Derwent)
• Natural Healing (Derwent)
• Strength and Agility (Gryffindor)
• Battle Strategy (Gryffindor)
• Acute Intelligence (Ravenclaw)
• Mind Magics (Ravenclaw)

Inhibitors and blocks

• Family magics (90% blocked – applied by APWBD 1 November 1981, partially broken 31 October 1988)
• Glamour charm to mimic James Fleamont Potter (applied by APWBD 1 November 1981)
• Loyalty charm to Albus Dumbledore, Order of the Phoenix, Gryffindor house, Hogwarts (applied by APWBD 1 November 1981)
• Distrust charm to Severus Snape, Lord Voldemort, Death Eaters, Slytherin house, Ministry of Magic (applied by APWBD 1 November 1981)
• Magic Core (90% bound – applied by APWBD 1 November 1981)
• Soul Fragment (Tom Marvolo Riddle – 31 October 1981)

Harry stared at the words, barely able to take them in. His name wasn’t his name. His mother wasn’t a muggleborn. Sirius was has father? Who was APWBD? Why hadn’t anyone told him any of this?

He looked up at the goblin before him. Confusion and betrayal in his eyes. “What does this mean?” His voice was hoarse and he could barely recognise it himself.

“It means, Heir Potter-Black, that Albus Dumbledore has being lying to you and the Wizarding World for many years.” The goblin’s black eyes held sympathy, but no pity. “May I suggest that before you do anything else or make any decisions that the blocks and charms are removed by our healers? Then I think you will find yourself able to make decisions with a clearer mind.”

Harry just nodded and stood up. “What do I have to do?” His voice was monotone. His eyes almost blank. Stonefang merely stood also and came to his side.

“Come with me Heir Potter-Black. The goblins will see justice done.”

He guided him out into the hall once more and down further into the bank. They reached another door and entered a type of lift that took them down into the ground, many levels beneath the surface, to another hallway and another door. Entering, Harry saw a bed on one side and what seemed to be some kind of ritual circle on the other. It minded him of the hospital wing at Hogwarts and he assumed this was some kind of healing room.

“Melloheart, I have Heir Potter-Black here, in need of a full cleansing.” He handed a copy of the Inheritance test to the goblin that came in from another door wearing light green robes. She, Harry felt this goblin was female, took the page and read through quickly, eyebrows rising in surprise.

“A core block? My my, and a soul fragment as well. Goodness Heir Potter-Black, you have been put through the wringer haven’t you? Well now, thank you Stonefang, please wait outside.” She shooed the older goblin out then turned to Harry. “Please remove all of your clothing and don the robe on the bed. I will gather a few things and then we will proceed.”

With that, she exited the room through the same door by which she had entered and Harry was left alone. Still in a bit of a daze, he methodically stripped off his clothing. Several years of locker rooms and dorms made him less than concerned about nudity, although he did tend to keep his scars glamoured. He was too in shock with today’s proceedings to even think about them right now though.

He removed his robe that Sirius had leant him, his jeans and shirt, both too large cast offs from Dudley, even his boxer briefs. One day soon, he promised himself, he was going to buy his own clothing and have underwear that not only fit him but that no one else had ever worn. Piling the clothes on the table next to the bed, he drew on the soft white robe they had left for him.

Made of two rectangles, joined at the shoulder and down the sides with holes for his head and arms, it just slipped over his head and hung to his knees. It was soft and clean and smelled of sage. Harry closed his eyes to drink in the sensations.

As he stood there, he heard the door open once more and opened his eyes, turning to watch as Healer Melloheart returned, two other goblins in green robes behind her.

“Very good Heir Potter-Black. Please come and stand in the circle,” she indicated the stones on the other side of the room and Harry noticed that they started to glow silver as the goblins took up placed around it and began a low chant. He walked over and stood in the centre as directed.

Melloheart placed a black stone in the circle with him and what appeared to be a clear quartz crystal. “The black rock is to hold the soul shard when we extract it from you Heir Potter-Black, as it cannot be destroyed without killing you at this time. The crystal is to hold the magical signature of the charms, blocks and other magics applied to you, so that you may take legal action against the perpetrator should you so wish.”

Harry just stared at her. Legal action? He could do that? Did he want to do that?

Yes. Whoever this APWBD was, they had stolen his life from him with these blocks and charms. Why did they want him to look like James? Why had they blocked his family magiks and bound his core? Why incite him against the Slytherins and the Ministry?

Harry nodded and closed his eyes. “Just make it go away. Please.”

Melloheart felt for this young wizard. She had never seen such a travesty of spells on a single being before. “It will be over before you know it.” She said softly. Then she raised her hands and began to chant in counter point to her colleagues.

Harry’s blood began to race. To burn. The pain was building, centring in his scar, but running through his veins. He began to tremble but kept his eyes firmly closed, his jaw clenched.

His legs trembled and then finally gave out, dropping him to his knees. He gasped, his eyes flying wide, as he felt a wrench through his scar and then a lightness, as if an unimaginable weight had been lifted off him and he saw a cloud of inky black hover before him before being sucked down into the black stone. Then darkness washed over him and he collapsed to the ground.

<><><> 

When Harry opened his eyes again, he was looking at a pale grey ceiling, blue white flames in lanterns lighting the space and the smell of sage still around him. He sat up and found he was lying on the bed in the healing room, his white robe still on him and a sheet pulled up to his chest.

He pulled his legs over the side of the bed awkwardly and stood. For some reason the floor was closer to his feet than he remembered. He rubbed his hands over his face and went to put on his glasses when he stopped. He could see his hand. He could see it clearly, no blurring. He looked up then and scanned the room. He could see the grain of the wood in the door, the lines in the stone flooring, the details of the runes carved in the ritual circle.

He could see!

Smiling now, he stood up and swayed. Why did things seem further away? Was this because of his glasses? He wobbled over to the full length mirror by the door and looked.

Harry blinked.

He was taller. He was still skinny, but definitely taller and his shoulders were broader. His hair was no longer a mop of untameable black but rather it was straight with a slight curl or wave, much like the pictures he had seen of his mother’s hair, or Sirius’. It was still black but smooth and, as he ran his hands through it, lustrously soft.

His eyes were no longer the same emerald shade as his mother’s, but rather a lighter sage green with hints of silver grey. His cheekbones were sharper, reminiscent of the Black bone structure of Sirius, his face slim and more androgynous that the broader cut he had previously borne like his fath . . . James’. Long black lashes framed those eyes that no longer needed glasses and his lips were no longer thin but now fuller and soft on his face.

The fifteen year old looked at his true reflection and was stunned. He could say that he had been good looking before, there was no denying that certainly, but the face that stared back at him now could have come from a magazine. He was shocked as he stared and touched his own face in disbelief.

He was beautiful. Gorgeous. Stunning.

How was this possible? Then his eyes dropped to his body, still hidden beneath the robe. What else had changed?

Harry pulled the robe off over his head and stared again. His once dark tan skin had lightened. With two pale skinned parents and only one with Indian heritage, his skin was not pale, but only lightly bronzed now. His shoulders had broadened slightly, as he had noticed, but what was more noticeable now was the musculature that was visible. His Quidditch training under Wood had seen his fitness grow more than would normally be the case for a young teenager. Add in the training he had done last year for the Triwizard Tournament and the result stood before him.

He was sleekly muscular, with a six pack and firm pectorals. His slim waist flowed down into slim hips and sleek thighs, hairless for some reason. He turned and saw the muscles rippling across his back, even under the scars. His arse was firmly muscled as well, another consequence of the sport he favoured and then his eyes focused on his cock and his jaw dropped. He had been comfortably endowed before. Average he would have said, going by the sneaked peeks in the showers. But now. Now he had something to really be proud of. He brushed his fingers over the length and shivered.

Harry grabbed up his clothing and pulled it on. Fortunately it had been much too big before as now it was only just too big. He hesitated to think how he would have coped if it had actually fit his previously smaller frame.

Finally dressed, he opened the door to the hall to find a goblin waiting for him. The goblin nodded, then led him back up to Stonefang’s office and ushered him inside.

“Welcome back Heir Potter-Black. You are looking much better, if I may say so.”

Harry grinned at him. “Thank you Stonefang. I feel much lighter in some ways, and yet, heavier in others.”

The goblin nodded. “Yes, that would be the release of the blocks and bindings, not to mention getting that horrid soul shard out of you. We have secured it in a gem for you from your Peverell vault as they were well versed in Soul Magic. You may wish to study it later, or destroy it.” Stonefang gathered some papers and placed them before Harry. “Now then, here is a list of your vaults, properties and investments. I would suggest that you find somewhere quiet to adjust to your new body and give your magic a chance to settle. You had quite the block there and given all you have done the past few years, I would expect that you will be extremely powerful once it all settles down.”

Harry took the pages and glanced briefly at them. Looking up to ask another question, he suddenly looked back at the top sheet that listed his vaults and the balances within them. “What!?! Stonefang, this can’t be right!”

The goblin looked at him with a grin. “Oh I assure you it is Heir Potter-Black. As you will see by the total at the bottom, with your various Houses, you currently hold over 54,621,358,658 galleons, simply in currency. I would say that you are now the richest wizard in Great Britain, if not the entire Wizarding World.”

Harry was stunned. “I don’t know what to say.”

Stonefang grinned at him. “That’s quite alright Heir Potter-Black. Why don’t we move on to your Lordships.” He pulled out several boxes and, pushing the folder of papers aside, set them in front on Harry. “You are probably not aware, however the Triwizard Tournament held last year had a significant impact on your own situation. As the competition was restricted to competitors ‘of age’, that is seventeen or above, and yet you were accepted and forced to compete, the Ministry and Magic deemed you ‘of age’ and so emancipated you.”

“I’m sorry, they did what now?”

“They emancipated you. That means that in the eyes of Magic and Law, you are an adult and have been since 31 October 1994 when your name came out of the Goblet of Fire.” The thoughts in Harry’s mind were whirling again. Yet another thing nobody had bothered to tell him. “As such, you are able to claim your titles and gain access to all the rights, resources and responsibilities that go with them. Shall we begin?”

Harry took a few deep breaths, grounding himself. Then he nodded. “What do I need to do?”

Stonefang indicated the boxes before him. “Simply place the lordship ring on your finger, the ring itself will tell you which finger to use.”

Harry nodded and opened the first box. Opening it, he found a yellow gold band with a baguette cut garnet and stag horns bracketing it. This was the Potter ring and he placed it on his right ring finger, as directed by the familial magic. He felt a warmth through his body, like a comforting hug that carried a scent of home and earth as the Potter family magic accepted him.

Then he took up the Black lordship ring, not sure why it was not the heir ring, given that Sirius was still alive, but trusting in Lady Magic to guide him. It was titanium with a trillion cut black diamond, surrounded by small white diamonds, like constellations. This went on his right index finger. This time the family magic was like pins and needles, sparks dancing up his body and diving down into his core. He felt light and almost like dancing. He felt alive!

He hesitated over the next box and moved to the fourth in line, opening it to reveal Gryffindor’s yellow gold ring with a large flanders cut ruby, nearly twice the size of the Potter stone, set as a solitaire piece. He placed this on his left ring finger and felt a heat travel up his arm as if a fiery breath had him in its grasp. He gasped as he saw a phoenix in his mind, its eyes boring into him and then a lion that seemed to take up residence in his core. He felt protected and loved.

Again skipping the box alongside the Gryffindor ring, he picked up the last in line, Ravenclaw’s rose gold ring with an octagonal cut blue sapphire. Sliding it onto his left index finger, a sense of a great library, with tomes upon tomes, rose around him, like bookshelves rising up in his mind holding vast knowledge, there for the taking. There was a feeling of gentle familiarity, of something settling into his core and enfolding him with care.

He moved back to the one beside the Black ring now and opened it to reveal a white gold ring that was almost dainty and held an oval shaped white diamond, slightly smaller than the Potter stone. It glowed in his hand and slid it onto his left middle finger then felt the Derwent family magiks filling him, freezing, burning, sparking, flowing. It was like a magical whirlwind within and about his core. Then he felt the glow of it as it wrapped around him like a too tight jumper, just enough pressure to feel good, reassuring. He sighed in contentment.

Finally, it was time for the Peverell ring. Again reaching forward, Hadrian opened the lid on this ebony box. Gunmetal steel forged with an obsidian stone cut as a kite, dark and dangerous. Hadrian took a deep breath and picked it up, gazing into its depths before sliding the ring onto his right middle finger.

This time, a dark smoke like presence rose up within his mind, reaching out for him as the magic claimed him. He heard a voice resonate within him. “You are the Fae Child of Death, the Lord Peverell. You are Magic, you are Balance, you are Life Everlasting. Magicae Statera Vita aeterna”. With that, the magic settled into him and the Peverell magic became fully one with his core.

Harry sat there for some minutes, his eyes closed, breathing steadily as his magic settled. In . . . out . . . in . . . out . . .

Finally, he opened his eyes and Stonefang was unsurprised to see them glowing with power. “Congratulations Lord Potter-Black. It has been some time since the Goblin Nation last saw one who could be accepted by the Peverell Magiks.” He nodded, the put the boxes all back in a drawer behind his desk. “Now, I understand that you have gone through much today. I would suggest that you take the time over the next few weeks to meditate and study your Family Magiks that you might better control them, and yourself. As for your Creature Inheritance, that will likely come in when your core fully matures at seventeen years of age as that is a process that cannot be rushed.”

Harry nodded. That was good advice. “Are there any family books in the vaults Stonefang?”

“The Family Grimoires should be there and they would be a good starting point.” Harry nodded and Stonefang sent for the books to brought up. He then got Harry set up with a money pouch linked to his vaults, plus a Gringott’s Blackcard. A black glass card that looked and acted like a muggle credit card, also linked to his vaults, that Harry could use in the mundane world.

They went through the property portfolio as Harry advised Stonefang that he had been expelled from Hogwarts and would not be returning to the Dursley’s given he was now considered an adult and, as such, could have his own place. They went through the various properties listed and Harry decided on Curatrix Manor, a townhouse in London that was not too big, not too small. Suitable for himself and maybe a friend or two, depending on how things went down this afternoon at Grimmauld Place. He was hoping that Sirius and maybe Remus would come with him.

When the Grimoires arrived, Harry shrank them down and put them in his pocket. However, when he made to stand to leave, Stonefang stopped him with one sentence.

“Finally Lord Potter-Black, we must speak of the thefts.”

Harry lowered himself back into the chair. “Thefts?”

The goblin nodded. “I ran a brief audit of your vaults whilst you were undergoing your cleansing and healing. Unfortunately, I found a number of discrepancies on the Potter vaults and wish to bring these to your attention immediately.”

He drew out one of the sheets in the financial portfolio and pointed out the relevant information. “As you can see, a number of regular withdrawals have been made from the main Potter vaults, of which you were patently unaware until today, over many years, supposedly on your authority.

Harry looked where the goblin pointed, his heart plummeting.

12,000 gallons per year – commencing 1 November 1981, paid monthly to Albus Dumbledore

6,000 gallons per year – commencing 1 November 1989, paid monthly to Molly Weasley nee Prewett

2,400 gallons per year – commencing 1 September 1991, paid monthly to Ronald Weasley

2,400 gallons per year – commencing 1 September 1992, paid monthly to Ginevra Weasley

2,400 gallons per year – commencing 1 November 1991, paid monthly to Hermione Granger

Headmaster Dumbledore? Mrs Weasley? His friends . . . were they actually his friends then? The timing all seemed to coincide with when they met, or, in Hermione’s case, when they became friends.

What did this mean? And what gave Professor Dumbledore the right to access his vaults either?

“Umm, Stonefang, you’re right in that I didn’t authorise any of this, nor did I know about it.”

“Indeed Lord Potter-Black. All these transactions were authorised in your name by Albus Dumbledore, claiming to be your Magical Guardian.”

“But, I never met the man before I got to Hogwarts!” Harry was stunned. Professor Dumbledore was his Magical Guardian? Where had he been all those years he had been locked in a cupboard? Or slaving away in the kitchen or in the back yard for his relatives?

The last of Harry’s illusions were ripped away and he saw that he had been used. Used for his name. Used for his money. Still being used even now.

Well, no more.

He hardened his heart. He would go back to Headquarters and get his stuff. He would tell Dumbledore where to shove it and leave. Hopefully Sirius would come with him, but he had very little faith left in any adult.

Especially a father that hadn’t claimed him.

<><><> 

Harry opened the door to 12 Grimmauld Place quietly and walked inside. His mind was still whirling, but he had pushed all his thoughts and feelings about the revelations of the day into a room in his mind and shut the door. Firmly. He would deal with them later.

He had used his metamorphmagus abilities to return to his old body that was recognisably Harry Potter, almost unconsciously. He’d needed to spell the lenses in his glasses to be plain glass, but he’d managed. Wandless magic was suddenly quite easy for him with his core unblocked. Which was rather fortunate, all things considered.

He walked down to the kitchen where he could hear voices. Mister Weasley was telling those gathered what had happened. He heard Missus Weasley then, “But where is Harry! Oh Godric! That poor boy, he must be so devastated!”

“Now now Molly,” the rumble of the Headmaster answered. “He will be fine. This is all just a misunderstanding. I am sure I can talk Fudge around to a suspension only.”

“But Albus,” Remus spoke up. “Dora said they snapped his wand? Is that even legal?”

The headmaster’s sigh could be heard even from Harry’s vantage point still in the hall. “No, no it is not and it is a true blow that is certain. But we will find a way around that. In the meantime, we must find him and get him back with his aunt and uncle. It is the safest place for him after all.”

Harry’d had enough. They were making decisions about his life. Again. Without him.

He walked down the stairs and entered the kitchen without hesitation. His face hard.

“Harry!” Sirius jumped up from where he had been slumped and pulled his godson into a hug. Harry closed his eyes for a moment. Sirius. His godfather. His FATHER. Why hadn’t Sirius told him? He pulled away.

“Harry my boy,” Albus spoke, tones of rebuke apparent. “You’ve had us worried . . .”

“No.” Harry spoke quietly but firmly.

“What?”

“I said no. You have no right to be worried about me.”

“Harry, my dear boy, I assure you . . .”

“No Headmaster. I am no longer your student. I was expelled. For protecting myself and my cousin. In self-defence as defined in law. But, I was expelled. My wand was snapped. I have been cast out of the Wizarding World.”

“Now Harry, it’s not like . . .”

“Oh but it is Headmaster,” Harry purred, glaring. “And you know what? You weren’t there, were you? No, you weren’t there. I was chained to that chair and treated like a criminal. I am an orphan. I have no parents,” he glanced at Sirius at this. “At least no parents that wish to acknowledge me, so I was alone. My character was shredded by the Minister and his attack dogs, and I had no one.”

Sirius had jumped up and Remus held him back this time, his eyes on Harry. Harry didn’t know it but his green eyes were glowing and his magic was thick in the room.

“But you know what? That’s okay. I now know where I truly stand. Who I truly am.” Harry smiled. “Did any of you know that my name isn’t Harry? That I have a living parent? That the majority of my magic has been blocked all my life? That my core has been bound?!?” He laughed, shaking his head, missing the way Dumbledore’s face blanched in the overall horror expressed by those present at his declaration.

“Well, let me tell you, when I find the motherfucker who did this to me, who STOLE MY LIFE from me, I will make them pay. For every year they stole, every hour, every MINUTE!” He breathed in slowly to calm himself, noticing the crockery and the windows shaking. “I will make them pay.” The quite words fell heavy on the room.

“Harry,” Molly moved forward, her arms outstretched but Harry held up a hand to stop her.

“I am just here to get my things. I’m leaving.” With that he turned and headed out the door before any could stop him. His magic sealed the door behind him, preventing any from following.

Harry quickly packed his trunk, ignoring Ron and Hermione as they jumped up from Ron’s bed and tried to ask him what had happened. He just refused to speak to them. When his trunk was packed, he tapped it and it shrunk. He pocketed it and walked out, Ron and Hermione just staring after him, struck dumb.

He returned to the kitchen and went to Sirius then, who had jumped up again at his arrival.

“Pup!” He reached out to pull Harry into a hug and Harry wrapped his arms around him, soaking it up. “Are you okay? You don’t have to go anywhere Harry. You need to stay here with me. We’ll get through this together, yeah?”

Harry pulled back and looked into his godfather’s face, trying to read him. They hadn’t really known each other long. Just a few letters last year and the couple of times they had managed to meet up, what with the Tournament and all.

“I can’t stay here Sirius. You know that. I have to go. The Wizarding World has heralded me as a hero one minute, then turned its back on me the next. Well, I’ve had enough.” Harry closed his eyes and whispered, “I’ve had enough.”

He stood back from him then, from his father that had never told him. The hurt in his eyes clear. “You could come with me Sirius. We could be a family. Just you and me. Go somewhere that no one knows us. You could be free.”

Sirius looked him in the eye and Harry could see that he was considering it. Then Sirius looked at Dumbledore, at Remus, at the Weasley’s and Harry saw that spark die.

“Sirius?” Those stormy grey eyes swung back to his.

“Harry, please, don’t do this,” he pleaded. “Stay! We can work this out!”

Harry just nodded, a single tear escaping to run down his cheek, expecting this answer. “I see. You choose them. Of course.” He looked deeply into his godfather’s eyes then and Sirius was struck by the loss in them.

“I’m broken. Damaged. Worthless. Why would anyone ever chose me.” The quiet words cut deeper that Sirius had thought possible.

He blanched and reached out but Harry stepped back and touched the ring on his left hand and spoke a single word. “Home.” And he was gone.

Sirius crumpled to the floor, desolated.

“What have I done?”

Chapter Text

August 1995

Hadrian collapsed on the floor of the Reception Room when he arrived. His eyes overflowed and he began heaving with sobs.

Gone.

He had left the Wizarding World. He had left his godfather, his father, the only real family he had left and his last real link to James and Lily. He had left Hogwarts and the manipulations of Dumbledore and his so called friends.

He slumped there on the rug and wailed, screaming out his pain at the loss. The rejection. The humiliation of having been used all these years and not recognising it.

He continued to weep and sob until no more tears came. No more hiccoughing breaths. His mind finally clear again.

Standing, he looked around, taking in the calmly decorated room in browns, fawns and gold. He walked through double doors to a sitting room. Then out to the hall and up the stairs to find a master bedroom with ensuite and a library cum study. The third floor held another two bedrooms and a children’s playroom. The attic held a potions workroom and a storage room.

Nodding to himself, he made his way back to the master bedroom and placed his trunk on the floor, resizing it. Then moved to the library and placed the Grimoires on his desk and resizing those also.

Finally, he drew himself a bath and removed his old clothes before sinking into the hot water and letting his mind just float. His Family Magik kicked into gear and allowed him to start organising his mind into some form of cohesion. He pushed everything into rooms in his head and shut the doors. Hopefully something in the Grimoires would assist him with dealing with all that tomorrow.

For right now, he just let the hot water soothe his aching body and aching heart.

He was alone.

But he had always been better alone.

<><><> 

Hadrian spent the next two weeks reading. He had gone for a walk that next morning into the muggle neighbourhood and found himself in St Augustine’s Road, Primrose Hill. He took a taxi to the local markets to stock up on some food and other necessities, finding the Gringotts Blackcard worked like a charm.

With the kitchen in the basement now fully stocked and his stomach no longer empty, Hadrian then took the opportunity that afternoon to find himself some new clothes. Actually new clothes that really fit.

First on his list was underwear. Strange though it may seem to many, he had dreamed of owning new underwear that fit. That no one else had ever worn before him. So his first stop had to be the underwear section in the department store he was browsing.

Ten pairs of fitted boxers later (he couldn’t stand anything too loose anymore) and he was grabbing socks, jeans, sweat pants, pyjamas and some shorts. Even a couple of pairs of more dressy trousers. Then polo shirts, some long sleeve button down shirts, some tank tops and a couple of muscle shirts that took his fancy. Some new boots and sneakers from Converse and a leather jacket that spoke to him and he was done. At least for now.

He whipped up a quick mac and cheese for dinner, then fell into bed and slept one of the best night’s sleep he’d had since Cedric died. No nightmares. No visions. It was bliss.

With food and clothing taken care of, he then spent his time in the library. There was a lovely high backed armchair before the fire and whilst he didn’t light it at this point in the summer, it was a great spot to curl up and read the Grimoires.

He started with the Potter and the Black journals as these were the families he felt most comfortable with. He learned a lot about where the families had come from and what they stood for. Surprisingly, the Potters were potioneers and inventors! His grandfather Fleamont had even invented Sleakeasy’s Solution which is what had helped to tame his curls for the Yule Ball last year. If only that skill had rubbed off a little more on Hadrian.

He stopped at that thought. Maybe it had . . . he’d had a horrid introduction to the subject with Professor Snape and never really had much of a chance with the Slytherins always sabotaging his work and Ron haphazardly learning beside him. Hmmm, he should give it another try now he was out on his own. Eidetic Memory and Mage Sight were the Family Magiks listed on his Inheritance Test as coming from his Potter blood and he carefully read about each of these characteristics when he found them referenced in the book.

The memory thing was going to be extremely useful and would have made studying the last four years so much easier if it hadn’t been blocked. Not to mention the Mage Sight would have helped in the Tournament. But it had to be trained. Hadrian made a note to seek out an appropriate text to assist with that. If there wasn’t one in this library, perhaps one of his other houses, or he could order one from Flourish and Blotts.

The Black family was more about Astrology and Battle Magiks. Hadrian was fascinated as he read about the various spells, curses and missions the members had recorded. It seemed they were the assassins of the previous Magical Monarchy and enjoyed inventing spells to assist them in that noble work. He snorted at the thought of Sirius as an assassin. He’d be more likely to prank them than kill them.

Then he got to an entry about the Metamorphmagus trait and he paused to read that closely. The ability to change parts of one’s shape independently of a full body transformation. That sounded really cool and although he had done it once, that was done almost unconsciously rather than a focussed practice of his ability. He would need to practice to change only certain things at will.

Ravenclaw’s Grimoire was what Hadrian considered essential reading. The Mind Magics described gave him an insight into how to find order in his thoughts and manage his emotions, but also how to protect himself. The Acute Intelligence didn’t really surprise him as much as he had always been smart. It had just never been in his best interest to show that. First with Dudley and then because of Hermione. She was just so competitive that if anyone ever showed her up or beat her in marks, she became unbearable. Having Ron being lazy beside him was a good excuse to hide behind. Even though he loved to learn and would often spend hours in the night reading his texts and additional books on subjects that interested him. Given that this has also been blocked in some way he wondered how intelligent he actually could be if he applied himself.

Hadrian took the time at this point to establish his mindscape. He based it on the legendary Great Library of Alexandretta. It was a tall tower with no door and it was surrounded by desert. The desert itself was vast and filled with sand storms, vipers, scorpions and many dangerous mythical beings. For someone to get into his mind, his memories, they needed to battle not only the creatures and the elements themselves, but also then would need to find a way into his tower. Impossible without the key.

It took several days of meditation to get his mindscape the way he wanted it, but it was well worth the effort in the end. He felt much calmer for one, much safer. The nightmares practically disappeared once it was established too, which was definitely a welcome relief.

The Derwent family focused more on healing with many notable Healers coming from their ranks. With Family Magiks of Natural Healing and Creature Speak having developed from their natural aptitude and experimenting on themselves to further draw out those talents. The Creature Speak is probably what allowed him to speak parseltongue, but it made him wonder what other languages he would be able to speak now it was unlocked.

Hadrian hit himself over the head. Of course! That would be have been perfect for the second task! He would have been able to understand the clue in the egg immediately if he could speak Mermish. He groaned. The Natural Healing was fascinating too. Did that mean that he himself could heal faster? Or that he would be able to heal others more easily. He eagerly read the Grimoire to find the answer was the second, but even that was great and he made another note to find more texts on healing.

The Gryffindor journal was enthralling. It spoke of battles and the skills developed by generations of Generals in the Gryffindor line. They had been warriors. Where the Blacks had been the Monarchy’s assassins, the Gryffindors had been their knights and generals. There were tactics alongside training regimes in the book and he soaked them both up with equal fervour. Inspired, that afternoon, Hadrian went up and emptied the smaller of the two guest bedrooms, storing everything in the attic, then set out rugs to cushion the floor to make himself a room to train in. He was determined not to lose his physical edge from Quidditch training and this room would be perfect for that. He should look at getting some muggle gym equipment though.

Finally, he picked up the Peverell Grimoire. He had been putting this off as the Family Magik for this particular family had been both exhilarating and frightening. He read it slowly and carefully. Not long after he started however, he searched the library and found the Tales of Beedle the Bard. Reading the Tale of the Three Brothers, Hadrian grimaced and went back to the Grimoire.

There was a lot to take in. Shadow Magic, Death Magic, Necromancy, the Deathly Hallows and the Family’s Deal with Death. Hadrian had the Cloak, he knew. The Elder Wand and the Resurrection Stone were still out there, somewhere. As he closed the book he stared into the middle distance as he considered. Was he the one Death wanted to unite the Hallows? Was that what it meant to be a ‘Fae Child of Death’? It was certainly possible as according to the book he had many of the signs that indicated such.

Hadrian sighed. Not something he needed to think about right now at least.

<><><> 

September 1995 – May 1996

Hadrian had not been bothered by owls since his abrupt departure from Grimmauld Place and he was glad of it. The Manor being unplottable made it easy for him to disappear in plain sight, so to speak.

He had left the British Wizarding World to all intents and purposes.

And yet he hadn’t.

He stayed in contact with Manager Stonefang and reviewed his portfolio. They managed his investments and locked down his vaults to prevent any more unauthorised access. The description of Dumbledore’s diatribe when he was told that his payments had been stopped had Hadrian rolling on the floor in Stonefang’s office with laughter. Even the goblin had cracked a grin.

Finally, he followed Stonefang’s advice and performed the ritual to recall all family artefacts that were not in family homes back to his vaults. Following one of those nudges that he got from time to time, he went down to the Peverell vault and found on a pedestal at the front of the vast chamber a ring with a black stone, a wand, and his invisibility cloak that had been in his bag.

He knew, without knowing how he knew, that these were the Deathly Hallows. And they were now his. He reached out and claimed them, feeling their magic join with his. The Peverell Magiks linking them together in a way that no other wizard could have hoped for.

Feeling the influx of magic, Hadrian decided that he had better read up that section on the Deathly Hallows in the Grimoire sooner rather than later.

He did notice however that there was a strange magic residing within the stone. A foreign magic. He took it to Stonefang and the Goblin assigned it to a Curse Breaker. After some testing, they advised that it was another Horcrux, similar to the one that had been attached to Hadrian and asked if he wanted it removed to the same gem that his had been moved to as they were part of the same soul. Hadrian considered this and agreed. Better to keep them together and away from him.

When September first came around less than three weeks after his trial, Hadrian was not surprised nor concerned. He had by then made peace with the changes in his life and had plotted out what he wanted to work on this year.

He didn’t need money, but he did want to be doing something with his life. So, at Stonefang’s suggestion, he focused on Curse Breaking which had fascinated him since meeting Bill Weasley the previous year.

He would need OWLs and NEWTs in Defence Against the Dark Arts, Potions, Charms, Transfiguration, Arithmancy and Ancient Runes to then study a Mastery in Curse Breaking. Once achieved, Gringotts would hire him and he could travel the world with as much or as little contact with other wizards as he would like.

Stonefang also recommended that he visit the principal seats of his various houses as the portraits of his ancestors should be there and would most likely assist in his training. Hadrian thought this could be a good idea and visited Potter Manor, Black Castle, Eagle’s Nest, Lion’s Claw, Derwent House and Peverell Castle. He found several ancestors in portrait form willing to teach him and brought them back to his town house.

Grateful for the company and assistance, Hadrian set to work and over the next ten months, he completed his OWLs in DADA, Potions, Charms, Herbology, Astronomy, Transfiguration, History of Magic, Care of Magical Creatures, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes and Muggle Studies. With the aid of the Goblin Nation and a certain Mistress Fleur Delacour, Hadrian travelled to Paris by Muggle means to sit his OWLs under the International Board of Education. It was rather useful that Fleur’s mother was currently the Chair of said Board. At least in getting them to overlook his unlawful expulsion from Hogwarts.

He sat the exams over the course of a week in May of 1996, staying with the Delacour’s and getting to know them all a bit better. Gabrielle still had a crush on him however, which did make things a little awkward at first. However, one of the things Hadrian had come to terms with over that ten months was his own sexuality. Confessing to Gabrielle that he was flattered but also bent, meant for a lot of blushing, but then an exceedingly more comfortable sibling relationship that ensued.

At the end of the stressful week, the Delacour family took him out to dinner to celebrate before he returned to his townhouse to await his results.

Not that it stopped him however. Hadrian continued to study, moving on to NEWT level studies and establishing his schedule for the next year to get his Defence against the Dark Arts, Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, Arithmancy, and Ancient Runes NEWTs and be able to start his Curse Breaking Mastery. He also wanted to get NEWTs in Battle Magiks, International Politics and Philosophy, which were only offered as part of the International curriculum and had captured his interest when Lady Delacour had spoken of them.

Hadrian found that he truly loved knowledge and sometimes wondered if he would have been sorted Ravenclaw, if not for those blocks.

<><><> 

Sirius was drunk. Again. He was sitting in the Black Library, staring into the flames as he thought back on that last day he saw Harry. Again.

He couldn’t seem to move on. He was a fugitive, hiding in his own family home, and he had thrown away his family.

He’d replayed Harry’s words over and over again and could kick himself for not seeing it sooner. Harry had found out about the blood adoption, somehow. Dumbledore had told him it was better for Harry not to know. That’s why Sirius hadn’t said anything. He was trying to protect his pup.

But he’d made a mistake. A huge fucking mistake.

And all because he’d trusted Dumbledore.

He took another swallow of the fire-whisky in his hand.

“I am an orphan. I have no parents. At least no parents that wish to acknowledge me, so I was alone. My character was shredded by the Minister and his attack dogs and I had no one.”

Those words.

“No parents that wish to acknowledge me”.

That heated look.

He had known and he thought that Sirius didn’t want to acknowledge him.

Then he had asked Sirius to go with him.

“You could come with me Sirius. We could be a family. Just you and me. Go somewhere that no one knows us. You could be free.”

Sirius took another swallow, the flames leaping before his eyes.

“We could be a family.”

Harry had wanted them to be a family. Even though Sirius hadn’t told him. He’d found out from someone else. Thought that Sirius hadn’t wanted him but still, he had asked.

And what had he done? He couldn’t do it could he? Couldn’t leave Moony when they’d only just found each other again. Wasn’t able to take the risk.

“Harry, please, don’t do this,” he pleaded. “Stay! We can work this out!”

“I see. You choose them. Of course.” He looked deeply into his godfather’s eyes then and Sirius was struck by the loss in them.

“I’m broken. Damaged. Worthless. Why would anyone ever chose me.”

Then he was gone.

And Sirius was alone.

Chapter Text

July 1996

Feeling the need to blow off a little steam and relax, Hadrian decided to take a few weeks holiday and booked an international muggle flight to California. It was a long flight, but he made sure to travel in style. He could afford to after all. Flying first class was an experience in itself and his muggle ID had been altered so that he was listed as twenty one, ensuring that he was treated as an adult rather than as a child. He had also altered his features just enough to appear that age using his Metamorphmagus abilities.

He checked into his suite at a resort in Malibu and strolled out onto the beach just off his kabana. The ocean was amazing! Hadrian had never seen it before and right now, it was calling his name. Grinning, he changed into his new swim trunks and slathered on some sun protection lotion before grabbing up a beach towel and sauntering down to the water’s edge.

Hadrian was mesmerised. The clear blue of the water. The fine white sands under his toes. The soft breeze tossing his raven hair, now halfway down his back, in fitful flurries. Throwing his towel up the beach a little way, he waded out into the surf. The wavelets broke against his legs and he walked on until it was waist deep.

His only real swimming experience had been during the Tournament. In the Black Lake. A still body of water filled with magical aquatic creatures.

This was very different.

He started out by staying fairly close to shore. Swimming daily however, Hadrian began to build his confidence and went out further and swam longer every day. His muscles were fit and strong due to his regular training and disposition. However, the swimming now also added another dimension to his fitness and his skin became more golden than ever.

By the time Hadian’s sixteenth birthday came, around ten days into his vacation, he was fully relaxed in mind and spirit. Now he wanted to relax in body as well and, as with any healthy fit young male, he wanted to get laid.

He reasoned that here in America, no one could have any chance of knowing who he was, particularly with the changes in his body over the past twelve months and his slightly aged features. With the removal of the soul shard, thanks Riddle, his scar had faded to almost invisible and his confidence in himself had increased significantly. It was amazing really how much of himself he had been holding back thanks to the blocks and his ‘friends’.

So, on July thirty first, Hadrian took extra care in his toilette. He bathed, not just showered, and added a variety of aromatic oils to the water that made him feel good. After drying, he dusted his skin with a shimmering powder that made it practically glow. Silk black fitted boxers that felt barely there were next, followed by a pair of black leather trousers that looked poured on. A black silk button up, the buttons undone down to his sternum, gave the right touch of elegance and sex appeal, revealing a generous view of his hairless pecs. He rolled the sleeves up to expose his forearms as well and nodded to himself at the result.

Black dragonhide boots and his black biker jacket would complete the look but first, he needed to do his hair. Brushing the long mane back, Hadrian separated a few locks to frame his face, then tied the mass back in a low messy bun. Relaxed, yet fun. Off his neck so he wouldn’t get heat stroke whilst dancing, but still framing his face. He nodded. Yep, that’s the look. Finally, he added some kohl eye liner to make his eyes stand out even more.

Pulling on his boots Hadrian stepped in front of the full length mirrors and examined the results. Turning from side to side, he admired the way the clothes fitted his form and with a smile acknowledged that he certainly didn’t look sixteen so, with his fake muggle ID, he shouldn’t have a problem getting into a nightclub and finding what he was looking for.

He started easy. Pre-dinner drinks at a wine bar down by the docks near his hotel. Hadrian was no stranger to alcohol and had been trying different muggle drinks and cocktails since he arrived. His magical metabolism seemed to negate anything more than a pleasant buzz with everything he had tried so far. Given that Sirius didn’t have such a benefit, Hadrian was guessing it was something to do with his Derwent blood. Perhaps a side effect of his Natural Healing skills.

He loved people watching too so sat at a table in the corner with his ‘Sex on the Beach’ and watched as various singles and couples came and went for nearly an hour before deciding to move on and find some food. He jumped on the motorcycle he had hired for the four weeks he was here and drove to a seafood restaurant he had read about in the resort’s top ten recommended places to eat. He’d had the Concierge make a reservation for him, it was that type of restaurant, and when he arrived, he was seated immediately.

Once again people watching, Hadrian enjoyed a glass of Pinot Gris, a type of white wine he had taken a liking to, while he waited for his meal to arrive. He didn’t notice however, that someone else was doing much the same thing and had noticed him. Another hour passed pleasantly enough and he took a walk on the terrace to enjoy the view of the lights playing off the water before paying his bill and calling for his bike to brought around.

Whilst he waited for the valet to fetch it, a man came to do the same and, after handing his ticket to the next valet waiting he eyed Hadrian appreciatively. He had enjoyed the view during dinner and had to know this young man’s name.

“Lovely evening for a night out?” the stranger started with a smile.

Hadrian looked over and checked him out in turn. Slightly taller than himself, dark brown almost black hair, neatly trimmed goatee and attractively intelligent blue eyes. Hadrian smiled as he continued his examination. Broad shoulders, well fitted, tailored even, suit with a relaxed feel even as it hugged his body, narrow waist and hips, large hands with long slender fingers. He brought his eyes back up to the man’s amused gaze with a smile of his own.

“It is rather, isn’t it?” he replied. “Are you waiting for anyone . . .” he indicated back into the restaurant.

The stranger shook his head, “Just a good time. You?”

Hadrian smirked. “Same. Where you headed next? I’m hoping to find somewhere to dance.”

The stranger was busy cataloguing. British accent. Early twenties? Sexy as hell. Unattached. Interested . . . “I’d look in at Caterwaul. They usually have a good crowd, good music, and the dancefloor doesn’t get too crowded. It’s only two blocks over,” he suggested, pointing the direction. “Can’t miss it.” His smile was appreciative and a little hopeful.

Hadrian nodded, his eyes twinkling as his bike was brought up and the valet jumped off and handed him the key again. “Sound’s perfect.” He straddled the bike. “Will I see you there?” He received a nod in reply and he grinned then gunned the engine and rode away.

Tony stood there watching him. Damn, sexy as hell is right.

His corvette was brought up at that point and he jumped in to follow the Brit to the nightclub. This was looking like it could be a very good night. He revved the engine as well and shot forward, taking the corners too fast, but he was determined to reach the club on the heels of this gorgeous example of manhood.

Tony pulled up to the valet parking for the club as he saw his new friend hand over his bike to the staff before him. Hadrian grinned and waited for the stranger to do the same. “So, do you like to dance?”

Tony grinned. “As a matter of fact I do. Tony,” he introduced himself, holding out a hand.

“Hadrian,” he responded, taking Tony’s hand to shake but found his hand being kissed instead. Hadrian found himself blushing in response and his breath hitching as Tony’s eyes sought his, his smile teasing now.

“Shall we?” Tony guided the younger man, Hadrian, into the club and they both checked their jackets before moving out onto the dance floor.

Hadrian was impressed. The club was large, open, not too loud or smoky, and the music was good. Tony took his hand and drew him onto the dance floor then proceeded to lead him in a rumba. Hadrian laughed and the semi formality of it but was soon enjoying himself too much to worry. They danced for what seemed like hours, interspersed with drinks and banter.

He could see that Tony was looking for a bed partner for the night, just as he was so it was shaping up to be a good night. But Hadrian could not take advantage of the man by deceiving him too much. So, before it got too far into the evening Hadrian drew Tony outside onto the terrace and down to the sand. Tony went willingly. This Hadrian was a dream and he couldn’t wait to fuck him.

Tony pulled him up suddenly into an embrace and kissed him. Gently at first, then with increasing passion as the younger man opened his mouth to tangle his tongue with Tony’s. Hadrian’s hands skated up the chiselled body he could feel under Tony’s shirt and groaned into the kiss as he tangled one hand in the older man’s hair. Tony peppered kisses down his neck, nipping gently into the dip where his neck met his shoulder.

“Tony,” Hadrian started, then groaned again as one of Tony’s hands squeezed his arse. “Tony, wait.”

“Wait? What is it Hadrian?”

“I need to tell you something. Please, just, give me a minute.”

Tony paused in his ministrations. Now what?

“Tony, I really want to spend the night with you, that’s got to be pretty obvious by now. But, I don’t want you to be disappointed so I need to tell you now, before we go any further.”

“Tell me what gorgeous?” he asked in a soft gentle purr.

“Ahh, Tony, I can’t tell you what that does to me. Umm, right, well, I need you know that this will be my first time . . . and I hope you’re okay with that?” Hadrian looked up into the older man’s eyes, his own uncertain how his confession might be taken. “I really hope you are as I’d love for you to be my first.”

Tony was staggered. This gorgeous man was still a virgin? How was that possible?!? “Are you sure you want this Hadrian? If you’ve been saving yourself this long . . .”

“Not saving myself, no. I just wasn’t ready. Until now.” Hadrian kissed him again gently. “So, think you can handle it? Will you be my first Tony?”

Tony groaned. It had been a long time since he’d had a virgin. Wait. Had he ever had a virgin? He wasn’t sure. But what he was sure of was that he wanted this man in his arms. “For you Hadrian, yes. I’d be honoured.” He kissed him again and Hadrian joined in enthusiastically.

“I’m glad,” he murmured through their kisses. “Shall we dance some more? Or did you want to go somewhere more private?”

Tony growled. “Which hotel are you in?” Hadrian smiled and just took his hand to lead him back out to get their vehicles.

Tony followed him back to the resort and then, holding his hand, was guided to the young man’s suite. Well, no lack of money here. Soon they were in the bedroom and clothes were coming off, in between kisses, murmured reassurances and some heavy petting through fine fabrics.

Soon they were both naked on the bed, Tony holding himself over the younger as he ran his hand down over his hip and flank before reversing the direction and tracing up his inner thigh to the apex between Harian’s spread legs.

Hadrian’s hands were in Tony’s hair, holding him to the kiss, and tracing circles on his back. The heat coming off the older man was intoxicating and when his hand closed around his achingly hard cock he nearly came there and then. “Tony!”

“Easy lover,” Tony chuckled. “We’ve got plenty of time to enjoy this.” He kissed his way back down and sucked a hickey into Hadrian’s skin, just above his heart, marking his claim. Then he licked and nipped at the younger man’s nipples, causing him to writhe under his mouth. Simultaneously he was stroking the hardened shaft between his legs and then continued his pathway down to that prize.

“Aahhh, Tony, I, ooohh, oh Merlin!” Hadrian was arching and writhing under Tony’s talented hands and mouth and the older man loved how responsive he was. Then he closed his lips around the tip of that cock and his hips bucked suddenly, pushing it down his throat and nearly causing him to choke. Tony chuckled as he pushed Hadrian down and held his hips to bed as he worshiped with his mouth, drawing groans, moans and more whispered “Merlin! Tony, more!”

He continued, drawing his lover closer and closer to the edge until he heard what he had been waiting for. “Tony! I’m cumming!” Rather than move away, he continued to suck and lick and when the explosion came, he was treated to a salty cream that shot down his throat. A flavour that he happened to rather like and Hadrian’s was very nice indeed.

As the younger man came down from his release, Tony checked the bedside drawer and found the lubricant he had been hoping for. His partner liked to be prepared he saw with a chuckle. There were several types of lubricant, different condoms and a few toys as well. He just took the lube for now and slicking a finger started to work open the rosebud below his lover’s softened cock.

Circling it with his finger at first, he pushed in one long digit, then a second. Scissoring and loosening the tight opening. Hadrian started moaning again, reaching for Tony and stroking anything he could touch.

Soon he had three fingers in and by crooking them, he found that spot inside that sent Hadrian arching in pleasure again, crying out his name. Tony took his time opening him up as he wanted this first time to be as pain free as possible for Hadrian. When the younger was arching under him and his cock painfully hard, Tony donned a condom and slicked himself up then aligned himself with his lover’s entrance.

“You ready gorgeous?”

“Yes! Please Tony, I need you to fuck me now. Please!”

That was all he needed and with care, Tony pushed his head past the tight gateway to his lover’s body. Hadrian stiffened briefly and Tony paused, waiting for him to adjust to the intrusion. As he felt Hadrian relax a little, he steadily pushed the rest of the way in, slowly filling him up until he was fully seated inside.

Then he started to move. Gradually adjusting his angle until he hit that spot again. Once he had the angle right though, Tony picked up the pace, pounding rhythmically against Hadrian’s prostate.

Hadrian gasped and clutched at Tony’s shoulders. He wrapped his legs around the older man’s hips, gripping him, drawing him in as far as he could. It didn’t take long for him to shout out again and tense around the cock within him as his own sent forth heavy ropes of white over his stomach and chest, his head thrown back and Tony’s head buried in his neck as he pistoned his hips and emptied himself inside the no longer virginal body beneath him.

Collapsing upon his lover, Tony gently pulled out and rolled to his side, tying off and disposing of the condom before returning and drawing Hadrian against him, back to chest, holding the younger man and kissing his neck from behind.

“Welcome to pleasure gorgeous,” he whispered.

“Mmmm hmmm, thank you Tony. You were amazing and I will never forget tonight.” Hadrian’s quiet response was all he could have asked for. Both with extremely satisfied smiles on their faces drifted off to sleep, tangled in the fine sheets of that huge bed. The doors to the beach open and the breeze, sounds of the waves and the moonlight drifting over them in the night.

<><><> 

When Hadrian woke the next morning to an empty bed, he was not surprised. He stretched luxuriously and smiled at the various aches in his body that he had not felt before. He felt good.

He rose carefully and made his way into his bathroom for a hot shower before going for his morning swim. He was surprised to see it was after eight o’clock already. He was usually up before six but then again, last night had been rather energetic. They had woken only an hour after that first time and Tony had treated him to several lessons in pleasure. He smiled to himself as he saw the many marks Tony had left on his skin. Marks of passion rather than marks of pain that all his other scars had been.

Hadrian wished in a way that Tony’s marks would scar. He would rather a reminder of last night than the scars from that night in May last year. His smile fell away. Why did he think about that? Hadrian closed his eyes and locked that memory away again. Filed it back where it belonged.

Opening his eyes again he looked at the love bites littering his chest and decided he did want to preserve this night somehow. A tattoo. He’d get a tattoo. Something that represented his night with Tony, his introduction to this world of pleasure.

Smiling again, he showered then dressed before inquiring of the Concierge for a reputable tattoo artist. With a name and address, Hadrian ate a light breakfast then called for a car to take him to the studio. He didn’t fancy riding his bike afterward until he knew what was involved.

Marcia Reynolds was a short, energetic blonde with several piercings and visible tattoos across her shoulders, down her arms and on her hands. Hadrian liked her vivacious nature and couldn’t help reciprocating her welcoming grin.

“Well now, how can I be helping you today me lad?”

Hadrian grinned wider. “I’m here on holiday and would like a tattoo to remember a certain significant event that occurred.”

She tilted her head and nodded. “Not a problem at all. You got some ID?” Hadrian handed her his muggle ID and, confirming he was over twenty one, she handed it back and pulled out a folder. “Let’s see what takes your fancy then. Anything special you had in mind?”

“I was thinking a hummingbird, just over my heart.” Hadrian smiled internally. Tony’s kisses reminded him of a bird and his frenetically fast mind and deft handling of anything he touched just made it seem right.

“Of course!” she flipped through the pages to the birds, then quickly found several examples of a hummingbird. It was the fifth one that Hadrian picked. A hummingbird in flight, its gaze fixed on something before it, ready to devour it. Just the way he pictured Tony. “How big hon?”

Hadrian removed his shirt and indicated the place above his heart and a size around that of a galleon. Not that he used that size example with Marcia. She nodded again and got him settled in the chair of the first room. She quickly transferred the picture to his skin and then picked up her tools. “You ready hon?”

Hadrian nodded and occluded as she set to work. It didn’t take overly long and by distancing himself from the process, he didn’t even notice the pain. When Marcia got his attention again, she was finished and he smiled at the reflection. The little bird was directly over where Tony had first marked him.

It was perfect.

Three days later, he was on the plane back to London, not having seen Tony again in those few days. He hadn’t expected to and he smiled to himself for this beautiful memory that had been preserved in the tattoo over his heart.

<><><> 

August 1996

His townhouse was unchanged from his two week absence and Hadrian soon unpacked and got his washing started. Being on his own didn’t bother him so he had never worried about getting a house elf, even though he could afford to. He placed his new pictures and artefacts about the house, one new memory for each room.

Then, checking his mail, he whooped upon spotting the envelope from the IBE. Ripping it open he scanned his results.

Dear Lord Potter-Black

The International Board of Education is pleased to congratulate you on the completion of your Ordinary Wizarding Level (OWL) examinations. Your results are as follows:

Passing grades:

O         Outstanding

EE       Exceeds Expectations

A          Acceptable

Failing grades:

P          Poor

D         Dreadful

T          Troll

Hadrian James Charlus Potter-Black

O               Defence Against the Dark Arts

O               Potions

O               Charms

EE              Herbology

EE              Astronomy

O               Transfiguration

A                History of Magic

EE              Care of Magical Creatures

O               Arithmancy

O               Ancient Runes

O               Muggle Studies

Congratulations on your success Lord Potter-Black. We look forward to your continuing studies in due course.

Kind regards

Apolline Delacour

Chairwoman

Board of International Education

Hadrian smiled. He had done it. Eleven OWLs and O’s in all the ones he needed for Curse Breaking. Now he could continue on to his NEWTs and with a bit of focus, felt sure he could knock them out in one year instead of two.

His other mail consisted of his monthly bank statements from Stonefang, a letter from Fleur congratulating him on his results and asking, not so subtly, how his American holiday had gone. He groaned, regretting that he had confided his plans for that trip to his French sister. The last letter was from Victor Krum and Hadrian paused. He hadn’t heard from Victor in a few months and he wondered how the older boy was doing. Man. He was nineteen going on twenty. Definitely a man now.

Hadrian found that his way of thinking and his perceptions had undergone a shift whist he was away and, upon reflection, decided that was a good thing.

He read Victor’s letter and got caught up on the various happenings in his friend’s life. Between practices for the Bulgarian Quidditch team and his job as an assistant coach for the Durmstrang Flying Professor, he was keeping busy. He had left his latest girlfriend when she got too clingy and started making noises about marriage and Hadrian had to stifle a chuckle. If there was one thing he knew about his friend, it was that he was not ready to settle down anytime soon.

Settling at his desk in the library, he pulled out some parchment, quill and ink and set about replying. He updated them both on his OWL results, his planned NEWTs and ongoing interest in his Mastery. He also told them of his visit to America, the ocean, the people, the places and yes, he told them of his birthday. Not with too many details, but with enough to have him blushing at the memory.

Maybe he’ll bump into Tony again one day.

Maybe.

Hadrian sighed and then signed off the missives as HJC. They both knew who that meant but anyone who didn’t truly know him, would never guess.

Calling Hedwig to him, he asked her to deliver the letters and sent her off.

There was another letter from Sirius in the pile as well. He read it slowly. His father wanted a relationship with him, he knew. He kept writing but so far Hadrian had not replied. He still wasn’t sure how he felt about the man who seemed to keep abandoning him.

He was disappointed in his father, certainly, but he couldn’t help but care about the man. He had been close enough to his parents that he had blood adopted Hadrian. Had made him his Heir.

Maybe he should reply. Open the communications.

Perhaps one day, they might find a mutual understanding. But not yet. The hurt was still too fresh.

Sitting back, Hadrian picked up the two Daily Prophet’s he hadn’t yet read. He only got the Sunday edition each week as there was usually a weekly wrap up on what was otherwise generally speaking a slow news day and this gave him enough information to keep current with what was happening in the British Wizarding World.

Whilst he had told Dumbledore and his Order of Fried Chickens that he was leaving the Wizarding World, this is what he had meant. He had left the British Wizarding World and he felt much better for it.

He smirked as he read that a Bill which the Light Faction had put forward had been thrown out in the Wizengamot. A scowling Dumbledore was pictured front and centre and Hadrian couldn’t be happier.

One of the things that Stonefang had found when doing a thorough audit of Hadrian’s accounts was that not only had Dumbledore been stealing funds, but he had also sealed James and Lily’s Wills and taken control of the Potter and Black seats in the Wizengamot following the Potter’s deaths and Sirius’ imprisonment.

Learning that, Hadrian had instructed that all proxies be revoked and lodged paperwork with the Ministry that the proxies for Potter and Black had never been approved to be used by Albus Dumbledore. As such, all votes since 1 November 1981, when Dumbledore had claimed them, had been recounted, removing the Potter and Black votes. This has overturned a number of decisions and Dumbledore had faced a massive public backlash. That was in October last year.

Then in January, Hadrian had been able to launch his law suit against the many witches and wizards who had used his name since 1 November 1981 to sell merchandise without his consent. He was particularly incensed by the books that had been written about his so-called childhood. His lawyers had been vicious. They were goblins after all. And every one of them had been prosecuted, including Dumbledore. That had actually been a surprise but it turned out that he had been using Hadrian’s name to endorse a book he wrote, which of course Hadrian had never seen, let alone read!

That had been sweet. Not that he needed the money. But it sent a message.

One article he did find interesting was the break in at the Ministry the previous month. It seems that a group had broken into the Department of Mysteries and made their way into the Hall of Prophesy. There had been a fight when the Order of Fried Chickens showed up and it seems a lot of the recordings were broken.

Why would the Order be getting involved in Ministry protection?

Hadrian shook his head. Not his problem. No one had died according to the story and Sirius hadn’t been there, or if he was, he hadn’t been caught.

Sirius.

Should he write?

He tapped his fingers on the table in thought. It had been a year since he walked out of Grimmauld Place. A year since Sirius had chosen them over him.

Maybe. Maybe it was time after all?

Maybe he could show his father another way. Not Dumbledore’s.

There had only been one Prophesy in there of interest to him and he had already heard it, having applied for the right through the International Confederation of Wizards with Lord Delacour’s help whilst visiting with them in May. He knew exactly what the ‘so called’ Prophesy had said about him and the Dark Lord and was in no way interested in it any further.

Hadrian picked up his quill, pulled another sheet of parchment closer and wrote a brief reply to Sirius’ latest letter of news and request for contact.

Padfoot

I’m not sure if I’m ready to forgive just yet but I don’t want to continue in silence either. You need to appreciate that Dumbledore does not know everything and may be leading you down a path you will regret. The recent jaunt at the Ministry should tell you what I mean.

I thought you might like to know I received eleven OWLs, seven of them O’s, in my recent exams. No, I did not take them at Hogwarts nor even in Britain. I have left the British Wizarding World for all intents and purposes and shall remain that way.

If you wish to be a part of my life in the future, you need to decide where your trust belongs.

Your son

H Potter-Black

Lord of the Most Noble and Most Ancient Houses of Peverell and Black

Lord of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Potter

Lord of the Noble and Ancient House of Derwent

Lord of the Most Ancient and Illustrious Houses of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw

He set it aside to wait for Hedwig to return. He was ready to try again, but it would have to be on his terms.

<><><> 

August – September 1996

Hadrian decided to use August to make his Animagus transformation. He had waited until he was at least sixteen as his studies had shown him that undergoing such a transformation earlier in his physical and magical development could be detrimental to both.

He had already obtained the needed ingredients and set aside a space in the garden to collect the dew that would be required. That full moon, he took the mandrake leaf from stasis and placed it in his mouth. It was rather uncomfortable.

Moving the leaf around to try different locations, Hadrian finally settled on inside of his left cheek and then cast a sticking charm to hold it in place. He would need to hold it in his mouth for one full moon cycle, not removing it or swallowing it during that time.

When the full moon rose in September, he gratefully removed the leaf and added it to a small crystal phial that had been sitting in a window in the attic where it received the pure rays of the moon. He then added one of his own hairs and silver teaspoon of dew collected from the garden that he had previously set aside. Finally, he added the chrysalis of a Death’s-Head Hawk Moth and sealed the phial.

Hadrian tucked the phial in his potions cabinet, in a special sealed compartment that had a memory charm on it. It would remain sealed away from his touch and his thoughts until he saw lightning in the sky overhead. A tricky charm that, but one he had found in the Ravenclaw Grimoire that was very useful indeed in these circumstances.

From this point on he completed the incantation “Amata Animo Animato Animagus” every sunrise and sunset whilst focusing his magic on his heart. Hadrian still did not use a wand so he had to improvise. However, this was another tip from Ravenclaw and he would follow it. Worst case scenario meant it didn’t work and he’d have to start again with a wand, it was sitting in the Peverell vault after all. But he didn’t think it would come to that.

August and September brought reports of Death Eater raids across the country. Voldemort had been spotted in the Ministry in July when the burglary had been foiled by the Order, so he was making up for lost time apparently. Or was just really cranky. Hadrian read about them with a sad heart, but he was no longer involved.

The continued calls in the Daily Prophet for Harry Potter to return, after the Ministry had thrown him away made him laugh bitterly. They were calling him the Chosen One now, even though he hadn’t been seen in over a year. Of course, his OWL results had been lodged with the Ministry so they knew that much and if they knew that, they also now knew his real name. But they still called him Harry BLOODY Potter.

Hadrian pondered what he could do to shut them down. Tapping his fingers on the desk before him he considered his options. Thunder boomed outside, rattling the windows and shaking him out of his introspection.

He jumped up and ran to the window. Lightning lit the late afternoon sky and the memory charm broke. Grinning, he raced upstairs to his Potions workroom and pulled out the Animagus potion phial. It now held a mouthful of blood-red potion.

Hadrian raced back down and out the back into his yard and, holding the phial in one hand, he focused his magic on his heart and spoke the incantation one last time, “Amata Animo Animato Animagus”. He drank the potion and closed his eyes as the lightning and thunder danced overhead.

He felt a fiery pain run through him and then, yes, there it was, an intense double heartbeat. His smile lit his face despite the pain. He had done it!

He closed his eyes and focused inward. He was walking through a canyon. His creature must be here somewhere. He gazed around searching. Was he a scorpion? A bird? A snake? A lizard? Then, he heard a growl and raised his eyes.

He looked up, and up, and up. Until he fell into the gaze of the creature before him. He was beautiful . . . glorious . . . majestic. Hadrian walked forward, his eyes never leaving the brilliant purple regard of this magnificent being before him.

He reached out to touch it as the great head descended close to him. His hand ran along the dark hide and then he felt himself shift. When he opened his eyes he was looking down from a height. Everything seemed brighter, clearer, and he could smell strange scents all around.

He tried to turn but found that his size was almost that of the courtyard. Twisting his head Hadrian gazed down as his body. Dark hide, ridges down his back, a tail tipped with an arrow-shaped spike. He felt the wings protruding from his back and realised there was no way he could extend them here but thanked his foresight for at least doing this outside and not in the library. He snorted a laugh and almost tripped over backward as a curl of flame escaped his snout at the action.

He shook his head and concentrated on his human form, closing his eyes again. He felt the shift. Opening his eyes once more, he stood in the middle of the courtyard, rain now drenching him as he tipped his head back and laughed.

“A BLOODY DRAGON!” Hadrian shook his head at himself. Potter luck strikes again.

Still chuckling, he returned inside and took himself off for a shower to warm up and pulled on dry clothes. He then pulled out a book on breeds of dragon and tried to find which one he was.

With the limited view he had managed of himself, both physically and in the vision, Hadrian was relatively confident that he was a Hebridean Black. Most appropriate.

Well, looks like I’ll be adding purple to my colour palette.

Hadrian closed his eyes and relived the initial transformation once more. It was an incredible feeling. He would need to practice, but somewhere with more space. The best option he could think of and where he would be least conspicuous would have to be Eagle’s Nest, Ravenclaw’s principal seat. It was high in the mountains in Scotland which was the native home for his form, so even if spotted he shouldn’t occasion too much comment.

Decision made, Hadrian decided to make some dinner and go back to his other dilemma. The Ministry and the Daily Prophet calling him the Chosen One.

Hmm, could he sue the Ministry? There’s an idea.

Chapter Text

October 1996 – June 1997

Hadrian walked into the Atrium, having received an invitation to ‘discuss the situation’. He smirked as he told the guard that he had no wand to register as the Minister had destroyed it.

He was waved on through and made his way to level one and the administrative offices for the Minister for Magic. Hadrian was looking forward to this, very much.

Upon entering the conference room he was directed to, he spotted five wix. There was Minister Fudge of course, Amelia Bones, Griselda Marchbanks, Lucius Malfoy and, interestingly, Percy Weasley. Then he noted the parchment and quills in front of Percy. He must be acting as scribe today.

“Mister Potter! Welcome! Welcome, please, come, sit down. Can I get you tea? Pumpkin juice?”

“Just water please Minister,” Hadrian replied.

“Of course. Weasley!” Percy jumped up and poured water from the jugs on the sideboard and placed the glass before Hadrian who murmured a thank you. Passing his hand over the top of the glass, he checked it for potions. Finding it clear, he picked it up and sipped. Lady Bones had noticed his actions and nodded approvingly.

“Now then, Mister Potter.”

“That would actually be Lord Potter-Black, if you don’t mind Minister.” Hadrian corrected him, replacing his glass on the table.

“O-Of course, of course. Lord Potter-Black then. Now, about this letter we received from Gringotts on your behalf.”

“Yes Minister? I thought it was quite clear actually.”

“Yes, well, it is and it isn’t dear boy.”

“Lord Potter-Black.”

“Ah yes, Lord Potter-Black. You see, you appear to be suing the Ministry for a rightful conviction. The system just doesn't work that way you understand.”

“On the contrary Minister. On 12^th August 1995 you called a trial whereby you accused me of performing underage magic in the presence of a Muggle. You expelled me Minister. You snapped my wand in front of me, without due process I might add.

“You did not allow me to present any evidence of my actions, not even my memory of the event which would have been fully admissible as I was an emancipated minor and therefore legally an adult.” Hadrian took a deep breath and stared at the wizards about him. “I’ve seen what you’ve been saying in the Daily Prophet. If you want my help, you will rescind that verdict and expunge my record completely. Those are my terms.”

Hadrian sat back and waited. Watching as the Minister’s face, which had been very red, now drained of colour. “That, that will ruin me,” he whispered.

Hadrian held his eyes. “What do you think it did to me,” he hissed.

Shaking his head, he stood. “We’re done here. Good luck with your Dark Lord.” He stepped away from the table and started to walk away. There was a flurry of whispers behind him as they scrambled to come up with something.

“Wait! Ahh, what if we were to, umm, clear the expulsion, but had it as a record of underage magic?”

Hadrian turned. “Have you gone deaf Minister? I was an emancipated minor at the time. Therefore there WAS NO underage magic. I performed magic in self-defence, legally, and you and your administration tried me for an offence that did NOT EXIST, then snapped my wand ILLEGALLY!” He shook his head. “I think I’ll just go ahead with the law suit and drag you all down. You have nothing left to offer me Minister.” He turned his back on them and left the conference room. What a joke.

<><><> 

Walking back out through the Atrium Hadrian was hailed again. “Harry!” He kept walking.

“Harry! Wait!”

He closed his eyes and paused. This was a mistake. Why did he even come here.

“Hey Harry!” It was Percy.

“What is it Percy?”

“Umm, well, it’s Minister Fudge. He was hoping he could speak to you again? Discuss terms?” Percy was gasping for breath as he delivered this.

Hadrian just looked his old Prefect and Head Boy in the eye. “Tell me Percy, what would you do?

“Imagine, just for a moment, that you had seen a friend murdered in front of you whilst having been injured yourself in a deadly tournament. And then, with no counselling or support offered, not even someone to tend your own injuries from the event that had cost your friend his life, you were sent back to a house where you have known nothing but abuse and starvation. You have nightmares every night, waking up screaming. You are beaten every day for waking up your uncle. Beaten to the point where you cannot even walk because you believe you are not allowed to use magic.

“Then one day, you are attacked by Dementors, no help in sight. You are alone. Would you let yourself be kissed? Or would you fight back? Hmm?

“Now, imagine that you do fight back, protect yourself and your worthless bully of a cousin and instead of those in authority, those you should trust, reaching out and asking if you are okay and offering the help that any decent human being would, they accuse you of lying, breaking the law and then take away your only means of protection from the evil dark lord who has been trying to kill you since you were a baby.

“Those adults who are meant to protect you and care for you tell you that you are bad. That you did the wrong thing. Then they throw you back to the abusive muggles and tell you to behave yourself and don’t come back. They spend the next year telling everyone what a lying, attention-seeking lunatic you are.

“Could you find it in yourself to forgive all of that when those same adults suddenly realise they were wrong and want you to come back and help them? Fight the big bad dark lord that they said you were lying about, never mind that you don’t have a wand anymore, WITHOUT EVEN AN APOLOGY?” He was practically shouting now and breathing hard.

“No Percy. There is nothing the Minister could say to me now that would make me want to discuss ‘terms’. I suggest you find yourself another job. Or you could end up going down with a sinking ship and I wouldn’t want that for you.” Hadrian turned away from the devastated look on Percy’s face. He had never known the full story.

For that matter, no one had. No one that believed him anyway.

Hadrian shook himself and port keyed away back home with his ring.

A small green beetle buzzed away from the still stunned Percy Weasley and made her way quickly back to her office. This was the story of the year!

<><><> 

Hadrian sipped at his tea and opened the paper that had been delivered that morning to see what the week had wrought. He had a meeting tomorrow with Stonefang and he wanted to be current on any issues that may affect him.

There, front and centre, was a picture of himself. It was from the Triwizard Tournament he could tell and the heading jumped out him.

Chosen One Betrayed!

Now what . . . he scanned down the article and swore. Had Percy sold his story? He couldn’t really blame him if he had. The Weasley’s could use the money. Still, it didn’t seem in character for the ex-Head Boy.

Disturbing news from the Ministry this week my dear readers. Your intrepid reporter was chasing down a lead on a law suit being brought against the Minister and his Administration when the truth was placed before me.

The Protagonist of the suit is none other than our Chosen One Harry Potter! Or rather, Lord Hadrian Potter-Black as he prefers now to be known. On Thursday last, Lord Potter-Black was called in for a meeting with Minister Fudge, Amelia Bones, Griselda Marchbanks and Lucius Malfoy. Minister Fudge, it seems, was trying to get Lord Potter-Black to withdraw his suit on the grounds that the court ruling he was filing against was a valid one and could not be rescinded.

Well dear readers, it seems simple but is anything but!

This reporter has learned the actual sequence of events that fell out last May and June that led to Lord Potter-Black’s expulsion from Hogwarts. An expulsion that it seems clear now was completely illegal!

Lord Potter-Black spoke eloquently to a fellow ex-student saying “Imagine, just for a moment, that you had seen a friend murdered in front of you whilst having been injured yourself in a deadly tournament. And then, with no counselling or support offered, not even someone to tend your own injuries from the event that had cost your friend his life, you were sent back to a house where you have known nothing but abuse and starvation. You have nightmares every night, waking up screaming. You are beaten every day for waking up your uncle. Beaten to the point where you cannot even walk because you believe you are not allowed to use magic.

“Then one day, you are attacked by Dementors, no help in sight. You are alone. Would you let yourself be kissed? Or would you fight back? Hmm?

“Now, imagine that you do fight back, protect yourself and your worthless bully of a cousin and instead of those in authority, those you should trust, reaching out and asking if you are okay and offering the help that any decent human being would, they accuse you of lying, breaking the law and then take away your only means of protection from the evil dark lord who has been trying to kill you since you were a baby.

“Those adults who are meant to protect you and care for you tell you that you are bad. That you did the wrong thing. Then they throw you back to the abusive muggles and tell you to behave yourself and don’t come back. They spend the next year telling everyone what a lying, attention-seeking lunatic you are.

“Could you find it in yourself to forgive all of that when those same adults suddenly realise they were wrong and want you to come back and help them. Fight the big bad dark lord that they said you were lying about, never mind that you don’t have a wand anymore, WITHOUT EVEN AN APOLOGY?”

Well dear readers, could you find it in yourselves to forgive such actions? I would have to say NO! I agree with Lord Potter-Black completely in this instance of blatant misuse and abuse of power by Minister Fudge and believe we should call immediately for a Vote of No Confidence.

Minister Fudge and his Administration has for too long been running things as they wished and not in line with our laws. It is time for the people to take a stand and show Lord Potter-Black the support and compassion he has been too long denied!

Brought to you by your special correspondent,

Rita Skeeter

Hadrian rested his head against the table beside his tea. Here we go.

<><><> 

Hadrian instructed his legal team with the Goblin law firm to proceed with his actions to sue the Ministry and Fudge in particular for wrongful accusations and destruction of both his wand and his character. The legal proceedings and media circus went on for months with the Minister struggling to justify his actions and being vilified by the public.

Hadrian chose to ignore it. He had his NEWTs to focus on and his Animagus creature to learn about and adjust to.

The months sped by and Fudge was fired. His Under Secretary Delores Umbridge was imprisoned after it came to light that during her year as DADA Professor and High Inquisitor at Hogwarts she had used Blood quills as a form of punishment in her detentions, scarring many students for life.

Percy resigned directly after Hadrian’s original meeting with Fudge and took up a new position with Gringott’s Legal Arm, working closely with Hadrian’s lawyers and helping them find supporting information to bring Fudge down.

During this time also, Hadrian and Sirius’ correspondence picked up.

***

Harry

I’m sorry pup, for not being there for you but thank you for allowing me this chance to be in your life.

I’m so proud of your OWLs! You did amazing Harry and are just as smart as your mum was, probably smarter. Definitely better than me or Prongs, that’s certain.

I read that article in the Prophet and can’t believe what they did to you. I’ve kicked out the Order and Dumbledore from Grimmauld Place. He had no right to leave you without support and I, I should have been there for you too.

I miss you and hope to see you again soon.

Padfoot

***

Padfoot

You weren’t in a frame of mind to see what was going on. I recognise that now. But I have had the chance to process and move forward with my life to the point where I’ve made my peace with it.

I’d like to see you again too Pads, but I need to know that those people won’t be there. Perhaps a neutral location? Have they sorted your trial yet? Or are you still a ‘fugitive’? I’ll help if I can but then again, I’m a fugitive in many ways too.

Perhaps we should meet outside of Britain.

Let me know.

Hadrian

***

Hadrian

I don’t know what to say. I haven’t had a trial no. I’m not sure why Dumbledore never called for one as he was the one to cast the Fidelius and knew that Peter was the Secret Keeper. He said he had thought I had killed Peter and those muggles in revenge, but that doesn’t ring true.

Moony says I’m overthinking it. But, I just don’t know. Something doesn’t sit right with me about that whole business.

Perhaps we could meet for lunch in Paris?

Padfoot

***

Padfoot

Let’s meet in Paris. I think I need to get you, and possibly Lupin, to Gringotts. I’m starting to suspect that you are being influenced by spells or compulsions.

I was.

A cleansing ritual with the Goblins however would address that and if it is what I suspect, then more has been taken from us both than you know.

If agreeable, I’ll send you a port key.

Hadrian

***

Hey Pup

Please. I think you may be right.

I’m available whenever you are.

Padfoot

<><><> 

It was cold but not snowing. It rarely snowed in Paris after all, even in January.

Hadrian had floo’d from Gringotts London to Gringotts Paris in preparation for his meeting with Sirius. Stonefang had arranged a private meeting room for him as well as the tests and preparation for a cleansing. He remained by Hadrian’s side as they waited for the port key that had been provided would bring Sirius, and maybe Lupin, to the Receiving Room of the bank.

They had only been waiting ten minutes or so when the doors opened again and another Goblin ushered in the two men. Sirius stopped dead when he saw Hadrian standing near the end of the room, waiting, his hands clasped behind his back as he stared pensively into the flames of the ever-present fireplace.

“Pup!”

Hadrian turned, the Elder Wand suddenly in his hand and pointed directly at the intruders before his eyes registered their identities. He smiled cautiously and nodded, lowering his wand. “Sirius, Professor Lupin,” he greeted them.

Lupin scratched behind his head at the formality but made no move to correct him. Sirius rushed forward at first, but then slowed down as he got closer, noting that Hadrian hadn’t moved. “Harry, Hadrian, I know now I made the wrong choice before. I was scared and I’m sorry.”

“We all have made choices that we have come to regret, given wisdom and time to re-assess those choices. I have asked you here today, both of you, as I would like you to undertake an Inheritance Test. I will pay the fees, that is already taken care of. My account manager, Stonefang,” he indicated the Goblin. “Will administer the tests. Once we see the results, we can talk.”

Sirius saw the resolve in his son’s eyes and nodded, moving to where the Goblin had sheets of black parchment paper set out along with a sharp quill with a long black feather. “Please write you name at the top of the parchment. The quill will draw your blood to do so and the parchment is one that will read your heritage in your blood and so reveal the truth of who you are.”

Sirius took a breath and reached for the quill. Writing quickly, he then passed it to Remus, who just looked at him. “Please Moony?” Remus sighed and repeated the actions on his own parchment.

Sirius Orion Black III

Born                                     3 November 1959 (age 37 years)

Father                                   Orion Arcturus Black  – pureblood

Mother                                  Walburga Amelia Black nee Black  – pureblood

Blood Status                          Pure blood

Creature Status                     N/A

Familial House/s

• Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Black (Paternal and Maternal)

Familial Magiks

• Metamorphmagus (Black)

Inhibitors and blocks

• Family magics (100% blocked – applied by APWBD 1 September 1971)
• Loyalty charm to Albus Dumbledore, Order of the Phoenix, Gryffindor house, Hogwarts (applied by APWBD 1 September 1971)
• Hate charm to Severus Snape, Lord Voldemort, Death Eaters, Slytherin house, Ministry of Magic (applied by APWBD 1 September 1971)
• Magic Core (50% bound – applied by APWBD 1 September 1971)
• Enhanced Black Madness (applied by APWBD 1 September 1971)

Sirius gaped at the results but Hadrian and Stonefang just nodded. They had suspected as much. Remus’ page was populating itself now and the two men looked at each other in horror before lowering the gazes once more.

Remus John Lupin

Born                                          10 March 1960 (age 36 years)

Father                                        Lyall Johnathon Lupin  – pureblood

Mother                                       Hope Maria Lupin nee Tenebrus  – halfblood

Blood Status                               Halfblood

Creature Status                          Werewolf – bitten 18 April 1966 (Fenrir Greyback)

Familial House/s

• Most Noble and Ancient House of Lupin (Paternal)

Familial Magiks

• Eidetic Memory (Lupin)
• Natural Empathy (Tenebrus)

Inhibitors and blocks

• Family magics (100% blocked – applied by APWBD 1 September 1971)
• Loyalty charm to Albus Dumbledore, Order of the Phoenix, Gryffindor house, Hogwarts (applied by APWBD 1 September 1971)
• Hate charm to Severus Snape, Lord Voldemort, Death Eaters, Slytherin house, Ministry of Magic (applied by APWBD 1 September 1971)
• Disgust of Wolf self (applied by APWBD 1 September 1971)
• Magic Core (50% bound – applied by APWBD 1 September 1971)

Both men were now in shock and Hadrian just nodded to Stonefang. “Please gentlemen, follow me. A cleansing has been prepared for you as we had suspected such a result.” They looked to Hadrian.

“Go, be released from what has been done to you. I had similar blocks and when I find out who this APWBD is, there will be repercussions.” Hadrian assured them quietly. Sirius and Remus looked at each other. They knew exactly who that was but even now, they found it hard to speak and so simply nodded and followed Stonefang from the room.

Hadrian sat at the table and waited. This APWBD had a lot to answer for and he had a strong suspicion now of exactly who it was. He needed confirmation however before he would act. He sat there, ignoring the tea and pastries that the Goblins provided, just staring into the flames of the fire, thinking.

He sat there for over two hours as he waited, listening to the crackling of the flames.

The door opened once more and the two Gryffindors were once more ushered into the room. Hadrian looked up finally and took in their appearance. Sirius’ eyes were no longer troubled by madness but by regret. Lupin appeared less tired, less worn down, more ‘at peace’ with himself it seemed. Hadrian tilted his head consideringly before standing and walking towards these men who should have been central figures in life.

“Pup? Hadrian?” Sirius whispered, raising his arms slightly before dropping them. As if he wanted nothing more than to embrace his son but was afraid of the rejection. Tears formed in his eyes as he gazed at his boy, now a man, and grieved for all he had lost due to the manipulations of a deranged old man.

“How do you feel?” Hadrian asked carefully.

“I feel free. For the first time in a very long time.”

Hadrian met his eyes fully and sought the truth there. Finding it, feeling the grief of his Father, he stepped forward and embraced the man. “I’m sorry you had to go through all of that Father. I’m sorry that we both did.” Sirius’ arms just clung to his son as he sobbed into his shoulder.

Remus hovered nervously, not wanting to intrude into this moment for the two of them, but also feeling their grief in a way he had never experienced in his memory. It was a part of his wolf and his family magiks, he now knew. Magiks that had been denied him and he growled, low in his throat, at the thought.

Eventually, Sirius and Hadrian stood back from each other and the older man reached out to grab Remus and pull him into a hug as well before finally taking a deep breath and turning back to Hadrian.

“Pup, I’d like to introduce you properly to your godfather. This is Remus Lupin, my rock and, my mate. My partner,” he looked into Hadrian’s eyes, willing him to understand. Hadrian stared at him for a moment then grinned. Suddenly many things he had observed in previous years added up in a new way. He reached out and pulled Remus into a hug of his own.

“It is good to finally meet the real Moony,” he mumbled into his godfather’s shoulder. Remus, who had stiffened at the sudden embrace, relaxed as he felt the sincerity behind the words.

“Oh cub, I’m so sorry for not being there for you,” he apologised, still grieving for what they had all lost to the years. Hadrian just shook his head in denial.

“No, you were not to know. This APWBD person is the one who stole it from you. From all of us. And he stole a lot more you don’t yet know about. Please, sit.” He drew them to the table and they sat comfortably before Hadrian drew out a copy of his own Inheritance Test. “This is what he did to me.” He handed it over to the two men.

As they read the details of his Inhibitors and blocks, skimming over the impressive array of Family Magiks and Lordships, the expressions of his family darkened. “He bound your Core?” growled Sirius.

“He blocked your Family Magiks?” came from Remus.

Hadrian just looked at them and nodded. “I found this out when I went to Gringotts after being expelled in August 1995. I had planned to empty my vault, take the gold and start a new life. Without my vault key however, I had to prove my identity via an Inheritance Test. This is what I found.” He nodded to the paper.

“No wonder you were so angry when you retuned pup. I’m sorry I didn’t understand.” Sirius reached out to take his hand.

“We know now why that was so. I . . . suspected, but I was so angry. It has taken me time to process all of this on top of the Ministry’s actions. And Dumbledore’s.” Sirius and Remus looked at each other then back to Hadrian.

“Cub,” Remus began. “You probably already know but we need to tell you. Albus Dumbledore’s full name is Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. APWBD.” Hadrian just closed his eyes. He had suspected. It seemed so obvious. But this was the confirmation.

It had been him all along.

It had always been him.

<><><> 

Lord Voldemort sat back in his leather chair at his desk. He had enjoyed watching from the shadows over the months since his rebirth as the Light’s Saviour ripped Fudge and the Ministry a new one. He chuckled, reading the articles of the aftermath of Rita Skeeters revelatory article.

He had spent the months gathering his followers and infiltrating the government. If there was one thing he had learned from the mistake that claimed his original body, it was patience. He regretted now his impulsive attacks after the Ministry fiasco over the Prophesy. It was not the way to succeed. He knew that now.

He also spent some time creating a new identity for himself, Marvolo Gaunt. If anyone looked, and he was sure some would, a trail would be made in Bulgaria. From his birth as the grandson of Tom Marvolo Riddle, to his years at Durmstrang and the various places he had been since graduation. Finally returning to Britain to claim his grandfather’s lordship.

Now, he sat in the Slytherin Castle, having claimed that lordship alongside the Gaunt name, which had little to recommend it really, and he chuckled. Little Harry Potter had certainly grown some teeth.

He’d been impressed by the brat’s power when he had ‘assisted’ in his rebirthing party. The fact that he had gotten away in the end had been frustrating but he had made his peace with that.

Voldemort tapped his fingers on the paper before him. Perhaps he had been too hasty in making his horcruxes. He had felt out of balance before that night in 1981 and now, now he felt . . . he wasn’t sure what he felt as he ran a long fingered hand over his bald scalp.

“My lord,” the low voice of his most trusted and valued servant came to him from the kneeling figure before his desk. “Have you decided on your course of action?”

He gazed upon the bowed form of Bartemius Crouch Junior. The brilliant wizard had used a doppelganger to replicate himself on the night of his rebirth to fool the old goat and his Order of Fried Chickens, should he be discovered, as he was. As such, he had been able to return to his side and was most valued as his researcher and strategist. He had been a Ravenclaw after all and had a brilliant mind.

“I have Barty,” he replied softly. “I have considered your advice carefully and decided to reduce my number of horcruxes to three. A most significant number after all, and more balanced in Magic.”

He stood and went to a side cabinet where he opened a drawer and pulled out several objects. A Locket. A Cup. A Book with a hole through it. “My first horcrux, my diary, was destroyed but the soul piece was not. It is strange, but I felt it that night. It found me, wraith though I was. It has helped my thinking but it is not enough.

“Mister Potter is a Horcrux and will remain so, I will not try to kill him again. Nagini, my beloved familiar also holds a part of me and I have extended her life to join with my own. The third anchor is my main soul, myself, so I must return these and two others to be true to myself once more.”

He looked at the man on the floor. “Prepare the ritual for Litha Solstice. I will gather the final missing piece before then.” He would need to instruct Lucius’s son on how to enter the room and retrieve the Diadem. He did not want to give up that secret, but it must be done. He would retrieve the ring himself.

“As you say my Lord,” came the reply. The man rose and left the room, leaving his Lord and Master to gaze out across the gardens and contemplate the next step in his plan.

Chapter Text

July 1997

Hadrian decided this year to holiday in Romania. He wanted to visit the Dragon Preserve there at which Charlie Weasley worked and from where the dragons in the First Task had come. He had finished all his NEWT exams, once again with the IBE under Madame Delacour’s guidance and was on track to enter his Mastery Apprenticeship in Curse Breaking with Gringott’s, if he achieved he required results. In addition to his OWL subjects, he had decided to take up the Internationally recognised Battle Magiks, Philosophy and International Politics.

He was quietly confident and so it was time for his four week holiday to explore his Animagus form better. Not that he was telling anyone that just yet.

Hadrian had arranged an international portkey with the French Ministry when he was there for his NEWTs and travelled by mundane means under the Channel until he was on French soil once more. He still didn’t get on with the British Ministry and until he got a full apology and retraction of their idiocy, he wouldn’t give them an inch.

The portkey set him down at the arranged time by the gate to the Dragon Preserve and a witch with light brown curly hair reminiscent of Hermione’s greeted him. “Lord Potter-Black, welcome to Romania!”

He smiled. “Just Hadrian, please.”

“Hadrian,” she smiled back. “I’m Elsa Romanov. It’s a pleasure to have you here.” The gate was open by now and she gestured for him to enter. Once it was closed again, they set of up the trail to the main compound.

Elsa explained the layout of the Preserve, with different areas for the various species, plus a medical facility by the human compound so that any severe injuries could be treated more effectively and the apprentices could be trained. Hadrian nodded as this aligned with what he had read not only of this Preserve, but also others around the world.

“I understand that you have a Hebridean Black in the Preserve as well.”

“Oh yes! A beautiful female but unfortunately there are no unmated males on the continent that we have been able to find. They are such a beautiful species but I fear that they are close to extinction. There are only a few in various Preserves like this one around the world and possibly some wild ones still in Scotland, but they haven’t been seen there in years.” Her countenance fell and Hadrian was shocked. He hadn’t realised that there were so few left.

He felt a nudge to his magic that he had come to recognise as Lady Magic trying to tell him something and he grunted. Surely not . . . the nudge came again. Really? He sighed. This was not what he’d had in mind when he said he wanted to study the habits of dragons.

Hadrian just nodded along as she told him of the refectory where they had meals, the guest quarters where they had a room prepared for him, the workroom where they made potions for treating the dragons and the nursery where they cared for any orphaned hatchlings.

Soon they arrived at the administrative offices and Hadrian was able to sign in and meet the Director. “Lord Potter-Black,” he began.

“Please Director Fury, just Hadrian.”

“Hadrian then. Welcome to Romania and thank you for your generous donations. We appreciate all the help we can get.”

Hadrian just nodded at this. The government support for such Preserves was minimal and didn’t allow for the research that was truly needed. “I was hoping to spend some time at the Preserve, observation mostly, get to understand the dragons a little more. I only had a small window in 1994 during the Triwizard Tournament to observe them and I think I may be able to speak with them. The language of dragons is quite similar to parseltongue after all and it would be a boon to assist should I continue to my Mastery in Care of Magical Creatures or pursue Magizoology in the future.”

Cameron Fury looked at the young man before him with a keen eye. There was more to it than what he was saying, but he accepted that everyone had secrets. Hell, with his squib brother’s job in America he knew that many of those in high positions had secrets that needed to be kept.

“That will certainly be interesting to ascertain Hadrian, and I look forward to seeing the results of your observations. I have assigned Charlie Weasley as your guide for your time here at the Preserve. Please, make yourself at ease and I’ll see you tonight at dinner.”

Thanking the Director, Hadrian made his way out of the office and found a certain broad shouldered red head waiting for him, leaning against the wall outside the door.

“Charlie!”

“Hey Haz! How’s life treatin’ you these days?”

Hadrian laughed, his smile lighting his eyes as he took in the sight of the attractive dragon handler. He hadn’t seen Charlie since the Tournament and since then, Hadrian had developed a certain appreciation for the male form. And Charlie’s male form was definitely one he could appreciate.

“Doing well thanks Charlie. Just finished my NEWT exams so looking for a bit of R&R whilst I wait for the results. Thought I’d test a couple of theories. How about yourself? Still playing with your dragons I see.”

Charlie grinned, “You bet! Nothing beats dragons Haz! Come on,” he threw an arm across the younger man’s shoulders, noting that there was no longer much difference in their heights and his little brother’s friend was not so little any more. Also, there was something about him now that pulled him in and had him wanting to get closer. “Let’s get you set up in your room and I can give you a bit of a tour before dinner.”

Hadrian’s room was not overly large. Just a bed, a desk, a chair and a wardrobe, an ensuite bath with large shower, vanity and toilet. Simple, neat and clean. He dropped his bag on the bed and turned to Charlie, still standing in the door frame, watching him. Hadrian smiled when he saw the heat in the red head’s eyes.

“See something you like Weasley?” he asked with a smirk, leaning against the bedpost.

“Maybe I do,” came the drawled response. He pushed off and stalked forward, unable to hold himself back from this gorgeous creature standing before him. Dangerous. Hadrian shivered as the thought came to him. Charlie came right up to him until they were chest to chest, only a few inches separated them in height and Hadrian tilted his face up, their lips practically touching. Their breaths mingling. “When did you grow up Harry?”

His smile broadened. “Amazing what a little independent study can do, hmm?”

Charlie growled and Hadrian stretched just enough to touch his lips to the older man’s before him. Hadrian’s hands slid up around his shoulders, one hand moving to tangle in the shaggy hair. It was all the invitation needed for Charlie to deepen the kiss, pressing forward and diving in when Hadrian’s lips opened, welcoming the duel of tongues.

It was a heady rush as Charlie’s arms came up and around him, pressing him close, but not nearly as much as the feel of that male hardness pressing alongside his own between them.

Hadrian groaned and walked them back a step before toppling them onto the bed. Charlie didn’t hesitate as he climbed on to hover over the younger wizard, kissing him again as his hands explored his body.

A thought and the door was closed and locked. Clothes came off soon after, the dragon tamer licking and kissing his way down the surprisingly firm and well-muscled chest of the young man beneath him. He kissed and licked and nibbled as he explored and when he came to the buttons of Hadrian’s trousers, he looked up into those smoky green eyes. “Is this what you want Haz?”

“Yesss, Charlie, don’t you dare stop now. This isn’t my first time after all.” Charlie’s eyebrows went up at that confession, but his eyes darkened with desire. Still holding that green gaze, he popped the top button, then pulled down the zipper before drawing Hadrian’s jeans down his legs and tossed them to the floor. His boxer briefs soon followed along with Charlie’s own garments.

Climbing back over the teen, he laid down so that their cocks were rubbing against each other and took his mouth once more. Grinding upwards against the other man’s erection, Hadrian groaned. “Oh Godric Charlie! You feel amazing!!”

Charlie grinned. “Not so bad yourself there Haz,” then he reached down between them and, conjuring some lube onto his hand, took them both in his large grip and started pulling them off. Kissing and nipping his neck and shoulder, Hadrian had his hands buried in Charlie’s shaggy mane of hair, pulling and stroking in time with Charlie’s actions lower down.

“Aahhh! Charlie! I’m going to . . .” Charlie’s response was to speed up and soon they were both covered in white ropes of cum across their stomachs.

Moving back up to kiss him again, Charlie smiled. “Did I say welcome to Romania yet?” Hadrian smiled and kissed him back.

“Definitely a welcome I could get used to.”

<><><> 

His days became filled with tramping around the various paddocks for the different dragons. He was able to research the language of the dragons and the variations he found between the different species. Hadrian’s notebook became filled with scribbles and ideas as he explored the ways in which they related to each other and also with their handlers.

He also discovered the schedule of the various handlers and when he could find a window for privacy. Hadrian wanted to stretch his wings and this was the best place for that as even if he was spotted, from a distance he would blend in.

Dawn and dusk became his favourite times. The changing light made it harder for anyone to discern his form, or his species. After all, there was only one other Hebridean Black on the Preserve and he didn’t think he’d be mistaken for anything else if he was seen close up.

It was the fourth morning that he had been there that he crept out as the sun was starting to peek over the horizon. His habit of running in the mornings meant that if he was seen heading out, he wasn’t questioned other than a friendly wave as he started off.

Waving back, he headed down the track towards the Veterinary barn, circling around and continuing out towards the farther paddocks. Once out of sight, he sent out his magic to ensure no one was near. Feeling the freedom of nothingness, he slowed, then moved away into the paddock alongside. Finding some cover behind a copse of trees, he checked again before shifting.

His Animagus dragon form was large. Huge. Ginormous really, if he did say so himself. He took a few steps away from the trees then threw himself into the air, making that all important initial down sweep. Climbing sharply, he soon found himself higher than he had ever flown on a broom and it was thrilling!

He roared his joy to the sky and flew above the clouds. This was freedom. This was life!

Hadrian spent nearly half an hour that morning in flight, learning how to use his body to better catch the air currents, to lean into the warmer air to spiral up, to fold his wings and dive, dive, dive before snapping them out again to soar back up again. He hadn’t had the opportunity to fly for some time and he revelled in it.

He knew he had to strengthen his muscles again slowly. He had a good start with his human muscles but flying required a different type of strength and he hadn’t been up to Scotland where he had started out his practice in this form for a few months as he focussed on his NEWTs.

Every day after that, he would go on his run, then flight, lengthening his time in the air to an hour, building up his endurance and stamina in dragon form once more. Of an evening, he would go for long walks to hide his activities and got in another hour or so of practice.

It was invigorating!

The freedom of his form was something that he had longed for, yearned for, without realising it for years. Now, at sixteen, nearly seventeen, years of age, he finally knew what it meant to be powerful in his own skin.

<><><> 

The 31^st of July dawned bright and clear. Hadrian blinked open his eyes and stretched. Feeling the warmth next to him in bed brought a smile to his face as he rolled into it and ran his fingers down the side of the sleeping form of his lover. When all he got was a mumbled groan, he smirked and drew the sheet down further, revealing the naked body of his favourite dragon tamer and his morning wood.

Hadrian eased himself down and licked a stripe up that firm shaft, bringing a moan and a shudder but no wakefulness. Grinning to himself, he enclosed the tip with his lips and went to work, slowly but surely sucking Charlie off whilst he fingered himself open, casting a silent lubrication spell that he had be practicing.

Soon he felt ready and raised himself over his sleeping companion, then aligning his entrance, he sank down on the solid shaft, groaning as he was filled. Charlie’s eyes came open with a gasp, his hands going instinctively to the younger man’s hips.

“Hadrian!”

Hadrian was already riding his lover, revelling in the feeling. “Hmm? Yes Charlie?”

“Haz, what, what are you, ahhh, doing?” His eyes rolled back in his head at the pleasure he felt with his cock being milked by the tight arse of his companion.

“Why Charlie, I’m just enjoying my birthday present,” Hadrian kissed him. “You did intend to give me a birthday present, didn’t you?”

“Ahh, yes of course, ohhh . . . more . . . just hadn’t expected . . .YES! . . . ahh, this.”

Hadrian rode harder and faster now, stroking his own cock between them. He had the angle just right and was rubbing Charlie’s cock against his prostate with every thrust. He knew he wouldn’t last much longer, but he didn’t think Charlie would either.

Speeding up, both his riding and his hand, Hadrian threw his head back as he came hard, spilling his seed all over Charlie’s stomach and chest beneath him. His tightening muscles drew his lover into his own orgasm and he felt the warmth of the older wizard paint his insides.

When the both came back down from their highs, Hadrian kissed Charlie and cuddled against him. “Well,” Charlie breathed. “That’s one hell of a way to wake up in the morning.”

“Mmm hmm,” Hadrian murmured. “Well, don’t get too used to it. I have to leave in a couple of days.”

Charlie sighed. “I know, but it’s been great having you here Haz.” The older wizard glanced down at his lover. “You know, you could stay.”

Hadrian sat up. “No Charlie. We’ve been over this.” He looked stern now. “You are no more in love with me than I am with you. This trip has been great. Really great and I’ve learned a lot. But I am not ready to settle down and you will never give up your dragons. You know that!”

He sighed. “I know. But, you can’t blame a bloke for trying,” he smirked. “You are one hot wizard and I’ll miss you.”

Hadrian laughed. “I’ll be back Charlie. You know that. Just, not the forever kind, okay?”

They lazed in bed for a bit longer, then Charlie rolled out and made his way to the bathroom. He still had work today and Hadrian was going to be doing some final studies with the Hebridean Black.

Once Charlie had departed, Hadrian rose and showered. He knew what he had to do today and he was and wasn’t looking forward to it. The voice in his head that told him this was the right thing had never been wrong before in guiding his life choices, but it still felt a bit weird. He ate a quick breakfast in the refectory and then took the portkey to Sasha’s paddock.

Sasha was beautiful, for a dragon, and she was very lonely. They had held many a conversation over the past three weeks and today Hadrian was going to fly with her. He hadn’t done so previously as she was going into her oestrus cycle and if she was to have fertile eggs, he needed to be at maximum strength and so did she.

When he arrived, he saw her gliding overhead and he waved at her. She landed nearby and snuffled at him.

*You have returned speaker.*

*I have. Do you remember what we spoke of before?*

*You said you could help me. That wizards sometimes have more that one form and you could help me not be lonely.*

*Yes. Do you want that?*

*I don’t understand what you mean, but yes. I don’t want to be alone any more.*

*Very well.* Hadrian stepped away from her massive form and closed his eyes. He shifted and heard her give a roar of alarm. Opening his eyes, he saw that he was now a little taller than Sasha and he spread his wings wide, stretching them to his full extension. He stretched out his muzzle to her and rubbed her head. *Sacha?*

*How . . . how did you do that?*

*I told you I had another form.*

*Yes, but this? You . . . you are dragon!*

*Yes, I am dragon. I am called Tenebris. I would like to fly with you Sasha. Would you allow me to prove myself to you?*

She tilted her head then let out a breath of flame. *Catch me if you can then Tenebris!* She leapt into the air, Hadrian Tenebris a breath behind her, and the chase was on.

They flew high and fast and Sasha kept looking back at the magnificent male behind her. She knew she would let him catch her eventually, but she hadn’t had the chance to fly with another of her kind in so long. It was exhilarating!

When they eventually settled back to the ground near her den, they were both tired. Sasha had flown high and far and he’d had a job of it to not only keep up, but to catch and mate her. But he had managed and with a bit of magic, he was sure that this cycle would see her with fertile eggs that would give her a family of her own.

He sighed and dozed with her until the internal alarm he had set himself brought him back to awareness. Shifting back to his human form, he returned to the compound in time for a shower and dinner before collapsing into bed.

It had been a long day.

<><><> 

He woke a few hours later drenched in sweat. Groaning, Hadrian rolled over, his back aching. Had he really strained his muscles that much with Sacha today?

Rolling out of bed, he staggered to the bathroom and stood under the shower, allowing the hot water to roll over him and sooth the pain that was now shooting up and down his back.

“Ahhhh!” Hadrian cried out as particularly sharp spikes of pain shot up his back, along either side of his spine. Glad he had cast silencing wards on his room, normally to cover the results of his nightmares, he sank the floor on his hands and knees, retching from the pain.

He crouched there, heaving, his back spasming, the water running over him. Then he felt his back split open! There was no other way to describe it and intensity of the pain was enough for him to black out and slump to the floor.

Hadrian came back to himself to find the water still running over him in the shower, but the pain had gone.

Slowly, he stood and turned off the taps, stepping out unsteadily and picking up a towel to dry himself. He looked up into the mirror above the vanity and paused. He blinked. Rubbed his eyes and looked again.

The image staring back at him had changed. Some of the changes were small.

His hair was longer.

His ears slightly pointed at the top.

His skin paler.

His eyes. The white had disappeared and the black and green now filled them, the black narrowing to a vertical oval rather than its usual circle.

But the final change was fucking huge.

He had wings!

Great, big, black WINGS!

Hadrian reached up and ran his hand along the leading edge that rose above his shoulder. It was firm. Real. And . . . he pulled, ATTACHED!

Grabbing the sink in front of him he focused on his breathing. In . . . out . . . in . . . out . . . This was no time for a panic attack. He could handle this. Whatever this was.

Okay, think Hadrian! You just turned seventeen. What happens when you turn seventeen?

Magical maturity. Core growth. Inheritance.

He paused. Inheritance. He remembered reading about some wix that go through a Creature Inheritance when they reach core maturity. Could that be what this was? He snorted. What else could it be? Then he remembered what he had seen on his Inheritance Test about his Creature Status, unknown. Stonefang had told him it would not come until age seventeen and now, here he was.

He looked up at his features again. At his wings. If he had to describe them he would compare them most closely to a bird of prey’s wings in shape and pattern. Or if he were religious they resembled the wings often depicted on angels. Pure black, the colour of his hair, but with gold lines tracing the inner feathers very faintly.

Tentatively he tried to move them with the muscles in his back they were connected to and saw them flap forward and back. Then he thought of them being ‘down’ and they folded down until they hung like a cloak behind him. Hmmm. He concentrated on them and thought ‘up’ and they rose to attention again.

Hadrian walked back into his bedroom and practiced moving around with his wings up and down. He examined the rest of his body but could find no other changes, thank Merlin. Then he tried to sit down and jumped up again immediately as he sat on his wings, causing pain.

Concentrating again, he imagined that his wings folded back into his body. Hidden. He certainly couldn’t walk around in public like this. When he opened his eyes again, he had closed them? he saw that the wings were gone.

Grinning like a lunatic, he ‘wished’ them to come out and watched as they unfolded from his back once more. Again practicing this new trick Hadrian soon gained control, as he did with most instinctual magic. He imagined his eyes and ears back to human shapes as well and the creature characteristics receded.

Well, this was certainly an unexpected surprise. He would need to research magical creature inheritances and try to figure out what he was exactly. He could not recall reading about any creature with his characteristics in his OWL or NEWT studies and he definitely needed to figure this out. Maybe there would be something in one of his family grimoires.

Hadrian yawned.

But not today. Now, it was time to climb back into his bed and forget this happened. At least for a few hours.

<><><> 

Drifting in a sea of black he blinked. Was he dreaming?

“No my child, you are not dreaming, nor are you awake.” The voice was smooth, low and dark. Hadrian felt like he should know it.

“Where am I?” he asked.

“You are in the Between. The space between the living and the dead. A place closely related to dreaming and now that you have inherited your True Being, a place where I can speak to you.”

A presence drifted closer to him in that space of infinite nothingness. He was not afraid of either this presence or this place. He felt at peace.

“Why am I here and who are you?”

“You know who I am Hadrian. You are my master after all.”

“Death.”

“Indeed little Master. And now that you have come into your own power, you will be able to master mine. In time you will learn to fully understand the Death Magiks of the Peverell Family that I gifted to that line. It was done for a purpose you see. Many years ago and with much planning. All to cumulate in you.”

“Me? Why me?”

The presence laughed. “Because I made you little Master. You were born for a reason. Not the foolish prophesy of men that Dumbledore and Riddle follow. No, that was a mere distraction. You were born to unite my Hallows in preparation for a greater task. One that will take many years and bring you to many confrontations.”

“What task? What do you need me to do?” Hadrian by this point just felt acceptance. This was his life. One impossible thing after another for someone else’s purpose. Really, he just wanted to live his own life, but maybe he could do that alongside whatever Death required of him.

“You must unite the Stones of Power my child. The Infinity Stones have long been scattered but there is one who seeks my favour and has been driven mad by it. Unfortunately he has great power and must be stopped. I have brought you into existence as the one with the power to unite and subjugate, but not abuse, the Stones of Power. Only you will be able to hold them and harness them, to the betterment of the Universe and all its Creatures.”

Hadrian closed his eyes. Not that it made any difference in this place. “Right. Unite the Stones. Stop the bad guy. I can do that.”

“You will not be alone my Master. I will send you my Merchant and his allies to assist in your task. It will be a long road, but it will not be a lonely one. You will learn much but in time, you will find your happiness and if you succeed, you will bring Balance and Harmony to the Nine Realms.”

Hadrian bowed his head in acquiescence. “As you direct, so shall I proceed.”

The presence faded and a feeling of love and home suffused Hadrian’s being.

Chapter Text

August 1997 – January 1998

Two days after his birthday, Hadrian dragged himself out of bed and bid farewell to Director Fury, Charlie and the other handlers to port key back to Gringotts, London. He was met by Manager Stonefang and a smiling Bill Weasley. A very knowing smile that Hadrian couldn’t help blushing at.

“Hey Hadrian! How was the holiday with my lovely brother?”

“Manager Stonefang, may your blade never be dull,” he greeted with a bow. “Bill, good to see you looking well.” Hadrian made a valiant effort not to blush considering how he had woken up that morning, thanks to a devilishly handsome redhead’s wicked mouth.

“Greetings Lord Potter-Black, may your vaults overflow. It is good to see you returned looking so well.” Even the goblin had a sly smirk to him! “I have arranged a meeting for you with Heir William Weasley as one of our younger Curse Breakers, that you might have a better understanding of the role and the studies you will need to undertake.”

“Thank you Stonefang, that was most thoughtful of you.”

They had arrived by this point at a well-appointed office and Stonefang ushered both wizards inside. “Please come find me when you are done Lord Potter-Black.” The door closed and Hadrian raised his eyebrows at the abrupt departure.

“Well,” he said, turning back to face Bill. “I guess it’s just us.”

Bill smiled more broadly. “You get used to that.” He gestured to one of the chairs and they both sat either side of the table.

The room was stone of course, with rugs underfoot, a fireplace to one side and weapons decorating the walls. The table was a dark walnut and the chairs comfortable but no overly so. Hadrian stopped his mental inventory when Bill coughed to get his attention.

“So, what would you like to know about Curse Breaking?” he asked quietly.

“Actually Bill, I’ve been thinking.” Hadrian leaned forward. “I’ve done a little bit of travel over the past couple of years, between California and Romania, and realised there is a whole lot of world out there and I’m not sure that I’m all that ready to settle down just yet.” Bill opened his mouth but Hadrian held up a hand. “Now, I know what you’re going to say. You get to see a lot and travel all over as a Curse Breaker, but it’s not just the travel. I’ve been learning. I completed thirteen NEWTS in one year Bill! I’m not stupid and now that I don’t have to dumb myself down to fit in, I really enjoy learning.”

Bill nodded. “I do know what you mean Hadrian. You remind me of some of my Ravenclaw friends and, to be honest, I had wondered if you might feel that way when Stonefang told me about your NEWTs. The results came yesterday, did you know?”

“No! Where are they?” Hadrian jumped up and Bill waved him back down.

“Easy there Hadrian, I’ve got your envelope right here. You were in the Daily Prophet though because of them.” Hadrian groaned.

“Really?”

“Really,” Bill smiled as he handed over the sealed envelope.

Glancing up briefly and getting a nod, Hadrian split the seal and spread the parchment pages flat in front of him.

Dear Lord Potter-Black

The International Board of Education is pleased to congratulate you on the completion of your Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test (NEWT) examinations. Your results are as follows:

Passing grades:

O         Outstanding

EE       Exceeds Expectations

A          Acceptable

Failing grades:

P          Poor

D         Dreadful

T          Troll

Hadrian James Charlus Potter-Black

O**           Defence Against the Dark Arts

EE              Potions

O               Charms

EE              Herbology

EE              Astronomy

O*             Transfiguration

EE              History of Magic

EE              Care of Magical Creatures

O               Arithmancy

O               Ancient Runes

O               Muggle Studies

O               International Politics

O*             Battle Magiks

** Highest mark on record.

* Highest mark in the year.

Congratulations on your success Lord Potter-Black. We look forward to your continuing studies in due course. Please advise if you wish to register for a Mastery in any of those subjects where you have achieve EE or above.

Kind regards

Apolline Delacour

Chairwoman

Board of International Education

Almost straight O’s! And the highest mark on record for DADA?!? Wow!

Hadrian let out a sigh of relief. He had been confident of passing everything, but this was fantastic! He was eligible to complete Masteries in all thirteen subjects, if he wanted to. He turned the letter and handed the page to Bill.

“Well done Hadrian! That’s very impressive.” He handed the page back to the younger wizard and eyed him thoughtfully. “So, what do you want to do? Still want to be just a Curse Breaker?”

“Ahh Bill, there’s no just about it. I’ve just been thinking about, maybe, expanding my options?”

“Well,” he laughed. “It’s not like you need the money! And you are now of age so you can do whatever you want.” He looked at him more closely. “So, what do you want?”

Hadrian sat back. He’d been thinking that question a lot lately. “I don’t want to be the Ministry’s poster boy. I don’t want to be a pawn in anyone’s game.” He hummed as he considered how much to tell Bill. Then he leaned forward again. “Bill, did you know about the prophesy Dumbledore’s been trying to keep from Lord Voldemort the last few years?” Bill nodded. “Well, supposedly it’s about Voldie and me and it’s the reason why he tried to kill me way back when. Not to mention every chance he could since I turned eleven.”

Bill tilted his head and considered the young man before him.

“I’ve already visited the Department of Mysteries and they showed it to me. I know what it says and it’s rubbish. It’s a fake. My parents were killed for nothing.” His eyes were distant now, remembering. “I’ve been the Boy-Who-Lived, the Heir of Slytherin, the Saviour, the Liar, now the Chosen One. But you know what? None of that was real. And now that Lord Voldemort has disappeared and the Death Eaters have effectively disbanded, I’m not interested in being any of those anymore. I just want to be me.

“So, I think I’d like to do my Curse Breaker Apprenticeship still, but I’d like to travel for a year first, take my time seeing some more of the world. Then, maybe I can do more research and gain my other Masteries once I complete my first with Gringotts. I’d like to be able to do them on the side though, and work for the Goblin Nation if they’ll have me. I have a lot of respect for them and what they have done for me already.

“But first, I just . . . I need to get away for a bit, you know?”

Bill stared at him, considering. “I do Hadrian. Not to the extent that you do, obviously, but I get it. And, I just want you to know, I’m here for you.”

<><><> 

Marvolo Gaunt, Lord Slytherin was at peace. He had not been able to recover his ring but had completed the ritual regardless to return his horcruxes to himself. He now knew of the Ring, Harry Potter and Nagini as the remaining Horcruxes but he felt, balanced. He was not sure why as it would seem that there were still four soul pieces in existence, but four was not a magically balanced number.

He could only assume that the ring had been destroyed and that soul piece was either now returned to him or had found a home in Harry Potter as well.

He shrugged, either way, his sanity had fully returned and his ruthless murdering and days of destruction and torture were over.

Marvolo walked through Slytherin Castle to his office and read through another of the many reports he had. Being a Dark Lord came with a lot of paperwork, but to his surprise, he rather enjoyed it. He had spent several months consolidating his place in the Wizengamot and now the Dark Faction was stronger than ever. The foolishness of some of the Light’s proposals was being exposed and with the re-count of the many votes that Dumbledore had used his illegal proxy over Potter and Black had seen several unjust laws repealed. The mess from that was still being sorted out.

He considered a new bill that was being put forward by the Neutral or Gray Faction. It was an interesting one and in line with some of his own thinking. Marcus Greengrass had proposed a primary or preparatory school it seemed for all wix, from ages eight to eleven, to learn about wixen culture and history before going to Hogwarts. It would be a summer school so that those who were muggle born or raised could still attend.

He was very interested in the proposal and made several notes and annotations. He should meet with Lord Greengrass to find out more of his idea and the motivations. If it was as he suspected, he would bring the weight of the Dark Faction to support the bill.

It was another step towards integration of the muggle borns into the wixen culture and with the battle still happening to have the classes reinstated at Hogwarts, this could support his position there too.

Smiling, Marvolo penned an invitation to Lord Greengrass for a luncheon to discuss his bill. This could be the start of the revolution he had been hoping for.

And a bloodless one at that.

<><><> 

Dear Dadfoot

How’s Moony treating you? Hopefully you’re both back up to all your old tricks and looking after each other.

I’ve decided now that the Ministry is taken care of and I’m out of the country that it’s time to address the issues I left behind at Hogwarts. Time for some new management perhaps?

Given what we learned earlier this year at Gringotts, my legal team have managed to put together enough evidence to sue A***D for what he did to me, leaving your names out of it all for now.

Let me know what you think and if you want in.

I’m going to use the publicity from the suit to get the Hogwarts’ curriculum re-vamped through the Board and the Ministry to be more in line with International Standards. I can’t believe how many subjects have been cut in the last fifty years!

Love to you both

HJC

***

Hadrian

I don’t know what you are alluding to young man, but I can assure you that we are both in fine form.

Given the precarious position I am still in with the Ministry, it is probably best to leave me out of any legal action at this point in time. But know that you have our full support!

It would be great to see Hogwarts offering more subjects and even just with more teachers. So many of them are overworked as it is.

Moony misses teaching I know but with those Creature Laws introduced by Umbridge, he just has no chance.

We hope that your travels are interesting and that you are staying safe.

Love you pup

Dadfoot

<><><> 

Marvolo strode into the Ministry, his new look and name cloaking him in safety. Having accepted the four pieces of his soul back into himself he now held nearly half of himself again which had made a massive difference to both his body and his mind.

Now, with his wavy brown hair groomed to a cut that showcased his high cheekbones and sculpted bone structure. His dark green robes with silver trim highlighted his Slytherin heritage and swept around his tall and now well-muscled frame. He smiled as he registered his wand at the security station and continued on to the Wizengamot Chamber.

His mind was clear and the fog of insanity that had started to plague him since he had made his fourth horcrux. It was then that he had lost his way and started to attack muggles and muggleborns directly. Violence was not the way. It was a weakness, not a strength, and he refused to fall into that trap again.

Marvolo would be claiming his Slytherin seat today, formally, and then he could start reaching out to the other ministries. He hoped to bring his ideas to light and seek support for them across a much broader audience in the hope that Magic could be revived. He had seen too much of it weakening and was determined to see that reversed.

The peerage were gathering outside the Chamber and he joined Lucius Malfoy and Xavier Nott. “Gentlemen,” he greeted softly.

“Lord Slytherin,” Lucius replied, echoed by Nott. “Are you ready to take up your mantle my Lord?”

Marvolo smirked. “I can’t wait to see the old fool’s face.” His last twelve months had certainly been more productive than the previous year. Such a fool he had been to be chasing after a prophesy. Harry Potter had removed himself from the game and now, now he had as well. Voldemort was no more and Marvolo Gaunt-Slytherin had risen in his place.

At the sound of the gong, the three entered the Chamber. Malfoy and Nott’s robes changing on the threshold to the plum coloured robes of the Wizengamot. Marvolo made his way to the observation ranks for now. He would have to wait for the moment of claiming to be called.

Soon, all had settled to their seats and Albus Dumbledore entered, sweeping to his place as Chief Warlock. He gazed around the room but the notice-me-not charm Marvolo had placed on himself worked admirably as that twinkly blue gaze passed over him.

“Welcome Lords and Ladies, Minister and guests. I hereby open the Wizengamot session of August 1997.” He banged a gavel on the lectern before him. “Before we begin, are there any seats to be claimed at this time?” He looked around, focusing on the observation ranks and two redheaded young wizards stood and moved forward.

“We, Frederick and Georgeus Weasley-Prewitt, do hereby claim the Lordship seats of the House of Prewitt.” Albus smiled graciously and nodded as the Prewitt seats lit up, glowing acceptance of their claim.

Marvolo stood then and stepped forward, cancelling the charm. “I, Marvolo Gaunt-Slytherin, do hereby claim the Lordship seat of the House of Slytherin.” The Gaunts had not held any seats for generations, but the Slytherin seats were currently held in proxy by the Headmaster of Hogwarts. He smiled benignly up at Dumbledore’s furious face.

“By what right do you claim Slytherin?” came the angry retort.

Marvolo simply raised an eyebrow. “By blood. As confirmed by the Goblin Nation.” He raised his hand to display the Slytherin lordship ring for all to see. The Slytherin seats lit up, glowing gold in their acceptance of his claim and Marvolo made his way to the position, smiling genially at those around him.

Dumbledore glowered but had no choice but to accept him. The Chamber had spoken after all. “Welcome Lords Prewitt, Lord Slytherin,” he intoned.

Dumbledore coughed and banged his gavel, bringing the attention back to himself and, resolving to ignore the Slytherin seat for the moment, deeming the threat negligible for now. He didn’t think Voldemort, he knew it was he, would make an open move at this time, so he moved on with the agenda. They had several matters of importance to vote on prior to the Werewolf Registration Bill that was due today after all.

The first three votes passed uneventfully, with the Slytherin seat abstaining from all and Dumbledore’s confidence growing each time. It seemed that the Dark Lord was content to watch at this time and not interfere. Better and better the old warlock thought.

Then the Werewolf Bill was presented and the arguments for and against were presented and debated. It was a nasty piece of work from what Marvolo had read. Basically stripping the rights of Werewolves even further and making it practically impossible for them to get any decent job.

Lords Malfoy, Avery and Nott all spoke against the Bill as written and proposed further consideration and amendment. Then came the Dumbledore supporters. Marvolo had wondered where this filth had originated and had been expecting it, if he was honest with himself. Dumbledore seemed determined to keep everything static, locked in the past, his head buried in the sand whilst he preached change and Light and integration with the Muggles.

Seeing who spoke in the Bill’s defence just confirmed it and he felt sick at this betrayal of the purity of Magic. It certainly made a mockery of the Order of the Phoenix and what they fought for.

Eyes shadowed, when the vote was called, it was close, too close and Marvolo cast his vote, Slytherin’s vote, which was enough to shut down the Bill, effectively sending it back to the drawing board.

Albus was furious. He’d had a majority. Just, but it should have passed! Damn Voldemort! Why was he doing this? He would have to find a way to denounce him. Publicly. Take down this new face and name he had crafted for himself. Yes. He could do that. Afterall, he was Albus Wulfric Percival Brian Dumbledore!

Seething, Albus processed the vote and closed the Wizengamot session, noting the next sitting date in four weeks’ time. Banging his gavel a final time, he swept from the Chamber, in no mood for socialisation or networking after that disaster.

Marvolo sat in his seat, thankful for the swift exit of the Chief Warlock. If he had tried to approach him, Marvolo felt he may have hexed him. Lucius came over to him. “Well done my Lord. That Bill really isn’t a good idea and hopefully this will ensure a fairer solution in the next iteration.”

He looked wearily at Lord Malfoy. “I hope so Luc. I hope so.”

<><><> 

Tripping around Eastern Europe was fun! He had started in Bulgaria with a visit to Victor Krum and got some great advice before heading off. The Bulgarian language wasn’t too hard to pick up and after five weeks in the Seeker’s company, he was relatively fluent.

Hadrian headed north east, up through Romania, Moldova and the Ukraine, spending Yule amongst the wizards in Kyiv. Then Belarus and Lithuania before swinging back west and south through Poland to Slovakia and Hungary. By the time the Summer Solstice arrived, he was back on the Mediterranean Sea in Athens, Greece.

Bulgaria was not really what Hadrian had expected. With majestic mountains and forests to sunny beaches and lakes, it was far warmer than he had been led to believe. Victor assured him that Durmstrang was further north and colder but his homeland was vibrant and rich in culture and history. During the five weeks he was there they visited amazing muggle and wizard architecture, the Stone Forest in Varna, the Sea Garden and Museum of Salt in Burgas and even the Ethnographic Museum in Plovdiv. It was incredible! The nightclubs were good too and they had some wild nights out with Victor’s friends.

Best of all though, was Victor took him flying at the National Team’s Quidditch Pitch. Hadrian got to fly and even run through some training exercises with the team and remembered just how much he loved Quidditch, although it was really the thrill of the flight that held his heart. They chased the snitch and Hadrian managed to hold his own well enough, although Victor beat him in the end when they made a competition of it.

It was different to flying in his Animagus form. Tenebris. One with the dark.

He sometimes travelled at night in his dragon form, as Tenebris, once he moved on from Bulgaria. It was good to stretch his wings and keep his muscles fit in this form.

Romania was a country of contrasts. Natural beauty such as he had seen at the Dragon Preserve, to modern muggle culture. Historic monuments and ancient traditions, from the castles of Transylvania to the varied coastline of the Black Sea.

The Black Sea was of particular interest to Hadrian, or rather Tenebris, as the air currents over the water were different to those he was used to. Flying at night or the very early morning meant that he could experience the changing dynamics of the Sea and even diving down deep to swim in it in his dragon form.

It was there that he also tried out flying with his creature wings. He still hadn’t found anything to explain exactly what he was, but that didn’t stop him from trying to figure out what it meant to him personally. As such, he used this time to test his wings and develop his new muscles and their connections with his body.

Hadrian found that with a little time, similar to his practice as Tenebris, he was able to strengthen his flight muscles to the point where his new wings could support his weight and allow him to fly unaided.

Just like with Tenebris, it was incredible! His new eyes, when he brought them forth, allowed him to see great distances, similar to his dragon sight, whilst his ears picked up sounds from further away and tune into them. It was all a matter of practice and this world trip was going to afford him the time to do just that, in both his new forms.

Modova and Ukraine brought disturbing whispers as he travelled through. The wizarding communities were smaller here and kept to themselves. There was a rich yet traumatic history here but it was the whispers of children taken, families that just disappeared, that made him wary.

Shaking his head, Hadrian moved on. There was nothing he could do. He was no hero.

Yule found him in Kyiv, Ukraine. Down by the Dnieper River was the wizarding district and he found himself a hotel overlooking the river and the City Garden. It was old but well cared for and the quality of the finishings made it quite comfortable.

Hadrian wandered down their equivalent of Diagon Alley, a place known as Vunderkind Prov (Prodigy Lane). It was sparsely populated, this close to Yule with the snow making huge drifts in the spaces between the buildings. When he first strolled through, it was dusk and many of the stores had already closed, so perhaps that was the reason for so few shoppers.

He looked in the windows of the various premises and spotted a few, a book store, an apothecary and a jewellery store, that he wouldn’t mind visiting when they were open. There was a tavern part way down however that he was headed to this evening, the dark smoky atmosphere just what he was in the mood for.

He was wearing his black leather trousers, a dark green long sleeve button up, black leather jacket and his dragonhide boots. With his raven hair falling past his shoulders and holding no more than a curl, he looked older than his seventeen years. Wild yet elegant.

Untameable.

Untouchable.

He slouched his way into the tavern and breathed in the atmosphere. It was dark, but not oppressive. A few steps brought him to the bar and he ordered a glass of white wine, locally made from the Telti Kuruk grape. He had discovered it at one of his earlier stops and had taken quite a liking to it.

Taking his drink and ordering a meal, he made his way to a table by the fire where he could take up one of his favourite activities. People watching.

He smirked around his glass as he watched several couples traverse their meals. Two friends were conversing at the table beside him and, listening closely, he started to pick up a the gist of their conversation. Learning languages was a passion for him and the more he travelled, the more he learned.

Ukrainian was quite similar to Russian, for obvious reasons, but as he had yet to learn that language, he was absorbing as much Ukrainian as he could.

Hadrian was somewhat surprised however, that when his meal was delivered, another patron also chose to sit down at his table.

“Pryvit yunache, ty tut zovsim odyn?” (Hello young man, are you here all alone?)

Hadrian was able to pick up the meaning of the words mostly from his listening in, but also as they ran across the surface of this man’s mind. He was a slim looking wizard, probably in his late thirties, with sandy blonde hair that would have reminded him of Remus Lupin, except it was straight and thinning.

“Dobryy vechir, ya odyn, poky shcho.” (Good evening, I am alone, for now.) The man seemed interesting but he was unsure why he had chosen to seat himself at Hadrian’s table. “Ty kohos’ shukav? Chy shcho?” (Were you looking for someone? Or something?)

The man laughed. “Ni, druzhe. Ty zdavavsya samotnim i zatsikavyv mene.” (No my friend. You seemed lonely and you interested me.)

Hadrian nodded. “Tse buvaye. Chastishe zdayetʹsya.” (It happens. More often than not it seems.)

“Mozhlyvo, my mohly b sklasty odyn odnomu kompaniyu?” (Perhaps we could keep each other company?) the older wizard suggested.

Hadrian considered him for a moment, then shook his head. “Dumayu, ne miy druh. Ya ne zbyrayusya zihrivaty svoye lizhko tsiyeyi nochi.” (I think not my friend. I am not looking to warm my bed this night.)

The older wizard’s face fell, his smile disappearing. “Vy vpevneni, shcho sʹohodni vvecheri ne mohly b skorystatysya druhom?” (Are you certain you could not use a friend tonight?) Hadrian eyed the changed expression and considered his options. Obviously this man would not be taking a simple no for an answer. He sighed.

“Slukhay, ya prosto khochu povecheryaty, dopyty vyno i yty.” (Look, I just want to eat my dinner, finish my wine, and be on my way.) Hadrian’s gaze dropped to where the other man’s hand had moved to a position just shy of drawing a wand. His eyes narrowed. “Vy diysno ne khochete tsʹoho robyty.” (You really don’t want to do that.)

The other wizard snarled, seeing his advantage lost. He jumped to his feet, drawing his wand.

Hadrian merely looked at him and cast a silent protego maxima around himself. His Animagus form transferred a fair portion of magical resistance to him even in his human form, but there was no need to advertise that fact.

The spell that hit him was purple and bounced off his shield into the chair at the table next to them, causing it to splinter and disintegrate.

“Well, that wasn’t very nice, was it?” he asked in English.

The wizard just snarled and the other patrons around them got out of the way. Hadrian was well versed in Battle Magiks at this point and had been to several duelling competitions in his travels. As such, he had seen many useful offensive and defensive spells used in battle and had applied this knowledge in his own private practices. He didn’t often get the chance to actually fight a live opponent however so he didn’t want this to be over too soon.

Slowly standing, he moved the table out of the way so it wouldn’t get any more damaged, if possible. He looked forlornly however when his dinner was blasted off the surface and onto the floor. There would be no saving that now.

He watched as the sandy haired wizard continue to shoot spells at him. He managed to identify most of them. Conjunctivitis, Stupify, Incarcerous, Tarantallegra, Reductor, Locomotor Mortis and even a Titillando. Inventive, if nothing else.

Hadrian adjusted his shield spell to one that would absorb the energy of those thrown against it, rather than repelling, after the first spell fired. He had quickly realised his mistake in such a crowded area and cast Custodire Omnia. Tiring quickly of a duel that held no challenge. The man could not even break through his shield, Hadrian decided to just end it. He quickly cast Langlock and Impedimentia, followed by an Incarcerous, taking down the attacking wizard in short order.

“Now, who are you? Why are you attacking me?” he asked, his voice deadly.

The man just stared up at him, his jaw working. Hadrian finally drew his wand and held it at he man’s throat, then released the Langlock. “Who are you?” he repeated.

The wizard on the ground mere smiled. More of a grimace really and stared up at Hadrian. “Hail . . . Hydra!” Then he bit down hard on something in his mouth and thrashed, foam coming from between his lips.

Hadrian had jumped back at that and then looked around for someone to help. But everyone had left the tavern, escaping the battle whilst they still could.

Hydra?

Who or what was Hydra? And what did they want with him?

Hadrian was shaken by this development. He didn’t want anything to do with any dark factions or cults or madmen of any kind. He had left all that behind with Voldemort. He didn’t need another one looking at him funny.

He gathered his wits and left the building. Time to leave. Making his way back to the hotel, he quickly packed his things, shrinking his bag and pocketing it, then made his way to the roof. He cast a notice-me-not on himself and then shifted. He took off in record time, heading for the clouds and out of sight.

This was not a place he wanted to be.

Not until he learned more about this Hydra.

<><><> 

Dadfoot and Moony

Buckle up boys! Keep an eye on the papers as you’ll see the results come out any day now.

I’ve just received word that my legal team have been successful and Dumbles has been convicted! I’ve never heard of such vindictive sentencing but it seems that the blocking of a minor’s core and family magiks is severely frowned upon. Not to mention the attempted line theft that my team hit him with.

Amelia Bones was livid I hear and as you’ll see, the illustrious headmaster will now have plenty of time with the Dementors to reconsider his actions of the last few decades.

Also, I have raised the issue of your non-trial with Director Bones and have been assured the matter is being looked into. So, hopefully we will have some news on that front soon too.

Travel has been good for me and I have come across many interesting people and cultures. My list of languages is growing and I’ve got something I should probably share with you but it will have to wait until I get back.

No, I am not pregnant.

Honestly Dadfoot, the places I just know your mind will have gone.

Take care, both of you.

HJC

PS – ever heard of a group called Hydra??

***

Pup (Cub)

I would never have thought that of you! (Yes he would, and did, for a moment, it was priceless to see his expression!) Moony is being mean to me pup, do you see what I have to put up with? (ha!)

The news was all over the Daily Prophet though. What a bombshell! (or a dungbomb!) The Order is split. Some are still fighting for Albus’ innocence and saying its all a set up. Others are distancing themselves as fast as possible, disgusted by what he did.

Honestly, knowing the truth directly, its been educational to see the fallout. Do you have any more secrets up your sleeves to rain down on the unsuspecting masses? I just hope you are doing okay son. (We both do cub)

Enjoy your travels and let us know if we can help in any way.

Dadfoot and Moony

***

Dadfoot and Moony

Now you mention it, there is something you two could do for me. I’ve heard from Madame Bones that they have found Peter Pettigrew. He turned himself in for some reason and the truth has come out. Finally!

So, dearest Father, you are now a free man! Please go and see Madame Bones at your earliest convenience and claim your freedom!

Moony, please make sure he doesn’t do anything foolish. Well, as much as possible.

Take care.

HJC

<><><> 

February 1998 – June 1998

Hadrian floated through Belarus and Lithuania before swinging back west and south through Poland. It was up here somewhere that Durmstrang was hidden. He flew around the snowy wastes and up into the mountains, but to no avail. It was well and truly hidden and therefore protected. So, that was a good thing.

Hadrian had run across references to the mysterious Hydra a couple more times but each time he did, he left immediately. He did not want to get involved.

But he may not have a choice. That voice was whispering to him again in his mind and he knew that at some point, Hydra would become his problem, even if it was not now.

He flew up and over the Baltic Sea before returning to the land and crossing overland to Slovakia and Hungary, staying for several weeks in Budapest. That was an experience and it took quite a bit of willpower to pull himself away from the various wizarding crafts that he managed to pick up in that city. However, by the time the Summer Solstice arrived, he had made his way to Athens, Greece. Just in time for the Wizarding Games.

They took place over five days and including Battle Mage Duels, Archery, Potions, Warding, even an obstacle course with various creatures and spells to get through reminiscent of the Third Task from the Triwizard Tournament. Hadrian was fascinated.

He attended every day and every night he would go to a new bar or café or restaurant. He spent a total of three weeks in the city, taking in all it had to offer.

It was the Acropolis that drew him in however. He found the runes carved into the pillars, hidden by magic and when he laid his hand over Sowelo, the same rune as his scar, he felt the power within the structure stir.

Oh yes, there was power here. It was sleeping, but it was not gone.

Why was the power of this great edifice asleep? What was it waiting for?

Hadrian ran his hand over the rune once more and looked around him.

There was so much he still had to learn.

<><><> 

Hadrian

I’m free! You wonderful, amazing, generous wizard of a son! Thank you!!

We can’t wait for you to visit so we can all celebrate. And don’t you have something you wanted to show us?

Make it soon,

Padfoot

Hadrian held the letter in his hand as he arrived back at Curatrix Manor and dropped off his bag in his room before putting it on his desk. He considered sending a written response, then smiled and decided to surprise the old dog. Taking a quick shower, he dressed himself in his favourite black leather pants, boots and jacket, with a dark green shirt underneath. With his longish hair hanging loose, he shadowed to the park out the front of 12 Grimmauld Place then strode across, after checking the way was clear with his magic, to open the door. It was his house after all.

The door opened slowly and he stepped into the still somewhat gloomy entry. “Sirius!” he called out into the stillness. He heard a thump and a yelp and smiled to himself. Then the thundering footsteps of a body clattering down the stairs preceded his father almost falling at his feet.

“Pup!” and he was engulfed in an embrace from the man before him. “You’re back!”

Hadrian laughed. “Yes, I just got back from my travels and thought I’d drop by to see my old dog of a father. How’d freedom suiting you?”

“Ahh pup, the things I can do now!”

“And does,” grumbled Remus as he appeared on the stairs, having followed Sirius down more sedately. Hadrian laughed again and then snagged a hug from his wolfy godfather.

“Good to see you too Moony.” He grinned slyly then. “So, I thought of a couple of ways to celebrate your freedom Dadfoot, are you up for a surprise or two?”

Sirius lit up at that. He loved surprises after all. “Of course!” Remus just groaned.

“Alright then you two. My plan is to go out for drinks and dinner but before that, I want take you both somewhere special to me and tell you what I alluded to in my letters.” The two marauders exchanged loaded looks and then nodded.

“I take it formal attire is not required?” Sirius gestured to Hadrian’s leathers. He sniggered, “Definitely not. Go on then, go get yourselves presentable and we’ll go.”

It was only twenty minutes before both men rejoined him in the Library where he had made himself at home with the many books to be perused and Hadrian turned to them with a huge grin on his face. “Ready then?” They both nodded and he took their hands and shadowed them to Eagle’s Nest.

“Cub? What was that? And where are we?” Remus was looking around curiously.

“Well, one of my Family Magiks is Shadow Magic and I find travelling by Shadow much more comfortable than Aparition or Port Keys. How did you find it?”

“Smooth,” Sirius answered. “Very smooth.” He was grinning at his pup.

“As for where we are, this is Eagle’s Nest, Ravenclaw’s principal seat. It’s up in Scotland so a bit cooler than you might expect. We’ll need to go outside though for me to show you my next trick.” Hadrian smiled at them and led them out to the gardens, nodding to his house elves as they passed.

Once out in the open with the two older men he took a deep breath. “So, I guess its kind of a marauder tradition by this point and I wanted the two of you to be the first I actually told, although I achieved it two years ago.”

“Achieved what?” Sirius asked. Remus however seemed to have caught on with his references, his eye’s lighting up.

Hadrian just smiled and said. “Well, I’d like you both to meet Tenebrus.” Then he shifted.

Sirius jumped back as he looked up and up and up to the head of the great black dragon now standing over him. “Great Morgana, Mother and Merlin!” he exclaimed. Remus just stepped back with a smile on his face as he looked over Hadrian’s animagus form.

“Well done Hadrian! Or do you prefer Tenebrus in this form?”

The dragon lowered its head and huffed, then nudged Sirius so that he almost fell over. “Hadrian? Pup?”

Laughing, Hadrian shifted back to himself and was engulfed in a double hug.

“A DRAGON! Oh pup! You don’t do things by halves do you?”

“Well, its not like I intended it. I just did the Animagus ritual and this is what I ended up with! You won’t believe how glad I was that I did the final part outside and not in the library or something.” Moony and Padfoot were laughing at that image and Hadrian joined in. He guided them back inside and then gave them a tour of the castle. They lost Moony to the great library but Sirius stayed for the whole thing and Hadrian was able to tell him a bit about Ravenclaw’s history, pointing out various portraits and artefacts collected over the years.

It made for a pleasant afternoon and a lot of ribbing from his Dogfather before they returned to London for the promised boys’ night out, but Hadrian was happy he had shared this part of him with the older men.

He still had a big secret but he wasn’t sure if he could ever share his ‘Fae Child of Death’ self with anyone.

It was just too dangerous.

Chapter Text

July 2007

Hadrian’s twenty seventh birthday brought him back to Malibu, California. It had been eleven years since he had first holidayed here and he’d not managed to return since. He booked into the same resort and even, nostalgically, the same suite. Dropping his bag on the bed, he wandered out the doors to the beach as he had so many years ago and wondered if Tony was still living in the area.

He smiled fondly and ran his hand over the hummingbird tattoo over his heart as he thought back to his first lover. There had been many since as he travelled the world for Gringotts, but he would never forget that night. That first awakening to pleasure.

Hadrian had just retired from Gringotts as one of their top wixen Curse Breakers. He’d had the opportunity to work with many excellent witches and wizards, goblins and creatures over the years. He’d even managed to complete all thirteen of his chosen Masteries and become fluent in over forty languages as he immersed himself in various cultures.

Along the way he had mastered many of his creature skills and Death had visited him many times, dragging him into the Between instead of dreaming. It was there that his training in Death’s own magic occurred. Interestingly enough, he always woke the next day as if he’d had the best night’s sleep, so he couldn’t even complain.

He had searched the entire world for evidence of other creatures or beings such as himself along the way. And found none. Death wouldn’t even give him a hint, simply saying he would know when the time was right.

So, once again, he was a freak.

But at least this time, no one else knew. He had managed to keep that side of himself hidden.

Breathing deeply of the salt filled air, he closed his eyes and let the breeze wash over him. It was time for a break. Four weeks to reset and refresh before he took up his new job within the rejuvenated British Ministry.

Much of the corruption had been weeded out and Lord Slytherin had removed the outdated and discriminatory creature laws. There were now magical orphanages and a preparatory school for muggle born and muggle raised students to be introduced to the Wizarding World before Hogwarts, alongside the summer programs for those that could not attend full time that were initially introduced.

So, much as he has always despised the British Ministry of Magic, he had finally accepted the offer to join the Department of Mysteries as an Unspeakable – special division. He didn’t quite know what they did but had the general understanding that they acted as the Ministry’s Intelligence Unit, somewhat similar to Muggle Britain’s MI6.

It would be interesting work and allow him to use his experience and knowledge to help uphold the new world that was still being shaped. To be a small part of it.

Not a hero.

Just able to indulge his ‘saving people thing’ in a constructive way.

Hadrian grinned. Constructive was a very good word for it he had to admit. Charlie always did have a way with words like that.

Sighing, he returned to his room and changed before heading for the water and a swim. It would be easy to just be himself here for a few weeks. To be invisible.

<><><> 

It only took a few days for Hadrian to settle into a comfortable routine. Rise with the sun. Swim. Shower and breakfast at the café just down from the resort on the beach and people watch. Check out the new stores or ride his motorbike through the hills surrounding the township. Lunch at a café or restaurant that took his fancy and people watch. Back to his suite to go for another swim or read a book down by the water. Shower and dress before heading out for a night on the town.

Drinks. Dinner. Dancing.

More often than not, he would bring someone home as well to warm his bed. Or follow them to their bed.

He wouldn’t have called himself a playboy. But then again. Maybe Tony had made more of an impression on sixteen year old Hadrian than he had thought.

He had seen his picture in the muggle newspaper. Knew him now as Tony Stark. Knew him as a genius, philanthropist, billionaire, playboy. And, well, when he thought about it, what was he himself really?

Hadrian knew he would also be classified as a genius, philanthropist, billionaire, playboy in the wizarding world. He just also happened to be a wizard and a being. Plus, he didn’t like the spotlight like his Tony did.

Huh. His Tony? Where did that come from?

It must have been being back in Malibu that had him feeling these things but he decided not to let it worry him. Tony Stark was a muggle. Not a part of his world. Not really.

Then again, there was that nickname he had seen him called. Merchant of Death. Could his Tony actually be Death’s Merchant that he had been told would aid him in his greater destiny? Was it closing in on him?

Not yet. Please, not yet.

The second Wednesday came around in easy fashion and Hadrian went out again, as usual. He had dressed in his favourite black leather trousers, black dragonhide boots and a dark green silk shirt that brought out his eyes even more. With his long hair loose and his easy confidence, he jumped on his bike and headed out to find some fun.

Drinks at the marina were followed by dinner at a new Indian restaurant that had been recommended to him. It was open air and served authentic dishes which he rather enjoyed now that he had learned more of his Potter heritage and visited several ancestral homes and extended family in India.

When he had finished his meal, and his people watching, he had given his ticket to the valet to fetch his bike when he felt a presence next to him.

“Lovely evening for a night out?” the stranger started with a smile.

Hadrian looked over and checked him out, feeling a sense of de-ja-vu. The man was similar height to himself, dark brown almost black hair, neatly trimmed goatee and attractively intelligent blue eyes. Hadrian smiled, “It is rather, isn’t it? Are you waiting for anyone . . .” he indicated back into the restaurant.

The man shook his head, “Just a good time. You?”

Hadrian smirked. “Same. Where you headed next? I’m hoping to find somewhere to dance.” He couldn’t resist the repetition of this conversation. He wondered if Tony had recognised him from his younger self.

Tony was busy cataloguing. British accent. Mid twenties? Sexy as hell. He seemed, familiar. Unattached. Interested . . . “I’d suggest Caterwaul. They tend to have a good crowd, good music, and the dancefloor doesn’t get crowded. It’s only four blocks over,” he suggested, pointing the direction. “Can’t miss it.” His smile was downright sinful.

Hadrian nodded, his eyes twinkling as his bike was brought up and the valet jumped off and handed him the key. “Sound’s perfect.” He straddled the bike. “Will I see you there Tony?” The other man startled and his grin became shit eating, then he gunned the engine and rode away.

Tony stood there watching him. Damn, sexy as hell is right. He knows who I am, but I have a feeling I should know him too.

His Ferrari was brought up at that point and he quickly followed the Brit to the nightclub. This was looking like it could be a very good night. He needed to remember how he knew this man. Probably another evening much like this one, but . . . Tony concentrated. He was determined to reach the club on the heels of this gorgeous man and unravel his mystery.

Tony pulled up to the valet parking for the club as he saw his target hand over his bike to the staff. Hadrian grinned and waited for Tony to do the same. “So, do you like to dance?”

The other man grinned. “As a matter of fact I do. Tony,” he introduced himself, holding out a hand.

“I know,” he winked and took his hand to kiss it. “Hadrian.”

Tony blinked. Hadrian? There had only ever been one Hadrian. It had been here. In Malibu. Eleven years ago. The first man he had ever been the first to. This man?

“Hadrian? As in we’ve met before like eleven years ago Hadrian?”

The grin became a smirk. “The very same. Shall we dance?” Hadrian placed a hand in the small of Tony’s back and, still holding the other hand, led him out onto the dance floor and took him in his arms. Hadrian was happy to lead or be led, but this first time, he wanted to show this wonderful man what he had learned over the last decade.

Tony found himself bemused. Hadrian had aged well and filled out somewhat from what his memory supplied and he allowed himself to be held and led in the first dance but happily switched to the dominant role for the second. They switched several times over the course of the next hour before he suggested breaking for a drink.

Carrying their glasses of scotch out onto the terrace, it was rather reminiscent of their first and only night together.

“It’s good to see you again Tony,” Hadrian said softly, running a hand up the other’s arm. “I was hoping I might bump into you.”

“Well, some things never change around here, you know?”

“Hmmm, and some things do.” He looked at the older man more closely. “How have you been?”

“Oh, well, you know. Working. Tinkering. Playing . . .” Tony leaned in at the last word, bringing his lips closer to the other.

Hadrian’s gaze had dropped to those lips and ran his tongue over his own. Tony groaned at the sight and captured them with his own in a searing yet tender kiss. It deepened quickly as heat erupted under their skin and Hadrian opening his mouth to Tony’s questing tongue. Drinks forgotten, they came closer and their bodies revelled in the shared heat between them.

When they finally came up for air, Hadrian rested his forehead against the brunette’s. “Your place or mine?”

Tony huffed a laugh. “Shall we try mine this time?” Hadrian just nodded and kissed him again. Tony moaned into the younger man’s mouth as this time Hadrian took control. Then they were leaving and calling for their vehicles. Tony drove quickly back to his beach house on the foreshore, the light of Hadrian’s bike close behind him as he followed.

Soon, he was pulling into the garage and Hadrian pulled up beside him, looking over his collection of cars and bikes with interest he whistled. “Nice,” he smiled lazily at him as he swung his leather clad leg over the machine and walked up to him, crowding him back against the door of his own vehicle. Then his hands were skating up over his stomach, his chest and into his hair as he pressed his own hard planes flush against him. Nuzzling at his neck, peppering kisses up towards his ear he whispered, “so where’s the bedroom? Or did you want to start down here?”

Tony flushed at the sheer sexual magnetism of the man. Of an intensity to match his own and it fuelled his desire. He grabbed Hadrian’s hand and pulling him swiftly to the lift spoke breathlessly, “JARVIS, master bedroom!” The door closed and he drew Hadrian to him in another burning, bruising kiss.

When the doors opened again, they were in a large bedroom that looked out over a moon struck ocean that, if not so preoccupied with each other, would have been extremely romantic. Stumbling backward, Tony drew the other man towards the massive bed and they soon started shucking clothing, hands going everywhere as they did so.

“Tony, ahh, fuck yes!” Hadrian’s voice was strained when Tony got his hands around his thick length. He pushed the younger man onto his bed and pulled his trousers and boxers off, finally leaving him completely naked under his eyes. Then he was back on top of him, licking and sucking his way up his long lean legs to the prize he had freed.

Closing his lips around the swollen head he set to with a vengeance. His Hadrian had certainly developed over the years. This was not the naïve young man he had first introduced to pleasure. This was a seasoned lover with a fucking hot body that boasted a level of fitness that was to die for. As he sucked him off, bringing him to the brink of release, he gave himself over to the enjoyment, the flavour. It was one he always enjoyed and Hadrian’s taste was exquisite.

He released him before he went soaring and kissed his way back up to the other’s lips once more. Drinking in the moans and cries of desire and pleasure that he was making. He spotted the hummingbird tattoo over his heart and wondered what the meaning might be behind it. But was soon distracted as he pulled out the lube and a condom before starting to work his lover open for his cock.

Hadrian’s head thrashed, his back arching under his fingers as Tony found and stroked his prostrate. “Tony! Aaaah, more! Fill me, please! Fuck me Tony!”

Well, who was he to deny such a request. Quickly donning the condom, he slicked up his shaft and pushed past the tight muscle, pausing as the younger man tensed. He quickly relaxed however and Tony pushed home. And ohh, did it feel like coming home! He’d had many lovers over the years. Male, female, even a few encounters with multiple partners. But this. This felt like so much more. What was it about this man that made him feel so . . . he couldn’t describe it.

Tony set up a steady rhythm once he found that perfect angle, drawing Hadrian’s right leg up and over his shoulder, opening him up to him that much more. Hadrian’s vision was going black around the edges. He was close and Tony was pushing him, pushing him. “Tony! I’m gonna . . . aaahh!” Hadrian came in long ropey white splashes over his stomach between them as Tony felt him clench around his own cock, buried deep and he came hard.

“Hadrian!” His own vision went dark as he allowed himself to collapse to the side, drawing the other man with him into his embrace.

<><><> 

Hadrian again woke the next morning alone.

He smiled. It had certainly been a night to remember. One where they had both topped, both bottomed, both sent the other on star filled journeys of pleasure. They had finally fallen asleep in the early hours of the morning but he was not surprised to find the sheets already cold.

Pulling them back, he made his way to the bathroom and prepared himself for the day. A hot shower and an unobtrusive wandless tooth cleaning charm had him feeling more himself and he found his clothes clean and folded on a bureau. Intrigued by such muggle efficiency, he dressed and went looking for the kitchen.

“Good morning sir, may I be of assistance?” A disembodied voice that reminded him of home startled him, although his trained reflexes meant that he paused, but did not jump.

“Good morning, I was looking for the kitchen or Tony. Whichever is closer?”

“Of course sir. If you go to the lift, I will place you on the living deck and you will find the kitchen to your right upon exiting.”

“Thank you. Ah, my name is Hadrian, and you are?”

“Good morning Master Hadrian, I am called JARVIS.”

“Good morning JARVIS, thank you for your assistance.” Hadrian smiled as he stepped into the lift and allowed it to take him to breakfast.

Entering the open plan living area, Hadrian turned to his right and saw the kitchen. A very large and modern and clean looking kitchen. Pristine even. Shrugging, he made his way over and opened the fridge. Finding some basics, he soon had eggs, bacon and toast fried up along with a cup of tea.

He took his breakfast out onto the deck off the living space and sat at a table out there, enjoying the view of the ocean and the breeze that was blowing in off it.

“Well, that’s a sight I don’t mind finding on my deck.” Hadrian turned his head to take in the casual look Tony was sporting this morning. Grease stained jeans, black band tee shirt, reminiscent of Sirius’, and a broad smile with a fondness to his eyes.

“I hope you don’t mind I made myself some breakfast,” Hadrian nodded to his plate. “For some reason, I woke up with quite the appetite.” He smirked and stood, walking over to the older man. “Good morning,” he greeted with a kiss.

“Good morning,” Tony murmured in return.

“So, working on something new? Or something old?” he asked, glancing at the worn jeans with a raised eyebrow.

“Something new . . . maybe.”

Hadrian laughed at him, then picked up his dishes and they walked back inside as he returned them to the kitchen. Tony’s arms came around him from behind as he placed them in the sink ready to be washed. “Hmmm, that’s nice,” he murmured as he felt kisses trail up his neck. He tilted his head to one side to allow better access. “But, I really should be going Tony. You know that, right?”

“Really? Do I?”

“Yes, you do. You don’t do relationships remember?”

“Maybe I can change?”

Hadrian laughed at that. “Maybe you could. But I’m only here on holiday again, I’m leaving again in three weeks.”

“Then we have three weeks,” the other man argued.

Hadrian turned in his arms, suddenly serious. “You want to keep seeing me for three weeks? Are you sure?”

“No, I’m not sure. I just know I don’t want you to walk out that door and not come back. Again.”

Hadrian wrapped his arms around the older man and snuggled his face into his neck. Breathing deeply his mind raced. He had thought about Tony over the years and it was amazing to run into him again. But this was a man who didn’t do more than one night stands, and now he wanted Hadrian to stay in his orbit for three weeks?

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yes, okay.” He looked up. “I still have to leave on August 2^nd. I have a new job starting back in London and will not be able to change that date.”

“Okay.”

<><><> 

It was four days before they saw anyone else.

They spent those days riding their bikes up and down the coast. Stopping at cafés, ice cream bars, dance clubs and walking along the beach just talking.

Tony was amazed as he got to know the man behind the eyes. The man who was Hadrian Black.

He had found someone who could keep up with him.

They spoke about politics, philosophy, mathematical theory. Then they moved into quantum physics and spatial anomaly theory. Not only could Hadrian understand him, but he had insights into the theories that spun Tony’s head and had him thinking in all new directions. Hadrian held thirteen Masters! No doctorates, but still. This man was amazing and Tony revelled in the intellectual stimulation as much as the sex.

Then they came home from a brunch down on the Strand to find Pepper waiting in the lounge, tapping away on her StarkPad.

“Pepper!”

She looked up. “Tony. You missed another board meeting this morning.”

He stared at her. “Is it Monday already?”

“Yes, it is. You promised you would be there for that one if I cleared your Friday last week. I did.” She was standing and tapping her foot now, glaring at him with narrowed eyes.

Hadrian grinned from the side and stepped forward. “Good morning Miss Potts,” he said, holding out his hand. “Hadrian Black. I’ve heard a lot about you. My apologies for monopolising Tony’s time.”

Pepper switched her glare to this stranger. “Indeed. I’d like to say it’s a pleasure to meet you Mister Black, but as you said, you’ve been monopolising Tony’s time and I need him for the rest of the day. At least.” She moved her gaze back to Tony with this last and he winced.

Hadrian laughed. A careful and joyous sound. “I understand Miss Potts. Tony, I’ll head back to the resort for now. I’ll see you tomorrow?” He ran a hand down his lover’s back and Tony shivered, turning to pull Hadrian into his arms.

“I don’t want you to go,” he whispered.

“I know. But you still need to work. Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere just yet.” He kissed him gently, then pulled away and headed to the lift. “JARVIS, garage level please.”

“Yes Master Hadrian sir.”

With a wink and wave, Hadrian was gone.

<><><> 

The rest of his time in Malibu passed in a blur of days in and out of Tony’s company and nights between his sheets.

On his last full day, they went to the same tattoo parlour that Hadrian had visited eleven years earlier. He had explained his first tattoo to Tony who had been unexpectedly moved by the symbolism and Hadrian’s choice of image.

This time, they were both getting one. Tony had chosen a small dragon, much to Hadrian surprise and delight, as he just felt his time with the younger man was so magical. Hadrian had chosen to add another hummingbird, his symbol for Tony. This one was going on his hip and was quite a bit bigger. It was the hip that Tony tended to grab most often when they walked, or when he was fucking him. Hadrian smirked at the memory of the previous night’s activities and couldn’t wait for tonight as he wanted to make it special, their last night together, just as Tony had made it special for his birthday yesterday.

The dragon was going on Tony’s shoulder blade, climbing up with its head just below the curve. Much as Hadrian liked to tuck his head into the curve of Tony’s neck, it was a reminder without being too obvious, of this link between them. Hopefully, it would not be another decade before they saw each other again and now that he knew Hadrian’s last name, Tony would make sure that it was not.

They spent the afternoon soaking in the salt of the ocean at Tony’s private beach, then the evening and the night in each other’s arms.

“Are you sure you have to go?”

“Yes Tony. We’ve been over this.”

“I don’t want you to go Hadrian.”

“I know. I . . . I don’t really want to go either,” he sighed. “But it’s the right thing to do and you know it.”

Silence fell again and eventually their breathing evened out.

When Tony woke with the first rays of the sun, he looked at the peaceful face of his sleeping lover and marvelled at the feelings within him. Feelings that he didn’t know he could have. Feelings that he doubted and second guessed.

“I think I love you,” he whispered, then sighed and extricated himself from the other’s warm embrace. “But I don’t know that I really know what love is.”

Later that morning, after Hadrian had risen, showered and dressed, Tony drove him back to his resort and stayed with him as he packed up and checked out. Stayed with him as he returned the bike and then took him to the airport.

Finally, once he had checked in for the flight, Hadrian took hold of Tony’s hands and looked him in the eye. “You’ve got my address in London. Look me up if you’re on my side of the Pond, yeah?” He stroked his hand across the jaw of the man he had come to care for, more than he had ever expected. Maybe his Tony was his Merchant. It still wasn’t the right time though. He could feel it.

“Yeah, I will Hadrian. I’ll see you soon.” Tony leaned in and kissed him, tenderly, softly, but with more longing than either man would care to admit.

There were no good byes.

Just that kiss.

Then Hadrian was gone.

Chapter Text

September 2007

London was cold and wet. So really, just a normal September day.

Hadrian looked out his window in Curatrix Manor. He’d been back for just over three weeks now and had spent the first two establishing his identity within his new role. He was now Agent Raven, one of the Unspeakables’ Special Agents and really, it suited him perfectly.

Not too dark. Not too unusual. But of course, that was the point.

He had also undergone an evaluation by Director Amethyst. His years of training and education whilst travelling with Gringotts had been assessed and he had now been allocated his first international assignment. He was to be a liaison with MACUSA and their muggle government officials. His aptitude for muggle technology and science, alongside his knowledge of languages and so many branches of magic and even muggle sciences through his self study, apparently made him perfect for this particular position.

It would get him out Britain again, so he wasn’t complaining. But still. The sky was crying for him.

Not that London held much for him anymore. His Dogfather and his mate had moved to one of the Black properties in the Caribbean. Away from the rain and the endless stares. There had been too much publicity when he was a escaped convict and the weather brought too many memories of Azkaban.

Even with years of Mind Healers, Sirius still had nightmares of that place. So, the decision was made and the two men moved to sunnier climes. They still wrote frequently with Hadrian and he tried to visit at least one a year and spend a few weeks with them. He did the same with Fleur and Victor, again visiting when he could around his travels for Gringotts. He wasn’t sure what his new job would allow but hoped to continue where he could.

Hadrian moved away from the window and finished packing up what he wanted to take with him. He had an international port key to catch in two hours from the Ministry and Minister Shacklebolt wanted a word before he left.

Looking around one last time, he shrank the trunk and placed it in his messenger bag, then floo’d to the Ministry once more.

He was no longer recognisable as a celebrity. No longer seen as the Saviour or the Boy-who-lived. But he was still a striking wizard that attracted appreciative looks wherever he went.

Striding through the Atrium in his Unspeakable robes however, with his hood drawn forward shadowing his face, many stared but quickly looked away. The dark red of his robes differed from the crimson of an Auror and signified his rank within the Department of Mysteries and his elite unit. Very elite.

He strode straight past the security checkpoint and was not challenged. Into a lift and those who were about to enter as well quickly changed their mind when they caught sight of him. He smiled and pressed level one. Arriving on the floor for the Minister’s administration once again he made his way to the Minister’s office for their meeting.

Hadrian had met Kingsley once, back when he was a member of the Order of the Phoenix under Dumbledore. Before he was expelled.

He seemed to be a better Minister than Fudge had ever been. Not as good as Amelia Bones who had served after Fudge, but still. He was honest and fair and moving forward with many of Lord Slytherin’s ideas in a non-judgmental way. For once, it really was for the Greater Good.

Stepping up to the desk outside the Minister’s office, he made his presence known and the assistant looked up. Seeing the shadowed face of Agent Raven before her she squeaked. Actually squeaked!

“Welcome Agent Raven,” she spoke breathlessly. “I’ll let Minister Shacklebolt know you are here.”

“No need Agatha,” came the rumble of a deep bass voice. “Agent Raven, won’t you please come in?” The Minister stood at the door to his office and held the door open as Hadrian walked forward to enter.

Looking around, he hadn’t actually been in this office before, Hadrian noted the tastefully understated décor, the warm rug on the floor before the fireplace and the many files sitting on the desk.

Closing the door, Kingsley turned and greeted him less formally. “Hadrian, it is good to see you again.”

“Minister, I hate to point this out, but you haven’t seen me in thirteen years.”

“True, true, but I am glad to see you here, now.” He paused, considering his next words. “I’ve followed your career with some interest over the years. I’m glad to see that you have been able to retain your connection to the British Wizarding World despite the inadequacies of that World and how it has treated you.”

Hadrian lowered his hood. “Why am I here Minister?”

Kingsley sighed. “You are here Lord Potter-Black, that I might make the formal apology to you that should have been made those thirteen years ago by my predecessor. And if not him, then certainly by his successor.”

Hadrian blinked. This was not what he had expected.

“Lord Potter-Black,” he began formally. “Your criminal record was completely cleared, including the false charge of underage magic when you were twelve, when you first brought these matters to light. However, I would like to formally apologise to you for the actions of that previous administration and length of time it has taken for such apology to be delivered. I know that you have already received legal recompense due to your suit, however I would like to advise that you may make a call on myself, as Minister, and on this Administration, to assist you in any matter of your choosing now, or in the future.” The magic of this offer of a boon tingled in the air between them and settled into Hadrian’s core.

“That, is an unprecedented offer Minister.” Hadrian noted softly.

“Yes Hadrian.” Kingsley replied just as softly. “I know what Albus did to you. I know what he was and whilst I cannot turn back time, I can at least offer you this. I hope that you can use this boon at some point in the future to ensure that no such misuse of power occurs again within your sphere of influence.”

Hadrian bowed his head, his emotions a maelstrom inside him. Albus fucking Dumbledore had died six years earlier. Dead and gone but not before his reputation had been fully shredded by Hadrian’s Legal Team. It had brought him a sense of justice, but that was all. Finally, he looked up. Looking Kingsley in the eye he nodded. Then, raising his hood he said, “By your leave Minister, I have my duty.” It was a traditional phrase and Kingsley appreciated the formality.

“Fair fortune Agent. May your wand be true.”

Hadrian nodded and left the room. Making his escape to the Department of Mysteries, he soon gathered his work tools and took his leave of Director Amethyst. Then he was off in a swirl of magic. Back to America.

<><><> 

October 2007

MACUSA was different to the British Ministry. It was above ground for one, in the Woolworths Building in New York City. So, it was light, open and airy. Hadrian’s office was a good size and whilst his window was a magical one, it was still set to the weather and view outside so he didn’t feel any lack. He had settled into an easy routine over the six weeks he had been here and established himself as a reliable asset to the Minister and the Director for the Department of Law Enforcement.

Hadrian was just finishing reading a report with his morning cup of tea when a memo appeared in his tray. Picking it up he saw it was a summons to a meeting with the Head Auror and his Director. There would also be representatives from the muggle military in the form of Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division, commonly referred to as SHIELD.

As part of his role was as liaison with both the magical and muggle defence arms, Hadrian would be needed to translate to a certain extent. Or give his own opinion on the matter under discussion.

Draining the last of his tea, he stood and straightened his robes. He was in more open robes here in this role, not his Unspeakable robes, and went by his chosen name of Hadrian Black. His code name of Agent Raven would only be invoked if he went on mission and was known to very few on this side of the Pond.

Dressed today in a muggle three piece suit in a charcoal grey pinstripe, dark silver shirt and pocket square, with a plain but matching dark silver open robe over it for magical sensibilities, he strode through the halls to the conference room where they were meeting. He did not take any materials for notes as with his Eidetic Memory it was not necessary for such meetings and left him free to focus on the individuals present.

Knocking on the door, he opened it without waiting and swept inside. He took in the people in one glance. The Head Auror was there of course and Alex was scowling into his coffee, as usual, the Director of the DLE sitting at the head of the table with a folder open before him. A dark skinned bald man with an eyepatch sat opposite Alex but was leaning back, seemingly relaxed. Hadrian could tell he was anything but and surmised this must be the muggle representative of SHIELD, along with the dark haired woman beside him.

Flicking his eyes to the left as he strode in, he saw a red headed woman standing by the wall, her stance and concealed weapons identifying her as another SHIELD muggle. A bodyguard perhaps?

Hadrian smiled his political smile and closed the door behind him. Walking forward to stand by the Director he turned to face the room. “Good morning Sir. Good morning all, Hadrian Black. Sorry to have kept you waiting.”

Alex had looked up at his entrance and greeted him with a grimace. The Director greeted him with a nod. “Thank you for joining us Black. Please take a seat with Roche.” Hadrian nodded and sat beside Alex and met the eye of the muggle across the table. There was something familiar about him that he couldn’t place. “Allow me to introduce you to Director Fury, Agent Hill and Agent Romonov.” He nodded to the pirate, the dark haired woman and finally the bodyguard.

“Very pleased to meet you Director, Agents. How may I be of assistance today sir?”

“It seems that our colleagues are in need of someone with our special set of skills to deal with, what was your expression Fury? An enhanced individual?”

Fury looked to the Director. “That’s right Charles. We don’t believe this individual has your type of magic, but they are definitely not normal. We need someone who can blend in, work within our team without standing out but also identify and deal with any such anomalies. Are you saying that Black here is your choice for such a mission?”

Hadrian looked at Director Fury, amused at his disbelieving tone. Director Charles Cameron sighed and flicked a glance to him before focusing on Fury once more. “Black is the best we have in the US or the UK for such a mission. He speaks over forty languages, has Masters in more than thirteen specialties including Curse Breaking and is a master of four forms of hand to hand fighting. On top of that, he is able to blend into any group, from dock workers to nobility.”

“And just how does he do that Charles. He looks like a bloody aristocrat.” A derisive scowl was directed across at Hadrian now and he smirked in response.

Cameron just sighed. “Could you demonstrate please Black?” Hadrian nodded and concentrated. He shimmered and then Director Fury’s doppelganger was sitting in his place gazing across the table in contentment.

Fury’s eyes had widened and the red head’s stance had gone from relaxed to alert. “I . . . see. That’s rather a neat trick.” Hadrian smiled and on the changed face it looked positively sinister.

“Thank you Black.” Hadrian nodded, shimmered and reformed as himself.

“It’s easier to change to someone of similar size, or only change certain aspects of my appearance when necessary. Taking on a female form is, rather uncomfortable really, but also possible should such a situation become necessary on a mission.” Hadrian always found the shock value of educating anyone about his metamorphmagus abilities hilarious.

Agent Hill’s eyes had narrowed at the mention of taking on a female form, then her expression became rather contemplative. Hadrian wondered what she could possibly be cooking up in her muggle imagination.

Director Fury’s composure was completely in place again after that display of magical ability and he was focussed on Hadrian now in a way that might have been unnerving to someone unused to such scrutiny. Hadrian’s smile did not falter however and after some uneasy silence, Fury nodded and stood. “We’ll take him.”

Agent Hill pulled out a card and slid it across the table. “Report to that address tomorrow, nine o’clock.” Hadrian merely raised an eyebrow and summoned the card to his hand wandlessly rather than reaching and pocketed it without a glance.

The agents followed Fury out the door, Alex jumping up to guide them back to the muggle exit. Director Cameron sighed and rubbed his forehead once they were gone. “Fury has been a thorn in my side for . . .” he stopped abruptly, remembering that Hadrian was in the room. “Well Black, looks like you’re assigned as a Special Consultant to SHIELD for the foreseeable future. Good luck.” He stood and walked out, leaving Hadrian wondering just what he had gotten into now.

<><><> 

March 2008

There was something interfering with the magical fields. Hadrian narrowed his eyes and tried again to focus, then sighed and sat back, rubbing his hands over his face.

“Can you get anything?” Lieutenant Colonial Rhodes asked him anxiously. Hadrian looked over at him. He was using a muggle scanner to disguise what he was really doing but it had the same result anyway. Nothing.

“No, I’m not picking up anything specific at the moment. Just a lot of static.” He glanced over at Agent Hill. His, handler. With a grimace he returned to the machine in front of him. “I’ll need to recalibrate a few settings, then we should be able to try again.”

The SHIELD team had been called in after two months of the military searching for Tony Stark had turned up empty. Known only as Special Consultant Black, Hadrian had been working with the team for four months chasing down electromagnetic and magical anomalies, most of which had been dead ends but one had been the enhanced individual Fury had first spoken about. He had been tricky to take down, due to a hostage situation, but they had managed in the end by using Hadrian’s special skills. Another such anomaly was now interfering with him being able to find Tony.

He rose to his feet and stretched. “I’m going for a walk to clear my head.” He nodded to Rhodes and Hill then walked outside. They were in a compound that was the centre of the search operations. He strode across the hard packed dirt until he reached the boundary and kept on walking. It was after eight at night and the sky above was filled with stars. He felt that he’d have a better chance of sensing anything if he could overfly the area directly, rather than reaching out remotely. But that would mean potentially revealing his Animagus form as he would be too vulnerable in his creature form.

He really needed to get back to Austria. He’d had the idea that Grindelwald may have had a hidden library of arcane knowledge. If so, it would be at Nurmengard and if anywhere might still hold the answer to his creature, it would be there.

But that was for later. For now, he needed to talk to Hill.

“You may as well join me Maria. I know you’re there.”

Agent Hill walked forward to join him looking up at the stars. “So what next Black?”

“I need to fly over the search area directly. Take line of sight readings rather than remote.”

“We can’t send you up in a bird Black. If they see you they could kill him.”

“Not in a bird Maria,” Hadrian sighed, looking at her. “Remember when I showed you how I can change my form?” She nodded. “Well, there is another type of magic where I can change into a non-human form. And as it happens, that form is able to fly. It’s a little conspicuous and somewhat on the large side however so I’ll need you to clear it with Fury and make sure that no one tries to shoot me down.”

“You have a form that can fly. That is big enough to show up on radar. Are you kidding me Black?”

“Unfortunately no joke. It would be easier if the form was smaller, but it would also take me longer to complete my scan.” He looked at her directly. “Get me a clear two hour window between ten and twelve tonight and I’ll show you.”

She returned his gaze, then nodded and turned sharply to return. Hadrian went back to looking at the stars and imagined wherever Tony was, that he was looking at the same stars.

An hour later Hill was back. “I’ve cleared you from ten until midnight Black. This had better be worth it.” Hadrian nodded and walked back to his living unit to have a quick meal, shower and change. Outfitted in a black jumpsuit, standard SHIELD issue, he returned to the outskirts of the compound, Hill at his back.

Hadrian moved away from the lights then cast a notice-me-not around himself and Hill. He had promised to show her after all. He faced her then as the hands on his watch moved to ten o’clock. “Don’t panic and don’t scream. I won’t hurt you.” He held her eyes as she crossed her arms and glared at him. Hadrian just shrugged, “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Then he closed his eyes and shifted.

Hearing a muted scream, he opened his eyes and looked down on Maria Hill who was standing there in shock and staring up at him, her hand over her mouth. He snorted, then Tenebris shook himself and spread his wings, lifting his muzzle to the sky before leaping and soaring upwards into the sky.

Hadrian had set a search grid in his mind and a timer to ensure he was back before his two hours expired. He quickly moved to his search area and commenced his sweep, looking for the magical interference, but also for any sign of Stark.

There was nothing.

They repeated this process for ten days, moving the search area each night and even getting permission to extend the time to four hours after the fourth night with no results so he could cover a larger area. It wasn’t until the tenth search however that he finally had a hit.

Tenebris focused his senses on the anomaly. Focusing his vision he saw the hills with what appeared to be a small tent village in a ravine leading from a sheer face with a cave opening in it. He picked up the heat signatures of many humans both inside and outside the cave system.

More, he detected the interference. It wasn’t magical but rather some kind of energy source different from anything he had previously detected. Snorting, he quickly flew back to the compound, landed and shifted, the coordinates clear in his mind. He ran back to the main structure and to his scanner, bringing up the search area he had been covering and zooming in on the coordinates he had found.

“There! That’s where they are. There is an encampment in that ravine and a cave system with many people. That’s where they are hiding.” Hill had followed him to his station as soon as she saw him. Her eyes focused on the location.

“You’re certain?” Hadrian just looked at her and she nodded.

Hadrian left then. He knew he would have no part in the extraction. That wasn’t why he was here and he knew that if he didn’t leave now he wouldn’t be able to not get involved. Why did it have to be Tony? His Tony? He pushed all his thoughts and feelings back into the special room in his mindscape that was reserved for Tony Stark then went to bed. He would deal with that later.

<><><> 

Hadrian stayed out of sight when Tony was brought in. Rhodes was supporting him and Tony was talking loudly about reactors and improper use of his weapons. He stayed in his unit, writing up his report and taking some R&R now that Stark was found. No one in the compound knew of his personal relationship with billionaire and he was determined it would stay that way.

He had seen Tony. He knew he was okay, even if that energy source that scrambled his magic seemed to be attached to the man. It was nothing he could deal with now. Once Stark was confirmed safe, the SHIELD team that included Hill and himself was shipped back to New York to debrief and prepare for their next assignment.

Of course, that normal routine went off the rails a little as he was asked to explain about his Animagus form. He explained what he could but refused to demonstrate further. “Look, I turn into a large flying creature okay? It’s registered with my Ministry. That’s all you need to know. I retain my mind in full when I transform, just like any other morphing that I do. You do not need to see it at this point and should there come a time that you do see me in that form, you will know that I am fully in control.” With that he walked out of the conference room and disappeared for a week with no one able to track him.

When he turned up again as if nothing had happened, Fury decided to not make an issue of it. The man was a Special Consultant on loan and as such he didn’t have full jurisdiction over him. He would just make the most of his abilities however he could and work around any quirks.

Hadrian had taken the week to go to Nurmengard. He had been angry at the way they had been pushing him. He was not their toy, or pet, or experiment. He was himself! He had control over his choices, his actions! No one else. Never again.

As he explored the ruins again he ran his hand over the walls and followed a thread of magic he hadn’t noticed on his previous exploration. It led him to a small room at the base of a tower and there was a pooling of the magic here. Looking carefully with his Mage Sight, he saw the outline of a door and directed his magic to what appeared to be the Keystone. The door materialised and, touching it with his magic, it opened noiselessly.

Cautiously he had made his way down a passageway to a large room that had a desk and chair, lamps and a fireplace, but most importantly, shelves covered in books. He had found it! The secret library of Nurmengard.

He had sequestered himself there for five days, going through the books, sorting them. Some to take, some to leave, locked up. Some he read immediately. It was on the third day that he found the answer he had been seeking.

Fae. High Fae to be exact. The description fit perfectly. The eyes. The ears. The wings.

The Fae Child of Death.

The Fae, also known as Elves or Elidar, were high level wandless magic users who connected directly with Gaia, our mother Earth. They were Elemental Beings and were ruled by their Noble Class, known as High Fae.

The Fae were physically characterised by their pale skin, slightly pointed ears, eyes that would be taken over by their colouration to the exclusion of any white when they used their power and their wings, which resemble the form and shape of a bird of prey.

Most Fae were fair in nature, with white blonde hair and pale blue or grey eyes. Those of the High Fae were darker of colour, embodied in either dark red hair and green eyes or black hair with blue eyes. The rarest of the High Fae was the Royal Family themselves, who were the only ones to have black hair and green eyes.

Their magic is, by its nature, elemental. They are closest to the element of earth, but are able to access water, air and fire as well.

The book went on to detail some of the elemental magic that the Fae, and in particular the High Fae, were capable of. Hadrian read it in fascination, drinking it in. It now made so much more sense to him. But it was when he opened another book that mentioned the Fae that his spirits fell.

During the early sixteen hundreds the High Fae determined that it was too dangerous to remain on Midgard, as they referred to our Earth. They removed as many traces of their part in Wizarding society as possible and removed their entire race from our world. There is no longer any on Midgard with Fae blood and the wondrous magic they performed as they worked alongside us will never be seen again.

Gone. Left. But, then, how did he exist? Where had his Fae Inheritance come from?

Hadrian had found his answer. But it left so many unanswered questions.

Chapter Text

May 2012

Hadrian had enjoyed the last four and a half years. Working with SHIELD. Working with MACUSA. Even popping back to the UK and Europe from time to time to visit friends and clean up Ministry and ICW messes in his own indomitable style as Agent Raven.

Officially, he was now retained by the ICW as part of their International Confederation Intelligence Agency (ICIA), the ICW’s version of the British Ministry’s Special Unspeakables. As such, he could be deployed anywhere in the world, but was most often on long term loan to SHIELD unless called back for special assignments. He guessed that MACUSA had the deepest pockets as Hadrian certainly wasn’t cheap when the ICIA loaned him out.

He'd most recently been sent on a few fact finding missions around Europe and South America regarding those disappearances he’d noticed years earlier but still couldn’t turn up more than whispers of the mysterious Hydra. That was really starting to bug him.

But, he was back in New York for a stint with SHIELD once more and before he had to check in at the Woolworths building, he was a taking a few days to settle into his penthouse, one of many properties in his portfolio, and relaxing. He stocked up on a few basic groceries for his new home, then hit the town for a little people watching and exploration.

Steering clear of Stark Tower and the Woolworths building where there might be people that recognised him, he donned some black skinny jeans, black boots and a green knit shirt that was soft and comfortable, throwing his favourite black leather jacket over the top. Yeah, he still liked his black and with his hair and skin tone, it just worked for him.

He’d been out partying on his first night back and had a hoot dancing with the mundanes, grinding with men and women alike as he soaked up the atmosphere. No city partied like New York! He hadn’t taken anyone home with him however. Not really in the mood for a casual hook up his first night back in the city where he knew Tony was now living. It just didn’t feel right.

Hadrian choose not to explore his thought process or feelings around that particular decision.

Today however, was a day for walking, taking in the sights, and hot dogs. He was strolling through a large park, enjoying the flavour of the snack when he heard the screams. Turning towards the sound he tried to pinpoint where it was coming from, but then the explosions began as well and he started running. Towards the disruption.

Hadrian didn’t have anything with him except his wand hidden against his arm in its holster. Not that he needed it anyway for most things. Over the years his core and his power had continued to grow. So much so that now he was most likely the most powerful wizard in the world and wandless magic was no stranger to him.

Cursing the distance he paused, glanced around then cast a strong disillusionment charm on himself before transfiguring his clothing to the simpler SHIELD jumpsuit and bringing out his wings. Taking to the sky it didn’t take him long to get above the trees and the buildings where he saw the blue column of light in the near distance and the flying objects coming out of it and trying to destroy Manhattan.

Hadrian flew straight towards the tower where the light was coming from, directly under the portal in the sky. It had to be closed. Those things had to be stopped. Then he saw the Avengers, fighting on the ground, in the sky, already doing their thing. This was their job. Not his. Hadrian paused in his flight.

This wasn’t his fight.

He was not a hero.

He had made that decision years ago. Hadn’t he?

He watched as they fought, getting close enough to help from the shadows, as usual. The Statute of Secrecy limited what he could do but he still fought alongside the Avengers, even if they couldn’t see him. He would help, but this was their fight.

He stayed by Captain America to assist where he could do so without notice. The man was stupid sometimes about his own safety he knew. So, he kept the aliens off his back and got the innocent out of the way whenever possible.

“Stark! What are you doing?” Hadrian heard Captain America shout, turning to stare up at the portal above the tower. Stark Tower he now realised. He turned to follow his gaze and his heart almost stopped as he watched Ironman, with a nuclear missile on his back, make the turn to direct it up into the Portal.

Hadrian watched, waiting for him to release it, but he didn’t. Of course he didn’t. He watched, helpless, as Tony flew through the Portal and then his vision went dark. His eyes changed. This could not be happening.

“NO!” Hadrian’s roar is almost lost in the battle around them but the SHIELD team hears through their comms, carried by Steve’s earpiece as he whirls around, searching for the source.

Hadrian shifted, breaking the disillusionment charm, and suddenly there was a huge black dragon tearing its way through the Chitauri, blasting its way through one of the leviathans as it took to the sky, headed for the Portal. Tenebris climbed through the air, his fiery breath searing any attacker out of his way as he made for the opening in the sky. He had to get to Tony.

Thor looked on in awe at the great Thunderbeast that is suddenly there, fighting on their side. Then the explosion was seen, the blue beam winked out, and the Portal started to close. A small red and gold object could be seen falling back through and continued to fall as they all watched on, the Chitauri falling lifeless around them.

Tenebris strained to get to him. Faster. Faster! He flipped underneath the red and gold man and caught him on his softer underbelly, his wings snapping out to steady them, his forepaws grasping him lightly but securely before flipping back over and hovering.

Slowly, the great black dragon lowered himself to the ground before the smoking tower. He set Ironman down gently and moved back. Lifting his head, he saw the members of the Avengers team converging on them both warily and he closed his eyes. The time for secrecy was, it would seem, past.

Hadrian shifted and opened his eyes to the incredulous stares of the team.

With a sigh and a quirk of a smile he moved to kneel at Ironman’s side and scanned him for life, for injury. Opening the mask Hadrian directed his magic into him, the arc reactor stuttered and he sent a jolt of magical energy to it, bringing it back to life and startling Tony into waking up.

Hadrian backed away as Tony stared around him at the team. He wasn’t an Avenger. Had specifically declined the offer when Nick had tried to recruit him when he was approached about the Initiative three years ago.

He closed his eyes, trying to deny the inevitability of it. He had seen the look in Thor’s eyes. He had seen the way Clint and Natasha were now eyeing him like a stranger. He turned away and left them there. He didn’t want this. He was no hero.

“Black! Wait!” Natasha’s voice reached him before he had taken more than three steps. He stopped, looking at the ground before him. He wasn’t going to be allowed to walk away this time he realised.

Maybe it was time to just disappear again.

“Black, I think you have some explaining to do. Don’t you?” The question was accompanied by a raised eyebrow from the fiery red head as she came around to stand before him. She had known him for several years now. Knew he was a wizard. Knew he could change his form. But she had never actually seen his Animagus before and now, now he had used magic in front of the team.

Hadrian heaved another sigh and nodded. Turning back to meet the eyes of those watching him. The hardest was when he dropped his eyes to Tony’s. He had stayed out of Tony’s sight on purpose. Such that Tony had never come into physical contact with Special Consultant Black. Had not known that he was actually his Black.

Now though. Those eyes. Staring at him in disbelief and, yes, betrayal.

Hadrian walked back over and knelt at Tony’s side again, holding those blue eyes with his, his own pain come to the fore. “Tony, I can explain, I promise.”

Tony’s eyes narrowed. “You’d better Black. And it had better be good.” Came the cold response. “But right now, I’m hungry. Who’s up for some Shawarma?”

“I think we had best see to my brother first Man of Iron,” came Thor’s response, looking to the tower above them.

“Right, of course, but then? Shawarma?”

Hadrian smiled at the ridiculousness of it and helped Tony to stand before they all moved to the building and headed up to the penthouse.

<><><> 

Exiting the lift, Hadrian stayed to the back, keeping an eye on the team and scanning for magic from the Sceptre or Loki. Natasha was still holding it but she passed it to him so she could focus on their prisoner.

Hadrian snorted but stilled as he sensed the magic within the weapon. It was familiar. It reminded him of . . . the resurrection stone. His Peverell ring.

Seeing Loki completely cowed after his battle with Hulk, he left them to work things out as he moved to the side, staring at the blue glow and its magic as it reached out to him. His own mind could not be penetrated. He had worked hard to ensure that very early on and his creature inheritance had cemented it. No one had been able to access his mind since he was a teenager.

Following his instincts, he reached out his hand and the orb came away from the sceptre. He stood there holding it, considering its nature, unaware that the Avengers and Loki had stilled in their banter to stare at him, unmoving. He shouldn’t have been able to touch it without being burned to ash, similar to the Tesseract, but there he stood, the orb held gently in his open palm. Hadrian’s eyes had started to glow and as the power of the orb filled him, they bled to black and green, his Fae nature coming to the fore. The orb glared brighter, throbbing like a heartbeat, then he closed his fist on it and it shrank in his hold to that of a stone the same size as the Resurrection Stone and he formed it into a ring with a thought.

Nonchalantly, Hadrian then slipped it onto his hand alongside his Peverell Ring. This was a power he could control. Death had told him so after all.

Nodding to himself and letting his eyes morph back to normal he looked up at the suddenly felt silence.

“What?” he asked, seeing everyone looking at him. He sighed. “This is what I do. It’s why I’m here after all. To deal with these type of anomalies.” They just kept staring at him. “Oh for Godric’s sake. Nat, tell them.”

He poured himself a drink and then made several more before floating them over to the gathered heroes, snorting when they started at the display of magic. Director Cameron was going to be annoyed with him but at least Fury would be happy.

Pouring himself a second glass, he made his way back over to the group. Loki was watching him very closely and he could feel the demi-god trying to gain access to his mind. “Don’t bother Loki. You will never be able to penetrate my mind, just as the Mind Stone cannot. However you will find that I can enter your mind quite easily.” Hadrian narrowed his eyes, now focussing on the raven haired Asgardian. “Actually,” he moved closer. “There is a darkness here, not of your own making.” He stood directly before him now and Loki was shaking, his eyes locked on the stranger before him.

“What are you doing?” Thor was there in an instant. All protective big brother as he saw what he thought of as a threat to his family.

“Thor, what colour are Loki’s eyes naturally?” Hadrian asked, never taking his eyes off the sapphire blue ones before him on the face of this God of Mischief.

“Green, why?”

“Look at him Thor. Loki has been cursed.” He raised his hand and touched Loki’s forehead, casting Somnus, and Loki slumped into unconsciousness. “I will need permission to treat him, but from what I just saw, Loki was not the mastermind behind this attack. He was cursed and was following orders that he could not resist.” He looked into Thor’s strained yet hopeful face. “He’s been tortured considerably Thor Odinson, and is still in much pain.”

“You can help him? Heal him Seiðkonur?” The ancient term for a magic user almost made Hadrian flinch.

“I can, but it will take time. I’ve put him into a dreamless sleep for now. We can address it later.” Hadrian nodded to the rest of the team and the mess around them.

Seeing that destruction, Hadrian glanced at the waiting team once more. “Okay, so, as Nat has explained, I’m not quite what I seem. I am a Special Consultant to SHIELD as you know. What you didn’t know is that I am a consultant on magical energies and anomalies and am able to wield it.” He looked at their staring faces. “I’m a Wizard.” They were still staring. “Perhaps a demonstration?”

Hadrian raised his hand, drawing his wand and slowly made a motion from left to right across the room.

The Avengers watched as the debris flew back to its original home and mended itself into the walls, the furnishings, the flooring, even the windows and light fittings. Eventually, all was back as it was, fully restored.

Hadrian took another sip from his drink, putting his wand back in its holster, then walked closer and sat in one of the now restored armchairs.

“Sir, readings show that all damage to the penthouse level has been repaired.” The mellow tones of JARVIS sounded over the speakers.

“Thank you JARVIS, I can see that.” Tony couldn’t take his eyes off Hadrian. Special Consultant Black.

He knocked back his own drink and went to pour another.

Tony hadn’t seen Hadrian since he left Malibu five years ago. But he had seen reports from Special Consultant Black of SHIELD for almost that long in the files he had hacked. Knew he had been working with them on and off for years now from what JARVIS had dug out. Nat obviously knew him as well, and knew what he was. Magic. Magic was real. Fucking buggering hell!

Tony thought back to their past interactions. They had sent several texts after that July in 2007, once Tony sent him a StarkPhone as for some reason Hadrian didn’t have a mobile at all. Stayed in casual, fun contact until his kidnapping in fact. Tony had planned on surprising the Brit with a visit in January once the Afghanistan demonstration was done.

Then everything went to shit.

After he was rescued. After he had an arc reactor living in his chest. After his godfather’s betrayal and everything that came with that, Tony just couldn’t face him. Couldn’t face what he was sure would be pity for the broken man he had become.

Tony hadn’t texted Hadrian again once he got back. And he hadn’t responded to the four texts that Hadrian had sent to him. He remembered the last one in particular.

‘Tony, please talk to me.’

Tony had been the one to cut him off.

In his pride. In his own self-pity.

Tony couldn’t blame Hadrian for not telling him this. Couldn’t blame him for not letting him know that he was involved in SHIELD, involved in the Avengers however peripherally.

Would he have eventually told him about his magic?

Maybe.

Did Tony ever give him the chance?

Swallowing his pride, Tony set his glass down at the bar and walked back over to the group who were now talking quietly among themselves. He stopped by Hadrian’s chair, noticing the younger man stiffening, and held out his hand.

Hadrian stared at it for a moment, then raised his eyes to Tony’s, questioning. Tony tried to put his understanding and apology and forgiveness into his expression, his eyes, and saw Hadrian’s widen in response. As if he could understand what he was trying to say. He grasped Tony’s hand and let himself be pulled up to stand face to face.

Tony gazed into his eyes for a moment, then pulled him into his embrace and was kissing him.

Hadrian fell into him willingly, mouth opening, welcoming his tongue as Tony dove deep to claim this man that he had never forgotten, could never forget, but did not believe he deserved. When they finally broke apart there was a stunned silence in the room that was suddenly broken by a wolf whistle, thanks to Barton.

“Um, Tony? Something you need to share with the class?” Steve Rogers was conflicted as he called out the billionaire for his actions whilst wishing himself in his place.

Tony looked around smugly whilst Hadrian had a slightly sheepish expression on his face. “Well Cap, it so happens that Special Consultant Black and I have met before but have not actually seen each other in nearly five years.”

“Technically, I have seen you Tony,” Hadrian spoke up. “I just haven’t let you see me.”

Tony raised an eyebrow at that. “Really? Well, I suppose I deserve that actually.” He grimaced, recalling his own thoughts of earlier.

Hadrian sat back down, pulling Tony down to sit in his lap, wrapping his arms around the older man’s waist to keep him there and resting his head against Tony’s shoulder. Tony looked down at him from this rather undignified position but the wizard just smirked up at him and Tony gave up, relaxing, and turned to face the team from this new perch.

The lift opened at that point to disgorge a number of black clad agents from SHIELD, led by Nick Fury and Maria Hill. Fury glanced around the group and noted Loki asleep, Banner back to normal, no damage to be seen and Black seated quite comfortably with Stark in his lap. He grunted, then grinned.

“So, Black. Does this mean you are finally accepting a place on the team?” Nick Fury growled with a self-satisfied grin.

Hadrian looked the man in his eye around his armful of Tony. “Perhaps Nick. I’ll have to run it past both Cameron and Shacklebolt first. You know that.”

“Already done.” The man was smugness itself. “They have already been in contact with the ICIA and have agreed to release you on long term assignment. Subject to certain restrictions which Cameron wishes to go over with you in person.”

Grimacing, Hadrian nodded. “Of course they did.”

The various members of the team watched this back and forth avidly. They had never seen Fury so smug, nor so accommodating? And those that had met Special Consultant Black before had not seen him like this. Usually he acted the perfect Agent. Consultant. Whatever.

“Well, let’s get this over with then. Up Tony.” Hadrian pushed the man off his lap and stood. He transfigured his SHIELD uniform to his dragonhide armour and removed the glamour on his long hair that had made it look a standard short muggle cut.

“My full name is Lord Hadrian Potter-Black. Lord of the Noble and Ancient Houses of Potter and Black, Lord of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Peverell, Lord of the Illustrious Houses of Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. I am a Wizard. A magic user if you will. I am able to manipulate the energies around us if you wish to look at it in a more scientific way,” he smirked at Tony and Bruce as he said this. “I have been on loan to SHIELD for the past four and half years from my government in Britain as part of an arrangement with the International Confederation of Wizards and the International Confederation Intelligence Agency, also known as the ICIA. We live under a Statute of Secrecy however so I am not meant to talk about it or do any magic in public places. Indeed, you will all need to sign additional non-disclosure waivers above and beyond what you have already done for SHIELD.

“Nick here has been trying to get me to join the Avengers Initiative as a full active member practically since day one, but I have held back, for many reasons.” He looked at them all seriously now. “I am not a hero. I never wanted to be. But I will stand up for what is right.” He looked at Tony then. “And I will protect what is mine.”

The Avengers were stunned. This man was many times a lord, could wield magic and stand up to Fury? They were in shock and no small amount of awe. Steve Rogers cleared his throat and stepped forward, holding out his hand. Hadrian, a strange smile on his face took it and returned the firm grip. “Welcome to the team.”

Chapter Text

“So, what do all the lordship things mean?” Barton asked curiously as they sat around the dining table a little later munching on Tony’s shawarma.

“Well, it means that I am the last in the line of several very old and prominent families in my world. Comes with a stack of heirlooms and gold and stuff. I think I’m a Duke and have a couple of Earldoms or something as well. Add it all up and you could just call me your average genius, billionaire, philanthropist, playboy.” Tony choked on his own mouthful at that and glared at Hadrian, his eyes watering. “I’m even wealthier than Tony here.” Hadrian smirked at him and took another bite for himself.

Thor burst out laughing and even Steve, getting over his shock at the language couldn’t help a grin at Tony’s expense. “Genius?” he asked.

Hadrian nodded. “Of course! Bit of an overachiever I guess you could say. That’s one of the reasons I was assigned to SHIELD. I hold thirteen Masteries, speak forty-two human languages fluently, have mastered four forms of hand to hand combat and am a duelling master magically. I have over a decade of experience in Intelligence, Politics and the Military. Am an Animagus and Metamorphmagus. And all at the grand old age of thirty one. What else would you call that but genius?”

“I don’t know what an Animagus or Metamorph-thing is, but for the rest? Wow!” Barton was breathless at the recitation. Tony was grinning now. He knew Hadrian was smart of course. Their discussions had always been as riveting as the sex after all. But to hear it all listed out like that made him so proud.

“So, ah what is an Animagus and Metamorphmagus?” Bruce asked softly.

“You saw my Animagus form earlier. It’s effectively the ability to shape shift to a specific animal form. Some say it’s a reflection of your soul, but the jury’s still out on that one. A Metamorphmagus is kind of what it sounds like. It means that I can change my human form or parts of it, kind of like a shapeshifter. Makes it much easier to fit in when infiltrating any group.”

“Wait, you mean that Thunderbeast was you?” Thor asked incredulously.

“Dragon actually. A Hebridean Black to be precise.”

“Wait, what? What dragon? What did I miss?” Tony’s head came up from the roll he was eating, suddenly alert.

“Yeah, well, when you went through that Portal with a nuke on your back like an idiot, I kind of lost it and went after you. Flying was fastest so that’s what I did. It’s also actually how I found you in Afghanistan.”

“You came after me? What, hang on, what do you mean Afghanistan? You weren’t there! That was Rhodey ... wasn’t it?”

“Well, yes, Lieutenant Colonial Rhodes was there, but when SHIELD was called in, I was part of that team and due to the electromagnetic interference to my magic from your arc reactor I had to do a direct scan and overflew hundreds of square kilometres as Tenebris to find you. As soon as you were brought in, we were sent out.”

“Tenebris?”

“My dragon name.”

Trying to get the conversation back to the important points Bruce asked again, “You said that being a Metamorphmagus means you can change your appearance? Can you show us?” Hadrian smiled at the soft spoken scientist. He concentrated and Bruce blinked, suddenly looking at a carbon copy of himself. “Whoa,” he breathed.

Hadrian changed back. “Sometimes it’s easier to do the whole person like that. Other times I just need to change a few features in order to not be recognised.”

“You don’t really look thirty-one you know,” Steve said thoughtfully. “More early-twenties than early-thirties I’d say.”

“Yeah, well, you don’t exactly look ninety-three either old man, yet here we are.” Steve blushed. “Actually, you’re probably in much the same boat as me.” Hadrian cocked his head to the side, considering. “You were twenty-two when they injected the serum, yes?” Steve just nodded, eyes wide. “Hmm, looks like it may have locked you at that age due to the regenerative properties at the cellular level. I wonder if you’ll be long-lived or immortal now?”

“What?!?”

“Immortal?”

“What do you mean?!?”

Hadrian blinked. “What? You mean none of you have thought about this? Huh, I guess it’s just because I’ve studied the effect of such regeneration on the human body that the idea just occurred to me.” He looked around the table. “The human body is designed to wear out. Our cells are degrading almost from the day we are born, in one form or another. They also regenerate at a certain rate, hence the way we grow and heal. But as we get older, our body’s ability to regenerate slows down and so we have the aging process. Steve here got injected with that lovely super soldier serum which supercharged his cell regeneration properties. So, unless that serum has an end of life built into it, it will continue activating his regeneration cycle forever.”

“You mean, I can’t die?” Steve looked stricken.

“Oh you can die alright,” Hadrian assured him. “It just won’t be from old age.” He grinned. “Don’t worry, you’re in good company. I have a similar issue for different reasons, hence the youthful visage,” he gestured to his face. Steve grinned back nervously, somewhat reassured but still shocked. “So, thinking about it, I can now answer my own question! Long lived. NOT immortal.” He winked at the still shell shocked Avenger.

Hadrian found the tall blonde man quite attractive actually, in a very different way to Tony, and he hadn’t missed the flirtatious teasing between the two of them over the past months that he had observed from his previous role as Special Consultant.

There was a certain sexual tension between the brunette and the blonde and he wondered just where the dynamic might go. Now that he had been thrown into the mix, it could go a number of ways and he was more than a little curious. He’d have to speak to Tony but he certainly wanted to get to know Steve better. In more ways than one.

<><><> 

JARVIS assigned a suite for Hadrian in the tower, as with all of the Avenger team members and he thanked the AI. He declined for the moment however and accompanied Loki to a secure medical ward so he could ensure he was safe before he began the healing process.

Settling the trickster god in the ward just off the main laboratory, Hadrian transfigured the Asgardian’s robes and armour into soft silk pyjamas. Still in his trademark green and gold of course. Thor stayed with them as well, watching as Hadrian worked. “I’m just going to let him sleep for now Thor,” Hadrian reminded the blonde giant hovering over his shoulder. “We’re all too tired after that day we just put in to try anything remotely sensitive right now. I’d just make it worse.”

Thor grunted and stepped back, a little. Hadrian sighed and just continued settling Loki and establishing some wards and magical sensors. Then set a dome to encase him, ensuring that no one would be able to attack or move him whilst the wizard went and got some sleep.

Turning, he stubbed his toe on Mjolnir. “Oh, for Godric’s ... damn it Thor!” Hadrian leaned down and picked up the hammer, throwing it at the blonde demi-god. “Take that thing and get out of here. You’re just in the way!”

Thor’s jaw dropped as he caught the hammer. “Hadrian!”

“What?”

“You, you just, ahh,” Thor couldn’t get the words out. Then he suddenly grinned and enfolded the wizard in a bear hug. “You are mighty my friend!” Hadrian was confused. What had happened now? He was too tired for this and just patted the Asgardian on the arm.

“Sure Thor, mighty, great, can you let me go now? Please?” Thor set Hadrian back down and, checking that all was as it needed to be, he shoo’d the blonde out of the room and shut the door.

“Right, I’m going to bed. JARVIS? Where’s Tony?”

“Sir is in the kitchen Master Hadrian.”

“Thanks JARVIS, can you take me there please?” he asked, stepping into the lift.

“Of course Master Hadrian.”

Stepping back out on the main living level, Hadrian turned to the kitchen and found Tony there discussing some theory with Clint and Natasha. They both looked about ready to drop.

“Tony, enough.” Hadrian came up to him and pulled him into an embrace. “I need sleep and I’m too tired to go home. Can I use your room?”

Tony had immediately melted into his arms and drawn him close. “Of course, I’ll even join you.”

Nodding to his two team mates, he headed for the lift, drawing Hadrian after him. “JARVIS?”

“At once Sir.”

The lift opened onto an apartment with still sweeping views of the broken Manhattan skyline. Tony pulled him to the right and they entered a massive bedroom with an equally massive bed. He didn’t stop however but continued on into an ensuite bathroom and turned on the shower. “Join me?” he asked, removing his sweat stained clothes.

“I thought you’d never ask.”

<><><> 

Fury had taken the now useless sceptre away for further study, along with the Tesseract. Hadrian hadn’t told him that the power it had wielded, the Mind Stone’s power, had been removed and harnessed into the ring he now wore and the other Avengers had felt moved to follow his lead for now.

He was of the opinion, given the whole Portal thing, that the Tesseract was another Infinity Stone however.

According to Death, there were six of the things and he now had two in his possession. The Tesseract was likely the Space Stone, so there was still the Reality Stone, the Time Stone and the Power Stone to be found.

Hadrian was lying in the middle of the huge bed in Tony’s room, staring at the ceiling above him, pondering how he had come to be here at this stage of his life. He had run so long from any kind of visibility and now was being thrust onto centre stage once more.

No longer The-boy-who-lived. No. Not the Saviour of the Wizarding World. Something they had never really needed anyway.

No. Now he was an Avenger.

Hadrian thought about that and what it meant. He thought about the other members of the team and where they had come from, who they were now.

Captain America, the first Avenger. Steve Rogers.

Ironman, his very own Tony Stark.

Thor, god of thunder. He snorted at that.

Hulk, mighty green rage monster. Bruce Banner.

Black Widow, assassin and seductress. Natasha Romonov.

Hawkeye, assassin in ranged combat. Clint Barton.

Now him. Hmm. He needed a name like the others. Something to protect him from the masses. His mind ticked through several options as it roamed his mental library before settling on a choice.

Vindex. The Protector. That felt right to Hadrian and he smiled. He could have used Tenebris of course, but he wanted to keep his dragon self separate.

Tony walked back into the bedroom, his hair still damp from his morning shower. Hadrian raked his gaze over the man and smiled even more. This felt right too. Being here. With Tony. He still wasn’t sure about being part of the team directly, but at least he no longer had to hide himself so much.

“Hello gorgeous,” he smirked at the brunette as he walked closer.

“Hello yourself,” Tony leaned down to kiss his long time friend and lover. “You getting up anytime today?”

“Yes, I need to check on Loki and see to cleansing him of the mind curse he is under.” Hadrian pulled himself from the bed and walked naked to the bathroom, feeling Tony’s eyes on his back, or more specifically his arse, he grinned.

When he came out, Tony had already left but Hadrian simply cast a refreshing charm over his clothing and transfigured them back into the jeans and shirt he had started in yesterday before everything happened. Making his way to the communal level and the kitchen there, he was met with all of the Avengers sitting around the breakfast bar with a mix of breakfast foods in front of them.

He snorted and went to the fridge to find some fruit and toast, making himself a light breakfast and cup of tea to start his day. Steve was watching him, Tony busy scrolling through his StarkPhone as he munched on some pastry, Clint was talking to Bruce and Natasha, who was also watching Hadrian, whilst Thor was shovelling eggs and bacon and toast and, was that tomatoes and mushrooms as well? Okay, so Thor seemed to be having a ‘big breakfast’ being a big demi god and all, but really? He reminded Hadrian of Ron’s table manners when it came to eating.

“So, Black, ahh, what were you planning on doing with Loki?” Steve asked, a bit unsure how to treat the man now he was no longer a Special Consultant but rather a new member of the team. One that he found very attractive for many reasons but was also in some sort of relationship with the other member of the team for whom he harboured certain feelings. It was very confusing for him.

“Hmm, well, whilst I’ve got him locked down in a healing sleep, I will enter his mind and destroy the dark magic I sensed yesterday, heal what I can and patch up his shields. He’s actually in a very bad way and has been injured severely. I’m surprised he was coherent in the attack at all actually.”

Thor’s head had come up at the first mention of Loki and his frown deepened as he listened to Hadrian’s recital of the damage his brother had sustained. “Will you be able to heal him?” he asked, worried.

“Yes, but it will take time and quite a lot of magic. I will need to do it over several days or risk permanent damage to both him and myself. Given time though, I have every confidence that he will make a full recovery.”

“Good. Once he is healed I must take him back to Asgard to face our father’s justice.”

“What?” Hadrian eyed him sharply at that. “Well, in that case, I will be coming with you. I will need to give testimony to your father about what I have seen and what I find in healing him. I would not see him suffer further for actions not his own.”

Thor smiled at him for this and slapped him on the back, nearly knocking him into his tea cup, once more forgetting his own strength. “Thank you Seiðkonur!”

“Please, don’t call me that. My name is Hadrian, or, if you want an Avengers name, you can use Vindex.”

“Vindex?” the question came from several directions.

With a smile Hadrian addressed them. “It means ‘Protector’. Feels about right to me.” Tony gave him a kiss for that.

“Seems right to me too love.” Then he hopped up and headed to his personal workshop for the day. Hadrian just smiled, watching him go, too familiar with his mercurial moods to feel offended.

“So, once you’ve finished messing with Loki’s mind, want to meet me in the training room and I can put you through your places Black?” Clint challenged. Obviously he wasn’t going to take Hadrian’s word on his abilities at face value. He wanted proof. Hadrian just smiled. He was used to this and whilst Nat had seen him in hand to hand, Clint had not.

“Sounds good Barton, I’ll probably need to let off some steam by then. How about two o’clock, after lunch?” He received a nod in reply then Clint and Natasha left to do whatever they would normally do and Bruce excused himself to go to his lab to work on one of his own projects. That left Steve and Thor watching him eat and Hadrian snorted to himself. Not that he minded being in the company of two well-built blonde giants, he got lost in his mind for a moment as his imagination supplied a more intimate setting for him with said blonde giants and his grin became a little goofy before he shook himself out of it.

Finishing his breakfast quickly, he sent the dishes all to the sink to clean themselves and excused himself to head back to the infirmary where he had secluded Loki to begin the healing process.

Chapter Text

Loki was just as he had left him, laying quietly and sleeping soundly, dreamlessly. Hadrian had firmly closed the door behind him and warded it keep the others away during this step in the healing, although he knew they would be watching via the video feeds and JARVIS, at least they would not be in the room and tripping him up again. Stupid Thor and his stupid … oh Merlin, he had picked up Mjolnir hadn’t he?

Hadrian groaned and rubbed his eyes. He really had been tired yesterday to have made such a rookie mistake. Dare he hope that no one but Thor had noticed? He glanced up at the cameras and sighed. Of course not.

Conjuring a comfortable chair for himself by Loki’s bedside for what he was sure would be hours of healing to come, he carefully peeled back the wards he had set around the demi-god the previous evening. Once clear, he examined Loki once more, ensuring no changes and that he was still comfortable, then settled himself in the chair. Taking a deep breath to centre himself, he reached out and took Loki’s hand in his, then entered the dark immortal’s mind.

It was a mess, pure and simple. He had barely patched the gaping wounds he found there yesterday before sending him to sleep to protect both Loki and the team so now he went looking for the trouble and found the lacings of the mind stone throughout, but chained with twisted spikes of deep purple, black and green. Not Loki’s bright green magic, no. This was darker and definitely alien to this mind.

Travelling through the mindscape, he followed the strands of foreign magic until he found a chamber, barred and locked down, built of the dark magic and being patrolled? by it. Grunting, Hadrian set himself and drew on his own magic, plus that of the Mind Stone now under his control, to freeze the moving dark magic and dismantle it. He blocked the chamber from the rest of the mindscape and sent out a thought to burn the foreign magic out and watched with satisfaction as the magic withered and died, like a small flame running along the tendrils out form the central point, burning the magic out of existence.

The magic in front of him, though contained, was writhing in his mental grip and once he felt assured that the rest of the foreign magic was gone, he returned his attention to it. Mentally stepping within his wards of the chamber, he sent out a pulse to feel it. Taste it. He would know this magical signature again should he come across it but it was not one he recognised now.

Slowly, carefully, he laid his magic against it and grasped the dark magic. It thrashed in his mental grip and he started to pull it away, dismantling the construct before him, until the magic was a single ball of writhing, whining mass in his ‘hands’. The sole occupant of that locked chamber, a diminished and wasted looking version of Loki, lay before him, appearing half dead.

Hadrian closed his hands around the orb of magic and slowly burned it out of existence, leaving nothing behind. He sent out a search through the mindscape around him to confirm there was nothing of the intruder left, then, nodding, returned his attention to the injured demi-god before him.

Moving forward, he knelt at Loki’s side, examining this mental construct of the soul of the once great being.

“Loki? Can you hear me?” he asked gently. The Loki before him winced, his eyes remaining closed. “I have removed the parasite that was caging you but will keep you asleep a while longer as your mindscape is seriously fucked up at the moment. Healing will take time and I will be as gentle as I can.”

Hadrian moved back then but conjured a soft bed and open room to give Loki’s soul comfort and peace as he moved to heal his mind and magic. Leaving the Prince of Asgard for now, he retreated from the mind and back into himself, settling once more in the small room in Stark’s tower. There was no obvious change in the body before him, but his mind was at least his own once more and it would take Hadrian several trips over many days to restore his mindscape and magic to a semblance of what it once was so that the Asgardian could take over his own healing and restoration.

Glancing at the timepiece on the wall, he grunted to see that he had been working for over six hours. Well, that made sense too and lucky it wasn’t longer. He re-established the wards and protections for his patient, then stood and stretched, un-warding the door and exiting to find Thor waiting. Surprise, surprise.

“Vindex! Hadrian, how is he?” the blonde giant boomed.

Hadrian winced. “Resting Thor, so please, a little quiet?” The big man actually blushed at that and spoke his next query in a much softer tone.

“He is healed then?”

“No, but I have removed the parasite that had chained his soul, mind and magic. It will take me several days to heal and rebuild much of what has been torn apart in there, but he is free once more and resting peacefully.” He looked closely at the thunder god. “He’s been hurting for a very long time Thor and I didn’t recognise the magical signature, only the use of the Mind Stone. It will take time for him to heal and recover.” Thor just nodded and let Hadrian depart.

He made his way back to the living level and went looking for some lunch. He found the kitchen empty and made himself a sandwich and cup of tea. Sitting quietly he was able to just centre himself once more, looking out over the New York skyline.

Eventually though, other noises intruded on his introspection and he looked up to see Clint and Steve entering from the lift area to get their own late lunch. Nodding in acknowledgment of his presence, they continued discussing some kind of refinement to some activity or other. Hadrian didn’t really pay attention as his mind was suddenly hyperaware of Steve’s scent as the man moved past him into the kitchen area.

Hadrian knew he was attracted to the older man, always had been, but had never acted on it, never let himself be this close. But now, it seemed the creature blood in him was reacting more strongly than ever and his feelings were growing stronger for the blonde man. Or was it just lust?

Shaking himself, he stood and cleaned his dishes before moving to head to his rooms and settle in. “See you in the training rooms at two o’clock yeah?” came the query from Clint around his own sandwich. Hadrian looked over at him and just nodded before ducking his head and continuing on to the lift.

“JARVIS, can you take me to my new quarters? I’d best be getting settled in I suppose.”

“Of course Master Hadrian. Please let me know if you’d like to make any changes to the décor.”

Hadrian snorted and went to the suite door as directed when he arrived on the floor. It was a large suite with a living space and small kitchen, a large bedroom and separate study, ensuite bathroom and walk in dressing room. Extravagant to say the least, but then again, this was Tony’s place.

It was decorated in soft greys with a darker grey feature wall, large television panel and comfortable couch in the living space, crisp white and stainless steel in the kitchen. The bedroom was again in a palette of muted greys but this time with touches of blue and the bathroom was again a pristine mix of white and steel. Overall, it was relatively neutral but that suited Hadrian anyway so it wouldn’t take much to make it his own.

Checking the time he noted he only had half an hour before Clint’s imposed training assessment so he would need to put off going to his apartment to collect his things until after. He chose instead to take a quick shower and then transfigure his clothing, yet again, to his SHIELD jumpsuit to allow freedom of movement.

Exiting the lift onto the training level, he walked out to meet the group that had come to watch. He smirked as he saw Clint warming up and joined him, noting Nat, Steve, Bruce, Thor and even Tony had come to observe. Raising his eyebrow at his lover he noted Tony just smiled. He was looking forward to this it seemed and Hadrian couldn’t help but chuckle. Tony, after all, knew intimately the muscles that lay beneath his gentle seeming British demeanour.

“So, Black, you ready to show me what you’ve got?”

Hadrian smiled at the archer. “I’ll be happy to Barton. No ranged weapons and no magic, right?” Clint nodded with grim satisfaction. He was interested to see what this man was made of without using his special abilities.

They moved to the centre of the room, the others moving back to the side, out of the way. Hadrian stood there, calm, relaxed, centred, focused, waiting. Clint circled him, evaluating, then attacked. His fist shot out to be blocked by a casual forearm that was firm and unyielding. His following leg sweep was sidestepped. He sent a flurry of punches and kicks as Hadrian blocked, avoided and stepped back, not letting him land a blow. He was defending but not attacking, and doing it with a calm grace that came from years of experience. Clint was impressed despite himself.

Moving back to re-assess, he circled and then attacked again, this time with flying leaps, throws and flips. Whilst he managed to get a hold on the younger man, every time he tried to throw him, he found his own energy and momentum turned back on him and he was the one being thrown. He was grinning now and Hadrian returned the grin as they continued to spin around each other.

“Come on then Vindex, you’ve shown me your defence, let’s see your offence.”

“You sure you want that Hawkeye?” he smirked as he said it. But Clint narrowed his eyes and nodded. Hadrian’s grin broadened. “You asked for it.” Then he moved. He was fast, graceful and athletic in his motions and soon was sending jabs, punches and kicks at the assassin who was hard put to defend against him.

Hadrian flipped himself back and over in a way reminiscent of moves seen by the Black Widow. Indeed, his fighting style now seemed like the best of both the Avenger assassins with a strength thrown in beyond either. In less than ten minutes after he commenced the offensive, he had Clint down on the ground, his knee on his chest, hands pinned beneath him and killing blow ready to strike his neck.

“I yield!” Clint cried, eyes wide. “Wow Black, got to be honest, I was not expecting that.”

Hadrian stood and shrugged. “Well, I did warn you but I appreciate the need to confirm. You need to remember I’m not completely human after all. It gives me a certain advantage that you will never have and I have trained extensively to make the most of my gift. Or curse, depending on how you look at it.” The last was mumbled, almost to himself, but Clint heard and wondered.

“Indeed, but I am glad to see that you have and you will be a welcome addition to the team Black. In more ways than one.” He nodded at the raven haired man and they both turned then at the applause coming from their on-lookers.

Looking at them with their smiles and laughter at the display, Hadrian caught the cheeky grin on Thor’s face before the blonde demi-god called out “Hey Vindex! Catch!” then launched Mjolnir at him. Reflexively Hadrian caught the hammer and then stared at it in his hand. Damn it.

“Really Thor? You had to do that?” he grumbled, then tossed the hammer up and down in his grip, flipping it over to get a feel for the balance and weight, ignoring the stunned expressions on the rest of the team. Then, feeling a bit cheeky himself, he smirked at the Asgardian and began to spin the hammer before letting it draw him up into the air, much as the god of thunder did when he wanted to fly somewhere.

Even Thor was gaping at him now as he walked on air, floating with the power of Mjolnir, toward the group by the wall. Tossing the hammer back to its true owner he allowed himself to step down the insubstantial air, using his own magic, until he was back on the solid surface. “We’ll have to practice that for battle. Could be a good distraction technique with those who think only you can wield it hmm?”

Then he was caught up in an embrace from Tony and was being kissed rather delightfully before finally being released. “What other secrets have you been hiding I wonder,” came the breathless query from the billionaire. Hadrian looked at him seriously, then at the others, then sighed.

“Well, there is one other rather large secret that I have never told anyone. And I’d rather it didn’t leave this room so Tony, do you think you can lock down all recording devices for a bit? I really don’t want this getting out.” Tony looked at him strangely then nodded.

“JARVIS? Complete lockdown on training level. Blackout protocol.”

“Yes sir, Blackout protocol on training level engaged.”

“Okay,” Hadrian shifted back from them all and with a wave of his hand transfigured his jumpsuit to his jeans and boots only leaving his torso bare. That got a lot of admiring looks from the group and he chuckled.

He closed his eyes then and let his Fae features through. His ears became pointed, his eyes bled to black and green only, and his wings spread out from behind him.

Opening his eyes again he took in their stunned expressions then flapped his wings and rose into the air. Letting them see him as he truly was. “I am only part human. This other side of me is Fae. High Fae to be exact. But I am the last of my kind in this realm. I know of no others.” He returned to the ground and walked forward. “This is what gives me a larger magical core than any other wizard. It makes me faster and stronger and I have trained myself over many years to hone the abilities it brings.” He brought his wings back in and dampened his features again back to human. “But I am still me,” he said quietly with a smile for Tony that he then spread to the rest of the team.

Thor was the first to recover and the picked Hadrian up with a huge bellow and spun him around. “Elidar!” he roared. “You are of the Elidar Hadrian!”

“The what now?”

“The Elidar are a race of Elves, Fae, that live in another of the nine realms.” The blonde giant assured him. “Do not worry my friend, I will take you there and you will see.” Hadrian looked at him with wide eyes and hope. He was not alone?

Tony stepped forward then and embraced him. “You look good as a fairy Haz, gotta say.”

“Not a fairy Tones, Fae!” Tony just shrugged and grinned.

“Come on, let’s get you some clothes again before the drool gets too deep.” Hadrian looked up surprised and saw the lustful gazes directed his way. He locked eyes with Steve and the blonde man was drawn to step closer.

“That was amazing Hadrian,” he stated quietly, his eyes still drinking in the incredible man before him. “You’re fighting skills are impeccable and your, enhancement?”

“Creature inheritance.”

“Inheritance then, is truly beautiful.” He stood close now, almost too close yet not close enough. Tony clearing his throat broke the moment and their eyes shot to see him looking at them both with amusement and a little something more.

Hadrian grinned then. “I’d better go have another shower then pick up my stuff from the apartment.” He stepped back and headed for the lift, throwing a glance over his shoulder he saw two heated sets of eyes watching the muscles rippling in his back as he went. He chuckled then asked JARVIS to take him to his suite once more.

<><><> 

After that much needed shower and a quick trip to pack up his apartment, Hadrian was checking his Gringotts mailbox and sorting through the correspondence when he came across one that made him pause. Amidst the bank statements and notes from his friends and Sirius, there was a packet from the Wizengamot.

Years ago, he had arranged for Lord Greengrass to act as his proxy, as Sirius was seriously not interested in the politics of it all. He had thrown his houses in with the Neutral or Grey faction and as Lord Greengrass was the leader of that group, he made the most sense. Several meetings later and Hadrian had been confirmed in that belief.

These days, they met up at least once a year when Hadrian visited London during his many trips around the world and if anything significant came up, Gerald would send the details to Hadrian for his input rather than just assuming which way he would go. This packet was one such significant bill.

It was another push from the Light Faction to register those with Creature blood and restrict their movements and rights. Reminiscent of Umbridge’s Bill back in 1995/1996 and a few others that had popped up over time.

Hadrian sat at his desk and was soon absorbed in reading the information. So much so that he didn’t notice the passage of time until Jarvis made him aware that Tony was at his door. Blinking his eyes, Hadrian looked up and noticed the darkening sky outside and the raised lights around him. “Thanks Jarvis, I didn’t realise it had gotten so late.” He stood and stretched before going to let Tony in and receiving a kiss and a smirk in welcome.

“Hey Haz, you missed dinner … everything okay?”

“Sorry Tones, yeah, just finished unpacking and got distracted with my correspondence.” Hadrian led his … boyfriend? … back to his study and gestured to the papers on the desk. “There’s a major Bill that’s been proposed and I need to go through it before I can give instructions to my proxy.”

“Really? You still working the political side over there?”

“Well, I am a Duke you know Tony. I do have certain responsibilities that I can’t just throw over to go play with bad guys all the time.”

“Hmm, I forgot about that,” he whispered into his lover’s neck as he embraced the raven wizard from behind. Hadrian just relaxed into his hold. He had missed this, just being with Tony. Missed it even more when he was working close to him but couldn’t bring himself to say anything.

Putting the parchment back on his desk, he turned in Tony’s arms and pulled him into a kiss. Gentle at first, but growing passionate before he groaned and pulled back. “You’re going to be the death of me Tony Stark.” He pulled away and walked over to his little kitchen. Pulling out some of the groceries he had previously purchased when he moved into his penthouse … was that really only three days ago? … he made himself a light meal to tide him over. “I’m going to have to make a quick trip back to London for a few days to sort this out.”

“London? What about Loki? What about … us?”

Hadrian smiled gently at him. “Don’t worry Tony, I’ll be back. As for Loki, he is in a healing coma and will not wake until I wake him. He needs time anyway.” Walking forward he enclosed the blue eyed billionaire in his arms. “As for us …” he kissed him. “I’m not walking away from this again,” another kiss. “I will always come back to you,” another kiss. “After all, you are my Merchant.”

Tony pulled back sharply at that. “What do you mean Hadrian?” His blue eyes were scared. He had worked hard to get away from that name.

“Merchant of Death,” Hadrian said softly. “Who else could be the equal, the partner, for the Master of Death?” Eyes bleeding to black and green and starting to glow. “You know, deep down, that you were chosen Tony. That you are no more fully human than I am, just in a different way.” He stepped forward, back into Tony’s personal space. “You were chosen my love. Just as I was and together we will be able to do great things for this world.”

Blinking, Hadrian’s eyes returned to their normal green and he grimaced. “Sorry about that, but it takes over sometimes, you know?” Tilting his head with a grin he could see that Tony was a bit shaken. “Look, don’t worry about it for now Tones. There is plenty of time to talk and understand what is to come. Just know that us, this thing between us, is real and meant to be.”

Hadrian sighed at the uncertainty he could still see in Tony’s expression. “I’ll head off in the morning and probably be gone two or three days. Think you all can manage without me for that long?”

Tony shook himself and just nodded. He wasn’t really sure what had just happened but knew it was important somehow. He let himself be drawn into another kiss before Hadrian gently escorted him out the door, saying something about needed a night to himself.

Tony left, reluctantly, but headed back to his own suite and bed. He had a lot to think about.

<><><> 

Hadrian floo’d from the MACUSA offices back to London’s International Floo entry at the Ministry. He had checked on Loki that morning and made sure that several healing charms were working on his system before reassuring Thor and the team and departing. With the time difference, New York being five hours behind London, he was able to get a full morning in with the trickster god before travelling at eleven o’clock NY time and arriving at four o’clock in the afternoon to meet with Lord Greengrass.

Walking through the corridors of the Wizengamot level where the meeting was booked for one of the conference rooms, Hadrian drew a number of curious stares. Sighing internally, he ignored them. He was so seldom in the Ministry these days, as himself at least, that the attention was not uncommon when he did make an appearance.

Entering the large chamber, he was greeted by the older wizard with a smile. “Hadrian! It is good to see you my friend.”

“Gerald,” he returned with a smile and drew the large man into an embrace. They had been friends for years after all and Hadrian had great fondness for this man who had become something of a political mentor for him. “Seems like someone is up to old tricks again, hmm?”

“Indeed, indeed,” the man’s face turned down in a frown. “I don’t understand why they keep trying to do this. There are enough of us with political power that have creature blood in our linage to stop such nonsense but the gravity of it requires full attendance in the Chamber.”

Hadrian just nodded, then stopped, thinking. “Unless that is why? As a way to make sure all of us who currently use proxy’s for convenience rather than need are actually here?” The two wizards stared at each other as they turned this thought over in their minds. “But why?”

They settled at the table and went through the proposal in some detail, noting their arguments against the thing so that they would be prepared for the sitting on the morrow. Hadrian hadn’t attended an actual sitting of the Wizengamot in over five years and he was curious as to its current composition. So, once their discussion on the Bill itself was done, they went out to dinner to discuss the social ramifications and current power plays.

Hadrian was one of only two Dukes in the British Wixen Peerage, and held two Earldoms as well so until he had heirs, he was highly sought after for many reasons. These particular titles were actually recognised by the muggle monarchy as well, if not publicly, so his words, name and of course, vote, carried a lot of weight in both the magical and mundane worlds in the UK. It was not something he really paid a lot of attention to however, given the whole Master of Death schtick and the save the universe task that had been laid on him. But it was there none the less.

They ate at an up-market restaurant in one of the classier alleys in the Wizarding district off Diagon Alley and Hadrian got caught up on some of the nuances he had missed since his last visit that simply couldn’t be conveyed via post. Before they even got to their main course there were reporters taking pictures and trying to approach the two Lords for their opinion on this or that proposal and particularly, what had brought the elusive Duke of Peverell out in the public eye.

This was not unusual and one of the reasons why he so rarely did come out in public, at least in Wizarding Britain. But it was also good to show that he was still alive, as some of the more aggressive rumour mongers came up with some interesting conspiracy theories from time to time.

Eventually however, they were able to finish their meal and Hadrian retired to Curatrix Manor and catch with his elves before finishing some more correspondence and meditating before bed. He allowed his mind to dwell on the issues he and Gerald had discussed and wondered.

What would tomorrow bring?

Rain. That’s what. Hadrian woke to the sound of thunder outside his bedroom window and as he opened his eyes he took in the rain spattered glass. Rolling out of bed, he readied himself for the day and checked his appointment diary that the elves he had employed to care for his various residences had prepared for him.

He had the Wizengamot session this morning of course. Lunch with Lord Slytherin, hmmm. Then a meeting with his account manager at Gringotts at three o’clock, followed by … tea with the Queen?!? How did she find out he was in town? Growling to himself, he hated dealing with the muggle monarchy, too many rules, he was pouting as he gathered his notes and schedule then stomped downstairs to the dining room.

Today was going to be a long day and he had hoped to return to New York this evening, but it looked like it would have to be tomorrow now. He was served his preferred breakfast of fruit and sausages, with a side of strong black tea, before making his way to the Ministry. Before leaving however he instructed his estate elf, Marcus, to not accept any more invitations as he needed to return to MACUSA on the morrow. The elf looked at him with sorrowful eyes. “Yes Master Hadrian, however I do need to add a dinner to your diary for today.”

“Now what? Or should I say who?”

“It is your dogfather and wolf Master Hadrian. Are you wanting to eat in or go out?”

Hadrian’s face brightened. “They’re in London?” The elf nodded. “Eat in, please! But, no one else, okay?”

“Of course Master Hadrian.”

The raven wizard grinned then as he headed to the floo. Suddenly the day didn’t seem quite so bad.

Chapter Text

Hadrian strode through the Atrium, head held high and his tailored silk robes whispering around him. Dressed in a purple so dark as to seem almost black, his slacks and waistcoat in the same colour, but the waistcoat subtly patterned in dark gold with dragons. His shirt was a dark gold and his cravat a match to his waistcoat. With his hair loose yet cut to frame his face, he was the picture of wealth, nobility and elegance. Everything Draco Malfoy had once striven to achieve.

Those that saw him recognised him immediately and most moved to get out of his way as he strode with purpose to the lifts to make his way to the Wizengamot Chamber. The guard at the security desk half stood as if to stop the young Lord and request his wand, but suddenly thought better of it and sank back down, allowing the hero and well known ICW agent to walk past unmolested.

Hadrian smirked internally at that evidence of his reputation preceding him, although they really should have stopped him. He could have been an imposter after all.

Descending to the appropriate floor, he exited and made his way to the gathered Lords and Lady’s of the government, joining the Lords Greengrass and Prewett. The twins had taken up their seats and were much more serious when they attended such gatherings. Hadrian was glad to see them again and looking their lurid best in purple and orange. Bill was there as well, acting as Lord Weasley in their father’s stead. Arthur had never had a head for politics, leaving it all in Dumbledore’s hands, and had felt the old man’s betrayal and death keenly.

Hadrian greeted each of the Lords and they spoke quietly of the upcoming session. It was rare that Hadrian attended such and it was only because the of the requirement of all Lords that he was here at all.

“The Creature Registration Bill is a step backwards for sure,” Gerald stated with undisguised animosity. “It goes against everything we have been trying to achieve and I have no idea how it has even got this far!” Bill agreed, nodding his head.

“It was the Light Faction that proposed it, reinstating an old Bill that was proposed by Delores Umbridge under Ex-Minister Fudge,” he commented. “I thought it had been buried years ago.”

Hadrian hummed at this confirmation of his own sources, then decided to broach an idea he had been contemplating for some time and just last night had discussed with his Godfathers. “How would you all feel about a counterproposal?” he asked. Their keen attention answered his question positively. “I have been thinking for some time about Bills such as this and their main concern seems to be around creatures that pose a danger to Wixen Society. Specifically, Werewolves and Vampires.” They nodded their agreement and understanding.

“Now, the reason why these two species in particular cause concern is that they can become violent and attack Wix and even Muggles, thereby threatening exposure of our world. I would like to propose a counter Bill that establishes two main things to address these concerns. The first would be a sanctuary if you would, for Werewolves to go during the full moon. A place protected both from the outside and within so that all Werewolves would be free there to transform and be themselves, with no Wix or Muggles within range. I have an island that would be perfect for such a sanctuary and would be happy to establish it as such, with the provision that the Wizengamot retracts the penalties for employing part or full creatures.”

The Lords were practically gaping at him for this first suggestion. Such a sanctuary would, of course, be absolutely wonderful and would provide an opportunity for many to just be themselves, but the other? They felt Hadrian might be pushing things to insist on such measures. Hadrian however, had an ace up his sleeve that he had been holding on to for many years, for just such an occurrence.

“As for the Vampires, I would propose that we establish Blood Banks. Similar to the Muggle world, Wix could donate blood that would be stored and Vampires could obtain what they need, when they need it, without resorting to force. I would personally fund these projects for a full year to prove their worth and then see them evaluated by the Ministry with a view to taking over their management.” Hadrian looked to his friends. “What do you think?”

They each glanced at each other, Fred and George grinning, then back to Hadrian. “You’re a genius! Haz, that would be brilliant and address so many of the complaints often raised when it comes to creatures,” Fred declared.

“Absolutely,” George agreed. “Whilst those two creatures, or rather entities, are the most often targeted as they are seen as the most dangerous, such thinking and stigma flows over onto all creatures and entities. It’s a disgrace really and such a proposal as you suggest would go a long way to settling such things.”

Gerald and Bill were both nodding. “You’ve got House Weasley’s support Hadrian,” Bill confirmed. “We’ll back you all the way and if I can assist in the managing of either venture, please know that I will be there for you.” His own wife was part Veela and if not for the Goblins, would not have been able to find work in Britain at all.

Hadrian breathed out a sigh of relief internally. He had hoped that they would all see his vision and support him, but even after all these years, he still felt uncertainty at times. Particularly when it came to his political dealings.

“You know, the Creature Registration Bill can’t be why we were all required to be here though. Have any of you heard what the real reason is?” the Duke asked his friends. They all shook their heads, then turned as the doors opened and the Herald ushered the parliament to enter.

<><><> 

The Creature Registration Bill was shot down fast once Hadrian stood to raise his voice in the debate. He spoke eloquently of the injustice, the fear mongering, the prejudice and made even the most seasoned politicians feel like recalcitrant and petty children. Then, he made his counter proposal, addressing the very fears expressed and taking the bite out them completely with his suggestion.

Silence greeted him at first, then, slowly, the applause began. And it started with Lord Marvolo Slytherin.

Hadrian caught his eye and saw the grin that had spread across the man’s face. It would seem that they had much to talk about come lunchtime.

Others followed suit and soon the majority of the Chamber was standing in support of the new Bill and it was entered into the minutes that the Creature Registration Bill was to be closed due to lack of support and a new Bill to be written with the safeguards and rights suggested by Duke Peverell. Hadrian bowed his head in gratitude for the support and resumed his seat. He was always so surprised that these people would listen to him.

“Another item to be discussed today and the reason why you are all here is to be sealed to the Chamber. It was not listed on the Agenda for a reason and it is not to be discussed outside of this room without approval.” Lady Amelia Bones was the current Chief Warlock and addressed the group solemnly.

“Over the past decade there have been a number of disappearances across Europe and more recently, these disappearances have been noted in Britain.” Hadrian head came up abruptly and he focussed on Amelia intensely. He remembered the whispers he had come across when travelling and wonders if this is the same issue. “Children from as young as ten and as old as sixteen have been going missing across the continent. Primarily muggle-born or half-bloods, but more recently, a pure-blood disappeared and the ICW has requested that all Ministries make this investigation their number one priority.”

There were murmurs around the room now, wondering who … what … why?

“We have, of course, already been investigating this issue but have turned up few leads. What I can tell you is that the organisation that seems to be responsible calls themselves HYDRA.” Hadrian’s mind flew back to that encounter in Kyiv, Ukraine in that Yule of 1997. That wizard who attacked him, had been intending to kidnap him? He had wondered what was going on at the time and had heard whispers over the years during his work but had never personally been involved in any of the investigations. He snapped back to attention as Amelia went on.

“At this time, the ICW is seeking additional support from all Ministries to expand their investigations and put a stop to this menace. They have asked Britain for both monetary and Unspeakable support. I would like to put it to the Wizengamot that we authorise such support at this time.”

Hadrian stood from his seat. “Lady Bones, may I also propose an expansion to our own Department of Children’s Services? I believe that we need to ensure that all Magical Children are protected from such a threat to our best abilities, including those currently denied.” He gazed sternly around the room. “You all know of whom I speak. Any child with known creature blood is denied access to such services and security. With these terrorists out there, we cannot afford such bigotry to remain. I had intended to raise this at a later date but the existence of HYDRA on British soil means we cannot afford to wait. ALL Magical children are precious. Magic is a gift of Mother Magic and should be celebrated and protected wherever it is found.”

Amelia nodded and banged her gavel. “All in favour of Duke Peverell’s proposed expansion of the DCS?” Over eighty percent of the room raised their lit wands. “All opposed?” There were a few, but not many willing to oppose the powerful man to his face. “Proposed expansion approved.” The gavel slammed down again.

“Now, all those in favour of supporting the ICW in addressing this HYRDRA threat?” Again, the wands were raised, this time it was unanimous. They could not afford to withhold support for this proposal, particularly with Hadrian still standing there sternly, his wand resolutely raised and blazing in his support. This was another reason why he did not like to attend these meetings. They would all follow him regardless and it made him feel wrong to be seen as so powerful. Even if he was.

With that, the motion was passed and the session was concluded. Hadrian met Marvolo’s eyes across the room once more and nodded in respect for the dark wizard. He knew that Marvolo had been trying to get the protection for wizarding children addressed for some time but kept getting blocked for various reasons. Hadrian had taken this opportunity to get it pushed through and the man knew it.

<><><> 

It took some time to extricate himself from the mass of Lords and Ladies that wished to speak to Hadrian, or to at least be able to say that they had spoken to him, but finally, he made it to the corridor and up to the Atrium once more. There, he found Lord Slytherin, chatting amiably with Lucius Malfoy and Rodolphus Lestrange (who had been pardoned and released when it was found that he had not actually been involved in the torture of the Longbottoms but had in fact tried to restrain his wife Bellatrix).

“Lord Slytherin,” Hadrian greeted the Earl with a small bow. “Lord Malfoy, Lord Lestrange,” he extended the greeting with a nod to each of the others.

“Your Grace,” Marvolo returned, his bow similar in depth to Hadrian’s. The greeting was repeated by the other two lords with slightly lower bows, as befitting their standing in the peerage. “Shall we?” he indicated the floo with a smile and Hadrian joined the party as they headed to their lunch destination.

Hadrian was treated to a very exclusive restaurant in Vertic Alley that catered to the elite and found himself able to relax somewhat. The tables were all warded against violence of any type and set up to establish absolute privacy for those seated. It was expensive as well as exclusive, but did allow even rivals to meet and so discuss terms in safety.

“I was most impressed by your actions today your Grace,” Marvolo started but Hadrian interrupted.

“Hadrian, please.”

“Hadrian then. Please, call me Marvolo.” Hadrian smirked at the older man. He knew who he really was. Who he had been. But he had a great deal of respect for the way he had re-established himself and escape the lies of Albus Dumbledore and his faction.

“As I was saying, Hadrian, I was most impressed by your actions today, and in particular your move on the DCS. It is something that I have been trying to change for quite some time.”

“I was aware and tried to assist where possible but there was a lot of opposition. Today’s session just seemed too opportune to pass up when our peers seemed in such an agreeable mood.” He smirked a little at the Earl opposite him and received a grin in reply. It seemed they thought a lot alike and Marvolo wondered again how he had let himself fall so far as to attack this young man as a child.

“Your suggestion of the Werewolf Sanctuary and the … Blood Bank? … also interested me immensely Hadrian. Have you given much thought to how such would work as yet?”

Hadrian nodded. “I’ve been thinking about it for a while now, but not sure how to introduce it. I’ve followed your own proposals in regard to creatures for some time and seen some good results come to fruition from those, but also a lot of the problems that seem to keep cropping up. I’d prefer for all creatures and entities to just be accepted in Wixen Society but as that doesn’t seem to be on the cards anytime soon, I ran this idea past my Godfathers. One of them is a Werewolf and he was ecstatic for the idea so, today just seemed a good opportunity to bring it up.”

Marvolo smiled at the young man before him and was glad that he had never succeeded in his murderous tendencies. “You have many good ideas it seems young Hadrian. It is a shame we do not see more of you in Britain these days.”

“You should actually be glad of that Marvolo,” Hadrian snorted ruefully. “I’m a magnet for trouble don’t you know? Besides, I’m pretty sure what, or rather who, the ICW was talking about when they reached out to the British Ministry for aid.”

“Oh,” Marvolo raised an eyebrow at him now. He knew of Hadrian’s work as an Unspeakable, although that knowledge should have been secret outside of the DOM and the Minister themselves, but he was unaware of Hadrian’s work outside of the UK. “Why would that concern you directly?”

Hadrian cocked his head, considering how much he could trust this man. He had followed his political career with much interest over the years and Gerald had filled him in on a lot of the in-Chamber discussions too. He felt that Marvolo Slytherin could be the next Minister for Magic, if he so chose, and wielded a great deal of power within the various factions, but particularly that of the Dark, or Traditional Faction. He decided to offer a small olive branch. He would need to get to know this man a lot more before he could be trusted with some of his secrets.

“I have been known from time to time to assist the ICW with certain … sensitive … issues. This HYDRA just seems to me to fit into that category. I guess I’ll know more in a few days. I’ve meeting with various officials, but Wixen and Mundane, over the coming week after all.

Marvolo nodded in appreciation of the information and understanding of the gesture towards a greater relationship, dare he say, friendship, that might be possible between the two of them.

Their lunch order arrived at that point and their conversation moved on to less sensitive but still very interesting topics around the DCS and how it could be improved further in picking up on abuse cases early and how they might be addressed. Marvolo had some plans in this direction and Hadrian was very interested to hear just how detailed and developed they were.

Similarly, Marvolo was impressed with the detail and thought that Hadrian had put into his Werewolf Sanctuary and they ended up speaking for nearly three hours before a subtle alarm reminded Hadrian that he had places to be and a Queen to placate.

“It was a pleasure to spend time with you Marvolo,” Hadrian said as he stood. “I find many of your ideas and way of thinking to be insightful and to the betterment of Mother Magick and her children. I hope that we may do this again?”

“I feel much the same Hadrian,” Marvolo replied, also standing. “You have intrigued me for some time and I am grateful that we have had this chance to get to know each other better. I look forward to furthering our relationship.” He held out his hand and Hadrian took it, confirming the start of their friendship as he wished he had done so with Draco Malfoy so many years earlier.

<><><> 

Hadrian was late. He hated it when he was late.

As he strode through the large doors into the gleaming white building it was with an agitated step. His lunch with Marvolo had gone well and he had hopes for an alliance, dare he say friendship? yet to come. But still, it had taken him longer to get from the restaurant to the bank than he had anticipated, with so many Wixen coming up to him and wanting to talk, to shake his hand, to say they had met the great Duke Peverell. It was worse than when he had been known as the Boy-Who-Lived!

Finally, gaining the seclusion of the Goblin’s bank, he breathed a sigh of relief, then strode on to the reception desk at the back of the room to make his presence known. He got a sneering greeting for his trouble and was escorted to his account manager’s office. He knew the way so well by now he could have simply travelled there directly, but such things were not done.

Knocking on the door, he entered as bid and bowed in greeting. “Good afternoon Manager Stonefang, may your gold ever flow.”

The Goblin stared at him a moment before his mouth twitched in the beginning of a grin. Hadrian just waited, staying in his bow. He was the one who was late. He was the one in the wrong and he knew his account manager was just teasing him. He grinned inwardly as he waited. Finally, the reply came, “Greetings Duke Peverell, may your blade always strike true.”

Hadrian stood straight and grinned at his old friend, meeting the likewise grin in return. “Sorry I’m late Stonefang, the Wix out there are mad!” His friend merely laughed at this complaint as it was a common one these last few years. Hadrian still had trouble at times understanding just how attractive he was and his time spent travelling and, most recently, in the USA had not really broken him of that obliviousness. Not completely anyway.

The Goblin merely waved a hand and invited Hadrian to sit before the desk before pulling out the parchmentwork he had for his client to go through. “Let’s start with the scholarship shall we? Then we can discuss whatever other mayhem you have decided to get up to whilst in London this time.” Hadrian just laughed and pulled the first pile towards him.

This was something he had been glad to do. He had always wondered why there seemed so few Wix at Hogwarts when he attended and whilst there was the war in the seventies that would have contributed to a slowing of the birthrate, there had not been a resultant upswing post that time. In his research, Hadrian had discovered the costs that were charged to families for the students to attend and the very limited funding available for scholarships. As such, he had established a scholarship fund through Gringotts using the gifts he had been willed as the Boy-Who-Lived which had all been directed into a separate vault by his ‘magical guardian’ and which he had never known about before he asked.

The amount had been staggering to be honest and included not only currency but books, toys, jewelry and even property. Some Wix were just crazy in Hadrian’s mind but hey, he wasn’t going to complain but rather funnel it directly back to children and families that were in need.

As such, he had established the fund to pay for forty additional children to attend the full seven years of Hogwarts, or their choice of school, if they met the criteria. It was simple really. They needed to be Magical, of course, and their families needed to be earning below the amount set by the Goblins as what would be considered sufficient to meet the minimum standard of living. If such families inevitably ended up being those of creature or entity blood, who was he to argue? True, not all were creatures, but the vast majority that were eligible for the scholarship ended up being so and as he kept the Scholarship completely separate to his known lordships, there were no stories linking him to it to interfere with his political agenda.

He had named it the Derwent Scholarship, after his mother’s pureblood heritage that none had known about, not even her, and given his Family Magick of Creature Speak had come from that family line, it felt right in so many ways. The cost of a year at Hogwarts averaged out at two thousand galleons for tuition, books, uniform and spending money (he couldn’t resist adding that extra as he knew the hardship of not having any). With forty per year, that meant a total of 560,000 Galleons per year that he allocated to those families (forty lots of fourteen thousand to cover their full term of education). Although the Goblins only released the one thousand per year, Hadrian and Stonefang allocated the full amount each year from the Scholarship Investment Vault to the Scholarship Working Vault to ensure that no student would be left without.

“The Scholarship Investment Vault is building up again Hadrian. Did you want to increase the amount to each student or add more students to the fund?” Stonefang asked.

Hadrian considered the options and then decided to do both, but in a roundabout way. “Let’s increase the number of scholarships each year to sixty, but keep the amount per student the same. In addition however, offer a two week family holiday each July, all expenses paid, to the Dreamland Family Resort on the Berry Islands, Bahamas. I still own that don’t I?”

Nodding, Stonefang made a note. “Yes you do. It’s one of the properties you were willed so sits in the Scholarship Vault already. Good choice. International port key to the Islands would be five galleons per person, accommodation there is twenty five galleons per person per night so that would be 75 galleons per person per day to allow for travel, accommodation, meals and full access to the Resort, or one thousand and fifty galleons per person for the full two weeks given that is the peak season as well. Does that meet your intentions Hadrian?”

“Yes, that sounds wonderful. And next year, we can do a different location … how many resorts did I end up with in that portfolio again?”

“Eight,” came the rue reply. Hadrian just shook his head. Some Wix were just crazy to leave him such things. “Such generosity will bring the Scholarship commitments up by an additional one and half million galleons per year, three times the current outlay.”

“Well then, that should keep the income from building up too much,” Hadrian replied brightly and Stonefang sighed but nodded. It would also come back as income, given the resorts were owned by the Fund, but that would just feed into more students and families being able to enjoy some of the finer things in life. Just as Hadrian had wanted.

They also spoke about the Scholarship’s Committee who assessed the applications each year. Stonefang sat on it as Hadrian’s representative, but the others were a mix of Wixen and Hadrian saw no need for changes.

“Stonefang,” Hadrian then began tentatively. “Would it be possible to establish some kind of summer school for magicals below Hogwarts age? Not to teach magic as such, given that their cores are still growing, but rather to teach history, etiquette, the Wheel of Life and Mother Magick. And,” he hesitated here. “Not just Wixen children, but I was thinking of creatures and entities too, so that we can start to address the prejudice early.” He waited for his account manager to consider his idea. Hadrian valued his opinion, not only on the financial side, but also in relation to his dealings with other entities and creatures.

“That, is an interesting suggestion Hadrian,” Stonefang replied eventually. “The Wixen children would not be a problem and it sounds like you’d like to specifically target the muggle-borns and half-bloods, given that most pure-bloods are educated by their families …”

“But not all!” he exclaimed. “Look at me!”

“True, true, but you are an exception to many rules. So, muggle-born and muggle-raised particularly then. But to also include entities and creatures? I’m not sure how well that would go.” Hadrian looked crestfallen. “Perhaps if you were to start with the Wixen and we introduce the concept of others in time. I can speak to my King and you can raise it at the Council when we next meet, but I would suggest you don’t push this too hard my friend. There is still a lot of ill feeling, on both sides, and it will take time to progress.”

Hadrian’s shoulders had slumped but he knew that Stonefang was right. He just wanted so much to make a difference for other children as he had been. Other creatures and entities that were unable to get jobs or raise their families in safety in so many parts of the world but particularly here in Brittain.

Maybe that was something he could start to address with Elizabeth. He wondered again why she wanted to see him and hoped it wasn’t about getting married again. Damn Will for beating him to it. And, although he had to marry regardless, Hadrian did not but it seems to have fired up the old lady all over again.

They spoke for a while longer but unfortunately, Hadrian had tea to get to and needed to duck home to freshen up and change into something more muggle-appropriate. With a sigh, he eventually stood, thanked Stonefang once more, then left the safety of the bank and ducked into an alcove out of sight to apparate back to Curatrix Manor.

Chapter Text

He made a quick stop back at his townhouse to shower and change into appropriate attire for his Tea with the Queen. Hadrian didn’t appreciate this part of his many titles but acknowledged that it was a part of his heritage as well, dating back to the time of King Arthur and when his family had served the Crown that had ruled all of Albion, before the Mundane and Magical worlds were divided.

Queen Elizabeth II was a lovely lady really and had semi-adopted Hadrian as an unofficial grandson, right alongside her two actual grandsons William and Harry. As they were only two and four years younger than the magical duke and both squibs to boot, it made for some interesting family gatherings when they all mingled together. Hadrian had the suspicion however that today’s tea would be a marriage mart discussion, again, now that Will had married his Cate last year.

All three of them had served the British Intelligence Service in one capacity or another for many years now, with both Will and Harry still in active service although their public positions were somewhat different to their actual positions. The three had training together for some of their courses back in 2005 and 2006 as Hadrian was transitioning from his work with Gringotts into the Unspeakables – Special Services. As such, they had become friends and Hadrian had helped them with some of the non-wand required magic that would help in their work and lives, such as Potions, Ancient Runes, Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology. Whilst their magical cores were not strong enough to physically cast magic, they were certainly able to sense it and use some aspects of the Craft to serve their people. Both young Princes were nothing if not dedicated to service.

“His Grace, the Duke of Rutland, Lord Hadrian Peverell,” was announced as the doors opened and Hadrian was ushered into a grand sitting room at Buckingham Palace. He almost halted in his stride as he took in the formidable visage of not only his monarch, but also his royal cousins. Internally rolling his eyes, Hadrian barely paused as he made his way over to his pseudo grandmother and her two grandsons and bowed before her, kissing the ring on her raised hand that was offered him.

“Hadrian, dear,” she intoned. “It has been too long that you have absented yourself from our company. Again.” Sitting in her armchair before the fire, she made it seem a throne and Hadrian saw Harry’s grin from the side that was almost a snigger.

“My apologies gracious lady,” Hadrian replied. “My work keeps me far busier and further away from our motherland than I would sometimes like. However, I am, as ever, your most obedient servant.” That brought a smothered laugh from Will this time and Hadrian fought the desire to kick him in the shins. Then he spotted the quirk of Liz’s lips as she fought a smile as well.

Finally, they all heard the door close and let out relieved breaths and laughter. “Oh Hades!” Harry exclaimed. “The look on your face! I thought I was going to keel over trying to keep from laughing before they left.” Hadrian gave in and rolled his eyes at his younger cousin.

“Really boys,” Liz admonished sternly, sort of. “It’s not like you didn’t catch up with him just last year when you all had that mission in … China was it? Or Africa? I forget. Anyway, you almost missed Will’s wedding! I mean really Hadrian, I expect better of you at least.” Her stern frown fought with her grin at seeing her favourite Magical subject. Really, the Ministers for Magic were all so … politically correct! She much preferred to speak with Hadrian who was so like her Will and Harry. The three were such good friends that even months apart didn’t really impact their friendship.

“Indeed,” Will exclaimed. “Do you know the stories I had to come up with to keep Cate’s family appeased? I mean really Hades!”

“Like it wasn’t your fault we got delayed Will,” Hadrian teased. “I mean who was it that insisted we check out that supposed Grootslang?”

“But Hades! It was a giant snake! The biggest in the world!” Will protested. “How could we pass that up when we had you with us?” Liz turned her gaze on her oldest grandson at this, her lips thinning dangerously.

“A Grootslang? Will, did you serious nearly miss your own wedding over a Grootslang?”

“Ahh … umm … well, you see Gran …” Harry was nearly bent over double in laughter as his brother suddenly found himself trying to talk his way out of this one. Will was very keen on Magical Beasts and any hint of such a creature would have him detouring on whatever trip, mission, or otherwise, to try and find it. His hero was Newt Scamander, unsurprisingly, and when Hadrian had introduced them to the famed Magizoologist, it had taken them hours to drag Will away again.

“Hmm,” the Queen responded. “Well, be that as it may, Hadrian, I have words for you young man.” Hadrian groaned and flopped gracefully into the chaise opposite Liz. “You are thirty-two years old and I have yet to see any sign of marriage or even a long term relationship from you. You are a Duke! You are an Earl twice over and more! You are practically royalty in the Magical lines and yet you are not doing your duty!”

“Liz, please, you know that Magicals live longer than Mundanes. I’ve got plenty of time! Besides … I’m kind of … umm … seeing someone.” He almost mumbled the last part.

“You are seeing someone? Whom?”

“They’re American, okay? And, it’s complicated.” Hadrian rubbed his hand across the back of his neck. “I’ll take care if it though, don’t worry. I’ll make sure I have sufficient offspring to take up the many titles I hold and ensure the blood lines do not end with me. It’s just … a work in progress.” He glanced up at her through his long eyelashes to see if she was buying it. The grim expression said not.

“Well, we’ll have to see about that,” she responded. “Perhaps Will’s Cate can introduce you to some of her friends …” Will looked at Hadrian at this, shock on his face and the frantic head shaking suggesting he knew nothing of this suggestion before now.

“I’d be happy to make any introductions you deem fit Liz, but you have to remember that my work keeps me rather busy on the other side of the world at the moment.”

“Indeed, these Avengers I’ve been reading about, hmm? What can you tell me?”

Hadrian then spent nearly an hour filling in the British Monarch on the American quasi-military group that was allied with the ICW and various Magical law enforcement agencies as well as Mundane equivalents around the world. He briefed them on their most recent mission and the outcome that had resulted in his own unmasking and public addition to the team, along with his chosen name.

“Vindex? Really?” Harry asked with a guffaw.

“It means Protector, why, what’s wrong with it?” Hadrian asked, somewhat annoyed at the younger man.

“Ah, Hades,” Will started hesitantly. “There is a Mundane window cleaning product called Windex … it kind of sounds similar, you know?”

“Windex?” Hadrian asked, bemused, his head tilted. “Never heard of it.” Harry just burst out laughing again and Will shook his head. Even Liz couldn’t contain her smile at this enigmatic young man. She knew he was a powerful wizard in the Magical World and was grateful that he was on their side at the end of the day with all that he could do.

They were still laughing at him, or with him, it was hard to tell sometimes, when Hadrian departed the Queen’s presence, the two Princes accompanying him out the door. They headed down to one of the Billiard Rooms and spent the early evening relaxing and catching up. Hadrian really did like his adoptive royal squib cousins and spending time with them, regardless of the need to spend time in the Mundane Court, which he definitely tried to avoid.

“So how is married life treating you Will?” he asked casually at one point. Will smirked at him knowingly.

“I no longer need to worry about playing the field, that’s for sure, never knowing if they are really seeing me or just my title,” Will replied. “And Cate … well, Cate’s just amazing, you know?” Hadrian saw the hearts in his friend’s eyes at this and shook his head, wondering if he did anything like that when he looked at Tony. Wait. Did he just think that? Hmmm …

“Yeah, well, I’m still enjoying the bachelor lifestyle, that’s for sure,” Harry chimed in as he broke the next round with the starting strike. “And I’m not planning on settling down anytime soon.”

“You say that now, but just wait,” Will admonished his brother. “When you meet the one, you’ll know.” They all laughed a little at that, but Hadrian met Will’s eye with a knowing smile. “Ah, Hadrian, I actually had something I wanted to ask you, while you’re here and all.” Hadrian looked up from his shot at the more serious tone.

“What’s up Will?”

“Well, Cate and I are trying for a family you see … and, ahh … well, we’d like for you to be one of our first child’s godfathers,” he finished in a rush. Hadrian blinked.

“Are you sure Will?”

“Definitely. You see, Cate’s a squib as well and so there is a very good chance that our children could end up Magical, or so the studies have shown. So, we want to make sure that each of our children has a Magical as well as Mundane godparent and you’re my first choice for our first born.” Hadrian searched the young Prince’s eyes and finally nodded, accepting the honour.

“It would be my honour Will, if you’re sure,” he replied sombrely, clasping his friend’s shoulder. He was rewarded with the smile that lit up Will’s face in gratitude and Hadrian suddenly wondered what exactly he was letting himself in for.

They spent the remainder of the hours until dinner in comfortable companionship, then, when the younger two were called away, Hadrian took his leave and headed back to his townhouse.

<><><> 

It was his last night in London and Hadrian had invited Sirius and Remus around for dinner. He had spent the afternoon relaxing, by cooking. Hadrian loved cooking after all and to be able to cook for some of his favourite people was always a joy to him.

The floo flared in the arrivals hall and Hadrian heard the alarm he had rigged alert him to the fact, so he placed a stasis on the food already prepared and wiping his hands, made his way upstairs to greet his godfathers.

“Pup!”

“Cub!”

He was wrapped up in a double hug by the two men whom he had gotten closer to over the years since his expulsion. He was glad they had reconnected and gotten to know each other after their cleansing. The two Marauders had become his closest confidents over the years, closer even than Viktor and Fleur.

“Hello Padfoot, Moony,” he greeted them, his face half hidden in his dogfather’s chest. “Glad you could make it.” Even with his growth and creature inheritance, Sirius and Remus still stood taller than him, but Hadrian found he didn’t mind. It was nice to have people he could look up to, after all.

He escorted them to the sitting room and poured them all some light white wine for starters. It was an Australian Pinot Grigio that he had become partial to and he hoped they liked it as well. The grateful sips and smiles indicated that they did and the three men settled in the comfortable chairs before the fireplace to catch up on Hadrian’s doings of the past week, or so.

As he filled them in on some of the detail about his work and the Wizengamot that he couldn’t put in letters, Remus was taking in the room. They hadn’t visited him here in some time as they usually met in public or one of his other residences when he was travelling. Hadrian had forgotten that he had put up several pictures in this room from his travels, those in Romania in particular.

“I like your dragon collection Cub,” Remus commented as he got up to move around the room, looking at the various pictures. He didn’t notice Hadrian’s cheeks pink at that reference, but Sirius did and wondered.

“Ah, yeah, they’re from my trips to the Romanian Reserve, to visit Charlie,” he replied. “You’ll see they’re mainly of the Hebridean Black, Sasha, and her offspring.” He was rubbing the back of his neck as he explained, getting up to go stand beside Remus. Hadrian pointed out the beautiful female then the various hatchlings she had produced over the last fifteen years.

He had been back to visit Sasha, and Charlie, several times since his first trip in 1997 and Sasha had, with the aid of Tenebris, produced five clutches over that time, the latest one due to hatch within the next few months. To date, she had produced over twenty living young and the Reserve was ecstatic with the impact this has had on the endangered species.

Hadrian moved over to one of the pictures showing the first clutch of hatchlings. “This was the first group that hatched in 1998 after she started getting visits from a wild male. It seems he stops by every few years and together they have produced five clutches of healthy dragons. Director Fury and Charlie have been overjoyed and the dragonets have grown well. They now have a whole section dedicated to the preservation of the species.”

The first group had three females and two males in it and Hadrian was so proud, if also a little embarrassed and uncomfortable as well, of his children. It wasn’t really something he could just tell everyone, but given that he was not attracted to the female of the human species, these children could be all that he ever had, biologically. Then again, he really didn’t know as much about his own creature as he would like and High Elves could very well be bearers for all he knew.

Remus looked at the pictures, then back at Hadrian, then back at the pictures. “Umm, Hadrian … would Tenebris have anything to do with this by any chance?” Hadrian’s cheeks flamed red at that. Of course, Remus would make the connection.

Sirius whooped and bounced over to hug his godson. “Harry! You devil you!”

“It’s not like that … I mean it is … but …” he took a deep breath. “Do you ever get feelings like you’re being guided to make a certain decision? Like … it feels as if Magick itself is talking to you?” he asked. Remus and Sirius just looked at each other. They had heard of this but never known anyone to have had a direct contact with Lady Magick. “Well, the first time I went to Romania, I had that feeling … a push if you will … and this was the result.” He looked over the pictures of his dragon family. “Every few years I get another nudge and find myself making an excuse to visit the Reserve for a week or two.”

Hadrian had hunched in on himself a bit, not sure how his godfathers would take this news and that he had sired so many little dragon babies. He need not have feared however as he was wrapped once more in love and comfort by the two older men.

“Hadrian … Pup … you should never refuse the call of Lady Magick and … we believe in you and if this is the result, especially when the species is so endangered, then there is nothing to be ashamed of in any way.”

“He’s right Cub,” Remus affirmed. “Always be guided by that feeling, that voice, and you will not go wrong. Whatever She asks of you, we will support and love you.”

He looked up at that and the unsure boy that still lurked beneath the strong and confidant man he had become felt the love and warmth of these two who had come to mean so much to him. “Thank you,” he whispered.

Then, pulling himself together he moved back and suggested they make their way to the dining room. With a little magic, he had the meal served and their conversation went back to more mundane things but every now and then the elders couldn’t resist teasing their junior Marauder about his dragon legacy, much to Hadrian’s continued embarrassment. But he knew it came from a place of love and was their way of showing support.