"Hadrian, wake up, the others will be here in half an hour," Tom called out to his husband, standing beside the window with a letter clutched in his hand. Dressed only in a pair of boxers, as soon as he'd claimed the letter the owl took off. Seeing that Hadrian was watching him, green eyes gleaming ardently, he added, "If you're spending the entire morning in Diagon Alley, you should reply to Yaxley's letter, let him know whether you intend to take up his offer or not," they only had half an hour, they were not going to start something he wasn't going to get a chance to finish.
Hadrian groaned as he reluctantly removed himself from his warm and comfortable bed. "I've not had a chance to think about it," he had been otherwise preoccupied last night. It definitely made up for having to endure every single pureblood that he'd had to put up with last night. Seeing him in just his underwear was heady itself, but Tom was right, they had too much to do today for an early morning romp.
"Sometimes it's like I know you better than you know yourself," Tom scoffed, but it wasn't derision on his face but blatant amusement.
"That isn't hard," Harry admitted with a smirk, as he moved over to his wardrobe and began to remove the clothes he wanted to wear today. "Having choices…even now tends to make me analyze everything, you know?"
"Or look for catches and ulterior motives that sometimes aren't there," Tom pointed out, he said nothing of analyzing everything since it was a good process to have. He too did the same thing, and in his book, it was nothing to be ashamed of.
"Yes," Harry nodded, putting on his t-shirt, his next reply slightly muffled due to the material over his head, "I'll think about it and send him my reply tonight,"
"Don't wait too long, he may have actually sent out the same letter to more than one person," Tom pointed out seriously, as he joined Hadrian, and began to pick out clothes, eyeing Hadrian's choice of attire critically before nodding, it was definitely much better than he had dressed in the past.
"I wouldn't be surprised," Hadrian shrugged, as he stepped into his trousers, and yanked them up before doing the fastenings. "If they're desperate to send out missives like that, they'll definitely have at least a few 'apprentice' type situations going on. Pomfrey should be finished with her Medi-Witch course, I'd like to talk to her."
"Why?" Tom asked blankly staring at Hadrian, half dressed utterly baffled by his statement.
"She's the Medi-Witch at Hogwarts, for years, decades actually, she came to Hogwarts between your time and my father's time at the school. She's very powerful, she could do more with her life than just be a Medi-Witch at Hogwarts." Harry explained, "It's odd, I want her to do well, but I also cannot see her in any other position."
"Hmm," was all the sound Tom made, losing interest immediately.
Hadrian snorted, grinning widely, knowing Tom well enough to know he didn't give two hoots. His stomach grumbled in a complaint, he reckoned he had around twenty minutes to have a quick breakfast before the guys were here. "Give me your Hogwarts list I'll get everything we both need." and they did have some different classes, Tom, for example, didn't take the offered healing classes and the Alchemy ones he was taking. "I'll see you downstairs," he added as he opened the bedroom door.
"I have a gift for you," Tom informed his husband before he could step outside their bedroom, in his hand he had a large square blue box which he had just pulled from the ornate dressing table that was mostly used by Tom while he replied to missives or kept up to date on his vaults and Harry solely for him to keep his manuscript in and secure.
Hadrian turned around curiosity written all over his face, "Why? Have I missed something?" a 'V' shape crinkling at his forehead as he tried to think of anything he potentially missed.
"No, I just wished to get it for you," Tom replied, Hadrian had given him a piece of his past for no other reason than he could. He'd never be able to repay him for that, the locket meant a great deal to him. Wearing a locket that had once sat around the neck of Salazar Slytherin, his idol, his ancestor.
"You feeling alright?" Hadrian couldn't help but tease Tom, he wasn't the sentimental type. Not even with him, this was a first, a gift when there was no need for one. Cocking his head to the side, as he wandered up to his husband, excitement thrumming through him, trying to temper it down, he felt like a kid again, like his first Christmas at Hogwarts.
"Hilarious," Tom said dryly, giving Hadrian a droll look, "Open it," he was excited, Tom realized, very excited about such a small thing. He felt very…odd feeling that through the bond. It reminded him of the time when he realized he was finally free of the oppressive orphanage. The giddy feeling of freedom.
Hadrian placed his hands on the box, and opened the lid, a genuine smile spreading across his face. "The Peverell coat of arms," he whispered, it was too weathered for Tom to have had this made for him, which meant it was an old piece. "Where did you find this?" tracing the design with his fingers, the line, the triangle, and the circle. Pure gold, with onyx inlay. The Peverell brothers seemed to prefer onyx to any other gem.
"This belonged to Ignotus Peverell, there's a portrait of him wearing it underneath, it has his initials on the back," Tom replied smugly, pride at his accomplishment wafting from him in droves. "I did a spell to find out what year it dates back to and it's the right timeframe."
Picking out the long chunky chain, he curiously shifted the padding and found the painting under it as Tom said. The exact same pendant was fixed to Ignotus' neck in the portrait. It had been cut and was frayed at the seams, Hadrian looked closely and saw a shoulder that had been cut out and wondered if this had been a picture of all three brothers…or the entire family. It definitely wasn't Ignotus' wife and son, he was much too young, barely seventeen in this.
"He was the only one who had a pendant, his elder brother got the heir ring, and his send eldest chose the band," Hadrian said, "The band went missing the night he was killed, the ring was modified badly I think to fit the stone, but that's just speculation, there weren't many heirlooms from the Peverell line, to begin with. Maybe just five or six originals in total, not surprising since it disappeared along with the male heir and became the Potter line," he always surprised himself with how much information he actually knew, then again it helps that he had books from the Peverell vaults or the few they had.
With that said, Hadrian looped the pendant around his neck, grabbing Tom's face he locked their lips together, hard, and kissed him passionately. When breathing became necessary, he drew back, taking in great big gulps of air, "I love it, Tom, thank you," before kissing him again, just as ardently.
"Mmm, might have to buy you more if I get thanks like that," Tom replied, black eyes boring into green, gripping his hips possessively. Peculiarly enough, he wished to allow Hadrian to experience that feeling of childish delight again, more than appreciate the enthusiastic thanks and Tom just did not understand why he found himself quite flummoxed by his own feelings. The sound of pinging surrounding the entire manor thankfully distracted Hadrian who groaned dramatically.
"You best go," Tom urged him, "My list is beside yours on the desk,"
"Next time, you're going with them," Harry pointed out seriously, before giving him another kiss before forcing himself away, making a hastily jog down the stairs, not wanting any of the others to upset his House-elves. Not that he thought they would dare to do anything. Cursing quietly as he almost tripped on an upended side of the rug, absently straightening it before rounding the corner and into the living room where the group was waiting. His stomach grumbled longingly for the food he could smell frying away in a pan. "When we get there, I'm getting something to eat while we shop,"
"Then we best go to the bookstore first, they don't allow you to walk around with any kind of food, even when it's closed," Aiden suggested, while Orion nodded in agreement, "I brought in a chocolate frog once…the rabid owner bloody ran me out as though I had smeared chocolate everywhere."
Orion laughed, "It was a drink with me, had to leave it outside," shaking his head in exasperation, "You'd think we were two-years-old the way they go on." as if they would do anything as childish as pour drink or smear food over books. They had more class than that than their usual clientele, thank you very much.
Nott, Avery, and Dolohov all conceded his point.
"Alright then, Flourish and Blotts first, then I'm going to grab something to eat," Hadrian agreed, grabbing both his and Tom's lists from the desk where Tom said they'd be. Folding them in half and sliding them into his cloak pocket, before nabbing the cloak from where it lay spread out on his chair and clipping it into place. "Let's get going then, meet up outside Flourish and Blotts," with that Hadrian Apparated to Diagon Alley.
Hadrian barely had time to blink before he was surrounded by the others who must have Apparated directly after him. He would honestly much have preferred to be with Tom even if he was meeting with Abraxas Malfoy and probably going to be the most boring meeting in the history of all meetings. He knew what was going on was probably illegal, but he was rather hoping it wasn't a prelude to murder, he couldn't change Tom, he would always be a Dark Lord, but he was hoping, knowing the road he had gone down he would be much more subtle and less likely to go on killing sprees. To do what he wanted, but take the long road and not want too much too soon.
As long as Grindelwald and Dumbledore were taken care off…Hadrian didn't care…and that probably made him an awful person.
"Mother, what are you doing here?" Orion blurted out as he spotted his mum in the shop.
Hadrian's eyes narrowed greedily, trying to see who Orion was talking to.
"Shopping, dear, what else?" Orion's mother said, lips twitching in amusement. "Who's your friend?" she asked, not recognizing Hadrian right off bat.
"Um…mother this is Lord Hadrian Peverell-Slytherin, Hadrian this is my mother, Lady Melanie Black nee Macmillan." Orion kicked his mouth into gear after the surprise of seeing his mother out, when she had been eating breakfast when he left just twenty minutes ago.
"My, you'll have to forgive me, Lord Peverell-Slytherin, you look years younger than your photograph," Melanie apologized, "My husband and I love your books,"
"No need for forgiveness, and please call me Hadrian, Lord Peverell-Slytherin is quite a mouthful," Hadrian said, this was Sirius' grandmother! His grandmother! She had curly hair, curly blonde hair, Orion always had straight hair, which meant Sirius and Regulus could have gotten their hair from her. She must have a brother, the Macmillan line was still going strong sixty years down the line. She was married to Arcturus Black the third, it was insane trying to keep up with the Black family, they were so numerous, which was odd itself since in his time it had really only been Sirius and the three Black females who weren't Black's anymore.
"Thank you, and you may also call me Melanie," Melanie insisted, "Particularly in front of my husband," she teased, he was very formal, and she honestly thought he could do with being less so.
Hadrian laughed wickedly, "Oh, it's a deal," he could imagine how he was if Orion had grown to be like him, but anyone that had to endure Walburga (future one which might not exist now) was more of a saint than a grouchy old fart. He would have felt the same with the Lestrange who had to endure Bellatrix.
Orion coughed his lips twitching but he managed to stop himself outright laughing or smiling at his mothers' proclamation. If his father heard this he would have burst a blood vessel for sure. He knew Hadrian would do it too, he'd get a kick out of it, look at what he'd said and done during dinner with the Malfoy's last night for Merlin's sake. He was merciless when you got on his bad side. Aiden Avery was very lucky to have managed to recover from his fuck up. A glance at the others showed they too were trying to contain their amusement behind inscrutable masks.
"I look forward to seeing what books you bring out in future," Melanie added, her own lips twitching just so, but not full out smiling. "You are clearly a very bright young man with a great future ahead of you."
Hadrian nodded in thanks to the compliments she had offered him.
"Do not be late for dinner, Orion," Melanie warned her son, it had already happened once and her husband didn't have infinite patience.
"I won't, mother," Orion said solemnly, wishing this conversation over with so he and his friends could go and do what they needed then have a drink in the pub.
"Have a good morning boy's," Melanie said fondly to the other boys who had grown up visiting Grimmauld Place to play with her son.
"Thank you, Lady Black," the others replied automatically, Nott and Dolohov moving aside to let other patrons from the bookstore out since they were taking up the majority of the space in the doorway.
"Go on, you best get in," Melanie urged them, ruffling her son's hair with a grin before her professional mask was back on and she was leaving. "Be careful, there's a lot of foreign wizards around today," she added in a mere afterthought.
"Your mum is awesome," Hadrian said in amusement, as Orion cursed up a storm trying to get his hair back into its neatly brushed style.
Orion huffed, "She's annoying is what she is," he grumbled, as he wandered in following the others.
"Hey," Hadrian retorted sharply, "Never take her for granted," giving Orion a serious severe look before the group split up and began to grab the books they'd need for school. The core group ones were easily gotten due to the fact they were already bundled together, hundreds have strewn all over the shop, and Hadrian thought that was actually quite handy, too bad they hadn't done this in his time.
He had to refrain from actually reading any of them since two sounded extremely entertaining, to say the least. He couldn't help but peek into the Alchemy one, despite his fears so far the book explained it very well, he had always assumed it was more science-y than potions itself, but he may actually be wrong. Although he supposed it might get more difficult as they go on.
Eyeing the books on the shelf, he made his decision and quickly levitated four of the next alchemy book down to float behind him along with the rest of his books all while reading. He didn't see the looks he was gaining from everyone seeing the Wandless magic so casually displayed or the fact he had four levitations going simultaneously while he was clearly not paying any attention.
"Hadrian! Stop reading! Get over here, we're ready to go!" Avery called down to Hadrian from the top of the row where he stood staring down at Harry who was at the bottom of the shop, too busy reading to pay any attention. Or gave the appearance of not doing so, but Aiden would bet his considerable trust vault that it wasn't quite true - he definitely paid attention to his surroundings.
The others winced, shaking their head, unsurprised when Avery paled a little at their sub vocal noise probably realizing for the first time who he was talking to and how he was talking to him. Not something he should do, he was just belatedly grateful that Tom wasn't here to give him that look, one that said he'd pay for his comments in private.
And Tom always lived up to his promises.
"You paid already?" Hadrian asked absently, still trying to read the book.
"Just waiting on you," Orion explained, smirking at Avery's silence, what could he say, he was a Slytherin, seeing anyone brought down was amusing, even if it was a friend. He knew Avery would do the same thing right back, although he'd like to say he wasn't stupid enough to make any mistakes like that.
"Alright, I'll just be a minute," Hadrian called back, not seeing his friends lurching out of the way of the books as they zoomed passed them. The books were guided towards the counter by Hadrian's magic, and the witch at the counter quickly totaled the amount up and bound them together with brown paper and string before Hadrian shrunk them down and slid them into his pocket.
The witch made grabby motions for the money very impatiently.
Only then did he hand over the Galleons, giving the witch a look of disdain, as if he was stupid enough to steal something from here - where he lived of all places, and where his book was sold for Merlin's sake. He had no need to steal the books, this was…pennies compared to what he was worth. Then again, she may not know that he conceded and let his glare up a little.
"How about eating in Hogsmeade pub? They make good food, even if its run by a Dumbledore," Orion suggested.
"Or just going after we finish? We only have a few more shops to go to before we're done?" Dolohov added, he couldn't spend the entire day in Hogsmeade, he had to return home for luncheon with his parents in a few hours. What he did have free he didn't want to spend waiting around for Hadrian to finish eating bored out of his mind.
"I'm going for something to eat, you guys can continue your shopping if you like," Hadrian shrugged indifferently, he could do things on his own after all, he didn't need anyone to hold his hand. In fact, it could be quite stifling having people constantly surrounding him, and he wasn't stupid, this was all Tom's doing, well while they were at Hogwarts anyway, he didn't think Tom bothered about that during the summer.
All because of Hagrid and the damn wolf cub he had, well, at least there wouldn't be spiders making their home in the forbidden forest this time around. That damn forest was packed full of creatures enough as it was.
"Come on, lets head in, you still have hours before you have to head back," Nott said urging Dolohov on with a look that said he was to do as he was told.
Hadrian just shook his head, letting them all go in first, just as he was about to step in his arm was grabbed suddenly, and he was shoved away from Hogsmeade pub along with a punch to the jaw.
"What the fuck…" Hadrian glared at the idiot who had dared to hit him, only to find himself surrounded by four wizards, foreigners, they all reminded him of Viktor Krum actually, with their build and coloring. Rubbing his jaw that is until he saw their wands out. "Put them away," he cautioned them, his own wand sliding out of its holster.
"You'll pay for your actions," one said, his accent very thick.
"Oh? And what actions are those?" Hadrian spat, the bruise throbbing violently, his wand gripped tightly in his hand.
They didn't answer, just simultaneously blasted him with five spells, which Hadrian quickly began to counter or maneuver himself around. The spells were coming thick and fast, he wasn't able to even send out spells of his own lest he end up hit. They meant business, the spells they were shooting weren't your every day hexes or jinxes.
Shield after shield was put up, some returned to sender, but they were relentless. Hadrian was utterly bewildered, he didn't know what the hell he was supposed to have done. He didn't even know who the hell they were, so why had they chosen him as their target?
"Protego!" Hadrian cast, before sending a non-verbal 'Langlock' at the one sending the worst of the spells, only for his decision to bite him in the ass as a blasting curse came at him, and his shield wasn't put up in time, causing it to bite on through, he didn't move away quick enough and ended up with the blasting curse giving him a glancing blow to the ribs, wincing in pain, his hands automatically clutched at his side, blood pouring out of the wound, but the wizards weren't content with injuring him, they were trying to kill him.
With his hands slippery and coated in blood, he could do nothing but continue to try and defend himself.
With only three trying to attack him now since one was trying to undo his handy little spell to one of the fuckers.
"Petrificus Totalus!" he wasn't going to risk his freedom by using the spells he actually wanted to at the bastards. They were going to pay severely for this. He thought furiously, as he swayed, oh fuck, he had lost enough blood to make him feel woozy, "Stupefy!" grunting in frustration as they just revived the other, leaving him with three more to deal with.
Okay, maybe the old but goody spells weren't as good as he wished them to be, he thought, as he felt gravity get the better of him. He vaguely heard the sound of cursing and shouting coming from the pub and Apparating all around him before his eyes fluttered closed and he knew no more.
The next thing he was consciously aware of was the sound of Tom's voice, but it sounded underwater, he was demanding answers, insisting that Hadrian was his husband and he had every right to be there and wanting to know how he was. Hadrian wanted to open his mouth and tell Tom he was fine, but he found himself pulled back under, once again unconscious of the world.
-----------------0
The next thing Hadrian was aware of was a dim pain in his side, but it was certainly a great deal better than it felt last time. He was flat on his back, and he knew from the smell that he was in a hospital, so likelihood being St. Mungo's. Feeling weak, drained and actually tired, his eyes opened at snail's pace. Wincing he slammed his eyes shut at the light, before slowly blinking a few times until his eyes got accustomed to the light again. He was in hospital pajamas, how long had he been unconscious? He was alone, but he could feel that Tom was nearby, and there were flowers in his room. Flowers.
His side was bandaged, he realized, as he sat himself up, well, at least he wasn't dizzy anymore.
His head jerked up when he heard the door opening.
"You're awake," Tom stated, nothing in his posture screamed relief but his eyes weren't up to deceiving Hadrian nor was the bond capable of it.
"What the fucking hell happened?" Hadrian demanded, shifting himself up further, giving a wince of pain.
"I don't know," Tom was seething over the attack. "I haven't been able to find anything out. But the Wizards have been arrested and are still in the Ministry the Black's, Nott's, Malfoy's and Avery's have made sure of that. They attacked a Lord, and they're using the full extent of the law to ensure they cannot harm anyone else. The Aurors want to talk to you."
"They're here then?" Hadrian deduced, grimacing a little as the pain in his forehead made itself known.
"Yes, outside in the waiting room," Tom declared his scowl not letting up the slightest, he hated feeling useless, if it was up to him he would have killed those wizards who had dared to lift a hand to Hadrian. Unfortunately, he wasn't stupid enough to go into the Ministry and do it, but if they got off, he would make sure they met nasty accidents.
"Go get them, I want this over with, then I want to go home," Hadrian said, rubbing his tired eyes, "Wait, how long was I out?"
"Twenty-four hours, it's eleven o'clock in the morning," Tom explained, having to forcefully stop himself from smothering Hadrian or treating him like a vulnerable child. Hadrian wouldn't put up with that, and he didn't want to cause any more stress than Hadrian was already feeling right now. It was causing him to feel bloody anxious and he definitely did not like it. So he would get the Aurors and he would get Hadrian home.
Where he could protect him better.
With the backing of nearly every pureblood family out there, these wizards weren't going to get away with this anyway.
He felt nothing but the smug satisfaction that they were protected and coveted so.