Disclaimer: I do not own any of the copyrighted works referenced – directly or otherwise – here.
AN : A story that came to me one day as I watched a clip. I fully intend – when I am done with my two main stories – to flesh it out into a full story much later. Anyway, this is just a sneak peak, really, of what would probably be a short story - about 30k words perhaps...
Young Harry lay curled up on the floor in the cupboard under the stairs, his body weakened from severe hunger and dehydration. Despite the reassurances of the Minister of Magic, the Dursleys had not forgotten what he had done to Marge Dursley the previous summer.
The moment he had stepped through the door after returning from school, he had been summarily accosted and tossed into the cupboard. His trunk had been forced in after him, further shrinking the already limited space inside his previous bedroom. The Dursleys had then left for a three day trip to celebrate the end of Dudley's school year. Though a terrible fate to suffer through, three days of no food would not have left Harry in the state he was in. However, the Dursleys had been unexpectedly delayed, and their absence had extended to ten days and counting.
Harry was on his last legs. His laboured breathing was the only sound in his room, and in the entire house. Slowly, he could feel the last of his strength failing him. He was already too weak to keep his eyes open, and he couldn't feel the previously constant biting pain of his stomach acids digesting his stomach lining. Finally, his body gave out, and with a sigh that was almost relieved, Harry James Potter passed on.
Lord Hadrian James Potter, Master of Death, gazed down at the dead body of his counterpart. He had sensed, in the child's heart, a desire to depart the mortal world that had brought him nothing but pain and suffering and so, he had not intervened, understanding that it would be a greater mercy to let the child pass on.
Tapping into his powers over the most primordial force in Existence, he ensured that little Harry's soul was reunited with his departed mother and father, and he was sad to see, with his departed godfather as well; apparently, Sirius, in this life, had perished in Azkaban.
With that taken care of, he seamlessly slipped into the empty body before him. He then tapped into whatever memories had not yet deteriorated from his new body's brain and learned about the new world he was in. He found that it was what he usually referred to as a 'Vanilla Reality', scarce in life changing surprises such as him being born a squib in a few lives, or even being adopted by Voldemort in others. This Harry had just been regular…ordinary…if a little more meek and downtrodden than usual.
He then proceeded with the second step of his usual routine when hopping worlds. He cast his senses inwards and sought out any lingering side-effects from the night Voldemort had attacked and killed his parents. He sighed in disappointment when he sensed the presence of a soul sliver in the vicinity of his lightning bolt scar. His magic surged forward to surround the soul piece, and then with ruthless efficiency, it tore into it, consuming it, stripping it of its individuality, and adding it to Hadrian's soul and the stores of magic of his new body – already vast in their own right, when compared to the reserves of his peers.
Hadrian closed his eyes as he rapidly parsed through the memories contained in the soul piece, and as he felt his magical core expand the slightest bit, he spared a second to think,
Hocruxes, how plebeian
Hadrian sat in one of the chairs in the living room as he awaited the arrival of the Weasleys. He had suggested to his family that it was perhaps better for all involved if they made themselves scarce at the time.
Ever since the return of the Dursleys from their extended trip, things had not been the same. It had taken just a few minutes to thoroughly convince them that their continued existence depended on Hadrian's happiness and that their usual modus operandi would no longer hold. Vernon, of course, had needed a little more persuasion before he understood that in the Wizarding World, might did not equal size.
He had also taken the liberty to magic away the electric fireplace to be replaced with a more traditional and open one – a temporary change however as it would revert to its original form later in the day.
The fireplace abruptly flared up with green fire, pulling him out of his thoughts, and four of the Weasley males came trooping out of it, looking around in interest at the Muggle room around them as they had not yet noticed the presence of the other occupant.
The twins were the first to spot the sable haired child sitting in one of the chairs before them, and after getting over their surprise at the noticeable changes in the other teen, they surged forward with a happy cry, distracting their father from his musings on the various Muggle appliances surrounding them.
Latching on to either side of him, Fred and George Weasley spoke in unison, as they were wont to do,
"Harrykins!"
Laughing at the twins' antics, Hadrian returned their double hug, once again surprising them at the ease with which he did so.
Arthur Weasley, having also taken the time to observe the noticeable changes in the black haired child before him, moved forward with an outstretched hand to greet said teen.
Firmly grasping the offered hand, Hadrian cheerfully returned the Weasley patriarch's greeting, before turning to the last member of the retrieval party.
While his brothers and father had been meeting his best friend, Ronald Weasley had been scowling in jealousy at Hadrian's noticeably nicer clothes which seemed to have replaced the oversized rags he had often been seen in.
Further adding to his ire was the similarly surprising fact that Hadrian was now as tall as he was, having previously been one of the shortest boys in their year.
Those changes, in addition to the lack of hideous glasses which had often served to detract from Hadrian's alluring green eyes, combined to make Hadrian seem like the young lord he was born to be.
A fact which didn't settle right with Ronald Weasley.
So, when Hadrian moved forward to greet his friend, all he got in return was a half-hearted mumbled greeting.
Withholding a sigh as one of his suspicions about this world was proven true, Hadrian instead spun to face the other Weasleys present, and ignoring Arthur's puzzled frown at his youngest boy's behaviour, gestured at his trunk – noticing that Ron's frown tightened as the brand new trunk was revealed – and said,
"Well, as you can see Mr Weasley, I have my things here and I am ready to leave."
Snapping back to the matter at hand, Arthur quickly hurried the children back through the Floo, after Hadrian assured him that the Dursleys wouldn't mind his leaving without them present.
As soon as he stepped out of the Floo, Hadrian braced himself and right on cue, a bushy-haired missile rammed against his chest though he merely had to lean back a tad to absorb the impact.
Easily translating the babbled speech originating from said bushy haired projectile, he responded,
"It's good to see you too Hermione, and thank you, my holiday was wonderful actually."
Drawing up short at his last statement, Hermione pulled back to take in Hadrian's form and found herself fighting down a blush as she noticed the changes that had been wrought upon him over the summer.
Having finally mastered herself, she responded in a slightly smug tone,
"You see, I told you, all you had to do was keep your head down and you would be fine."
Offering a bland smile at the smug looking witch, Hadrian merely replied in a polite tone,
"Yes…quite."
Turning from the perplexed Hermione, he aimed a charming smile at Molly Weasley and easily accepted the hug bestowed upon him, not seeming awkward as he usually had whenever she performed similar acts of affection.
Stepping back from the Weasley matriarch, he was about to thank her for having him over when Hermione interrupted him,
"I nearly forgot to ask, Harry, but have you done your assigned homework yet?"
Yet before he could respond to her question, she immediately continued, forcing him to cut her off with an implacable tone that left those present blinking in surprise at him,
"I imagine you wouldn't have. Honestly Harry, you should really not be so lazy with your -"
"I have, in fact, finished all my holiday homework and assigned reading."
And as he watched the look of scepticism enter her eyes, Hadrian was forced to bite back another sigh.
Honestly, he thought to himself, sighing so much; my age must be showing.
Hadrian sat calmly inside the champion's tent as he listened to the crowd make the appropriate noises while Krum attempted to retrieve his golden egg from the dragon guarding it.
Earlier, before the task had begun, Neville had managed to sneak in to see Hadrian to wish him good luck; being practically the only person who had believed Hadrian once his name had come out of the Goblet of Fire.
Now, as he stood up at the announcement of his name, Hadrian fought down a mischievous grin as he stepped through the tent flap.
He recalled the words he had spoken to Neville that morning, with all those nearby shamelessly eavesdropping,
"Scared? I suppose one would expect me to be, Neville. I don't know about being afraid, but I do know this. Someone put my name in that cup to, at best, humiliate me, and at worst, kill me. There is only one thing left for me to do, and that is to win, and to do so in style."
Confidently, he strolled into the rocky clearing, seemingly not paying attention to the hulking form of the Hungarian Horntail crouched at the corner of his vision.
Once he got into a position that easily allowed him to face the dragon as well as afforded the spectators a clear view of the proceedings, he stopped.
The dragon seemed to observe him for a moment, before it threw back its head and let loose a ground shaking roar of defiance and rage, startling shrieks of fright from many in the audience.
Through its bellow of challenge, Hadrian stood unperturbed, unflinching as the wave of sound washed over him like a tidal wave.
Once the dragon finished its threatening display, Hadrian locked eyes with the magnificent beast, took a step forward, opened his mouth, and roared,
"Dracan! Nán dyd ǽlc áciere miss. Géate' stǽr ábære gárrǽs. Géate cyre. Mé tácen átende diegollice."
And with the spectators looking on in stunned shock, Bagman himself having long since been silenced in surprise, the dragon slowly dropped her head, coming to rest lying flat on the ground.
Regally, as though he were a king before a loyal subject, Hadrian strode up to the dragon and gently stroked her snout, and in the sudden silence, all who were present heard the deep rumbling purr in her chest.
Turning from the dragon, he scooped up the golden egg, and fearlessly showing his back to the powerful beast, he strode from arena, making his way over to a stupefied Madame Pomfrey.
Abruptly, the silence was shattered as every single member of the audience – excepting a handful of Slytherins – surged to their feet in raucous applause, actually managing to surpass the Dragon's previous challenging bellow in sheer volume.
Seated in the medical tent, Hadrian smiled to himself.
Translation: Dragon! I command you to stop this reign of terror. You must obey me and follow my will. For I have you under my power.