Chapter One: The Hogwarts Express

Hadrian scowled at Platform 9, turned his head and scowled at Platform 10. Hagrid had said nothing about how to reach Platform 9 3/4 from the Muggle World. He'd already been in the train station for a good twenty minutes and had had no luck of finding out which bricks to tap to open up the platform for the Hogwarts Express.

"... Muggles."

Hadrian's head whipped around to see a family of red heads making their way up the cement between Platform 9 and Platform 10. He pushed his cart in their direction, but stopped at seeing their disheveled appearance.

"You've already embarrassed us! Your witchy friends are not pleased with your upkeep, Boy! You're going to the mall with your aunt whether you like it or not!"

This was how Hadrian had ended up with a brand new Muggle wardrobe, as well as new Muggle reading books, a computer and computer games, and several other new things that Hadrian had never thought he'd own.

Hadrian was even moved out of the cupboard under the stairs, where he had lived at the Dursleys's house for the last ten years. Surprising for him, instead of being given the smallest bedroom, which belonged to his cousin, Dudley, and had been the boy's old playroom, he'd been moved into the guest bedroom, next to the master bedroom and directly across from the upstairs bathroom. They even had the walls painted a deep navy and an artist painter paint the emblem of the Kung Fu Kwoon he'd been attending since he was six - in order to 'tire him out' - on the far wall, which was now above his brand new bed, as he'd gone to the mall again with his aunt to pick out all new furniture for his freshly painted room.

"There! Now, you look like you're going to be somebody! Why you've never looked after your appearance is a mystery to me, Boy. Admittedly, you've all the makings to be quite handsome. I'm betting the girls at that school of yours will be chasing after you soon."

Hadrian had been wide eyed in the mirror over the skin in the upstairs bathroom with his uncle, Vernon Dursley, standing in the open door frame. His aunt had been behind him, having just tied his hair back with a hair band just above the nape of his neck.

Hadrian had been hustled upstairs that day after a package had arrived from the Hogwarts Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. The week before, after a letter had arrived from the Headmaster, strange events had happened as well, like all his new belongings and his new room. This time, however, he wasn't entirely happy with the outcome. He was forced to take some potion, which caused his black as night hair to grow to about shoulder length. It had only brushed down straight against his shoulders for a mere second, before his aunt had plucked it up and pulled it back in what she had called a 'hair band', which looked more like a cord of black leather. Outside of his hair and getting new things, the Dursleys behavior was seriously starting to scare him. His uncle had never paid him a complement before in his entire life and his aunt had never cooed over him the same way she cooed over Dudley either.

"That book is to be read ... Hadrian, before you start term at Hogwarts."

Uncle Vernon had followed Hadrian back to his room after Aunt Petunia's excited fussing over his new appearance. He'd only just stepped into his room, when Uncle Vernon had directed his attention to the fairly thick book upon his bed, which had apparently been the larger parcel of the Heamaster's package.

Hadrian had been overwhelmed for the last three weeks, getting used to his new things, his new hair, the Dursleys being so nice to him that he had no true chores, and all the reading that he was supposed to do as to learn about the Wizarding World. The book from Headmaster Dumbledore was all about the Pure-Blood Bloodlines and the common customs of the families. Tucked on the title page had been quite the long letter from the Headmaster informing him that he was Heir-In-Waiting of the Unyielding and Most Ancient House of Peverell. The letter had urged him to read as much about the Wizarding World prior to the start of Hogwarts term as he could.

"Well, I suppose I really shouldn't." Hadrian said with a sigh.

Uncle Vernon had work this morning and Dudley had no sooner gotten up for his first day at secondary school, before assaulting Aunt Petunia about not wanting to ride the bus to Smeltings Academy. Hadrian had gone with Uncle Vernon and Dudley had gone with Aunt Petunia out of Number 4's driveway. Luckily, as Hagrid hadn't said anything, Aunt Petunia had warned Hadrian that their was a barrier to get to Platform 9 3/4, but she had never gone through it, as she'd arrived by Floo Powder to wish his mother of at the start of term. His guess that he'd have to figure out which bricks to tap, Aunt Petunia had said was as good as her own.

All the way to London, Uncle Vernon had talked about escorting him through the barrier, or he at least professed that he wanted to, but was unfortunately going to be late for work if he did and his company had a big merger coming up that he was to be the one to make the final decision on, so he couldn't get the morning off. He nearly was going to be late just dropping Hadrian off at King's Cross.

"Really shouldn't." Hadrian said at catching sight of the youngest red head boy. There was a smudge of dirt down his nose and his mother didn't seem to care. He thought back to the Daily Prophet articles mailed to him by the Child Protective Placement Department at the Ministry of Magic and the letter they'd written him, only three days prior, stating that though others had petitioned for his custody - which he had no clue about until their letter and the newspaper articles explaining that there were people wanting award of custody of him in challenge against his aunt and uncle's already predetermined custody of him - the ruling of the courts was that he'd remain with his aunt and uncle, agents of the CPPD having observed him and his family's last week of interactions and the agents being satisfied that the stipends (no amount stated) were enough to adjust his state of living with the Dursleys to an acceptable level.

Hadrian had wondered at the letter, if they knew that he used to live in the cupboard under the stairs and nearly do every chore in the house. His new arrangements with the Dursleys, however, he was just as satisfied with as the CPPD agents apparently, as the possibility of going and living with someone else actually terrified him a bit. He knew about being the Boy-Who-Lived and wondered just how many people wanted to tap into his fame and if these people had been supporters of the White Lord, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named or You-Know-Who to the Wizarding World, who had nearly annihilated the entire Peverell bloodline with his Death Eater attack on the Peverell's family estate, leaving only Hadrian and his father, James, and mother, Lilith, alive and well, as his parents had gone into deep hiding, apparently working for something Hagrid had called the Order, and his grandfather alive, but mentally insane, after the attack. His Lord, William Peverell had died in the Janus Thickey Ward at St. Mungo's in December of 1981, succumbing to his mental state, leaving Hadrian without any 'close' relatives on his father's side and the Heir-In-Waiting of the Peverell bloodline without anyone to educate him of his family.

Hardrian, had wisely, or so he thought wisely, had decided that the Dursleys, over the course of the last month, weren't actually that bad. He was perfectly aware that Uncle Vernon was motivated by money and that the stipends had everything to do with the Dursleys being nice to him, but he didn't care. His life since Hagrid dragged him off that rock in the middle of a wind storm, the ocean nearly swallowing the small shack they were held up in, had become ... well ... amazing.

Hadrian had nothing to complain about at Number 4, Privet Drive. In fact, in the letter from Headmaster Dumbledore, he had learned that Aunt Petunia was his closest living relative on his mother's side, the war claiming his grandparents and several of his Greengrass cousins, even his blood uncle, Marcus, who would have been able to provide a satisfying home over Aunt Petunia. He had a living great uncle, a great aunt by marriage, and two cousins already living with them, one his age, who were the next closest in claim of his custody, after Aunt Petunia, and a godfather, Heir Black, Sirius Black who had the next custody claim after his great uncle, but they weren't awarded his custody, while Aunt Petunia had been, even with Aunt Petunia being a squib and living in the Muggle World, as many in the courts and the CPPD wished for him to grow up well, without the Boy-Who-Lived being the only person he grows into, the fame considered a lot for a child to handle. Truly, Hadrian was actually kind of grateful, as he wasn't exactly a fan of finding out that him killing You-Know-Who as a baby made people think that he had some kind of super power, when, according to Hagrid, his incidents of accidental magic were all perfectly normal.

Hadrian grinned. "Yes," he spoke softly, but victoriously, trying not to attract the red head family's attention. The mother had just urged one of her boys to go through the 9 3/4 barrier, which appeared to be between him and the family, a singular archway of distance. The boy had ran straight for the pillar and disappeared.

When the family had gone all the way through, Hadrian calmed his black and grey eagle owl, Deraliza, and walked calmly around the archway. At a slight run, like the family, he rushed for the pillar. From being on a concrete platform between Platform 9 and Platform 10, he was on a concrete platform with fireplaces lining where a train had been parked at Platform 9 and the Hogwarts Express, gleaming red engine and passenger cars, where the empty tracks of Platform 10 had been.

Hadrian pushed his way through the loud crowd of students, well wishers, pets, and luggage. He loaded his trunk and Deraliza onto the second passenger car, as the first was designated for 'Prefects and the Head Boy and Head Girl'. He was about to make his way down the cabin, before deciding to lodge a complaint. He turned to the door of the first cabin and knocked.

"Yes," one of the red head family's children, the eldest in fact, answered the door.

"My name is Hadrian Peverell, and I would like to lodge a complaint." Hadrian said with a straight, serious face.

The red head blinked. "Er - come in."

Hadrian carried Deraliza and tugged his trunk through the doorway. All the students in the cabin turned to look at him. He knew the scar on his forehead made it to where it was obvious who he was, he'd already experienced the staring on the platform and back in Diagon Alley.

Hadrian looked to the red head, noticing the Prefect badge on his robes. "Prefect, when I was given my acceptance letter to Hogwarts and escorted to get my school supplies, the Gamekeeper," he decided to leave himself off of being on first name basis with Hagrid as well, having heard the mother of the prefect's family call the boy before him Percy, but remembering his summer reading on the ancient bloodlines customs and expectations, particularly his observed social circles, before addressing the boy, "he was forgetful in telling me how to gain access to Platform 9 3/4 from the Muggle World. Luckily, I was able to observe a family crossing the barrier, otherwise I wouldn't be standing here before you. I would have hated to miss the train."

"That is a fair complaint." A boy who appeared to be the Head Boy, according to his badge, said. He stood up and crossed over to Hadrian and ushered Percy out of the way. "It will take a minute. It's just minor paperwork. Have a seat at this table. I'll get the correct form."

Hadrian left his trunk by the door and placed Deraliza on top of it, making sure her cage was sturdy. He sat down at the table the Head Boy indicated. The boy sat down with a form a moment later.

"Head Boy Gibbins," the brown haired boy said, offering him his hand.

"Hardian Peverell." Hadrian nodded in acknowledgement of the introduction, but didn't take the boy's hand.

The boy took his hand back. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Peverell." He didn't miss a beat, but kind of smiled and looked Hadrian over, obviously taking in his expensive Muggle attire. He cleared his throat. "So, the form is simple: date and time, incident, parties involved, the complaint, signature by the person making the complaint, and a signature by the officiator of the complaint, which would be me."

Hadrian was ushered down the third car corridor by Prefect Weasley, or in other words, Percy, as it turned out. The Head Boy had said that the red head would find him seating in one of the open cabins, rather than the compartments, as the seats were far more comfortable and offered greater socialization. In the fifth cabin, where there were no compartments, a blonde boy called out to them.

"Weasley!"

A loathing frown appeared on the prefect's face. "Yes, Mr. Malfoy."

"There's a seat open here. Stop lugging Peverell about, most likely to go sit with your brothers, you ingrate. My father said you made Prefect. I just could hardly believe it, you know, you being a Weasley and all." The blonde boy smirked and stood up, his standing height close, if not dead on to Hadrian's own. "Draco Malfoy, Heir-In-Waiting. First Year." He inclined his head to Hadrian.

"Hadrian Peverell, Heir-In-Waiting. First Year." Hadrian looked past the boy to the open seat. The leather benches would only allow for two adults to sit at either side of the table. However, with him and the others, who also appeared to be first years, being small enough there was an open space between Draco and another well dressed boy in pure wizard attire, the benches easily seating three first years a piece. "I gladly accept your invitation to sit with you and your companions. Prefect, this cabin is suiting." He was kind of impressed with himself. He had practiced at the Dursley's house speaking more direct in meaning and with authority. "Please place my trunk and owl in the overhead compartment."

Hadrian moved past Draco and took the open seat on the leather bench, which sat him across from a dark skinned boy and two well build dark haired boys. The second of the well built boys, with hair that was nearly black, was directly across the table from him. The black boy on his right and the brown haired boy to his left. To Hadrian's own left was a brown haired boy with a lithe form that was closer to Hadrian's own and noticeably close to Draco's form as well. The black boy appeared wire-like in build, Hadrian observed now that he was closer with the boy directly across from the brown haired boy at his left. He would definitely be the tallest of all six of them at standing height. Draco retook his seat next to Hadrian, across from the well built boy with more of brown hair than black, on the aisle.

"Introductions, Hadrian Peverell, Heir-In-Waiting," Draco said and looked to their companions for acknowledgement. Once, he had it, he gestured to the brown haired boy on the other side of Hadrian. The boy's blue eyes met Hadrian's dark blue eyes. "Astride Lestrange, Heir-In-Waiting." Draco motioned to the brown haired boy across from himself. "Gregory Goyle, second son of His Lord, Gerald Goyle." Hadrian met Gregory's eyes, brown eyes staring neutrally back at him. He met another set of neutral brown eyes, upon Draco directing his attention to the boy with near black hair directly across form him. "Vincent Crabbe, Heir-In-Waiting." Draco gestured last to the black boy, his brown eyes far more curious than Gregory's or Vincent's were. "Blaise Zabini, Heir-In-Waiting."

It was almost surreal to Hadrian. After the introductions were made, conversation over took his companions. As he thought might be so, all five of them were first years. The topic of Quidditch followed. Hadrian had hardly anything to say about Quidditch, as he'd only read a mention of the wizarding sport, but was soon educated about which teams each of the five supported.

"Being a Peverell, you'll be supporting your home team the Caerphilly Catapults, I take it?" Astride Lestrange, a.k.a. Ash, grinned at Hadrian.

"Naturally," Hadrian agreed.

Trying not to seem obviously ignorant of a lot of the conversation. Hadrian stayed quiet for the most part. When an elderly lady came by with a cart of candies and butterbeers, he bought a butterbeer, a couple chocolate frogs, and a licorice wand.

"So, how is the Muggle world?" Vince asked curiously, after Hadrian had caught his second chocolate frog and downed it.

"Not bad." Hadrian shrugged. "I've little to compare it to our world, as I've only just returned. The teachers at my primary school were nice. The other kids ..." Hadrian paused. Lie, he decided. The kids were menaces, especially with Dudley's special brand of encouragement: his fist. He considered his life at the Dursley's prior to the stipends. Lie, definitely lie! He took a sip of butterbeer to cover his pause. "... they weren't anything special, especially academically. I kept to my self mostly, not wanting to catch their stupid. Living with my whale of a cousin was bad enough. His eleventh birthday was only weeks before my own and he had difficulty adding two to thirty seven."

Draco was the first to grin and then laugh. Vince, Greg, Ash, and Blaise, as they all liked to be called, laughed as well.

"My aunt is a simple housewife to my uncle," Hadrian continued. "She's kind enough. Likes to keep the house and cook for us. My uncle is good conversation. He's the CEO of a Muggle machine company. It's expensive where we live, what with an acre of a backyard and a four bedroom house in one of Surrey's more well known cul-de-sacs, even for a CEO like my uncle. This summer was unfortunate circumstances," he said resolutely. "I was lent a set of my cousins clothes he'd grown out of when I out grew my own early this summer. He is much larger than I am and wrecks his things far worse than I do. My aunt was waiting to take me out for our yearly school clothes shopping trip, while taking Dudley out for uniform shopping for Smeltings Academy. It was two weeks away and I wasn't even able to open my birthday presents right there on my birthday when Hogwarts's Gamekeeper showed up to take me school supplies shopping for Hogwarts. He was really push about keeping the time."

"My father says the man is an oaf," Blaise said sympathetically.

"That does sound rather unfortunate," Greg commented. "Not to be nosy or anything, but my father says your aunt and uncle are now receiving stipends to help with your care. You look well compared to the last picture in the Daily Prophet." He looked to him curiously, with what might have even been concern.

"The stipends are really good. My aunt and uncle even let me redo my room; fresh paint, all new furniture. My aunt took me to the most expensive shops in the mall to replace my wardrobe and have my hair styled." Hadrian actually felt a strong warmth of affection to his aunt, who had actually cried that morning, and he was certain that it was for real, upon saying good bye to him. "My uncle is much happier. He'd been trying to save up for Dudley's first year at Smeltings and was a bit worried about my school supplies for Hogwarts. We didn't know I had an account accessible to me, until the Gamekeeper showed up saying he was to take me to get my supplies, as my aunt and uncle were non-magicals and wouldn't be able to get me access to Diagon Alley. I was really put out that they couldn't come."

"I can't believe you had to put up with him." Ash shook his head. "My mother would have taken you if she'd known. She's your godfather's cousin. She said so herself, when she saw the picture of you having to trail after the Half-Giant."

"My father said the same," Draco cut in. "He is married to one of your godfather's cousins as well. In fact, Ash's mother and my mother are sisters."

"That's good to know." Hadrian meant it.

"Back to the Muggles," Blaise said with real interest. "Are any of them jealous of your magic, like they want it for themselves?"

Hadrian shook his head. "As according to the law, only my family knows I've magic. Aunt Petunia said that she always wished to have magic when she was younger, even thought about what You-Know-Who was trying to do, like it was a good thing, being able to siphon Pure-bloods to equalize the magic and grant it to non-magicals, but after all the war and how many loses she faced in her family, she decided it wasn't worth it. Pure-bloods were dying because of the siphons and not just the ones fighting. She resolved to stay in the Muggle World, where she felt normal, instead of strange because she was part of a magic family, but didn't have magic herself. Dudley and Uncle Vernon don't mind I'm magic, as far as I've known."

"It sucks that you couldn't live in our world growing up," Greg said. "We've all known each other for years," he gestured to Vince, Blaise, Ash, and Draco. "I'm glad your Muggles now have the money to take care of you. I suppose you haven't met the worst sort of Muggles. Your family sounds well. My father fought in the war and met some Muggles that he calls 'sycophantic', said they'd steal your magic in a heart beat with You-Know-Who backing them and giving them White Magic chants he powers to over take you and rip your magic right out of you."

"While the kids truly aren't much, real lazy and all, most too spoiled to do one line of homework, the adults I've met have been nice for the most part." Hadrain frowned. "I don't know of any of the people I've know knowing about magic, though. I couldn't say that they wouldn't try to steal magic if they knew how. Most are just focused on their homes and family, saving up money for a new house, a better back patio, or sending their stupid kids to a public school for secondary, if not for primary school."

"Is it boring?" Draco asked. "What do Muggles do?"

Hadrian grinned. He knew of a lot of non-boring, fun things to do now. The first thing he told them about were his kung fu lessons, which had Ash's interest, as his uncle was an Auror. He tried his best to describe the Muggle fighting style and tell them of his Si Fu, who he had a lot of respect for. Kung fu truly was the highlight of his childhood. He had it before the stipends. He was really good for his age, as he was told by Uncle Vernon if he didn't tire himself out in his lessons, translating to Hadrian 'to put in his best effort', and go to bed right at night, the lessons would stop, as they weren't helping anyone in the house get any more rest with his near constant flipping and flopping and knocking his head on the stairs or hitting his feet against the walls of his cupboard.

"I wonder if you couldn't get my uncle on the ground?" Ash said, looking Hadrian over calculatingly. "He'd kick your arse if he had his wand, of course. But without it ..."

Hadrian shrugged. He went on to tell them about the computer games he played and the kind of books Muggles have. He told Draco that they had just regular chess where the piece don't move and that the same board was use for checkers, which he then described.

Their conversation trailed off, when it came time to put on there Hogwarts robes. By the time each of them were dressed, the train was slowing down, pulling into a set of tracks at Hogsmeade Station.

"First years!"

Hadrian groaned.

"Him!" Draco looked like he'd been forced to eat a slug.

With his five new friends, Hadrian got in line behind a blonde haired girl to follow Hagrid down a muddy path away from what looked to be horseless carriages that the older students were all lining up for.

The Gamekeeper held a light aloft, but its beams didn't reach Hadrian or any other students behind him well. Trying not to trip or get freaked out by the forest, Hadrian shuffled along between Draco and Ash, with Vince, Greg, and Blaise ahead of them. When they rounded a bend back into the moon light, Hadrian's breath hitched at the sight of Hogwarts Castle up against a star filled sky backdrop. The ripple-less lake that stretched before the grouping of first years reflected the towers, turrets, and lit archway windows perfectly.

"We'll take this boat." Blaise said, climbing into one of the small boats along the lake's shore with Greg and Ash. "You guys get that one."

Hadrian climbed into the boat first with Vince and Draco following him.

"FOWARD!" Hagrid said when everyone was in a boat. With that command, every boat against the shore broke free and propelled itself in the direction of the castle.