In early September, Hadrian was finally released from bed rest, when Lucretia was happy enough with his progress and was sure the potions regime had worked. He was healing from years of malnutrition and lack of proper care. She had given him a full timetable of exercise to promote growth and kick-start his delayed puberty. He had to admit his reflection showed a slightly taller, lean but not scrawny teenager. Here he could no longer hide behind his hideous glasses, thread bare hand-me-downs and always too large third or fourth hand school robes. Today he was going hunting, the perfect way to get exercise in the fresh air. He had ridden thestrals with Luna, so knew the basics of riding. The actual targeting and killing your own food was a first for one used to supermarkets in the mundane world and house-elves at Hogwarts. The down side of being fit and well meant he could no longer put off the fallout from the revelations over his past mistreatment. For six years, most at school had assumed he had grown up with a foster family approved by his godfather. No one even contemplated that the orphaned only child of War Heroes James and Lily Potter had grown up completely ignorant of his magical heritage with muggles and the fact his aunt and uncle received not one knut for his upkeep. No wonder they had dispised him, his parents and those in the magical world, he had been an unwanted burden, dropped off on their doorstep and forgotten about.
Hadrian knew that he was being sheltered from any outside influences here. For once, he did not mind. The only letters he received from Britain were from Luna and the Weasley Twins. The first a friend and the other two mischief makers were his business partners. On gaining control of his family finances, he had invested in the jokers, who up to that point had been working out of their dad's shed running a small mail order business, but with no funds for advertising, any expensive ingredients or anything beyond word of mouth orders. Within six months, their shop had been a triumph and they were already planning a second establishment in Hogsmede and taking International Mail Orders. Backing Fred and George would make him a very rich man, as owner of a third share of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes and their mundane branch company, F & G Jokes and Japes.
Luna was sending him copies the Quibbler, the one paper in Britain daring not to tow the Ministry Approved line. His best friend also talked of her other friends, Ginny and Hermione. Hadrian did not like either of those bitches. The slut and the know-it-all cow, both of whom had ingrained holier-than-thou, condescending attitudes with having to lower themselves to associate with Loony Lovegood and Scrounger Potter.
Luna had written the Article detailing the ICW official reprimand of the Premier Magical School in Britain and the Department of Children, Families and Orphans in the Ministry for failures in duty of care and breaches in dozens of regulations. More seriously the Confederation of Mediwitches, Mediwizards and Healers had brought a case against Poppy Pomphrey, who had lost her licence to work in any paediatric environment. Hadrian was glad the medical scans and the testimony of his Healer had been enough for these legal proceedings as he still had many meetings with the psychologist to go to to get comfortable talking about himself, having grown up without anyone caring or listening to him when he alerted them to his less than ideal home environment.
Today, he would not think about such things, he would ride across the semi-arid landscape and relax in the sun and wind. He had Regulus' visit to look forward to, in two days. The man was spoiling him and he found he liked the attention and the opulent and thoughtful gifts.
…
The New Zealand Legal Representative of the International Confederation of Wizards was trying to get straight answers from Lord Sirius Orion Black. They were meeting on neutral ground, in a private meeting room at Gingotts. In the hours of questioning, so far the man had admitted to never checking his Godson's placement, and in fact never visiting or even alerting the Ministry to his charges living arrangements. The Ministry had assumed Hadrian Potter had always lived with Lord Black.
Marion Bessingby had an eidetic memory, only using the minutes needed to reassess the paperwork to try and understand this man's complete failure in assuming the sacred duty of raising his blood-brothers only child. "From my understanding, you did not visit Mr and Mrs Dursley to arrange Hadrian's placement with them; that you trusted Mr. Dumbledore with all details in raising your godson and left all responsibility to a man not named in James or Lily Potter's wills and in fact you broke with both Ministry, your own family protocols and your sworn duty based on a blood oath in doing so?"
Sirius frowned for the first time as he had so far joked and evaded answering all but the most blunt inquiries. "Blood oaths are illegal! Are you suggesting I am a dark wizard?"
The witch sighed at the man's complete ignorance about blood rituals and deep magic. "On the 17th June 1975, Gringott's Bank and the Ministry of Magic's Registry of Legally Binding Magical Oaths and Contracts recorded that James Caedmon Potter and Sirius Orion Black swore a blood-brother pact in life and for all eternity, that each would stand together forever in the bonds of true brotherhood, closer than all others. This solemn oath was sealed with the mingling of blood."
Sirius remembered that day at the end of fifth year, James had stated his family would offer sanctuary to his best friend and cousin, if they used an old ritual for blood brothers, which dated back to ancient times. Sirius had a basic understanding that oaths were serious undertakings, but found History of Magic and all the necessary lessons of Family History, Magic and Responsibilities dull and had daydreamed through his grandfather's lectures and the droning of Professor Binns at school. "That oath was just Jamie's way of protecting me from my over zealous mother and dark brother. I know I agreed to look after Harry if anything happened to James, but in 1981 I had lost my friends, it took months for Mooney to forgive me for us all thinking he was the traitor, not that Rat, Pettigrew."
"So, you have stated you originally only intended leaving Lord Potter with his mother's half-sister for a few weeks. Please explain why your Godson was still in their custody until his seventeenth birthday and the fact he did not meet you until Mr. Remus Lupin started teaching at Hogwarts in 1993 and he only stayed with you for two weeks in August 1995?"
"Well, I got caught up in things. I worked full time as an Auror until my Grandfather died in 1991. Then, I was then caught up in inheritance problems." Sirius had always meant to visit or write, but he never actually did either. It was only when Remus reminded him that his Godson was at school and seemed to be a ghost dressed like a pauper, did the man try to get to know his best friend's son. "Well, Harry was not what I expected. He was so quiet, shy and well, not like James or Lily at all. He mumbled, never looked you in the eye and shied away from any contact. I invited the Weasley's over that summer for Harry to get to know his bretrothed and he stayed in his room. I don't think he came down for meals. My crazy elf stated were we all unworthy in associating with Heir Potter." Kreature had bonded with his Godson, another thing that creeped Sirius out. The family retainer treated his muggle raised Godson with all the reverence he had of Regulus and Walpurga.
"Do you understand that his aunt and uncle were not kind or nurturing. The medical reports from America give a detailed account of a child starved, beaten and overworked. These were his primary influences, so all adults in his eyes were abusers or facilitators. Lord Potter took months to confide and trust Regent Black, your brother has been more of an influence to your Godson than you yourself." The woman then pulled out the Healer's report. "So, his behaviour did appear odd to you, yet you did not seek out a healers advice. In fact, you received fourteen letters from Minerva McGonagall of her concerns of a strangely withdrawn student who did not interact at school."
"I know she sent the same letters to Augusta Longbottom. Everyone in London knew that woman was an overzealous busybody regarding the two war orphans in her charge." Madam Longbottom had stated the mere loss of his parents would make a child withdrawn, it had taken her grandson years to come out of his shell.
So to her final question, hopefully the man would understand his Godson's need to escape ministry control. "So, your views on Lord Potter's status as an Omega?"
"Well, its complete lies. Just proves the little freak is a shirt lifting queer. My brother is just taking advantage and using his influence to gain control of James legacy as well as mine."
Madam Bessingby could see she was getting nowhere. This man had no understanding of raising a child or unconditional love. How he passed his Auror exams with such extreme lack of empathy, she did not know. She would be writing a scathing reprimand about Lord Sirius Black and could only hope his young wife understood his complete unsuitability as a potential father. Regent Black, now Regent Potter-Black was so different from his elder brother. Two boys estranged by the House System in place at Hogwarts. Once placed into Slytherin, Regulus had been viewed as the enemy by his brother. Not a civil word spoken in over twenty-five years. Regulus Black was already a father many times over due to his alpha-status. The man making time and provision for each child, above and being his legal responsibilities to those he sired.