A/N: Yes, chapter ten! And the first big bomb drops on Dumbledore! Have fun!

Chapter 10: A Bomb About to go off

The next morning Hadrian woke up very early, sometime around half past six. With the Dursley's Petunia would have woken him by now. He wasn't there anymore, but it seemed that he wouldn't get rid of the old habit any time soon. So he stood up and took a long bath before peeping into Salazar's bedroom only to find him sleeping.

He sighed, he couldn't expect his new father to be up this early. Father…that sounded so good to him. Now he had a family that cared for him and yesterday they had such a nice time in Diagon Alley. To him, it all was a miracle he had stopped hoping for a long time ago, but it seemed fate or luck decided to give him something back for all the crap he had been put through.

Silently closing the door of Salazar's bedroom, he thought that he could read some, so he went back into his own room. Hedwig looked up sleepily hooting questioningly, it seemed that she wasn't fond of waking early either.

"You can go back to sleep, I just looked for father," he told her while stroking her.

She hooted softly before going back to sleep again.

Hadrian meanwhile went to the shelf in which his father had put the books and took the one about herbs and fungi out. With the book, some paper and a pen, he made himself comfortable on the windowsill with a pillow in his back. Sitting there, he started to read. He decided to start with the book of the plants because those were the ingredients used for the potions and it would be better to know their properties first before getting to know how to use them.

While reading, he completely lost track of time. It was well after nine o'clock when someone knocked on his door.

"Yes?" he called out while marking the page he was at and putting the book down.

It was Salazar who entered the room. When he saw Hadrian sitting on the sill reading, he walked up to him.

"Good morning, I see you have been awake for quite a while. How is the book? Is it interesting?" he greeted him.

"Yes, I woke up half past six…it seems that it isn't easy to get rid of old habits and yes the book is quite interesting. So many plants one can use and everyone is different," he explained excitedly.

"It's nice to see that you enjoy it. What do you think, want some breakfast?"

Hadrian nodded, and Salazar turned around when Hadrian spoke up again.

"Dad…thank you."

Salazar stopped in the midst of his next step and turned around in surprise. Hadrian upon realising what he had just said got a bright red face and looked down sheepishly. It had come to him so naturally, and it was like it was meant to be that way that he hadn't thought about it any further before he spoke it out loud. Salazar who saw the shame in his son's face walked up to him and pulled him into a strong hug.

"There is nothing to be ashamed of. I was just surprised that you called me dad that early, I hadn't expected it yet."

"So you are not mad at me?" Hadrian asked cautiously.

Salazar laughed while he hunkered down in front of Hadrian so that he was at eye level with him.

"Why should I be mad at you? For you rightfully calling me dad? I'm your father after all now so you can call me dad whenever you want," he explained with a smile. "I would never be mad with you no matter what and I definitely never ever will beat you. Only idiots beat children. That doesn't mean I won't punish you some other way should you ever decide to go against one of my orders, understood?" he said with half a stern look and half a smile on his face.

Hadrian nodded with tears in his eyes. It were tears of joy, and he launched himself at his father and tackled him with a huge hug, knocking him over so that they both landed on the floor laughing.

"Thank you, dad, thank you so much for everything, and I promise I will never disappoint you" he exclaimed.

Salazar felt pride rising in his chest while holding his son. He had forgotten how it was to have a child around him and to be a father. It had been about a millennia ago when he had the only child he ever had and said child had been ripped from him far too early in his opinion. Sure he had been 83 years old by then, but it had hurt Salazar deeply losing him. Perhaps he could do something to prevent losing Hadrian too because he doubted that he could bear the loss of another child, even if he died of old age, without snapping but for now that was a futile thought.

Hedwig who woke up over the ruckus they both created hooted questioningly, ripping Salazar effectively from his dark thoughts.

"So breakfast?" he asked, and Hadrian got up.

He also stood up and they went to leave the room. Shortly before they reached the door, Hedwig sailed down from her post and landed on Hadrian's shoulder. Hadrian smiled while Salazar shook his head with a smile. It seemed the bird would follow Hadrian wherever he went.

They both went into the kitchen to get breakfast. Hadrian found next to his plate also the potions he had to take. Yesterday evening he took them before going to bed, James made sure of it. They ate their breakfast when suddenly an owl flew in and landed in front of Salazar with a newspaper bound to his leg. Salazar untied it and put one Knut into the small bag attached to the other leg of the owl and gave her a treat before the bird left again.

He unrolled the newspaper, and a big grin appeared on his face. It was the main article on the front page that let him grin.

Harry Potter went missing

It seems that a few days ago the unthinkable has happened. Harry James Potter or most commonly known as the Boy-who-lived went missing without a trace. Yesterday evening the Prophet received an anonymous letter that stated that the boy, who had lived with his aunt and uncle after the horrible murder of his parents by You-know-who, went missing not even a week ago. First, we thought it a hoax, but after an in-depth investigation, we can confirm it. Harry Potter is no longer with his relatives.

His maternal aunt and uncle are known muggle, and one has to ask themselves whether they were that well suited to care for and protect the Boy-who-lived. It has been Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, and a known friend of the Potter family who decided to place the boy with his relatives. Nevertheless, are muggles really the best option to defend him against possible threats from hiding Death Eaters who might seek revenge for his victory over their Dark Lord?

"I only did what I thought would be the best for the boy to have a normal childhood away from all the glory and fame that comes with being the Boy-who-lived. Therefore I placed him outside the wizarding world to have a normal childhood," was Dumbledores only statement on this matter.

In order to look into the 'normal' childhood, this devoted journalist went into the muggle world to interview Harry Potter's relatives and perhaps find out what exactly happened that day when he vanished. What he found out left him totally baffled.

"That filthy scum? I don't know where he vanished to and for all I care he can go to hell like the rest of you freaks. I don't want anything to do with vermin from your kind!" was all the author could get before he got the front door slammed into the face by the aunt of Harry Potter.

Seeing that Harry Potter's relatives weren't even the slightest little bit worried, on the contrary seeming to be happy that their cousin was gone the question arises why Dumbledore had put him there in the first place when he really only wanted the best for the boy. It seems unlikely that he did not know how the Dursleys would react to the idea of raising Harry Potter since Dumbledore has been a very good friend of the Potters. It seems very unlikely that it has been the wish of the Potters for their son to be placed there.

One thing is for sure, a witch or wizard has taken Harry Potter. Researches with the goblins brought to light that Harry Potter was very well alive, but they could not state where he was or what has happened. The only things they could say was that Mr Potter personally visited them shortly after vanishing from his relatives. He also wished that all information about him was sealed away unless he wants them to be made public and the only information excluded from the sealing was that Dumbledore is no longer his magical guardian. According to the goblins, a competent and caring person has legally adopted him. They also told us that right now, several investigations have started against numerous members of the wizarding world but for now, they could not give us any details.

We also have been able to contact Sylvia Pye head of the Department for Spell Damage of St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries who was called by the one person who adopted the boy to examine the Boy-who-lived.

"The boy was in very bad shape when I was able to examine him. It seems that his relatives have not cared for him at all. I was totally shocked when I saw him the first time, but I can assure you that he, Harry Potter, now is in competent hands and will recover in a short time. Unfortunately, there is nothing more I can tell you because of the patients privacy, and I also cannot tell you where and with whom he is now."

This statement from a well-known and highly capable healer even strengthens the accusations against Albus Dumbledore for making the wrong decision.

So what has really happened at the house of his relatives? Where has the boy vanished to? Moreover, why did Albus Dumbledore not react earlier? At the moment we don't know the answers to these questions, but the Daily Prophet is determined to find out everything about it.

-Andy Smudgley-

For more about Harry Potter and his victory over You-know-who see page 2

For more about Albus Dumbledore and his involvements in politics see page 9

For more about adopting a magical child see page 9

For more about Healer Sylvia Pye see page 10

Salazar grinned broadly. Oh yes, that was a very acidic drops Dumbledore had to swallow.

"Why do you grin like you won the lottery?" Hadrian asked curiously.

"Because something equally good has happened. I poked a sleeping bear with a stick, and he won't be able to find out that I have been the one doing it. Look for yourself," with that he pushed the newsletter over to his son.

Hadrian eagerly read the article about himself before he cocked his head.

"Boy-who-lived?"

Salazar sighed remembering that there still were a lot of things he hadn't told him yet.

"That belongs to the part I haven't told you thus far. You remember me telling you about the prophecy Dumbledore forged?" Hadrian nodded. "Well, it happened that a part of the prophecy leaked out to Voldemort that time. The tricky thing about predictions is that as long as no one acts upon them, they have no power but apparently, Voldemort did, and so it got the power.

"It was on Halloween the year after I left for my research where everything changed. Peter Pettigrew betrayed your parents and told Voldemort where to find them. Voldemort, who knew that the prophecy fitted you, acted and went to the house of our parents. He killed them both before he attempted to kill you too, but from whatever reason, he failed and his spell rebounded upon himself and he died, or at least it seemed that way. The thing is the spell he used to try to kill you, Avada Kedavra, can't be blocked or diverted through magical means and the target will die instantly when hit by it no matter what. There are only two possibilities to avoid being hit. One is to get out of the line of the spell fast enough or two you put a solid object between you and the spell. You are the only known person who got hit by it directly and survived. Nobody, even me, knows how or why but this is the reason you are famous and why everyone calls you the Boy-who-lived."

Hadrian leaned back in his chair.

"So you want to tell me that my parents died because that Dumbledore was too lazy, or whatever else, to do the job of defeating Voldemort himself and therefore created a prophecy that not only got my parents killed but also nearly me? Not only that, I'm famous for that?" he didn't know what to think about it.

"In a nutshell…yes. I'm sorry Hadrian, I never thought he would go this far. This is the reason why I now do everything so that Dumbledore gets what he deserves but this can't be done overnight. He is very well connected in the wizarding world and powerful too. So I have to take one little step after the other and have to be really careful otherwise it might backfire and give him hold over you once more, and that is nothing I would ever allow for a second time. But I promise you he will fall in the end even if it takes centuries," he told his son, who knew he was right.

"I hope he dies for everything he did," Hadrian growled, but his father just laughed.

"There are fates far worse than death. No, death would be a mercy to him, and I don't plan on showing him mercy."

Hadrian nodded. His father was right death would be mercy he didn't deserve.

"Out of curiosity, where have you been that evening?"

Salazar sighed. "It was that evening I returned to Godric's Hollow after just having finished my research. But when I arrived at the Potter Cottage, it was burning completely, and I saw Dumbledore giving you to some giant on a motorcycle. Thinking about it now I should have killed him then and there, but at that time I couldn't risk it."

He looked down at the table. Yes, he could have acted right then, but it would have been futile. Dumbledore was an excellent dueller and even if he could have managed to kill him, well as he said death was a mercy Dumbledore shouldn't expect.

Hadrian stood up and went around the table to hug him. He burrowed his face in Salazar's shoulder when he replied.

"I know you did everything you could and I'm glad you didn't kill him then because I doubt I'd be here with you now had you done it and now stop thinking about it. We are here together, and we have any time we need to get to Dumbledore. There's no point in grieving about lost chances."

Salazar smiled, Hadrian was right, there was no point to mourn over spilt milk, and he also knew that even if he could, he'd never have outright killed Dumbledore because it wasn't his style. He preferred fare more subtle means of bringing someone down.

"You are definitely right. So what do you want to do today?"

He thought about it. "Hmmm, what about you tell me some more about the wizarding world?"

"Sounds good to me."

So both sat in the library, and Salazar told him more about the world of magic.

In Hogwarts Dumbledore was like a bomb about to go off. Anger was filling him while he paced in his office. Luckily it was summer holidays, and the school was empty except the few teachers who weren't on vacation.

Dumbledore read the article in the Daily Prophet, and he was furious. Yes, he knew that Harry Potter went missing and he also knew how he was treated by his relatives. There was no way he wouldn't have known because he had a spy within the street Harry had lived in but he hadn't acted upon it. He even needed it that way so that he could "rescue" Harry when the time came for him to attend Hogwarts. But now someone tampered with his carefully laid-out plans.

The problem was he didn't know who it was. He also had no idea how the press got wind of it. He instantly tried to get a hold on Smudgley, but it seemed that he wasn't available due to the fallout of the article. Everyone and their mother now wanted to know more details.

They even had dared to quote him. This only showed him that they overheard a conversation he had with McGonagall yesterday evening before the article was printed. That was another mystery he would have to solve quickly since he knew for a fact that his office was bug-proof and the wards also hadn't registered anyone entering the grounds. So he had no idea how they got the quote.

He had contacted his spy in Privet Drive Arabella Figg shortly after the instruments stopped working, but the woman hadn't been able to tell him how or even when exactly Harry had vanished, leave alone who took him. While his visit with her Dumbledore also checked the wards on Privet Drive No. 4 but hadn't been able to find anything out of order.

Even his attempt to talk to Ms Pye were fruitless since St. Mungo's refused to let anyone in who hadn't some severe injury, disease, or who accompanied someone stationed there. First, he tried to get in under the excuse to visit the Longbottom's, but he only was told that the Janus Thickey ward was closed for visitors at the moment. After that, he tried to sneak in under a disguise but was caught by the security and was thrown out again.

A bit later he went to Gringotts to talk to the goblins, but that was as futile as everything else he tried until then. They didn't tell him more than what was already written in the Daily Prophet. To make matters worse, they accused him of thievery shouldn't he return everything he took from the Potter vaults within the last four and a half years since Harry became Lord Potter. He was given an ultimatum of one week to do so or otherwise, they would take action which would result in Dumbledore losing everything within his vaults to Harry Potter. Before he hesitantly followed the orders he demanded to know whose orders these were but they only told him that everything had its accuracy and that should he ever again attempt to access one of the Potter vaults he would be charged for more than simple thievery.

Luckily for Dumbledore, the invisibility cloak from Harry's father had never been in the vaults, so the goblins had no idea it existed or was rightfully Harry's. He would need it for now, and it would have come as a massive blow to him being forced to give it back.

At last, he went to the Department of Magical Child Care at the Ministry to get to know more about the adoption, but they also told him that they had as much knowledge as he himself. It seemed that yesterday in the records of Harry Potter a filled form appeared that legally covered the adoption. The adopting parent was claimed to be someone called John Smith, but there were so many people with that name in Britain, not to mention outside hence why they couldn't find out who it really was. Now the entire Ministry was running around like headless chicken trying to find out what and how it had happened.

With an angry swish of his wand, he threw one of the instruments that initially was designed to observe Harry at the wall next to the door where it shattered and hundreds of pieces scattered all over the floor. Fawkes who sat on his post behind Dumbledores desk thrilled accusingly about the ruckus. Just at the same time McGonagall and Snape entered the office before quickly hiding behind the door to avoid getting hit by the blast.

"What's the matter Albus?" she asked after finally entering.

She has been visiting some relatives and obviously hadn't read the Daily Prophet yet while Snape never bothered to read it.

"What the matter is, Minerva? THIS!" he growled.

McGonagall took the newspaper Dumbledore held out to her and carefully read the article while Snape read it from over her shoulder. At the end she was shocked. Snape only sneered.

"How did they find out and how did they know who to interview? Albus this is no coincidence" she said.

"I know" he had calmed down a bit. "But I can't think of anyone who would pull such a stunt."

"Hmmm, Sirius is in prison…what about Remus?" Snape spoke up.

Dumbledore laughed bitterly.

"Remus? No definitely not. He has neither the slyness nor the connections. I even doubt he knows where Harry lived the last years."

"What about some Death Eater?" McGonagall asked.

"Possible but implausible. A Death Eater would have killed or hidden him. It is to be doubted that he would let a healer examine him and even less inform the press about it. To be honest, I have no idea who has him, but I'm determined to find out. I have to."

McGonagall sighed. "I told you, haven't I? I told you what a spectacularly bad idea it was to place the boy with his relatives, that they would maltreat him and wouldn't be able to protect him. But you, you only said it was for his best and that he should be rised far away from his fame and the magical world but what now? I hope you find him again not for your sake but for Harry's," she growled before she turned around and left the office leaving Dumbledore and Snape behind.

"What do you think Severus? Could it be some Death Eaters who have Harry?"

"I doubt it. As you have put it so aptly, they would have killed or hidden him, not hinting the Prophet at it. To me, this looks more like someone holds a resentment against you and with this taunts you," Snape replied pointing at the newspaper.

"The question is who. I checked every one of my enemies or who holds a deep grudge against me. They also wouldn't have known where to find the boy."

"Perhaps sheer luck? I mean the boy wasn't imperceptible and he got recognised from time to time. Maybe the person who has him stumbled across him in the street and saw it as a probate method to get to you?"

Dumbledore sighed. "I don't know, and for now there are too many questions and not enough answers. There also is nothing at the moment I can do about it except searching for him and damage control with the Prophet. I hope he is alright."

Snape sneered. "Since when do you care about the boy? You hadn't cared when you got to know that he was abused but now you hope he is alright? Your hypocrisy is even worse than the one of the Dark Lord," with this he turned around and walked out of the office his robes billowing behind him. He knew that Dumbledore will get back on him for that later, but at the moment he didn't care.

On his post, Fawkes thrilled lowly. He knew very well who had Harry, Salazar Slytherin…the entire scheme wore his signature, and he was glad for the boy. Dumbledore was such an idiot putting the boy with his relatives. There was no possible way for Dumbledore to find him until he allowed it, but it was fun to see him running in circles.

Salazar grinned. It was afternoon, and he sat in his study, behind him on the windowsill with his book sat Hadrian reading. Hedwig sat on the back of one of the chairs in front of the desk obviously sleeping.

A few minutes earlier he received a letter from Gringotts. They told him that Dumbledore gave back everything he took and that the goblins placed the things where they belonged.

The other thing was that they got several requests from the Ministry regarding the adoption. Oh yes, the goblins did a great job. They filled out the Ministry papers under one of his aliases, the most common one he had and now the Ministry was determined to find out who said John Smith was. Too bad that there were far too many people with that name in Britain leave alone America. Too bad that the American Ministry holds quite a grudge against the English one so getting any information from them would take the English Ministry weeks if not month.

'Let them run around headless for some time, in the end, they won't be any wiser,' he thought happily before returning to his paperwork.

He worked for a few hours when suddenly there was a knock on the door.

"Yes?" he called out, and Hadrian looked up from his book.

The door opened and Sylvia came in. Hadrian jumped up, ran over to her and hugged her as a greeting.

"Hey Harry, I see you look much better. How do you feel?" she asked.

"It's Hadrian now, I chose that name when dad adopted me, and I feel great. Yesterday after dad adopted me we went through Diagon Alley. He bought me so many books and toys," he excitedly babbled.

"Oh what books did he buy you?" she wondered because she well knew about the size of Salazar's library.

Hadrian turned around, picked up the book he had been reading and showed it to her.

"This one plus another potions book and several cookbooks."

Sylvia looked at the book, it was One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi.She flicked through it and was astonished what the boy marked in it. It seemed that he knew very well which information was relevant, useful and which not.

"So you are interested in potions? But can you really remember everything you read so far? I mean it is quite a lot," she was curious about it.

Hadrian cocked his head musing about it before he nodded.

"Yes, pretty much all of it."

"Hmmm, then let's have a try. What is Alihotsy and what do you use it for?" she asked with a smile.

"Alihotsy, also known as the Hyena Tree is a magical tree whose leaves can induce hysteria and uncontrollable laughter. There is an antidote to it, a treacle produced by the Glumbumble which induces melancholy in those who consume it. Finely chopped the leaves find use in the laughing potion," he replied after thinking shortly about it.

Sylvia and Salazar looked at him with wide eyes. Salazar saw that his son has read nearly half the book by now, but he never expected him to remember everything almost word for word.

"I'm curious, you seem to have an excellent memory, might I ask something else?"

Hadrian nodded.

"What is Gillyweed, what is it used for, where can you find it and who revealed its properties?" she asked while getting a questioning look from Salazar.

"Gillyweed is a plant resembling slimy grey-green algae. If swallowed by a person said person grows gills and also webs between his fingers and toes. Therefore he is able to breathe beneath the water and move at an higher speed. There is a discussion about the duration of said effect in salt and fresh water, but normally it lasts for about an hour. The plant itself is native in the Mediterranean Sea but can be cultivated nearly everywhere under the right conditions. Elladora Ketteridge has first discovered the properties of Gillyweed in the 17th century, but it was credited to Beaumont Marjoribanks about a century later," he lectured.

"Wow, I know people with an excellent memory, but that is beyond everything I've ever seen," Sylvia had to sit down.

Salazar thought a bit about it before he explained. "I think I know what it is. The mundane know some things about it. They call it an eidetic memory. People who have one only need to hear or read something which depends on whether they have an auditory or visual eidetic memory and they are able to recite it word for word. They also never forget what they once read or heard."

"It that something bad?" Hadrian feared that he did something wrong.

Salazar laughed. "No, no, quite the opposite in fact. You will have an easy time to learn theoretical knowledge from books. With the practical aspect, we will have to see, but you will be able to remember things you read quite easily. I don't doubt that many people will be envious about that."

"Cool then I have to read a lot in the future," he said with a grin relieved that nothing was wrong with him…again.

"Just keep sure that you don't rush yourself" Salazar laughed.

Hadrian nodded. "Besides that why did you come? I don't think you only wanted to test my knowledge about herbs and fungi or did you come for another health check?" he cocked his head questioningly.

"You're right I originally came to talk to your daddy," she grinned upon seeing Salazar blush slightly.

"Okay, then I return reading," with that he picked up his book and sat again on the windowsill continuing where he had left.

Sylvia shook her head. "I have never seen a child his age so eager to read leave alone learn things."

"I have to admit that I sometimes wonder myself how mature he is. I mean he also behaves like a child from time to time especially when we visited the toy shop yesterday but most of the time…" he sighed while looking at his son who sat there humming lowly while marking another passage.

"I hope that this will change a bit should I be able to convince Black to not follow Dumbledore anymore."

"Hmmm Black, when do you think he will get out?"

"I have an appointment with Ms Bones at Wednesday next week, and I hope that they will set him free no later than Friday."

"Okay, then I'll prepare everything. More chaos to look forward to, nice…" she said sarcastically.

Salazar looked at her quizzically.

"Do you have an idea what a hell this day was? Everyone and their mother wanted to talk to me about what was written in that article. I'm glad St. Mungo's has such good security otherwise I wouldn't have been able to work properly today. They also were instructed to not let Dumbledore in under any circumstances except when he was injured or something the like, but luckily he didn't use such means. I was told that he attempted to get in twice," she huffed. "And I doubt that it will get any better once Black gets out and stationed with me."

"I'm truly sorry that all this causes so much inconvenience for you and I'm surely grateful that you do this for me. I hope that it won't take too long for them to realise that there is nothing you can tell them."

"I hope that too, but until then you could let me sleep in your house," she said with a devious smile.

"Sure but why?" he asked, it wasn't that he didn't have space, but he wondered where it suddenly came from.

"Do you really think that they would only besiege my job? My house isn't hidden under a Fidelius charm, and I fear that up to now everyone knows where I live and tries to get a hold on me there," she said incredulously.

Salazar flinched. "I haven't thought about that, I'm sorry. You surely can sleep here as long as you want or need to. I'll see that I register you with the wards so that you can apparate in and out and don't have to use the floo every time."

"Thank you and no problem. Would it have been a problem I wouldn't have agreed to help you in the first place."

Salazar called for a house-elf and told him to prepare one of the unused bedrooms.

"Say what is the matter with that owl?" she changed the topic, eying the bird that sat on the chair next to her.

"Oh, that is Hedwig. She belongs to Hadrian, and it seems that she won't let him out of sight for now. I don't know why but she followed him the entire day," he explained, also glancing at the bird.

"But there is something I'd like to ask you," he started a bit later. "What do you know about the Longbottoms, especially Alice and Frank?"

"The Longbottoms you say? There is not much I know about them. Frank and Alice were tortured by the Lestranges and Barty Crouch Jr. only a short time after Hadrian's parents were killed. They are now placed permanently at St. Mungo's in the Janus Thickey Wards with a foreign induced mind lock. A day before Hadrian was born they both got a son too, Neville Longbottom. He now lives with his Grandmother Augusta Longbottom. To their loyalty, I can only tell you that Frank and Alice were very firm with the Aurors and Dumbledore while Augusta always remained neutral."

She thought a bit more about it before she finally shook her head.

"This is everything I know about them. Why do you ask?"

"It seems to be the case that Alice and Frank are Hadrian's godparents to next to Sirius Black," he replied.

"What?" she looked to the boy who doesn't seem to be bothered with their conversation but just read his book. "The boy really had bad luck up to now. His parents dead and all his godparents incapacitated. I wonder whether this is a coincidence or some of Dumbledore's scheme."

"I doubt that the old goat just forgot that Black is Hadrian's magical bound godfather except it was for his convenience. The same goes for the fact that the man never got a hearing or a trial," Salazar growled.

"You're right this is very suspicious but do you think that he revealed the location of the Longbottoms to the Death Eaters only because they didn't fit into his scheme?"

"Maybe what happened to the Longbottoms was just a convenient incident without any further ado from his side, but I doubt he would have left them alone should it have been any other way."

Sylvia mused about what she just heard. "Do you think you might be able to repeat what you did to get Hadrian out of his mind lock just with them? Maybe they would be able to help us with Dumbledore. It also would be good for Hadrian."

"I would have to take a look at them to answer you that. If it is as I think a state of utter shock I should be able to do something about it but is it something like it was with Hadrian…I'm sorry, but I'm not inclined to risk my own life for them" he replied.

Sylvia sighed. "I thought so, but perhaps at least you could check them."

"What about Monday? I could come by and have a look if that's okay with you."

She nodded.

They talked some more until dinner and after that until late into the night. Hadrian went to bed around nine after giving both of them a hug and bidding them a good night. He was closely followed by his owl.

A/N: Well here we are. The next chapter original wasn't planned to happen but you know about plans and how they get screwed up. 'til next chapter!

(02-12-18)