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Disclaimer
I own nothing of the Harry Potter franchise.
Glad to clear that up
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Chapter 11
Three days after the first task, Hadriana was summoned to the Headmaster's office shortly before dinner.
"Ah, Hadriana, my dear girl, please, come in." Dumbledore said from inside his office before Hadriana even knocked the door. The girl just sighed. No matter how many times she insisted on being called Ms. Potter by the headmaster, he kept calling her by her name... Not that he liked the surname, it was simply a matter of decorum. She wasn't her damned bratty brother.
Hadriana entered the office and much to her surprise, James and Lilly were there, one scowling at her and another looking concerned. McGonagall was also there, scowling as well and Snape, who stood next to the deputy, looked bored, hiding his thoughts under his mask. With them was madam Pomfrey, looking concerned.
"Is there a reason why my presence was requested?" Hadriana asked. In seven years, it was the first time she entered the Hogwarts Headmaster's office.
"Hadriana, my dear girl" she scowled again "we are all concerned with you and would like to offer our help."
"What?" she asked.
"For Merlin sake, check her for spells or potions." demanded Lilly almost in tears.
"Allow me to explain." Dumbledore intervened, seeing Hadriana's scowl towards the red head "It has come to our attention you are growing close to Mr. Ragnos."
"Merlin..." Hadriana mumbled "Why the hell does everyone feel the need to interfere with my life?" she blurted out, glaring at everyone.
"Hadriana, please..." Lilly blurted.
"SHUT UP!" her daughter shouted with a scowl "It's none of your business who I choose to be friends with."
"Mr. Ragnos is dangerous, Ms. Potter." McGonagall said with reproving look.
"Yes, he is." Hadriana replied, glaring at the older woman "Your point?"
"Hadriana, my dear girl, please, you must understand, Mr, Ragnos is dark. Very dark indeed."
"He's my friend." Hadriana replied with a sneer "Many of my friends were banded dark by you and your sycophants. Why should I care? Hell, by your standards alone, I myself am dark."
Everyone except Snape gasped and James rose from his seat with a sneer.
"I heard enough." he replied "No daughter of mine would act like this or be dark. Cast the spells on her. Make sure she is free of all compulsions and potions."
"Don't you dare to point your wand at me." Hadriana replied, drawing her wand and pointing it at Madam Pomfrey. James and Dumbledore's wand pointed at the girl immediately.
"Let go of your wand and let Madam Pomfrey do her work. You will be free of your of him soon and all will be fine, we will be a family again." Lilly begged and Hadriana scoffed.
"I am not under anyone's influence!" Hadriana replied in anger.
"Hadriana, please." Dumbledore asked, trying to placate the hostilities "Mr. Ragnos is dangerous, very dangerous. According with our investigations and the centaurs who met him, he was the one who destroyed the acromantulas' nest."
"What?" Hadriana blurted in surprise, widening her eyes. Dumbledore believed to have a chance and continued this line of thought "Yes, we talked with the centaurs and they told us they met a young man that fits Mr. Ragnos description battling acromantulas. Some of the more blood thirsty centaurs banded with him and they attacked the nest, destroying it all."
"That's impossible. There were hundreds of acromantulas in there." Hadriana scoffed.
"Hagrid may have exaggerated when he mentioned they were all dead but the nest was destroyed and many acromantulas were killed by magic and centaur weapons. The centaurs are still celebrating the bloodshed." Dumbledore replied with a scowl. Hadriana hid her amusement and awe.
I'll have to confront Markus about this. she thought to herself.
"That's not all. Tell me, Hadriana, what do you know of him?" Hadriana glared at the old man.
"I know enough." she replied and James scoffed, as did McGonagall.
"Allow me to share some light on him, then." Dumbledore replied "As you saw in the newspaper, Mr. Ragnos is indeed an accomplished young man. However, there is one point where he claims to be a direct descendant of the Overlord." Dumbledore looked at her with twinkling eyes and Hadriana strengthened her mental defences "Do you know who that was?"
"No." she replied.
"The Overlord, whose real name is not known to me, was a wizard that lived in Northern Europe around the time of Merlin. He was both powerful and dark and it is said that he made an empire to himself, using dark magic to force the warring tribes into submission." Hadriana held a scowl and Dumbledore believed it was in distaste for all he was telling her "When he died, his empire collapsed by infighting but his legacy remained, if Mr. Ragnos existence is any indication."
"So what?" Hadriana asked and everyone gasped "Markus is a descendant of the Merlin equivalent of his people... it certainly explains how he is that powerful."
"Have you heard nothing, girl?" demanded James in anger "He's dark scum."
"I don't care." Hadriana replied.
"Expeliarmus!" Dumbledore chanted and Hadriana was ripped from her hand.
"Petrificus Totalis." James chanted immediately and Hadriana fell on the ground, trapped by the spell.
"You bastard, let me go." she demanded to no avail. Dumbledore ordered Madam Pomfrey to check Hadriana for spells or potions and the healer did, despite unwillingly. When she finished, everyone gaped.
"There is nothing." Madam Pomfrey stated with a smug look "Ms. Potter is not under any sort of compulsion, potion or mind altering magic."
"That's impossible." Lilly replied almost in tears. She refused to believe Hadriana's anger toward her was justified.
"This is most unexpected." Dumbledore whispered.
"Now can we wend this foolishness and get back to our lives?" Snape demanded for the first time, showing his scowl "You dragged me here, to discuss a teenager love life? Don't you think that if any of my snakes was potioned or started to act different I would know about it?"
"Shut up, Snivellus. Why are you even here?" demanded James with a sneer, earning another in reply.
"ENOUGH." Dumbledore demanded and both men stopped their squabbling.
"If she's not under spells, then I suggest we put her under one." James suggested and while Hadriana, McGonagall, Snape and Madam Pomfrey looked affronted, the others actually considered it "I will not have my daughter becoming chummy with a dark bastard scum."
"James, you can't possibly be serious." McGonagall replied.
"You bastard." Hadriana shouted, hiding her fear "I swear to all that exists if you don't release me now, you will regret it. "
"Shut it, girl, you shamed this family enough." James sneered, pointing her wand at Hadriana, who for the first time in a long time was scared.
"No, she didn't." a disembodied voice said, sounding tired, angry and disappointed "Unlike you."
"Who's..." bedore Dumbledore could finish his question, an explosion of light occurred in the office and the last thing anyone saw was a blur. All became black as everyone went unconscious.
When Hadriana woke up, she was already free from her bonds and much to her surprise, she saw a concerned Markus looking at her.
"Easy..." he whispered as Hadriana got up.
"Markus? How?" she asked, looking around and widening her eyes as she saw the fallen bodies of everyone who was in the office "What happened?"
"I was hoping you could explain..." the young man replied, helping the girl to get up "I was in my room at the ship and I felt something... a distress... I realized it was you and whatever was happening to you, you needed help. I just followed your call and void walked here."
"Void walked?" she wondered and Markus shrugged.
"It's a type of apparition. Quite old and somewhat of a family trait."
"Oh... but... how did you know?" she asked again "You felt my distress?"
"Yes, I heard you screaming in my mind. I just needed some time to get my bearings and came here straight away."
Hadriana thought about what just happened and her eyes got wet. Markus held her tightly and she hugged him, hiding her tears from him.
"He wanted to curse me. Put me under a spell to control me..." she whispered and she felt Markus' body stiffen.
"The old man?" he asked in anger.
"My father." she replied and Markus got angry.
"That's even worse." he replied and she felt his entire body crackling with magic.
"I heard a voice... The voice stopped him before the flash. Was it you?" Hadriana asked and Markus frowned.
"I didn't say a word."
"Then, who did?" she asked, thinking about the voice. It looked like it was familiar and that whoever it was, wanted to defend her. She looked around the room and saw no one else besides those she had seen in there "I need my wand." she said and Markus promptly rose his hand, making two wands flying toward him, one of them Hadriana's wand.
"That's Dumbledore's wand." Hadriana said after recognizing it "What did you do?"
"I just summoned your wand. This one came as well, although I don't know why." Markus replied, holding the wand in his hand and feeling a surge of magic "Interesting."
"What is?" Hadriana asked, curious, holding her own wand.
"It looks like this wand just chose me..." Markus replied.
"In that case, you should keep it, boy." a painting added and only then did the two realized they were being watched by the paintings.
"Are you alright girl?" asked the painting of a headmistress with a scowl but not at Hadriana.
"I'm fine." she replied.
"Your friend came just in time, then." the same woman replied "I'm abhorred to see how the noble line of the Potters has fallen."
"Are you a Potter?" Hadriana asked and the woman nodded.
"Selene Potter, Headmistress from 1685 to 1704." the headmistress replied "Young man, my thanks for protecting my many great granddaughter. Are you by any chance her betrothed?" Both teen blushed.
"No, he's my friend."
"My name is Markus Ragnos." he introduced himself and the headmistress eyes widened.
"I see." she replied, noticing the whisper of the paintings "You certainly are much more than what we believed, young master Ragnos." Selene Potter replied with a chuckle.
"What does that mean?" he asked and Hadriana told him everything that had happened and all she had learned "I want the truth, Markus. Did you have anything to do with the destruction of the acromantulas' nest?" he sighed.
"Fine, yes, I did. I was angry and a bit down after what happened between us, an acromantula charged at me when I was at the lakeside and I killed it. More showed up and I killed them all. Centaurs found me among the bodies and we talked a bit. Their leader, Bane, told me about the nest and about how many spiders there were. Then one spider jumped out of the shadows and attacked Bane, only to die at my hand. I asked where the nest was, Bane and a few of the centaurs followed me out of curiosity and we fought a couple of them..." Markus shrugged "I set the nest on fire the nest, killed a few spiders while my allies protected me and I made part of the cave collapse on the others... Then I was taken to the centaur village and we drank until I had to leave."
Hadriana snorted.
"You could have said something..." she pouted "And why did you do it? Do you hate spiders to?"
"No, I needed a distraction and acromantulas were there." he replied and Hadriana accepted the answer while some of the paintings looked at him as if he was crazy.
"One more thing, about the Overlord?" Hadriana asked and Markus stiffened.
"You know something about it, then?" he asked and Hadriana nodded.
"Dumbledore told me but I take everything he says with suspicion." Hadriana replied, looking at Markus "Was the Overlord really a dark lord during the time of Merlin?"
"I wouldn't know that, Hadriana. I don't know what was the time of your Merlin." Markus replied "My ancestor was a powerful ruler, a fearsome warrior and a outstanding wizard. He did conquer what is now Norway, Sweden and Finland, uniting all the warring tribes under one leadership, his own. He did killed many, with sword and spell but he also brought prosperity for some time. His wife founded Fjolkyngard with his blessing and many magicals were taught there, well beyond their deaths." Markus explained "I don't care if he was dark or light. By the definitions of those words, I myself am dark." Hadriana stopped him and nodded.
"I told you I didn't care about that. You're my friend and that's all that matters." she said and he smirked "Besides, like you, by definition of the words, I am dark too."
Markus chuckled.
"Now, was any of you who spoke while... while James had his wand pointed at me?" Hadriana asked the paintings, her hand finding her way to Markus', who took it. No painting replied and Hadriana cast several revealing charms, having no results but the fallen on the floor.
"Someone spoke, I heard it." she said, her frustration growing.
"Clearly there is no one else here." Markus replied, sat at Dumbledore's chair after throwing the old man to the floor, still unconscious and studying the wand with interest.
"What did the voice say, child?" a painting of a man asked and Hadriana thought about it.
"James accused me of shamming the family and the voice claimed I didn't... unlike him."
"Mh, try to summon for an invisibility cloak." Selene Potter suggested and everyone looked at her "Trust me, child of Potter."
"Nonsense, the revellio charm would reveal anyone under an invisibility cloak." a painting of another man replied but Hadriana tried it anyway. Much to her surprise, a cloak floated to her and attached to it, came the unconscious body of Charlus Potter.
"Grandfather?" Hadriana wondered and Selene Potter appreciated the silence of her fellow paintings.
"Potter invisibility cloak." she replies smugly.
"Why did he..." wondered Hadriana, looking at the unconscious form of the older man. He looked thinner, with eye marks and looking tired. She noticed Markus kneeling at her side.
"I can wake him up, if you need answers." he suggested and Hadriana almost agreed, suddenly remembering her grandmother's distress on the day of the task.
"I think I'll just take him to my grandmother's." Hadriana replied, looking thoughtfully "She said he had disappeared, that she knew nothing of him and now he is here."
"And there is no fury like a woman scorned." he replied with a chuckle, earning a scowl from Hadriana "How do you want to send him to her?"
"Floo." Hadriana replied, pointing at the fireplace "Do you mind helping me? I will go first, warn my grandmother, prepare the floo for you, call you back and you go in with him?" she asked, ignoring the thought she could just carry her grandfather with her for the trip, burying it deep in her mind.
"Sure, no problem." he replied and she smiled softly. She went to the floo and threw a pinch of powder "Black Refuge Cottage." Hadriana was engulfed by the flames, appearing at a decorated living room, with a lone woman sat at a chair.
"Hadriana?" Dorea asked, surprised by her granddaughter's appearance "What are you doing here?"
"I have some news for you." the younger witch said "I found Charlus."
"What? Where?" Dorea asked, nervous.
"Calm down." Hadriana asked "Markus has him and I need you to set the floo to accept his passage with Charlus." Dorea did it immediately and Hadriana quickly made a call to the headmaster's floo. Within a few seconds, Markus appeared in the living room, carrying an unconscious Charlus Potter in one shoulder and the invisibility cloak under the arm.
"I thought you might need this." he said, handling the cloak to Hadriana while placing the unconscious man on one of the chairs.
"Charlus..." Dorea whispered, seeing the state of the man she loved "What's with him? Why is he unconscious?"
"I stunned him, nothing serious." Markus replied, earning a raised eyebrow from the elder witch "Maybe Hadriana should explain what happened."
"Yes, she should." Dorea explained coldly and Hadriana did, since the moment she was summoned to the headmaster's office until the moment she had arrived by floo to her grandmothers. To say that Dorea was shocked was an understatement, willing to go after her son and curse him.
"You did mention your grandfather saying something defending you." she asked and Hadriana nodded, looking at the still unconscious form of Charlus Potter in his chair next to Dorea's. Hadriana sat next to Markus and Dorea had found extremely bizarre when Markus explained the feeling he had of Hadriana calling for help but she found it amusing how Hadriana played with Markus' hand when he told her exactly what he felt at the time "I want to hear it from his mouth." the older woman said and Markus shared a look with Hadriana.
"If you insist, I'll remove the spell." he said, being interrupted by Dorea.
"Not so fast, young man." she said, choosing to ignore the protocol "I want you two to go under the cloak and make no sound. I want Charlus to think he's alone with me."
"Why?" asked Hadriana.
"Because he'll be honest with me and me alone." the older witch replied and both Markus and Hadriana wrapped themselves in the cloak at a corner, to make sure Charlus didn't suspect anything. Only then did Markus removed the spell, causing Charlus to wake up with a gasp.
"Hello, Charlus." Dorea said, attracting the man's attention. Charlus gasped, especially when he recognized his wand in his wife's hand.
"How am I here?" he asked, looking around "Where are we?"
"That doesn't matter." Dorea replied coldly "Where have you been since November first?"
"Away." he replied, not looking to his wife.
"Where?" she asked again.
"What does it matter?" he asked "You were the one who left first."
"I went back and you were gone." she replied "I've been worried about you every moment since you vanished."
"Maybe you shouldn't."
"How can you say that, Charlus?" the older witch replied, tears falling. Charlus turned to her.
"Do you remember that time when the twins were four, one of the last times we had them in the manor before Halloween..." Charlus started reminiscing, Dorea looking at him, wondering "When I sat them in my legs at the study and told them about family duty?"
"I remember Harry listening to every word you spoke, especially when you told him he would one day be the lord of the house. I remember Hadriana asking what would become of her and you telling her fate was her own, she was free to do anything she would like. She replied she would stay with her brother because it was her family duty. I remember we were proud of them and you spoke of nothing else for days.
Charlus had a small smile, before changing to sorrow.
"And yet, after all I taught them, I failed to apply that lesson myself. I betrayed my own grandson."
"Why?" asked Dorea in sorrow.
"I don't have an explanation... I just trusted my son..." he replied in sorrow and Dorea widened her eyes "What man wouldn't trust his own child?"
"Tell me, Charlus. What happened? What really happened?"
"James told me Dumbledore had Harry tested while at the healers and discovered he was a squib." Charlus replied, looking down "I found hard to believe that because I knew my grandson was no squib. Then I went to see him and found him unconscious, with an ugly scar in his chest and his magic was weak." he continued "We know of dark and powerful curses that may damage one's magic and in my fears I believed Voldemort could have used such a thing in our boy. In my stupidity, I never asked a new test. And I let them start the lie that he had died because... he was a squib, there was no place to him in this world, he wouldn't inherit, he couldn't live as a wizard." Dorea saw Charlus eyes becoming wet and tears started to fall "What was I supposed to do?"
"You were supposed to tell me." Dorea demanded "You were supposed to care for our grandson."
"I did, or I thought I did." Charlus admitted "I went to the muggles the day after, only to find out James and Lilly had abandoned the child in the doorstep with a letter saying the boy wasn't magical and to take care of him. The muggles were angry at that but they accepted the ten thousand galleons I gave them in their money. It should be enough to raise the child and send him to a proper school, making sure he had a proper education. I even gave them an extra to tell him we had all died, to ease his mind and try to move on... He was still unconscious and for a long moment, I wanted to take him with me, everything be damned but I couldn't... I couldn't do that to him, forcing him to be part of a world he couldn't be a part of... or so I foolishly believed."
"You went there, you paid them to take care of him, to have a life and a proper muggle education..." Dorea repeated, crying "Yet, he died."
"Yes." he hissed through his teeth "I never went back, I never knew. When Hadriana went to me and James, I believed it was only longing and that she missed him... had I trusted her, had I listened to my granddaughter I could have prevented all this..." he sighed "I trusted James but I should have known James had his head up in Dumbledore's ass and Dumbledore was obsessed with his prophecy."
"Language..." Dorea half heartedly admonished him.
"I should have requested a second test." Charlus continued "I should have checked on Harry while he was there, I should never have left him there...I betrayed my grandson, I betrayed all I believed in when I abandoned him there... I allowed another to rule my family when I trusted James and Dumbledore."
"But why? Why have you left, then?" Dorea asked.
"I was ashamed." Charlus replied, looking at Dorea "Ashamed of myself and of what I had done. To know Hadriana knew all this time, what she had endured... that moment I knew all her hate for me was entirely justified. Besides, you left first. I thought you abandoned me as well."
"I was just angry." she replied, ashamed of her own actions.
"I gave up the lordship because I felt I had no right to it. I betrayed my own blood, allowed another to rule my family... I betrayed the fundamental tenets my family and I believed in." he snorted "Not to mention I failed with my son, if he follows Dumbledore so blindly."
Dorea looked sadly at the sorrowful man.
"Why were you wearing the cloak in Dumbledore's office, then?" asked Dorea and Charlus looked even more defeated.
"I wore the cloak every day since the day I passed on the lordship... I've being following James closely and I am not impressed. When he attempted to curse Hadriana at Dumbledore's office, that was the line. I'm not sure what happened but I was not going to let that happen. I was going to take Hadriana away, but..." he sighed "James is the lord Potter now and Richard is no better than his father, unfortunately." Charlus added "Hadriana, though, despite her hate for me and the family, she is the only Potter who is going to be great, I can feel it." Dorea widened her eyes as Charlus smirked "That girl is more like you than her mother and if I could, I'd make her my heir." he chuckled and Dorea was baffled "However, that's meaningless now. I only feel this way because she forced me to see the truth."
"Hadriana can forgive you, if you tell her what you just told me." Dorea told him and Charlus chuckled.
"I doubt that." he replied, still chuckling "Besides, it's not her forgiveness I need."
"Whose, then?" Dorea asked.
"Harry's". he replied with a sigh and Dorea gaped, looking at her husband "I'm tired, Dorea. I've made such stupid mistakes."
"You... You can't..." she replied, holding his arm "Please."
"Everyone dies eventually, my love." he said, holding her tightly "I have much to atone for."
"Stop thinking such stupid thoughts, you moronic Gryffindor." she ordered with wet eyes "You're not going anywhere anymore. I won't let you."
"I ..."
"You shouldn't have left him there." Hadriana's sad voice spoke. Charlus turned to the corner and saw his granddaughter coming under the invisibility cloak and with her, none other than Markus Ragnos "You know I can't forgive you for that."
"If you were there all this time, then you know it's not your forgiveness I need." Hadriana nodded and tears fell. Markus put his hand on her shoulder "Although I am sorry for everything, Hadriana" Charlus said and Hadriana nodded, walking to her grandfather.
"I won't forgive you... but thank you for what you tried to do for him." she said, giving her grandfather a small hug.
Markus watched the scene carefully, as Dorea joined in the hug. Finding it to be a family moment, he chose to leave the room, giving them time for themselves. With one last look at them, he left.
The family stood in silence for some time.
"I found the records of the payment." Hadriana said, attracting Charlus and Dorea's attention "This summer, I checked the old ledgers and I found it. That's how I discovered where he was left." the grandparents nodded, looking sad "I hired the goblins to find them and tracked them to number four, Private Drive in Surrey but they travelled to the continent several years ago."
"Where did you get the money to hire them?" asked Dorea, surprised.
"I created a personal vault and every year I transferred the money from the trust vault to it. I also made several investments and managed to gain a trust vault from the Slytherin line when I discovered it to be Lilly's." she revealed "I am not without resources."
"My granddaughter, a real Slytherin." Dorea joked and Charlus chuckled.
"What now?" he asked.
"The goblins are still looking for the Dursleys." Hadriana replied.
"Hadriana, what happened at Dumbledore's office?" asked Charlus and Hadriana started to tell him everything, starting with what he already knew.
"When you spoke, Markus... MARKUS!" she shouted, raising from her seat and looking around "Where is he, MARKUS!"
"Markus?" asked Charlus as Hadriana left the room searching for her friend. The girl ran through the cottage, shouting his name while trying to find him "MARKUS!"
"Yes?" he asked, appearing from a door. Hadriana widened her eyes as she saw him wearing a dirty apron and cleaning his dirty hands in a cloth. Hadriana snorted and started laughing at the sight, confusing the young man.
"You know, Mipsy..." Markus said to the house elf in the kitchen while watching Hadriana laughing "Sometimes I wonder about your family's sanity."
The house elf nodded in agreement before going back to the kidney pie.
"Fine, I admit, you are an outstanding cook. Happy?" Hadriana said, taking another cookie from the small paper bag Markus carried in his hand.
"I told you." he chuckled as the both of them passed Hogwarts gates. After finding Markus in the kitchen helping Mipsy, the house elf, Dorea invited them for dinner and Markus cooked the dessert. Chocolate Chips cookies, the same Hadriana was still eating. The dinner was pleasant and they spoke about the tournament, the first task and the two champion's performances which were, as Charlus put it, nothing short of amazing. None of the two grandparents spoke of the news of their so called romance and both appreciated it.
As Charlus had suggested it, instead of flooing back to the Headmaster's office, they apparated in front of Hogwarts gates and walked to the castle, Markus carrying the paper bag with the chocolate chips and Hadriana carrying the Potter Invisibility Cloak in her pocket, charmed to be smaller, a present from her grandfather and a small meaningless token for an old man stupid mistakes.
"This is it, I guess." Hadriana spoke as they reached the Hogwarts doors "It's late, I suppose you'll want to get to the ship."
"I can escort you to your common room, if you'd like." Markus suggested as Hadriana took another cookie from the bag "Are you sure you don't want the whole bag?"
"No, thank you." she replied with a smile. Markus chuckled and opened the door with a wave of his hand and the two entered the castle "You know, after tonight, that date of ours to Hogsmeade will be rather boring." Hadriana said with a chuckle and Markus snorted.
"Now that you mention it, a dashing rescue of a defenceless maiden from evil wizards, a quest to take a runaway back home, meeting the family and share in a lovely homemade dinner as a reward for a successful quest? It will hard to top that."
Hadriana snorted at the defenceless part but made no comments, as she recognized that at the time, it had been true.
"I want you to know that I will sent out a letter to a friend tomorrow... speaking of what happened between us. He may have an explanation as for why I sensed your distress." Hadriana nodded and the two of them reached the entrance of her common room.
"This is it." she said and Markus just stared at the wall.
"Rather... bland, isn't it?" he asked.
"It's discrete." she replied defensively and Markus chuckled, taking a cookie from the bag and handling the rest to Hadriana.
"Here, you can have the rest, I know you want them" he said with a chuckle and Hadriana took it gladly "Have a good night, I'll see you tomorrow." as he turned away, Hadriana stopped him and hugged him, kissing him on the cheek.
"Thank you, Markus." She whispered in his ear as she hugged him "Thank you for having my back and helping me."
"Don't worry about it, Hadriana." he replied, caressing her back and hair.
"Join me for breakfast tomorrow, with the rest of the snakes." she invited him "Instead of having a snake among wolves."
"Gladly." he replied and Hadriana just smiled.
"Well, I guess this is it, then?" she wondered and he nodded.
"I'll see you tomorrow." Markus replied softly and left her at the wall, sighing, with her heart beating faster.
Damn it, why am I so nervous? she wondered, missing completely the desire of being in Markus' arms.
Half a day had passed before professor Flitwick went to the Headmaster's office, finding Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Madam Pomfrey, James and Lilly Potter unconscious. When they were released from the curse they had been put under, which came out being a sort of a stunner, they were confused and had no idea of what happened. Markus confided to Hadriana he had cast several confusion charms on them before he left by the floo. No one had tried anything against Hadriana again.
The breakfast of the wolf among the snakes was taken with curious looks but not that many. Everyone knew Hadriana and Markus were friends and were simply amazed to see the snake queen laughing or having fun. They continued to study together, sit together at classes and even shared ideas and tips on the clue of the egg for the second task of the tournament. By the second week of December, a few days after their so called date to Hogsmeade, they still had nothing.
Their date went well and rather fun, actually. They went out late, made some shopping, had lunch together, shared stories and adventures, Hadriana told him about the time she saved Hermione from the Troll, the time she entered the Chamber of Secrets before whole mess with the heir, which resulted in the sealing of the Chamber and pillaging all treasures it contained and the Dementors on the previous year. For his part, Markus had no intense stories of his school years, having to regal Hadriana with stories of his holidays, such as the time he and the wolves went camping in the forests of Bulgaria and their camp was overrun by bawling sheep in the early hours of the morning, the one time they went exploring in Sweden and found a cave with trolls and ended up trading goods with them and the time when he and Kris were seven, shortly after they met, when they started to learn runemancy directly from the dwarves, having to live for six months with them to learn the basics of the art and being forced to live as dwarven children, which was a great experience. The story helped Hadriana understand why Markus was so fond of Dwarves.
The sharing took a great part of their afternoon and they laughed and drank together and more importantly, they had fun. Their date even featured the Daily Prophet but none of them cared about it. They seemed to be growing closer but to the frustration of their friends, none of them took the next step.
Honestly, how hard was to kiss the other person?
There was also the strange link between them. It had not manifested again and they both tried to do establish a connection but achieved nothing. According to Markus, his contact, a dwarf named Thorgrim, an old runemancer and sage had been unable to provide answers.
Hadriana ignored the whispers around her as she waited for her head of house to speak after he had ordered them to wait before leaving NEWT Potions class.
"As you know, we at Hogwarts are being the hosts to the TriWizard tournament and one of the duties of the host is to organize a Yule Ball." Snape spoke and many were interested "The ball is open for everyone fourth year up, although third years will be allowed to attend if they are invited and presence is mandatory for the champions." he spoke directly to Hadriana, who nodded "You can take a date or attend alone, naturally but the champions will require a date as they need to open the ball. Am I clear?"
Everyone nodded and Snape was pleased.
"Good. I expect our visitors will receive the same message from their headmasters before the formal announcement. You may leave."
They left the room and Hadriana walked between Ursula and Katia, who had Viktor at her side.
"Katia..." Hadriana asked, having the blonde's attention "Where did Markus and Kris decided to spend their time today?"
"I believe they went to work on the egg for the second task. No idea where, though."
"They vill be at lunch." Viktor replied and Katia nodded.
"Why?" she asked and Hadriana blushed slightly, enough to denounce her intentions to the two girls. Viktor simply ignored them, already thinking on who to ask to the ball. He had met her at the party after the first task and she was beautiful, interesting and fun.
The group met Markus and Kris at the door to the great hall and the first thing that happened was Kris kissing his wife.
"Karkaroff told us about a Yule ball." he whispered in her ear, producing a red rose from the air with wandless magic "Are you interested to go and if yes, would you be my date, oh sweet mistress of my heart?"
"Of course I will, my dearest husband and slayer of my nightmares." she replied with another kiss.
"Hadriana..."
"Markus..." both said but instead of developing the idea they just stared at each other, gaping.
"Do you want to go to the Yule Ball with me?" they both blurted out at the same time, both of them widening their eyes, slowly chuckling to what just happened.
"Considering I asked you the same question, if you are willing to have me, I will be delighted to be your date." Markus replied, he too summoning a white rose from the air and offering it to Hadriana, who took it.
"Then it's a date." Hadriana remarked with a smile, both of them staring at each other for a moment before going into the great hall for lunch, ignoring the smug looks of their friends.