Thanks to everyone for reviewing the previous chapters, it always gets me smiling to see how much you guys enjoy CS. Shameless self-promotion right here - I've started up a new story as well for Harry Potter, with Tom and Harry again, if you want to check it out. Not sure when I'll be updating it but it should be soon~~
His tapped his fingers against his knee repetitively, eyeing the woman across from him shrewdly.
"So, Hadrian," Skeeter smiled at him as she seated herself. "let's start with how you're doing."
Hadrian glanced down when she crossed her legs, refraining from twitching away as her leg brushed against his. He did not see why she had insisted on them being so closely seated together for this ridiculous interview. If her goal was to intimidate him she had a long way to go. It took far more than a simple touch to unnerve him.
He had managed to avoid the ghastly woman for almost two days before she had pinned him after his last class. It had not been pleasant, stepping out of the Transfiguration classroom to see her grinning at him from the other side of the hall.
He had promised her an interview though, so he had allowed himself to be dragged along to this empty room, ready to proceed with the upcoming torture. He was sure Skeeter was still smarting from how he had dismissed her the other day, and was positively salivating at this chance to get him back.
"Very well, thank you. I am practically back to normal."
"Practically?" She pounced on the opening.
Hadrian gave a little shrug. "There are some lingering issues, as to be expected from such an injury. The healer assured me that there is nothing to worry about."
She wiggled back in her chair, the tip of her quill tapping obnoxiously on the pad.
He had allowed her to take notes this time, so long as the quill was not enchanted.
"Such excellent news." She said, voice filled with an almost painful amount of relief. Whatever problems he had with Skeeter, he had to admit that she was quite impressive in many ways. Like possessing the ability to sound so sincere, yet so sarcastic at the same time. It was a hard trait to master.
"And on the topic of your injury, I must say, when news of your coma reached the public, it caused quite the stir. Do you have anything to say on the matter, about why you suffered such an immense reaction to something that was healed within hours of the accident?"
Hadrian blinked, "My skull was cracked open." He said slowly, bordering on insulting. "My body went into shock. Forgive me, mademoiselle, but I believe it was a perfectly reasonable reaction."
"Of course," she simpered, reaching over to pat at his knee after Hadrian casually slid his hand out of her reach. "it was very traumatic, but let's come back to that a little more later. Tell me more about the match itself. Everyone is so eager to hear your version of events."
Why? It's not like they have not already heard everything about it anyway. He forced a charming smile for her regardless.
"What would you like to know, mademoiselle?" He asked politely.
Skeeter's mouth opened immediately. "How did you feel, when you first discovered which beast you would be fighting?"
Hadrian's finger twitched in agitation. "I will admit I felt quite nervous over going against such an incredible creature." He stressed the word lightly. "It was daunting."
Skeeter's head tilted to the side, causing a few of her elaborate, blinding blond curls to fall from their place. She absently replaced them. "And the task? How did you feel during the match itself? Surely you would have been terrified." He quill tapped damningly on the paper.
Hadrian rearranged himself in his own seat, finding his back beginning to twinge. "I did not exactly have time to feel anything, mademoiselle. Everything happened so fast, I had no time to feel fear or concern. All I could do was react and plan as best I could."
"Yes," she agreed instantly, "your use of a doppelgänger was rather interesting. Are you a Dark wizard, Mr. Evans?"
Well, she certainly is blunt.
"No," he said pleasantly, though he wanted nothing more than to leave. "I am not. Doppelgängers are hardly Dark in nature, mademoiselle. The one I used was actually one of the simplest forms."
She made a quick note, and when his eyes darted down to catch the movement she tilted the pad away from him just slightly. Her blood red lips peeled back into a knowing smirk, and he had a hard time stopping himself from returning the look.
Annoying she may be, but Skeeter was somehow still charming in her viciousness. Like a newborn dragon.
"I admit myself curious," she said, eyes zeroing in on him. "you're a well educated young man, top of your class, one of the best and brightest of your academy." She leaned closer, "What's your opinion on the tournament?"
Hadrian rubbed his chin. "I believe it will be very beneficial to the relationships between our countries. I can say I have certainly made quite few friends from the other schools, relationships I hope to keep even after we graduate."
"Like Draco Malfoy?"
"Among others."
She hummed thoughtfully. There was a glint in her eyes that had him tensing in preparation. "You're from France, a country famous for its rather neutral stance on Dark magic. Tell me, what are your thoughts on the topic?"
Hadrian raised an eyebrow, intrigued as to where she was going with this. He had expected the interview to remain solely about the tournament itself.
"I have no solid opinion on the matter," he said slowly, selecting his words carefully. "there are both branches of magic. It is what one chooses to do with them that concerns me more."
She made another note on her pad. There was an eagerness to her.
"And the Dark Lord? What's your opinion on him?"
Hadrian was instantly on alert. His eyes narrowed the barest amount, studying the woman in front of him closely. He did not like this sudden line of questioning.
"He's the Dark Lord." He replied evenly. "He's a great man." And that was true. Hate him though he did, Hadrian could not deny the incredible force that was Voldemort. The man who, after completely totalling his enemies in a civil war, was able to almost singlehandedly change the very foundations of an entire nation.
It was, to be completely honest, both intimidating and awe-inspiring.
"Yes, yes," Skeeter said, her eyes never once wavering from him. "but what are you actual opinions on the man?"
"Those are my opinions." He answered shortly.
She laughed, delighted. "Oh please, we both know there must be more to it than that. I mean, he did do something quite invasive to you."
And just like that, Hadrian was standing. "I'm done." He said, already turning to leave.
Her hand, nails painted a sick purple, clamped over his wrist and halted him. "Why are you running, Hadrian? Have I struck a nerve?"
He turned back to face her, glare fixed on his face. "How do you know?" He asked lowly.
Skeeter looked much like a cat watching a mouse scurry about in front of her. "Every reporter has their methods." She told him smugly.
He scowled at her, unsure how to handle this.
Honestly, he was not particularly bothered that someone had discovered the truth that Voldemort invaded his mind. It was not like Skeeter could actually publish that information, seeing as it would be a direct challenge to the Dark Lord. She would be signing her on death sentence printing anything damaging to the man. And blasting his way into the mind of a student – while not the worst Voldemort had done – would cause some unrest in the populace.
No, he decided.
What pissed him off, was Skeeter trying to use this against him. She was trying to unbalance him by bringing this up, trying to needle her way into his head and intimidate him, to get back at him for so easily threatening her the first time.
She was a smart woman, she would have researched him, she would have watched him. She probably knew by now that he liked being in control.
They both knew she could tell no one about it, but by bringing it up with him, she was reminding him of how vulnerable he truly was. Of how helpless he had been in that moment.
And, unbeknownst to her, she was reminding him of his biggest failure to keep his mother and him safe.
Icy calm settled over him, and he loosened his stance. "You're a vile woman," he said bluntly, "but I have to give you credit for that attempt. I did not see that coming."
He pried her hand off of him, enjoying the minor confusion that brushed over her features at his sudden change in behaviour. "You can't tell anyone about that, no matter how delicious you find the information. And while your move was commendable, you missed something."
He stepped into her space, backing her up until she hit her chair and was forced to stumble into her seat with a light gasp.
"You were in the room, that's the only way you could have known what he did. And while my brains might have been pouring out of the gigantic gash on my head, I was pretty lucid up until that moment."
He leaned down, bracketing his hands on either side of her. "Which begs the question – how where you there in the first place? I somehow doubt the healers would have just blurted the truth out to any nosy reporter that started questioning them."
"What are you inferring?" She half-snapped, not fear, but something closer to anxiety coming to her eyes.
"I'm inferring, Mademoiselle Skeeter, that you did something very naughty, something you would likely get into a lot of trouble for if it was ever discovered." He stepped away from her, "You had best hope I do not find out what that is. Have a good day now."
Hadrian was tempted to slam the door as he left, but had to admit that allowing it to gently click closed behind him was infinitely more satisfying.
He smoothed his hair back, and made a mental note to start his own research into the blasted woman. There was something suspicious about her, and he was determined to discover what it was before she had a chance to do anything against him.
But for right now, he needed to speak with his mother. He still had a good two hours before students would begin to head towards the Great Hall for dinner.
With a small smile, he started towards her suite.
It was odd, having his mother so readily accessible when he was still at school. At Beauxbatons, he was away from her for nearly all of the term, only being able to see her on the holidays. He had grown used to a certain amount of freedom.
But he did like it, being able to simply drop by her rooms whenever he fancied.
As he walked, he worked on the puzzle box. It was a truly ingenious device, no matter how it infuriated him. He knew he had to be close to solving it. It was only so big after all, and he had moved a fair amount of it.
Hadrian waited patiently for the staircase to move to the next floor, absently answering to a few students who greeted him.
He hopped off on the right floor, putting a stasis charm on the box so his progress would not be ruined, and slipping it back into his bag.
Hadrian made his way to the visitor section and knocked on his mother's door, leaning against the wall next to it as he waited for her to answer.
Barely a minute later, the door swung out, and he opened his mouth to greet his mother.
Only for the words to die on his tongue.
Arnold Abernathy stared down at him, eyes wide in surprise.
Hadrian straightened, posture growing aggressive. "What are you -" he began, only to cut off again when he saw his mother come up behind the man.
"Hadrian." She greeted, voice twisting oddly.
"What is he doing here?" He asked abruptly, all thoughts of respect dancing from his mind. When she did not answer immediately, his eyes swung back to the man in question. "What are you doing here?" He demanded.
"Uh." Abernathy looked distinctly uncomfortable, shifting from foot to foot and looking everywhere but Hadrian. "This isn't what it looks like." The man eventually said.
Hadrian glared, arms crossed and back rigid.
His mother sighed, placing a hand on Abernathy's shoulder with a casualness that had Hadrian swallowing in discomfort. "Enough, Hadrian," she said, weary amusement in her tone. "Arnold and I were just discussing our plans for the Christmas holiday."
It took him a second to understand the 'our' meant the two of them, not her and Abernathy. He relaxed minutely. "Oh."
"Yes," she said, "'Oh'." Her head turned to Abernathy, who was eyeing the end of the hall longingly. "Thank you for your advice Arnold, I will definitely take your words into account. Have a good evening."
"You as well," he nodded. "Amelia."
The man hesitated for a moment longer to give a slightly awkward smile to Hadrian, before slipping past him and down the hall.
Hadrian watched him go critically.
"Did you need something?" His mother's soft inquiry drew his attention right back to her.
"I just wanted to speak with you." He admitted, stepping inside her warmly lit abode. "But I…apologise for my overreaction. I was just…caught off guard."
His mother smiled at him, soft and amused. "I noticed."
He ducked his head in embarrassment. "You know I do not mind if you…want something like that, yes?"
"Oh, darling," she reached over and patted his cheek, "I know it makes you uncomfortable. It's alright."
"No," he protested, grasping at her hand and holding it carefully. "you know what I mean. It would not bother me if you found someone to spend your time with. I know starting a new relationship would be difficult enough without concerning yourself with my opinions."
He licked his lip, "If you found someone, you know I would not stand in the way, yes? I want you to be happy."
She smiled at him, "I am perfectly happy as we are, sweetheart. I have no intention of starting a relationship; certainly not with all we have to worry about right now." She attempted to pull away, but stopped when he squeezed her hand.
"What's wrong?"
Hadrian traced his thumb over her knuckles, frowning slightly. "Are you alright?" He asked seriously.
His mother's smile widened a touch, too much to be anything but fake. "I'm fine." She told him.
Hadrian's frown grew more pronounce. "Don't lie to me." He said firmly, though there was a touch of a plea in his words.
Her smile faded away, and her eyes grew tired. She sighed softly, and he released her hand. "I don't know." She answered, "There is something bothering me, and I have no idea what to do with it."
"What is it?" He asked, walking them both over to the closest lounge to sit. He gently guided her down, then set to preparing her some tea. "Perhaps I can help?"
He missed the flash of guilt in his mother's eyes as he bent to pour her a cup.
There was a slight silence between them, before she spoke again, rushed.
"What do you know about Professor Riddle?"
Hadrian hissed as he accidently spilled some boiling tea on his hand. He placed the teapot down and quickly soothed the burn with a wave of his hand. He carefully avoided looking at his mother, knowing she would link the slip with her question.
Why is she asking about Riddle? He thought wildly. She has only met him once, right? Did he approach her again? What the hell is that bastard playing at?
"Professor Riddle?" He echoed, playing for time.
"Yes, you seemed to know him quite well the other night."
Hadrian hid a wince by turning a little more away from her. He had acted recklessly that time, he could admit. Approaching Riddle and interacting with him so flippantly – even though he had no idea who the man really was back then – in front of his mother had been bound to come up again.
"He is…an excellent teacher. Quite skilled. Very intelligent. I – respect him."
He finally turned to watch her digest his words. She appeared thoughtful, which was a good sign.
"I agree. He was very well-spoken when I talked to him."
Hadrian passed her the cup of tea and took his place beside her. "Forgive me, maman, but why are you asking about Professor Riddle? I did not think you would know each other."
"We don't," she confirmed, taking a slow sip. "which is why I find it suspicious that he asked me to eat with him at my earliest -"
They both flinched as one of the glasses on the desk a few metres away shattered.
Hadrian looked at the numerous glinting shards with a scowl, waving his hand to fix the damage. "Pardon." He muttered, annoyed at his lack of control over his magic.
His mother hummed lightly, glancing between the mess and him curiously.
"He asked you to dine with him?" Hadrian asked, briskly.
She nodded, still watching him with that assessing gleam in her eyes. "Yes. We ran into each other outside, and he requested it."
I will kill him.
"I see." Hadrian said hollowly, "And, you said…?"
"I'm considering it."
"No."
Lily blinked at the vehement refusal. Hadrian held her gaze sternly. "Maman, you cannot."
She smiled at him, sardonically. "You just gave me your approval to do this." She reminded, though there was no heat in her words.
Hadrian shook his head, no hint of humour on his face. "Not him. He is…not good."
Lily gently cradled the cup of tea in her lap, eyes sharpening. "You said you respected him." She asked with that probing tenor.
"That does not mean I trust him." Hadrian said swiftly. "Riddle is dangerous. I don't care how pretty his words are, you cannot believe anything that man tells you."
"Then why are you so careless around him?" She suddenly demanded. Her harsh tone had him leaning away in confusion.
"What?"
"That night, you were so clearly under his sway. You completely blocked your surrounding out, you let him lead you around by your nose. It seems to me that you don't know your own advice."
Hadrian flinched at the accusation, having a hard time recalling when his mother had ever sounded so judgemental before. True, he had disappointed her in the past, and she had no qualms telling him when and how he made a mistake. But he had never really heard such a tone from her before.
"I understand the danger more than you do." He snapped before he could check himself.
He rarely had the gall to argue with his mother, was hardly ever that disrespectful to her. But this was different. He was trying to protect her from falling right into Voldemort's trap. He knew he was right.
He just wished he could shake her and tell her why.
Lily straightened at his rebuttal. She did not looked the least bit amused. "Is he a Death Eater?" She asked shortly.
"I – no." Hadrian said, already losing wind. His mother stared him down.
"Is he connected to Voldemort?"
Hadrian squinted at her, "In a way."
She nodded, head turning away from him. Hadrian waited quietly.
"I know he's dangerous, Hadrian. I would hardly be stupid enough to trust the man." He looked down at the subtle slight, feeling worse than he had when he was with Skeeter. "But dining with him could gain some benefits. He wants something from me, and I want to know what."
"So you will just walk right into whatever he has planned for you?" He asked bitterly.
Lily faced him again, stern-faced. "Of course not. We will plan, and come up with a strategy. I told him I would not be available until after the Yule Ball, so we have time."
Hadrian nodded slowly, settling next to her silently. He listened to her mumble to herself, stewing in his own anger for a long time.
He startled when one of her hands rested over his clamped ones. "I need you to help me with this, Hadrian. We need to do this."
"I know." He said before she had even finished speaking. The look she gave him was quelling.
"We can't trust anyone but ourselves right now. Yes?"
He nodded automatically. "I know. No one but us." He repeated.
Lily smiled at him, smaller and more reserved this time. Her hand raised to pat his cheek one more time.
"Good."
OoO
Hadrian sat quietly at a small table in the Hogwarts library, books open but unread next to him. His fingers moved smoothly over the box surface, doing and redoing the combinations again and again.
There was a group of students a few metres away, chattering softly. He had been studiously ignoring them since he had entered, his mind focussed on the small item in his hands.
His argument with his mother was still fresh in his mind, and with it, his roiling annoyance.
He hated how quick she was to shut his advice out, even though he had been at Hogwarts for far longer, and spent more time around and with Riddle than she had.
She just never listened and he hated it.
"Excuse me?"
He paused when the voice pierced his bubble.
Hadrian glanced up to see a girl standing next to him. She was smiling sunnily, and he caught sight of the yellow and black tie secured around her neck. Her outer robe was gone, leaving her in just a white shirt and the standard skirt most girls wore.
"Yes?" He knew where this was going and while she seemed like a nice girl, this was the last thing he wanted to deal with right now.
"You're Hadrian, right? Hadrian Evans?"
He nodded, resisting the urge to just cut to the chase. Unfortunately, he knew any rumours of rudeness would somehow trickle back to his Headmistress, and then he would really be in trouble.
"My name's Jessica Laurence. Anyway, I know this seems like it's completely out of nowhere, but I wanted to know if you wanted to go to the Yule Ball with me?"
And Hadrian truly did feel bad for her in this instance. He had already done this routine with a number of people, and always felt a little bad with rejecting them. But he was not in the mood for a whirlwind romance, and the Yule Ball was the furthest thing from his thoughts right now.
He slapped a kind smile on his face anyway, going the gentle way. "I am flattered, mademoiselle," he began, "but I must decline." Her face fell a little at his rejection. Quick to soothe, he tilted his head back in the direction of her table. "However, I believe the gentleman in Ravenclaw over there would be rather agreeable if you asked him."
She looked surprised, glancing back over her shoulder to her table of friends. "Who, John?"
"If John is the one who is currently glaring daggers at me, then yes. Most boys are terrible at expressing their interest in someone, and quick to get jealous. I've seen it many times." He gave her a quick wink, which had her smiling at him a little.
"Oh, okay then." She dithered in her spot as he watched her patiently. "I don't suppose you'd be interested in going with any of my friends either, huh?"
He dipped his head, not even glancing to where she was gesturing. "I'm sorry." He said genuinely.
Jessica shrugged, "Hey, it happens. At least you weren't a jerk about it." She waved a little as she walked back over to her table, dropping into hushed whispers with her friends the moment she returned to their fold.
Hadrian turned back to his box, head shaking.
It was getting ridiculous, the amount of invitations he was receiving. He understood the appeal of the ball, but it was almost a month away, and he had much more important things to deal with than bothering to find a date.
It was not worth the hassle. He briefly toyed with the idea of just saying yes to the next person that asked, but then there was the problem of them possibly expecting more afterwards.
Would it be acceptable to just not take a date?
He shut that wistful thought down immediately. He had already been told by Madame Maxime that as a champion, he was required to have a date. Some stupid little tradition of the whole tournament that had the champions dance first.
Whoever invented the Triwizard Tournament was a sadistic individual and Hadrian hoped they were burning in hell.
The tasks were difficult enough without adding the trouble of a ball.
"If you think any harder, you might hurt yourself."
Hadrian's lips twitched, and he pushed out a chair with his foot. "Always lovely to see you, Raina. Join me?"
"No, I won't be here long."
Hadrian looked at her in curiosity.
Raina stood where Jessica had mere moments earlier, her hands resting comfortably on her hips and her gaze focussed keenly on him.
He raised an eyebrow.
"We are going to the Yule Ball together." She announced with no prelude.
Well, this solves that problem.
Hadrian shrugged. "Okay." He agreed, already going back to his box. His easy answer clearly took her by surprise, for she did not immediately stalk off. "What?" He asked when she lingered.
"I thought you might put up more of a fight."
He huffed a chuckle, mindful of the patrolling librarian. "I have endured invitation after invitation from complete strangers ever since this ball was announced. At least I know you."
"Well, thanks." She said sarcastically. "Nice to know what my appeal is as a date."
He laughed, slightly louder this time. "You are a close friend Raina, and I enjoy your company. You are a good conversationalist, and you are an excellent dancer. At least with you I know what I am dealing with."
Which was as close to I am comfortable around you as he was going to get.
Luckily, Raina had always been absurdly attuned to him. She nodded, pleased at the odd compliment he had given her.
"Good. I'll see you in class then."
He nodded at her, watching quietly as she left him alone. Amidst the browns and dull reds of the books, the fluttering blue of her dress was a nice addition.
Hadrian shook his head, smiling as she turned the corner and vanished from his sight. No doubt going to terrorise another person with her presence.
Raina had always been an odd one, but compared to all the other options, he still viewed her as one of the best.
Truthfully, he would have approached her later on if she had not come to him. Going with someone he liked and knew was just one less thing he had to worry about.
He was no stranger to pretending to like the people around him, but the thought that he would hardly have to act at all for the night of the ball was soothing.
He sighed lightly, running his finger absently alone a groove and shifting a section.
Hadrian was already done with the year, and he still had almost a month until the next task. He was looking forward to the Yule break at least, because a relaxing tour around Britain sounded exactly like what he needed right now.
There was a faint click, and Hadrian looked down in surprise.
The box had a crack in it, the wooden pieces separating only slightly.
He carefully peeled the two parts away from each other, a pleased grin appearing on his face as the first layer of the box gave way to reveal a smaller one underneath.
"Finally." He breathed in barely contained excitement.
It had only been a few days, but now that he was at the same level as the other champions, he felt more at ease.
"Congratulations."
Hadrian jerked at the sudden, and completely unwelcome interruption. His knee slammed into the table and he cursed at the burst of pain even as he stood and spun to face the man behind him, the chair screeching on the floor from his speed.
Why the hell is everyone bothering me today? He thought angrily. I came to the library to get away from them.
Riddle barely blinked at his quick movements, staying patiently where he was leaning against a bookshelf less than two metres away.
Hadrian darted a look around them, noticing with annoyance that the other students had cleared away some point after Raina had left him.
This corner of the library was deserted, except, of course, for the two of them.
"What do you want?" He asked, boldly turning his back and beginning to pack his bag. He was hardly an idiot. If Riddle was approaching him when he was alone then he likely wished to discuss something sensitive.
The man tsked lightly, and though Hadrian could not hear him do so, he was intrinsically aware that Riddle was drawing near him. "It appears you've regrown your spine. I was worried when you rolled over so easily our last, proper meeting."
And that he could not ignore.
Hadrian turned on his heel, eyes immediately raising to find Riddle's. The man was well within his personal space, one more step and he would be all but pinning Hadrian to the table. "Funny words coming from a man who was only willing to approach me when I was wounded and bedridden."
"You were hardly bedridden," the man snorted, as if the mere thought of finding Hadrian intimidating was impossible. "but I could not have you prancing around Hogwarts with my identity when I did not have something over you."
"I do not prance." He hissed before he could stop himself. He cleared his throat in minor mortification that he had even addressed that comment in the first place. "You didn't answer my question. What do you want, haven't you already made our positions obvious?"
"This is a public area," Riddle pointed out blandly, "what makes you think I'm here for you?"
It was Hadrian's turn to snort, "Please. You expect me to believe you just conveniently appeared right as I solved the first layer?"
There was a pause.
"I may have been watching you for a few minutes." Riddle admitted without an ounce of shame. His candidness had Hadrian hesitating, a little uncomfortable and confused at this odd conversation.
"Right." He said after a moment, shifting his weight. "Is this a thing we do now?" He asked, "Go back to pretending the last two weeks never happened? That we're not on complete opposite sides of a war?"
"Of course not," Riddle said in such a manner that Hadrian thought he might roll his eyes were he anyone else. "but there's no reason for our professional relationship to affect how we interact."
"Our 'professional relationship'." Hadrian echoed dully, eyebrows rising only to crash down into a heavy sneer. "'Professional relationship'? You are blackmailing me. There's nothing 'professional' about it."
Riddle smiled at him, "I can only blackmail you because you let me find out."
"Va te faire enculer!" Hadrian shouldered his way past Riddle, hands almost trembling with rage.
Let him? Let him? This bastard breaks into my mind when I'm on the brink of dying – and he has the nerve to say that to my face?
Hadrian froze when another thought occurred to him. He spun back to face Riddle, who looked entirely too pleased with himself for having caused such a reaction.
"Why are you asking to dine with my mother? What are you planning?" He demanded, marching his way back over. Riddle watched him approach calmly.
"Does it bother you?"
"Of course it bothers me. She's my mother. I don't want her in the same country as you, let alone the same room."
"Not that," Riddle said dismissively. He leaned closer to him. "does it bother you that she refuses to listen to you?"
Hadrian stopped, staring up at Riddle in confusion. The man took his silence as permission to continue.
"You can't tell her who I am, not with my threat, but you tried to warn her. Does it bother you how quick she was to brush you off?"
"I replaced the runes." Hadrian said suddenly, defensively. Too late he realised that he was essentially confirming what Riddle had said.
"It does, doesn't it?"
"This conversation is over." Hadrian said, turning to leave again.
"I can see it you know," the man's voice followed his every step. "how suffocated you feel. You'd like nothing more than to play this your own way, and yet, time and again, you bend to her whims. Like a loyal, dotting son. It would be sweet if not for how you resemble a dog bowing before its master."
"Better a faithful dog than a mindless servant. Go near my mother again and I'll show you just how sharp my bite can be, damn the consequences." He warned over his shoulder as he left.
As he turned the corner, a bookshelf now blocking his view of Riddle, he felt the privacy ward dissipate.
At least that answered the question as to why no one had come running at the ruckus they had made.
He had been sure that the ruthless librarian would have come running at them within seconds. But Riddle was a Lord of magic. If he wanted to talk to Hadrian privately, even in such an open and well-trafficked area, then he would find a way.
The knowledge of how outclassed he was did nothing but incite him more. He hated how easily he let Riddle get to him. The only consolation was that it was Riddle seeking him out, not the other way around.
He might be the underdog here, but at least he was not actively going to the enemy for pointless little chats.
He had a new goal though, one that required his immediate attention.
Riddle should not have been able to listen in through his bracelet, with Hadrian having replaced the runes the night he had been released from the hospital. Which meant he had another means with which to do it.
And if there was no way Hadrian was the source, that only left his mother as an option.
He almost sighed, knowing he could hardly go directly up to her and demand to search through every inch of her belongings until they discovered whatever device or spell Riddle was using. She would want to know both how and why he knew these things, which would lead to talking about Riddle and Voldemort and Hadrian could not let her know that true connection just yet.
The Gods only knew what she would do if she discovered they were one and the same.
So he would have to be discrete. Luckily, he could quite easily sneak into her rooms when she was not there, to do his search. All he had to do was wait for her to leave.
When he got outside he leaned against the wall, closing his eyes and just taking a moment to breath.
First Skeeter and her attempts to intimidate him. Then his mother refusing to take his advice into account. And now Riddle. Well, Riddle was always there, lurking on the edges of his mind when he was not the main feature, a constant presence. But the point remained.
He still had the whole tournament to worry about as well. Solving the first layer was only the beginning; he now had to endure the entire process again with the next layer. And on top of that he had the Yule Ball to prepare for.
All the while he had to plan for what to do when the Order eventually confronted him.
Hadrian rubbed a hand over his face, allowing himself one moment of complete and utter exhaustion.
He felt like he was being pulled in so many different directions at once. He had known fighting Voldemort would be an almost impossible challenge, he had just never suspected he would be this close to tearing at the seams.
But at the same time…
At the same time he had never felt more excited. It was like for the first time in his life, he was actually alive.
He was so close to breaking, but the knowledge of it did nothing but spike his blood and make his heart pound.
Hadrian dropped his hand and sighed deeply, taking his frustration and exhilaration and neatly locking them away. He could not afford to be overwhelmed right now.
He pushed off the wall and started back down the hall, mind buzzing.
OoO
Remus stood as still as a statue as he watched the hooded figure of Rabastan Lestrange pass through the outermost ward surrounding Malfoy Manor.
He had been stalking the Death Eater for around three days at this point, following his movements as closely as he dared. It was a dangerous mission, following such a high-ranking member of Voldemort's forces, but Remus was uniquely equipped for surveillance.
His eyes glinted a faint amber as he crept back into the safety of the woods. Even with the full moon having already happened, the constant pull of its influence never truly left him.
These past years had been hard, in more ways then one. Every day filled with uncertainty and paranoia as they tried to rally their forces and fight back against the Dark Lord.
It was getting more and more dangerous for him to be around the Order as well. True, the abilities his wolf side gave to him were valued and most certainly useful. But the transformations themselves were excruciating and added one more weight to their minds.
Every hideout, every time they moved their base, they had to ensure there was a space to keep him during that time.
Remus was aware of the burden he placed on them, and it frustrated him how much his affliction affected his friends and allies.
Sirius had understood, as best any non-werewolf could. He had eased the pain with his blasé attitude towards the entire affair.
James too, had strived to support him without a hint of fear. And Lily, always so kind and understanding.
He remembered how terrified he had been of her reaction, even with James and Sirius and him whispering encouragements in his ears.
And when the words – the confession – had stuttered through his lips, she had looked at him like he had said something amusing.
"Rem, honestly, I've known for years."
"…you have?"
"You four aren't as subtle as you think you are."
She had always been special to him, in a different way to the Marauders. Her smile had been able to sooth his greatest fears, and a kind word from her could erase a night of tremors. He had loved Lily, for her brilliance and ferocity, and his heart had sung when she and James had finally come together as he had been hoping they would for years.
And when Harry had been born, and Lily had so casually placed the newborn in his arms like he was not keeping a monster caged within his flesh, Remus knew he would do everything to protect them.
But he had lost James, and Lily and Harry had vanished, and he had betrayed them all. Only Sirius had remained, but he was gone now too, to watch over Harry who had finally returned to them.
The only one – well, not the only one, but he was trying so hard to resist the second option – Remus could turn to now was Dumbledore, but the man was so busy and tired. Harry's return had rejuvenated them all, but the years had already taken their toll.
He silently apparated to their current headquarters, waiting for the wards to recognise him before he approached the door.
Before he could even open it, it was flung open.
"Wotcher, Remus!"
He blinked at the keen greeting, but nevertheless smiled at the brightly coloured woman in front of him.
"Dora," he greeted, a tad awkwardly, their last conversation still fresh in his mind. "hello."
She grinned at him, all youthful enthusiasm. As he watched, her hair bled into a rather vicious shade of bubblegum pink. "How…how have you been?" He asked as he entered.
Dora shrugged, snapping the door closed loudly with a small shove. Remus winced as it slammed shut. She looked at him in apology, the tips of her hair falling flat to her head.
No matter how often he was treated to the sight of her abilities, it never failed to intrigue him. It was such a rare trait, and the scholar in Remus always perked up whenever the girl unknowingly used it.
Which was, of course, always.
He smiled again, giving her a short pat on her shoulder, dropping his hand almost immediately afterwards. "It's alright." He told her.
Whether by his words or his action, she brightened instantly, and her cheeks grew rosy. "How was the stake-out?" She asked as they went further down the hall. The house was remarkably quiet, though Remus could hear the faint sound of several voices murmuring.
"Nothing too exciting," he said with a sigh, scratching the back of his head. "I don't even know what I'm looking for really, though I imagine if they knew about Harry, there would be something."
She nodded, face oddly serious for such a happy person. Remus felt his heart twinge, that someone as young as Dora was involved in such a horrible fight.
"Is Dumbledore in?" He asked when the silence between them got too tense.
Dora hummed, "He's in, but they're still going over what they should say in reply to the letter."
"Lily's?" He asked, curiously.
"I guess. I know Dumbledore wants to meet with her and Harry as soon as possible, but they want to do it right. I think they're afraid of scaring her off or something."
Remus gazed down the hallway to the door at the end. There was a sliver of light spilling from the bottom, and now that he was focussing, he could pinpoint Dumbledore's strong voice amongst the mumbles.
He took a breath, and was immediately assaulted with a painfully familiar scent.
He looked down to see Dora had taken his moment of inattention to step into his space. She was smiling up at him, dimples showing and eyes turning a lovely shade of blue.
"So, Moony," he closed his eyes in resignation, cursing the day Sirius had essentially adopted her after her parents had fallen to Voldemort. The last thing this woman had needed was Sirius' influence. "we never did finish our discussion the other day."
"Dora," he said firmly, "we really did. You know my answer."
Her grin widened impishly, and Remus desperately reminded himself of the number thirteen. Thirteen years. "Oh I remember, I just think you're forgetting something."
She reached out, entirely unafraid of the amber of his eyes. Her palm pressed against his cheek, thumb tracing the scars and worn lines. Her other hand slipped into his, entwining their fingers as she moved even closer.
Unable to resist the sheer peace her presence gave him, Remus' eyes fluttered shut. Her unique scent filling his lungs.
"I want you." She breathed softly, lovingly – bold and daring as she was with everything.
And God did Remus burn for this woman.
He allowed himself a moment of weakness, to lean into her touch and let her wash over him.
"And you want me."
His nose trailed along her wrist, and he could hear the rush of her blood through the thin skin. The sudden noise reminded him sharply of why he was so against this in the first place.
Remus gently, but firmly, removed her hands from him. "We're in the middle of a war." He told her, as he always did. Ever since this whole thing had begun. Since he had begun to notice how the scrubby teenager had developed into a wilful young woman, or how her eyes strayed to him more and more these days, the appreciative light in them growing with her.
"All the more reason." She shot back, well versed in this script by now. "Why deny ourselves a little bit of happiness?"
Remus stared down at her, going for stern but likely falling short. He always felt so powerless when he looked at her.
She was much like the moon, in that way. So capable of controlling him, so encompassing and beautiful. Eternal and strong. Distant and untouchable.
He released her hands, ignoring how cold he felt without her warmth seeping into him.
"I need to speak with Dumbledore." He muttered as he slipped away, shoulders curling under the weight of his cowardice.
He heard her sigh, and the creak of her steps as she went up the stairs. He paused just before the office door, ears tuned into her movements.
"I'll wear you down eventually." He heard her murmur, and a small, bitter smile appeared on his worn face.
She already had, but he could not let her know that just yet.
So, Hadrian's onto Skeeter, who's trying to get back at him by being a horrid bitch, Lily is being uncooperative (and can I just say how hard she is to write? I have a plans and I'm trying so hard not to mess it all up haha).
Raina and Hadrian are going to the ball together (sozzle for all those who wanted him to go with Riddle, but I doubt anyone would approve of a student going with a teacher, and current relationship-wise Hadrian's more likely to stab Riddle then dance with him), and Riddle is trying to drive the wedge between Hadrian and his mumma.
And we get our first proper glimpse of the Order huzzah - and I will not apologise for the shameless inclusion of Remus and Tonks because they are so precious and I love them :'C :'C
Thanks again guys, and let me know what you think~