Dumbledore strode into the Hospital Wing intent upon seeing how Hadrian was. When he arrived at the curtained off section that was Hadrian home for the last three weeks he stopped and took a deep breath, "Now, now Albus, he'll be fine. Let him recover see if he wants to talk about it then start helping him learn to use his powers." Smiling Dumbledore stopped talking to himself and pulled the curtains back expecting to see Hadrian's sleeping form. All he saw an empty bed before turning and rushing towards the Matron's office. Swinging the door open he saw Poppy, the school nurse asleep at her desk. Sighing Dumbledore conjured a blanket then draped it around her shoulders before walking out.
Dumbledore sat in his office, the heads of Houses in front of him along with Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Karen. The three Gryffindors were shooting covert looks at Karen thinking she had hurt Hadrian. Dumbledore rose to his feet, "What I am about to say cannot leave this office. Young Hadrian is missing, you all know he has been in the Hospital Wing for some time now but you don't know why. Three weeks ago Hadrian and I attempted to sneak into Tom Riddle's mind, we were going to perform a Mind Dump Spell. I don't know the exact details but I do know Voldemort trapped Hadrian's mind within his own where he tortured him before finally raping him. Hadrian has been hurt and was comatose for the last three weeks. He awoke today and has left the Hospital Wing and school without anyone knowing. I am issuing a full staff search, ghost and teachers. Students who wish to help may do so in their free time. Otherwise they are to remain in class. Hermione, I would like you to go visit Tomoyo Sensei and advise her of the current situation. Ron, Ginny I would like you two to go find Hagrid and have him search the Forest. If you wish you may join him. Miss Li, you will come with me, I have some questions I need to ask and would like a different look at how I can change some things in the school." When Dumbledore stood up everyone knew they were dismissed and rushed to do their jobs.
Karen watched as the last person left the office before turning to face Dumbledore who was removing the case from the sword behind his desk. When he turned to face her with the sword she asked, "Sir why did you lie to the others about why you wanted me to stay with you?" Dumbledore sighed and faced her, "Hadrian has come very close to you. You are aware of this?" Karen nodded and Dumbledore continued, "You and Hadrian are very close. It is like watching when Hadrian first met Ron Weasley, both were intent on being the perfect friend, Hadrian because he had never had friends before and Ron because Hadrian was deterred by the size of his family. I believe that Hadrian and you may have formed a bond of sorts that could lead us to him. Hadrian may not know it yet but his other friends, Ron and Hermione are both liring to him. They have been dating since they arrived at Hogwarts while not telling Hadrian. You have not lied to him once." Karen nodded, "Why does this make me special?" Dumbledore smiled, "I told Hadrian a long time ago now that Love is a very powerful thing. It can overcome any obstactle without effort." Karen blushed while Dumbledore reached forward and patted her on the shoulder, "He feels the same…"
Hagrid frowned as Hadrian led him through the deep forest. He had yet to announce his presence and was glad as Hadrian seemed to be on the verge of breaking down. When they stopped at a creek Hadrian bent down and scooped some water up taking slow soft sipd from his hands. When he was done Hagrid stepped forward, "Yer alrigh' 'Adrian?" Hadrian shot up from where he was kneeling and before Hagrid knew it he was flying back through the air from a well placed curse. Rising to his feet he saw Hadrian flinch and back away. Hagrid frowned, he had seen those types of responses before. When realisation dawned on him Hagrid fell to his knees stunned. Hadrian had been raped? By who? Then he remembered, with the mind link Voldemort could whatever he wanted to Hadrian and no one would be able to stop him. Hagrid growled in anger then stopped when Hadrian flinched and backed away, his wand pointed at him shakily. Hagrid smiled softly at Hadrian, "Harry, it's me, it 'agrid, you remember me don't you? I bought you your first birthday cake. I gave that fat oaf of a cousin that cursed pigs tail." Hagrid looked at the young man and saw a glimmer of light in his eyes before Hadrian rushed over and wrapped his arms as far around Hagrid as he could, "Hagrid, don't let him hurt me, please, I'll be a good boy, I won't do magic I'll behave myself." Hagrid wrapped his arms around Hadrian's small frame, "You're safe Hadrian, you don't have to worry anymore. I'm here, I'm here…"
Dumbledore and Karen arrived several hours later at the creek to find Hagrid sitting on a rock with Hadrian asleep in his arms. "Hagrid, I see you found Hadrian." Dumbledore smiled and stepped forward only to fly back and collide against a tree. Looking up from the ground with a black eye Dumbledore saw Hagrid shaking in rage, "How could you? You know Hadrian would have tried that Mind Dump Spell the moment you suggested it could help him protect everyone. You played up to his Heroic side to make him do what you wanted. You didn't even show him to how to defend himself against Tom. He tried magic but you didn't tell him he needed Soul Magic to defend himself." When Hagrid finished he fell to the ground nursing Hadrian who was still asleep. Dumbledore rose to his feet and looked at the ground, "Hagrid you have to understand, what I did was for everyone, I did what I thought was best to defeat Voldemort with the least amount of casualities. Hadrian is one person Hagrid, the magical Community is thousands. Tell me what you would have done in that situation Hagrid?" Hagrid looked down at Hadrian, "I would have waited, I would have spent weeks, months training Hadrian until he was ready to enter Voldemort's mind. I would have let him go unless he was aware of every single danger and even then I would have been careful. I would have gone with him. Voldemort may be strong but he can't fight of two people. Especially when one's using Soul Magic and the other is using Giant muscle." Dumbledore sighed, "That may be so Hagrid but you must remember we didn't have weeks or months to train. We had to do it when we did before Voldemort infiltrated the boys mind and found out what we were doing." Hagrid growled, "If you had of asked, you would have known that Voldemort hasn't entered Hadrian's mind once this year because the Dream Card protects him when he's asleep." Dumbledore rosked back on his feet as though Hagrid had struck him again, "I didn't know." Hagrid growled, "That's because you never tried to find out." With that Hagrid rose to his feet, Hadrian still in his arms and walked away. Karen, who had remained silent throughout the entire argument shot Dumbledore on look of anger before running to catch up with Hagrid.
"Professor Hagrid! Wait for me!" Hagrid turned to find Karen running through the trees towards him. "Hello Miss Li, what are you doing. I thought you'd have stayed with Dumbledore." Karen shook her head, "I care for Hadrian-kun too much to leave him alone right after I've found him again." Hagrid smiled, "Bit love struck are yer miss?" Karen blushed, "I don't think I'd be able to live if something happened to Hadrian-kun." Hagrid smiled, "Well come on, we'll never reach me hut if we stay here yacking all day." Karen smiled and together they left the forest.
Dumbledore sat on the ground, his face swelling up from Hagrid's punch, soghing Dumbledore rose to his feet and stumbled back into the castle.
Hagrid lay Hadrian down on his bed and pulled the blankets up to his chin, "He may be 16 but he's still a young lad. He's been a man for so long he never had a chance to be a kid or teenager. Dumbledore's not doing much to help anymore." Sighing Hagrid turned to Karen, "Did you know he spent nearly ten years living in a cupboard?" Karen gasped at this, Hadrian had told her he lived with his aunt and uncle, and that they'd never really loved him but he'd never told her they had mistreated him that bad. Hagrid smiled at the stunned expression on her face, "I know you care for him Li, I love this boy like my own son. If you hurt him I will make sure you never get found." Karen shook at the threat, knowing that it wasn't an empty one, "Professor Hagrid, I would never hurt Hadrian-kun, he's treated me like an equal regardless of what house I'm in." Hagrid smiled, "That's Harry for yer, he has no problems with people as long as they don't act like idiots." Karen nodded and silence covered the hut.
Ron and Hermione pounded on Hagrid's door, "Hagrid? Are you in there?" Hermione gasped when Hagrid's face appeared in the doorway, "Quiet yer lot, Harry's asleep and he don't need you guys waking him up now." Hermione and Ron nodded and Hagrid let them in. The moment the door closed they found Hagrid with a hand on each of their shoulders driving them to the table where Karen sat. When they had been forefully slammed into a seat each Hagrid growled out, "What do you think you're doing rushing around barging on doors? Hadrian is sleeping for the first time in three weeks. Do you know how exhausted he is? He should be dead from exhaustion!" Ron and Hermione shrank back, "How could you keep your relationsip from him? He deserved to know, you're his best friends." When Hagrid sat back down he looked from one to the other, Ron was shaking and Hermione had tears running down her cheeks. Just as he was about to go on a soft broken voice broke forth from the corner, "Hagrid is that you?" Hagrid was on his feet and at Hadrian's side before he even finished speaking, "Harry it's me, I'm here Harry, it's ok." Hadrian looked up at Hagrid's large form before wrapping his arms around him and hugging him. They stayed that way for several minutes before Hagrid helped Hadrian to his feet and guided him to the table where they both sat down.
Ron and Hermione staggered back to the castle half an hour later, both had tears running down their faces from the verbal bashing they'd received from Hadrian. Neither of them had realised that Hadrian was serious about not wanting to endanger others with a relationship. When they arrived the castle doors they found Dumnbledore waiting, "Hello Ms Granger, Mr Weasley. I take it you both have run into Hagrid and Hadrian." At their nods Dumbledore sighed, "I was afraid of that. It would seem that because of my lack of judgement Hadrian has chosen to alienate himself from all those around him." Hermione nodded but Ron stepped forward, "Then why are Hagrid and Li so special, we've been his friends since he started here, we've been the ones who stood by him through everything he's been through. Why are they aloud to stay close to him?" Dumbledore sighed, "That is something we may only ever guess." Together the three made their way into the Great Hall and moved to their respectable tables.
Hadrian smiled as he and Karen sat beside the Lake, Hagrid sat outside his hut several hundred meters away playing a small flute similar to the one he had given Hadrian for Christmas in their first year. Smiling Hadrian wrapped his arms around Karen and together they watched the sun set behind the mountains.
Damn, only three and a bit pages. I must be going to soft. This chapter was very hard to write but after the last one can you blame me? Make sure you review because I get bored easily. Cya later,
Kei Ikari…