Saturday, September 7

After lunch Harry made his way to the Slytherin table to talk to Draco. Professor Prince had in fact paired them together as potions partners, which they had decided to use as their excuse to be seen talking to one another. Being a Ravenclaw and Slytherin made it a bit more acceptable, but they were glad for the excuse to build on. They made inconsequential conversation regarding the potion they had made the previous day and made their way ostensibly to the library.

Shortly before reaching the imposing double doors to that vaunted space, Draco grabbed Hadrian's wrist, quickly looked around to make sure they would be unobserved, and pulled his brother through a secret passageway pretending to be a stone wall. Hadrian had gasped, expecting to ram face first into hard stone, but then began laughing as Draco pulled him through the twists and turns of the hall. He held up a finger as they approached the exit, Draco had whispered that it was also a fake stone wall, but would allow them to see out, before he carefully stepped up to the edge of the passageway and looked as far as he could in both directions. Not seeing anyone, he quickly pulled Hadrian out of the passage and just down the corridor where he stopped in front of a portrait of a dark-haired man who was stirring a cauldron.

Draco rapped twice on the frame, and the painted potioneer looked up from his work, and drolly said, "Password?"

"Crystal Cauldron," Draco whispered, indicating Harry should remember the password.

"Welcome, young Draco, and you must be Mr. Potter," The painting said to the two boys.

"Hadrian, please," Hadrian replied to the portrait.

"Hadrian, then," The painted man responded with a nod as his frame swung silently open to allow them entrance.

"As they made their way down the hallway entrance, Draco explained to Hadrian that Severus had a set of passwords which would alert him to the type of visitor. It was complex magic, but it helped hide activity from the headmaster. Severus had told Draco the password that he and Hadrian would be required to use, and stressed the importance of keeping it a secret since students were not supposed to be able to access the teachers' rooms. Hadrian nodded, understanding the need for extreme caution.

They made their way to the inner entrance door and Draco again rapped twice. This time Severus' deep voice greeted them, bidding them enter. Hadrian opened the door and they stepped into the Potions Master's rooms.

"Good afternoon, boys," Severus greeted.

"Good afternoon, Uncle Sev," they replied.

"You were unseen?" the potions master confirmed. The boys nodded.

He allowed them several minutes to look around his rooms. Hadrian very much liked the decor as it was all dark , warm woods, dark leather and upholstery, but with a few bright touches to soften it a bit. There were several emerald green pillows on his couch, and the rug in front of the fireplace was a riot of colors. Once they had looked their fill, Severus motioned them towards the fireplace. He offered them a small bowl he had plucked from a shelf of other containers full of random things, and they each took a small handful, recognizing it was floo powder.

"The address is Malfoy Manor, Severus Prince's Office," he instructed. Draco went first, followed by Hadrian, and then Severus. They arrived in a room that looked exactly like the one they had just left. Hadrian was momentarily concerned that he had somehow not gone anywhere at all, but the presence of Lucius disabused him of that notion.

Not having been in the man's actual presence for over two months, he had forgotten the comfortable and welcoming feeling of the blonde's magic. It washed over him like a blanket, strong and reassuring. He knew Lucius wasn't normally one for displays of affection, but it just felt so good, he had to run over and give the aristocratic gentleman a hug. Lucius smiled at this display, having missed the little Raven during his sojourn at the Dursleys, and now being away at school. Narcissa was understandably distressed that she had already made plans with Estella de Luca to be in Italy shopping for the day and would miss seeing her boys when Lucius told her of their impending visit. But once the greetings were over, they all sat in the room that was exactly like the Potion Master's personal quarters at Hogwarts.

"I see," Severus began the discussion, "that you are confused, Hadrian."

"Well...yes. We just left your quarters at Hogwarts and arrived at a room in Malfoy Manor which is exactly the same as the room we left. I've never seen this room before, so yes, I'm very confused." Draco nodded along.

"This is a safety precaution," Severus began explaining. The headmaster can monitor all floo calls and visitors to my rooms at Hogwarts. By utilizing the separate password you two used to gain access, you put into place the first layer of protections on my room. By taking my floo with my specially formulated floo powder, we have hidden the fact that anyone left my quarters. Because I was the last person through the floo, it will also redirect any floo calls while I am out to this location."

"So if the headmaster were to floo you while we were here, it would ring this fireplace?" Hadrian questioned.

"Exactly," Severus gave an approving nod.

"What happens if someone knocks on your door?" Draco put in.

"I have another painting of my door guardian here. He is actually a Prince ancestor, the first Grand Master of Potions in the Prince Family, Atticus Prince. He will merely inform the visitor that I have closed my rooms for experimental brewing and he will have to check if I am available. He will visit his portrait here, and I can decide from there," the dark eyed man replied.

After a short silence for the boys to process, Lucius changed topics, "Well, then. Hadrian, you indicated you had questions?"

"Well, yes. I suppose we can start with that. Thought Draco and I had a strange encounter with Hagrid yesterday, which was my main purpose for visiting." Lucius nodded and Hadrian continued. "History. Why is that ghost even teaching? He hasn't talked about anything that's covered in our book for the first year. What is going on with that?" Hadrian burst out.

"Ah, yes, Professor Binns," Lucius said, shaking his head. Severus was just sneering. "Cuthbert Binns was the History professor beginning in the year 1699 at 47 years of age. He taught to the relatively old age of 198 in 1850, at which point he fell asleep in the staff room, and woke up the next morning to teach, leaving his body behind. By all accounts he was a decent History professor while alive, but somehow in death, his spirit fixated on the Goblin Wars. Many have speculated that he actually died to a slow-acting goblin poison, administered by his bonded account manager who was either stealing from the man, had been offended by him, or was being forced to do unethical things, and was poisoned because of it. Whether or not these speculations are accurate, Binns has taught nothing but the goblin rebellions and wars since 1850. And Hogwarts history scores on OWL and NEWT exams have suffered for it," Lucius finished.

"But you're a school governor!" the green-eyed boy exclaimed. "Can't you convince the other governors to do something about it?"

"They do not care, Hadrian," the blond lord replied. "Several have even indicated that it adds to the magical atmosphere of the school, having a ghost teaching."

"Ridiculous," snorted Severus.

"Well, yes, of course it is, my friend," Lucius soothed, "but without some other wake up call to the board, I fear they will remain uninterested. Especially with the curse on the Defense position."

"Curse on the Defense position?" Hadrian asked. He was still ignorant of things other wix had heard in conversation, or from friends or family.

The snarky potions master took up the explanation here, "Rumor has it the Dark Lord applied for the Defense position in 1974 and was denied by Dumbledore." He scoffed at this, knowing that the Dark Lord could be an exceptional teacher, but that Dumbledore would never have allowed it. "In his fury, he supposedly cursed the position, and no Defense professor has lasted more than a year since. Some, in fact, only lasted a matter of days."

"I guess that isn't really pertinent to what I wanted to ask anyway, though it is interesting." Hadrian decided to move on. "What I really want to know is why is it Defense Against the Dark Arts? I mean, shouldn't we be learning to defend ourselves from everything? I saw spells in my text books that I can think of several ways they could be used to harm or kill someone. Why only elemental, wandless, and ritual magic?"

"Ah, I see your confusion," Lucius nodded, snapping his fingers for a house elf to bring tea. The elf popped in, left the tea service, waved at Hadrian, and popped out. "It is called Defense Against the Dark Arts due to Ministry classification of magic, not Magic's classifications of magic. The Ministry has classified things it doesn't like as Dark Magic, mainly the more powerful charms which are labeled as hexes and curses." Lucius paused to sip his tea.

"Naturally, you have been tutored by one of the foremost tutors of the current time, and though his family is new, their study has rendered them anything but ignorant," Severus continued. "Mr. Morgan instructed you in Magic's classifications, based on the study of Olde texts, treatises by Merlin, LeFay, and the Hogwarts Founders. Their family has also travelled extensively and had access to numerous texts from other countries which provide even more views of magic. Mr. Morgan bases his instruction on ideas synthesized from more texts than we would ever be capable of reading and has studied and theorized with other Acclaimed historians."

"What Severus is trying to say is that you have been given a grounded but well-rounded picture of magic based on historical facts, while Hogwarts has changed to fit the whims of the Ministry and the muggle-raised in our society," Lucius finished succinctly.

"Yes, you should be training in defense against all types of magic, but what you will get at Hogwarts will be biased, and likely useless what with the fractured teaching due to the curse," the potions master concluded.

"Any other questions, Hadrian?" Lucius asked. "Draco?" when Hadrian shook his head. "Then what was that you mentioned, Hadrian, about an altercation with the groundskeeper?"

"It wasn't an altercation," Hadrian began, sitting up straighter. "He invited me for tea after my lessons on Friday. I took Draco and a Gryffindor girl, Hermione, with me. Neville was going to come too, but he got hurt in flying lessons and had to go to the hospital wing. So the three of us went to Hagrids for tea. It started out normally enough, tea, cakes, meet my dog, how's class, but Hermione saw the Daily Prophet on his table and commented about the Gringotts break-in. That paper was a month old! Why would it still be sitting on his table?" Lucius nodded to indicate he was listening, and Severus was gritting his teeth in between sips of tea.

"Anyway, after Hermione mentioned the paper, Hagrid said something about it happening the day he took me to Diagon Alley. That shouldn't have been important, right?" Hadrian asked somewhat desperately.

"No, it shouldn't have," Severus ground out. "Continue."

"So they had a conversation about how it was crazy to break into Gringotts, nothing was taken anyway, basically just going over everything the article said. But it just seemed so out of place, I thought maybe it was something Dumbledore related. I didn't want to have to bother you so soon, but after that tea, I had to ask Draco to set up a meeting."

"It is good that you did," Lucius said just as Severus said, "Oh, Dumbledore is related all right." Lucius looked inquiringly at his long-time friend.

"Dumbledore requested that Hagrid retrieve a package from vault 713, Dumbledore's Head of House vault, when he retrieved you. I was unaware at the time or would have warned you, but he was retrieving the Philosopher's Stone." Severus glanced apologetically at Hadrian before continuing, "Made by Nicolas and Perenelle Flamel, the stone can turn any base metal into pure gold, and produces the Elixir of Life, granting the person who drinks it eternal life for as long as they imbibe the potion."

"That infernal old man put a priceless magical artifact in a SCHOOL?!" Lucius was rapidly losing his cool.

"Indeed," Severus continued. "He demanded that the professors for the core classes provide protections for the stone and placed it a third floor corridor which he announced at the start of term feast as being out of bounds." Severus rolled his eyes at the headmaster's idiocy, who tells a bunch of children not to go somewhere and then expects them to listen?

"You jest, surely," the silvery blue eyes of the Malfoy lord widening.

"I do not," Severus mourned. "The protections are laughable, really. A cerberus, Devil's Snare, flying keys, a chess board, a troll, my potions, and a mirror. Honestly, my potions are likely the most difficult as I paired a set of seven with a riddle to be solved to locate the correct two bottles, one to allow the drinker forward, and one to allow the drinker to go back."

"Ingenious, really," the older blonde deadpanned as the two boys looked on in a mix of interest and horror.

"He's testing me," Hadrian stated, matter-of-factly. Draco's eyes grew wide as the adults looked at each other, each assessing Hadrian's statement. "He has to be, that's the only reason to have Hagrid take the stone from Gringotts while I was with him, leave a month old paper on the table, and share details about the date with people who were not involved."

"I believe you are correct," Lucius agreed.

"We'll need to make sure you can handle all the protections," here Severus sneered again, "and ensure you have adequate protection when meeting with the old coot for any discussion he may require of you."

"The tests aren't difficult, Uncle Sev," Draco stated confidently. The eloquent eyebrow rose on both adults. "Cerberus, a Quadruple X Beast. Records indicate Orpheus entranced the original cerberus with music, and all cerberus since have had the same weakness."

"Devil's Snare," Hadrian picked up with the next protection his heart father had mentioned, "A vining plant similar to Flitterbloom. Will send tendrils of vines to constrict its prey. Likes dark and damp, so be prepared with warmth, light, and/or fire."

The young Slytherin continued, "Flying keys: take a broom, or learn the freezing charm to incapacitate the one needed."

Hadrian snickered, "Chess… need I say more?" The other three men laughed.

"A troll could be slightly difficult…" Draco mused.

"The Conjunctivitis curse perhaps? Something targeting the eyes at any rate, it's one of the weakest points on a troll considering their skin is similar to giants and repels many spells. Spells will work, but they have to have a lot of power behind them." Hadrian decided.

"Potions and a riddle," Draco scoffed, "Please, Uncle Sev, the only person I know more logical than you is Hadrian. No problem there."

"But that mirror," Hadrian began thinking out loud. "There are several magical mirrors mentioned in various texts, but without knowing the specific mirror it could be difficult to counter. Dumbledore didn't by chance mention which mirror he was using, did he, Severus?"

"He did, and it makes it that much worse," Severus replied grimly. "The Mirror of Erised."

Hadrian wrinkled his nose. "Heart's Desire, huh? That could be difficult. Especially since very few people see the same thing from the mirror, and it has that old compulsion to stare at it which is notoriously difficult to fight off. Hmm…"

"He did mention," the man continued, "that he would be adding additional enchantments, but did not give any sort of indication as to what those might be."

"Lovely," the emerald eyed boy complained.

Lucius just rolled his eyes, while Draco chimed in, "Those aren't much in the way of protections… I mean, a first year could get through most of them without help. The troll would be difficult, yes, and the mirror if they were weak minded...ok maybe that does rule out quite a lot of first years, but still. The Flamels have managed to keep their stone safe for over 500 years and now they're worried about it?" Draco finished, joining his father in eye-rolls.

"It is definitely good that you brought us these concerns, Hadrian," Lucius said, walking over and stroking the boy's hair. "We will need to make sure you are as prepared as possible so as to remain safe, even with the meddling of the headmaster."

"Just remember your Occlumency, Hadrian," Severus reminded him. "It is imperative that you avoid the Headmaster's direct gaze and if you must meet those annoying twinkling blue eyes, make sure your barriers are up and your memory trap is ready."

"I practice every day, Sev," Hadrian stated. "And my memory trap is ingenious, if I do say so myself. You've seen my barriers, it's all just dark in my mindscape. So when someone attempts to breach my mind, they're launched straight into a memory of me eating breakfast in the great hall. It goes dim, and turns into a hand-held lantern to combat the darkness. But the light is a trap and pulls on all random inconsequential memories I have of chores around the Dursleys, studying, eating, walking to class, and things like that. To find my important memories they'd have to navigate the maze I created in the dark, with random memories assaulting them due to the light. There are hidden doors, traps, and lots of dead ends. It would probably take someone a year or more to even figure out my sorting method before they'd even have a chance of navigating the maze to the location which might hold the memory or memories they were seeking. I don't think Dumbledore will figure it out when you couldn't, Sev," Hadrian said with a smirk.

"Don't be cocky," Severus admonished the boy, whose face fell before he continued, "but that is likely an accurate assessment. I am uncertain if even the Dark Lord could fell your defenses."

Hadrian smiled happily, basking in the praise. The three Hogwarts bound stayed at the manor for several hours, chatting, snacking, and generally enjoying each others' company until it was time to return to the school for dinner. Severus again pulled out the same container from a shelf of other random containers and offered them what they now knew was his own specialized floo powder.

"Hogwarts, Severus Prince's Quarters," he instructed. Again, Draco went first, then Hadrian, followed by Severus. Severus bid them goodbye, and the two boys carefully made their way out of their professor's room and back through the secret passage to the library. They made their way down from the Library to the Great Hall, talking about potions again and separated at the doors. After dinner each returned to his own dorm room to think further on the discussion from that day.