~0~
August 31, 1873
Being an infant was not easy for Harry, or Hadrian as he was now called. The near blindness and immobility of his first month had led to far to much time for retrospection. He'd sorted through his life and finally come up with a partial answer to his situation though. He'd spent many months with the Tibetan llamas on their high peaks listening to their stories and learning old magics.
Amnamnesis was a term they used to define the memories of life before life in the cycle of rebirth. Hadrian only remembered the long complicated word because the thought of reincarnation had seemed to call to him. However, he'd never thought he'd actually experience the phenomenon, to be reborn and remember all that had come before was slightly torturous.
To know that he would never see his beloved children again, that Ginny would only profit from his demise also left an ugly feeling deep in his soul. He took several deep breaths and tried to push his mind from dark thoughts as footsteps approached his crib. His weak eyes picked up the familiar blur that was his nurse, no doubt coming in to feed him. He almost grimaced at the thought of breastfeeding but knew that the woman wouldn't back down on the matter.
~0~
November 20, 1873
Vincent Phantomhive had never had children, at least not any he was aware of, but even he knew there was something odd about his son. Hadrian was just a little too… something; a little too bright maybe or perhaps just too alive. It was like his colors were just a shade too vivid causing him to stand out from the dull world. This feeling was not helped by the fact that the baby had opened his eyes one day and revealed the most stunning set of emerald orbs.
All this is not to say that Vincent didn't love his son, on the contrary, he adored his heir to distraction. He constantly wanted to hold the boy, to look at him and had even fallen asleep at Hadrian's side more than once out of sheer exhaustion. Being the Guard Dog and a new father often catching up to him in the late evenings, much to his beautiful wife's amusement.
He sighed as he set his paperwork away from him, he just wasn't going to get any work done with his son on his mind. Vincent stood from his desk and stretched, his back popping in several places to his pleasure, before skirting his desk and striding out of his office. He took several turns and a staircase to his son's nursery, the wet nurse/nursemaid Rose was there watching over the baby and looked up when the young earl entered.
"My Lord, how can I help you?" Rose asked stiffly. She was one of those women who thought a man should have nothing to do with his children until they were of proper age but Vincent was willing to put up with her because she was a wonder with Hadrian.
"I was just taking a break and thought to see my son." He replied as he scooped the boy into his arms. Those strange green, green eyes looked up at him through overlong lashes as a smile spread across full lips.
The nurse left, closing the door with a snick, and Vincent, with infant son in hand, walked to the large windows overlooking their vast lands. He gently rocked the boy, just basking in the presence of something so pure and innocent. Something so unlike the dark underworld that he was to one day rule when Vincent went to met his maker.
~0~
June 15, 1874
It was a hot day for the early part of summer in England and to the young Phantomhive found that his mother's idea to visit the small pond on the property was a sound one. He smiled happily as he splashed about in the shallow water nearest his mother and Aunt Angelina. From his seated position he could see the two women were laughing at him and sipping lemonade while they reclined on a blanket that had been laid out under a large tree.
Sure it was slightly degrading to act so childishly but it kept his new family from being too worried about his weirdness. His nurse had left a few weeks before, having been unable to take the fact that he was more advanced than any other child she had ever taken care of before. He frowned as he splashed at a small fish, sure he was faster than most when it came to milestones but his own kids had been pretty fast as well.
Maybe he should have thought through his advancement more carefully. It wouldn't do after all to have the Phantomhives give him up because of the strangeness that followed him even in this new life. He suspected that his fear of abandonment stemmed from his care by the Dursleys, people who hadn't entered his conscious mind in years.
The small fish, a minnow if he wasn't mistaken, was bobbing around his left foot. He silently shooed it away and stood on still legs just in time for his aunt to come and sweep him into her arms, not caring in the least about the water getting on her red dress. She spun him around in her arms, laughing brightly.
"Oh, nephew." She gushed happily, obviously overtaken by his cuteness.
"Auntie." He responded, his word slurring slightly which just caused her to giggle more. She tucked him close to her breast and carried him over to his mother, whom still sat on the checkered blanket. His mother reached out her arms toward them and Hadrian reciprocated the move, his chubby arms waving about with every step that his aunt took. "Mama."
"Darling." The strawberry-blonde exclaimed as she took him from her sister. Her smile truly lighting up her enter body as she cuddled the young child to her. Hadrian put up with it well, seeing as he also enjoyed the warm comfort the mother offered. In the background, Angelina started to pull things from the food basket they had brought from the manor.
~0~
July 31, 1874
Vincent was excited; it was his son's first birthday and so the perfect time to start introducing the boy to his future contacts. He had invited Chlaus, Pitt and Undertaker to a small gathering of the 'Villainous Nobles' so as to introduce them to his precious child. Sadly Diedrich was not in the area, Emilia was in America for a while and Vicktor was working a case, so none of them would be able to make the gathering.
The blue-black haired man looked up as the door to the billiard room opened, in stepped his gorgeous wife and his son. Rachel smiled as she handed the child to him, sure the boy could walk like nobody's business but the manor was huge and those little legs got tired easily. The strawberry-blonde gave them both a hug before departing as she was not technically part of the group. Before the door had closed a gloved hand shot out and caught it and Chlaus stepped into the room with all the barely concealed energy that made the man so popular.
"Chlaus, welcome," Vincent exclaimed as he smiled at the brother of his heart.
"Vincent," The man said with a secret smile before turning his eyes to the little boy in Vincent's arms. "Is this the nephew I have heard so much about?"
"Yes, this is Hadrian." The brown-eyed man replied as he all but thrust his son into the arms of the other man. Chlaus floundered about much to Vincent's amusement until finally settling with the child on his broad hip.
"Well, aren't you just a heartbreaker." The blond chuckled as he brushed a hand through soft blue-black locks. Hadrian for his part just looked up at the man with wide eyes and oh did Vincent sometimes wish he knew what was going on behind those green orbs. "You'll be just like your father won't you?"
"Of course he will, he is a Phantomhive after all." Vincent huffed with a smile. "Now where are the others?"
"Pitt will not be able to make it, something exploded in England and he was required to report on it but I swear I saw that creepy Undertaker not far behind me in the hall." Even as he said it Chlaus looked over at the door which had opened with an ominous creak.
"'eee, do ya 'abe summit ter say Chlaus?" A high voice said from the other side of the room causing the blond to jump. Vincent turned and saw the strange gray-haired man standing near the billiard table, cue already in hand. The earl laughed as he took his son from the shaking man before making his way to the funeral director. "And is this cute wahn 'eaven and 'ell related ter ya?"
"Yes Undertaker, this is my heir Hadrian." The brown-eyed man said as he held the boy out to his informant, behind him Chlaus was sputtering. Undertaker set his cue against the table and took the birthday boy. Both of them froze, and Vincent was startled to see the man's strange eyes peek out from under his long bangs.
"By the bloomin' almighty." The man breathed as the two of them stared into each other's eyes for a long moment. Suddenly the Undertaker started to laugh, laugh so hard that Vincent was forced to catch his son when the other could no longer remain standing. "'eaven and 'ell if that ain't the funniest fin' I 'ave ever Pearly Queen."
"What is so funny, Undertaker?" Vincent demanded after taking the moment to translate the man's Cockney. Something dark curled in the earl's belly, that darkness that had been cultivated by his parents and the Queen to fit his role as Guard Dog. Undertaker slowly stopped laughing a twisted smile curling his lips as his two-tone green eyes flashed, eyes that oddly reminded him of the green of his son's own gaze.
"Lil' Master." The man's voice seemed to fill the room as he ignored Vincent and bowed instead to the child. Somewhere behind him, Vincent could feel Chlaus itching to reach for the gun hidden in his coat and in his arms, Hadrian shook like a leaf. When Vincent finally turned his eyes down to the boy he was surprised by the hungry look in emerald eyes, the sheer want and desire that a boy that age should not feel.
~0~
July 31, 1874
Hadrian had been looking forward to meeting his father's associates for the sure fact that they were people he didn't routinely have contact with. Chlaus, a blond man with a warmness about him, seemed almost scared of him. When his father had passed him to the man the blond had very nearly dropped him, would have if not for a tiny burst of magic. The magic that was nearly impossible to control but still there.
Then they had moved to another man, one Hadrian had only barely noticed slipping into the room. He was dressed in a long flowing robe like getup that reminded the wizard far too much of his people for his own liking. The blue-black haired boy was transferred to the strange 'Undertaker's' hold and suddenly he felt something, something he couldn't place.
He stared into eyes with split irises and knew that this man was one of his. One of his what, he didn't know but one of his no less. This man too almost dropped him when he started to laugh uncontrollably but his father was quick enough to save him. It took several minutes, minutes where the room was still as a grave, but Undertaker stopped laughing and turned a painfully twisted smile on Hadrian and bowed low.
"Lil' Master." Undertaker breathed and suddenly he was Harry again, trapped in that place between life and death and he knew. This man, no creature, both was Death and was not and the Master in him wanted him, wanted him in a way that his body should not have been able to want. Harry, no Hadrian, shook; his whole body torn between a desire for the creature and fear for what Undertaker made him feel.
His father turned him away and Hadrian found himself breathing hard, every nerve seemingly spent and sore as he leaned heavily into the man's side. He felt more than heard the creature leaving the room, no doubt chased away by the overprotective father, and he yearned to follow, to get the answers he so desperately wanted. But it seemed he would have to wait until the next time because he could feel that he wasn't the only one shaken by the experience. His father was trembling ever so slightly and Chlaus had pulled a small revolver from his coat as he stood guard over the two of them.
~0~
May 16, 1875
Almost a whole year had passed since Hadrian's birthday and Vincent was more proud than ever of how quickly the boy was picking up things. He could speak far better than Vincent had at that age, according to his mother Claudia anyways, and he was beloved by all the staff. The earl loved his son so much that when Rachel had stepped into his study and told him that she was late he truly didn't know what to feel.
He knew it was expected that he had a spare but how could he possibly love the child when it was born. After all, he only had so much love in his cruel heart to give and that was taken by Rachel and Hadrian already. Would he feel anything for the new baby? Would he treat it like his own father had treated him?
He didn't know and that scared him. He'd gone most of his life being the one in the know and to not be was truly a unique feeling, one he found he disliked greatly. He looked at Rachel and that dark something surfaced for all of a moment and maybe she saw it because those blue eyes widened with tears. Vincent felt like an arse, he slumped against his seat and ran a hand over his face. Never before had he let the Queen's Guard Dog slip in front of his sweet wife and to know that she had seen had seen his darkness was one of many shames he would take with him to his grave.