Bellatrix waited for Voldemort to digest everything she just told him.
His jaw had tightened as he clenched his teeth. Eye closed as he tried to reign his anger back in. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes.
"So." He drawled out. "You're telling me, he was starved, for six months, and twice a day, dementors would come into his cell and do something similar to the cruciatis curse?" He watched her nod. "And you watched the Black madness slowly take over him?"
"Yes my Lord. It….It got him good. But I am not shocked, I wouldn't be shocked if my cousin did a blood adoption under Dumbles nose, not letting the man find out. If you add that to the blood of his Grandmother, it is understandable how quickly the Black madness set in. Plus being driven by the anger of the betrayal of the light."
Voldemort nodded along. "It might be smart to secretly get him to Gringotts, the Ministry can't touch him there. And I should tell him of my plans, see if the old coot lied to him like he has to everyone else." He thought for a second. "I need to make sure that Severus does not tell the old fool that we have the boy now. And we need to have Severus actually look at the boy." He sighed annoyed.
"I know my Lord, I'll have Cissa talk to him."
Voldemort nodded. He sighed again. "We better go find him...and Nagini, I dont know where she has gone off to." He stood. "Let us go."
Bellatrix nodded and followed her Lord out.
And they searched the manor, they had no idea where the boy was. Voldemort was beginning to lose his temper when they ran into Lucius.
"Is something wrong my Lord?" He bowed a little to him.
"Yes, do you know where Kitten is?" Bella asked with that crazed smile.
"I assume you're talking about the boy. He is with Cissa in the family library. I have a meeting to get to, I will see you two later." And he was off, robes billowing behind him.
"Dramatic ass." Bella rolled her eyes amused.
"Let's go." He started towards the library. Bella nodded and practically skipped behind him.
They knocked on the library and opened the door. They blinked at the sight that greeted them.
Hadrian's head somehow ended up on Narcissa's lap, she was calmly running a hand through his hair with a soft smile. Nagini was somewhat curled up above him. He looked the most peaceful Bellatrix has ever seen him. But the clothes practically engulfed him, making him look even smaller.
Narcissa looked up to the both of them and smiled. "He just fell asleep." She motioned for them to join her. They sat on the couch opposite of her. "He'll need glasses, he has been squinting horribly."
Bella nodded with a soft smile. "He didn't have his glasses on at Azkaban, I imagine they broke somewhere between when he was convicted and me getting there." She hummed gently.
"I have already decided he needs to go to Gringotts to settle some things. We can glamour him so he can get proper clothes, a new wand, glasses, and whatever else he wants." Voldemort crossed one leg across his other and accio'd a book to himself.
"What are you reading my Lord?" Bellatrix leaned over to see what he was reading.
"How to call all the pieces of my soul back, I would like to have my looks back." And his sanity. "I am debating leaving the one in him." He flipped through the book.
She nodded. She got up and went to look for a book on blood magic.
"How long has Nagini been here?" Voldemort looked at his dozing snake, that hasn't left the boy's side since he got in.
"She found us in the hallway on the way to find Hadrian some clothes. He had sat down and had a conversation with him. She hasn't left his side except for when he took a shower." Narcissa turned a page. "She was coiled around him protectively when they entered with Lucius."
He nodded, going back to his book. Bellatrix soon sat down next to him.
And that's how they were for the next few hours. Adults reading as the teenage boy and snake slept.
Narcissa hummed as she looked up. "I have to pick up Draco tomorrow from school."
Bellatrix looked up from her book. "How will he react to Hadrian being here."
"Well, Hadrian's room is next to yours. I was planning on telling him once we got here. You saw how upset he was that Hadrian was thrown into Azkaban."
Bella nodded. She looked at Voldemort. "Your thoughts my Lord?"
"Hadrian needs to be informed of Draco's arrival, and if Draco plans on letting any of his friends over."
"I'll tell him." Bella nods.
Voldemort nodded. "Then I see no need for any of us to worry….except for when I get Severus over. Then we can worry a bit."
"He hates the boy." Narcissa frowned.
Bella and Voldemort nodded. They knew. Severus only ever talks about how much he despises James Potter's spawn. It's like he forgot that he is also Lily's….
"We should probably have him checked for compulsion charms and any potion in his system." Voldemort sighed.
"Oh! Cissa, do you think you could talk to Severus?"
"I'll try. He needs to look at the boy himself."
Bella nodded. "I'm not letting Hadrian out of my sight…..I need to introduce Rodolphus to him!"
Narcissa giggled at her sister. "Yes, you should probably tell your husband about the boy that you have unofficially adopted."
Bella nodded. She soon had a far away look in her eyes. "We always wanted children…" She was never given the chance to be a mother. She spoiled Draco when she could, but it wasn't the same. She looked at Hadrian, why was it different with him.
Narcissa had a slight smile. This was a good opportunity for her sister and her brother-in-law.
Voldemort rolled his eyes. Not into that whole 'Love' thing. He blanched. He will never understand the point of 'love'. He went back to his book.
Cissa and Bella both went back to their books. Bella would look over her book to Hadrian, making sure he was okay. She's never seen him sleep this wrong. Dont get her wrong, she's happy he is able to sleep. But she needs to make sure he doesn't start to have a nightmare.
Hadrian wasn't having a nightmare. He was sleeping peacefully. Well, to the outside world. But he was inside his head. He was going through his mind, using the time for his body to rest to strengthen his mind. He organized his memories. But there was one spot in his mind that he couldn't touch. A small meadow, surrounded by beautiful and rare flowers, with a big dead tree in the middle.
He didn't know what it was for, but he couldn't do anything to it. He went back to trying to clean his headspace. It wasn't working very well. I mean, it was a mess. He at least was able to organize his memories. His mind was like a deep dark forest, cracks and gaps running through the forest. Some tree leaves were such a dark green they looked black. A heavy mist covered the forest. Some places you could hear cackling, his cackling. Other places had dangerous creatures prowling about. Except for the meadow in the middle. It was clean, untouched.
He sighed and sat on a stump someplace within his mind. He let the quiet of this part of his mind wash over him.
"Hello?" Well, it was quiet.
Hadrian stood up, on edge. Who was in his mind.
He slowly walked to where the voice came from, the meadow. Someone was standing in the meadow, looking around confused. He couldn't tell who it was. The figure didn't seem to have any features. It stayed as a dark figure as he got closer. Said figure turned to him as he broke through the forest.
"Hello?" The figure tilted his head.
"How are you here?" Hadrian kept his voice quiet.
"I don't know? I fell asleep and I was suddenly here. Where is here?"
"My mind…"
"Your mind?"
Hadrian nodded.
"How is your mind just this meadow?"
"Its not...do you not see the forest?"
"No, it's just a meadow with that dead tree."
Hadrian frowned. "Oh...I dont know how or why you're here."
The figure shrugged. "Who are you anyways, and do you have some form of magic on you that doesn't show who you are?"
"I could ask you the same thing…"
"You can't see me?"
"No."
The figure hummed. "Interesting...I could probably look through a book…...I'll do that when I wake up, it's not like I never have a book in front of me."
"Can't relate. Though, I would like to read up on some things, so maybe relate eventually."
The figure let out a light chuckle. He then looked down at his hand, it was slowly disappearing. "Maybe I am waking up?"
"Maybe, maybe I'll see you again."
"Maybe, I hope I'll see you again. Farewell."
"Farewell." The figure was soon gone. "Strange….maybe Lady Malfoy will let me look through the library for something…" He blinked. "I should probably wake up." He nodded to himself and went back into the dark forest, back to the lone stump. He leaned against it and closed his eyes.
He opened his eyes again. He blinked tiredly when he felt someone raking their fingers through his hair. He let out a soft sound. The fingers stopped. He frowned.
"I think he liked that Cissa." Bellatrix's voice had his eyes searching for her. Even when the fingers started raking through his hair again.
When his eyes finally zeroed in on Bella, he smiled softly. She was sitting across from him, a book in hand, but her attention was on him.
"Hey kitten, sleep well?"
He nodded sitting up. "Most I've slept in….." He blinked, when was the last time he had any uninterrupted sleep. "...I dont know."
This had caused the adults in the room to frown. He didn't know the longest he had slept uninterrupted like that.
He shakes his head. "Doesn't matter." He slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes. He felt Nagini curl around him. He smiled and gently scratched under her chin.
"Well, are you hungry?" Narcissa asked, looking at him.
"I...dont know, I haven't eaten since before my trial."
She smiled sadly. "We'll start you on broth soups."
He nodded. "Okay."
"Shall we go to the dining room?" She asked, looking at them all.
Voldemort and Bella nodded, both bookmarking their books and setting them on the small side tables. They stood with Narcissa, Hadrian slowly standing up after them.
Cissa guided Hadrian to the dining room, telling a house elf to make sure his meal was broth. "We'll have nutrients potions for you soon enough."
He nodded. "Thank you."
"No need to mention it dear." She smiled softly at him.
When they made it to the dining room, the food was already set out for them. Voldemort sat at the head of the table. Bellatrix sat on his right, she pulled Hadrian to sit next to her. Narcissa sat down two chairs to his left. They quickly began to eat.
No conversations were started, all of them just enjoying the meal. None of the adults would mention how Hadrians eyes started to water as he had a form of food after six months without it.
-SIDENOTE: Wann make some friends?-