After a week of letting the child settle into his new home, Narcissa thought it would be best to start the friendship between him and her son. She determined to have a sit-down lunch with her sister, letting the babes play or whatever they do, and discuss what her plans were.
Lucius had given her a copy of the contract their lord had him draw up and it was asking for a lot. Such high grades in so many subjects was a feat for any magical student, but their Lord wanted those things and would wait until the boy was worthy. If it took him until he was 30 years old to achieve what he needed to, then that would be how long it took. It seemed to her that he showed no interest in wanting to marry and was putting it off for as long as he could. A leisure she almost wished for herself when it came to her engagement years before.
She cleared her mind of her troubling thoughts with practised ease, only thinking of what she wanted to discuss during lunch as she rested her son on her hip. The most important was to know his name, as Lucius hadn't thought she'd care to call her nephew by his name. He wasn't planning to a conversation with the child, so why would it cross his mind that she would? Again, she halted her unpleasant thoughts and continued her way to her fireplace.
Her sister was playing with her new son, letting him build a tower of blocks before knocking them down and sharing a giggle so they could trade places. Bellatrix applauded 'Hadrian' as the boy broke down her tower with magic. Narcissa smiled in relief, being saved from the embarrassment of having to ask his name.
"Cissy, I'm so glad you're here." Bellatrix laughed, a new shine to her smile. "Let's have the boys play while we have a good chat."
The blonde obliged her sister, letting Draco down on the playmat so he could cautiously stare at Hadrian before the boy waddled over to give a block. Her son took to block, giggling as it changed into a teddy bear and cuddled his new friend. Bellatrix explained her husband had enchanted a few toys to transfigure into whatever its holder wanted to play with, so he had what he wanted and it saved space.
"I must say, you're glowing Bella. Motherhood suits you."
"I know he's only been my son for a week, but I already love him so much," She grinned. "He's just so cute and does the funniest things. He keeps hiding Rodophlus' wand."
The siblings shared a laugh and heard the giggles of their children. The boys had moved on to playing with a pair of voodoo-looking dolls, Draco cutting its hair and giving it a makeover while Hadrian pulled off a button eye and started chewing on it. The comment escaped before Nacrissa thought to stop it as she noticed how very like his mother Hadrian seemed to be. Her sister turned to her with a very proud smile.
"So, I hope you don't mind Lucius showed me a copy of that contract." She frowned, "How do you plan to teach him all of it, without him being older than us now before he's married?"
"Well, we agreed to homeschool him. It means he can spend more time studying, and his free time becomes the skills he'll learn for himself. But it is still a lot to learn. Rodolphus seems to think that starting early will help, and I'm tempted to agree. He's asking the Ministry to let us homeschool from his 9th birthday. But he reads a lot, and reads better than he should, so we aren't too worried."
"I suppose reading is a skill, it might count as building to his character," Narcissa pondered. "If you're using it as his downtime, I'd suggest something creative. Music, art, writing, that sort of thing."
"That's a good idea," Her sister frowned. "Something fun like that is something to distract him, in case his marriage doesn't end up happy like mine."
"And ends up as awkward and unhappy as mine." The blonde chuckled without mirth.
Before either of them made another comment on her marriage, Narcissa asked whether they wanted Ministry appointed tutors or if she was teaching him herself. Bellatrix was quite confident that she wouldn't be able to get him a Dreadful in most of the subjects, so she needed tutors for him. She wanted the best in the fields he was learning from, using money or whatever influence she can.
"I was hoping, that for Potions, you could-"
"Ask Severus," Cissy smirked. "Because he's a close friend, I think I could ask. I approve. He is the best in his field, and Hadrian will benefit from him. He's a good man."
The admiration was subtle, almost unnoticeable. But her sister could hear it in her voice, that he meant a lot to Narcissa. If there weren't children present, and she was sure her sister wouldn't over-react, Bellatrix would have made hints at an affair. Lucius had been known to flirt outrageously with other women, suspected to have slept with them, and she believed in equal opportunities with both sexes. But it was a discussion for another time. For now, it was Harry at the forefront of her mind.
Their lord came to visit just after Hadrian's 5th birthday.
Over the years, Harry had progressed further and further. His reading got better, he could read books for children twice his ages and liked to have the English classics read to him as bedtime stories. His magical control was a marvel to anyone who saw him. His mother loved to watch him levitate his food so he could eat and read at the same time. He was that passionate about it, his father had given him academic books for him to learn the basics. It backfired when he tried to light a candle and set the curtains on fire.
He'd never left the manor, and access was restricted to people the Lestranges trusted. His family was all he knew, his parents and the Malfoys being the only opportunity he had to socialize regularly. There were one or two opportunities he met a Death Eater who wandered too far from the garden path and was lost in the maze of vines and flowers. He'd enchanted them with his manners, mesmerised them with the iridescent glow of his eyes, and overall won them over by guiding them back to the main house. However, Draco was still the only friend he had.
Voldemort came to the house in his usual fearsome glamour, surprising his inner circle by not meeting Hadrian in the true form of his future husband, but nobody questioned the decision as they sent for their children. Harry and Draco walked in together. The young blonde flinched in fear as blood-red eyes turned to him, and couldn't control his shaking until the reptilian man's focus was on the boy next to him. Hadrian handled the sight with all the grace and manners he had been taught, successfully not showing the fear he felt.
"My lord," he bowed, mentally thanking his voice for remaining steady.
This seemed to please the Dark Lord, who smirked at his subservient position and permitted him to rise. He turned to Hadrian's parents and congratulated them on teaching their son the respect he expected of his followers. Disappointed eyes glanced at Lucius and made him thankful his Lord didn't torture people around children unless it was necessary.
"I hear you enjoy reading. Tell me, Hadrian Lestrange, what are your favourites?" He hissed.
Hadrian couldn't control his smile, his eyes glowing at the talk of his passion, as he talked of the few books he considered his favourites. He was really enjoying the book he was reading with his mother, Dracula. The snake-like man nodded, complimenting him for reading stories many weren't interested in anymore, let alone books above the level he'd expected.
"I'd like this to continue," he rasped, "and want him reading more about magic."
His parents nodded vigorously. The conversation no longer involved him as his parents were asked about how he was controlling his magic and what he was using it for. In the beginning, it had shown whenever he was angry. He'd hide his father's wand if he scolded him, or dangled the house-elves upside-down for disrupting his reading too loudly. A few times he'd tried to help his mother with a makeover, turning her hair pink or her robes lavender. Bellatrix smiled fondly at the memory.
The talking soon bored Harry, but he tried not to show it. He was relieved from his struggle as his cousin squeaked next to him and something rubbed his ankle. He looked down to see a beautiful snake curling around his leg and slowly travelling to his shoulders. He smiled to his friend and calmed his panic, gently petting the snakes head without being aware of the action.
"You smell sweet, little hatchling. I wish to take you home with me."
The room was quiet as she hissed, only her master understanding her words with a small smile under his impassive mask. He was amused by his minion's tension, as though he'd allow Nagini to harm the boy who was to be his. And after how impressed he'd made him, it became a less likely outcome to the plan. But before he could order her off his shoulders, he heard a hissed response.
"Thank you, sweet thing. However, my mother wouldn't appreciate me running away with a snake, I'm sure."
"Oh, you speak like my master, hatchling. How perfect." She stopped and turned to the Dark Lord, "hear him, master? Please can I keep him?"
Hadrian chuckled lightly, admiring her soft scales, oblivious to the shock of everyone around him. He heard somebody else hissing, the Dark Lord asked him if he could understand him. The boy tried not to look confused or insulted as he answered that of course he could. His new friend made a noise like laughed and her forked tongue shot out to tickle his cheek. Everyone watched the two, as the snake everyone feared as much as their lord curled tighter around his neck and hissed something that made Harry laugh.
"Hadrian." The serious tone of his mother made him gulp, "have you ever spoken to a snake like this before?"
"No. There are no snakes around here mother, Nagini is the first I've met." He frowned.
"It must be from the blood adoption," Rodolphus voiced, demanding all attention. "Because of - before the ritual - he was related to the Peverells, and they, in turn, were Slytherin's descendants. I looked into his family tree while I waited. Perhaps with so much wizarding blood, the dormant ability was unlocked."
The reason behind the power did not matter to the Dark Lord. Whatever made the boy capable of speaking the language of snakes was irrelevant, none of it changed that he had the ability. His thoughts were consumed by how right Nagini seemed to be about the strange, beautiful boy in front of him. He was a perfect match. He unsheathed his wand, everyone but Hadrian freezing in fear for the boy's safety, as he pointed it in his direction.
"Nagini, you're in the way of my gift. Come here."
She slithered down Harry's shoulders, sliding to the floor as the spell flew across the room wordlessly. A green snake materialised around Hadrian's shoulders, just long enough to rest its head and tail on his collar bones. It raised its head, looking into his green eyes with her yellow ones.
"Beautiful," Hadrian smiled. "Thank you, my lord."
"This is for your birthday and hard work in your reading. I expect you to take the best care of him."
The five-year-old grinned, nodding as he assured he'd look after him. The snake on his neck flicked a tongue against his neck and nuzzled into his warmth. The Dark Lord excused himself, warning he'd return in a few years and expected improvements. Hadrian's parents nodded, Bellatrix rushing to his side to run a worried hand through his hair as the drawing-room door closed in the hopes it would calm her fears. He was still warm, he was alive. Not many remained unharmed after their Lord pointed his wand at them.
"I didn't do anything wrong, did I?" Her son frowned, "I'd hate to have displeased my lord the first time he met me."
"No honey, you did perfectly. You were calm and polite when you didn't know what to expect. I'm very proud." She smiled, hugging his still-warm body. "Let us do as well next time."
Hadrian nodded, turning to the side to protect his present from being crushed. From everything he'd heard of their lord, he wasn't expecting to be given a birthday gift. Much like those around him, he was terrified when the white yew was pointed at him. But his lord was different from what he had expected, nicer. He looked scarier than he acted. But Harry hadn't upset him. And he didn't plan to, he much preferred how the Dark Lord treated him when he was pleased. So, he supposed, he had to keep trying hard to learn everything for the next time his lord came. Whenever that was.