Chapter 5
He knew the Marauders had been trying to prank him for the past couple weeks, but he had become an expert of avoid pranks by spending six years around Fred and George Weasley.
He also knew they were getting frustrated by not being able to prank him. He had avoid them with a kind of grace every student and teacher envied. The hot pink hair dye potion, the bucket of paint above the door of his classroom, the poke-a-dot potion on the door handle of his rooms, potions in his food at almost every meal.
It was hilarious to see their frustration, and see them whispering furiously, looking at him every so often.
Hadrian woke up with a loud groan when he realized what day it was. Halloween, Samhain as he had some to know it as. Samhain was the pagan holiday for wizards, and it was more popular here in this universe than it was in his universe. This was shocking for Harry because that was the day Voldemort died, but the holiday the tradition hadn't died out as much.
Paganism is an ancient religion. It's best described as a group of religions and spiritual traditions based on a reverence for nature and magic. There was no single founder, scripture or religious philosophy. Most pagans, however, believe in the divine character of the natural world, which Wizarding pagans refer to as Lady Magic. There was also two other divine characters, Death and Life, but they weren't really celebrated other than on Samhain. Paganism mostly celebrated by purebloods because they are mostly pagan because the religion in the muggle world had barely survived the witch burnings.
Hadrian himself converted to pagan when he traveled through Ireland and spent time with druids there. The pagan population there was astounding. He eventually learned that the Lady Magic that Wizarding pagans worshiped, was Lady Hecate. She had came to him in a dream after he had participated in a pagan holiday ritual. She explained that, yes, she was Lady Magic. But she much, much preferred the name Hecate because Magic was not her name, it was her domain. He had been a pagan from then on.
Hadrian finally exited his room mid afternoon. He was not in a great mood but he covered it up the best he could. He mentally thanked Merlin that Hogwarts didn't have classes in Samhain, he didn't know if he could hold in his hatred for this day.
But this Samhain felt weirder than Samhain usually was. Usually on this day his magic was simmering under his skin, wary and ready to protect him. But today it felt like electricity flowing through his blood, it felt… excited? Either way, he knew something was going to happen so he did his better to be on guard at all times.
He walked into the kitchens and sat down at the tale in the corner, and started eating a late lunch. He had skipped breakfast this morning in favor of sleeping in and sulking around his room.
Dumbledore walked into the kitchens about five minutes after he started eating, his magenta robes with bumblebees flying around the bottom and the sleeves. Hadrian held back the groan, he did not want to deal with him right now.
"Hello Hadrian," the headmaster said sitting down next to him.
"Headmaster," Hadrian murmured the greeted back, still intently focusing on his French toast, eggs and bacon he was eating at a frighten pace. He hoped the Headmaster would be quiet or leave, but as usual, no such luck.
"I noticed that you weren't here for breakfast or lunch today Hadrian. Are you sick?" Dumbledore asked, his voice dripping with a concerned tone that Hadrian could clearly tell was fake.
He shook his head and answered "No Headmaster, I am just not very fond of this day."
"Why, may I ask? I believed you were pagan?" Dumbledore asked with a gleam in his eyes, plotting to find any flaws in Hadrian's character and use it to get him kicked out of the school.
Hadrian's lips tightened and said back and said "Yes, I am." but offering no more explanation on why he had no love for this holiday.
"Hmm," the Headmaster hummed and summoned a house elf to bring him his lemon drops.
Hadrian finish his late lunch as quick as he could, not wanting to spend more time with Dumbledore then he had to. But before had stood up to leave Dumbledore said to him with a a false sort of calming voice that had no effect on Hadrian, "My boy, you know you can come to me to talk any time. I can feel that this day has some emotional effect on you, so if you wish to talk about it, my door is always open."
Hadrian nodded stiffly and said "Of course, Headmaster. Excuse me." Hadrian basically ran out of the kitchens.
Later at the Halloween Feast, Hadrian was feeling fidgety and agitated. Whenever someone even spoke to him he jumped, if they touched him he had to restrain himself from knocking them back against the wall. His magic was making him so anxious, he knew something was going to happen but he didn't know what!
"Are you ok Hadrian? You've been jumpy all day," Minerva asked with concern.
Hadrian jumped as she spoke, but then sighed and said frustrated, "No, I'm not, magic has been telling me something is going to happen all day. I've been trying to be calm, but its not working."
Minerva looked alarmed. "Is it something bad?" she asked.
"It… doesn't feel like it but considering my luck with Samhain… I don't know." Hadrian said her, baffled with himself. "I'm just going to go back to my room," he said exhausted. "Maybe the feeling will be gone in the morning."
"Ok, well, have a good rest then Hadrian," Minerva said as he got up from his seat.
He nodded and said "You as well," and got up to walk out of the Hall.
As he walked out of the Hall he felt the eyes of the Marauders watch him. He felt around with his magic and noticed a charmed ward that would make all of the conjured bats in the Hall come charging at him. He eyes narrowed and he stopped in front of the door. He dismantled the ward in about twenty seconds then walked out of the Hall. But not before casting a wand less spell on the Marauders hair to make their hair stick straight up.
But he couldn't feel asleep, his magic refused to let him to go to sleep. He tossed and turned for an hour before giving up and deciding to read until he felt tired enough to sleep. He settled down in front of his fire place and curled up in his green armchair and read two books on warding he had gotten in Germany.
He had started to learn German as soon as he had mastered French. Therefore, he had gotten two copies of the same book, one in German and one in English so his could try and translate the book.
After an hour, he heard a tapping on the window. When he heard it he jumped so much that his magic lashed out and blew out the fire. He groaned in annoyance with himself, why was he so jumpy?! He relit the fire and unlocked the window with a wave of his hand, knowing now it was a owl coming with a letter.
The letter was delivered by the same owl that had sent his invitation to dinner, Lord Orion's owl.
"Hello, beautiful," he murmured to the owl as it landed on the arm of his chair. "You have a letter for me again?"
But then he noticed the rose and ribbon the owl had in its other claw. But the rose was not just any other kind of rose, it was an emerald green color, and looked as if it was glowing. Upon closer inspection he discovered that it was actual emerald. It was an amazing feet of transfiguration and creativeness. The ribbon was an elegant white ribbon infused with magic that he could tell was Orion's. He picked the emerald rose and the ribbon out of the owls claw gently and grabbed letter from the other claw.
He knew what this was, all pureblood families knew what this was. It was a Courting Request, for him. The flower was sent as a token of the sender's love, the ribbon was a sign that the receiver has accepted a Courting Request, and a letter to explain why the sender sent the request.
He read the letter that explained Orion's reason and explanations for sending the request, and with the letter was an invitation to the Nova, a very very expensive restaurant on a side branch of Diagon Alley, Round Boulevard , which was a street made for the elite because the things sold there are so expensive. When he was finished, he set them down on his lap, and stared at the objects.
A Courting Request?! He thought incredulously. For him?! From Orion Black?! What about Walburga and Sirius and Regulus? I can't get involved, I would mess up everything, no, I have to turn it down-
But then he noticed his magic. It was happy, jumping up and down with joy, it was ecstatic. He felt calmer than he had all day. His magic was already reaching out to the white ribbon in his lap, trying to connect it's magic to his.
Was… was this the chance of happiness that Lady Hecate was talking about? He had half thought that she just meant he would get away from the people in his universe. He had thought that after six years, maybe he had missed his chance at love. He knew it was depressing, but that is what he thought because he had not found anyone he would want to share his life with.
What about Walburga? She was still alive wasn't she? Orion can't send out a courting request while having a wife though… and he didn't think he heard Orion's say anything about Walburga at dinner. What happen to her?
"Walburga Black has been in Death's realm for about five months, little champion." said a melodic voice from the left. He yelped and jumped, almost dropping things on his lap onto the floor.
He turned to face the voice and found Lady Hecate standing there smiling at him, looking the same as he had seen her before, if not glowing more than usual.
He sighed and slouched in relief that it wasn't someone else seeing him in such a sensitive state. "Lady Hecate," he said, bowing his head in greeting. Then he looked back at the rose ribbon and letter in his lap.
"What fills you with uncertainty, my champion?" Hecate asked, sitting down in the armchair to the left of him.
He stared at the ribbon for a moment and asked her, with uncertainty coating his words "Is… What… Will everything be ok if I accept?"
She smiled at him sadly and asked "You always care about other people's happiness more than your own." He was about to say something back, but he got cut off. "Yes, everything will be ok if you accept, you do not have to look after anyone else any more then you want to, do not feel pressure to do anything you do not want to. We gave you this life so you could be happy, and if you think you cannot be happy with this man then do not accept. But if you do…" she trailed off.
Hadrian looked back at the rose, ribbon, and letter, and after a moment's hesitation tied the ribbon his right wrist.
The ribbon was now tied to him magic and tied him to Orion. If he or Orion cheated or intentions were proven to not be from a pure request to court, the ribbon on the persons write would turn black and wouldn't be able to take off of a week. It was a very disgraceful thing.
Lady Hecate beamed at him, looking radiantly happy with his choice. Orion Black would make her champion happy, she sure of it. But if he brought Hadrian heartache, hell would be rained down upon him.
Back in Grimmauld Place Orion was sitting in the non-formal living room, a glass of brandy in his hands. Hadrian had not accepted, he knew it wasn't likely that he would accept, but he had sent the request anyway.
Now, he was planning on drowning his disappointment in a bottle of brandy, he planned on drinking the whole bottle.
All of a sudden he felt another's magic start to follow through the ribbon on his right wrist. Could it be? Hadrian accepted his request? He brushed his magic lightly over the ribbon. He beamed when he felt another magic follow through the white ribbon he had tied onto his wrist.
He had accepted!
He needed to go get an outfit together for tomorrow.