The Sealed Kingdom

by LoveMyRomance

Final Book in the "Dark Prince" series. Sequel to "The Allure of Darkness". Hadrian Riddle, formerly known as Harry Potter, sets out to change the course of history as the heir to the Dark Side. With the help of his friends, he is determined to prove he can take over the wizarding world & win this dangerous game they are playing. Rated M for dark themes [Covers Yrs 6-7] In Progress

18. Blind

A/N: I know I'm late! But better late than never! Also, this chapter is like…almost 3x my usual chapter length so in my defense, it's really like 3ish chapters in one (Literally 40 pages of writing, SINGLE SPACED)

Just to answer a few questions really quick:

, Hadrian is not going to turn "good, lol. Idk what about him brutally torturing someone every other chapter gave you all the idea that he's going to suddenly turn into Dumbledore 2.0 but uh, nope, don't worry not gonna happen in this fic. In my opinion, he's always been morally gray. Not above getting his hands dirty to get what he wants, but also not out to cause destruction for the hell of it. There's not going to be a last-minute 'Hadrian switching sides' moment

2.I write multi-dimensional characters. Hadrian is the Dark Lord, yes. But he's also 17. Dealing with a LOT of trust issues. Scared he's going to die. Forced to lead a faction into a war. Doubt himself. Make several mistakes. He's going to be all over the place because even though I write fiction, I try to write my characters like real people.

& Hadrian are both afraid to die. Hadrian's fear shows up through his trust issues (ex. torturing Bellatrix, getting angry at Draco & Daphne over allowing Lily to live, & even his anger at Lily herself). The more he feels things slipping out of his control, the more scared and reckless he will become. Alexander's fear will also show up ... in other ways, you'll see.

4.I know I'm going to get snarky comments about this, but just because Hadrian listens to other people (i.e. Narcissa, Daphne, Draco etc.) doesn't mean he's bowing down, or afraid of them, or weak. It's a little thing called "mutual respect" :)

5. I am sorry in advance for this chapter. But all's fair in love and war.

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Riddle Manor [December 21st]

Daphne Greengrass climbed up the grand staircase that led up to the second floor of Riddle Manor with a steely resolve reflected in the depths of her stormy blue eyes. The deserted corridors and drawn curtains cast a rather eerie shadow over the unusually silent manor, and she couldn't help but flinch at the slightest noise. Even the sound of her own robes gliding across the marble floor caused her stomach to twist into knots, and she crossed her arms over her chest protectively as she walked the familiar path to the dark set of double doors at the end of the hall.

She stood in front of the room, hesitating for only a second before forcing her way through the doors. Her fair brows furrowed in confusion as she stepped inside the room and her gaze panned over to the dark silk curtains that whipped furiously through the air like tendrils of smoke. Harsh winter wind flowed in freely from the open windows and balcony doors, causing her to shiver involuntarily.

Daphne tugged her shawl more tightly over her shoulders, attempting to ignore the freezing temperature as she continued to scan the room. Despite the bright fire crackling in the fireplace, there was absolutely no warmth in the seemingly deserted room.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the balcony doors blow open further from the force of the wind, and suddenly her feet were moving of their own accord as she found herself running across the room. Her golden hair tumbled out of her neat chignon and her gauzy shawl nearly flew off her shoulders as she ran to the balcony and came to an abrupt stop in front of the doors.

She could practically feel her heartbeat furiously in her chest as she raised her head to stare right into the piercing green eyes of Hadrian Riddle. He wore a rather strange, almost awestruck expression–as though he couldn't believe she was standing before him.

"Hadrian," Daphne surprised herself with the startingly calm tone in which she addressed her fiancé. "What are you doing outside?"

He set his drink onto the baluster railing behind him. His broad shoulders–covered only by the dark silk robe he wore–shrugged absentmindedly, "It seemed like a nice night. Why waste it?"

Daphne pursed her lips. "Hadrian, it's snowing. You're going to catch your death out here, for Merlin's sake. You're not even wearing a proper shirt–or shoes, for that matter." She let out a heavy sigh, "Why are you standing outside in the dead of night, Hadrian?"

He tilted his head back, staring up at the clear night sky with closed eyes. Snowflakes dusted his dark lashes and his lips had practically turned blue with the freezing wind, but he still seemed oddly at peace.

"Hadrian," Daphne whispered, though it carried perfectly clearly in the cold air between them. "What are you doing?"

He let out a soft groan. "I wanted to feel something different," He slowly opened his eyes and turned his empty gaze to her. "I wanted to feel something."

She swallowed hard. "W-What does that mean? What do you feel now?"

His lips curved up into a wan smile. "Numb."

Daphne's shoulders stiffened. "Well," She paused to tuck a loose piece of hair behind her ear. "Perhaps it's because you're standing out here in the height of winter, darling."

"I thought I would be cold too," Hadrian mused out loud. "But even that feeling faded away after a while. Eventually, everything does." He picked up his drink, not bothering to dust off the snow that coated the underside of the glass. "I suppose it's just something to get used to." He took a slow sip of his drink and nodded to himself, "It's nice after a while. The quiet, I mean."

"Is that so?" She arched a brow. She held his gaze as she unwrapped her shawl, easily sliding it off her shoulders and dropping it onto the floor. The cold bled through her delicate satin robes and chilled her to the bone, but she kept a painted smile on her lips as she took a step closer. "You won't mind if I join you, then?"

His gaze sparked and he shook his head, "Daphne, you're–"

"What?" She cocked her head to the side, challenging him without saying a word. She raised her palm up to face the night sky, pretending to study the floating snowflakes that grazed her skin. "It is quite pretty out here. I think I will join you."

She kept her eyes on Hadrian as she slowly stepped out of her thin heels and kicked them aside. She had barely taken half a step onto the light layer of snow that dusted over the balcony before a heavy hand curled around her waist and lifted her off her feet.

"For Merlin's sake," She muttered, trying to wriggle out from underneath the iron grip Hadrian had around her as he carried her back inside. "Let go of me this instant, Hadrian."

He gently dropped her onto the bed with a scowl, "You've made your point, Daphne."

Daphne fixed him with a cool look, "No, I don't think I have." She waved her hand and the doors and windows slammed shut under the force of her magic. Even then, the room was still unbearably cold, and her lips quivered slightly as she whispered, "You don't understand, Hadrian. Do you think this is all some sort of sick game?"

He blinked at her and then slowly shook his head.

Her hand came to rest on his chest, and his skin felt like ice under her fingertips as she pushed him back so she could stand up. "Do you think you can play God without consequence?"

Hadrian flinched at her harsh tone. "I–" He pursed his lips and turned away, walking closer to the fireplace although it didn't seem like he was seeking extra warmth. He stared into the flames intently, as though the flickering hearth held all the answers to the universe.

"You can't ignore what has happened," Daphne informed him coldly, walking around the bed to collect her discarded shawl. She paused in front of the large mirror that hung above their dresser, zeroing in on the massive crack that had shattered the glass into a thousand pieces. She kept her face carefully blank as she attempted to fix her windswept hair with trembling hands. "You can't shut out the world until there's simply nothing left to feel anymore," She met his eyes in the cracked mirror. "You don't get to feel numb, Hadrian. You don't get to hide from your mistakes."

"I'm not hiding," He insisted. "I needed some time to think."

"No," Daphne scoffed. "You needed some time to shut down. You needed time to pretend like nothing affects you." She smiled mockingly. "The great Dark Lord, himself."

"Daphne," His voice was low, full of warning. "Know your place."

"Do you know your place?" She challenged instead, marching up to him with a certain furious magic crackling in soft wisps around her. She poked her finger into his chest, "Do you know what you're doing?"

He tried to turn away, but she stepped in front of him, stopping him in his tracks. "Look at me," She demanded. Her fingers curled around his jaw as she forced him to face her. Her deep blue gaze searched his closed-off expression almost desperately. "Tell me, do you really feel nothing, or do you choose to feel nothing because it's easier than accepting your mistakes?"

He jerked away from her, easily twisting out of her harsh grip. "Daphne," He closed his eyes and gritted out, "Enough."

"No," She hissed. "You need to understand what you've done."

"Do you think I don't understand?" Hadrian snapped. A deep scowl twisted at his handsome features. "Do you think I don't feel sick to my stomach?"

Daphne bit her lip, taking a half step back at the wild glint in his eyes. "Why are you still here then?" She ventured to ask, raising her head slightly with a bravado she didn't feel inside. "We were all waiting for you, Hadrian. You didn't come to see her."

He let out a humorless laugh, "I can't even look at myself in the fucking mirror, Daphne." He sank down into an armchair by the fireplace and ran a hand over his jawline with a tense frown. "Why would I show face? It's usually considered quite crass to invite the murderer to a funeral, you know."

Daphne was quiet for a moment. "You didn't kill her."

"You're right," Hadrian agreed. His voice was hoarse as he admitted, "Death would've been less cruel."

"You did a horrible thing, Hadrian," She averted her gaze, choosing to look out the window, at the fireplace–anywhere but him, apparently. "She practically helped raise you. And you turned your wand on her?" Daphne let out a quiet breath, "She never betrayed you, Hadrian. But you betrayed her."

"I don't know how to fix this," Hadrian clenched his jaw into a hard line. He looked up at her, pleading, "Tell me how to make this better, Daphne." His voice broke slightly as he whispered, "Please."

Daphne Greengrass slowly turned to face her fiancé upon hearing the desperation in his voice. She had seen a full range of his volatile emotions over the years, but she had never seen his bright green eyes flicker with a certain vulnerability until now. He was truly distraught, far more than when his father had died in their fourth year, far more than even when Sirius Black had betrayed them years ago.

Her heart clenched at the true pain written over his face, knowing full well he was torturing himself with guilt. All she wanted to do was run her fingers through his hair and assure him that it would be alright. That all would be forgiven.

He would believe her, probably without question.

Daphne knew it would be easy to wipe away the tears, cradle his head to her chest and only sing sweet promises of how it would get better. She could brush her lips against his, give him every false hope he needed to hear to snap out of his morose state.

Helen had done it. The face that had launched a thousand ships had also caused enough bloodshed to last a millennium.

Cleopatra had done it. The Egyptian queen had charmed circles around the world's greatest leaders–all to secure her own gilded path to the throne.

Nimue had done it. The enchantress had learned all she could from her master before trapping him forever into the trees and rising to her own power.

She'd become invaluable to Hadrian Riddle. Someone he would treasure forever; someone he could never turn against.

It was all she had ever wanted, after all.

Ever since stumbling upon that enchanted mirror in her first year, Daphne had known her deepest desire. Although she might have blurted out something about becoming Head Girl in front of Hadrian and Destiny, it couldn't have been further from the truth.

All she had seen in that mirror had been him.

His deep green eyes, following her through every crowded room.

His playful smile, reserved only for her to see.

His gentle hand, always finding hers in the dark.

Daphne hadn't been surprised in the slightest to see Hadrian Riddle appear in a mirror that showed her deepest desire. Quite frankly, she was already halfway in love with him even back in their first year.

Yet, that night had left her truly rattled. While the mirror's reflection had shown her Hadrian Riddle, it wasn't the eleven-year-old boy that stood beside her that night. She had seen the version of the man that stood before her now, clad in a silk bathrobe and looking rather stricken. She had seen true regret in his eyes. She had seen despair and self-loathing and guilt–without even the faintest glimmer of hope.

Daphne hadn't fully been able to make sense of what she had seen in that mirror all those years ago, until this very moment.

She had seen a version of Hadrian Riddle that knew he had done something terrible. There was no relief in his tense shoulders, simply acceptance and remorse. She had seen the best version of Hadrian Riddle in his lowest moment–she had seen the Hadrian Riddle that fiercely clung to some semblance of humanity.

As she stared at him now, Daphne knew she could pretend that he had done no wrong. She could spin a thousand lies to reassure him that all was forgiven, just to see a relieved smile curve at his lips–but that wasn't the man she had seen in the mirror.

The Hadrian Riddle she desired was the one that needed to hear the truth from her, however harsh as it was. The Hadrian Riddle she loved needed to suffer from the consequences of his actions, however miserable it made him.

Because that Hadrian Riddle would be able to hold himself back from succumbing to the endless abyss of darkness they all carried inside. That was the best version of Hadrian Riddle: the one that would never abandon his soul.

Daphne blinked, suddenly snapping out of her thoughts. She glanced up to meet Hadrian's troubled gaze with a renewed resolve.

"You can't make this better," She informed him quite plainly. "These people–they were counting on you. You held their loyalty in your hands, and now it's hanging by a thread. You may be the Dark Lord, Hadrian, but we've never truly feared you until today." She let out a bitter laugh. "Who knows? Maybe you'll turn your wand on one of us someday. What if Destiny makes you unhappy next week, and you rip out her heart in punishment?"

Hadrian shook his head vehemently, "I would never–"

"Liar," Daphne called sharply. Her voice tightened as she pointed out, "You already did."

He winced. "I made a mistake."

"Is that what you call it?" She crossed her arms over her chest and shot him a harsh glare. "Let me tell you something, Hadrian Riddle. We're loyal to you because we love you. We support you because we care for you. We fight for you because we trust you. But the second you destroy that trust–" She inhaled sharply. "The second you destroy that trust… we grow to fear you. And fear doesn't buy loyalty, Hadrian." Her eyes flashed, "It buys compliance."

"What do I do now?" Hadrian repeated his question, moving to take her hand into his. His thumb brushed against her own as he whispered, "I need you to help me, Daphne."

Daphne stood still, watching the flurry of snowflakes outside for a few excruciating minutes. "You can start by asking for forgiveness," She finally decided after a beat of silence. "You tore apart your family, Hadrian. It certainly won't be easy, but the only way you can gain any semblance of trust back is by piecing it all back together. Starting with Lady Malfoy and Destiny."

"I swear, I'll do whatever it takes," He promised.

"I hope you mean that," Daphne's lips curved up into a bitter smile. "Because neither of them are known for being particularly forgiving."

Undisclosed Location [December 22nd]

"This is ridiculous," Ronald Weasley seethed, glancing between his two friends with a scowl. "Do you have a death wish, Alexander?"

"Come on, Ron," Parvati Patil sighed, rubbing her temples in clear annoyance. "It's his mother, for Merlin's sake. You would do the same if your mother was in danger."

"Sure, I would," Ron nodded self-righteously. "Because my mother, isn't a criminal."

"Watch your mouth," Alexander shot back, "I've told you before not to speak ill about my mother, Ron."

"Why can't anyone see how bloody mental you two are acting right now?" Ron rolled his eyes up to the ceiling of the tent, as though he were begging the heavens above for some patience. "We've been in hiding for fucking months now, Alexander. I never said a word about roughing it in the woods–"

Parvati snorted.

The redhead shot her a glare. "As I was saying," He sniffed, "I didn't complain when you wanted to retreat to the middle of nowhere to train. Now you tell me that you want to risk everything–to what? Go waltzing into the middle of a Death Eater gala just to retrieve your batty Mum?"

Alexander drew his wand out in an instant, pointing it at his best mate without a second thought. "I told you," He gritted out slowly, "Don't talk about my mother or I'll make sure it will be the last thing you ever say."

"Stop it! Both of you," Parvati stood up from the table with a harsh frown. She stared at her friends with a troubled gleam in her eyes, "Can't you see this is exactly what they want?" She cried out. "We can't turn against each other. This thing–" She paused to march over to Ronald's side and yank the satchel out of his hand. A sterling silver diadem tumbled out of the bag with a loud clink, landing on the ground a few feet away.

Parvati pushed a loose piece of hair out of her eyes and let out a breath, "That object," Her voice hardened with disgust, "It's bringing out the worst in all of us. We have to destroy it before we tear each other apart."

"No," Alexander Potter shook his head. "We can't destroy it–not yet."

"Why not, Alexander?" Parvati pursed her lips, struggling to push her frustration aside. "Dumbledore wanted to destroy all of His horcruxes. He trusted you to rid the world of this evil. Why shouldn't we destroy it? It's our only hope to defeat Him."

"Dumbledore was selfish." Alexander hissed. "He used me. He used my family, all just to fulfill a greater purpose. Not once did he ask if I wanted to be the Chosen One. Not once did he care to see what I wanted."

"Weren't you barely a tot when you were declared the Chosen One?" Ron sneered. "Boohoo. You got all the glory and the fame and now you have to live up to your name. How terrible it must be."

"I didn't ask for this," Alexander ground out. "The prophecy declared me to be the Savior and so this destiny was thrust onto me. I never wanted any of this."

"Tough luck," Ron snapped.

"We need to destroy this diadem," Parvati nodded to herself. She took a step towards the tiara, only to feel a heavy hand curl around her wrist, holding her in place. She glanced up to see Alexander shooting her a warning look.

"I said no," He stared at her with a dark look in his eyes. "Don't you see what this is? It's leverage. We can't destroy it now. Not until I get exactly what I want."

"I-I don't understand," Parvati stuttered. She wrenched her arm out of his harsh grip and rubbed her wrist sullenly, "What do you mean by leverage? You can't honestly think of turning that over to Him. Didn't Dumbledore want you to destroy all the horcruxes?"

"And we will," Alexander assured her. "But I guarantee He would promise me anything to have that diadem back in his possession. Once He agrees to my demands, we'll destroy the bloody thing, as we planned."

"Have you lost the plot?" Ron raised an eyebrow. "Why in Merlin's saggy tits would we use something like that as a bargaining chip? Not to mention, you can't seriously be planning on negotiating with the darkest wizard in history. You don't have nearly the level of cunning required to pull the wool over His eyes. What could possibly be worth risking the stupid crown for?"

"Loads of things," Alexander shrugged. "But the safe return of my mother is definitely at the top of the list."

Ron stared at him for a second before he suddenly burst out into loud, raucous laughter. He pushed away from the table and pretended to wipe at his eyes, continuing to chuckle away as though he had heard the world's most hilarious joke.

"And what exactly is so funny?" His friend glared at him, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You've finally lost it," Ron laughed. "You have finally gone around the bend, Alexander."

"Ron, seriously," Alexander sighed. "You need to hear me out–"

"No, why don't you listen for a change." Ron interrupted him. There was a hard edge to his tone as he turned to face his friend. "You are going to lose this war, Alexander." He smirked cruelly, "Riddle and his merry little band of Death Eaters are going to emerge victorious, and they'll toss your mangled remains–if there's anything even left of you–in an unmarked grave."

"Ronald!" Parvati gasped, "How can you say such a thing?"

"Because the Dark Lord isn't fucking stupid, Parvati!" Ron shouted in her face. "He's sick in the head, sure, but he's not a bloody fool! For Merlin's sake, even Hadrian Riddle knows this war requires more than just endless hope and friendship. We need to face the facts. Riddle and the rest of the Death Eaters are willing to kill for what they want." He pursed his lips. "Alexander is not."

Alexander fixed him with an angry look. "In case you've forgotten, Ron, we come from good families. Our parents fought for this side since before we were even born. We're good people."

"Bloody hell!" Ron cursed under his breath. "Wake up, Alexander. We're in a fucking war. We've lost half our men, the support of the public–what else do you have to lose before you finally realize that there are no good people in a war?" He scoffed, "Don't you get it? Whoever survives gets to tell the world they were the 'good' side."

"Ron, quit it," Parvati warned him. "He gets the point."

"You need to understand something, mate," Ron chuckled darkly. "You might be sitting here feeling so torn up over your family but Hadrian Riddle–your brother –is just waiting to tear you apart, limb by limb. Do you think he's sitting on the sidelines, pouting that his home is broken, and his mummy tried to murder daddy?"

"That's enough, Ron," Parvati hissed.

"No," Alexander Potter swallowed hard. He stared at a crack that ran across the table for a long moment before forcing out the words that made him sick to his stomach. "He's right."

"Alex, you don't have to listen to him, he's just upset–"

"He's upset, but he's still right," Alexander cut her off with a grimace. "My br–Hadrian Riddle has never held back, not even when we were children. Why should we always play fair when they're slaughtering our people in broad daylight and getting away with it?" He let out a deep breath. "They've taken over the Ministry and Hogwarts already–I'll be damned if I let them take anything else from me."

"You can't be serious, Alexander," The dark-haired witch frowned. "There must be another way. You can't let yourself sink to their level."

"What will it matter if we're all dead in a couple months?" Alexander raised an eyebrow skeptically. "I don't know what's going to happen, Parvati, but I can promise at least one thing." He glanced up to nod at Ron, "We're not going down without a fight."

Malfoy Manor [December 25th]

Hadrian Riddle stepped through the private floo in Malfoy Manor, nearly stumbling over his own feet in surprise when he saw the familiar parlour room. His eyes wandered over the elegant wallpaper, and he took a half step back when he noticed Draco standing by the door.

The blond raised an eyebrow, keeping one hand tucked behind his back as he asked, "What's the matter?"

Hadrian paused for a moment. "Nothing," He admitted quietly. "I wasn't expecting the floo connection to still be open, that's all."

Draco shrugged, "Mother said she was expecting you."

"Of course," Hadrian nodded. He swallowed hard before venturing to ask, "How is she?"

"Positively bouncing off the walls with joy," Draco remarked dryly. He held his hands up in surrender when Hadrian shot him a contemptuous look. "Sorry," He muttered under his breath. "Don't shoot the messenger."

"I wasn't going to–"

"Merlin, calm down," Draco rolled his eyes. "It was just a joke–perhaps in poor taste." He nudged the door open with his foot, "Shall we?"

Hadrian bit his lip, following behind his friend without another word. They walked through the brightly lit halls of Malfoy Manor in a tense silence, neither one willing to speak first. A few house elves scurried across their path, each one carrying a stack of boxes almost taller than them.

Hadrian pursed his lips, eyeing a houself that was dragging a cage of white doves across the corridor. "What are all these boxes for?"

"The ball, of course," Draco responded in a clipped tone, coming to a stop in front of the library doors.

"The annual Christmas gala?" Hadrian frowned. "I didn't think your family would be in the mood to host a celebration this year. You know, considering the circumstances."

"You mean, the circumstances which led to you brutally torturing my aunt?" Draco smiled coldly, and his sharp white teeth glinted dangerously under the chandelier. "Well, you know mother. The show must go on."

Hadrian stiffened. "Is she in there?" He gestured to the library doors with a slight frown creasing at his brows.

Draco nodded, pulling open one of the massive oak doors. "Don't worry, she's been waiting quite some time to see you."

Hadrian swallowed hard, stepping into the library with a carefully blank expression. He flinched as he heard Draco shut the doors behind him with a foreboding thud. He forced himself to focus straight ahead as he mechanically made his way over to the stiff couch near the center of the room. He sat down at the edge of the deep green chaise, sitting up perfectly straight as he heard someone shuffle around amongst the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves that lined the room.

He waited quietly, running a nervous hand through his inky-black hair as the sound of footsteps grew closer and closer. There was a sharp gasp all of a sudden, and Hadrian snapped his gaze up to meet a startling pair of green eyes.

He felt his stomach sink as Lily Potter stared back at him with a shocked expression, clutching a book to her chest as she pressed her back against the bookshelf behind her.

"I-I-I'm sorry," The older woman stuttered out an apology, tucking a loose lock of auburn hair behind her ear. "I didn't realize someone else was in here." Her knuckles grew white as her grip over her book tightened. "Narcissa, she–she suggested I spend the morning in the library so I wouldn't get in the way of the houselves setting up for the ball."

"Did she, now?" Hadrian mused aloud, unable to keep the bitterness out of his tone. His jaw clenched into a hard line at the obvious scheming of the Malfoy matriarch. He shook his head and stood up abruptly, fully intent on marching out the library to track down the conniving blonde witch herself.

"Wait," Lily Potter called out, quickly moving to block his path before he could take another step. "Don't go, please."

"Get out of my way," He barked, easily maneuvering around the frail witch to stride towards the exit. He raised a hand to push open the library doors and cursed under his breath when they refused to budge even an inch. His shoulders stiffened as he felt the unmistakable tingling of a magical ward against his fingertips.

Great. He thought to himself miserably, it seemed as though he was trapped in the library with the one face he never wanted to see again.

Though he knew he could figure out a way to tear through the wards, he had a feeling that would be going against the wishes of one Narcissa Malfoy. He knew the sly witch had something to do with this, and if his blood wasn't boiling with rage at the moment, he would've been grudgingly impressed by her manipulative tactics.

"You seem upset," The diminutive voice came from behind him. "I take it you weren't expecting to find me in here."

"I wasn't expecting to find you still alive," Hadrian growled, turning around to reluctantly face the other witch. "Yet here you are."

"Here I am," Lily Potter repeated softly. Her eyes watered as she stared at him for a long moment, as though she were afraid he would disappear if she blinked. "It's good to see you, Harr–" She paused, hurrying to correct herself when she saw his eyes narrow at his former name. "I mean, Hadrian."

"I wish I could say the same, Mother." There was a hard edge to his voice as he addressed the other witch. He glanced over his shoulder at the door one last time before letting out a disgruntled noise and walking over to the couch once more. He threw himself onto the chaise rather ungracefully, making a point to avoid the piercing stare directed at him.

"All these years," Lily Potter whispered, slowly walking over to where he sat. She reached a hand out towards him, but then quickly dropped it back to her side when he shot her a withering glare. "I thought I would never see you again."

"As did I," Hadrian muttered to himself. "But apparently we can't always get what we want."

"You wanted to see me dead?"

The corner of his lips curved up into a cruel smirk. "I wanted your soul to be tortured for all of eternity. I settled for seeing you dead."

Lily inhaled sharply. "I see," Her voice cracked as she spoke a few seconds later. "You hate me that much?"

"Hm," Hadrian pretended to think for a moment. "You know, looking back on it, I'm afraid I did take being abandoned as a child rather personally, Mum."

Lily Potter closed her eyes, struck by the harshness in his words. "Hadrian, please," She managed to say, "You have to understand–"

"I don't have to do anything," He interjected. "As far as I'm concerned, we have no relation anymore. I already found a family who truly accepts me for who I am. They supported me when I was alone, and they gave me everything you took away. I don't need you."

"You might not need me, my dear, but I will always need you." Lily Potter smiled sadly. "That's the thing about a mother's love: it's unconditional."

"You abandoned me," Hadrian reminded her cruelly. "You had a choice, and you chose to give me away. How can you claim to need me–to love me–if you've never chosen me?"

Lily sighed, settling into an armchair beside him. Her gaze turned distant as she murmured, "Sometimes people are scared, Hadrian. Fear… it drives people to behave like irrational creatures. It can cloud even the wisest mind, masking any signs of right or wrong. Sometimes…it can even cause you to hurt the ones you love without even realizing it." She hesitantly raised her head to glance at him, "H-Haven't you accidentally hurt someone you loved before?"

Hadrian stilled.

Dark, hooded eyes glittering with stubborn pride…

"S-Stop it…I already told you I would never betray you."

Labored breaths, screams that clawed at his chest…

He blinked, shoving aside the painful memories that filled him with guilt and caused bile to rise in his throat. "I-" He paused, licking his suddenly dry lips. "I don't know what you mean."

"It's a terrible feeling, hurting someone you love." Lily whispered. "After we left you at the Dursley's, I felt this relentless pressure on my chest. It felt like I couldn't breathe. Every time I thought of that heartbroken expression on your face, it made me sick to my stomach. I couldn't even look into the mirror. When I caught a glimpse of myself by accident, all I saw in the reflection was–"

"A monster," Hadrian breathed.

Lily nodded. "When you see the ugliest part of yourself, it becomes hard to shake that image away. It's easy to forget who you are when all you can feel is pain inside."

Hadrian was silent for a moment before hesitantly asking, "Does it ever go away?"

"I wish I could give you an answer, Hadrian." She murmured. "There exists a dark side to all of us–one that usually we fight to keep hidden to the outside world. Ever so often, we have the unfortunate experience of seeing the face of that evil inside of us. We're all capable of truly horrible, unspeakable things. But the control we have over our actions, the restraint we are capable of exhibiting–it's the only thing that separates us from mere animals."

"I need it to go away," Hadrian finally looked over at her. "I need it to stop."

Lily leaned back in the plushy armchair and stared up at the ceiling. "Every time you think of it, you torture yourself with guilt. It will never stop, not even if you seek forgiveness." Her lips curved into a wry smile, "But I've realized that sometimes you need that constant reminder. How else does one learn from their mistakes?"

"Well," He glanced away, suddenly feeling extremely uncomfortable. "It's not like you can abandon me twice."

"I didn't want to leave you the first time," Lily countered, clenching her jaw into a hard line. "You and Alexander–you were a part of me. You were my everything." She stared down at her clasped hands. "But fate has been rather unkind to me. Sometimes–," She paused abruptly before forcing out, "Sometimes, I think this world was created for the sole purpose of keeping us humans miserable."

"What do you mean by that?" Hadrian frowned.

"Are we born to be unhappy?" Lily pursed her lips. "Can there be a day we're not haunted by our own mistakes?" She shook her head. "It feels as though I'm destined to always make the wrong choice."

"Like you're trapped," He whispered. He stared up at the ceiling, letting his eyelids flutter shut. "Like something is tethering you to the past. Like you're constantly living in memories, torturing yourself with guilt."

"I've been a prisoner of my own mind for years," Lily flickered her gaze over to him. "I wish I could help you, Hadrian." Her gaze drew distant as she admitted, "There was a time when I thought earning your forgiveness would help me move on from the past. But after I spent another endless night in Azkaban, staring into the darkness for Merlin knows how long, I realized you had no intention of ever forgiving me." Her lips curved into a slight grimace, "And that in itself was terribly liberating."

"So, you're not asking for my forgiveness anymore?" Hadrian raised a skeptical brow. "Why are you here, then? Why do you want to see me after all these years?"

"You're not capable of forgiveness, Hadrian," She shrugged, though there was a note of bitterness to her words. "I may not even deserve it. I can't change the past, but I can change the future. I couldn't be a part of your life before, but I will do everything in my power to be a part of your life now–even if you despise me for it. Perhaps it's rather selfish of me, but I will not allow myself to lose you again."

"What about Alexander?" Hadrian challenged, gritting his teeth together. "You suddenly don't care for him?"

"I love you both very much, Hadrian," Lily spoke evenly. "But you two are fated to destroy one another. Either way," She let out a heavy sigh, "A part of me will die in the end."

"It didn't have to end this way," He pointed out in a low voice. "You had the power to change our entire future. But no, you chose to divide us the very moment you picked Alexander over me."

"Don't you think I know that already?" She fixed him with a glare, stiffening in her seat. "I've tortured myself for years thinking about how we could have all been happy in another life. If I had just made the right choices, I could've kept my family together." Her hands curled around the arm of the chair. "But what's done is done. Now that I've found you again, I don't plan on making the same mistake twice."

"The past cannot be so easily erased, Mother," He sneered. "Some wounds run deeper than that."

"I don't want to erase the past," She claimed. "I simply want a chance to know you, Hadrian. I may not deserve your forgiveness, but I want a chance to earn your trust once more." She glanced over at him with a thoughtful glint in her eyes as she added, "And as much as you may hate to admit it, I think a part of you wants to give me that chance."

"What in Merlin's name gave you that idea?" He scoffed.

"Well, I'm still alive, for one," Her lips curved into a slight smile. "You've kept me prisoner for over a year now, but you haven't harmed a single hair on my head. Even now, you could've turned your wand on me in an instant, but you didn't."

"Of course, I didn't," Hadrian rolled his eyes. "You're only here so that we can use your presence to draw your cowardly son out of hiding. Not to mention, Narcissa would kill me if I got blood on her carpets."

Lily's smile faded slightly, hiding the way her hands trembled at his admission. She forced the thoughts away, clearing her throat instead as she raised the question, "You care for Narcissa dearly, don't you, Hadrian?" She glanced down at her hands, averting her gaze. "She was there for you when I wasn't. She practically raised you."

"The Malfoys have been kind to me," Hadrian agreed slowly. "I owe them my life." His brows suddenly knit together into a severe frown, "I've done a shite job at repaying them, though."

"What do you mean?"

Hadrian glanced down at his shoes, feeling Lily's intense gaze warm the side of his face. "I hurt someone very close to Narcissa. I hurt someone very close to me."

"Bellatrix Lestrange, I heard."

"How did you know that?" Hadrian snapped his head up to face her, narrowing his eyes. "What did you hear?"

"Narcissa was quite distraught," Lily whispered. "She didn't understand how someone could do such a thing."

Hadrian swallowed hard. "You don't seem very moved by this news," He squinted at her suspiciously. "Does it not disturb you?"

"Of course, it does," Lily sighed. "But I also know why you did it."

"What?" Hadrian blinked at her in disbelief. "How could you possibly know that?"

"Like I said earlier, there's only one reason why normally rational beings behave irrationally," Lily raised an eyebrow. "Fear."

"That's ridiculous," Hadrian barked out a laugh. "I'm not afraid of Bellatrix."

"I didn't say you were," Lily spoke softly. "But you're certainly afraid of something, Hadrian. And until you face your fears, you'll continue to make the same mistakes." An unfamiliar emotion appeared in her eyes as she warned him, "After some time, you'll realize that some mistakes you can never recover from."

"Why are you telling me all this?" Hadrian stared at her quizzically. "I thought you didn't care whether I lived or died."

"I don't want you to be subjected to the same fate as I was." Lily admitted. "I want you to face your fears and become better for it." Her arms folded across her chest as she questioned, "So, tell me. What is it you're afraid of, Hadrian? Death? Losing this war? Losing your standing in society–"

"Look, we aren't nearly close enough to be swapping secrets and chatting away about our deepest, darkest fears," Hadrian snapped irritably. "My fears are a bit more complicated than that. You wouldn't understand."

"You're terribly guarded," Lily Potter remarked after a moment of tense silence. "You don't like people crossing you, and you are quite reluctant to give anyone that's wronged you a second chance."''

"Why give people yet another chance to ruin you?"

"And there it is," Lily Potter gave him a half-smile. "You're afraid to trust those around you."

"Oh, Merlin, somebody inform the Daily Prophet! This is completely new information!" Hadrian mocked her. "Obviously, I'm afraid to trust others," He began with a Snape-worthy sneer, "My own family abandoned me."

"Fair point," Lily muttered. "But you had Narcissa. And the rest of the Malfoys. And you have quite a steady group of friends, including that pretty fiancé of yours." She paused before raising the question, "What makes you so afraid to trust these people, if they've been there for you all along?"

"It's more than just trust," Hadrian stressed, running a hand through his hair. "What if we lose this war? What will happen to them? How could I face them after that–assuming I even survive in the first place?"

"Hadrian," Lily Potter began quietly, "These people have faith in you for a reason–even if you don't realize it yourself. If they can believe in you, why can't you believe in yourself?"

"I-"

"Don't you see, Hadrian? If you continue to doubt yourself, if you continue to live in fear that one day the world might turn on you–you'll push these people away." She averted her gaze as she quickly wiped at a lone tear with the back of her hand. "Take it from someone who lost everything: fear traps us in a mindset that's difficult to shake. The faster you can overcome what terrifies you, the more likely you are to succeed."

"Listen, as much as I appreciate this heart to heart, that doesn't change the fact that I did something horrible." Hadrian licked his suddenly dry lips. "Perhaps the question I should be asking is not whether I can trust others. It's whether they can trust me after this."

"Do you trust me?" Lily Potter asked hesitantly.

Hadrian snorted. "Absolutely not. If I had it my way, I would cast you into the darkest pit of Hades."

"You were always so dramatic, even though you didn't say much as a child," Lily rolled her eyes. "My point is, you don't trust me now, but eventually you will again–"

"Doubtful," Hadrian scoffed.

"You may have lost your family's trust, but eventually they too will learn to trust you again, Hadrian," Lily continued as though she hadn't heard him. "You haven't heard the way they speak about you, my dear. You may not be the Chosen One as declared by the Prophecy, but you're certainly their Savior, in a sense."

Hadrian stilled. "You truly think so?"

"These people are counting on you, Hadrian. It's time you stop allowing your past to haunt you and focus on securing the future you desire. You owe it to them."

"I can't believe I'm saying this," Hadrian slowly shook his head, "But you're right." He jumped out of his chair suddenly, "In fact, what am I even doing here? I need to find Narcissa–Destiny–Hell, even Rodolphus will do."

"Where are you going?" Lily Potter called out as Hadrian strode past her at a surprisingly fast pace. He was at the library doors before she had even gotten out of her own chair, and he paused to face her for a second.

"I'm done looking back," He shrugged, laying his palm flat against the door, and shoving against it with all his might. To his surprise, the door easily swung open this time, and he almost lost his balance, narrowly avoiding faceplanting onto the marble floors right outside.

"Ahem."

The sound of a throat clearing at the end of the hallway startled him, and Hadrian froze when he met the familiar dark eyes of Narcissa Malfoy.

"Hadrian," The blonde witch addressed him coolly. "What are you doing loitering about in the corridors?"

"I came to see you. Draco led me to believe you were expecting me in the library." Hadrian raised an eyebrow, "Imagine my surprise when I find Lily Potter in your place."

"How…odd," Narcissa drawled slowly. She kept her signature neutral expression in check as she asked, "Did you speak with her?"

"We exchanged a few words," He replied stiffly, narrowing his eyes. "Are we really going to pretend you did not purposefully trap me in your library so that I would be forced to speak with my mother?"

"I have no idea what you are accusing me of," Narcissa sniffed in a haughty tone. "Though I hope your manners did not escape you and you managed to hold a civil conversation."

"It was rather enlightening." Hadrian gritted out. "Despite her many faults, she helped me realize a few things."

"Such as?"

He took a deep breath, "Narcissa, I did something terrible. What I did–I can't even ask for your forgiveness because I know I quite frankly don't deserve that. What I can offer you instead is simply a promise."

"Is that all?" Narcissa arched a brow. "I have a decorations crew to direct and caterers to oversee."

"As much as I deeply regret my actions, I'm afraid I can't change the past, Narcissa. I let my fear over the times I've been betrayed in the past cloud my judgement. I should have no reason to not trust you, especially since you and your family have been there for me when nobody else was. I can promise you; I will never make the mistake of doubting your loyalties again."

"Of course, you won't," Narcissa agreed lightly. She leaned in closer until he could smell the subtle floral notes of her perfume. "Because if you even think about turning your wand on your family again, I will find a way to destroy you where you stand." The older witch stepped back and readjusted the diamante clip in her hair. "I saw the fall of one Dark Lord already," Her lips twisted into a grim smile, "What's another?"

Hadrian swallowed hard as she patted his shoulder and continued walking down the hall.

"I expect you and Draco to be fully dressed and standing at the foot of the grand staircase by seven in the evening, sharp," She called back. "Do I make myself clear, Hadrian Riddle?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Good," Narcissa Malfoy nodded to herself. "Oh, and Hadrian?" She paused to face the other wizard with a slightly less threatening smile. "Merry Christmas."

Malfoy Manor [December 25th]

"Where's Destiny?" Hadrian demanded to know as soon as Neville approached their table, notably alone.

"Merlin, what crawled up your arse this evening?" Neville muttered under his breath. "What happened to, 'Hello, Neville. How are you? You look quite dapper. Why, you're practically the most handsome man in this ballroom–"

"I don't care how you are," Hadrian rolled his eyes. "I care to know where my sister is. I've sent her fourteen letters. Has that bloody owl of hers gotten senile with age?"

Neville snorted, "I don't know, Hadrian. Perhaps Inferno has gone on strike. You might have to file a complaint with the Owl Union to get in touch."

"Neville," Daphne interrupted her fiancé before he could curse their friend in the middle of the crowded ballroom. "Perhaps you would be willing to deliver a message to her, seeing as Destiny is understandably reluctant to answer to any of Hadrian's letters at the moment."

"Why would I do that?" Neville raised a brow. "She blocked the floo at Lestrange Manor and has burned all your letters for a reason, mate. She doesn't want to hear a word from you."

"I need to speak with her," Hadrian pursed his lips. "Urgently."

"Tough," Neville sneered at him. "Do you even know what kind of condition she's in? She hasn't left Bellatrix's side in days, Hadrian. She's spent more time in the future than she's spent in the present, driving herself to the brink of exhaustion while she desperately searches for a timeline that shows her mother having a better future." He took a step closer and whispered, "I bet it just kills her even more to know she could've stopped this, had she even had an inkling of doubt." Neville shook his head and stepped back to take a sip of his drink. "Unfortunately, she made the same mistake of trusting you too blindly. She never even imagined you could do something like this."

Hadrian stiffened, and a troubled glint flickered through his eyes as he stepped away from the table abruptly. "If you'll excuse me," He smiled tightly, "I think I see the Minister in need of some company."

Daphne watched with a carefully blank expression as Hadrian walked away from them, making a beeline towards the exit instead of approaching the Minister. She counted to ten in her head and then fixed her friend with a stern expression, "That was unnecessary, Neville. You're being needlessly harsh."

Neville barked out a laugh, though there was nothing amusing about it. "I was wondering when you would step in to defend him. A little late, though, aren't you? He's already left."

"I'm not defending him," Daphne took a delicate sip of her champagne glass. Her eyes darkened as she warned him, "He's trying to make things right, Neville. Don't stand in the way of that."

Neville blinked at her. "Or what?" He scoffed. "You know what he did is unforgiveable, Daphne. For Merlin's sake, Destiny is your best friend; how can you stand to see her suffer like this? You saw how broken she was seeing Bellatrix in that condition." He shook his head and whispered, "When my parents were driven mad by Bellatrix's curse, I was barely a tot. As much as I can say I loved them, I didn't get a chance to know them before they died. Can you imagine losing someone who's been around your entire life?" He swallowed hard. "As much as I despise her, Bellatrix raised Destiny like her own. Can you imagine how Destiny must feel, losing someone that was practically her lifeline?"

"What do you want to do, then?" Daphne glared at him. She took a step closer and raised a brow mockingly, "You're not thinking of running away, now, are you?"

Neville ran his tongue over his teeth in contemplation. "It's certainly an option," He lifted a shoulder half-heartedly. "At least I could protect her if we were far away from this war."

"She's a big girl, Neville," Daphne pursed her lips. "She can make her own decisions. As upset as she may be right now, you know very well she would never turn her back on Hadrian. He's her only family."

"Not anymore. We're betrothed, remember? She has me." Neville's lips rose into a ghost of a smile. "If Hadrian's going to be selfish and look out for his own interests, why shouldn't I?"

"You're taking the coward's way out, Neville," Daphne shook her head.

"Well," Neville rocked back on his heels. "Good thing you lot convinced me on the merits of the Slytherin house instead of Gryffindor. I don't have to prove anything."

"You can't be serious," Daphne watched him step away from the table with narrowed eyes. "This isn't funny, Neville. Hadrian needs you and Destiny. How do you expect to win this war if you walk away from him now?"

Neville shoved his hands into his pockets and pointed out, "I was never in your original plan, Daphne. I'm sure you'll figure something out." He shrugged nonchalantly, "I'm afraid you'll have to. Because until Destiny herself decides to face him, you won't be seeing me around here either."

Daphne felt her grip tighten around the delicate stem of her champagne glass, and she quickly set it back onto the table in an effort to avoid accidentally smashing it to pieces. She was about to gather her shimmering skirts and try to find where the rest of her friends had gone off to, when she suddenly felt a soft tap on her shoulder.

She whirled around to face the dark eyes of Lady Malfoy and before she could drop into a polite curtsy, the other witch held up a hand.

"Miss. Greengrass," Narcissa Malfoy began with a kind, albeit stiff smile. "I hope you are enjoying the festivities."

"Of course, Lady Malfoy," Daphne assured her, hiding her unease behind her usual composed mask. "Might I say, the orchestra you chose this year has been absolutely divine."

"My goodness, I am so relieved to hear that. It was quite a gamble, changing the music at the very last minute," Lady Malfoy agreed. She subtly raised her head towards the massive staircase that could be seen through the open doors of the grand foyer. "It's a shame not all our guests are able to enjoy the music."

Daphne scanned the ballroom and let out an internal sigh when she couldn't spot the one person she was looking for. "Is everything alright?" She spoke through a forced smile.

"Of course, my dear," Narcissa patted her shoulder. "Although we do seem to be missing our guest of honor," She took a step closer to the younger witch and muttered, "Practically the only reason we chose to go through with this charade in the first place."

Daphne waved graciously at a group of her classmates as they passed by. "What's keeping her?" She asked under her breath.

"I'm not quite sure, though she was expected to join us over an hour ago," Narcissa ran her fingers over her diamond necklace and fixed a proper smile on her painted lips. "Would you be a dear and make sure our poor guest hasn't lost her way to the ballroom? I do wish to avoid a scene, of course."

"I'll find her," Daphne promised the other witch. She started to make her way towards the doors, but Narcissa called her name, forcing her to stop in her tracks.

"Oh, and Daphne? You haven't happened to see where Hadrian has gone off to, have you darling?"

Daphne glanced over her shoulder. "I haven't seen him," She smiled apologetically. "I'm sure he'll turn up though. He always does."

The Malfoy Matriarch pressed her lips into a thin line but seemed to accept her answer easily enough. Daphne closed her eyes for a second, letting herself breathe before stepping outside of the ballroom. She began to climb the curved staircase that wrapped all the way up to the third floor with a certain grace she didn't particularly feel inside. It was only moments before she was standing in front of one of the doors in the guest wing, and she raised her hand to knock on the intricately painted door, barely waiting for a response as she stepped inside the room.

"Lady Potter," Daphne Greengrass inclined her head politely in lieu of a proper greeting. "It's been over an hour since the ball started and you've yet to show face. I hardly think it takes you hours to get ready, especially when I know your stylist left the property quite a while ago."

Lily Potter turned back to face the mirror she was seated in front of. She could barely recognize her own reflection. The woman in the mirror had long, reddish hair that had been pinned up into an intricate style and glittered with several sparkling gems. A light layer of makeup had been applied to her features, making them stand out without looking too unnatural. She wore an elegant ballgown made of the softest blue silk, and it complimented the green in her eyes beautifully.

It was hard to believe they were even the same person.

"Lady Potter?" The voice was sharp and unyielding as the younger witch came to stand behind her chair. "Have you any intention of joining the festivities downstairs?"

"I don't belong here," Lily Potter whispered. She raised her eyes to meet the gaze of the blonde witch through the mirror. "I know why you've kept me here for months now. I-I won't be used as a weapon against my own son."

Daphne Greengrass watched her for a moment before asking abruptly, "Do you play chess, Lady Potter?"

"I'm familiar with the game," Lily frowned, confused by the sudden shift in conversation. Though Narcissa had hosted several afternoon tea sessions with her son's intended in attendance, Lily felt as though she didn't truly know anything about the witch standing in front of her. She had once thought Daphne had been a gentle creature, compassionate enough to rescue her from her Azkaban prison–but that theory had quickly been disproven after she had spent a whole year trapped underground. It was quite clear that Daphne hadn't rescued her out of the kindness of her own heart.

"Good," The blonde witch smiled prettily. "Now some people say the king is the most powerful piece because the game is over once the king has fallen, but I disagree. The king is only as powerful as his army."

Lily pursed her lips. "I don't see what this has to do with–"

"Then there's the queen," Daphne adjusted the twinkling diamond comb that sat at the crown of her head. "She's arguably the most useful piece on the board, but that also means she's the largest target. It's not as though she can be protected forever."

"What does this have to do with me?" Lily voiced her question. She watched curiously as Daphne picked up the flute of champagne that she had left untouched on the vanity and took a delicate sip.

"When I play chess," Daphne set down her glass and fixed the other woman with a slight smile, "I like to keep an eye on my pawns."

"I didn't ask for chess advice."

"You'll listen," The younger witch waved her hand dismissively. "Now, there are pawns that are made to be sacrificed, and pawns that will outlast even the strongest pieces on the board. Do you know how they survive the game?"

Lily shook her head, eyes wide.

"They watch the other pieces get sacrificed without complaint," Daphne spoke in a bland tone, as though she were talking about the weather. "They sit quietly and pray for destruction until it leaves them with a clear path. If they travel far enough, they can even become a queen themselves towards the end."

"What does that mean?" Lily asked her in a hesitant tone.

"It means you can give your loyalty, and perhaps even your life to a useless cause," Daphne shrugged as she picked up her flowing skirts and began to walk to the door. "Or you can join the party downstairs and let the destruction clear you a path to victory."

---

Hadrian Riddle walked through the empty second floor corridor, fully intent on locking himself in his room and pretending this whole night had never happened. He had just pushed through the door to his private chambers within Malfoy Manor, when suddenly he heard a giggle ring through the air.

Hadrian frowned, quickly pulling out his wand. "Who's there?" He waved his hands and the heavy chandelier that hung in the center of his room lit up.

"What the–"

"Merlin, Hadrian," Blaise squinted at him through the flood of sudden light. "What the bloody hell are you doing in here?"

"What am I doing in h–This is my fucking room, Blaise!" Hadrian stared at his friend incredulously. "What in blistering hippogriff made you think you could sneak up to my room for another quickie?" He made a face and groaned, "How am I supposed to sleep in here knowing you've defiled my bed!"

"The piano too," Blaise shrugged. At the murderous look he received in return, he held his hands up in mock surrender, "What! I just thought you should know in advance."

"This is just–" Hadrian shook his head. "Couldn't you find somewhere else to bring your flavor of the month? This manor has almost thirty bedrooms, why in Merlin's name did you have to pick mine?"

"This flavor of the month has a name, you know," An irritated voice spoke up. A curtain of long, red hair fell over Blaise's shoulder as Ginevra Weasley peeked her face over his arm. "You know, we've met several times. You don't have to keep pretending like you don't recognize me, Hadrian."

"Little Ginny Weasley?" Hadrian scoffed. He pinched the bridge of his nose in clear annoyance. "I thought you two were supposed to take it slow." He shook his head and growled, "What part of this–" He made a disgusted face as he gestured to their intwined position, "Says taking it slow?"

"England is so old-fashioned. Just because we're taking this relationship thing slow doesn't mean that we need to act like it's the dark ages. You know, I've already seen her ankles before, perhaps I should be stoned to death now?" Blaise rolled his eyes.

"I don't understand this," Hadrian shook his head. "One minute you're chasing after every skirt you see and now all of a sudden, you're crazy for little Ginny Weasley?"

"Will you please stop calling me that–"

"Listen, Hadrian, not all of us are lucky enough to have some kind of perfect little fairytale like you and Daphne," Blaise snapped. He ignored Hadrian's affronted look and continued harshly, "Some people simply aren't destined for that future. Some people need time to find the right person–if they even exist. They make mistakes along the way and get hurt countless times," Blaise reached over to grab his suit jacket absentmindedly. "We're barely seventeen–do you really think all of us can be ready to make such a big decision about our future?" He tossed his jacket over Ginevra's shoulders and pointed out, "I'm not sure about what comes next, but does it matter? I'm sure about her now. We just wanted to give our relationship a chance–is that so hard to believe?"

Hadrian opened his mouth to say something, but then abruptly closed it. After a second, he let out a long sigh and muttered, "I just don't get why you had to make my bedroom the setting for your stupid coming-of-age teenage romance."

Blaise smirked, "Look, we just thought this would be the one place nobody would dare to enter. Clearly, we were wrong."

"I honestly don't even have words for you right now," Hadrian glowered, "I hope you know the only reason I haven't cursed your arse out the window is because you're the only one of our idiot friends I can find tonight."

Blaise batted his lashes, "How kind of you. Have ever I told you that I love being your last choice?"

"Seriously, Blaise, you have four seconds to get dressed and meet me in the cigar lounge before I toss you off the balcony." Hadrian scowled. He paused before he reached the door to add, "Oh, and I hope you two have thought of a way to clean my entire room and replace all this furniture before the night ends."

Blaise huffed in annoyance, "Where am I supposed to get a limited edition Gronqui piano at this hour?"

Hadrian shrugged, "Perhaps you should've thought of that before acting like a randy little schoolboy."

Blaise waited until his friend had left the room before muttering, "Good thing we didn't tell him about the wall. I don't think Narcissa would take kindly to construction in the middle of the night."

---

Daphne Greengrass rested her hand over the railing of the balcony that overlooked the ballroom, observing the guests below with a self-satisfied gleam in her dark blue eyes. The fourteen-piece orchestra in the back was playing a hauntingly beautiful tune, but it wasn't enough to drown out the noise of the hushed whispers that seemed to spread through the crowd like wildfire.

She watched carefully as Lily Potter sat at a table near the front, mechanically poking at her salad as she tried to avoid the curious stares all around her. Not one guest had dared to approach her just yet, but Daphne knew it was only a matter of time before a member of the press would make their way over to her.

It wasn't every day the world got to see a ghost from the past.

A pleased expression appeared on her face as she saw Narcissa and Lucius walk over to the table with another infamous member of their inner circle. They settled into the chairs around Lily, forcing her to make small conversation and chat away as though they were old friends from their schooldays. As the press continued to snap their pictures at a more frantic speed, the whispers around the ballroom grew louder and louder.

She was about to step away from the railing when she felt a heavy hand curl around her waist. Daphne smiled as she felt the lightest fingertips trace up her bare arm, "Where have you been–"

Her words suddenly turned into a muffled shriek as a hand covered her mouth and the arm around her waist tightened into a vice-like grip, lifting her off the ground.

"If you make a sound or try to run," A familiar voice hissed into her ear, "I'll break your little neck right here, I swear to Merlin."

Daphne's eyes widened and she began to thrash wildly, struggling to escape from the harsh hold. Heavy curtains grazed her cheek as her captor dragged her out of the balcony, pulling her into the adjacent long, low-ceiling room that served as the Malfoy art gallery.

His bruising fingertips dug into her hips, and Daphne blindly threw her elbow back, hitting him square in the chest. Though he stumbled back slightly, his hold didn't falter. In fact, it only seemed to make him angrier.

He hissed a silencing spell under his breath, moving the hand that covered her mouth to her hair. He ripped the long, golden strands out of her perfect hairstyle and wrapped his fist around her thick hair, forcing her forcing her to tilt her head back and let out a pained gasp.

Her eyes burned with stinging tears as she felt cold lips press against the shell of her ear, "What did I just say, Greengrass?"

Daphne pressed her eyes shut and her heartbeat raced as the hand in her hair yanked her closer. She gritted her teeth together, focusing on the violent magic inside of her that was just itching to lash out. She ignored the tightness in her throat and let her careful control over her magic snap, quickly stepping away as soon as she heard a pained shout and the arms around her instantly dropped.

She pulled her wand out of the holster at her thigh, barely giving the other wizard a second before she whirled around and blasted him into the wall with a powerful curse.

"Alexander Potter," She muttered under her breath, adjusting the glittering diamond hairpiece she wore with one hand as she held him at wand point. "What an unpleasant surprise."

The other wizard smirked at her arrogantly, and Daphne blinked at the familiar planes of his face, the small dimple in his right cheek, and the subtle crookedness of his smile. She had never given Alexander a second glance, but as she stared closely this time, she couldn't help but notice the disturbing similarities between him and–

"Come now, Greengrass," Alexander pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose with a slight wince. "Is that any way to greet your fellow classmate?"

She smoothed down her golden dress, ignoring the underlying taunt in his voice. "Why are you here, Potter?" She let out a disinterested sigh, "If you wanted an invitation so badly, you certainly didn't have to assault me for it."

"I bet Riddle slaps you around all the time and you enjoy it," Potter shrugged indifferently. "Thought I'd see what the fuss was all about."

Her eyes hardened. "Get out," She snapped at him, dropping her uncaring expression at his obvious provocation. "If someone finds you in here, you won't leave alive, Potter. I suggest you gather what little dignity you have and leave before that happens."

He watched her with an unapologetic leer, "You are quite a pretty little thing, you know," He eyed the sliver of flawless skin that peeked out of the slit in her dress, "I can see why my brother likes you so much."

Though her expression remained carefully blank, Alexander Potter caught the way her eyes narrowed a fraction at his words. His smile widened in triumph at the small but telling reaction.

"Has the wilderness gotten to your head, Potter," Daphne sniffed haughtily, "Last I checked, you were an only child."

Alexander Potter tilted his head back against the slight crack in the wall as he observed her shrewdly. "I can't tell if you don't know the truth, or if you're just a good liar," He breathed. "I'm guessing it's the latter."

He stood up from the marble floor, completely ignoring the wand pointed at him. He took a step in her direction, only to be forced to step aside as a stunning spell left her wand without hesitation.

"I told you to get away from me, Potter," Daphne Greengrass raised her head with a threatening glint in her eyes. "People don't get to harm me and walk away unscathed."

"I'm not scared of your boyfriend, Greengrass," Alexander snorted.

"You should be," Daphne smirked. "But in any case, I wasn't talking about Hadrian. I'm a perfectly capable witch on my own. I'd suggest you keep your hands to yourself, or I'll remove them from your body."

"Who knew the ice queen had some fire to her?" He snickered, though he held his hands up in mock surrender. "Calm down, Greengrass. I don't have to use Riddle's arm candy to get to him. I do have some manners, you know." He gave her a faux sympathetic look, "For all we know, he probably wouldn't come to your rescue anyways, selfish bastard."

Daphne smiled at him sweetly, "Why are you here, Potter? I don't remember your name being on the guest list."

He pressed a finger to his lips in a Sshh motionand whispered, "Don't tell anyone, but I'm crashing the party."

"Did you really think you could waltz into my home without my notice?" A sharp voice called out from the large double doors that marked the entryway to the gallery.

"Hadrian Riddle," Alexander sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as the tall wizard strolled toward them with an eerily cold glint in his eyes. "Impeccable timing, as always."

He noted the sleek black robes the other wizard wore and raised a brow, "Excuse me for my rather drab choice of robes, Riddle, I wasn't aware there was a dress code."

"Daphne," Hadrian barely glanced at her, but his voice dripped with the inherent command.

She swallowed hard, glancing between the two wizards before quickly crossing the room to stand at Hadrian's side. She raised an eyebrow when he immediately ran a possessive hand over her hip, curling his arm around her waist to pull her closer.

Alexander noticed the rather unsubtle action and rolled his eyes. "Merlin, I'm not here for your little toy." He crossed his arms over his chest, "Since we're doing life updates now, you should know I'm kind of seeing Parvati Patil. You remember her, don't you?" He grinned, "You dated her twin sister for a while. Isn't that a funny coincidence?"

"Did you only come here to reminisce?" Hadrian snapped. "Get to the point."

"I'm just saying, in a different universe we could've gone on double dates and it would've been–" He cursed softly as an even stronger invisible force slammed him back into the wall, nearly shattering the side of his jaw this time. "Fuck."

"You've already made a mistake by coming here tonight, Potter," Hadrian barely raised his voice, but it was a harsh echo in the otherwise silent room. "Don't dig yourself a deeper grave by disrespecting my fiancé like that."

"Fiancé, huh?" Alexander raised his brows to his hairline. "I suppose congratulations are in order," He smiled, though it was anything but kind, "You two move fast. Don't tell me, am I going to be an uncle soon?"

"The only thing you're going to be is dead," Hadrian rolled his eyes.

Alexander Potter wiped away the drop of sweat that clung to his brow. "Is that really any way to treat your brother? I certainly expected some more hospitality from you, considering you've been masquerading as part of the pureblood elite for years now."

Hadrian stared at the other wizard for a long moment before letting out a dark chuckle that caused even Daphne to stiffen underneath his arm. He shook his head, tucking his hands into his pockets as he watched Alexander Potter struggle to sit up against the wall.

"Finally," Hadrian smirked at the other wizard. "I was starting to wonder whether you'd die without ever knowing the truth."

"I've known for a while now," Alexander raised his chin with false bravado. "I've been waiting a year to approach you and figure out what's going on in that sick little head of yours."

"That took you a whole year?" Hadrian asked dryly, not bothering to hide the amusement that bled through his words.

"I've been busy with other things," Alexander hissed, glaring over at Daphne as she stifled a laugh. "I've spent so much time thinking about how I would destroy you, Hadrian Riddle."

Hadrian leaned down slightly to fix his brother with a cruel smile. "You might've spent a whole year plotting my demise, Potter. But I've had a lifetime to think about all the ways I'll tear your life apart." There was a heavy creak as the large double doors to the gallery were pushed open, and Hadrian stepped back with a pleased expression. "But first, why not have a proper family reunion?"

Alexander Potter swallowed hard as a tearful cry rang through the air and he saw Blaise Zabini pull a petite witch through the gallery despite her protests. He felt his mouth dry up completely at the sight of the familiar face, and a sharp breath escaped him as he whispered, "Mum."

The red-haired witch glanced up and her eyes widened at the sight of her son struggling to sit up against the cracked wall. "Alexander I–" Her words turned into a muffled shout as Blaise Zabini impatiently tugged her along. He approached the back of the gallery where Hadrian and Daphne stood, carelessly tossing the older witch onto the ground at Hadrian's feet. He made a show of brushing off his suit and turned to face Alexander with a slight frown.

"Is this some sort of Make-A-Wish situation?" Blaise raised an eyebrow in question before anyone could speak. He noticed the blank looks of confusion he received in return, and he shrugged. "What? Hermione told me about some sob muggle charity that goes around granting dying children one last wish. Like a genie in a lamp, but much more depressing." He gestured to Alexander with the same level of disgust someone would give a wild animal, "Is this why you told me to fetch Mrs. Potter? So, Potter here could see his mummy one last time before we kill him off?"

Hadrian opened his mouth to respond, but then simply settled for shaking his head.

"Mum?" Alexander Potter repeated, watching his mother as silent rears ran down her face. He noted the long blue formal dress she wore and the sparkling clips in her reddish hair. "Wh-What have they done to you?"

"Don't worry, we've treated your mother with the utmost respect, Potter," Hadrian informed him casually. "It's not like she's being held in the dungeons and tortured every second of every day."

"I didn't ask you," Alexander hissed. He tried to force himself on his feet and take a step towards her, only to run into some sort of invisible wall that sent an electrical shock up his spine. He flinched violently. "What did they do to you, Mum?" He demanded to know.

Lily Potter pressed her eyes shut, pushing herself up into a more dignified sitting position on the floor. She glanced back over her shoulder to see Hadrian's heavy gaze and she whispered, "I-I've been treated quite well here, Alexander."

"Is he forcing you to say that? Blink twice if he–"

"No, no," Lily Potter blurted out, "I promise, they haven't harmed me, sweetheart."

Alexander nodded sharply. Suddenly his face paled and he choked out, "Merlin–I–I can't believe you're really alive." He let out a loud exhale, "And it's really you. I knew you weren't dead! I told everyone that you were alive. They didn't believe me, but I knew deep inside that you were still out there, Mother."

Blaise scoffed. "I don't really blame them, to be honest."

Lily Potter gave her son a half-smile and pressed her lips into a thin line, "I missed you so much, Alexander. I–I thought about you every day since the last time I saw you in Azkaban with your father."

Alexander Potter stilled, and a sudden frown came over his face. "But," He paused abruptly before forcing out, "If you've been here all this time–If they claim to have left you unharmed–" His eyes widened, "Why didn't you try to find me? Why-Why didn't you let me know you were alright?"

"Because I–"

"Don't you understand, Potter?" Hadrian stepped forward with a certain arrogance only he seemed capable of exhibiting. "She didn't find you because she didn't want to." He lowered his voice, as though he were revealing a hushed secret, "She didn't contact you, because she chose to stay here."

Alexander reared back as though he had been slapped. He immediately shook his head at Hadrian's words. "No, no, no," He chanted under his breath. He let out a bitter laugh, "Nice try, Riddle, but you can't fool me with your stupid little mind games anymore. My mother would never willingly stay with you disgusting, evil-minded, horrible–"

"Would I lie to my dear brother?" Hadrian's lips curved into a wicked smirk at the resulting glare he received from Alexander. "Right–I certainly would." He pursed his lips as though he were deep in thought. "I do suppose I can offer you some proof." He gestured to the witch still sitting on the ground between them. "How about this, Potter? I'll let you walk out of here–unscathed–with mother dearest," He smiled widely, ignoring the surprised glances he received from everyone in the room. "If, she agrees to go with you–willingly."

Alexander narrowed his eyes. "Is this some kind of trick?"

"No, of course not," Hadrian's gaze twinkled with an unfamiliar emotion. "I'm a wizard of my word. If she chooses to go with you, I won't stop you."

The other wizard furrowed his brows, "Fine, then." He looked over at his mother and his eyes softened, "Let's go mother." He held out a hand expectantly.

A nearly insufferable moment of silence stretched between them as Lily Potter lowered her eyes to the floor and didn't move.

"Mum," Alexander Potter repeated impatiently, "I don't even care if this is a trick. Let's get out of here while we can. I came all the way here for you." He tapped his foot as he waited for his mother to rise from the floor and make her way over to him. "Mum," He gritted out after another minute had passed. "I said let's go."

Lily Potter bit her lip, clenching the fabric of her beautifully embroidered evening gown between fingers. She refused to make eye contact, seeming intent on keeping her gaze to the large crack in the tile that ran through the ground.

After a few more minutes of inaction, Alexander growled and attempted to march forward, curling his hand around her thin wrist to haul her up himself if he had to. To his surprise, he found himself blasted back into the wall again, and the sharp electric current he had felt earlier ran up his body once more, forcing him to let out a low groan.

"Potter," Hadrian Riddle shook his head, though a flicker of amusement shined through his façade of disapproval. "I thought I told you that she had to go willingly. Merlin, do they not teach you about consent on that side?"

"You're one to talk," Alexander retorted fiercely. "You and your fellow Death Eaters have been raping and killing women and children since the beginning of your sick regime."

"In case you haven't noticed," Hadrian shot him an annoyed look, "We stopped doing that ages ago."

"Right, sorry," Alexander sneered. "I forgot your recent tactics have been limited to silently murdering the entire order and placing your puppets all over the Ministry."

"What murders?" Hadrian asked innocently.

"What did you do to my mother, Riddle?" Alexander barked instead. "Have you imperioused her? She looks sick to her stomach and isn't hearing any of my words."

"Oh, I can assure you that she can hear you just fine," Hadrian spoke evenly. "Like I told you before, we haven't harmed a pretty little hair on her head."

"Then why isn't she responding to me?" Alexander hissed. He stared at his mother with wide eyes, "Mum, please, let's get out of here. I can protect you from whatever they've done to you–"

"He's like a broken record, isn't he?" Hadrian glanced over at Blaise who simply looked bored by the scene in front of him. "How many times do I have to tell you, Potter? We haven't done anything to her. She's not leaving with you, because she doesn't want to."

"That's not true," Alexander snapped. "She chose me before. She's always chosen me."

Hadrian stepped back and an icy look appeared in his eyes. "Is that so?" He murmured softly. He pulled his wand out of his pocket and abruptly decided, "This whole thing is taking far longer than I anticipated. Why don't we make this decision easier for dear, old mum?"

Without any warning, he used his magic to force Alexander Potter to his knees. The other wizard's gasp made Lily finally glance up, and Hadrian held the elder witch's gaze as he whispered, "Crucio."

Alexander Potter let out a loud scream, immediately falling back and running his fingers up and down his arms in an effort to soothe the white-hot fire that raced through his nerves. He sucked in a strangled breath as he felt a heavy leather shoe over his throat, and black spots danced over his vision as he saw Hadrian Riddle grind his shoe into his windpipe.

"Do you want to leave with Alexander, mother?" Hadrian arched a brow in question at Lily. "All I need to hear are the magic words, and I'll leave you both be."

Before she could respond, he gritted his teeth together, waving his hand and muttering another dark curse under his breath, watching in sick satisfaction as Alexander's arm twisted at an odd angle, easily snapping his bones.

Alexander howled in pain, though Hadrian felt his attention snap to Lily Potter when she let out a piercing sob and buried her face in her hands at the gruesome sight. Hadrian felt his jaw clench into a tight line, and he marched over to the witch still crying on the ground.

He ripped her hands away from her face and ignored her shocked expression.

"Watch," His voice was cold as he spoke to his mother. "If I'm a monster, it's because of you."

Lily heard her other son cry out again, and she instinctively stumbled forward, only to freeze as she noticed Hadrian lean down behind her from her peripheral vision.

"If you take one more step towards him, Mother," Hadrian whispered into her ear, causing the light dusting of hair over her neck to stand up in fear, "I'll make sure you'll never be able to come back to me. In fact, I'll make it so you won't even be able to see my fucking picture in the Daily Prophet, let alone get close to me again."

"H-Hadrian, please," Lily sobbed, not even bothering to wipe away the fat tears that flew freely from her eyes. "I can't–I can't be forced to choose between my sons again."

"Oh, mother," Hadrian smoothed his hand over her hair in a cruel charade of affection. "I'm not asking you to choose between us. I'm giving you a chance to make things right." His voice was soothing as he spoke, "Don't you want all to be forgiven?"

He pulled back for a second, only to hurl another curse at the nearly unconscious Alexander Potter. A smattering of blood coated the far wall as a large gash appeared across the other wizard's stomach and he let out another scream.

"Please," Lily closed her eyes, "Don't do this, Hadrian. I know my actions caused you to end up on this side, but you don't have to follow anyone. You can come with us. You can let Alexander go and–"

Hadrian burst out laughing, cutting off Lily's desperate pleas rather abruptly. "It seems I've made a mistake," He announced to no one in particular. He waved his wand until Alexander Potter was pinned against the wall, forcing his head up into a straight position so he could look his brother in the eyes.

"You both seem to think I'm redeemable," Hadrian began softly. "You think I'm just some wayward member of the Death Eaters, keeping my head down and listening to orders."

"Like a good little servant," Alexander Potter managed to hiss, despite the blossoming welt that had swelled at his cheek.

"Right," Hadrian drawled slowly, "Let's clear that up now. Broaden your imagination a bit. The last you saw me; I was a lonely little child you decided to abandon." He bit his lip to suppress a smile, "You should've kept closer tabs on me."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"I thought Narcissa took you in," Lily whispered. "You said you were raised by–"

"Lord Voldemort," Hadrian finished smoothly. "Or Tom Riddle, as you might know him by."

Alexander growled, "Why would that sick psycho ever want you?"

"He wanted an heir it seemed," Hadrian shrugged, brushing off the insult. "Little did he know–that heir would grow up to be his very demise."

"I don't follow," The other wizard laughed, wincing as the gash across his stomach stretched slightly from his laugh.

"Merlin, I forgot how slow you are," Hadrian shook his head. "The Dark Lord you know of has been dead for years. I should know–" His lips twisted into a smug smirk, "I was the one who killed him."

"You–You killed Tom?" Lily breathed, glancing over at him in surprise. "But that means–This entire time–You've been–"

"Hadrian Riddle," Blaise bent down with a mocking bow, "The Dark Lord the world has been admiring for the past few years."

Alexander froze. His face turned a deathly shade of white and he began to stammer, "Y-You're the–We've been hunting you for the past year?"

"Past few years," Daphne corrected, stepping forward to place a hand on Hadrian's shoulder with a secret smile. "Isn't he magnificent?"

"I-I-"

"While this has been a fantastic waste of my time," Blaise glanced over at his friends, "Can we get on with it? I have some interior designing to do."

Daphne shot him a confused look, but her attention was quickly redirected when she felt someone step on her gown. Her dark eyes grew wide as Lily Potter kneeled in front of her feet, clasping her hands together as she started to beg, "Please." The elder witch glanced over at Hadrian, "Please don't hurt him, H-Hadrian. You don't have to do this."

Hadrian snorted and moved away from her, tossing another curse at Alexander just for good measure. "If you want to save him, be my guest mother," He informed her curtly. "But just know you'll never get another chance to see me again. You better hope those shoes Narcissa picked out for you are comfortable–because if I find you again, I'll make you drown in his blood."

Lily cried harder and glanced over at Daphne. "You can't let him do this to my son, Daphne." She pleaded, "You know it's wrong. Alexander–he's innocent. He shouldn't pay for my mistakes." Her voice grew more urgent as she said, "I know there's some compassion in you. You saved me from Azkaban and you made sure I was treated alright and–"

Daphne raised a perfectly shaped brow. "Unfortunately, Lady Potter, even my supposed compassion has its limits." Something in her gaze softened at the distraught expression on the other woman's face and she leaned down to whisper, "The more you try to help him, the worse it will be for your son." She tucked back a lock of golden hair and advised, "The best you can do is stay silent and do as Hadrian asks. If you turn against him now," Daphne swallowed hard. "He won't spare either of you."

Lily bit her tongue, choking down the fresh tears that threatened to spring up at Daphne's words. Alexander let out another harsh cry, and she flinched, burying her face into her shoulder.

"Mum," The strangled whisper rang loud and clear in the silent room. "Please just tell him you want to leave. Please make him stop."

Lily burst into sobs and shook her head, "Alex, honey, I–" She licked her suddenly dry lips and ignored the harsh expression her son was bestowing upon her. "I can't."

Alexander Potter stiffened, barely finding the strength to hold his head up. "It's true then," He breathed, a dark expression whirling in his eyes like smoke. "You choose him."

"Alexander, please–"

"I defended you," Alexander cried out with a gut-wrenching scream. "I left dad, for you. I left everything behind to come save you." He let out a disgusted sound, "He's literally torturing the life out of me–but you're somehow still choosing him?" He shook his head, "Why?"

"You don't understand, Alexander," Lily pressed her eyes shut, "I made a mistake and–"

"I don't fucking CARE," Alexander shouted, causing the windows that lined the ceiling to explode and rain shards of glass from the perimeter of the room. A sudden gust of wind blew through the gallery, violently causing the chandeliers above to shake and blowing the paintings off their position on the walls. He ripped away from the wall, clenching his jaw as though he was pulling himself out of thick cement. "Why would you do this to me?"

"Alexander," Lily blinked back her tears and choked out, "I love you. But I need you to please leave here without me."

"I don't bloody take orders from–"

"Merlin," Blaise Zabini let out a loud sigh. "This has got to be the absolute worst soap opera I've ever seen. Can you please finish him off already, so I don't have to hear his annoying cries for mummy dearest?"

Hadrian checked his watch, "You're right, we do have a Christmas ball to return to. Narcissa will be very upset if I ignore her efforts." He fixed his sleeves and raised his wand, "Any last words Potter?"

"Please–" Lily Potter shouted suddenly, "Please don't kill him here. Please don't do this in front of me." She lowered her voice, "I-I did exactly as you wanted. Please–just–please don't kill him now."

Hadrian narrowed his eyes. "Fine," He spoke after a tense moment, ignoring the flash of relief that graced his mother's face. He hid a smile as he gestured to his friend, "Blaise will do it after we leave."

"No, that's not what I–"

He nodded over at Blaise, ignoring the protests that came from his mother. "Blaise, can you finish this?"

The Italian winked. "I believe I am an expert at that." He paused as his words registered and winced, "Wait, I didn't mean it like–."

"Blaise, can you refrain from making your crass jokes in front of my mother?"

"Sorry, my lord," Blaise smiled cheekily. "I'll join you in a moment," He wagged his finger in mocking stern manner, "Don't have too much fun without me."

Hadrian rolled his eyes, offering Daphne an arm as Blaise stepped forward to add some more ropes to Alexander Potter. He hesitated for a second, but then steeled his shoulders back and reached out a hand to his mother.

She stared at him for a long, excruciating moment before reluctantly slipping her hand into his and allowing him to pull her to her feet. Hadrian smiled benevolently as she clung onto his other arm, and with a merry whistle he started escorting them both towards the door.

They had just barely reached the exit when Alexander's voice rang through the air.

"Mum?" Alexander called for her with a harsh yell. "If you leave me here–If you choose him over me–Y-You'll be dead to me. I will never forgive you."

Lily Potter gritted her teeth, keeping her eyes trained on a spot above the door to resist the urge to turn around. "I made a terrible mistake years ago, Alexander," She spoke softly. "I've been dead ever since."

---

Hadrian Riddle tried his best to hide the triumphant grin that threatened to break through his aloof expression as he twirled the witch around the dance floor. Her long, red hair fanned out beautifully as he spun her in a perfect circle, making sure her steps perfectly aligned with his.

"You're a good dancer," Hadrian complimented her lightly, though she pointedly avoided his gaze.

"I had to learn," Lily Potter frowned. "Arabella Potter–James's grandmother–was a wretched stickler for pureblood etiquette. It absolutely galled her to know her only grandson was marrying a muggleborn."

"Regardless." He noticed her blank expression and he leaned down to whisper, "Smile, Mother. People are watching us, expecting this to be a happy moment and you look like you're at a funeral."

"Aren't I?"

"That's beside the point," He shrugged. He was about to say something else, but someone tapped his shoulder and he frowned in disapproval. He whirled around to tell them off, but his annoyance dried up suddenly at the sight of the pale-faced blonde witch that stood in front of him.

"Hadrian," She darted her eyes across the ballroom in paranoia, ignoring the new whispers that arose at her presence. Although she wore a dress, it was certainly far too simple to be worn to a gala thrown by the Malfoys, and as a result she stood out like a sore thumb. Her hair had been messily tied up, though a few curly pieces had fallen out, making her look like she had a mane of frizzy hair. In the sea of painted faces and coiffed hair, her bare face made her look like she had intruded upon a completely different event.

"Destiny," Hadrian breathed, noticing the stares around them and quickly moving to pull her aside. His lips curved up into a smile, "You came. Did you see my letters?"

"I don't care about your letters right now, Hadrian," Destiny snapped, frustratingly pulling at her hair. She grabbed his shoulders and whispered, "Did you already see Alexander Potter?"

Hadrian frowned. "Yes, we just–uh–" He quickly trailed off as Destiny darted away from him with a frantic urgency to her steps. "What's going on Destiny?" He chased after her, ignoring the curious looks that followed them. "Not that I'm criticizing your current outfit, but why are you–"

"I wasn't planning on coming tonight," She snapped. "And before you get any ideas, I certainly didn't come here for you."

Hadrian swallowed. "Then, why are you here? I believe Neville went home already so–"

"I don't care about Neville right now," She grabbed his suit by the lapels and shook his shoulders. "Listen to me very carefully, Hadrian." She licked her lips and questioned, "Where is Blaise?"

Hadrian shrugged, waving a hand dismissively, "He's taking care of Alexander Potter. Lily said I couldn't kill him in front of her, but she didn't say Blaise couldn't kill him."

Destiny blinked and her eyes grew even more panicked, if possible. "How long ago did you leave them?" She demanded to know. "Where is Blaise? I wasn't able to see past–"

"Is something wrong?" Hadrian called after her as she suddenly took off up the stairs. He followed behind her, his long strides easily catching up to her fast pace. "Do you think Potter somehow escaped?"

"Hadrian," Destiny glanced over her shoulder and spat, "The Prophecy. Neither can live while the other survives–If that theory is true, then Blaise won't be able to kill him."

"What?" Hadrian arched a brow at her as he trailed after her down the very corridor he had left earlier. "The prophecy doesn't say Potter can't be killed by other people, though. Besides, even if Blaise doesn't kill him, he can still get a few good hits in."

"Do you really want to stand here and nitpick a divine prophecy to find a loophole?" Destiny snapped. "It's called a divine prophecy for a reason."

"Shite," He cursed aloud, running past Destiny back to the art gallery. He could hear she was at his heels as he pushed the doors back open, only to immediately stop in his tracks.

A soft breeze from the open windows blew the freezing December air into the rooms, making it feel as though they had stepped foot in some sort of museum. Priceless pieces of art were framed for eternity on the walls, although some had been blown off their frames and now hung crookedly by a single nail.

Destiny let out a loud sob behind him, and only then did Hadrian see the single body that was sprawled across the marble floor, eyes open and unblinking to the world. He felt himself move mechanically as Destiny ran over to the dark-haired man that lay still on the ground.

"No, no, no, no," Destiny started to cry as she saw the familiar blue eyes and soft smile that still clung to his full lips. The usual excited gleam in his eyes was missing, however, instead replaced by an empty look so dull, Hadrian couldn't help but shiver where he stood.

Destiny turned around face his chest, and he automatically felt his arms encircle her as loud sobs wracked through her petite frame. He felt his throat tighten up at the gruesome sight and he choked down his own emotions as Blaise's dark eyes stared up at the chandelier. A heavy puddle of blood bloomed from his crisp white dress robes, and Hadrian felt his stomach lurch as he followed the trail of blood up to the wall that he had personally hung Alexander Potter on earlier that evening.

Instead of Alexander, Hadrian's eyes hardened as the light reflected off the still wet blood that was sickeningly painted on the walls. He followed the careful strokes of the blood, reading the message over and over and over until he felt something inside of him snap:

You requested a war? Why don't you count this as our first move.