Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters. That honor belongs solely to J.K. Rowling. I don't make any kind of money or profit out of this story; it is purely for my reader's enjoyment.

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Looking at the sunset brightening the dark sky, Orion silently mused over the fact that everything seemed to have changed since that days weeks ago when he had been called into Dumbledore's office and first laid his eyes on one Hadrian Altair Peverell.

He just hoped that nothing bad would happen. He had heard some rumors about a new Dark Lord rising in Britain and Orion was more than a little apprehensive about such a threat.

Dark Lords always brought forth chaos and death after all.

Chapter 5 – The beginning

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, headmaster of the renowned wizarding school Hogwarts, Surpreme Wugwump and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot was certainly not happy. All of his current problems had started out months ago when he had received an application for the once again vacant position of the Defense against the Dark Arts teacher.

His mind had halted in its insistent scheming for a second when he had seen the name on the resume.

Peverell.

That cursed name, that powerful name, that long lost name; he wanted its power. He needed its influence and resources in order to defeat Tom, to defeat the new Dark Lord. He had thought it to be his lucky day, thought Mother Magic was rewarding him for his valiant defense of the Wizarding World, and had not hesitated in inviting the young man, Hadrian Altair Peverell for an interview.

After all, the young man was merely that – a young man, ready to flourish under his guidance and in return he would allow Albus to show him the way to the Light.

But Hadrian Peverell was nothing he could have imagined – the young wizard held himself with a pureblood's countenance, secure in his power and knowledge and entirely too independent.

Yet while a part of him couldn't help but lament lost and wasted opportunities, another part of him, a long buried and forgotten part – felt something indescribable.

Perhaps it was this part of him – that particular feeling he couldn't even begin to describe that had always stayed his hand when he had contemplated on how to deal with that stubborn and misguided young man.

But Orion Black's appearance – and their apparent mutual liking towards one another – had swiftly changed the game. Albus Dumbledore was well versed in the pureblood beliefs and traditions, no matter how much he pretended not to be; so linking their interesting first meeting in his office to the white bow currently adorning Hadrian Peverell's left wrist was not too difficult.

But the question was how he should use that information. Dumbledore ignored the small, quickly quieted voice inside his mind that accused him of becoming more and more like those he was trying to shield the Wizarding World from.

If there was one thing that his time with Gellert had taught him- it was that everything was for the Greater Good.

No matter whose.

Albus Dumbledore was shaken out of his quiet contemplation, when he sensed the ward placed upon the entrance to the Headmaster's office flare briefly, and it actually took him a moment to equal Minerva's arrival with the staff meeting that was about to begin in a few minutes.

The relatively young Scottish witch wore her brown hair in her typical severe bun as she entered his office, the first signs of age lining her face. As the other professors slowly trickled into his office, Albus couldn't help but subtly observe Hadrian Peverell who was seemingly in a deep conversation with Horace Slughorn, his resident Potion's Teacher.

With a quiet cough, Albus called his colleagues attention so that they could start. Still for the rest of the meeting, Albus Dumbledore couldn't shake this insistent feeling that everything had fallen into place with the arrival of Hadrian Peverell.

And it thoroughly unnerved him.

Severus Snape considered himself to be fairly observant and even intelligent. It wasn't easy surviving in Slytherin as a Half-Blood and a poor one at that. The status that he did have was only due to his talent in potions and his loose ties with both the Black and Malfoy scions. He was the Slytherin with few connections, no family – his father that damned bastard did not count – and a now broken year-long friendship with a Muggleborn from Gryffindor, which he had done his best to hold on to.

He just couldn't understand how a single slur screamed in the heat of that embarrassing, humiliating moment could destroy a bond with a girl he had adored for years. Still, he was the favorite target of those bullies – the Marauders – so he was perhaps the first one to notice when Sirius Black began to change. Those thoughtful frowns, the half-hearted jests and those glances at Regulus Black painted a picture which couldn't be ignored. The famous elder Black seemed to finally realize what he had lost.

Not like Severus thought he deserved any less. Black had nearly killed him last year, and while that made him loathe that bully and Dumbledore – who had only twinkled and spewed half-assed justifications at him – even more, another - a very small - part of him was intrigued. How could that stupid loaf not understand how much of a Dark wizard he actually was when he was ready to torment and murder and not feel any remorse?

''Mr. Snape, please stay behind.''

His slightly widened black eyes were the only signs of his surprise as his Defense Teacher's smooth tenor interrupted his wandering thought. Hadrian Peverell was an enigma. Obviously rich, a pureblood and magically strong, but while every single of his movement showed his superior breeding not once had he acted arrogant or conceited. On the contrary, of all the teachers he was perhaps Severus favorite if only because those emerald eyes were not judging his second-hand robes and lacking heritance, but only his contributions in class.

''Yes, Professor Peverell?'' Severus slowly stepped towards the desk, stopping in front of the slightly imposing mahogany construct.

''I merely had a question, Mr. Snape. Are you going to follow the tradition of your family and focus on Potions, or spell-crafting? I spoke to Professor Slughorn and he assured me that you were a genius at Potions, but still if necessary I could provide you with material for spell-crafting since you can't access your Family Vault yet.''

Severus Snape stared at his teacher without any comprehension for a single painful moment, before those words repeated themselves in his mind.

''Family traditions, sir?'' He was proud of the fact that his voice remained steady even as he stared at his now steadily frowning teacher. For a second he thought that he had something wrong, but he really had no idea what Professor Peverell was talking about.

''Your mother's name was Eileen Prince, right?''

Severus Snape nodded, and with that single movement his whole life suddenly changed.

Hadrian Peverell – previously known as Harry Potter – did not get angry easily anymore. He had long ago learned how to control his enormous temper, so as to avoid any unpleasant incident. Still, Severus Snape's lack of knowledge concerning his inheritance had reminded him rather strongly of his own childish ignorance once upon a time. During the few years after his arrival in the past, Hadrian had brushed up on his political knowledge, pureblood families and etiquette, so that he could – if necessary – use his political influence to the fullest.

So it came as a surprise to him when the name of the last Prince Heiress – Eileen Prince – was synonymous to Severus Snape's mother. Hadrian had wondered why his bitter Ex-Professor had never worn the name, but it hadn't been any of his business.

Until now.

So ignoring the distracted protests of the wide-eyed teenage version of his Potions Professor, Hadrian quickly transfigured his school robes into something more suitable and proceeded to drag the still stunned child into his chambers and then directly to Gringotts.

It seemed like Dumbledore had more to account for than he previously thought.

Because there was no way that the Headmaster hadn't known about that tidbit of information.

Still, he wondered how much chaos this would cause in the Noble House of Slytherin.

He really did have a penchant for pranks after all.

Severus exited the tall white marble building a changed man. The last few minutes of his life were a blur to the still shaken teenager. He still couldn't believe that his mother – his sweet, frail but weak mother – was the last Heiress of a Minor Noble House.

He fingered the ring – the Prince Heir ring – that now snugly sat upon his right hand absent-mindedly. He still remembered the intoxicating feeling as the Family Magics, as Professor Peverell called them, accepted his claim to the Lordship.

He was no longer Severus Tobias Snape, but Severus Aidan Prince, future Lord to the Noble House of Prince.

''Thank you, sir.'' His deep-felt relief and gratitude were for the first time in many years not faked as he turned towards his teacher, a small thankful smile on his lips. It was breathtaking how that man so swiftly took control over the whole situation, so sure in his knowledge of how to handle such a situation. Severus hadn't missed the respectful behavior of the Goblins who were known to hate Wizards either.

He still remembered that smooth tenor full of authority as he spoke with the Prince account manager on his behalf, talking him through the process of acknowledging his claim and even emancipating him in the Wizarding World with the help of the End of Line Clause.

''A teacher is supposed to look out for his students, Mr. Prince. Now follow along, we have some shopping to do.''

Severus held himself back from saying that normally teachers couldn't be bothered to help students, neither Slughorn nor Dumbledore had ever gone as for him as Professor Peverell did without a single moment of hesitation.

Still a tiny part of him couldn't help but wonder what his Defense Professor gained by doing such a thing.

Dear Orion,

I have to confess that in this moment I very much loathe the position I am in, no matter how much I might enjoy teaching children. My magic is restless, demanding that we soon meet again and I too miss you greatly.

Hopefully during Yule break we can see each other more often. Currently I am planning on officially accepting my Lordship at the first full meeting during the New Year. It would be a relief to be able to freely claim you as my own, Orion.

On another note, I have recently found out that Severus Snape – sixth year Slytherin – is the last of the Prince Line. I have immediately rectified his lacking knowledge, but he still has a difficult road ahead of him. Dumbledore's machinations have cost that childe greatly. I have heard a few whispers of a Dark Lord on the rise at Hogwarts, and it unsettles me. Have you any more knowledge on the matter?

Yours,

Hadrian Peverell

Hadrian sighed as he closed the latter, embedding it with his Family Crest before saturating it with a spark of his Magic to activate the protections. He truly missed Orion and couldn't help but regret the few opportunities they had to see each other. Orion Black was handsome, strong, and had an edge of carefully hidden danger that drew Hadrian to him like moths to a flame. Most importantly, Hadrian desired him, he wanted to feel those lips pressed against his own and his body pulled against that strong masculine one, wanted to lose himself in the towering maelstrom their magic would form without prompting.

Yet, above all that, Orion made him feel so completely and utterly safe that Hadrian couldn't help but relax in his presence.

Even the knowledge of future events couldn't break that feeling of belonging when he was close to the man who courted him. Perhaps it was time to let the Lord Black in on a little secret concerning his second Lordship.

After all, who could he trust if not the one Mother Magic herself had bound him to?

Those grey eyes darkened into a near black as those pale lips tugged upwards into a sensual smile, and Hadrian was lost in the sensations of those strong hands roughly carding through his raven locks as those lips slowly descended upon his already open ones, and then his whole body was on fire as magic cursed through his veins and for a moment the whole world seemed to have stopped shifting and Hadrian moaned…

Emerald eyes snapped open and it took him a moment to recognize his own chambers as his orbs traced the sound that woke him up to his own owl. He couldn't stop the heat rising to his cheeks as he remembered his prior dream. He could still feel the fire cursing through him; feel where the broad body was pressed against his slender one, and his hand without any conscious effort immediately touched his slightly moist lips.

''Shit.'' He cursed quietly. It hadn't been the first dream of this kind and he knew it was because he hadn't seen his intended in such a long time. His Magic was demanding they be close to each other, but it was still the middle of the school year and Orion had his own responsibilities.

Orion was subtly asking about the new 'Dark Lord', making his position clear without being obvious – in the typical Slytherin way. He had told Hadrian that he would never support a Dark Lord if only because he had no intention of helping destroy the Wizarding World.

He would be joining the political maneuvering once he acknowledged his position in a few weeks, and with his unique position at Hogwarts, he would be able to influence the children. Snape or now Prince was already indebted to him, and by slowly sowing doubt about Tom Riddle's less than secure claim on the Lordship that Hadrian already possessed, he could at least avoid some of the Pureblood's joining him.

He had no intention of allowing his world to be plunged into a war. Still he couldn't formally claim the Slytherin Lordship either without having a firm and unshakable reputation, otherwise he would be committing political suicide. Something he had no intention of doing.

Fingering the beautiful and exquisitely crafted bracelet that adorned his other wrist, Hadrian resolutely shut his eyes again.

If he was lucky, he could go back to sleep and continue that pleasant dream.

He wasn't a man to be easily surprised, but Orion Black was ready to acknowledge the fact that perhaps the newest addition to his life was born to surprise him. Hadrian Peverell was not only someone he actually wanted to spend his life with, no matter how ludicrous that would have sounded to him only weeks ago, but the man was even to him still an enigma.

But wizards from the House of Black had always been attracted to the subtle hint of danger that Hadrian had trailing after him like a lost puppy.

Still, even he was more than flummoxed when he had gotten a heavily warded letter only a few days ago telling him that the wizard he was courting not only possessed the lauded Peverell Lordship – which was already miraculous enough – but also the Slytherin Lordship.

Something that this 'Lord Voldemort' claimed he had. Apparently wrongly so. Which meant that he was of a lesser branch family if Hadrian was able to claim a double-Lordship which was usually denied by Magic if another suitable heir in the family was still present.

Orion Black knew that the Gaunt's prided themselves in being descendants of Salazar Slytherin, and even if he was rather disgusted by their mere mention it was still a good place as any to start his research.

Because Orion had heard the implied disdain in Hadrian's words when they talked about this Dark Lord, and he didn't feel any different.

He had a bad feeling about this Voldemort character, and he had long ago learned never to ignore those.

''Peverell, you say?'' A cold voice breezed through the room, making the man kneeling in front of the throne like chair shiver in apprehension. Red eyes looked upon one of his most valuable followers with hidden disdain.

''Yes, my Lord.'' Rodolphus Lestrange was the Heir to the Noble House of Lestrange and therefore had access to funds and book which he did not possess himself. It infuriated him knowing that those so far beneath him were lauded as being superior.

He was Lord Voldemort.

He was their better and soon every single witch and wizard would know it. His name would be spoken with fear and awe. Purebloods would flock towards his banner and he would prove them all wrong. Those that sneered at him full of contempt even as he showed again and again that he was their better. And for that, he needed the Deathly Hallows. So hearing about the name Peverell was unexpected. How did that old coot Dumbledore manage to convince someone of that standing to work for him?

''Tell me everything you know about Hadrian Peverell.''

Listening to the words flowing out of Rodolphus mouth, Voldemort leaned back into his chair and began plotting.

One way or another he would get what he wanted.

And right now what he wanted was Hadrian Peverell.

A/N I'm so sorry about the long wait, and the slightly shorter chapter. I have to admit my muse for this story temporarily left me, so I didn't really know what to write. I don't know if I'm completely happy about this chapter, but this served as an introduction to Albus, Severus and Tommy-boy….

Next chapter I'll return to Orion and Hadrian ;)

Thank you to all of you who favorited, followed and/or reviewed this story. I totally and utterly love you guys!

C'ya soon

AriesOrion