(okay so in this chapter I have been waiting to put out is finally here! In this chapter Hadrian will speak in parsel tongue. It will be written in bold print when he does speak it so be ready J }
It was three days since Blaise arrived, he stayed in the guest bedroom that Hadrian was supposed to sleep in. Draco wouldn't let Hadrian sleep alone, not with the nightmares that could come back. Truthfully Hadrian didn't want to sleep alone either. It was to scary.
They were sitting at the kitchen table eating lunch when Hadrian remembered more of Harry.
"Would you like some more eggs Hadrian ?" Blaise asked holding out a plate. Draco was in a fantastic mood, he seemed to be much happier now that Hadrian was in his life. As happy as he was discovering a new friendship with Harry after the war had ended, and he was no longer being forced into the Dark Mark.
"No. I want juice!" Hadrian proclaimed getting out of his chair with his cup bounding off to the fridge. He was small enough to disappear behind the kitchen island that blocked the view of the fridge. Draco had been having a better time than he had in years. The last four days had been like the best in his entire existence.
"So Draco, my friend working with the dragons sent me a letter he said that he had a surprise, and said it would be perfect for Hadrian to visit today." Blaise said slightly louder than usual wanting Hadrian to hear. It had become Blaise's single minded goal to make Hadrian the happiest child alive. He had seen the scars on the boy, and he wanted to make sure that no matter what he remembered he wouldn't go back to the broken hurt person Draco described. Being with the child Harry really changed Blaise's views of things. Plus Draco was his best mate, and if doing this for Hadrian would help Draco he would do it.
When Hadrian didn't respond or come back from around the island Draco stood from his chair, knocking it to the floor. Blaise was right beside him.
"Hadrian ?" Draco said stepping closer the form of the little boy coming into view. He looked like he was having some sort of seizure. The blonde male rushed forward catching the child just as his knees gave out. He sat on the floor cradling the child as he shook with fear, and pain of remembering.
Blaise was pacing behind Draco, not sure what he could do. These memory attacks as Draco called it had only happened once so far, and Blaise hadn't been there for it. It was scary to watch the boy thrashing, it was nothing like Draco described the first one.
"Hadrian, Hadrian can you hear me? Listen to me, its just a memory, don't get to absorbed in it. I'm here, Blaise is here you'll be safe." Draco said trying to hold Hadrian while he was thrashing so badly. His eyes were held tightly closed and suddenly he started to scream. Loud heart breaking screams. Hurriedly Blaise dashed to the table casting a quiet charm on the apartment so the neighbors wouldn't hear.
"Hadrian its okay!" Draco said again as if it was a spell that actually would make everything okay. Distressed the Italian wiped a hand over his mouth still pacing. He couldn't watch Hadrian anymore. As he had been watching he saw the scars raising to the surface. It was to much to see, knowing that all those scars were cut in to him as he was abused for years.
Draco wouldn't turn away though. He couldn't. Hadrian was hurting right before his eyes. All he wanted to do was reach inside the boy and knit him back together. To completely erase any pain he could be feeling. But he couldn't all he could do was hold him, and hold him together once the memory attack was over.
Hadrian finally stopped thrashing but he didn't open his eyes. He seemed to have been exhausted, or so emotionally tortured he fainted. It hurt Draco so much to see his suffering, he held the child as close as he could, cradling his limp body in his arms.
"Oh Hadrian, please remember that I love you." Draco murmured, and then he felt something. A pulsing that came from Hadrian's body like a heart beat, but from his whole body. The man pulled back to see a glow pulsating out of his body, and as he watched they boy changed. Blaise saw it to, his eyes popping open in shock. He knew that with the memories Hadrian gained he aged, but seeing it happened was something else entirely.
When the glowing light stopped they were left with a much scared nine year old Hadrian. His face was left unmarred besides the lightning bolt scar on his forehead. Probably so Harry's uncle could still tote him around and send him off to school with out people thinking anything was strange about it.
"Hadrian are you okay? Oh Salazar what am I saying of course you're not alright. I wish I could stop this, I'm so sorry -" A small delicate had still shaking from the after affects of the memory attack covered Draco's mouth.
"It's alright, those things hurt, but you're here, and its all a past of a different life. I'll be okay, it'll be okay." The child said and Draco could already feel hope building in him. Nine years worth of Harry's memories could be a life time of torturous memories to someone else. If Hadrian could sit there telling the absolute truth there was hope Draco could have Harry back and not broken, and sad.
"Anything you need Hadrian, if you need to cry or talk to me, scream or get angry I'm here for you. I'll help you through it all." Draco pulled the boy closer and Hadrian smiled. This warmth he felt now. In all the memories he had he never felt such warmth. Such love, to have this was like the strength to face anything. He curled more into Draco's warmth with need. Need for something he never knew he would crave so much.
"That was the single most frightening thing I have ever seen, I don't think I was this distraught since, since. Salazar, I wasn't even this scared with that nose-less bastard running around." Blaise spoke after he had calmed down enough. Hadrian finally remembered that there was company and giggled slightly.
"I'm sorry Blaise, I hope this didn't upset you to much to go see the dragons."
"Not at all Hadrian. You want to see the dragons by Salazar well see the dragons." Blaise exclaimed. The boy looked like he was dying moments ago, and still wanted to see the dragons. How resilient children were, how lucky that was for Draco. The more Hadrian could bounce back while remembering the better his mental health would be, the better Draco's would be. Not being constantly bombarded with abuse everyday had to help the recovery though. That's when Blaise remembered another kind of abuse Harry had suffered.
"Hadrian why don't you go and bathe, pack a little bag because it most likely will be a over night trip?" Blaise asked needing to have the child occupied so he could discuss a certain matter with the blonde man . Hadrian shot up eagerly off the ground Draco standing up after him. The boy took off for the bathroom excited all over.
"You have something to say Blaise." It wasn't a question. It was clearly written on Blaise's face that he thought he had something important to say.
"Its about you-know-who-"
"Voldemort? What does that freak got to do with anything. You know he's dead right? You don't have to call-"
"No you twit, the other one the weasel one with the ginger hair. You said you'd call Narcissa about her." Blaise said waiting for Draco to speak, but nothing came out. "You know about what to do with the slimy little wench trying to take His vaults.
"My mother doesn't know the full situation, but she feels she had a debt to him because of what happened at the war at Hogwarts. As soon as I sent the letter there was almost an instantaneous reply. Narcissa promised that the girl wouldn't see a Knut. She was almost charged with a year of Azkaban for her fraud, but my mother would never steal a mother away from her child."
"So that's it, she gets a little slap on the wrist?" The Italian asked trying to keep his voice down, but he was clearly outraged.
"Not a slap. She was ordered to pay restitution. They think she should pay his memory by replacing every Knut she got out of the divorce. They also assigned a wizard to her family that is there to watch over the child. They wont take it away, but they are constantly making sure nothing happens to the kid. Her credibility's also gone out the window, and pretty much everyone hates her so I'm satisfied." Draco said closing the refrigerator door. He started to clean up knowing no one was hungry anymore.
"You've changed Draco. Before you wouldn't rest until someone was completely destroyed or you got bored, which was usually after you destroyed them. Now just having her credibility satisfies you? Loves made you nice, I think I like it. Strange for a Slytherin."
"Yeah you should find someone. And I'm putting emphasis on 'one'. Don't be you're mother." Blaise threw his wand childishly at Draco for making fun of his mother and her many marriages and divorces. Its NOT Blaise's fault his mother is fickle.
"You shouldn't throw your wand Blaise. You a wizard use the damn thing like one." Draco scolded using his own wand to clean up the spell scorch mark his wand left on the floor where it landed. He set the wild wand on the table and continued clearing it by hand.
"Look at you you're cleaning by had when you could use spells like a wizard." The Italian pointed out like he made a valid argument winning point, fully proud of himself.
"There is a difference between using magic like a proper wizard, and just being a lazy twat." Really that was a argument winning point. Just because you have magic doesn't mean you need to sit there and get fat because everything can be done for you with magic. Draco didn't even mind doing things by hand.
"Fine Draco, let me help you I'll wash the dishes." He said and they settled into a quiet routine of cleaning non magically.
Hadrian's hair was still dripping wet while he was packing a bag. He was so excited to see the dragons finally. He had been waiting since Blaise first mentioned the dragons and Norwegian dragon sanctuary. Of course they had to wait for his Dragon keeper friend to tell them when it was fine to arrive, and arrange a thing Blaise called a Portkey.
Magic was completely fascinating, know that he was part of something so great made him feel a little better about being a child that grew depending on how many memories resurfaced. Painful memories, that he couldn't decide if he wanted to keep or not. Forgetting who he once was felt wrong thought, and honestly it would make Draco sad if he couldn't meet the person he's been searching for, for so long. Hadrian never wanted Draco to feel sad. If Draco was sad so would Hadrian be, they were part of a shared bond of souls. One can not be in pain with out the other feeling it emotionally.
A strange feeling over came the child while he was putting his things together. There was something off about the feeling of the room. Like something was there watching him. It sent a chill through his small scarred body.
"Hello?" His small Scottish voice asked with a slight tremble. He suddenly didn't feel safe sitting on the floor and putting things into his bag. Panicked he jumped onto the bed he shared with Draco, all of his stuff being moved into the room when Blaise had moved in to the guest bedroom.
"Who's there?" Hadrian asked again his little heart fluttering in his chest. He gripped his teddy and placed himself in the middle of the bed. Something rustled on the ground behind him, with a startled gasp he whipped around but nothing again. A sound filled the room, a low sound that Hadrian couldn't recognize , the unfamiliarity of it scaring him the most.
What was it that had come creeping into his bed room, making that noise like a hiss? The sound came louder like it was right besides him, and Hadrian screamed he screamed as loud as he could praying Draco would burst in the room right that second to save him from the phantom hiss that was frightening him.
Blaise walked into the living room sprawling out on the couch (attractively a woman would say). Draco sat comfortably in a nice reading chair him and Hadrian had sat in some nights reading books. Well Draco did the reading teaching Hadrian the words that he didn't know.
The pair had finished cleaning just as they heard the water turn off. Apparently nine year old Hadrian preferred showers to baths. They decided to wait in the living room for him, and the owl that was supposed to bring along the Portkey Zacharias was sending along. Zacharias being the nice Norwegian dragon keeper, and Blaise's childhood friend.
"Do you think that anyone will recognize Hadrian Blaise?" The man asked not sure if he wanted to mess with all the press mess and what not about Harry still being alive. It would be really ideal to wait until Hadrian had gotten all of his memories back. Even then though Draco didn't plan to let the press bombard his Mate matter of fact they would be in a world of pain if the distressed Hadrian\Harry.
"Already thought of that, don't even stress it. See yesterday I ran out and got some of that magic congealers' all the teen witches wear. I figure if we cover up his scar he's young enough to be thought of as just some wizard child that looks a bit like Harry, plus he's got the accent going for him. It'll be fine." He assured with a great smile. It relieved Draco that he had help with this.
They were talking quietly waiting for Hadrian and to bound in the room bouncing with excitement when they heard the scream of terror coming form Hadrian's and Draco's room. The men were on their feet wands at the ready before even a second passed. With in moments the were charging into the room, bumping into each other slightly in their hurry to both make it through the door way at the same time, Blaise stubbing his toe on the door jam and crashing face first to the floor, wand exploding an accidental spell in his face. Draco stumbled but stayed up hurrying to Hadrian who jumped into the mans arms.
"There's something in the room. On the bed with me." He sniffled not yet in tears, but if the scary hiss continued he just might get frightened to tears. Blaise scrambling gracelessly to his feet. Looking quite ruffled he pointed his wand towards the bed. Draco backed away from the thing shifting so if anything attacked he'd be shielding Hadrian.
"Stupefy." Blaise shouted causing the blankets to fly up and away from what was underneath completely stunning the creature that had startled Hadrian. Sorry to say Draco had been so worked up when the blankets had suddenly flown like that him and Hadrian, followed by Blaise screamed like little girls. Not their proudest moment they knew.
"Don't hurtssssssss. Pleasssssse." A low hissy voice spoke and Hadrian screamed for Blaise and Draco to stop. Only he didn't now they stopped because he suddenly wasn't speaking English anymore. More like Parsel tongue.
"What are you doing? You scared us!" Hadrian hissed back in the strange language. Blaise and Draco stood stunned. They didn't think Harry was still a Parsel mouth anymore. Everyone sort of though that once Voldemort's split soul died Harry's ability to speak the language would die. He certainly didn't prove them otherwise. Obviously once a Parsel mouth always a Parsel mouth.
"Sssstuck. Need helpssssssss. You ssspeakss it, you helpss ussssss." He, Hadrian deciding it was a boy reared up so he was looking eye level with a smiling Hadrian. Draco was absolutely horrified that this gigantic snake had found its way into Hadrian's bed. His bed, but neither Blaisse nor he would raise their wands at the snake speaking to Hadrian.
"The next cave. My home, next one, came through tunnel, want to go home." Hadrian was about to reply when it suddenly hit him that he was talking to a snake. He turned surprised to Draco who only nodded encouragingly, if not a little surprised himself. The child completely fascinated with the way the words sounded coming from his mouth he hissed them again.
"The next apartment? I can have Draco bring me over there, well take you home." The snake nodded his big head and Hadrian turned to Blaise.
"He lives in the next apartment we have to take him back."
"Okay Blaise me and Hadrian are going to run this guy over to the neighbors, you have our bags ready with the Portkey we'll be right back." Draco put Hadrian down who let the snake wrap around him, Blaise continued putting the stuff Hadrian laid aside into the bag he was packing. He was glad he didn't have to take the snake. He liked them just fine, but really now, anyone would freak to find a snake that big in your bed.
They took the snake first to the neighbors to the left, but the lady in that house had flipped her wig when she saw the snake wrapped around the little boys body. Apparently it wasn't this neighbor that owned the ridiculously huge snake, that even after coiling around Hadrian's neck waist and arm still dragged on the ground. How Hadrian could handle so much weight in that tiny body Draco never found out.
On the second try the knocked on their neighbors to the left. For a while no one answered and Draco got impatient knowing they could very well miss the Portkey and would have to wait weeks before they got another one. Hadrian wanted to see these so badly, and Draco was dead set of overriding the horrid memories he had with good ones, and he'd be damned if he let some Muggle and a snake screw it up.
"Hey! We have your snake open the bloody door." Draco said pounding on the door. His more aggressive excuse for a knock. Hadrian looked up at the man with eyes that begged him to calm down. The snake hissed at him to, not in an aggressive way more like a warning. He obviously didn't like Draco talking to his owner in such a tone. It took a few minutes when finally the door cracked open and a tall, tall lengthy man peered out. Draco swore he was at least 6'll !.
"Um- we got your snake and it would really appreciated if you would take it. Were in a rush you see." The blond man said slightly less annoyed. He really wasn't allowed to use magic in front of Muggle's and even though Draco could fight pretty well he wasn't about to test his skill on that. Man was built like a mountain. Minus all the grotesquely built muscles. Still he looked like he could hurt someone if he had to.
"Rowen?" The man asked opening the door wider stepping out. Apparently he had been slouching before, he looked even bigger not peering out through a cracked open door. He took the snake from Hadrian having it coil its way up his arm and around his body.
"He said he came through the vents, so you should make sure those are covered." Hadrian said, and whispered something to the snake in Parsel tongue that neither of the men could really hear. The mountain man nodded and went back inside. Weirdest man ever! Draco thought.
"Come on Hadrian we have to go or else we'll miss the port key it leaves at four, and its already 3:56." Hadrian nodded practically running with Draco in tow, bursting in to the house to see Blaise standing in the hall way. Every one shouldered their bags and grabbed hold of the old broken steering wheel that served as their Portkey.
They had tree seconds to take a breath and then with a pull they were yanked with the Portkey.