Cannot Fathom Without You
Hello all. Once again, we find ourselves here, in this space. Thank you for continuing to read past the boring filler chapters!
Those who have continued definitely have patience.
That being said, I won't be able to post another chapter till December. I apologize for the wait, but not for having to take a break.
Chapter 9: First Years! This Way!
Hadrian laughed as Draco threw a chocolate frog at him. They were currently sitting on the train to Hogwarts for their first year. Hadrian couldn't deny that he was nervous, but hell would freeze over before he'd admit it.
Draco sneered at him from his seat across from Hadrian. He was about to open his mouth but Blaise Zabini beat him to it as he opened the door to the compartment. "There you are, Draco." Hadrian immediately straightened up, and put his facade on. He gave Zabini a polite nod.
Zabini just seemed to notice him, and stared in slight surprise. He wanted to ask, but received a warning glare from Draco. Draco hadn't told him that he had such a handsome friend.
Draco rolled his eyes when Blaise put on a charming smile and saddled up close to Hadrian. "Hello. I don't think we've met. Blaise Zabini." he introduced. Hadrian gave him an awkward smile. "Hello Blaise. Hadrian Croÿ." he helped the awkward introduction along. Draco narrowed his eyes on Blaise.
Draco opened his mouth to tell Blaise off when the door opened again, and Pansy Parkinson stepped in. She spotted Draco, and let out a squeal. "Drakey!" she cried out before nearly pouncing on him.
Hadrian had to hide his surprise, and stifle his laugh. He shook his head as Draco was nearly squashed against the window.
"Oh Drakey! Tell me all about your summer! I hardly got to talk to you one bit!" she prattled on before even noticing Hadrian's amused form sitting next to Blaise. "And who is this?" she asked, although it sounded more like a demand.
Hadrian put on one of his most dazzling smiles. "My name, madam, is Hadrian Croÿ. What might be your name?" Pansy blinked at him for a moment before her brown eyes lit up in sly calculation.
"Pansy Parkinson. I'm Draco Malfoy's future wife." she offered with a slight sneer.
Hadrian felt his eye nearly twitch, but just let his eyes fall shut, the smile never leaving his dashing face. "It is a pleasure to meet you."
Pansy quickly decided that she didn't like Hadrian.
Hadrian quickly decided that Pansy was not worth his time.
. . .
After an hour aboard the, now swiftly moving, Hogwarts Express, the boys had decided to change into their school robes while Pansy found a few of her female friends to chat with in another compartment.
Blaise couldn't help but to stare intently at Hadrian as the boy calmly pulled his robe over his head.
Draco couldn't help but to roll his eyes at Blaise. The boy was so obvious. He secretly hoped that when Blaise finally did work up the balls, Hadrian would turn him down in the harshest of manors.
It may have been his vindictive side, but Draco wouldn't knock it.
While this was going on, Hadrian decided that most of the others around him were crazy, but it could have been worse. He could have been sitting with idealistic fools. He really wasn't in the mood to listen to anyone dictate what he should be feeling to him.
There was an upside to hiding as the Croÿ heir. He did not have to play as The-Boy-Who-Lived. He didn't have to live up to their idealistic views. For that, he was thankful.
He was raised as a dark wizard, true. His mother and uncle had given him a choice in the matter when he was younger.
They had both told him what being dark entailed, and had spared nothing from him. They had also told him about what being light entailed. They explained to him the consequences and benefits of both sides, and eagerly encouraged him to make his own decisions with the help of research.
. . .
The dark night seemed to echo around Hadrian, but for all his splendor, he didn't notices. All he could really stare at was the glowing castle across the lake.
He heard several amazed whispers and gasps behind and beside him. All he could really see was the magic surrounding the magnificent castle. The threads of different colors that ran through the structure of stone awed him like no other.
He wasn't sure if anyone else could see it, and to be honest, he didn't care if they could. This was his moment.
It was interrupted when Ronald Weasley rudely shoved at his shoulder. "Watch it!" Ronald growled out to him.
Hadrian's eyes narrowed, but he swiftly turned away. He was not foolish enough to rise to the bait. Ronald seemed to take his reaction as an insult as he quickly got in Hadrian's face. "Can I help you?" Hadrian asked.
"Watch where you're going!" Ronald said spittle flying, some hitting Hadrian's cheek.
Avada Kedavra green eyes turned cold as Hadrian used the sleeve of his robe to wipe it away. "Do you have mental issues, or is this just how you have been raised? Like an improper, in bread, monkey."
Ronald's mouth fell open, and Draco had to withhold mad giggles. He always loved it when Hadrian got nasty. Luckily, he had never been on Hadrian's cold side.
Ronald threw his and out, his finger aimed at Hadrian. "I curse you!"
Hadrian only laughed at the attempt. "You've not the power or the true ambition to curse me. Try again when you actually have the guts, pathetic lion."
Ronald was about to say something, but Hagrid interrupted. "Firs yers! Come this way!" his booming voice cut across anything Ronald could say.
Everyone broke off, and gathered around Hagrid. They slowly made their way into the main halls of the grand castle where Hagrid left them.
Surprisingly, most of the children were quiet, but Hadrian could hear some whispers. Especially Ron as he whispered about how there was some sort of challenge to the sorting. Hadrian snorted at that. Draco had already told him all about it.
He would just put on a hat, and it would sort him into the house he was meant to be in. It was preposterous to put students through life threatening challenges.
He could only roll his eyes as a couple of children started asking Ron what kind of challenge he thought the sorting would be. The red head was soaking up the attention.
Draco wouldn't have it. "You know… They say we were supposed to be in school with Harry Potter."
Hadrian shot Draco a nasty look, hoping that Draco would just hush. He'd told Draco about his true parentage a long time ago, and now Draco was playing it up.
"I bet he would have been a Slytherin." Draco said, his nose up in the air now.
Ronald growled. "He would have most likely been a Gryffindor! Both his parents were Gryffindors!"
Draco rolled his eyes. "I don't think it's about the parentage. It's about the person. It is all about what you want to achieve."
Hadrian just shook his head at the conversation, surprised that it was even taking place.
"I think he would have been a Ravenclaw." Hadrian murmured quietly.
Draco heard him, and just burst out in maniacal laughter. Ronald must have heard him as well. His eyes were wide with slight horror.
"Ravenclaw?!" Ronald practically demanded an explanation. Hadrian looked up and met Ronald's eyes.
"Yes. Ravenclaw. Both of his parents were intelligent. It would not be a far stretch of the imagination… for most of us anyway." Hadrian eyed Ronald up and down. The cold green eyes seemed to dissect Ronald's soul.
The glare made Ron shiver.
Ron shook his head at Hadrian. "Bloody Slytherin." He muttered.
Hadrian just shook his head. "That has yet to be decided."
Ronald was about to say something, but Professor McGonagall cut him off. "This way, students. No dawdling."
Her stern form was intimidating to most of the first years, but Hadrian had seen much scarier in the form of Bellatrix Lestrange.
Her narrowed eyes followed the students into the hall and towards the large double doors that led to the Great Hall.
When the double doors opened, it was to the awe of the first years. Even Hadrian was in awe to the ceiling and the pure magical aura of everything in the room.
He had been prepared for the fact that he could see aura's and match them to a caster. He'd been trained to incorporate most auras into a natural vision so as not to show surprise.
When he saw Dumbledore's aura, he was slightly surprised at how tainted it was. While the man's aura was still a brilliant lavender, it had darker streaks in it, slowly tainting the rest of his aura.
And here Hadrian had been lead to believe that this man was nothing but a saint. A slight smirk formed on his lips. One didn't get dark flecks from being a saint.
You were either born dark, or light. Depending on what you practiced inflicted your aura.
Dumbledore obviously had skeletons in his closet. If he made a move against him, Hadrian was determined to expose him. For now though, he would focus on school.
His thoughts were interrupted as McGonagall placed a frumpy hat down on the rickety stool.
Siri had told him what would transpire now, so he was not surprised when the hat started to sing.
"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
if you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
Hadrian almost scowled. He was nervous about which house he would end up in.
Any house would be decent, but he hoped that whichever house received him would accept his ambitious nature. He also hoped he could hide who he was for seven years. It would be hard to do, but not impossible.
He was thrilled when the professor started to call out names. It seemed to go by in a blur, until she reached his name.
"Hadrian Croÿ."
Hadrian nodded in acknowledgement as he walked up to the stool.
He silently cursed his short nature as he had to hop up to sit on the tall stool. When McGonagall gave him a (what Hadrian believed to be) patronizing smile, it just made him more determined to find ways to grow taller.
He waited patiently as she lowered the hat over his head.
"Hello, young Mr. Potter… Or shall I call you young Mr. Croÿ?"
"Hello hat. As I have yet to officially accept the Potter lineage just yet, Croÿ will do just fine."
The hat 'hurmmed' at him in thought.
"Where to put you? You have traits of all houses…"
"I believe I will excel in Slytherin or Ravenclaw."
The hat folded in on its self for a moment.
"Indeed… I sense that a part of you already rests within…"
"SLYTHERIN!"
Hadrian calmly nodded as the hat was removed from his head. He stood, and walked towards the semi enthusiastic Slytherin table. Well, at least Draco seemed to be the happiest about this development.
Normal people couldn't tell, but Hadrian had become really good at reading people. He could tell that the Slytherin house was happy to have him… At least most of them were. Some of them, mainly seventh years, didn't seem to care.
The hard part was over. Now began the rest of his school career. He hoped the rest of first year would be simple and smooth.
. . .FIN
We know nothing ever goes easy, Harry Potter, or no. Or else we wouldn't have a story on our hands!
SO the question for this chapter is, if you were going to the yule ball, who in the HP universe would be your date?
I would take the squid, personally! Wonderful dancer!
Happy Holidays all!