Hadrian was confused.
Now Hadrian had been Hadrian Prince for almost four years now since he had turned nine years old a couple of weeks prior. It had taken quite a lot of healing, a private and thoroughly oathed mind healer, and a lot of time to adapt and trust his new family, but he had done it and he loved his family, especially his daddy. In all those years never once had anyone connected Hadrian Prince to the dead Harry Potter and no one ever made any attempts to contact him. But here it was, a letter from one Jameson and Lillian Potter. There was only one thing he could think of to do in this situation.
"Daddy!" He shouted trying to keep his distress out of his tone. The sound of a glass breaking, some quiet cussing, and then the quick movement of robes greeted Hadrian in response.
"Hadrian?! What's wrong? Are you hurt?" Severus asked quite concerned, entering Hadrian's dragon library-themed bedroom. Severus looking Hadrian over head to toe to make sure he had no injuries.
If Hadrian was able to roll his eyes, he would have. "I'm fine, but I have to be reading this incorrectly or maybe the spell is faulty because I can't have received a letter from James and Lily."
Two years ago Tom and his Daddy developed a wandless spell that acted as a magical form of braille, allowing Hadrian to read and soak in all the books he had been tolerating being read aloud to him until that point. Most of his family were now taking bets that he would end up in Ravenclaw at this rate and Dray was upset he would lose Hadrian to the ravens.
"Let me see." Severus gently took the heavy envelope and there in plain black calligraphy were those dreaded names. Severus already felt himself counting to a hundred to keep calm, or at least an attempt to. "Well, we knew this might happen. Let me call in the others and then we can read the letter together okay Hadrian?"
"Okay, Daddy. Should I get Mayhem to make snacks and tea for the family?" Hadrian asked putting on his best innocent look. Hadrian knew his Daddy hated the name of the house-elf that Auntie Narcissa had insisted on gifting them, but Hadrian loved Mayhem and Mayhem's mate Loddy who still worked for the Malfoy's but stopped in once a week to help Mayhem and flirt.
"Yes, yes. Go harass the elf and make sure that he isn't trying to break into my potions lab to clean again." Severus sighed heavily, he long ago resigned himself to these behaviors. Kissing the top of Hadrian's head. "I am proud of you Hadrian for alerting me. Thank you."
Hadrian smiled blindingly up at Severus, then he stood up and grabbed his magically enhanced smart sight cane to use to get to the kitchen so he could set forth his plans with Mayhem. Hadrian knew as much as his Daddy grumbled about everyone being family and especially the complaining about the family meetings. That he cared for the whole family anyway and would be quite lost without them, Mayhem and Loddy included.
Half an hour later the Prince family room was filled with the Malfoys, Tom, Nicholas, Severus, Hadrian, and even Mayhem and Loddy were lurking in the background refilling plates and keeping fresh hot pots of tea available. Everyone was curious why Severus was calling a family meeting since he generally complained when they were all together. Draco and Hadrian sat together on the floor in between the loveseat holding Narcissa and Nicholas and the recliner that held Tom. Hadrian always gravitated toward Tom much to the amusement of the Malfoys and mortification of Severus. Severus sat in his normal spot on the leather sofa facing the fire and Lucius was pressing his luck with Severus' patience by sitting as close as possible to him.
"What has happened Severus? You aren't one for the casual social get-togethers." Tom asked pointedly, making both boys on the floor snort in amusement.
"Lily and James have made contact with Hadrian," Severus said grimly causing everyone to tense up.
"Contact how?" Lucius asked as he straightened up into a more serious position, now was not the time to flirt with Sev.
"A letter, we haven't opened it yet though" Hadrian murmured, nervous of what was to come. Severus laid the plain-looking envelope in the middle of the table. Tom had always been the rip the band-aid off type of person so he grabbed the letter up, running some scans on the letter to make sure there was nothing harmful on it.
"Besides a small compulsion charm to trust what is written there is nothing harmful on the letter," Tom states simply, removing the charm with ease before pulling the letter out to read aloud to the group.
Dear Harrison,
You may not know who we are considering your upbringing, but we are your true family. You are Harrison Charles Potter, ex-heir to the Potter family and estate. Unfortunately, when you were a baby you were tested and found to be a squib, a child without any magic. I am sure your guardians have mentioned the differences between wizarding children and muggle children, and while you should have been a wizarding child as you came from a proper wizarding family you fell into the category of basically being a muggle.
We gave you up for adoption when we realized it would be too cruel to raise you in an environment that was completely magical and you had no access to. In a few years, you should have been receiving a letter to attend Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry but you will not be attending as a squib. In light of this, the school has refunded us the price of your tuition of which we are sending your guardians a portion of to put toward whatever muggle school you may end up attending.
While it breaks your Mother's heart to never see you again, it is safer for you and it would be inhumane to introduce you to the rest of the magical community only to snatch it from you. I am sure you will grow up to be a decent muggle, make sure you listen to your guardians and remember to never bring shame to the Potter name, even if it just within mundane circles.
With Care,
Jameson William Potter
Lillian Ann Potter
Everyone was silent for a moment before Draco burst out with, "Well that was bullshit!"
"Draconis!" Narcissa scolded
"He isn't wrong Cissa." Severus pointed out, disgusted with the content of the letter.
"He isn't wrong, but he has better manners than to curse like a drunken Weasley!" Narcissa insisted, which just made both Draco and Hadrian burst out into giggles.
"Weasley antics aside, this stipend he plans on sending to the Dursleys might alert them to the knowledge that Hadrian is no longer with them. Last I checked we were trying to keep that under wraps until the boys were both firmly sorted and placed within Hogwarts?" Lucius pointed out with a sneer.
"Them finding out I am gone from the Dursleys does not mean they will find out where I am. I am no longer Harrison Potter, they would never make the connection to Hadrian Prince. Not even the goblins will reveal such knowledge to them." Hadrian pointed out feeling quite smug.
The adults all looked at one another, not really having thought about the blood adoption.
"You are right of course Hadrian." Tom nodded at Hadrian which just made him blush and smile shyly back at Tom. "Anyway even if they did make the connection to your new name and family they would have to reveal everything they did wrong to the public to be able to have any say or control over you. Either way, you are safe and going nowhere. We won't respond to the letter and we will let it play out and see what happens."
Severus relaxed a little having been really concerned over the Potters discovering his son, not that Severus would ever let the Potters get ahold of his son while he was alive. They would die by his hand first.
"You are thinking blood-thirsty thoughts again my love," Lucius whispered against Severus' ear making him startle.
"Back off you pervert." Severus tried to sneer but it didn't work as well as he wanted it to.
"Get a room you two, not in front of the kids please." Narcissa scolded in a cold tone. Both Severus and Lucius flushed bright red making the boys giggle. Used to their antics by now. Hadrian still would ask on occasion when they would make their relationship official so Dray and he could be real brothers. The question would always fluster the two normally well-composed men.
"Not like you and Nicholas don't flirt in front of the children either, right Cissa?" Tom teased with an evil grin. He just was playing his part in evening out the playing field. Narcissa being the true Black that she was, straightened her spine but not even a hint of a blush came through. Unlike Nicholas who looked like a baked lobster and was trying to stutter out an excuse. On the floor Draco was struggling to breathe he was laughing so hard, Hadrian was smiling widely but offering no support.
"Getting back on topic," Lucius cleared his throat making everyone sober up a little, "I find it intriguing that James did not mention Hadrian's twin brother."
"Maybe he didn't find it relevant to rub my face in like he did my heritage and supposed guardians?" Hadrian asked head cocked to the side as he thought.
"Well, James Potter was never hailed for being smart…" Severus sneered.
"As much as that statement is probably just prejudiced on Sev's part, he also isn't wrong." Nicholas finally input.
"I thought he was a head boy while at Hogwarts? Don't you need good grades to be the head boy?" Hadrian asked confused.
"In theory yes you are correct. But with Dumbledore in charge, it just comes down to whoever his favorites are really." Tom said sadly, he mourned the downgrade that Hogwarts was becoming due to Albus Dumbledore's meddling.
"The more I hear about Hogwarts the less I want to go. We don't even know if I will be able to get around to my classes with my disability." Hadrian muttered. Severus sighed softly, knowing that this had been coming for a while now. Severus got up and then sat on the floor next to Hadrian, pulling his sweet son into his lap.
"Oh my little Raven, we will try out Hogwarts to begin with and if it as bad as you fear then I promise to help find you another school, okay? You are so bright and so smart, I promise I will not let your brain waste away at Hogwarts." Severus promised softly. Hadrian smiled softly, leaning into his Daddy's embrace. He always loved when his Dad would be soft and cuddly with him. Dray always complained that his Daddy was too intimidating unless he was with Rian because Daddy was always softer and kinder with him.
"Okay, Daddy. I trust you to not let Hogwarts make me wither away." Hadrian teased lightly.
"You? My Raven? Wither? Absolutely never." Severus kissed Hadrian's forehead with a smile."I promised to protect you from everything to include underperforming schools, evil headmasters, and neglectful biological parents. You are my raven and my son and no one will change that."
"I love you, Daddy." Hadrian snuggled into Severus' embrace with a yawn."
"I love you too Raven."
The others had watched them quietly, happy that Hadrian had such a good Father figure in Severus, but also happy that Severus had finally had a reason to smile every day. After the loss of his friendship with Lily, the feared Severus would shut out everyone. The irony that Lily's own flesh and blood would bring Severus the most peace he had in a decade was not lost on anyone. They all talked quietly among themselves as Hadrian fell asleep on his Daddy's lap, making plans for the future and what school they could transfer the boys to if need be.
Lucius was deep in his thoughts and was surprised out of them when Tom sat down next to him.
"You know, you could just tell Severus you want to bond with him without all this sidestepping of the subject while entertaining for the rest of us, is not going to get you, Severus. " Tom pointed out.
"Severus doesn't want a serious relationship and he has to think of Hadrian first," Lucius muttered seriously.
"Now don't play stupid now Lucius. You are smart when you choose to be so. Narcissa would be happy to annul your marriage at this point so she could get with Nicholas, but she won't until she knows you are secure in your relationship with Severus. She also doesn't want the boys to see an ugly fall out if you two do not get your shit together."
"How do I prove that I am serious about him my lord? I have been in love with him since we were in Hogwarts together." Lucius sighed helplessly making Tom want to gag at the sticky soft emotions.
"I suggest you do what purebloods do best and woo your chosen mate like the bloody peacock you are," Tom said snidely.
"I could court him…" Lucius mumbled to himself, ideas already coming to mind. Completely glossing over the fact that Tom had insulted him.
"Good. Court him. Save us the headache and do it soon. I will make it an order if I need to Lucius." Tom said seriously making Lucius gulp and nod obediently. "Good minion." Tom purred with an evil smile, patting Lucius's head.
Severus was happily oblivious to his lord interfering in his love life, not that it would take him long to find out since Lucius couldn't lie to save his life. It would be a couple of years yet before Severus would learn it was really his son meddling via the dark lord to make his Daddy happy and to finally have the completed family he had been dreaming of.