My Time

Chapter 12

"Do you know him?" Hayden asked, brow furrowing a bit, as if trying to work out why Orion had such a…strange reaction to his statement. All the while trying to contain his amusement, wondering just what Orion would tell him. "What's he like?" amusement aside, he did wonder what people thought of him. Being in Slytherin, it was likely Orion had glimpsed the real Tom Riddle under the charming façade he portrayed to the entire world. Was Orion one of the Knights of the Walpurgis? He definitely hadn't seen Orion in the memories, he would have definitely remembered that.

Orion leaned back, swallowing thickly, regaining his equilibrium. Refraining from rubbing at his throat, which stung still. He couldn't lie to Hayden, not when it was clear he longed for family. Tom wasn't someone to be messed with, and he didn't want Hayden to be hurt.

"Tom Riddle is…extremely powerful, doesn't suffer fools gladly," Orion begun, "He has a lot of grand plans and ideas for transforming the magical world."

Hayden nodded, "That sounds great," and it did, if he didn't already know Tom Riddle better than he knew anyone else, sometimes it felt, more than himself.

"It used to," Orion confessed, until Hayden completely re-arranged his world entirely. It was embarrassing really, when confronted by his thoughts regarding Muggle borns. It was said in such a way that Orion would never dare to confess his thoughts out loud. In fact, just remembering made him mortified, Muggles stealing back from wizards. Yes, he was rather ashamed of his childish thoughts. Now though, there was a perfectly understandable explanation. Squibs…it all came back to their own actions. When families stopped killing squibs and put them in the Muggle world, a few decades later the first Muggle born appeared.

"It's easy to be lured in by everyone's thinking," Hayden said with a sympathetic smile. Correctly deducing what Orion was thinking, or at the very least having a good idea. "Easier still to adopt those thoughts." He'd believed everything he'd been told about the light side. Believed that everything the dark side spouted was nonsense and that they were all evil. That there was no rhyme or reason to their actions.

"Just know that…he's impulsive, easily angered and…honestly, I think his closest friends are revere him as much as they're terrified of him." Orion explained, "He's the only heir of Slytherin, and a Parselmouth."

"Not quite, I, too, am an heir of Slytherin and I possess the ability to talk to snakes. Then there is also Tom's uncle, Morfin, he's in Azkaban but still very much alive." Hayden pointed out, "It's odd, I mean everyone knows the Gaunts are descendants of Slytherin, admittedly Morfin and Marvolo Gaunt spent most of their time inside of Azkaban but surely people remember that they're not dead?"

"Wait, you're a direct descendant of Salazar Slytherin?" Orion's eyes were wide, heart pounding erratically, could Hayden Peverell be any more perfect?

"No, Tom comes from the firstborn son's line, I'm from a brother branch, just like the Peverell's reversed." Hayden explained easily, he'd memorised his new 'family tree' which was still quite similar to his own so it wasn't difficult. He was directly descendant from Peverell, and a cousin of the Slytherin line…while Tom was direct from Slytherin line and a cousin of the Peverell branch. "Even if I was, Tom's older and is the heir." If Tom died, he could claim the Slytherin branch though. If he died, the Potter's have a closer tie to the Peverell estate.

He was beginning to realize why Hayden's parents had kept his existence a secret. That many gifts, the power, the lineage, he had it all, and that sort of envy it creates could be deadly.

"You don't seem the slightest bit perturbed by the revelations I've given regarding Tom." Orion realized, narrowing his eyes speculatively at Hayden. There hadn't even been a trace amount of surprise. He wasn't the least bit leery. Setting this new piece of information about Hayden aside for now.

"Nobody really surprises me anymore, Orion," Hayden said quietly, sombre. "I've seen the best and worst in people, and you know what? It was those who I was convinced were the lowest of the low that ended up surprising me the most. In fact, I hated someone for seven years, but it turns out he was the bravest man I ever knew." And nobody had taken that spot yet. He'd thought the worst of Severus Snape for years, and he now understood the wizard more than he wanted to. Those memories, he could imagine the fear and terror he felt every single day. Playing the role, while trying to save those he could without getting caught.

Orion silently contemplated Hayden's statement. Wondering just what he had been through, to become so world-weary. What had his life been like? Had he spent his entire life going from one place to another? Had there already been attempts on his life? Anyone that did was stupid, going after the last heir/Lord of such a notorious family? It was the Dementors Kiss for anyone who attempted it let alone succeeded.

"Anyway, I've had enough of this for the day," Hayden said, gesturing towards the bundle of information, letters and what would one day be the contents of a book. Well, two books. "How do you feel up to visiting Peverell Manor?"

The beguiling and unmitigated excitement that shone in Orion's eyes was answer enough. There was even a smile on Orion's face, however briefly it was there. "I wouldn't miss it for the world." genuinely excited to see the legendary Peverell Manor and the secrets it hid. Their earlier conversation entirely forgotten, for now. He'd come to realize just how good Hayden was at diverting.

"Good, I could use a break, I've scheduled the interviews for tomorrow. I did a mock test to find out how long it would take, so I could get them done as quickly as possible." Hayden commented, putting everything into a neat pile.

"You're not going to leave that lying, are you?" Orion asked, staring at the pile, while neat was shoved at the corner of the desk without care. This place wasn't exactly the paragon of safety and security. "I'd really rather not have to pay for another set of those."

Hayden rolled his eyes unseen, "Nobody will care about a pile of parchment."

"You underestimate what people are willing to do to get to know you," Orion pointed out, "Your presence is known, once they find out who you are…there will be attempts to figure you out so they can approach you and build on that connection. That's if they don't just outright ask for your hand in a betrothal contract."

Hayden laughed, "I doubt it."

Orion gave him a look of disbelief; did he honestly not realize just what families would do to marry a Peverell into the family? How much they would pay as a dowry price to see their daughter married into the Peverell family? Or better yet, due to Hayden being a carrier how much they'd pay for their sons? Not to forget his looks, he was stunning.

"Alright, alright, I'll take everything with me," Hayden gave in, assuming that look was due to his 'carelessness' with the documents. Orion was a little bit paranoid, but Hayden already knew that, Grimmauld Place had been a prime example of that. He'd never been 'desired' for his looks or so he thought, he'd assumed it was due to his status as 'The-Boy-Who-Lived'. It was partly why he was so excited for the new experience coming back in time would create for him. Failing to realize just what sort of excitement would be created by the Peverell name. "Good job for magic!" he murmured, as he gathered it all together and shrunk it down, books, scrolls, letters and all.

"Did you get to the Ministry to take the Apparation test?" Orion asked as he stood, grateful to be getting out of the stuffy room. Although, he would have endured it hours just to spend time with Hayden.

"Yesterday morning," Hayden replied, luckily it had only taken half an hour of his time. Following Orion out of the room, closing the door and the pair made their way back down the Leaky Cauldron stairs and out into Diagon Alley.

"How many mistakes did you make?" Orion asked sounding deeply amused.

"Uh…none? I landed in all the rings; all limbs intact." Hayden shrugged.

Orion blinked before nodding, well that was rare, you needed to pass in the eightieth percentile. He had passed by eighty-nine percentile, which was just above average. "What was your score?"

"Ninety-three," Hayden told him, as they avoided bumping into people. "But I was sort of Apparating before it was legal…quite a few years actually." They'd been in a war, of course they weren't going to stop in the Ministry to get their licence.

"Most of us are," Orion agreed, "My grandfather taught me, I must have been just turning fifteen. I was warned to refrain from doing so for frivolity. It was there for an escape. Not only with Grindelwald rumoured to be coming closer, but anyone attempting to abduct me for ransom."

Hayden stopped walking, almost causing Orion to bump into him. "Does that happen a lot?" he'd never heard of the like, was that why Dumbledore had wizards watching him as well?

"If given the opportunity, yeah, someone would try, if they were desperate enough. It's happened in the past." Orion answered sombrely.

"Want the coordinates or side-long?" Hayden asked, once they were at a quiet spot to Apparate from.

"I don't mind…" Orion had barely finished speaking when Hayden grasped his elbow and both of them were gone. He made a mental note to himself that Hayden apparently didn't waste time after getting an answer. "A little warning in future," Orion grumbled out, barely staying on his feet at the unexpectedness of the Apparation.

"Sorry…" Hayden apologised, although he didn't sound the slightest bit apologetic. "Wow…" his green eyes wide as he stared at the estate before him it was much bigger than he anticipated. Reinforced walls, towers and a moat, not surprised to see all this given the time it was built.

It wasn't just one building and stables and such, but dozens of houses. It looked as if it had one day been a thriving community. "Was that normal?" honestly it looked like an entire community, not just one building with lots of land.

"Yes, you will have to remember that this is well before the magical world really had Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade, even Hogwarts." Orion educated Hayden, his grey eyes greedily taking in the sights. "Most of them look entirely intact, they could use a good clean. They could be put back on the market."

Hayden removed his wand, and began to get rid of everything in his path.

"You really should conceal that wand if you want to keep it," Orion pointed out, joining Hayden in getting rid of the grass, weeds and everything in their way.

"Why would I do that?" Hayden asked baffled by the statement.

"Have you not read the Daily Prophet?" Orion asked, bewildered.

"No, I can't say I have," Hayden shrugged, "How often does anything worthy actually get printed in that rag?"

"You raise a good point, but Professor Dumbledore has reported the wand as stolen." Orion told him, making their way to the closest building. "A drawing was put in the newspaper, and it is a rathe unique wand. Even my grandfather with his less than perfect eyesight noticed it."

"Ironic," Hayden snorted, moving towards the first building. "The reality is, that the wand belongs to me, it's a family heirloom. The brothers were rather odd, you know Cadmus the middle child ended up with the Lordship ring? Antioch's prized possession was the wand he created, from an Elder tree. Said to be the most powerful wand in the world, thus named the Elder wand. Cadmus altered the Lordship ring, with his magic made it so that anyone touching it could talk to their loved ones. He put in his own gift into it, his own magic into it…it's amazing. Ignotus created the very first invisibility cloak in existence. Everyone attempted to create their own naturally. None ever came close to the original, they don't last long, but Ignotus' one? Still does strong." And now in his possession.

"Those stories are true?" Orion gaped; he had been read the tale of the three brothers so many times as a child.

"Probably published by one of the Peverell descendants or by someone who had been told the tale by one of them. They dramatized it obviously." Hayden shrugged, lying through his teeth, but most people wouldn't like to be told that death himself was an entity that could appear at will. That would just terrify them all. Opening the door, he walked through the threshold. "But yeah, the wand belongs to me, it answered my call, Dumbledore doesn't have a leg to stand on. Not a single wizard would go against magic herself."

"This must have been a school room for the children on the estate," Orion said, it made him recall his own childhood room where he was taught. There were pieces of chalk with faded runes he'd guess on the blackboard. Ancient parchment scrolls lay in the corner, this was…a whole new look into how children were taught before an institution was installed. "These spells…aren't known to me." After carefully unrolling the very brittle parchment. Other than these scrolls the room was empty except for the table and chairs and hooks along by the door presumably for their cloaks or jackets.

Hayden came up behind Orion, peering over his shoulder, standing on the tip of his toes. Leaning against Orion to stop himself toppling over, "I can barely read it, I'm not too good with that sort of calligraphy." That was proper calligraphy, which had faded with time.

Orion shivered a little at the whispered words in his ear, nothing erotic meant about it. Yet it didn't stop his body from reacting that way.

"It's very well preserved," Hayden commented, as he moved away cheeks flushed a little red in the darkened room. Realizing just how intimately pressed up against Orion he had been. "The wards are still going strong."

"The warding hub will ensure everything on the land is secure." Orion said, delicately replacing the scroll. The desire to investigate each of the scrolls strong. Were they all the same? Or were every single one of them different? What else awaits to be found on the Estate? Who had run the school? Had they kept journals?

"Still want to investigate with me?" Hayden asked, looking around, his mind wondering why such a thing wasn't done. Why children had to be eleven-years-old to begin their magical education. Wondering what age, the children here had been while being educated.

"Definitely." Orion said, this was the most fun he'd had in years. You just never know what awaits to be found. If anything was found at all.

"That is an outhouse," Orion pointed out to the small hut, "The place evidently doesn't have plumbing." No surprise there if nobody had lived here for centuries.

Hayden grimaced, "Well, there goes the thought of this being an easy fix, the goblins didn't mention plumbing…although I might have missed the mention…" it was going to take weeks if not months to have all these places updated. Costly too, but he'd make it back if he rented every property out, and made more houses here.

"Overgrown greenhouses, Orchards, they had their own food supplies." Orion declared as they continued to walk, taking everything in on the outside. "They look like broken pens and fields, for animals?"

"looks like," Hayden agreed, climbing over one of the fallen wooden fence panels. Opening the hut to see what was inside, "Did the often use muggle equipment?" noticing the ancient muggle gardening things in the hut. They quite frankly belonged in a museum. "Oh, never mind…these have been adapted with magic." His fingers tracing down the runes etched clearly on the Mundane items.

Orion crouched down, lightening up the hut properly, "They've all been adapted." Noticing the runes on more than just the one Hayden was touching. "How unusual…"

"Hardly," Hayden replied sardonically, "The wizarding world for all it's purity adapts a lot of Muggle items yet gets on at private citizen's for doing the same and fining them."

Orion glanced at Hayden curiously, before he could open his mouth, Hayden began talking.

"Hogwarts express? St. Mungo's? Leaky Cauldron? The cars from the Ministry of magic, the Knight Bus, all muggle buildings/items magically modified; I could go on." Hayden pointed out, standing up, the items were all rusted though, probably not usable until they'd been cleaned up some. Stepping out, he closed the hut doors and looked around, he wondered if the wells were still in good condition or if they had dried up.

"That…is a rather interesting point," Orion conceded, he hadn't really thought of it. Moving as Hayden did, his gaze roving around the massive expansive of space that Peverell's had called their manor. Watching him check the wells, for what he didn't know.

The thunder of hooves in the distance had his gaze jerking up, taking in the sight of the horses galloping by. "Are they Feral or Wild do you think?"

Hayden frowned, "They're hardly feral, I mean look at them."

Orion laughed a little, shaking his head, "In animals the term feral actually applies to animals released into the wild after being domesticated. Even their offspring are considered feral, up to a point until the behaviour pattern changes."

"Oh, so you know about animal husbandry but it never clicked that it's the same for humans?" Hayden teased him, bumping into him, as they began walking again, leaving the animals to their trot. The horses disappeared into the woods; they could still be heard though.

"Evidently at some point, someone did," Orion said, flicking his wand yet again getting rid of the weeds and overgrown grass. "I just don't understand why anyone kept it quiet." Kneeling down he picked up the wooden figure, that had termite holes in it, long indecipherable but evidently used to be a child's toy perhaps?

"I suppose it depends on who figured it out, and whether they were pressed to keep quiet." Hayden shrugged, "Not much that can be done about it now."

They remained thoughtfully silent for twenty minutes as they continued to get a lay of the land. Passing a large lake, with fish teeming inside. It didn't surprise Orion, estates were self sufficient, you could eat off the land for the rest of your life. Between vegetable fields, orchards teeming with vegetables, animals and fish, you could eat healthily for the rest of your life without leaving the estate. Hayden seemed very fascinated by everything they saw.

"Oh, wow, can you feel that?" Hayden asked, breathe hitching as he stepped nearer.

"Feel what?" Orion enquired, gaze following Hayden's and both of them stepped inside, only then could Orion feel it. His own breath hitching, "This…this is where they worshiped," to this day it was untouched by the elements. "Paganism." The signs were all there, including the triquetra, bells in the trees, all signs of Pagan worship including an alter that had an empty cement bowl in the middle. Any rugs they will have had down had probably rotted to nothingness by now.

"It's really, really strong," Hayden murmured shuddering as the magic washed around him.

"I'm not surprised, everyone will have added to it over the years," Orion told him, closing his eyes feeling it as well. Not as much as Hayden who could evidently see and feel magic to a greater extent, the family gifts.

"Does your family have a spot like this?" Hayden questioned curiously, as they stepped out of the area. Passing under the arch way, and moving on.

"We have an alter room," Orion nodded, "This is better though, its supposed to be done outside, so you can be one with nature." Nature was a very important part of Paganism and their rituals. With their weather though, it was easier to do it indoors.

"Does the Alter room feel like that?" Hayden queried as they walked. The place was beautiful, they hadn't entered any of the houses yet, it felt a little disrespectful but they'd check them nonetheless.

"No, unfortunately not, we can't freely release our magic in the alter room…not without it interfering with all the wards on the properties." Orion explained as they approached one of the houses closest to the manor itself.

"Did your family decide not to build on the estate your castle resides on?" Hayden asked, opening the door to the property.

"My family would never have allowed it," Orion declared, "Allowing strangers on their land? It's not as if we needed the money either."

"But you have a massive family, you could build on the estate, still have privacy and be close to one another…and freely be able to use magic. Share resources and save money, with the Lord not having to give so much money out for rent and such." Shrugging his shoulders, that was definitely something the Black's had thought of surely? Or were such thoughts beyond them.

"Yeah, a whole bunch of Black's in close contact all the time…there would be nothing left but ruins." Orion said dryly.

Hayden threw his head back and laughed. Just imagining everything Sirius could have done with all his family in close proximity. He might not have felt the need to leave, if he had family near…he could have gone to them instead. Maybe he would have had a happier childhood. Still, the wizard in front of him was so different from the version writing in his journals. This one was still happy, full of life, not burdened down with a wife he clearly didn't want, not yet buckled down under his families demands and become broken by everything that happened.

"They didn't take everything…" Orion said, looking around, the cauldron still in the fireplace, wooden plates and bowls still around the table. "I wonder if something happened to them or if they were forced to leave in a hurry after the Peverell's died?" any signs of a battle would be long gone, although, bodies would have still been there unless they'd been buried.

"I hope they left," Hayden murmured, seeing the moth-eaten children's clothes and toys strewn around the place. "It's going to take months to get this place straightened out…none of this has modern plumbing or anything."

"You can stay at my place while it gets fixed, we have more than one guest room you can use." Orion said, "It would make it easier when dealing with our projects anyway, and it's safer and cleaner than the Leaky Cauldron." Screwing up his nose in remembrance.

Hayden came out of the room, staring at Orion pensively, "I guess offering to pay rent would be seen as rude?" mulling the idea over.

"Yes," Orion declared immediately, "You would be our guest, any attempts to repay that with money would be considered vulgar."

"With money," Hayden said, "But something bought…would be fine?"

Orion grinned wryly, "Of course, it would be seen as rude if we declined a gift." Go figure he would latch onto that.

"Do you often have guests over to stay? Will your parents truly be alright with that?" Hayden asked, "I mean your family is grieving, the last thing they need is guests to be strong in front of."

"Grief is a private thing," Orion agreed, a faraway look on his face, "I've only seen them grieving twice. As in all things, parents try to…protect their loved ones and grieve only in private. If it will make you feel better, I can ask my father?" he had been younger when he saw them actually grieving, they lost two children, before they decided to make sure it didn't happen again. He didn't think his mother would have survived another miscarriage.

Hayden merely nodded, silently gesturing for them to leave the house. Their trek to the manor was in silence, but not a strained one. The manor was just like all properties, coated in thick green stuff, plants and dirt and muck. You couldn't really see what was underneath it all.

"I can't see what animal that's meant to be," Hayden said, staring at the figures on either side of the manors entrance. Perched on either side of the stone walls.

Orion chuckled, "They're Grim's, was there ever any other possible alternative for such a family?"

Harry wanted to facepalm, "Of course, omens of death, how appropriate,"

"How come you didn't know your own coat of arms?" Orion asked, perplexed, the animal in his family crest. "I assume you weren't told?" best way to keep a secret is for the person to be unaware of it. Still, it went against everything he had been taught.

Hayden paused, opening and closing his mouth. He didn't want to lie, but he also couldn't tell the truth. "I didn't know I was related to the Peverell's until I was sixteen." Telling the truth, he hadn't until he visited Godric's hollow and found out the Potter's were related to the Peverell's. Oddly enough saying this while staring directly ahead, finding a cemetery in the distance, and a mausoleum.

"What did you think your name was?" Orion questioned, as he nudged Hayden in the direction of the manor.

'boy' 'freak' Hayden thought dourly, "I've known my name since I was five, but I didn't know the significance of it for a long time." Even while at Hogwarts he hadn't realized the significance. Still didn't understand the value and desire that came along with names.

Orion continued walking, hiding how horrified he was at the situation. Whether for Hayden's own safety or not, imagine not knowing who you were. The hints Hayden had dropped did not allude to a happy childhood. Especially the comment about living with Muggles and the desire to have not been left with them.

Once inside the gazed around in awe, it was so old fashioned. Wall sconces with half melted candle's inside. With melted wax still on the floor. Wooden chandeliers, there was nothing oil fixtured in the manor or electricity.

"You're right, it's going to take a long time and money to get these properties up to standard." Orion declared, as they moved through the Great Hall and peering into the other rooms, finding the kitchen hidden behind very faded tapestries and servant quarters – presumably for house-elves – and sitting rooms. "Do you intend to live here? If not, it might be best to sell the land." How many other properties were the same way? The estate seemed to have been left to rot. At least the money continued to gain interest.

"Maybe," Hayden said quietly, his tone thoughtful, "I mean even if I didn't, I could build this place up…turn it into a magical district, Hogsmeade is tiny, but this place? I mean…it could house so many people. It means less wizards and witches deciding to venture into the Muggle world to live. I could build on the Peverell name and make it a holding of ever kind of venture possible." Peverell holdings, it had a good ring to it.

"I'm guessing the holdings you have are just land with properties on them?" Orion deduced, as they entered the Master bedroom.

"For the most part, yeah," Hayden nodded, he wanted to make Ignotus proud, wanted his name to live on for generations. He didn't want to risk what happened to the Peverell name in the past. Wanted it to be known for more than just Grindelwald's sign. He wanted to ensure all his children grew up having what he hadn't. Family, love, friends, money, happiness.

Orion opened the wardrobe, touching the old-fashioned, moth eating clothes. Only for the arms to raise and begin to wind around Orion, choking him.

Hayden burst out laughing, struggling to get the words out to end the spell. Watching as the moth eating clothes had Orion thrown back on the floor. Wrestling with the charmed piece of clothing.

In the end he couldn't get the complicated words out, instead he banished the material itself.

Hayden himself was on the floor, tears of mirth running down his face. The look that had been on Orion's face…the look of surprise and indignation would forever be imprinted on his mind.

Orion stood gracefully, wiping off the debris on his clothes. "This doesn't get mentioned again, ever." He declared haughtily, staring down at Hayden imperiously.

It just caused Hayden to burst into more peals of laughter, oh, that was justice if he'd ever seen it. Orion had used that particular spell at one point on his wardrobe. Ron had ended up suffering the same fate, his expressions had been just as hilarious too.

"Oh, Merlin," Hayden choked out, wheezing, karmatic justice at work like six decades too early. "I'm sorry but…" fresh peels of laughter left his mouth, "Oh! I'm sorry!"

"It's hardly that funny," Orion said, lips pursed, trying to stop himself from smiling.

"Ow," Hayden said, holding his jaw, his cheeks were sore too. "I don't think I've ever laughed like that before." He confessed, breathlessly, grinning up at Orion feeling freer than he ever had in his life. It was just a shame he couldn't have his cake and eat it too. Have Hermione and Ron with him, but he loved them and they'd understand. Who knows, one day he might see them again. Just unfortunately, not as their best friend. Knowing they wouldn't have to live the life they had…was good enough. No war, no danger, an unencumbered life free of emotional complication.

He would make sure of it, even if it meant killing Tom Riddle if he couldn't be saved.

Orion arched a brow and helped Hayden to his feet, somehow believing that proclamation. It was a sad reality if that was the case, eyeing the cupboard, "I wonder what other traps await to be found." Despite the spell he was rather looking forward to investigating everywhere else.

Hayden giggled, trying to smother his amusement, to no avail.

"Now if the layout is anything like it's supposed to, the library will also be on the ground floor. Alongside a games room…if such a thing existed back then." Orion told him, "The library itself will definitely be protected…especially against those not of their blood." Knowledge was power in the medieval times; they would have protected their knowledge like a dragon protecting its hoard. "They might have even hidden their more important creations, there will be dozens upon dozens of hidden rooms spread throughout the manor."

"Admit it, the only reason you came was for that very reason," Hayden teased him. "It does sound like fun." He added, with a bit of wistfulness. He'd never gotten to explore Hogwarts, not without death and danger following him.

"Our grandfather used to set up treasure hunts for us, for all of us when we were young." Orion confessed fondly, as they left the Master bedroom, he most certainly wasn't going to open anything else.

"What kind?" Hayden asked, eyes lightening up in genuine curiosity.

"He would make a map and we would spend hours and hours rushing around the castle. Digging up more maps, finding maps in the lake and the ponds, digging out boxes in the forest, even had to go into the pig stye to get the bottle in there…that wasn't fun, I stank for hours afterwards." Orion said fondly, and as in all things, Hayden paid rapid attention to him. Clearly enthralled about what he had to say.

"What did you get at the end if you won?" Hayden asked.

"All of us got three galleons, but the winner got to choose their prize." Orion said, peering into the room, it was filled with child's toys, two wooden horses, wooden Lego, and a variety of other soft toys and soldiers. "I always picked a book from the bookstore when I won." He'd always been avid reader. He had so many good memories of his grandparents, playing with his cousins before he begun his training to be Lord Black. Then he was busy reading while the rest of his cousins and sister got to have fun. He recalled his mother being extremely unhappy with that.

"That sounds like fun," Hayden said, much better than being stuck in a cupboard watching his so called 'family' pretend he didn't exist.

"It was," Orion agreed fully. "It's been a long time." A faraway look on his face.

"How come?" Hayden asked, as he peeked into one of the last rooms, a grin spreading across his face as he wandered in. "There's no spells on the scrolls, but there's a lot of magic behind that panel."

"I begun to learn my duties for when I became Lord Black." Orion told him, "I must have been eight or nine."

"And that meant you couldn't have fun? Do treasure hunts anymore?" Hayden asked, Merlin, no wonder Draco always acted as if he had a stick up his ass.

"Duty comes first," Orion parroted as if he'd heard it often enough, touching the scrolls reverentially, untouched for Merlin, only knew how long. Preserved very well, even the dust didn't so much as lay on them.

"Remember that feeling, Orion, and don't let your own kids go through it." Hayden said, "Promise me that."

"It's not that easy to forego tradition." Orion declared pensively, he had grown up knowing only duty and family.

"Who said forego? Just let your son and heir have fun once in a while." Hayden said seriously, "There's…nothing worse than being left out. To seeing other kids having fun and playing and not able to take part." He knew that very well indeed. "I certainly wouldn't allow any of mine to miss out on a childhood. Not even for Lordship duties. They can be learnt a few years later along with his education while at school." Eyes gleaming with determination.

"But if you already knew, you wouldn't be struggling right now," Orion pointed out, as he followed Hayden to the corner by the wall, as he ran his hands everywhere until he found the latch and opened the secret compartment.

"I'm only struggling Orion…because I didn't have someone there to help me." Hayden said seriously, "There's no traps, but don't touch anything." He told him stepping down into the room, "Lumos!" and the whole area lit up, and he couldn't help but gasp. Rows upon rows of scrolls littered the entire room with bottles of preserved ink, quills and unfinished pieces of work on the desk. "Merlin!" he breathed.

Orion nodded dumbly, entirely agreeing with him. Crouching down by the table, finding three bottles of unopened alcohol. Wine, probably undrinkable now. Until he rubbed the dust away and found a rune for preservation attached. "Runes were used quite often back in the day, at least by the Peverell's."

"Maybe not everyone could afford a wand…or found one that fitted them?" Hayden said, kneeling down, "It took a lot of time and effort before I found a wand that was right for me. Not that I have it any more, lucky for me I knew about the Elder Wand." Oh, to be a fly on the wall where it came to Dumbledore when he found out the wand was missing. How long had he fanatically searched for it? asked for it to be summoned before realizing it had been stolen from him. The worry and fear that someone had gotten into his quarters at Hogwarts…having to rake out the pretty unremarkable wand he had used before.

"That's depressingly likely," Orion conceded, "This is still drinkable, it's a preservation rune, I've never seen one used before. Most likely because a spell to duplicate what the Rune does was made."

"There's a whole cellar of them down there," Hayden pointed towards the darkened doorway, just beyond this part of the room. "The passage way seems endless, there's another corridor after the wine cellar by the look of it.

Orion nodded, "Most old places are the same," enthusiastically, the very same excitement he used to get playing treasure hunter consumed him.

"Want to continue exploring?" Hayden asked, wondering if Orion even realized he was smiling. In his short experience so far, Orion seemed to remain composed unless he was surprised.

"As long as you don't mind," Orion declared, replacing the bottle, peering at the work that had been left half unfinished.

"I don't," Hayden told him, flicking his wand and the scrolls lit up, "There, now you should be able to touch them." Knowing that's what Orion wanted, he was a self-proclaimed avid reader after all.

He didn't waste any time in investigating all this long, long lost magicks. His family could wait a few hours to be told about everything he'd found out. He'd ask them tonight if Hayden could stay, after he revealed everything he had found out.

He moved over to the stool, barely noticing Hayden transfiguring it into something much more comfortable as he lost himself in reading.

A/N – well, there we go! So, will Hayden turn Peverell estate into a thriving magical community? Will Orion and Hayden eventually move in there or will they go somewhere far smaller with a great deal more privacy turning the manor into a hotel for guests? Will he encourage Tom Riddle to do the same? Or will Hayden eventually have to kill the wizard? I don't want to go back and forth on it, it's definitely something I have to decide here and now. My story The Games They Play I had so many different ideas about Tom Riddle that it bled into the story I think so I want to avoid it :D normally my back in time stories featuring Tom end up with them together and since this isn't going to happen in this one, I'm a little bit at a loss of what to do with him again ideas…those that are writers themselves will get it 😉 So how will the meeting with the Black's go over the inbreeding? Will they break the Betrothal contract? Or will they think they're safe to do it 'one last time' until Orion gives them an ultimatum? Refusing to have the next heir would definitely NOT go over well with either Sirius or Arcturus! R&R please