My Time

Chapter 34

Orion tightened his hold on Hayden, closing his eyes, as the memory of him being so grievously harmed overwhelmed him. He shook his head, as if in an attempt to physically shake the memory from his mind. A futile exercise, as Hayden had warned…there was no going back. Orion would need to live with the memory of knowing what would have been. What would have been his future, the Black future, without Hayden's interference.

Hayden could have stayed out of it, could have watched history repeat itself. Just in order to keep Sirius Black in existence. Yet he hadn't, the hat might have said Hayden was a Slytherin…but all those years in the lion's den had an effect on the wizard. He'd gone out of his way to do the right thing by him. Despite knowing that a Black killed his son.

Still, the way Hayden had spoken…it sounded as though Hogwarts was the start of the trouble…which couldn't be true. What the Muggles had done to Hayden…it was horrendous, inexcusable and deserving of Azkaban. He made a vow that he would get them, hunt them down and kill them. He'd get a Private Investigator to do some searching when he suspected they were born.

Brushing his hand repeatedly through Hayden's hair, Orion's resolve strengthened, "Tell me." he requested of Hayden, he needed to hear it all. Massaging the base of Hayden's neck, he kissed his forehead, feeling Hayden stiffen for a few seconds before relaxing he ventured to ask, "Was that alright?" his fingers still absently tracing patterns at the base of his neck. They were still getting to know each other, and if Hayden didn't like it then Orion wanted to ensure he didn't do it. Given how he'd been treated…it was a miracle he could tolerate touch at all.

"Yeah," he murmured, "I'm just not used to being touched like this…I mean I'm not a blushing virgin, at least in terms of sleeping with women." Amending his statement, he had slept with Ginny, quite a lot, they had been in a relationship after all. "Other than holding hands and kissing, especially in public, when Ginny knew the press were there…and fucking…we weren't particularly…amorous." Ginny hadn't been openly affectionate unless the press were there. He presumed it was Ginny's way of bragging, silently smug that she had the most sought-after wizard in the magical world. Even then it was nothing like Orion's touch, at least thus far.

"Press?" Orion queried, "I can see them expressing interest in the beginning, but you make it sound like it was all the time." the press did look for and follow the heirs around hoping for a scandal. Without betrothal contracts – which clearly had declined in popularity in time since Hayden didn't have one in his time – there would be less scandal to be found. "Were you promiscuous or someone worthy of particular note?"

Hayden laughed, withdrawing away from Orion, and seeing the look of haughty indignation had Hayden laughing again. "Oh, Orion," he chuckled, promiscuous, oh, that was funny. "I'm not laughing at you, I promise!" he choked out through refreshed peals of laughter.

Orion pretended to be offended, but his gaze was avidly watching Hayden with secret delight. It wasn't often he laughed, but when he did? His green eyes lit up with inner light, his delight obvious. The way he rubbed his cheeks indicated a lack of laughter being present in his life. His laughter faded, but a chuckle of 'Promiscuous' left his lips amused still.

Perhaps his tale wouldn't be too bad after all, for surely, he wouldn't be laughing if it were the case? A grimace appeared remembering his childhood, and that was the merest glimpse, tiny, minuscule. He didn't even want to imagine a lifetime of such treatment. The terrified look on Hayden's face, on a child's face…no child should have such a haunted disposition.

He had to make sure that no magical child suffered like Hayden did. The laws had to be changed, updated. With a passion he hadn't had in the past, he vowed to do more. He had a voice, and for all the Hayden's in the world.

He'd known he had a better childhood than most, was spoiled to a certain extent. He'd learned not everyone had the sort of money the Black's did…but today? Today he was humbled, he understood the extent of the depravity the Muggle world was capable. That Muggles were capable of.

With the Peverell seats…and the Black seats? Oh, they were going to slaughter anyone who got in their way politically.

"So?" he prompted Hayden, he wanted to smother Hayden in so much affection that he wouldn't think to fear someone hurting him. All he could do was worship him, deny him nothing, and gift him with everything and anything he might desire.

Hayden licked his lips, settling back but not against Orion, he crossed his legs and got comfortable. Wildly trying to figure out what to reveal, what was more important really. "When my first dozen letters came…the Dursleys', that's who they are, they ripped them up, burnt them, thinking they could stop me finding out about Hogwarts."

Orion frowned, so utterly bewildered by Hayden's words. "That makes no sense, why did a professor not give you your letter? That's what happens, professors approach Muggle-borns in order to give them their Hogwarts letter. To ensure they didn't write it off as a joke, the professors encourage their education informing the Muggles that they need educated otherwise their magic would be…uncontrollable and could cause damage even death if left untethered."

"Muggle raised," Hayden said simply, "I believe they fall through the cracks." Although, he reckoned it was next to rare in this time…but in the years to his time…they went through three wars. It wasn't beyond the realm of possibility that there were quite a few people Muggle raised like him. Problem was, he had no clue about them. He hadn't paid attention to much outside of his best friends and Voldemort.

"You said they, not we," Orion noticed, gaze sharpening in on the wording, having learned very quickly that the wording was very important to anything Hayden said.

"I reckon I was deliberately forced through the cracks," Hayden stated firmly, there was no reckon about it, he had been deliberately dealt with differently. "Although, if you want to get all technical someone from Hogwarts did come and introduce me to the magical world."

Orion arched a brow, now curious, he had a funny feeling it would be whom he expected less, "Let me guess, Dumbledore?" he often ventured into the Muggle world to introduce students to Hogwarts. In fact, he knew a dozen that Dumbledore had personally went to introduce, including Tom Riddle as a matter of fact. "You were besotted by the old fool's façade, weren't you?" or had he seen through it? Hayden had said he was a Slytherin after all.

Hayden shook his head, "Dumbledore was Headmaster by the time I was due to begin Hogwarts. You'll never in a million years guess who it is. I'll even give you a clue," he added, a wicked grin on his face, "They're at Hogwarts right now."

Orion sucked his teeth with his tongue, an inscrutable look upon his face. Utterly baffled to whom it could be, "Slughorn, perhaps?" the old man didn't seem like he would ever retire. He knew he was wrong; he just couldn't think of anyone. It wasn't as if it could be Binn's for Merlin's sake, he was a ghost.

"Rubeus Hagrid," Hayden said, eyes gleaming at the look on Orion's face.

"Rubeus Hagrid? That…that…half-giant monstrosity that cannot use magic? That got expelled from Hogwarts and has been kept on in pity at Dumbledore's insistence?" Orion gaped, "That Rubeus Hagrid?" what on earth had come of Hogwarts that Dumbledore would send a half-giant to introduce a Muggle raised child to their world?

"He can use magic, and does actually, very frequently." Hayden corrected him with smirk, "He kept his wand pieces, and uses a wooden umbrella to guide his magic through."

Orion's gaping should have been deeply unattractive, but nothing about Orion was anywhere near resembling unattractive.

"My aunt and uncle, they fled Privet Drive in order to 'fool' the owls, we stayed in a hotel for the night and when they went down to breakfast, they were given two sacks full of letters for me. The Muggles were deeply confused, Vernon was furious, and they fled, me in two, to a little hut in the middle of the water, and he honestly thought they'd give up." Hayden revealed, "It was six o'clock in the morning before Hagrid found us, we were still asleep. He broke the door down, scaring the bejesus out of us."

Orion stared, for someone who claimed to have been scared, he had a rather fond look on his face. He disliked that it was on his face when speaking about Hagrid of all people.

"He was my first friend," Hayden said fondly, "A good, gentle soul, that couldn't hurt anyone."

Orion snorted, "Tell that to Victoria Vane, who is permanently scarred by one of Hagrid's pets."

Hayden didn't even attempt to defend Hagrid which spoke volumes.

"I'm going to assume by that silence…it happened again," Orion said, shaking his head in disgust, he knew keeping that Half-giant being at Hogwarts was a mistake.

"A few times…and a few close calls," Hayden conceded, "Regardless of his love of dangerous pets, he was very good to me. He gifted me with my very first present. An owl I named Hedwig; she was my faithful familiar for six years. He also bought me a cake, unfortunately, my cousin ate it…" grimacing a little, "By the fistful." Ron could be just as bad when it came to eating.

Orion grimaced, looking as if something foul was making a stench the air under his nose. Eleven, he realized, Hayden was when he was given his first present. Eleven when he got his first cake…and not even able to eat it. Of course, those awful Muggles wouldn't give him anything…not even clothes. Not even school uniform. The school was going to go in a sharp decline, it truly was.

"Hagrid even becomes a professor, in Care of Magical Creatures." Hayden added in amusement.

Orion's lips drew into a straight line, you'd be able to put a ruler to his mouth and his mouth line would be straighter. "Then it's official, Hogwarts is going to the dogs." Horrified, a half-giant whom didn't graduate or even take his OWLS or NEWTS actually became a professor. Of magical creatures…when he couldn't use a wand. He definitely couldn't since Hayden had specifically stated he used his wand illegally through an umbrella of all things.

"It does, but as I said, it's an assortment of different things, most prominently Dumbledore," Hayden explained, he wouldn't let anyone besmirch Hagrid, not for things he didn't do anyway. He was a good man despite his lack of understanding when it came to the kind of creatures that were dangerous. It also explained Romilda Vane's attitude towards Hagrid, he'd never thought to ask.

"Oh, you really detest him," Orion murmured, watching Hayden with fascination. He was beautiful in his anger, the magic and his gaze, the green flare in his eyes. Hmm, he'd have to find a way to make him angry, not make him angry enough to wish him six feet under, but passionately angry, just to see him this way again. Perhaps he did have a little of the Black madness in him after all, Orion thought, recalling Hayden's reactions thus far, yes, definitely a bit if he wanted to annoy Hayden.

"Yes," Hayden agreed, eyeing Orion, he'd thought all Slytherins detested Dumbledore. Perhaps it wasn't as strong yet with him only being the Deputy Headmaster. During Orion's schooling it would have been primarily Tom Riddle Dumbledore was rather agnostic with…either that or he kept it well hidden. It probably wouldn't look good if Dumbledore openly displayed contempt for students right now. He didn't have any fame to hide behind.

Orion hummed, nodding his agreement, waiting for the continuation, they unfortunately, didn't have all night.

"I was taken to Gringotts and Hagrid helped me get money out of my vaults that my parents left to me." Hayden said, wry when he realizes Orion hadn't realized the second crumb he'd dropped. He'd certainly cottoned on to the first one. "I was given a talk about my past, very simple terms after gathering my supplies. I was told that Lord Voldemort, although he called him You-Know-Who first, his name was never uttered, had killed my parents. The rest of his time he was constantly telling about Dumbledore and how my parents were Gryffindors and how bad Slytherins were."

Orion's face took on an offended look, not just for himself, but for every single Slytherin sorted and every one that would be. Affronted by the mere suggestion, how dare they? Eleven-year-old children were not evil, or bad. He reiterated that to Hayden, without anger since he suspected the young boy had taken his word as truth.

Hayden sombrely nodded his head, "I know, took me a long time to realise it." he confessed.

Orion nodded, forgiving Hayden for his beliefs.

"Hagrid took me home, without even telling me how to get onto the platform. A relatively simple thing, I know, but I was completely new to magic. I didn't think for a second that it would literally be through the wall. Lucky a pureblood family, the Weasley's were there to see to it that I got on the train." Hayden told Orion wryly, as he changed positions, it wasn't comfortable whilst wearing Wizardkind clothes.

"A pureblood family? on the Muggle side?" Orion asked utterly baffled, "Why?" there was a Floo connection on the wizarding platform, even a little café where you could sit, eat and wait. He'd seen the Weasley's using the Wizarding platform…they had land in the wizarding world…thus should surely have a Floo network in future. "A set up?" his shewed mind began to calculate the possibility.

"By Dumbledore, yeah, but the Weasley family…became precious to me, I love them all…and miss them so much," Hayden confessed, green eyes gleaming with tears that he refused to let fall. "My best friend was Ronald Weasley, and he was with me through nearly everything right to the end. I like to think they thought of me as another son. When I broke up with Ginny, I thought they'd hate me. They didn't, they accepted the change, and while I didn't talk to them every day…I've thought of them every day since being here. Ginny…was my girlfriend for a time…and she's the one who killed me when she couldn't accept the end of our relationship. I wanted family…Ginny wanted to play Quidditch and you couldn't do that and be pregnant." Brushing over his death as if it were nothing, while Orion reeled over the latest revelation.

Orion's gaze thawed, "I am sorry," he murmured, what more could he say? Hayden had lost people whilst coming back here. Everyone he cared about, everything he knew. There were no words that could be used to adequately convey his deepest and sincerest regrets.

"I had another best friend, Hermione, Hermione Granger," Hayden said with a fond smile, "Who did indeed stick with me through thick and thin. Never wavered at whatever came our way. There's never been a more stalwart friend. She's amazing."

"Dagworth-Granger?" Orion questioned, wondering if they'd dropped 'Dagworth' from the family name and just begun going by Granger.

"No idea, Hermione believed she was Muggle-born, she never had any wish to find out if she had magical relatives. It's quite possible that the family had a squib and they dropped the Dagworth and went by Granger…if there's a picture of them, I might be able to tell you." Hayden conceded, "Funnily enough, nobody thought she was from a Magical family despite being one of the brightest and most intelligent witches of our year."

Orion grimaced, regardless of their conversations and his realisations, Muggle-borns were not very well regarded. That wouldn't change until they learned to change. They couldn't come into his world, their world, and just think they could do whatever they liked. Such as trying to change their religion, their ways of life, or pick and choose what magic they could use, it wasn't fair, and it wasn't right.

Still, it appeared they were very important, squib lines just rejuvenated, it was still mindboggling he confessed. "I'm sorry I'll never get to meet them." the people Hayden knew would never be the ones he knew. Hayden must know this, and it must be painful. Reaching out, he grasped Hayden's hand, grey eyes full of sympathy and sadness. Hayden's friends, he could see, were his family, and he'd lost them all. "They would be happy for you though, wouldn't they?" he suggested, "To stop the war before it can begin…" it would be anyone's wish.

Hayden inhaled shakily, a little laugh, "They would be, you know, ecstatic, they'd have been with me all the way through, even if my plans sucked." Just like they'd done during the whole Ministry debacle in their fifth year.

"I believe there might be a few stories in that statement," Orion said, his thumb brushing back and forth, offering what comfort he could.

Hayden chuffed, a fond smile on his face, "You have no idea." He shenanigans they'd gotten into…gotten away with shouldn't have been possible. Squeezing Orion's in silent gratitude, it hurt thinking about them, but Orion only needed the bare bones of the story. Leaning to the side, he allowed the cushions to support him. "Hermione and Ron didn't get on at first, you know, it took a fully grown Mountain Troll getting into Hogwarts and nearly killing Hermione for us to bond and become best friends."

"Excuse me? Did you just say a fully grown Mountain Troll?" Orion asked with deceptive mildness, nostrils flaring the only sign of his rising ire. "In Hogwarts." Seeking clarification.

"Yeah," Hayden nodded in confirmation.

"That's impossible," Orion declared strongly, entirely believing it to be so. "There are very strong wards on Hogwarts that stop anything that's a danger to the students lives. From dangerous artefacts, animals, creatures and hell there are wards that prevent…suicide." Admittedly centred around the astronomy tower, but that's where people tried it. The rest of the castle prevented windows opening – if they opened at all – so it wasn't possible to accomplish it.

"That might be the case here and now," Hayden murmured, "But Dumbledore changed a lot, the wards are just the start." He was tired, so very tired of discussing Dumbledore, and he'd only just begun. His story wasn't an easy digestible tale.

Orion narrowed his eyes, "Shall we continue this later?" observing that Hayden looked completely drained. His earlier reaction to Hayden's statement caused shame to crawl up his throat and almost choke him. Despite having Hayden's understanding and his own logical mind telling him it had been a valid reaction he still felt bad.

"We've only got another twenty-six minutes before we have to head to yours," Hayden shook his head, he couldn't rest yet. As it often was, there was too much to do still. "I don't want them angry or to feel disrespected." They'd gone out of their way to help him, and nobody had done that before, at least not in that particular way. They hardly knew him, but they were going out of their way to aid him. It was very sweet of them, and they had no ulterior motives, not really, he wasn't famous, wasn't family, he was nothing.

Only Hayden could undermine his own doing since he'd come back in time.

Not to worry, though, Orion would make sure that Hayden knew just what he'd done for him, for everyone.

"How on earth did at least two Muggle-born eleven-year-olds' even with the aid of a pureblood to defend them…win against a Mountain Troll?" he wasn't even sure he'd know how to defeat a Troll, or even how to defend himself against one, they were slightly impervious to magic. Incredibly dumb too, but dangerous.

Hayden snorted, "I'm not sure Ron even knew an actual spell before coming to Hogwarts, he wasn't the most observant boy. He tried to do a spell his 'big brothers' had given him…it didn't work. He didn't manage to help defeat the troll because of something he did…but something Hermione did. I um…got grabbed by the troll and it tried to club me to death a dozen times but I luckily had the upper body strength to prevent it. I even had my wand end up its nose, it was so gross." His nose scrunched up remembering it.

Orion gagged, immediately disgusted, "Troll bogies,"

Hayden laughed, "That's what Ron said," grinning widely, entirely too amused despite the conversation. "But he couldn't get the levitation charm correctly despite the fact Hermione had done it on her first attempt. Jealous played a big part in it, I think. He mocked her and basically suggested her attitude was the reason she didn't have any friends. She overheard it and ran away, to figure while I was on a Trolls shoulder, she'd get him to say the spell properly. The club landed on its head knocking it out just as the professors came o help us."

Orion winced, "I can imagine their reaction." He conceded. "And you will have deserved it, you should have gone for a professor, what you all did was madness. You could have died. I would have grounded any child of mine for that, and suspended any activities they participated in and no pocket money for starters." If Hayden had been his child? Or friends with one? Oh, they would have sorely regretted it.

Hayden blinked, "What exactly do you think happened?" slightly dazed as Orion's declaration.

"Detention for the rest of the year, loss of house points, and without a doubt parents or guardians informed." Orion determined, wincing a little, just imagining the Muggles reaction to such a letter.

"More like disappointed I survived," Hayden grumbled out, "But no, we were awarded five points each, by our Head of House, for 'Sheer Dumb Luck' as she put it." using a Scottish accent to imitate McGonagall's voice.

"That…that's McGonagall, it's one of her favourite phrases," Orion blurted out, "She becomes a professor?" making a moue with his face. Not able to say he was truly surprised by this. She was the school prefect and Head girl, she'd been right up there next to them all in terms of grades, best in Transfiguration though, beating out Tom for that spot. Not just a professor then, Head of House, usually it was only Tenure Professors that became Head Of House, they needed professors that wanted and would stay at least seven years so that they weren't having to get used to professors every time. "She awards you points? Did you get detentions? Restricted to your dorms? Did they even send letters out?"

Hayden nodded for the awarding of points before bluntly adding, "No detention, no restrictions."

Orion just stared utterly bewildered, unable to believe it, the Witch he knew would never let anyone away with any rule breaking. He was speechless, he just stared at Hayden, as if expecting him to take it back. Say he was lying after all and they'd all ended up with detentions.

"We did get detention for the whole Dragon incident though," Hayden reassured him.

Orion instead choked, flushing in mortification for such an outwardly reaction, "Dragon?" he managed to get out grey eyes so wide with shock and disbelief. Hayden was having him on surely! A Troll was one thing but a Dragon? There was no way the Dragon Handlers let something like that get away.

"Just the first one," Hayden reassured him.

"F-first?" Orion felt very faint, grey eyes slightly glazed.

A/N – lol poor Orion he is about to be in for the shock of his life hearing Hayden's tale! Not to mention just how far Hogwarts has declined! I don't want to parrot everything Harry went through though, so only the important titbits will be happening! Or so I tell myself lol but it's too amusing to add even the little bits and I think even Hayden's going to be a little shocked by Orion's natural reaction after believing it all was normal after such a long time...R&R please! Tell me your favourite bits of the books you'd love to see Hayden regale Orion with and what would you like to see as Orion's reaction?