My Time
Chapter 63
The Black House-elf dropped them off at the gates of the Macmillan estate. Which was impressive on its own, the Blacks used to far superior properties seen it as 'charming'. Despite the fact Melania and Arcturus actually lived in a new build that was nowhere near the size of this place. However, Arcturus had allowed his wife to choose, and choose she had a far smaller and modest property that was the smallest the Black family had in its list of properties. Even Grimmauld Place which was a new purchase by Arcturus outmatched it, by quite a few bedrooms the even if by land acre it was less. Grimmauld Place had no real back garden and no front garden in which to speak of.
Orion smiled as he walked through the gates, he liked the time he spent here. He was never treated as the 'heir' by his maternal grandparents. He was just…loved by them for being their grandchild. He didn't spend anywhere near enough time with them. He knew his Heirship training was important but it didn't stop the pang of bitter disappointment that he'd missed out on so much.
"Are you okay?" Hayden asked, having sobered up very quickly, what he'd found hilarious whilst sozzled hadn't lasted with his sober mind. "You seem happy." Don't get him wrong, it wasn't like he hadn't seen Orion happy, but he didn't normally display it quite so casually. Was it because they were alone or was, he truly fond of being here? Was this where he had been his happiest during his childhood?
"I had a lot of fun when I was allowed to come here," Orion confessed, as he begun walking towards the property.
"Allowed?" Hayden queried, his voice purposely light, he could see where this was going. He was hearing enough to understand why most pureblood's go over the top when they get to Hogwarts. For the most part free of their families with professors that couldn't keep an eye on them at all times. They went a little too far with the freedom they'd suddenly have in their lives where it wasn't dictated by their parents and boggled down with expectation.
"I wasn't here as frequently as my sister," Orion replied, "I loved the fact I wasn't the heir here; my grandparents just love me for me." Without them Orion didn't dare to think how he would have been. This little slice of heaven had been something he desperately sought, that his mental health needed.
"You've never said," Hayden murmured, "Not that you have to tell me everything but you haven't mentioned them even once." He'd even mentioned his uncles, but that was only because he – Hayden – could have a use of them. He'd presumed he wasn't close to them, but perhaps that had been a mistake, a stupid assumption to make.
"You'll like them," Orion told him, a tinge of fondness suffusing his voice. "They'll love you."
"Merlin, how many greenhouses do the family have?" Hayden breathed, seeing the massive greenhouses protruding from the building. One wrapping around the outer wall of the manor, the others evenly spaced out in neat rows, sprawling the grounds. How far was unknown to Hayden as they went out of view, the glass gleaming in the distance.
"You should see the view from the back," Orion told him wryly, rubbing his temples with his left hand, which wasn't encased in Hayden's. Despite having the potion to sober them, he was still feeling the effects, his head ached but it was such a minor thing, negligible really. "With so much glass we were never allowed in that area as children. Didn't stop us though."
Hayden smiled fondly, "You were adorable as a child," he murmured, "I do hope any children, if we're lucky enough to have them, will look like you." And it was very likely they would be, death wouldn't have brought him back otherwise. His second chance had been all about ensuring the survival of the main Peverell family.
"They likely will," Orion answered sincerely, "The Black genes are strong, you can tell who is a Black a mile away."
Hayden snorted, "You're not wrong," he agreed sniggering recalling his first meeting with them all.
Narcissa Black ended up the most unique out of them all, carrying the hair color of the maternal side of her family. She had the Black features, eyes and the tallness which made her very striking. Not that she existed yet, and given that the family had a whole new clean slate now due to the contract being dissolved…who knows whether she would exist this time around.
He should feel some guilt, but the truth of the matter was…he didn't feel anything except excitement and happiness at living his new life. Sure, he will likely end up feeling guilty a time or two, but he'd just stopped two wars, and would see the magical world thrive given time…what duty he'd had, what prophecy that might have existed was gone now.
"Where exactly are we?" Hayden enquired.
"Scotland," Orion replied, "Not too far from Hogwarts as a matter of fact, it's in that direction." Gesturing towards the south, which was obscured by clouds. "We're nearer Edinburgh than Dufftown which is the closest muggle area to Hogwarts."
Hayden was staring at Orion silently impressed; he'd been under the impression nobody actually knew the school's location.
"I was made to memorize the maps of all areas in the UK until I could do it in my sleep. Especially areas where I could go to if I was ever lost or taken." Orion explained seeing the look on Hayden's face. "I was six by the time I knew every single street in London."
"I always thought nobody knew Hogwarts location, just the same as other schools' locations being hidden, well, except the general vicinity." Hayden mused, blinking rapidly at the sight of a wizard and witch waiting for them at the door, only slightly younger than Sirius and Hesper by the look of it, but likely with plenty life left in them. "Oh," he breathed.
"What is it?" Orion asked concerned, straightening up worriedly.
"Nothing it's just…the Macmillan name still existed in my time, and the resemblance caught me rather of guard." Hayden confessed, shaking his head, tightening his hand on Orion's. Anxiety skating up his spine. It was almost unfair, he had to get all anxious about Orion's family liking him but Orion couldn't meet any of his family for none existed. Well, except death he supposed. "His name was Ernie, he was a Hufflepuff."
Orion's lips twitched, "My mother's family are known to end up in Hufflepuff, I have an Uncle Ernest he's the heir of the Macmillan family, maybe he's named after him?"
"He didn't receive the family's penchant for herbology," Hayden commented wryly, "Either that or nobody could compare to Neville Longbottom." Now Neville was the best of the best, nobody could deny that.
"Merlin, don't mention the Longbottom's to them," Orion laughed a little recalling his grandfathers previous rants. "The Longbottom's are the only real competition our family has for that corner of the market."
"Seriously? That's news, far as I knew Augusta Longbottom constantly derides her grandson for loving herbology and being nothing like his father." Hayden commented, "Or derided, would deride? Honestly, tenses, its so confusing." His tone lowering as they got closer to Orion's grandparents.
The current Lord and Lady Macmillan stood regally, dressed in tartan robes with fur around the edges. The grey and purple tartan clothes should have looked ridiculous, but the colored meshed well together. Although, once you saw Ron in those Merlin-awful robes he'd wore to the Yule Ball everything else would look amazing by comparison.
"Orion! It's so good to see you," Lady Macmillan positively beamed at her eldest grandchild. Arms open wide, and Orion stepped into the hug without missing a single beat. She was so small in Orion's arms, smaller than even his mother, Melania. Their daughter Melania had taken after her father's build, but even he was nothing on the Blacks.
Hayden couldn't help but quietly giggle behind his hand, she didn't even come up to his shoulders. She was smaller than him as a matter of fact, nobody was ever smaller than him.
"It's been too long, you mustn't wait so long to visit!" she insisted, stepping back, her husband steadying her automatically. "It's almost your birthday again, which means it's a year gone by." She never thought she'd be that kind of grandmother. She always envisioned them closer, she saw Lucretia more often, naturally, but Orion was regretfully far too busy for such frivolity. She warned them that Orion needed time to be a child, to decompress but Melania and Arcturus just didn't listen. It seemed they may have known what they were doing, but she missed him something terribly all the same.
"I shall try," Orion replied, making no promises he may not be able to keep.
"One day every few months can't hurt," Hayden commented in a whisper, softening entirely to the couple. "Family is so important, Orion, don't take it for granted." Green eyes reflecting such passionate desire for family, to have people who care enough about him to visit them and be visited in turn.
He wasn't quite as quiet as he ought to have been, for Lady Macmillan gave him a shrewd look.
Hayden just gave a small innocent smile to both of them, stepping back a bit so that Orion could see his grandparents. It saddened him to know that Orion had not seen his grandparents in an entire year. It was awful, nobody should be too busy for their families. They didn't live forever, but he guessed he had a vastly different view on family. It wasn't the first time, nor would it be the last, Ron would have given anything for his (Harry's) life in a heartbeat, not caring he'd be giving up a loving family. Well, when he was younger anyway, but Ron had grown up, but still took them for granted. He refused to dwell on the time Ron had thrown his lack of parents in his face. The Horcrux had affected him quite badly.
"Grandmother, Grandfather I'd love you to meet my betrothed, Lord Hayden Peverell," Orion told them, gesturing towards his soon-to-be husband. "Hayden, this is Lord Archibald Macmillan and Lady Agatha Macmillan, my grandparents."
Agatha gasped rather dramatically, "Are we the last to know?" knowing quite well they were, even the newspapers knew more, albeit retracted articles. She was rather upset he hadn't even written to them to inform them of this latest stage of his life. Not even Melania had informed them thusly.
"How much of what was in the newspapers was truth?" Archibald enquired an astute look on his face, his gaze mostly focused on Hayden. The last Peverell, hmm, he wondered why nobody had heard of him before he was suddenly in the newspapers. Oh, he knew his son-in-law wouldn't be taken in by anyone unless they had verifiable truth. He was however, very unimpressed with his grandson, mostly due to his wife's very real hurt that she hadn't been told of such a big part of her grandsons' life. No family member should find out things through the dratted newspaper.
"I'm not sure that cannon fodder is capable of telling the truth if it lit their backside on fire." Hayden said, derision written across his face. There was no mistaking what Hayden truly thought of the newspaper, given what they had said about him the Macmillan's couldn't fault him for it. Releasing private people's information like that, it was disgusting and should not be borne.
"I trust they will regret their actions?" Lady Agatha asked, a small smile on her face, knowing her grandchild and in-laws she knew the answer to that.
"You have to ask?" Orion replied, a smug smirk gracing his lips, anyone foolish to attempt to mar the family – regardless of last name – would always regret it. Not all of them died as a result of their foolishness, they were left to stew in their bitterness.
Lord Archibald was not being subtle in his stare towards Hayden. Harry had been watched so often that it didn't really bother him, or make him uncomfortable. Okay, it totally still made him uncomfortable, and the wish for anonymity was still there, but he knew he'd likely never get that. He wasn't entirely stupid, he was the last Peverell, death had made him thusly.
"Welcome to Macmillan manor, Lord Peverell, it's a pleasure to meet you, laddie." The wizard spoke properly with a very clear Scottish accent. One would never be able to tell where he originated, his accent aside, he spoke properly giving no dialect away. Which was highly unusual, you could tell where Seamus Finnegan and Minerva McGonagall had originated from.
Hayden smiled, "It's very beautiful," and it was, stunning architecture, with towers and it reminded him vividly of a smaller version of Hogwarts, by smaller he really did mean vastly smaller.
"This has been the home for each and every Lord Macmillan dating back to the fourteenth century," Lady Macmillan explained, pride suffusing her voice for the family she'd married into so long ago. "We have a long prideful lineage of Witches and warlocks."
Hayden twitched at the term she used for wizards, it wasn't the first time he'd heard that phrase, and Hayden had to smother his amusement. Goosebumps crawled up his spine and arms just hearing the familiar wordings droned like three or four generations apart. She must have a portrait, he realized, as he walked through a hallway filled with various chatting portraits nodding in respect to the current Lord and Lady before returning to their painting conversation. It was bloody wild to see if he was honest.
"Is using the term Warlock a Scottish thing?" Hayden whispered hastily to Orion, once Lord and Lady Macmillan were stalking through the hallway with purpose.
Orion laughed, shaking his head staring at Hayden fondly, "It's a term used by my grandparent's generation, it's falling out of favor really, as more and more people desire to be called wizard. I am not quite sure why; I am more used to the term wizard myself."
"Because in the muggle world being called a warlock is likened to being called a demon." Hayden guessed, wincing, was he spending too much time with Orion that he automatically wanted to blame everything on the muggle borns? Or was it just the truth? Muggle borns grew up hearing about Christianity as their main religion, whether they were believers or not. It had to affect them surely? And even someone as secure a wizard like Orion, being feared and looked as if they were demons was bound to hurt. They were just humans like the rest of them, admittedly a little bit overconfident, but the muggle world was full of rich overconfident assholes too.
Truthfully though, how much had been changed to make the muggle borns more comfortable? He barely recognized the magical world he was now a part of, from before. You didn't hear Christmas you heard Yule; it was pagan holidays always. How long before it began to change? Truthfully the magical world right now was so full of life, the magic in the air was enthralling.
Goosebumps shivered down his back, as he realized…magic had been dying in his timeline. A small pressure of fingers brushing against his neck almost had him jumping out of his own skin. The feeling of utter agreement suffusing his very soul. Death…death was agreeing with him, confirming his thoughts were true.
Well, why not? If they didn't pay respects to Hecate, the goddess of magic, well, why should she continue gifting them with magic when they so desired Christianity and well, everyone knows that they don't suffer witches to live.
Merlin, how long had the magical world have left before he came back? Huh, death may have had another motive to sending him back, either that or Ignotus had suggested this as a way for them both to get what they wanted. Sneaky buggers, he hated being manipulated, but honestly? If it was true, he'd be mighty impressed.
"Are you staying for a while, Orion?" Lady Agatha asked, her tone filled with nothing but hope. "It's a nice day, perhaps sit outside and have some tea and sandwiches?"
Hayden grinned as he glanced over at Orion, who made a silent groan-y face of reluctant annoyance.
"Very well," he conceded, not quite able to deny them face to face. Frankly his grandmother looked as though he'd destroyed all her very favorite things.
Hayden's grin got progressively smugger and but genuine all the same. The rest of the trip towards a table outside was filled with his jaw on the floor though. Honestly, it was…extravagant, everything, vases on their own pedestals, paintings, family paintings, family pictures, portraits, no wonder they could trace their families back, you could tell by the paintings just how old they were. It was as if they didn't get rid of anything, or decide to put them in storage and leave them out on display.
Having it all there was actually making him anxious, he was very careful to ensure he didn't accidentally knock anything over. It would be just his luck if he did, and it was not the example he wished to convey.
The table outside was positively groaning at the weight perched atop of it. The House-elf must have been informed or in the area when they suggested it. Either that, or they had intended on eating outside regardless.
"Please take a seat, we have so many questions we want to ask!" Agatha said, as she begun to pour for her husband, Orion, Hayden and then herself. Leaving them to choose which sandwiches and nibbles they desired for themselves. "Please, eat as you wish,"
Hayden suddenly felt like someone had just walked over his own grave, as their gazes latched onto his with an intensity that would have had any other normal wizard quaking in their polished dragon-hide boots. Harry was no ordinary wizard, and entirely unaffected, well, that was untrue. He desired their approval, but had no wish to lie or smarmy up to them in order to gain their favor. They'd either like him or not, his past played a massive part in his lack of desire to put on a front.
"I've heard from Orion that your family has predisposition towards herbology and frequently get Masteries in the subject?" Hayden asked them, clearly taking them off-guard at his steering of the conversation.
"Yes, our families do incline that way, not quite as dramatically as our family at the moment," Agatha positively beamed in delight and pride at her family's accomplishments. "My husband and all three sons have accomplished their Masteries."
"Not Melania?" Hayden enquired, glancing at Orion in curiosity.
Orion smiled, "She likely could accomplish a Mastery in short order," he told his significant other, "She grew up surrounding it all, but it wasn't expected of her to…be further educated." This was just the way of life; he'd learned a lot from Hayden. Not that he'd had a belief that witches were weak and in need of protection. He'd grown up surrounded by powerful women. None more important to him than his mother and sister. His sister had the desire to gain a Mastery, but that had been during a time where she didn't believe she'd ever be a mother. Hayden had said she could do both, that she could modernize how the magical world saw witches.
Hayden's lips pressed into a firm line, inclining his head, "Right, further education is only for those that don't get married," rolling his eyes, honestly the wizarding world was so backwards.
Archibald and Agatha noticed the byplay and heard the words, they glanced at each other. Silently communicating, wondering at the difference in Orion. He'd always exuded indifference, unless he forgot himself and actually smiled. Other than that, they weren't used to seeing their grandchild so animated.
"Speaking of careers, have you given any thought to your own career, Lord Peverell?" Archibald queried, noticing Orion's vexation over his question, it would seem that Orion was rather protective of this young Lord. He had never felt more out of the loop, but that wasn't entirely new, the Black's were very secretive, and unfortunately, they weren't considered closely related enough (even by marriage) to be let in on what was afoot. Even if it involved their mutual grandchild, much to their dismay, but Melania was steadfast when it came to her own family. They understood even if they didn't like it.
"May I ask, if you found it overwhelming when you took over from your father despite all attempts to ease you into it?" Hayden queried, leaning forward. His voice friendly and soft, not at all offended by the question. If anything, it pleased Hayden immensely, it showed that not everyone was just going to expect him to remain at home and raise a family (even if that was what he wanted) just because he was a bearer.
Archibald blinked, somewhat surprised by the non sequitur but not showing it, "Naturally," he agreed, it was overwhelming. He hadn't realized how busy he would be, he thought most of it was done automatically, even with his father's warning he just thought he was being dramatic. More fool him, to say it was a shock his first month when he was inundated with dozens of letters with various family members requesting additional funds for various frivolous reasons would be putting it lightly.
"Imagine that ten times worse, I'm lifting what's basically been a defunct estate up by its bootstraps, no easy feat let me tell you." Hayden replied, "I barely have time to spend with Orion, while I study for my exams and the interviews and meetings I have and that's only with one project, one property, which is Peverell castle which is undergoing a full restoration."
"He's not wrong, it doesn't have even the basic of plumbing." Orion said wryly, luckily though everything seemed to be running smoothly. The only meetings requested were to update on progress so far, and for any minor snags that were met. "Or rather it didn't have basic plumbing before Hayden begun to restore it."
"Full restoration? On a castle?" Agatha asked, looking a little faint, such a thing would be massively costly. Most people in this day and age, would rather let such a property rot, knock it down and rebuilt, it would be far cheaper. Either that or just sell the land and let whoever else took it deal with it. She should know, she'd seen it happen more often than she cared to remember.
Archibald's eyebrows were high on his forehead, wondering how on earth the Peverell coffers could afford such a costly endeavor. The Peverell name had been gone centuries not just decades, there was no way they had anything left, it would have likely been divided by the girls who married into other families instead of keeping the Peverell name (which was only the proper thing to do back then). He glanced toward Orion and felt a rush of worry, what if Hayden was using the Black fortune? No, Orion didn't have access to that, yet, but what if that was the boy's plan? "Are you selling off plots of land belonging to your ancestors?"
"Unfortunately, not," Hayden answered in sympathy, assuming that they had an interest in purchasing it. It wasn't a giant leap of an assumption since he was being boggled down with offers. Which took up even more of his time, he knew even after he finished his exams things weren't going to calm down. He wasn't sure how any Lords succeeded in finding any time to sleep never mind anything else. They had families to take care of, not just their immediate family, but cousin branches, and aunts and uncles, and grandparents and on and on it went. "I'd have nothing left if I had been interested in such a thing. I've received over forty-five let's call them 'queries', shall we?"
Orion barely refrained from snorting; the demands bordered insubordination; it was rude beyond the pale. He had actually ripped five that were ridiculous. There was no way he was going to allow Hayden to reply to those in particular. "That is putting it as politely as possible."
"Then your time will be spent on restoring the Peverell legacy?" Agatha asked softly, it was downright gauche to ask about money. She knew her husband wouldn't outright ask, which she would thank Merlin. "Forgive me, but your book is utterly fascinating. So well thought out, I assumed you wished to be an author?" the book was number one of the book lists, and surely sold many copies. The funds would be halved, naturally, between both Harry and Orion, since they co-wrote the book.
"Oh, yes, it's still number one on the list," Archibald proclaimed proudly, raising his cup, "Congratulations!" he'd actually forgotten for a moment that Orion and Lord Peverell had written it. It was a big seller, but surely nowhere near enough to fully restore a castle like the Peverell's surely had?
"Hayden certainly has the new material to create many more books," Orion agreed proudly, "However he wishes to focus on his exams at the moment." Praying that they didn't keep asking, his parents hadn't, although, to be fair, he'd been a friend first, they already knew him by the time they'd become closer.
Archibald made a small thoughtful sound, "It certainly would help accumulate the funds to procure adequate resources for your restoration project." Using a dozen words when a few would do the trick.
And like a switch going off, Hayden understood Lord Macmillans unspoken words, and a smile of utter amusement spread across his face. Purebloods would never think to ask about funds and such, especially not from an acquaintance. Hayden wasn't even that to them. It was seen as the most vulgar thing one can do when it came to the upper echelon of society. One never spoke about money.
"I have no need to raise funds for the restoration project, my inheritance is enough to see it through to its completion." Hayden brusquely informed the pair of them. As always, never afraid to say what he was thinking, and in such a bunt manner possible.
Orion closed his eyes, fondly exasperated, upside, at least it wasn't in public and his grandparents weren't likely to mention this to anyone.
"That is…very good to know," the elder Lord proclaimed, his face flushing red, he had not been expecting such a statement made to him. If he had been wondering whether the boy was raised in the magical world, he knew now that it wasn't the case. No pureblood (or correct magical raised child) wouldn't have spoken that way. Then again, the world was changing vastly, and he and his wife well, they were struggling to keep up with things.
"Enough about business, tell me how you met?" Agatha asked, in an attempt to both save her husband from floundering, as she knew he would. She would also get to sate her curiosity; she didn't know a thing about him except what few pieces of information that had been in the newspaper. "We knew nothing before the article!" leaning forward genuinely desiring to know more about the life partner Orion had decided to take on. Which baffled her since she knew that Orion had been contracted to marry Walburga.
Hayden smiled, a genuine soft one, sensing Lady Macmillan was truly genuine in her desire to know. Also, likely used to coming to her husband's aid, judging by her swift recovery. Interesting, he hadn't expected him to be that way, but he guessed if you slipped up you slipped up.
"The wards we had just put up for a new property father just bought went off, I agreed to investigate what was going on. I found Hayden there unconscious, and in very bad shape." Orion explained, his countenance grim, to think if he hadn't, he may possibly have lost him or worse never gotten to meet him. He wasn't exactly sure if he would have been curious enough to know more if not for their previous meeting. "I immediately took him to St. Mungo's, which was regretfully already full but luckily they had a bed still available."
"I'm still surprised they'd actually put an adult in with children," Hayden commented icily, he could have been anyone, it honestly didn't bear thinking about.
Orion hummed, "You looked young enough, I wouldn't have been surprised if they put you there thinking you were a child." Given how harried they had been, they'd likely overlooked him, or just seen it as a no other option.
Hayden sniffed in faux haughty derision, "How dare you," he teased him, nose stuck in the air, "I do not look like a child." Truth was nothing much had changed about him except the visible marks of abuse and wear and tear he'd gone through as Harry Potter. Such as his famous lightening bolt scar, the scar on his inner arm from the basilisk bite all the way to the knife wound from Pettigrew.
Orion just grinned, completely missing the hitching of breathes from his grandparents. Just like that they didn't care if Hayden just wanted to laze about for the rest of his life, just as long as he made Orion happy like this. Oh, they hadn't seen such a look on their grandchild's face since he was five or six years old. So long ago, he was always such a solemn little boy, he always loved affection though. Hugs were the one way he expressed himself, at least until he was nine, it took a long time before they received another hug from him.
"Oh, that's not a very pleasant incident, I am sorry if we've brought up bad memories," Agatha murmured, soulful and regretful.
Hayden shook his head, "Orion is worth everything I've been through just to have met him."
"Did your father not have a chance to put the majority of the wards up? Had the property just been purchased that day?" Archibald queried, a little perplexed, not truly understanding. The first thing any respectable wizard did when purchasing properties was put wards up to detect any humans coming within the vicinity of the place. To ensure it was secure. Arcturus didn't strike him as one to wait, for surely, he would have immediately had it warded to the nines.
"Oh, the wards were all in place," Hayden said wryly, a small subtle smirk crossing his face. It wasn't his fault that's exactly where he'd been killed as Harry Potter. Time had just rewound around him, leaving him in a vastly different world from his own. He was beginning to see just how different.
"That's…impossible, there's no way you'd have been able to get through Arcturus' wards unless…" he trailed off, shaking his head, it just seemed rather impossible. The Blacks were extremely talented and powerful, it seemed beyond incredulous that a young wizard – even if he was a Peverell – could be as powerful as any of the Blacks. The Macmillan's were no slouches when it came to magic, but he freely admitted he'd stand no chance – even if the family gifts – against either Sirius or Arcturus. Orion's grandfather and father on the Black side.
"Unless my magic smashed through them?" Hayden murmured, nodding his head, "Yes, is the answer you already suspect." Well, he assumed so, death might have had a part in it? He honestly wasn't sure, but he knew he was far more powerful in this timeline than his own. It wasn't a massive margin but there nonetheless. They'd never know what occurred to bring him here, but Hayden would remain as close to the truth as possible with everyone.
It was better than making mistakes and being called a liar. His hand curled into a fist, the very hand that had 'I must not tell lies' permanently etched into it when he was Harry Potter. Now there was nothing there to remind him of his horrendous pain he'd ensured at the age of fifteen by a teacher no less. As an adult he felt very foolish for enduring it, especially when he could have done something about it.
"It must have drained your core nearly completely," Agatha breathed out, shocked by what she was hearing, yet excited to know more about her grandson's life. "It's almost serendipitous that you were rescued. That you even met at all." You could see the hearts in her eyes, the thought of happily ever after outcomes had her utterly besotted with their story.
His and Orion's origin story.
"Serendipitous, indeed," Hayden nodding his agreement, yes, it was serendipitous to him, but to death it was entirely orchestrated. He'd been put in this time to meet Orion, to meet his soul mate, the perfect being in the universe for him. It was still his idea to get to know Orion, and it was Orion's idea to get to know him more. It had created an opportunity, yes, but it hadn't been be all end all. "And I'd go through it all again."
Agatha looked ready to begin sobbing, holding her hand over her heart as she practically beamed at them.
Archibald looked ready to roll his eyes at his wife's antics, honestly, sometimes his wife had a bleeding heart. Those romantic books by her favorite author Laire Macdonald, a witch of a rather dubious reputation, but the witches flocked to her in droves for her books. His wife had every single one of them, he had given her the past ten books to her early before they were released for the public.
"It truly is a surprise you survived," Archibald confessed, amazed, truly, it was mesmerizing that he was still sitting there. The Black's were notorious about their privacy, wards and spells had been created by the family, for the family. They never revealed them and thus the Black's had the most secure properties – keeping their children, their family – safe from harm. "I can't imagine the pain was easy to deal with."
Agatha nodded in complete agreement. Oh, the Blacks were vicious in their protection of their families, she'd known that the pair would be okay in the end. That her daughter would be so protected, and it mattered so much. Oh, their relationship had their ups and downs, but they were steadfast, which was a relief to Agatha.
"I was unconscious for the most of it, and with pain relief it was negligible," Hayden waved off their worries, "I met Orion at the end of Yule. He was partaking in the festivities on his own."
Archibald nodded, well aware of the tradition for the Black family to send a few of the younger generation to give gifts to the unfortunate souls stuck in hospital during Yule. While not the most important holiday, it was perhaps the second or third most important holiday. Samhain will always be the most important holiday in the magical world for obvious reasons. "On his own?" which confused him, Melania had accompanied Arcturus every time except for the one time she'd had wizarding flu. Even if she had been willing to go with him, which she hadn't, Mel hadn't been able to get out of bed! The hospital would have refused to let her in those children did not need wizarding flu on top of whatever else was wrong with them. "Did something happen to Walburga?" if so, why hadn't the paper found out? Why hadn't they been told? Why hadn't they been at least invited to the funeral? It explains Orion and Lord Peverell.
Hayden laughed quietly at the look on Lady Macmillan's face, it had soured at the mere mention of her. This was people well versed in keeping their emotions under lock and key. She did not like Walburga, he wondered if Melania had complained to her parents. He wouldn't be surprised if she had, to be fair, it's not like she could really talk about family situations outside of family.
Orion followed Hayden's line of sight, and murmured, "Grandmother has never approved not that she told me as such." The only indication he got for the fact she didn't like Walburga was her lack of questions about the witch. Or practically ignoring her when she was there, well, politely ignoring her. If she wasn't a Lady of a noble and ancient house it would have been very rude. However, as she was indeed a Lady, which meant she got away with it. Walburga had never returned, shrieking she hadn't been 'more insulted in her life' and called her a few unsavory words that were definitely not Lady like.
"Oh, hush, that simply isn't true, I just didn't find her very…interesting," Agatha naturally overheard what Orion had said.
"But you find me interesting, right?" Hayden teased her, causing Agatha to laugh, as she picked up her cup, eyes twinkling as she raised her cup to her lips.
"I can neither confirm nor deny," she promptly and primly replied. Goodness, the weather was definitely beginning to turn, she was gratefully.
Hayden turned to Orion and they both exclaimed, "Definitely a yes,"
"Well look who's here…"
"And late…nephew of ours,"
"After how many times you decided to reschedule, tut tut," the wizard said dramatically, his dirty sodden hands smacking onto Orion's shoulders.
"Desist doing that!" Orion grumbled, sending a hex at his uncle, before cleaning up the tiny specks on his robes.
"I assume this is Lord Peverell?" the second wizard gazed shrewdly at Hayden, laughing wrinkles spread across his face.
"And you must be Orion's uncles," Hayden commented, "Well met," he inclined his head, "It's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance." Their back-and-forth talk reminded him a little of the twins, they weren't though, but they did resemble one another closely, blonde curly hair, and honestly? They were the first people he saw that didn't make any effort to create a mask just happy to be.
One of the wizards – they hadn't introduced themselves to Hayden – ordered two more cups and spoke quietly to his parents.
"Oh, you don't need to be so proper, we're only spares, no need for all that nonsense." The wizard waved his arm, he had no desire to listen to propriety in his own home. He had to deal with and do it enough while working.
"Nobody is just ever 'spares'," Hayden stated firmly, "But please call me Hayden, I have no qualms about being…shall we say, informal with you. I did not grow up in a pureblood household, so all this navigation I'm doing can be difficult. I've never really been good at keeping my mouth shut when it comes to how I feel…and Merlin, you've no idea how frustrating that is."
Orion's snort was cut off just seconds after he did it, well, Hayden wasn't wrong on that front.
"Then you must call me Callum," the wizard declared, "The handsomest uncle to this lug here," messing up Orion's hair laughing even when he received a stinging hex for his troubles.
"I'm Liam, well met," he inclined his head, "So, what is it you wanted to meet with us regarding?" making his own tea, stretching out leisurely, grateful for the seat. They'd been packing orders for over six hours already today, and he was tired.
"You'll love this," Orion declared to his uncles which definitely caught their attention as they straightened up, Callum wincing at the pain in his back.
"So, what's up?" Callum asked curious.
"Peverell solarium," Hayden commented, "It's been kept under a well-done preservation charm. All the seeds, plants, buds, soil, fertilizer is still there, preserved in the state they'd been in when Peverell castle went on lockdown." He didn't know what had happened still, but he didn't think the stories would turn out to be good. Nobody leaves everything behind and flees unless something dangerous was coming.
"Are you trying to tell me there are possibly viable plants from centuries past?" Liam asked, blinking rapidly, excitement beginning to take root. "Are there any lost and forgotten plants?"
"Very likely a lot of rare or forgotten plants, yes, the solarium hasn't been touched. It's dirty, of course, and will remain untouched. I'd like to employ you to take care of the solarium and bring it back to its former state. I might even throw in those rare and forgotten seeds."
Liam choked on his tea; it was a potential goldmine. If they actually managed to get one or two, it could bring them into the number one status against the Longbottom's. "This could see us getting one over the Longbottom's." rubbing his hands gleefully after putting down his cup.
"Do you sell your products on the muggle side?" Hayden enquired.
"What? No!" Liam grimaced, he wasn't exactly prejudiced, but he didn't want to associate with muggles.
"May I ask why?" Hayden prodded.
"Why would I want to deal with muggles?" bewildered by the mere suggestion.
Even Lord and Lady Macmillan were staring at Hayden as if he was something like a fascinating creature that made no sense to them.
"Do you even know how many muggles exist in the world at this very minute?" Hayden cocked his head, observing them with eerie green eyes.
"I don't know? Forty-five million?" Liam guessed.
"Try two billion and a few million extras," Hayden explained, lips pursed, even now the muggle studies class was clearly atrocious. "Muggles use herbs, just like we do, do you understand how much money you could be making if you branched out into the muggle world?"
A/n – I was going to continue this chapter but it's been so long since I've had any time at all to write – sorry guys I genuinely thought I'd have more time – but RL is a git and well, you do what you have to in order to keep a roof over your head but I'll try and make sure you never have to wait so long for a chapter again even if it means shorter chapters! I feel so guilty about it being so long between updates! Thank you so much guys for your patience.
I really enjoy writing this story lol even if it is taking forever 😊 will we see them marry soon? Will Harry uncover a lot of skeletons that Dumbledore definitely doesn't want unburied? Will Skeeters book be truer than Harry could ever fathom and more so? R&R please!
Also I'm not 100% sure if that number of people on the planet is accurate I googled it so hopefully it is just don't take it for granted that it is true just to be safe xx