My Time

Chapter 31

"We probably should have taken him to St. Mungo's," Orion declared, as they returned to Peverell Estate. He could hear the distant sound of people working nearby, the sound of the hammering and such muffled, but not entirely silenced. "If his headwound is bad enough…he might end up dead."

Hayden looked thoughtful for a few seconds before shaking his head, "Nah, I've not got that sort of luck." His luck would make it so that Tom would live and continue to be a thorn in his side, but at long as he didn't make more horcruxes or go down a dark path…then he was free to do whatever he wanted. He wouldn't interfere, much.

Orion blinked, trying to arrange the words into something resembling sense, unfortunately, regardless of his attempts it didn't make sense. "What is that supposed to mean?" a little bit pleased that Hayden didn't seem to be charmed by Tom like everyone else. Walking when Hayden did, disappointed to be back here. It was cold, he did not like the cold. "Hayden?" he called out, hastening to reach him. Had they really just been hugging minutes prior? You wouldn't think so with how Hayden was ignoring him.

"You'll understand soon enough," Hayden murmured without looking at Orion, pinching the bridge of his nose, and rubbing his face. He suddenly felt drained, tired and more than a smidge guilty for leaving Tom in the shack. It wasn't who he was, he even saved Malfoy, the ungrateful spoiled ass that he was. There was a small urge to go back and do the right thing, but it was miniscule.

He had healed him, he'd be fine, so he convinced himself.

"Wouldn't you rather do this somewhere warm? More comfortable?" Orion asked, pondering on just how long it would be before the main property could be used. He could just make out sound coming from inside the castle and further along, but he couldn't recall just what was round that way. He'd only been around the entire estate once, and it had been dark by the time they reached that point he remembered.

"Ignis!" Hayden cast and the ball of fire shot out of his wand, and smacked right into the firepit in the centre of the tent. Immediately it burst into dozen smaller fires, heating up the tent, nothing really hot but it did take the chill off the air. "Caldor!" and the warming charms erected around the tent went up as well.

Orion grunted, but said nothing, it was still rather on the cold side though. He looked around, wondering if the tent had been 'patched up' and maybe becoming frayed? He couldn't see anything, except of course, the area where the smoke got out the tent. He also disliked the…distance that Hayden was putting between them. It made him feel like he had done something unspeakably wrong, but he knew he hadn't.

Just what was Hayden going to tell him that had him retreating this much behind the walls that hadn't even been present when he met him. It was alarming and exasperating, and honestly, part of him wanted to freeze Hayden where he was and get close without Hayden just bustling around doing something else. Attempting to fool either him or them both, that he wasn't attempting to pull away.

Hayden glanced Orion's face, and grimaced, seeing the look on Orion's face. Sitting down, he wedged his hands in a downward praying position between his legs in an attempt to warm up and stop himself fidgeting. "Sorry, believe it or not I don't normally run away from my problems." A rueful grin on his face, "Well, depends on the problem I suppose. I've faced everything head on…but I spent so long suppressing my emotions…coming here, finding you…" Hayden inhaled before he met his gaze steadily on, "The thought of losing you…I'm more terrified than I've ever been in my life. Considering how many times I've almost died…that's saying something."

Orion's grey eyes flared, both elated to hear Hayden's words but also disheartened by his simple declaration of nearly dying. Nobody should be so flippant about such a thing, and it made him wonder just what Hayden was hiding. It almost made him want to take him home, and keep him safe with the rest of his family and never let him go. Unlikely to ever happen, he knew, but still it's something he wanted to do. In fact, his fingers twitched as if he wanted to bundle him up and cart him off to safety. "Tell me," Orion told Hayden, there wasn't an ounce of presumption or commanding in his tone. It was soft, worried and laced with sympathy.

There was nothing about this situation was tolerable.

"Make an oath that you'll never discuss what we talk here today in the tent, not without my explicit permission to do so." Hayden said, standing up, his voice had an official lull to it, this was Hayden being Lord Peverell right now, Orion realized, and he liked it.

"With an added stipulation unless there's a risk of life," Orion agreed, making a compromise. He had no idea what Hayden was going to tell him. It could be anything, and he wanted – no needed – to make sure there was some out clause. Look at the marriage contract that had been created for him…he'd learned his lesson – a lesson that really shouldn't have been his to learn – regarding that.

"Too easily gotten out of, that one," Hayden said ruefully, "Just wait until you hear it all and you'll agree." He added flippantly.

Orion frowned, disliking the sound of that immensely. However, he also disliked the thought of being stuck in that oath without some form of ability to get out of it. The unknown was rather making him leery, especially since Hayden had mentioned that it was easily gotten out of when he suggested that he be able to tell someone if someone was in danger of dying – admittedly not in those exact words – only to be informed that it would be something brought up a lot in the conversation. "I'm not going to like this am I?" he ventured a guess, could it be coined a guess when he was positive it wasn't.

Hayden didn't even need to think, "No," he shook his head, thinking of the life Orion had, the life his children had. No, Orion was going to have difficulty processing everything. "I…do you want to know? It's not something you'll…it's something you'll have to live with for the rest of your life." a haunted quality to his voice, Orion would need to live with the knowledge that he would have gone through with the wedding and been reduced to a puppet by his own uncle and wife/cousin.

Orion felt dread twisting into his gut, the look on Hayden's face…he knew this was very real, very life-altering information he was about to receive. The haunted look on Hayden's face spoke of a burden he was bearing under taxing circumstances.

One person could buckle under the strain, but two? Could balance each other out and be strong for the other and lean on each other when needed. A true partnership, one where there were no secrets, and one that wasn't ten years in the making, he knew how long it took his parents to truly love each other and not just be husband and wife. They'd been happy together, but they hadn't been in love that had come over time. Something his parents – his father mostly – had impressed upon him.

Basically, gaslighting him into believing he'd grow to love Walburga more than just an annoying – in a fond-ish way – cousin.

Tiredly, Hayden raised the Elder wand swearing an oath to tell the whole truth for three hours or lose his magic. He wasn't sure three hours were enough to tell his tale, as ludicrous as it was, but he didn't want to 'tell the truth' for more than that. It was risky business, swearing to tell the truth…especially if it was about something he didn't want to discuss.

Orion then swore that he would keep it a secret at his own discretion.

Hayden just arched brow and scoffed a little, "Bloody Slytherins!" he huffed out in amusement, lips twitching in reluctant merriment.

Orion shamelessly just stared unrepentantly. He wasn't sorry, he was never going to allow himself to be stuck in any vow, oath or contract ever again. He knew how vulnerable that would leave him; how unbearable it was.

Oh, Orion had no idea. He was about to find out though.

"My name used to be Harry James Potter, I was born on July 31st 1980." Hayden said a sardonic smirk on his face, seeing the look on Orion's face.

Orion stared unimpressed, bored and most of all annoyed, "If you want to play games then…" Orion turned to leave, frustrated with Hayden.

"You know I can't lie," Hayden sniped out in his own annoyance. "I swore after all, you saw the magic take hold. I cannot lie for the next three hours."

Orion turned back around, grey eyes glimmering, "If you are not lying and truly believe that…then you should see someone at St. Mungo's…" trailing off, saddened that such a wonderful mind had concocted such a scenario. Was it to survive the abuse he had suffered at the hands of his guardians? It was clear Hayden needed help more than he could give him. He had nobody to protect him from the people inside, maybe an independent mind healer could help? They could move in with his grandparents until he recovered?

Hayden chuckled and nodded, not surprised by Orion's reaction, hell it would be his first retort too if he wasn't the one living it. "That would be my thoughts as well, I know," not at all insulted, and he didn't blame Orion for his thoughts. "I'm not delusional, and I'd thank you to give me the benefit of the doubt at least."

Orion arched a brow, wariness setting in, he wasn't sure what to think right now. Hayden hadn't displayed even the slightest hint of instability thus far. He wanted to believe him, he really did, it just…stained credulity. "Time-travel you're expecting me to believe you've travelled at least six decades?" doing rough math, not sure what age Hayden really was but forty years if he believed Hayden had been born in the 80's.

"You can already do time-travel but when I do it it's impossible," Hayden said rolling his eyes, more teasing and a grumbling complaint than anything else. Sighing dramatically, he added, "You will agree that any pensive memory that's been tampered with will be noticeable within said pensive?" Hayden asked, staring at Orion who froze like a startled deer.

Orion's heart began pounding, "Yes," he agreed, it would be very noticeable within a pensive. The thing was, pensives' were so very rare, precious items, that were worth a fortune. All the great families had one, boasted about it. The old magic in them had never been replicated, at least not yet anyway.

Hayden licked his lips, nerves getting the better of him, standing up, he opened the drawer the pensive was in. "Um…I'm only going to show you select memories, uh…it won't show the whole picture, you'll just have to ask and I'll fill you in."

Orion blinked but nodded, willing to believe Hayden for the moment, indulge might be a better word. Judging by the look on Hayden's face though, he understood what Orion was doing. Still, he frowned, "Why only select memories? Do I know you?" rather excited by the prospect, even if he'd be an old man by then which did make him inwardly grimace a bit.

"These memories are just to prove I'm telling the truth," Hayden said, entirely ignoring the question, a pang in his heart.

Orion narrowed his eyes, staring at Hayden, as he approached, "Oh, no, you do know me, don't you?" caught between fascination, horror, delight and a little embarrassment. Even he was surprised by his own thoughts, it sort of implied that he believed Hayden. Which was ludicrous…sure you can go back in time, mere hours, with a time-turner. Yet, sixty years going by, surely magic would advance. Why was it so incredulous that magic had found a way to go back?

"Oh, Orion," Hayden said with sad softness, "You're a very intelligent man, just think…what would have come of you if I wasn't here?" a smile that was more a grimace on his face.

Any amusement or concern or embarrassment faded fast. Orion felt a shudder wrack his frame from head to toe. Goosebumps appeared on his body, and he felt chilled to the bone. "The contract…" he trailed off his voice choked, any attempts to remain aloof just not possible at the moment. He attempted to right himself, but Hayden's lack of judgement on his lapse of composure meant more to Orion than Hayden would ever know. It would open him slowly to the idea of a true partnership between them, one where Orion felt he could express himself and didn't need to be strong all the time.

Just because he believed his father did the same with his mother, it didn't mean that was the reality.

Hayden gave a jerky nod, yes, before he added memories to the empty pensive. Well, after the first memory it wasn't empty. It took a lot of thinking of which memories to give over, to prove he was telling the truth…so that Orion could accept it and get over it.

He would tell him everything else, it would make more sense than attempting to view memories. It would take days to view years upon years of his life, and if there was something he actually wanted to see afterwards? Then fair enough, they could do that, but no way was he going to be able to get through years upon years of memories.

"Go ahead," Hayden murmured, having put the last memory into the pensive.

Orion arched a brow, "You aren't coming?"

"Do you want me to?" Hayden asked, not need, want.

Orion straightened up defiantly, "I could do it on my own." He declared, "However, I might have some questions." He wasn't afraid of entering a pensive on his own, he'd used one before, dozens of times. However, he did feel anxious over what possible memories he would be viewing.

Memories of the 80's if Hayden was to be believed.

Hayden smiled, pleased Orion wasn't 'toughing it out' hand clasping Orion's shoulder, squeezing in reassurance. "Ready?" he murmured, and without waiting on an answer, Hayden jabbed the liquid memories with the Elder wand and they disappeared.

Memory 1

"When are we?" Orion asked, looking around in fascination.

A younger boy that looked remarkably like Charlus emerged from…the cupboard under the stairs? Why? Was he playing hiding seek? who was he was playing with? Was this Hayden younger? He blanched when he saw inside. A thin threadbare mattress, a ratty blanket that belonged to a baby, almost identical to the one he remembered his mum gifting for Cygnus. It was a bit small, but it was just a little den for them he assumed.

Was Hayden Charlus' and Dorea's child? Grandchild? Was that how Hayden knew that they'd have one? He was so confused, if they were his parents why not go to them? He had nothing to fear, his other self wasn't anywhere near approaching born yet…although the house was very small, why weren't they living in one of the Potter properties? Maybe they were he guessed, and perhaps they didn't have as much as their brother who had to be Lord or Heir.

Hayden who came with him, pointed to the calendar on the wall, with all of Petunia's appointments on it. 1984, it said on the calendar June 23rd, which was circled, three times with Birthday Boy written in incredibly excited penmanship.

"Your birthday?" Orion questioned, entirely forgetting that Hayden had told him his date of birth, but Hayden could forgive that. The information he'd gotten was a lot to process, a birthday was unimportant in the grand scheme of things.

"My birthday was never celebrated under this roof," Hayden informed Orion simply, as if it was something he'd long ago come to terms with.

Orion frowned, his mind going back to the cupboard, and his mind eye recalling what he'd seen 'Harry's Room' he recalled seeing. Room. Not den. As in bedroom? Somewhere he knew Charlus and Dorea wouldn't put a house elf – they had an entire cottage for Merlin's sake! – so nothing was making much sense to him. "What do you celebrate it at Black castle?"

He noticed the drawings that had been put up, and smiled, what child didn't like drawing? However, these drawings were rather dark. Black shadowed figures with green crayon, a giant maybe? On a motorcycle? It was really good work…especially for his age.

"My birthday wasn't celebrated at all, except by my friends when I was older." Hayden explained, of course, such a thing was likely unfathomable to Orion.

"Where is Dorea and Charlus? Their son?" Orion asked, he had a good idea about his own fate…but not everyone else's.

"Move it, Freak! Start making breakfast, and don't you dare spoil my Dudders special day!" Petunia hissed from the kitchen, followed by the clang of kitchen implements.

Orion straightened, the insult almost having him frothing at the mouth, as he glided through the home in Privet Drive. Following the harsh sounding voice from moments ago. He stood in the doorway of the kitchen, unseen, unobserved, as he stared at the scene in front of him unable to comprehend it. It wasn't the fact that a wizard was cooking, it was the mere fact an adult was just standing there with a scowl on her foul face watching a baby, a little boy younger than his cousin Cygnus.

He was horrified, "That's you, isn't it?" Orion asked, watching the child, fingers twitching, as if he wanted to scoop the child up and take him away. Yet knowing it wasn't possible, for this was nothing but a memory long since happened.

Orion wished that was the worst of it, but it was only just the beginning.

Orion watched as the child was pushed outside, given a list of chores, watched him use a lawnmower – which by the way was a whole lot smaller in this time – then painted the fence, with the help of a stepping stool to reach the top of the spokes. It took him all day to complete the list, ten hours to get the garden set up exactly to the sour puss wanted it. Once he did the fence he put plants into the garden, then began to set up the tables, and set the chair, all without a bite to eat or a single break. Then he began to set up everything for his 'cousin's' party, then he was grabbed by the ear and shoved into the cupboard when the door went.

"Keep it quiet, freak or I'll get Vernon to beat it out of you!" was screeched, before the woman's entire countenance changed entirely as she opened the door.

Orion and Hayden were disorientated for a moment before they found themselves in the second memory.

Memory 2

Orion looked around the memory, finding himself in a classroom, written neatly on the blackboard was the date along with the name Miss Halliday. There was no teacher in quite yet, noise drew him the back of the classroom. A group of boys were acting in such a barbaric manner that he felt disgusted by them. Muggles were horrific creatures, weren't they? Beating on each other…like that was horrific. "Why isn't anyone doing anything?"

"They knew better," Hayden revealed watching the sight in front of him impassively. "If they tried, they would just receive the same treatment as me."

Orion twitched at the realisation, "You're letting them hurt you? Why aren't you defending yourself?" his stomach rebelling knowing Muggles were getting the better of a wizard.

"Sure, I'm letting them," Hayden said darkly, "I had no idea I was magical, Orion."

"But you said…" Orion distinctively remembered everything Hayden had said to him.

Hayden grasped a hold of his arm, squeezing in reassurance, "I know, I know, Orion, okay? I know," he murmured with a desperate sadness. "I obfuscated the truth. What did you want me to say? That I…am a time traveller?" amending what he was initially going to say.

"That was more than obfuscating!" Orion vehemently opposed Hayden's belief on what he was doing. Genuinely hurt by Hayden's lies, but seeing the small child beaten by a group of boys so much bigger and stronger than him had his heart aching fiercely more. "What else did you lie about?" part of him wanted to leave the pensive, to leave Hayden and just forget about him. How could he trust him again? He turned to face Hayden in time to see the flinch followed by those green eyes filled with hurt and desperate pain.

Hayden swallowed thickly, looking away guiltily, "As I told you, I didn't really lie," he murmured quietly, wondering if he had lost Orion already.

Orion watched aghast when the teacher entered the room, ordering the kids to return to their seats now. The old woman watched the child (Hayden) struggle to sit up, to stand up, then shuffle to his seat. Blood oozing from the various wounds he had. She did nothing, said nothing, just turned her back on him. She was an Elder, she shouldn't be acting that way, even his own grandmother wouldn't ignore the suffering of a Muggle (she'd go into a frenzy to help a Wizard or Witch but would make sure a Muggle found its way home if it was a child) he didn't understand Muggles at all.

All children were cherished, each one.

"That's not very advanced…" he murmured noticing they were working on math; they knew far more by the time they were that age.

"It's public school, not a private school or tutors," Hayden said subdued, he was right then, he was going to lose Orion. It was no surprise really, he detested being lied to and had lied in turn. It doesn't matter that they'd known each other for going on three months now, or it would be at the end of the month.

"Why don't you have any friends?" Orion asked eventually, watching the young one flee to what became the library, hiding behind the books just looking so heartbreakingly hopeful for what he had no idea. Noticing nearly everyone else had paired up with their friends into groups, and were heading outside with a snack.

Hayden watched his younger self, with that bird nest hair and tired pain, "Nobody was stupid enough to befriend me, it would just cause Dudley and his friends to target them. They learned very quickly to leave well enough alone. Even the teachers believed I was nothing but a 'problem child'." recalling this teacher being the most problematic because he dyed her wig with magic. Or was it? he couldn't quite recall what age he was…maybe eight?

Orion's last image of the boy was one of defeat, green eyes filling with tears.

Memory three

"MUMMY, MUMMY! MUMMY!" the boy – Dudley – hollered as he bombarded his way into the house, causing the door to smack against the wall, and almost smack into Harry.

There was an unusual amount of terror on Harry's face.

"What is it Diddy-dums?" Petunia asked, sitting up paying full attention to her son, not a single reaction when Harry slunk into the house with trepidation.

"The Freak did something FREAKY again!" Dudley spitefully told on his cousin.

Petunia's mood soured; anger thrummed through her as she listened to her son reveal what Harry had done. How he'd turned their teachers wig blue! The poisonous look Harry gained was enough to see Harry trembling in sheer terror.

Orion turned away, he couldn't stomach it at all, the cries of a child desperately proclaiming his innocence – unaware of his own magic – was breaking his heart. Insisting he didn't do it, and that it was like 'magic' which just infuriated the fat Muggle. Which just made Harry's punishment even worse. Orion didn't think he'd ever get the sound of the belt striking the child out of his mind. The only upside was that Vernon was so unhealthy that he couldn't keep it up too long, he exhausted too easily.

Merlin, how long had this child been alone? "Where are Charlus and Dorea?"

"They aren't my grandparents, Fleamont and Euphemia are, or were, if you do a blood test done, you'd find they aren't anymore." Hayden commented, "I gave up everything…when I came here. It was better than the alternative though." He conceded.

Orion stared uncomprehendingly at Hayden, gave everything up? He knew he had to be a Peverell, no question, the Goblins wouldn't allow him to have the ring unless they had undeniable proof. He had the entire estate, and was starting to build on it, no way, he wasn't Lord Hayden Peverell. Hayden had promised him answers, and he made a mental note to remember this question specifically.

Memory four

"How many memories will we be viewing?" Orion asked with hesitance, he didn't want to see Hayden abused like that, he didn't want to see any child hurt that way.

"There's only this one, and one other," Hayden reassured him, even he didn't want to see too many memories, he'd tried to suppress all he'd been through without viewing them in a pensive again.

Orion watched the fat walrus of a boy pound downstairs, stomping particularly harshly on the step Harry was sleeping under. Shrieking for Harry get up and make his breakfast. His jaw was on the floor as he watched and listened to him, if he'd done that to his father…he would have been grounded, had his belongings taken away and forced to do the most gruelling tasks possible…until he learned his lesson. Maybe even a hex to his backside (but never corporal punishment) but the boy wasn't punished.

No, they rewarded his behaviour, they gave him two additional presents for his tantrum.

How could they treat a child so spoiled and hurt another so ferociously, he did not understand these Muggles at all.

He didn't understand why this particular memory until they got to the zoo, Parseltongue, Harry spoke Parselmouth and Orion laughed in amusement at the rebellious show of magic. Making the glass disappear and reappear with the bully of a teen behind it, he deserved it.

"It was worth it," Hayden replied, "I'll be off to Hogwarts soon and I'm free of him nearly ten months of the year."

"Who are they?" Orion asked, they were Muggles…why would his parents choose Muggles?

"She's my mum's sister," Hayden said watching Orion startle, "I was born a half-blood, from the pureblood Potter family."

Orion didn't even get a chance to react to that before they were moving onto another memory, this time somewhere he knew intimately.

Hogwarts.

A vastly different Hogwarts, Dumbledore was headmaster and Merlin, what on earth was he wearing? Had he gone blind? He was ancient! And whoa, was that Minerva McGonagall? Huh, that was a Prince for sure, he looked exactly like Eileen, there were a lot less teachers…a lot less students, which left him feeling confused.

Hayden laughed, making Orion realize he'd spoken out loud, turning to face Hayden, he saw Hayden had a look of stone-cold murder on his face. He followed his line of sight, and found him gazing at Dumbledore. Now that was a story in and on itself. Maybe there was more to do with that missing wand…what was he planning?

Orion perked up hearing a name, "Now that's definitely a Black family member!" watching the blond boy curiously, he had the eyes, but not the hair, he definitely had the hair. He made his way around the Slytherin bench, getting more and more baffled, he recognized all the students (so little) by their parents, "Where are the Blacks?" befuddled. Surely, there was more than just the blond boy? Who got put immediately into Slytherin he wasn't surprised the least.

Hayden just gave a grimace of a smile, shaking his head, Orion really didn't want to know. He'd find out, Orion wasn't going to give in, or give up. Hayden would have to tell him, and it wasn't something he was looking forward to.

"Harry Potter!" came McGonagall's voice.

Harry went forward, and minutes later the hat proclaimed "Gryffindor!"

Orion snorted, genuinely surprised, Hayden was an epitome of a Slytherin, he embodied what the house was. That was without his ability to talk to snakes. "What's this whole 'Boy-who-lived' they were talking about?" Orion asked, just before they were jerked out of the pensive with a jarring grunt. Not quite as angry at the lies since hearing the strike of that belt.

A/n – I know, I know you're having to wait longer between updates…hopefully it won't be forever and I can get back to updating every two days…and so we won't be 'showing' Orion everything, but what titbits do you think are the most important? Hmm I'll be glad to get that particular part over to be honest do you want to see Tom's reaction when he wakes? To the letter? Do you want to see it or shall it remain a mystery? And do you want to know what memories Harry (Hayden) had given to Tom? Will it make any difference or will Harry ultimately have to end Tom's life? Unable to outrun fate or Prophecy regardless of which life he chose? Will Orion forgive Hayden for his obfuscation? R&R please!