The rest of the summer seemed to fly by. They spent time with Sirius and their friends, or just spent time together. And finally September first arrived. That morning Hadrian and Theo trooped downstairs for their last breakfast with Sirius at Grimmauld Place. After breakfast Sirius accompanied them to the train station.
At platform 9 ¾ Theo and Hadrian hugged Sirius goodbye. "I'm going to miss you two so much," sniffled Sirius.
"We'll miss you too, Sirius," Hadrian murmured into Sirius's shoulder.
"We promise to write everyday, and we'll be home for Christmas," assured Theo.
"And you can always visit during Hogsmeade weekends," suggested Hadrian.
Sirius nodded and took a deep breath before hugging them one more time, "Ok, boys better get on the train. You want to make sure you get a compartment before they're all full."
With one last hug goodbye Hadrian and Theo got on the Hogwarts Express.
On the train the young couple found a compartment with Neville and a young girl wearing a ravenclaw uniform.
"Hi Neville, do you mind if we sit with you?" Hadrian asked.
Neville looked up from the plant he was studying, "Oh, hello Harry, sure you can sit with us."
Theo and Hadrian looked at each other as they sat down.
"Boy do we have a lot to tell you," smirked Theo.
Neville looked at Hadrian in confusion "What does he mean by that, Harry? And why are you with him and not Ron and Hermione?"
"Well…" Hadrian started glancing nervously at the girl sitting with them "how about you introduce me to your friend first.
The girl looked up from her magazine "my name is Luna," she said in an airy voice, "it's so nice to see that the nargles are no longer bothering you, Hadrian."
Hadrian blinked "It's nice to meet you Luna. Ah, how did you know about my name?"
"Oh the wrackspurts told me," answered Luna before going back to her magazine. "You can tell Neville, I won't tell anyone what you say."
Hadrian nodded, turned back to Neville and told him everything that had happened that summer.
As Hadrian finished explaining there was a knock at the door followed by it opening to reveal Draco and Blaize.
"Potter, would you mind if we join you and your friends? Asked Draco.
"Sure," said Hadrian "if that's alright with everyone else."
Once everyone had agreed to let Draco and Blaize join them, Theo moved from sitting next to Luna to Hadrian's lap. While Theo moved seats Blaize sat next to Luna. Draco flopped across both Blaize and Luna with his head on Blaize's lap and his legs flung over Luna's thighs.
Neville seemed about to protest but Luna just rested her magazine on Draco's shins. "Oh Draco how nice to see you again" she said before going back to reading.
As they all settled in Blaize asked "what is that plant you have there, Neville?"
Neville, seeming delighted by the question, explained "this is the mimbulus mimbletonia. My Uncle Algie got it for me over the summer. It has a very interesting defense mechanism, watch this."
Neville pulled out a quill and just as he was about to poke the plant with the nib, Theo lunged forward shouting "NO" and grabbed his arm. "If you set off the defense mechanism you will cover this entire compartment in stink sap," explained Theo.
"How could you possibly know that?" Neville questioned "After all I've done this before and it didn't produce anywhere near that much stink sap."
"Oh, well, ever since I got my creature inheritance I've been able to hear and understand plants. Yours seemed pretty angry about being poked, it was practically screaming about covering us all in sap," said Theo.
After Theo's explanation everyone gave a sigh of relief at not being covered in stinky sap. As everything settled down from the excitement they began to talk about what they had done over the summer, and what they were looking forward to in the upcoming school year.
When they were nearly to the castle the door to their compartment slammed open to reveal Ron, Ginny and Hermionie who all began talking and shouting over one another.
Hermione zeroed in on Luna and what she was reading. "Why on earth would you be reading the Quibbler, surely a ravenclaw like you would recognize what utter nonsense that is," she whined.
Meanwhile Ron was shouting "Harry mate, what are you doing here with a bunch of slimy snakes?"
At this Draco got up and snarked "well weasel, Hadrian is just smart enough to know how to make friends with the right sort, unlike you."
This managed to draw Ron's attention from Hadrian to Draco.
While Draco and Ron argued, Ginny darted forward and yanked Theo off of Hadrian's lap and quickly took his place, where she attempted to kiss him.
At this Hadrian quickly put his hand up to push her face away, stood up and pushed Ginny off of him. Then he bent to help Theo up off the floor.
With Theo back in his arms Hadrian shouted "ENOUGH, you three," he gestured to Hermione, Ron and Ginny, "you're done here get out."
"But Harry…" the three whined.
"NO," interrupted Hadrian as he moved forward to push them out of the compartment.
When the compartment door was finally shut Hadrian turned to his companions "I am so sorry about them. I honestly have no idea what I ever saw in them in the first place."
"It's alright Hadrian, we're just glad that you're finally getting away from them," assured Neville.
Just as everyone calmed down from the excitement, the train pulled into Hogsmeade station. As they exited the train and made their way to the carriages, Hadrian stopped and stared at what was pulling them. Luna and Theo both stopped with him.
"Don't worry, Hadrian, I can see them too, they're called thestrals" assured Luna.
"Me too," said Theo, "only those who have seen death can see them."
"Oh," mumbled Hadrian, "so when I saw Cedric… and now I can see them."
"I saw my mother," shared Theo.
"And I saw my mother as well," murmured Luna.
Hadrian wrapped his arms around both of them "I'm sorry, none of us should have had to see that, let's join the others in the carriage's shell we."
Hadrian and Theo paused before entering the great hall.
"Do you want to sit at the Slytherin table or the Gryffindor table?" Theo asked Hadrian.
" I think we should sit with our own houses, just for the opening feast. After tonight we'll eat at the Slytherin table or just find somewhere else to eat," replied Hadrian.
"Ok" said Theo "I'm going to sit with Draco and Blaize, you make sure you sit with Neville and the twins."
Hadrian leaned down and kissed Theo "I will, and I'll see you in our suite after the feast."
Theo hugged Hadrian "Ok, I'll miss you, it'll be so strange to eat without you."
With that the young couple went their separate ways.
At the Slytherin table Theo sat across from Draco and Blaize, unfortunately that left an opening for Pansy and Tracy to sit on either side of him.
"So, Nott, what have you been up to this summer?" asked Tracy.
"Nothing much," responded Theo, "I just got married. Oh and it's Potter now by the way."
At this Pansy whipped her head around and shrieked "What, you're a Potter now, why would you ever marry that freak."
Theo frowned at the girl, "don't call him Pansy, Hadrian's not that bad, in fact he's probably the best thing that ever happened to me."
"Theo, I think you should tell them everything, it will help them understand what's going on," mentioned Blaize.
Pansy narrowed her eyes "what does he mean, Theo?"
So Theo explained once again everything that had happened over the summer, from their marriage contract to Hadrian's lordships and the thefts.
"Oh, wow," muttered Pansy, "my father was at Black's trial, he said that Dumbledore acted wholly inappropriately, but I didn't think it was this bad."
"I have to say I'm not really surprised about the Weasleys or the Granger girl," Added Tracey.
Over at the Gryffindor table Hadrian had wedged himself between the twins and Neville had managed to snag the seat across from him. He glanced over at the Slytherin table and smiled when he saw Theo animatedly talking with his housemates. Then he scanned the teachers table and frowned when he saw the pink toad lady.
"That woman was at Sirius's trial" he whispered to the twins and Neville. "She didn't seem to like Sirius at all."
Neville looked up at the table and grimaced at the sight of her "She must be here to teach DADA," he said.
Hadrian nodded, "but why? I thought she worked for the ministry."
As the feast came to an end Dumbledore rose to give his speech " now that we have all finished with another wonderful feast, may I have your attention for the usual start of term announcements. Our first years should note —- and a few of our older students as well that the forbidden forest is strictly out of bounds. Mr. Filch has asked me to remind you that magic is not permitted in the corridors between classes. There are two changes to staff this year. First we are welcoming back Professor Grubbly-Plank, who will be taking on the role of our Care of Magical Creachers lessons."
At this Hadrian wondered what had happened to Hagrid, but quickly tuned back in as Dumbledore introduced the pink toad.
"Second, I am happy to introduce our new defense against the dark arts professor, Professor Umbridge."
There was a small round of polite but uninterested applause.
Once the applause had abated Dumbledor continued his speech only to be interrupted by a "hem, hem" from the new DADA professor as she got to her feet, clearly intending to make a speech. Dumbledore grudgingly stepped aside to allow her to deliver her speech.
"Thank you Headmaster for the kind words of welcome," Hadrian grimaced at her high pitched grating voice, " It is so good to be back here at Hogwarts. I am looking forward to getting to know all of you and I'm sure that we will all be the best of friends."
At this the crowd of students began to look around and mummer together.
"Hem, hem," Professor Umbridge cleared her throat before continuing. "The ministry of magic has always considered the education of its young people to be of the most importance. The rare gifts that all of you were born with will come to nothing if not given proper guidance. The most ancient and unique skills of our community must be passed down through the generations lest they be lost forever. Our treasure trove of knowledge gathered by our ancestors must be guarded, replenished and polished by those called to the most noble profession of teaching."
Here Umbridge paused to give a small bow to her fellow professors. Of which none returned the bow, some even looking positively furious at her speech.
The new professor continued her speech with another little "hem, hem. Every headmaster has brought something new to the difficult task of governing this historic school. And that is as it should be, for without progress comes stagnation and decay. However, we must discourage progress for progress's sake…"
As Hadrian listened to Professor Umbridge's speech his scowl got deeper and deeper. The ministry was interfering at Hogwarts, what could this possibly mean. Looking over at the Slytherin table he saw that Theo and his friends were whispering furiously with each other. They must have realized what's happening, Hadrian thought. As the speech came to an end the hall burst into uproarious applause.
Hadrian muttered to the twins "they're probably just happy it's over."
Fred and George laughed and patted him on the back "right you are, mate."
As Hadrian walked with his husband up to their new suit Theo exclaimed "Hadrian, can you believe it. The ministry is interfering at Hogwarts. Can they even do that? I thought the school would belong to you."
Hadrian pinched the bridge of his nose and sighted, "I'm not sure, I do know that the ministry and Hogwarts are supposed to stay separate. However, whether or not I own the school, well I frankly have no idea. I am the lord of all four founders' houses, but I don't know if the founders intended for the school to be inherited. I do know that for now I just want to go to bed, and deal with all this in the morning."
As they reached the painting at the entrance to their rooms Theo said the password "Gata Domum."
The painting swung open to reveal a sitting room done up in shades of purple with several doors leading off in different directions.
Theo turned to Hadrian and yawned "I'm tired, what do you say we sleep now and check this out tomorrow morning?"
"Good idea," said Hadrian.
The pair opened several doors before finding the one with their bed and trunks. With their room found they quickly got ready for sleep before climbing into the large bed and falling asleep in eachothers arms.