Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. If I did, I'd be much happier.
love4HP: 1) Hum, either I'm too dumb to understand what you meant, or you misread something. In case, I'm going to re-explain it. First, I have no idea why you are talking about may or september, because the story begins in November, when older Harry arrived. Then, be careful, there's two Harrys in the story. One is a young Gryffindor at Hogwarts, and the other one is a thirty years old dude who time-traveled. If you were confused and didn't understood that, then that's okay, but if that's not the point you were trying to make, then try to explain it again.
2) So I already explained in an answer last chapter why Hadrian didn't warn the Weasleys. However, well... It's not like you could know, as it is said in this chapter, but Hadrian warned Dumbledore. The old man maybe won't act as fast as you would like (It's still Dumbledore after all), but he knows. That's why I said to someone else please don't complain about something before you are sure it either makes no sense in the story, or never will happen. Anyway, glad you liked the story though.
3) Again I already said that, but: Hadrian isn't perfect. I purposefully write him making mistakes or forgetting about things. Furthermore, his goal is not Voldemort (well for now at least). It's little Harry's goal. His own is to make sure Harry will be ready, and to remove any future threats that could start the world war he was in. It may sound harsh, but in his mind Voldemort is like a side quest (disclaimer: It's not. But for Hadrian, it is). If I wanted to write a perfect "Time travel fix-it" fanfic, I wouldn't have done things this way. However there's already a lot of stories like that. So please, remember to make the difference between how things are written by the author, and how a character act in the story (If I was Hadrian, first thing I would have done would be to take care of every hocrux and kill Voldy. But I'm not my character). Take care, I hope you understood what I tried to explain and didn't took offense. I'm getting annoyed by complains like this, where people doesn't even say nothing else than "That's stupid! I don't like that!". Good day.
Koldbones: I have no idea where in the chapter he let his anger stop him from his goal. In Azkaban, except for Bellatrix who got away, he killed everyone he wanted to kill. He wasn't going to kill Amelia Bones, Tonks or Moody, as in the end they are his allies. So I must admit I don't understand why you complain. Anyway, thanks for reading... I guess ?
JohnMonty: Oh ! Hey, how are you ? It's been a long time ! That's good to see a review that's not "Ok what you did there is dumb because i don't like/understand it". Anyway, yeah, Voldy won't be very happy... But well, at least he got back Bellatrix. As for Bella... Her time will come. I wanted Hadrian to take revenge for his Sirius' death, but I know a boy who would like to kill her even more than Hadrian himself. About Lucius... It's going to take a little bit of time, but don't worry the Malfoys won't have a happy ending ;). I'm glad you liked the story up until now. Take care, and have a wonderful day !
desropter: Hello ! So that's my bad. Hadrian and I both made an error here hahaha. Mine, it was that I totally forgot that she was chained to the wall in the books. Well, guess that's too late now. However about Hadrian actions, let's say that he thought "I'm litteraly next to her cell, she has been in Azkaban for 14 years, she's too weak to escape". Apparently... she wasn't. Anyway, I'm glad you liked the chapter. Thanks for explaining what you thought was unlikely, instead of just complaing that you didn't like the outcome of an event. Take care, and have a great day !
02/12/1993, 18H32, Hogwarts, Scotland:
Harry, thanks to a quick dodge, evaded the oncoming spell, keeping his wand firmly in his hand. Instinctively, he retaliated with a flurry of counter-charms, secretly relishing the expansion of his spell repertoire.
Daphne, attempting to escape her opponent's swift assault, dived to the side. But despite this, she was hit by the last Depulso in the sequence of spells, sending her flying backward.
Forced to roll to break her fall, she quickly got back on her feet. However, Harry gave her no respite. Following his uncle's instructions, he made a fluid movement with his wand and cast Bombarda.
Hadrian had warned him many times about this spell, emphasizing its destructive potential if too much magical power was used. And considering Harry's growing reserve, it was clear that an accident was more than just a possibility.
Fortunately, the spell reached the desired power and struck the ground, obscuring Daphne's vision enough for Harry to close in and disarm her. "You win, Potter, I surrender," she breathed, poorly concealing her bitterness at being defeated by Harry.
He retrieved his wand and returned it to her. "You're an undeniably talented witch, Daphne. I train regularly with my uncle, the most powerful wizard I know, whenever my schedule allows, and I devote three-quarters of my free time to studying spells. Despite that, you manage to hold your own with remarkable tenacity. Be at least a little proud of yourself!" he reassured her, aware of the girl's anger but deeming it misplaced.
Indeed, he understood Daphne's aspiration for power, for strength. Otherwise, she would never have deigned to ask him, a Gryffindor, to train her. Deep down, he shared this desire for power, motivated by the protection of his loved ones. However, he felt that Daphne was too rude with herself, not realizing that mastering magic was not a matter of days, no matter how much daily investment. Only resilience and perseverance over very long periods of time allowed one to reach such a level. A simple burst of motivation was generally insufficient, as the field of magic was vast and complex.
"I know, I know. I don't need your stupid life lessons," Daphne retorted, although her voice lacked its usual coldness. Harry looked at her and smiled. He didn't know why she persisted in hiding her true emotions behind a glacial facade, but was satisfied that she interpreted his words as well-meaning advice.
Come to think of it, since Lockhart's club opened, the students of the magical school had begun to divide into two groups. Although the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor's teaching skills were questionable, calling into question his ability to teach properly in his own club, it had allowed many students to discover an interest in the field of dueling.
Moreover, with the attacks that had taken place within the old castle, a certain amount of training couldn't hurt anyone. The dueling club itself had been set up following the attack on Colin Creevey, in an attempt to reassure the student population. It worked for a while, but when Justin Finch-Fletchley, a Hufflepuff, was attacked and petrified, everything went back to square one.
The only positive thing about the club, at least according to Harry, was this famous split into two groups. The first, generally called "the cowards" by the second, was made up of students who were too scared to react in a way that would protect others. Some of them had already left the school, others were sent to the infirmary repeatedly to avoid having to walk the corridors, and the bravest spent most of their time running from point A to point B, sometimes arriving in the classroom thirty minutes before the start of class.
As for the second group, called "the suicidal" by the first, it brought together students who had decided to train magically and physically to be ready for the threat, even going so far as to patrol the corridors looking for the famous Slytherin monster.
Daphne, Harry, Hermione, and the rest of the group had done their research on the potential identity of this creature. But the only plausible hypothesis they had managed to form quickly fell apart, leaving them in a dilemma. Indeed, the only logical possibility, according to what they had read, was a Basilisk. It was a kind of snake, so logically it had a connection to Slytherin. They have a long lifespan, and they terrify spiders.
Why was this last aspect so important to the group? Because during their research, they ended up discussing the situation with Hagrid. Unfortunately, for a reason that Harry didn't understand, the Minister came to arrest the man who had introduced him to the wizarding world. The latter had then left them with only one piece of information: "Follow the spiders."
And follow the spiders they did! They even almost lost their lives, if the centaurs hadn't intervened a few seconds before their end. Fortunately, they hadn't left empty-handed.
Harry learned that Hagrid had been expelled from Hogwarts, falsely accused of opening the Chamber of Secrets. This information partially explained the Minister of Magic's reaction, as Harry admitted.
However, this revelation only added to the complexity of the mystery. That's why Harry sought an outlet in Quidditch, even crushing Draco Malfoy during the match against Slytherin thanks to a technique learned from his godfather.
This match was also marked by the strange return of his uncle, Hadrian, who had gone on a mission and returned only to see him play. Harry watched him cast spells on the Bludgers at the beginning of the match, then leave with a house-elf under his arm at the final whistle.
'Well, whatever. If it was something important, he would have told me!' Harry thought to himself. Between training, Quidditch, watching over Ginny, and research, Harry had little to no time to rest.
That's why he welcomed Daphne's suggestion to end the research, which seemed to be at a standstill, and duel instead. Not only would a little more training not hurt him, but it would also give him an excuse to spend time with Daphne. He had really grown fond of the blonde Slytherin, although he would never tell her that.
"Do you hear that strange noise?" she asked as she approached a wall. This sound pulled Harry from his thoughts and forced him to concentrate to identify it.
"Yes, I hear it. It's strange, it sounds like it's coming from the walls..." he said, perplexed. The two friends pressed their ears against the wall to listen more closely to the sound. "It sounds like hissing, mixed with an animal that's sneaking into... I KNOW!" Daphne suddenly exclaimed, a flash of lucidity lighting up her face.
"You know?"
"Yes, I know!"
"But are you sure?"
"Absolutely sure!"
Harry looked at the unusually enthusiastic girl, raising an eyebrow. "Would you be so kind, Miss Greengrass, to share your discovery with this poor ignorant?" he ironized.
"Our hypothesis was right. And this noise confirms our doubts! That hissing, it's a snake! And judging by the noise, a big one! With everything we already know, it can only be a Basilisk. The other sound we're hearing, it's him moving through the pipes!" she explained, grabbing Harry by the shoulders.
He scratched his chin, still skeptical. "I see. Your logic is sound, but the Basilisk's gaze is deadly. So why...? Oh yes!" he suddenly realized, putting his own hands on his shoulders. "The direct gaze of the Basilisk kills! But no one has looked directly at it. The day Miss Norris saw it, the floor was covered in water. As for Colin, he saw it through his camera... And Justin... Yes! He saw it through Nearly Headless Nick!" he finally realized.
The duo continued to hold each other, their eyes sparkling with joy at their discovery, before realizing what was happening. Their faces blushing, they stepped back, each averting their gaze from the other before Harry spoke again: "I'm going to put everything together in a letter to my uncle tomorrow. In the meantime, gather the information we have, and go show it to Dumbledore!"
Once he made his statement, he quickly left the room, leaving behind an annoyed Slytherin. "Since when do you give me orders, Potter..." she sighed before shaking her head and following the instructions the Gryffindor had given her... Reluctantly, of course!
02/13/1993, 20H11, Pevek, Russia:
Ghost meticulously wiped the blood from his knife before storing it in one of his inner pockets. He had just ended the life of the last member of a detachment of Alexei, a notorious dark wizard. Although it was impossible to identify the precise affiliation of this group, their easy defeat suggested they weren't part of an elite unit.
While their elimination guaranteed him a substantial reward, it also distanced him from his main objective: to track down the Russian dark wizard, and through him, Moon.
For several months, Ghost had been relentlessly hunting Fortuna Moon. He was driven by an obscure motivation, born of the rare interactions he had with this enigmatic woman. Certainly, he couldn't deny his undeniable attraction to her, but his desire to ally himself with her was not solely motivated by carnal feelings. Or at least, not entirely. The aura that emanated from Fortuna Moon, a combination of strength of character, magical power, and striking beauty, strangely reminded him of... Ginny.
He had certainly mourned her for a long time, and time travel had helped him accept that she was still alive in this alternate reality. However, it was precisely these qualities of strength and independence that had irresistibly drawn him to her in the past.
And today, he found these same traits in Fortuna, although he refused to admit it. The trauma of his family's death had deeply scarred him, and although his heart was still capable of loving and becoming attached, he was always haunted by the fear of losing those he cherished.
Shaking his head to dispel his morbid thoughts, he took out the portkey he had prepared and placed it on the pile of lifeless bodies in front of him. Stepping back, he murmured the incantation: "Bounty Hadrian Potter", and the corpses disappeared in a whirlwind of light.
The reward itself didn't interest him much. His primary intention was to send these bodies to the Ministry of Magic, thus proving to Andrews that he was still alive and preventing the latter from entrusting the contract to another bounty hunter. Because this mission was a veritable suicide.
Only Dumbledore himself or a handful of exceptional wizards could hope to defeat Alexei and his army. Simple bounty hunters, even the most experienced, had no chance against such power.
His wand firmly gripped in his hand, he resumed his hunt in the streets of the city, concealed under a multitude of enchantments thanks to his cloak. His scrutinizing gaze detected no dark wizards in the vicinity.
However, his goal in coming here wasn't Alexei. He was looking for Moon. And, although tenuous, traces of her elemental magic persisted in the atmosphere. Guided by these clues, he continued his methodical progression, traversing the alleys in the manner of Little Thumb following his white pebbles.
For months, Ghost had relentlessly hunted the powerful woman, allowing himself only brief breaks to intercept Dobby or spend Christmas with Harry.
He had to admit, he had somewhat neglected his old house-elf friend. The tumultuous month he had experienced, coupled with the fact that Dobby hadn't taken any action until the Quidditch match, had relegated the elf to the back of his mind for a few months.
He felt a certain guilt, remembering the horror that Dobby had endured at the Malfoys. However, in the immediate term, he had been unable to remedy it. Until the day of the match, at least. It was Harry, in a letter, who had reminded him of the face-off against Slytherin.
As soon as he learned of the situation, Ghost returned to Great Britain, lifted the spell that bound the Bludger, and watched over Harry throughout the match. At the end of the match, he spotted the elf near Lucius Malfoy in the stands and watched over him. Towards the end of the match, he approached Lucius, who didn't hide his displeasure at his arrival.
He looked at Dobby, then probed his mind, ordering him to prepare for freedom. Then, he removed one of his gloves and tossed it to Lucius. The latter grimaced and glared at him with hatred. "Excuse me, Lucius, I dropped it. To apologize, I'll give it to you. It's yours now!" he said mockingly.
He saw the blond's face turn red with anger before he turned and threw the glove at his elf. It was a grave mistake. Dobby grabbed the garment with a wide smile and thanked his former master, who quickly realized his blunder.
Hadrian wasted no time. He grabbed Dobby, who was still holding his glove, and apparated to Potter Manor, where he offered the elf a job working for him and the famous Harry Potter. The elf accepted with joy and, once the bond of servitude was established, Hadrian immediately gave him a specific order. "Don't try to hurt, incapacitate, or immobilize Harry in any way to protect him from the Chamber of Secrets. Trust me, the boy will be fine. If you wish, you can even watch over him, and I authorize you to seek help or intervene if he is in imminent mortal danger. That is the only order I will give you. Does that suit you, Dobby?"
The elf nodded and was then guided by the other house-elves of the Manor who showed him around. Once this visit was over, he only returned for the winter holidays, devoting the rest of his time both to his search for Fortuna Moon and to his work as a bounty hunter.
Suddenly, a gasp of pain pulled him from his contemplation and brought him abruptly back to reality. The sound came from a small, dark alley between two buildings, somewhere in front of him.
If his hearing was not as sharp as his sight, it was nevertheless endowed with an acuity enhanced by magic, a valuable asset for his hunts. He turned the corner of the alley and plunged into it, focusing his magic in his eyes to pierce the growing darkness.
The gasps grew closer, becoming more and more distinct, until his eyes perceived a figure in the shadows. "Bingo!" he murmured with satisfaction as he recognized the woman he was looking for, sitting against a wall.
Her condition was deplorable. Her clothes were torn to shreds, her wand lay broken in two pieces on the dusty ground. Her body was covered in gaping wounds, from which fresh blood continued to flow.
Hadrian could only marvel at her tenacity. Despite the severity of her injuries, she was still alive. When she heard him approaching, she turned her head towards him, her trembling lips articulating: "P-Potter...?". This effort seemed to exhaust her last strength, and she fainted instantly.
"Don't worry, I'm here," he breathed, sitting down beside her. He had arrived just in time. Would he have found her a few seconds later, and Fortuna Moon would have disappeared from this world forever.
02/17/1993, 10H28, Potter Manor, England:
Fortuna Moon wasn't a woman to underestimate. Anyone who had the opportunity to fight alongside or against her was aware of this. She had defeated many wizards that no one else could even touch.
Although her name wasn't known on the international scene, she was a formidable opponent. From birth, her family discovered that she was an elemental. She mastered lightning, an element of formidable power when controlled with precision, due to its speed of attack and unpredictability.
This gift imposed a responsibility on her: she could no longer retreat. She had been given an immense talent, and it would be foolish not to exploit it. Her whole life was consequently devoted to training.
The death of her parents during the first wizarding war against Voldemort, in addition to fueling her innate will, had given her an ultimate goal: to become invincible. It wasn't about immortality for her. On the contrary, it was the awareness of her own mortality that, according to her, made a battle between wizards exciting. That's why, although she was in perpetual pursuit of power, she had never turned to the dark arts.
Of course, she knew many spells considered dark, but she always swore never to go down that path. First out of respect and honor for her parents who had fought for the light, but also because she wanted her power to serve good.
Her perseverance was rewarded. After capturing a wanted wizard in America, she was invited by MACUSA to join a little-known ICW program: bounty hunters. She accepted, and alternated between visiting different dueling clubs to train and increasingly dangerous missions.
However, as her strength grew and her number of defeats decreased, she began to lose that passion for battle. She no longer felt adrenaline before a fight. Nothing at all. That's what pushed her to accept more and more perilous missions. Deep down, she only desired one thing: to find that long-sought sensation.
But everything changed the day she met Hadrian Potter. She had heard of his exploits, both politically and on the battlefield. His nickname during the Mexican War, "The Invincible Soldier," had deeply marked her. Why? Because it was her goal. To be invincible. And this man had achieved it.
When she saw him enter the London club, her heart raced. Besides the physical attraction of the Lord, the magical power that emanated from him gave her chills. She had found him! The one who possessed the strength. The one who could make her feel the emotions she had been searching for so long.
During his duel against Sirius Black, she felt like she was reliving her young, naive years. The man was playing with Black, like a father testing his son after his first lesson at Hogwarts.
That's why, when the duel ended and she saw the powerful wizard alone in his corner, she made a decision. She had to fight him. No matter who won or lost, she wanted to fight, to give body and soul against an opponent of his caliber.
After his initial refusal, she had to use her Occlumency to the maximum to hide her disappointment. After searching so long for a rival of her caliber, was she really going to let him leave without fighting? No, it was unthinkable. She tried provocation, hoping he would fall into the trap.
She hated to talk like that, but if it was the only way to achieve her goal, she would do it without remorse. Fortunately for her, her strategy worked, and she couldn't suppress the magic that gushed from her, vibrating with excitement.
It was at that precise moment that she realized that the man in front of her was one with magic, because he had immediately deduced that she was an elemental.
Following this, the battle began. And what power! What strength! She fought fiercely, concentrating all her magic in her spells.
However, the wizard in front of her repelled them effortlessly, showing no signs of fatigue in the face of her assaults. When her last attack failed, she knew it was the end. She had lost. Despite everything, this duel would remain etched in her memory as the best she had ever experienced.
Hadrian Potter embodied everything she aspired to be. A part of her resented him, even envied him for it. She couldn't escape it.
Nevertheless and unexpectedly, as she awaited her end, the duel ended with a disqualification. And as the voice announcing the end of the fight faded, she felt an immeasurable rage rise within her.
She hadn't won! She refused this victory! She had lost, and Hadrian Potter had won! Unable to accept this result, she asked the man for a rematch. Once, then twice, then many more times. With each duel, she lost faster and faster.
This excitement she thought had disappeared consumed her again.
This continued until she finally won. She could see that Hadrian was putting less and less effort into their fights. And that made him lose their last duel. But this victory didn't satisfy her. Not only did it take away all her desire to fight the man, but it enraged her even more than her first victory.
After all, no one likes to be taken for a fool.
Her anger wasn't directed at Hadrian, but at herself. For what reason? Because she had already experienced this situation, that of constantly fighting a less powerful opponent. Sooner or later, vigilance dulls, convinced that the other can no longer defeat us.
Such an attitude does not strengthen the winner, on the contrary. She then realized that the gap between them was too great to be bridged quickly. If she really wanted to fight him, she had to train first.
That's why she accepted the contract to capture the fugitive Russian: Alexei. She sorely missed training against formidable opponents. So she went in search of him. Months of planning, research, and infiltration into Muggle organizations finally allowed her to track down the man in a small town in Russia: Pevek.
She went there immediately, reaching the city in less than a week. It was there that she met for the first time the man she was hunting. As soon as she arrived, she engaged in combat, wanting to eliminate the dark wizard before he could call for reinforcements. However, this haste was fatal to her. She clearly didn't expect to face an opponent of such power.
Whereas less than a year ago, she believed herself to be close to invincibility, her confidence was shattered in the space of a few months. The powerful wizard stood his ground, skillfully avoiding her attacks and blocking her elemental magic with metamorphosed golems. During this fight, she became aware of her greatest weakness: she depended far too much on her lightning magic to face her enemies.
If, like Alexei, they managed to find a way to neutralize it, she was disarmed. Unfortunately, this realization came too late. She was beaten miserably, her body lying abandoned on the brink of death in a dark alley. "Oh well, I gave it my all until the end..." she sighed, closing her eyes and waiting for death.
She lost consciousness shortly after, believing herself to be dead. A vague memory, which she thought was a hallucination, gave her the impression of seeing Hadrian Potter, but that was all.
That's why, after feeling herself dying, she thought she was dreaming when she woke up in a cozy bed on which the Potter coat of arms was engraved. It couldn't be heaven, nor hell. But then... How had she survived? And above all... How had she gotten here?
Fortunately for her, her questions were quickly answered. The door to the room opened and Hadrian Potter entered. "Miss Moon, I'm delighted to see you join us!" he exclaimed with a confident smile, as if he were proud of her. She nodded timidly, not knowing what to say in this situation. "You're probably wondering where you are... Or even what happened, am I wrong? Don't worry. I'll answer all your questions. But first, eat!"
As he finished his statement, he snapped his fingers, causing a tray of food to appear on her legs. She didn't know why, but she felt inclined to trust this man. On the one hand, he had saved her, and on the other, the time spent fighting by his side had brought her more joy than the last ten years of her life combined.
She nodded again and began to eat, taking advantage of this respite to examine her wounds. She still felt a little stiff, and the bandages covering the wounds on her body probably needed to be changed regularly. But other than that, she felt perfectly fine, which was a feat considering she had come close to death.
Right after she finished her hearty meal, he returned, surprising her. How did he know she was finished eating? From her point of view, he looked more and more like some kind of omniscient god. And that thought terrified her more than she wanted to admit.
"Well, before we start, I want to reassure you: it's my house-elf who changed you. Your modesty is safe!" he said, laughing. She couldn't help but blush slightly at his words. "Oh, that's too bad, you probably would have enjoyed the view," she replied, trying to hide her true feelings. It seemed to take the man by surprise. He stared at her with his big eyes before bursting out laughing. "I have a feeling we're going to get along well, Fortuna Moon. We already know each other, but I... I'm the head of the Potter family, Lord Hadrian Potter, but you can call me Hadrian," he indicated with a mischievous smile.
"Fortuna," she replied simply, pondering the questions she wanted to ask. The rest of the day was spent asking and answering questions.
Fortuna, curious to know why he had come looking for her and how he had found her, asked him many questions about this. Hadrian, for his part, decided to be honest. He explained to her that in addition to having enjoyed their time together, he didn't want a talent like hers to be forgotten. He seemed to want her to join him in a future war against Voldemort.
"But the Dark Lord is dead, isn't he?" she asked, curious to know why Hadrian was talking about a new war. She then learned that not only was Voldemort still alive, but he had even already infiltrated Hogwarts. The man even agreed to show her memories, supporting his claims with evidence.
As soon as she learned of this information, she accepted his proposal. She herself had scores to settle with the Dark Lord and his followers. And then, as a warrior in search of combat, she couldn't miss the opportunity to fight against so many dark wizards.
They then continued their discussion, until they reached an impasse.
"Hadrian," she called to him after a short pause. The wizard turned to her, raising an eyebrow. "Thank you for saving me. I know I may seem cold, but I know when I owe someone."
The eminent lord shook his head. "You don't owe me anything. But if you want to offer me something in return, then fight on our side in the future, and stay alive. That's all I ask of you."
"Are you sure? You don't want anything in particular?" she insisted. "No, why do you ask?" he replied, curious as to why the usually distant woman seemed so eager to repay him.
"Because I have a life debt... to you."
02/18/1993, 19H03, Hogwarts, Scotland:
Hadrian didn't even bother to knock on the headmaster's office door. He knew full well that the latter was already informed of his arrival.
"Hadrian! I'm delighted to see you," called the old man from his office. "Me too, Albus," he replied, shaking the headmaster's hand. Since receiving Harry's letter, he had been constantly fighting the urge to storm into the school and rush into the Chamber to get rid of the snake.
However, Harry no longer had the gift of speaking to snakes, and he himself was too busy searching for Fortuna to have enough time. "I've read Harry's letter. I assume he's also given you the latest information," he stated in a grave tone, signaling to the headmaster that he wasn't there for trivialities.
The latter sighed, the sparkle in his bright blue eyes fading. "Yes, although I must admit I'm running out of ideas. We've already searched young Ginny's belongings, as you asked, but no dark book has been found. The only solution left to us is to question the girl directly, but I was worried about her potential reaction. What do you suggest?" asked the old headmaster, his gaze fixed on Hadrian's headband, almost seeming to see through it.
"I see. In that case, the only solution left to us is to attack the problem directly. Can you bring young Ginny in, please? I know you're worried about her reaction, but we have no choice," Hadrian affirmed firmly.
The entire school, including Harry, was in danger. Even if Ginny was innocent and had never wanted to be controlled by Voldemort, they had to put an end to this madness. The headmaster resigned himself and nodded. "Don't move, I'll go get her." Hadrian watched the old man leave the room. He knew it must be difficult to constantly see his students in danger, especially since he would probably have to leave the school soon. But he had to stay strong. Indeed, although Lucius had insisted to the Ministry of Magic that the Minister dismiss Dumbledore, the actions of Hadrian and Alexander, who represented both the Potter and Greengrass families, allowed him to keep his position... for a while longer. For upon his failure at the Ministry of Magic, the blond decided to attack the members of the Hogwarts Board of Governors directly, threatening to cast a curse on them if they did not comply with his demands.
Hadrian didn't know how long the latter would resist Malfoy's harassment. That's why he decided to act before Albus was dismissed from his duties.
While waiting for the headmaster to return with Ginny, he sat in an armchair, recalling his last exchange with Fortuna Moon. After she had declared that she was indebted to him, he had become lost in thought.
Almost instinctively, he was tempted to ask her for anything to cancel this debt, such as: "Take out your wand". But as he pondered, he came up with a better idea. He knew that the woman was constantly seeking danger. For this reason, he kept this debt in mind, and when the woman's life would be threatened, he would ask her to go to a safe place.
This way, he could both ensure the woman's safety and alleviate his own concerns about the dangers she might face. When he explained his plan, he expected complaints from her. However, instead, she smiled.
The question she asked next took him by surprise. "Hadrian Potter, do you want to team up with me to face Alexei?" Hadrian hadn't expected the woman to ask for his help. From his point of view, she was a solitary witch who relied only on herself. However, he wasn't going to let such an opportunity to collaborate with someone of comparable power pass him by. That's why he gladly accepted.
After that, he left her to rest from her injuries and went to bed himself. The last few months spent searching for her had been rather long, after all.
As he pondered what was next, he saw Dumbledore enter the office, walking at a speed that would be impressive even for a young man. His gaze was icy, and magic crackled around him. "Ginny Weasley has disappeared. She's been taken to the Chamber of Secrets!"