52

379 18 0
                                    

Hadrian continued to stare blindly at the pensive, the memories glowing eerily blue, giving the only indication that the pensive was in use away. He hadn't been able to follow Tom in this time, what Tom was viewing were the harder memories, ones he definitely didn't want to see again, especially not the times on the run, or worse still the time his ex- best friends had nearly killed him (actually left him for dead) before he ended up back in this time. When Tom emerged he would know nearly everything, the only thing he wouldn't know but certainly implied in the memories was the powers he had gained possession of when he had all three items Death had gifted the others in his possession. Rubbing his forehead, anxiety bubbling like a raging inferno within him, he grunted before he finally gave in and walked out of their bedroom, swiftly making his way down the stairs to the cellar, which was underneath the kitchen, he'd found it earlier it was extremely dusty, filled with cobwebs and all sorts of critters he didn't want to identify right now. No, he was only interested in one thing, a bottle of alcohol. Removing one of the bottles, he rolled his eyes and returned it, going to a different rack and seeking the next bottle, he didn't want wine, and he wanted something much stronger. His second guess was a success, whiskey, a Muggle bottle, that would have been a surprise if he didn't already know the Peverells had bought into the wine and spirits companies back in the day.

He didn't spare the cellar a second glance; he just closed the door and made his way back up the stairs, grabbing a glass from the box of things he'd yet to put away. There was no further reason to delay, so without pause he headed straight back for the bedroom. Hadrian didn't sit down on one of the couches, instead he sat down on the floor, leaning against the wall, with the fireplace to his left, offering some warmth, not as much as the bottle was about to offer him he thought tiredly. He was bone achingly tired, yet he knew if he tried to put his head down to sleep he wouldn't, his mind would just become wide awake as if it was joking with him. Using his clothes, Hadrian absently wiped the bottle down until it was pristine.

Yawning as he blinked his eyes rapidly, wondering how long Tom would remain submerged in those memories, trying to calculate as he filled the glass half way. Screwing the top back on he thumped the bottle to the side of him. He would need to be careful; this body wasn't used to alcohol of any kind. In other words he would end up completely intoxicated with a single gulp no doubt. Yet the thought of achieving that feeling of weightlessness was strong, he didn't spare a second before he took a large gulp, grimacing at the burn yet relishing in it all the same. A moan tore from his throat, his head leaning back as he felt warm envelope him completely.

Another chilling thought consumed him, what Tom would he be confronted with when he saw everything? The Tom he had seen from the Diary? The hardened bitter one? The beginning of Voldemort appearing? He hadn't been able to glean much from Tom during their trips to the pensive, he just seemed stunned to him mostly. After all he was showing him, Hadrian couldn't really blame him if he did. His mind reflected on all the memories he'd placed within the pensive.

The Dementor attack, the farce of a trial, the time he was 'Nagini' and attacking Arthur Weasley, the vision he had of Voldemort cursing his godfather, the trip to the Ministry of magic, no matter what it is bound to be embarrassing for Tom to watch his supporters getting taken down by Hogwarts students. Then the battle, his possession, learning the prophecy after just seeing his godfather die. Dumbledore using him to get Slughorn back, the so called training memories, the trip for the Horcrux in the cave, Dumbledore's death, the locket being a fake, the real never ending trip for Horcruxes, the bleak existence the magical world had tumbled into, Ron leaving, Godric's Hollow, Nagini coming out of the dead corpse of Bagshot, the trip to the Ministry, Gringotts, their escape by dragon, even the conversation about the Cruciatus curse being used so casually on the students by the Death Eaters...the eventual return to Hogwarts. The memories Severus gave him, the fact he had walked to his own death and let Voldemort curse him, the final battle, and most importantly the memory of his friends turning their backs on him trying to kill him 'for Dumbledore and the 'Greater good' their version of Harry hunting, and the inevitability of his own capture and near death.

Lord of time (chapter 41-107)Where stories live. Discover now