Whose side is truly the dark one?

Dog caused panic - 18

Edited - May 15, 2023

   A few days past since Ron weakly attacked Hadrian and he has yet to get a moment alone since. Ron was given another week of detention and he tried to loudly blame Hadrian but no one would listen. Ron was being shunned by almost the entire school body even more than before. The release of the troll attack along with Ron seemingly increased all of his friend's protective nature by a thousand. Most Slytherins, especially those in the younger years tend to always stick together in a group of two or more for protection but no one would even let him leave their line of sight for a mere second. At least one other Slytherin stayed with him no matter where he went preventing him from aimlessly wondering the school for fun. Hadrian knows they mean well but he is still getting used to others genuinely caring for him despite being free of the Dursleys for some time. It wasn't his fault that up until two summers ago he was raised by relatives that barely cared enough to keep him alive. If Dumbledore had kept his stupidly long nose out of his family's business, he could have ended up growing up with Neville or one of his godparents!

    Quirrel had become a bit protective towards him as well. The false stutterer had asked him if he was okay the morning the story was released and his eyes seem to follow Hadrian anytime he was nearby. He was currently in Defense against the dark arts when the professor stuttered and asks him to stay behind class as they neared the end of the class period. Not sure why but not worried about the man having a hidden agenda up his sleeve like a certain headmaster, Hadrian didn't feel worried and agreed with a quick, "yes professor," and continues to take notes. As class ends, Hadrian sends a small nod to Draco and Blaise to tell them not to worry and waits with Quirrell for everyone to leave the room. With a dramatic wave of his hand, red eyes appear as a privacy charm is thrown on the door. "I'm sorry you got hurt by the troll my little horcrux. I had meant to use it as a distraction and had no idea you weren't in the hall with everyone else." "Don't worry professor, just give me a heads up next time." Hadrian pauses and teases with a smirks, "At least it gave me a chance to make Dumble bee look bad!" Quirrelmort just rolls his ruby colored eyes and softly pushes Hadrian towards the door. Hadrian glances back at the man one more time with a smile and closes the door behind him.

Outside the classroom, Draco and Blaise quietly discuss the potions essay Snape had assigned in class earlier that afternoon. They glance up when they hear Hadrian close the door and the three make their way to the library where the rest of their friends are impatiently waiting for them. Pansy, who is the proud mother figure of their group, runs to Hadrian and searches him for injuries as she has been doing every day since the attack. She nods her head a minute later, satisfied that is a-okay, and leans down to give Hadrian a kiss on the head before letting him sit down with everyone else. Having grown used to this, only his ears turned red instead of his entire face and neck.

   Like usual, Hadrian is the first to finish his work and turns his attention to helping his friends finish as well. Snape's potion essay requires two feet on why you should always check the quality of your ingredients for potions as Ronald had used a shriveled up eye of newt instead of a fresh one and nearly blew up his own hand. Not even Snape's precious snakes escaped his rage, hence the extremely long essay most of them were still working on. Draco finishes soon after Hadrian and the two decide to explore the castle. They bid goodbye to their friends and head towards the astronomy tower as it has the best view in their opinion. They slowly climb up their third set of the moving stairs and make it halfway up before it begins to move. They climb up to the top and stand in front of a door they have never been behind before. Curiosity gets the better of them, and easily walk in as the door was left unlocked. The hall is dark and empty but holds unlit torches along the wall. With a flick of his wrist, Hadrian lights up half of them and the fire leads them to another closed door. This one is locked but the simple alohamora charm does the trick as they hear the door lock click open. 

   This large looking room is rather dark and quite just like the rest of the hall they had just explored. Draco whispers "lumos" and a small but bright ball of light appears on the tip of his wand. Both boys cover their eyes at the sudden brightness and in the process fail to see the large figure slowly nearing them. A low growl echo through the room and Hadrian feels his heart skip a beat. His eyes fill with terror as he looks around and faces three, massive, drooling dog heads connected to an intimidating body chained to the cement floor. Draco reacts first as he screams in terror but Hadrian can't force his body to move. This dog was a thousand times worse than any dog aunt Marge had ever brought over and he was frozen in a flashback. He could hear multiple dogs growling and barking in his ears as he remembered all the times he would hide in trees for hours and the other times he hadn't made it up the tree in time. His legs began to ache as the phantom feeling of sharp teeth grabbing and tearing into his legs appeared. He was going to die!

   Hadrian faintly feels a hand grab him and yank him backwards but he still can't snap out of his panic. His breath quickens and his hands tremble. Tears begin to fall down his face and his hands start to tug at his hair frantically. The howls and barks continue to sound painfully in his ears and pulling his hair only reminds him more of the pain his past caused him. He tries to remember the dog he loved as a baby but the memory turns on him and that dog too attacks! Their eyes turn red and saliva drips down its snarling lips. He can't breathe!

    Hadrian curls in a ball to try and protect himself but suddenly the dog froze. "...adr-" A voice is saying something but the dogs prevent it from getting through to him. "Hades!" Again someone calls and the dog disappears. Hadrian looks around again and finds his vision blurred but he is no longer with his relatives. Where was he again? Everything is dark but someone is in front of him, holding his face. "...ok at me..." Their voice continues to cut out but he realizes he can breathe again! "Tha... it, breat..." The person with him put his ear to their nervous heart beat but he find himself gradually calming down.

   The hands that held his face were now wrapped around him and rocked him back and forth. His face was wet and realizes he had been crying. The heart beat he is listening to calms down as he calms down and a soft voice whispers in his ear. "You're okay, you're okay." Hadrian realizes he is in the cold hall and Draco is the one holding him. The rocking back in forth relaxes him and the exhaustion caused by his panic attack hits him all at once. "M'sorry Dray..." He whimpers out. "I've got you little brother, go to sleep Hades." When Hadrian opens his eyes again, his surroundings have changed. He is no longer in the dark hall but in his warm bed. The covers have been pulled over him and he could feel Draco's arms wrapped tightly around him. He listens to his brother's breathing and lets his heavy eyelids close once again.