Whose side is truly the dark one?

First real Yule - 23

Edited - September 18, 2023

With Yule only a few days away and neither boys having had the time to go shopping yet, they are scrambling for the chance to find gifts. With Dobby and Milly by their sides, Narcissa gives them permission to go to Diagon Alley for a few hours as long as they return in time for dinner. Hadrian dresses in a black button up shirt with emerald buttons that match his eyes and dark grey slacks. Draco dresses in a similar fashion with a dark grey button up and black slacks. Both have casual black robes on top but Draco has a thick black jacket too. Unlike Hadrian whose constant hot body temperature isn't typically bothered by the cold, Draco needs extra layers to provide warmth and has a dark green scarf and gloves, Slytherin style, along with his jacket.

The boys cover their excitement with well practiced masks and make their way to Gringotts first. Hadrian politely asks to see Silverclaw while Draco takes his key and rides a cart down to one of the Malfoy family's vaults. Despite having multiple vaults and keys as well, Hadrian holds a single key and card connected to them all over the summer with Lucius's help and wants to check up on his vaults as he worried Dumblebee will try to intercept his letters at Hogwarts. Not wanting to make his friend wait too long, he has a short but polite conversation with the goblin and leaves with several thick parchments shrunk down and secure in his pocket.

   With matching smirks, Hadrian and Draco explore store after store, wanting to get the perfect gifts for their loved ones. After a few hours, they split up and agree to meet up for ice cream to satisfy their matching sweet tooth, or in Draco's case, sweet teeth. Hadrian got two scoops of tectile tart flavor on a waffle cone and Draco decides on a chocolate frog fudge sundae. Hadrian almost offers to buy something for Milly and Dobby but doesn't when he remembers the last time he did so, resulting in them loudly sobbing about the great master Hadrian's kindness and refusing the food he tried to offer. With both their bowls scraped empty and every last drop of their treats gone, Milly and Dobby apperate them back to the manor and snap the newly wrapped presents under the Yuletide tree that would later be cut into the Yule log.

   Before Hadrian knows it, the night before Yule arrives and everyone gathers by the tree. Each person had been assigned a color and all their gifts are wrapped in paper and bows of said color. Lucius has white and Narcissa's are silver. Severus got black, for obvious reasons, as it is about the only color his wardrobe holds. On the other hand, Draco receives grey and Hadrian, emerald, to match their eye colors. Hadrian mails a gift to Voldemort as well by owl, wrapped in red for his eyes too who was unfortunately too busy to make it in person. But the thing is Hadrian still didn't fully understand the concept of gift giving, and expects nothing that year as the Malfoys have already gifted him with letting him stay with them for the holiday. He has however, gotten a few prank items for Fred and George through owl order and done the same for his friends with different candies or small gifts including Neville.

   So Hadrian watches happily as each of his adopted family members open his gifts and happiness twinkles in their eyes in a non evil Dumbledore way. Lucius goes first and Hadrian had gone to Scribbulus Writing Instruments and with the store owners help, for a small fee, had one of his feathers turned into a self inking quill. Lucius looks up at Hadrian in shock as most creatures would never willingly share feathers or scales as it holds a bit of their personal magic and are highly sought after and illegally trafficked. Hadrian just gives him a nod and smile and is very proud of himself when he doesn't flinch at the aristocratic man's sudden hug he gets suddenly pulled into. He does blush a bit though when he realizes a high pitched yelp slipped out of his lips upon the initial contact.

Narcissa unwraps her gifts second and is just as pleased when she receives Hadrian's thoughtful gift. Narcissa has always complemented on Hadrian's warmth, almost as much as Raven does, as she tends to get cold often and is seen constantly wearing gloves. Despite the fact the sewing can be seen as girly, Hadrian has had to patch up hand-me downs for years to fit and become quite skilled with a needle. So Hadrian had gone to Madam Malkin's for some nice black lace gloves and embroidered Narcissa's initials onto the bottom of them in a silver thread. He also infused some of his magic into them with permanent heating runes that adjust with her constant hand heat. Narcissa gives him a tight squeeze and loving kiss on top of his head after slipping the comfortable gloves and Draco pouts as he had only gotten his mother hair clips with anti slip charms on them. Narcissa notices this and gives her son another hug and kiss to make his pout disappear.

Severus gets the usual potion related gifts with ingredients and books and Hadrian's gift to him is no different... sort of. Some of the hardest ingredients for a potion master or brewer of any kind to obtain is phoenix tears. Being a phoenix creature himself, Hadrian was happy to make himself cry for Severus and collect them. The fact he could make himself cry is actually quite depressing as he has so many horrible memories to make him cry but that's besides the point. Severus isn't a cuddly person so he didn't give the boy a hug once he realized what he had been given but he does give him a genuine but sad smile as he knows Hadrian had made himself cry for his sake. So regardless of all Hadrian actually buying the man a small collection of potion flasks, one could almost say it is a tear worthy gift.

Draco's turn is next and he barely manages to hold himself still. The boy happily rips open every gift and lets all his emotions show as he only truly does around his family and closest friends. Hadrian had had the most trouble deciding what to get Draco but was quite proud of the gift. In fact, he struggled so much to find a gift he almost didn't find one at all. Close to giving up, Hadrian had noticed a small store almost hidden away in a small corner. It turned out to be a store that creates protective charms with a hint of darker magic to detect when those around you may wish you harm. The charms were all placed in rune form to keep from ever wearing out or being deactivated on a variety of jewelry items. Seeing as how Draco is named after a dragon, the silver dragon pendant was clearly the perfect option.

Hadrian watches with anticipation as Draco teases him and slowly peels back the wrapping paper instead of tearing it all off. Seeing that the box resembles the jewelry box his mother received from his father with a new necklace, Draco sends Hadrian a mixed look of suspicion and confusion. Snapping the box open, Draco smiles widely as he picks up the dragon for everyone to see. Leaning beside Draco to get a better look at the charm, Narcissa notices the runes on the back of it. "Hadrian sweetheart, what do the runes on here do?" Hadrian feels the tips of his ears grow red as he still hasn't grown used to adults using endearing names towards him and explains. "They protect you from harm, if anyone is trying to hurt you or wishes you harm, the pendent will grow warm and create a soft humming noise only the person wearing it can hear." The three adults smile at his protective and caring nature and Draco tackles him in a hug. This causes Raven to let out an annoyed hiss as she had been napping around Hadrian's waist until Draco rudely work her up but he just chuckles she she would never actual hurt him or anyone else in the room for that matter.

Hadrian begins to rub his eyes as sleepiness suddenly hits him and misses the Malfoys pulling his presents that were purposely hidden behind the tree. They knew he would have tried his hardest to tell them he didn't need or want anything and for that very reason didn't let him know of them. Severus sees his exhaustion and gently pushes his head onto his shoulder and rubs his back. Hadrian watches as Draco walks to him with an emerald green package and slightly sits up in confusion as it is sat in his lap. "Open it Had!" Draco laughs and Hadrian carefully opens the package to reveal an advanced book on elemental magic. "For me?" He quietly asks with small tears in his eyes.

Severus kisses the boys head and whispers, "We wouldn't have gotten you anything if we didn't think you were not worth it. We love you Hadrian and you better get used to it because you will have many more gifts in the future!" Hadrian leans into Severus's comforting hold and smiles at the Malfoys, "Thank you." Lucius and Narcissa both smile and Draco joins the hug after giving Hadrian another gift. More tears fell as he was given two more books in runes and the Olde ways with its ceremonial rituals. Narcissa gives her gift last, and in her hand was a small jewelry box. Hadrian takes it with shaky hands and slowly opens it. In it sits a single ring, made of silver and holds the shape of a very familiar family crest.

   Hadrians tears become a river as he sniffles and looks up at Lucius for confirmation. The man smiles at him and nods. Draco has a smile so big Hadrian worries his face might rip as he slips the ring on, looking quite good with the rest of his lord rings. The Malfoys had just given him something that was almost unheard of these days. They gave an outsider a family ring, which is for someone that wants to join the family without the typical way of joining through marriage or adoption. It puts him under their protection so any attack on him political, mental, physical, or verbal, is an attack on them. He is no longer just close to the family, he is now officially one of the family! Raven grumpily hisses once more in annoyance as she gets squished from the family hug but quiets down when promised her Yule gift of mice.