Whispers in the Dark

Chapter 7

Finally exiting Gringotts, the six-year-old begins with the fun. He buys a bag with an expandable charm, afterward entering Flourish & Blotts.

He buys Tom a few introduction books to the wizarding world and the first-year books for Hogwarts.

For himself, he buys the year one to year seven books.
Applying another notice-me-not charm, he wanders off to Knockturn Alley.

There, he goes into another bookshop.

Looking through the different aisles,
Hadrian gets himself a few books on the dark arts, their spells, and their meanings.
Also, an old, rare book on wandless magic and spell crafting that is no longer produced and
the Durmstrang year books from 1 to 7.

Then a book on Occlumency and Legilimency.

Grabbing three others on basic and advanced runes and arithmancy, he goes to pay for them.

Casting a wandless tempus, Hadrian curses and leaves the Alley.

At around 9 in the evening, he's back at the orphanage and enters his room without being seen.

Storing the books safely away, his gaze wanders to Tom's side of the room.
Not finding him here, Hadrian goes quickly downstairs.

Seeing Fabian grinning evilly and hearing the discussion between the matron and Tom about him killing a Snake in front of Fabian and his friends, Hadrian takes a deep breath and analyzes the situation.

"Matron, it's not Tom's fault. He didn't do anything wrong besides standing there shocked.
Fabian almost choked the snake, and I intervened. The result was that the snake got killed. I'm sorry, Ma'am."

Tom looked like he wanted to say something,
but one glare from Hadrian stopped him.

Hadrian's sweet words of seeming honesty made the matron stop and think about her following words.

Ignoring Fabian's pleads of innocence, she started talking.

"If that is the case, Tom, you may return to your room. However, you, Hadrian, and Fabian have to get punished. Since it's not that dark outside, you both are going into the forest to get some wood for the orphanage. It's too cold here anyway.
Be back by latest half past eleven, understood?"

"Yes, matron", mumbled the boys.