Simply Complex

1: Snakes, Badgers, Ravens, and Lions all in a room

"Wow."

Hadrian agreed with his cousin's one-word statement as he stared at the castle. He did not realize he had been staring for so long until Orion nudged him lightly with a pointed look. He laughed slightly before walking with Orion quickly to catch up with Abraxas and Alex. They all smiled as the Deputy Headmaster, Wilmer Minks, made a small speech before leading the new First Years to the front of the Great Hall to be sorted. He did not pay much mind to anyone else being sorted, besides a half-giant named Rubeus Hagrid who made it into Gryffindor. He, Orion, Alex, and Abraxas were all sorted into Slytherin. Which was no surprise.

Hadrian looked around and noticed quite a few people he recognized. Most being Heirs that he met through Pureblood socials, such as Balls. He recognized Heir Octavius Parkinson, a third year Slytherin whose Father worked closely with his. He saw second year Ravenclaw Heiress Thea Greengrass whose Mother was close friends with his.

"Hades." Orion began softly. "Potter is talking as if his family should be the ones who hold the Peverell Lordship."

Hadrian sighed. His patience, and his Father's, was waning when it came to the Potter family. The only Potters who they could tolerate were Charles Potter and his wife, Dorea Potter née Black. Lord Henry Potter and his wife, Lady Belladonna Potter née Fleamont, were absolutely irritating. They, and their son Fleamont Potter, often felt as if they should be heads of the Peverell Family.

All this despite Hadrian, and his family on his Fathers side, were direct descendants of the eldest brother. Meaning they held the claim to the Peverell family name. The Potter family were, and still are, currently last in line as the Gaunt family held a closer claim being descendants of the middle Brother Peverell brother. Not that the Gaunts would hold on much longer by any rate.

"He holds no claim. I am far from worried." Hadrian stated calmly. "With their attitude as of late I am very aware Father has been quite tempted to disown them from the Peverell line. Make it easier to keep them from trying to go to...drastic...measures to gain the Lordship."

Hadrian watched gleefully as the word was quickly spread. The idea of someone, or a group of people, killing entire lines to become Lord or Lady of a particular House was not often done but was not unheard of. He watched, however, as one set of dark brown eyes looked at him curiously. He looked to Abraxas with a frown.

"Who is he, do you know of him?"

Abraxas looked in the direction and shook his head. "Not that I recall. Perhaps he is from another country?"

"Unlikely. At least, not a pureblood anyways. I have met at least the children of the ICW members. I would have remembered him."

Hadrian hated lying. Yet, he knew who it was. It was knowledge from a life he no longer lived or would ever live. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that the person staring at him was none other than Tom Riddle. If he remembered correctly, the boy was in his fourth year currently.

"His name is Tom Riddle."

He looked to see who spoke. It was Slytherin fourth year, Donovan Carrow. His Father was best friends with Hadrians, so the two grew up together like cousins. He actually called Donovan such and his father, Helios Carrow, Uncle.

"We aren't sure about who he is outside of that. He won't talk."

Hadrian nodded at that and looked at his friends. That was odd. In Slytherin the game of politics was constant. You never wanted to isolate yourself, it was only going to do you large disservice. He looked up to the staff table. More importantly, the Transfiguration Professor, Albus Dumbledore.

His parents, specifically his Father, had warned him of the odd man. What he heard was, worrying to say the least. Apparently, Dumbledore was trying to not only gain seats on the Wizengamot, but also take his Father's spot on the ICW. He also worried that the Wizard was trying to unite the Hallows. Which irritated them beyond belief.

The group of four youngsters Heirs gathered with the rest of the Slytherin House in the common room. First years were up front so that their Head of House, Potions Professor, Horace Slughorn could give his speech and a run down of how things were to be in the Hogwarts House of Slytherin.

"Welcome First years, and welcome back Second through Seventh years. For those who do not know me, I am Horace Slughorn. Whilst you stay here I am your Head of House and your Potions Professor. In Slytherin we have a bad reputation. That much is well known. So for your tenure here I ask that you all move in groups of at least two to three. If you are first years please try to stay around older years. As much as I would like to say that older years of other houses will not try to attack you but I have seen it so far as both a student and a Professor. So please, I implore you to be careful. Off to bed. The first day of classes begin tomorrow."

The four heirs were happy to know they were in the same dorm room with each other. They never liked being far apart from each other. Although, Alexander and Abraxas both knew that Orion and Hadrian were closer over all.

"Orion and I will take these two beds and you both can take the ones across from us." Hadrian instructed as he began unpacking.

Each bed was a four-poster full-sized bed with Slytherin green curtains surrounding it. On the right side was a bedside table with a single candle and a small drawer. On the left side was a dresser that held room for a weeks worth of school uniforms, a place for his shoes, a few compartments for his ties and undergarments, and a hook for his book bag.

"Who made you the boss?" Abraxas asked amusedly.

"Abe, he has always been our leader. Ever since we were kids. Even the older years follow his words." Alex stated with a smirk. "We are looking at the future King of Slytherin, I so do believe."

Hadrian rolled his eyes. "Please. I am not that influential at age eleven."

The three other boys looked at each other with amusement. They all knew that Hadrian didn't see the influence he had over their circle. It wasn't just because of his last name either. It started because he was a Peverell but then it became more. As he grew up the Peverell Heir became more eloquent, more powerful, and quite honestly, more of a leader than they had ever seen.