Lord Of Time

36

Chapter 36

Hadrian could have cheered when he saw his dorm, thank Merlin for that, he hated big gatherings, but this one wasn't so bad, the attention hadn't been on him, nobody was glaring at him spitefully because they thought he'd put his name in a damn cup to compete in a dangerous competition.

Still he wasn't one for partying, he didn't know if it was because he hadn't done it as a teenager that he just couldn't get into it now or if he honestly just couldn't be bothered with social gatherings and interacting with everyone in an 'official' type setting.

Or it might be the fact he was in Hogwarts and Dumbledore was there, Hadrian wasn't over what the old fool had done, and never would be. As Severus had said he'd been raised like a pig for the slaughter.

A very accurate description, especially considering Dumbledore had wanted to make sure he didn't live passed defeating Voldemort and used his so called friends to ensure it.

Hadrian quickly stripped off his robes and one of his fancier shirts, nothing special but as he'd said he had no desire to spent his money on robes he was only going to wear once.

Next year he would probably grow more due to the potions he was still taking, he'd put on a sufficient amount of weight, and gotten taller, not as tall as Tom though, he doubted he ever would.

With his training he would regain the muscle he wanted as well, since he wasn't playing Quidditch and that was vital in his strength before this all happened.

Hadrian almost jumped out of his skin when he felt cold digits wrap around his hips and drag him forward towards Tom. How can a single touch just scream 'mine' or was it like this for everyone Hadrian couldn't help but wonder quietly to himself?

He honestly couldn't say for sure, his mind from the age of sixteen till the day he (Harry) 'died' had been all about survival, maybe he'd just been able to relax here that nobody could possible use him just because he was 'The-Boy-Who-Lived.

This second chance had been exactly what he needed, he truly was Hadrian Peverell now, not just in name but in allowing his true self to shine through. No, not just shine through come out fully.

"What are you thinking so hard about?" Tom enquired, his gaze roaming over Hadrian's bare torso. He had changed a lot since the first time he'd seen him undressed. He wasn't underweight anymore, he no longer looked like a first year as Thaddeus had so eloquently put it back then.

Not that his weight had been much of a thought, no, it was more along the lines of how the hell someone could be so small and thin yet so capable and powerful. It had made him realize stature didn't mean a damn thing when it came to magical prowess and he made a note never to judge people based on their looks alone when it came to searching out abilities.

"Doesn't matter anymore," Hadrian said truthfully, there was no point to dwelling on the past, if only it was that easy though. He was going to make damn sure Dumbledore didn't get his greedy hands on the magical world the way he did in his lifetime though, even if it meant he had to kill Grindelwald himself.

Anything was better than what had happened, nobody should have that much power, and he was doing his best to make all students see that - with Dumbledore's help after letting Hagrid stay when he'd almost killed him.

"I know what I have to do, but I have time before I need to do it." he would do it when it was meant to go down, it was the only time he knew where and when Grindelwald was at. He couldn't save everyone and have it happen sooner, that was something Death had told him and he believed it.

"And what exactly do you have to do?" Tom asked suspiciously, gazing at Hadrian seriously, knowing his answer wasn't going to be something he'd like. He didn't believe for a minute Hadrian would hurt him, not anymore, he'd had plenty of opportunities to do that.