Just a little reminder. Harry does have a new confidence and is coming out of his shell, but what he went through won't just go away overnight. He will still be insecure around his family and friends sometimes because he is learning that they will care for him no matter what.
On to the story!
"How dare you go around impersonating him! You have no right! Where is he? You won't get away with this." I drop my glamour, and take a step closer.
"Mione, it's me. I can prove it. In first year, we saved you from a troll in the girl's bathroom, and my wand got stuck up it's nose. For Christmas that year, I got a wooden flute from Hagrid that he made himself. It's the only thing in the world that could overpower a giant three headed dog. I also got my father's invisibility cloak that you and I used during Hogsmeade weekend one time in second year. We flood over to Diagon Alley, and visited your parents, who took us to see a movie. Then we had dinner with them, and we got ice cream at Fortescues before going back."
"Ron had been searching everywhere for us, and ended up in the infirmary because he found Peeves who was going around hitting people with frying pans with a long blond wig on, and a chameleon on his shoulder." She finished.
"If that was all really you, then why did you say Harry Potter doesn't exist?"
"Because he doesn't. James wasn't my biological father. He adopted me in order to protect me. Severus is my father, and Lily was my mother, but you can't tell anyone. Nev, Luna, Bill, Charlie, Fred, George, Sev and Remus are the only ones who know. At least, the only ones that are believed to be on the light side."
"What do you mean believed to be on the light side? None of them are dark."
"That's were things start to get complicated. Hermione, I joined the dark this summer, and so did they. Voldemort isn't the person Dumbledore made him out to be. Neither is the dark side. Dumbledore, he- he's been playing us all for fools. Any of the people I listed will agree, and if you are still skeptical, the Goblins will tell you the same."
I begin to explain what has happened to me over the summer, what I have learned about both the dark, and light sides, and what my plans are. She seems receptive by the end of it, so I start telling her about the good things that happened over the summer.
"And then, Tom, Sev, and I-"
"Why do you call him that?"
"Who? Tom?"
"No, though I am surprised he is okay with that. I was talking about Professor Snape. He's your father isn't he? So why don't you call him Dad or something of the sort?"
"I, well, when all this started, he said I could call him Severus or Sev. I guess he isn't comfortable with being called Dad, and I don't want to make him angry."
"Harry, I don't think that's what he meant."
"Oh, speaking of names, please call me Hadrian when we are in private."
"Fine, but we aren't changing the subject. I don't think he said that for his own comfort. It was probably for yours."
"Mione, be realistic here. Why would he want me to-"
"You had better not finish that sentence young man." Sev says as he comes from his place at the doorway, where I didn't notice him, and sits next to me on the sofa. "Ms. Granger is correct, I will not force you to call me your father. Especially when it is news to you, and you have believed another man to be your father for all these years. I don't want you to call me dad just because you feel obligated to Hadrian. I have to earn that title. You are the only one who can decide if I deserve it or not."
"But you do! I couldn't have asked for a better father if I wanted to!" I say immediately, hoping to get my point across. "I- I would, if it's really alright with you, like to be able to call you dad."
"I would like that too."
"Really?!" He nods. Grinning like a maniac, I launch myself into his arms. "I love you Dad."
A flash catches our attention, and we look to see Hermione holding up a camera sheepishly.
"Sorry, I just couldn't not take a photo. I can get you each a copy if you'd like."
I nod with a blush while Sev- Dad responds with a, "Please do."
"Oh no! It's past curfew!" Hermione shouts and I see the fading numbers from a tempus in front of her.
"I will escort you to your dorms. I will say you asked for some extra potions help, and we lost track of time." Dad says.
We make it back to the dorm, and I decide I will talk to Tom tomorrow because I am exhausted.
--
Tom's hands pull me tighter against him, and I grind my hips forward in response. He pulls his lips from mine, and trails small kisses to my neck. I lean my head back to give him more access, a low moan slipping from my lips.
He stops for some reason, and I feel his body tense against mine. I look at him confused until I see behind him. Dumbledore is standing there with his wand to Tom's neck.
"Harry my boy!" He says with a large smile, and a twinkle in his eyes. "Great job distracting him! Now, I know you haven't forgotten what you must do. Petrificus totalus." He says, and Tom straightens out and falls to the floor.
"Tom!" I yell.
"Now Harry, you know he never loved you. Nobody could ever love you. You are a freak after all." Dumbledore says as though discussing the weather. "Imperio. Ah, much better. Now, do as you were destined to do, and kill him."
I raise my wand and say two words.
"Avada Kedavra!"
The green light hits him, and his eyes hold betrayal, before fading to lifeless orbs staring at me. I rush over to him, and shake him, trying to wake him up. I put my ear against his chest, but the sound of his heart beat is missing. A cry of anguish erupts from my lungs as I cling to his lifeless body, wishing for the heartbeat to return.
--
"TOM!" I scream, and shoot upwards.
Looking around, I see that I am in the dorm with my curtains closed. Luckily, I always put privacy charms up before bed. I grab my cloak, and leave the curtains open. A tempus shows that it's two in the morning. I shouldn't be missed until seven, and even then they may think I'm just wandering around.
The whomping willow settles down after I hit the knob, and I aparate from outside the shrieking shack to the Haven. Breaking into a run, I make it to Tom's bedroom. He draws his wand as I jump on the bed next to him. When he realizes it's me, he lowers the wand, and I pull him close to me, laying my head on his chest.
"Hadrian wh-"
"Shh."
Listening closely, I finally hear his heartbeat. I relax a little, and burry my face in his shoulder, my body shaking with sobs of relief.
"I'm so sorry. So so sorry! He made me do it! I swear I didn't want to. Thank gods you're alright!" I sob.
He shushes me, and rocks our bodies back and forth until I've calmed down enough for him to understand me.
"Hadrian, I'm fine. What's going on? Who made you do what?"
"I had a nightmare about you! We were-hic-kissing, and then Dumbledore came up behind you, and he paralyzed you. Then he told me that you nev-hic-never loved me, cause nobody could love a freak like me. Then he used the imperio curse on me, and made me use the killing curse on you! I'm so sorry! I promise I didn't want to!"
He goes back to rocking me since I've worked myself up again.
"Shh, hey it's okay. Hadrian I'm fine. I know you wouldn't do that on purpose, and I will always love you. You are not a freak, and if you are, then everyone should want to be a freak, because you are amazing Hadrian. I love you so much."
"I-hic- I love you too."
He lays us down, and pulls me so that I am half on the bed, half laying on top of him. Soon, I find myself drifting off into a dreamless sleep with warm arms around me.
--
I wake up pressed against something warm and firm, but extremely comfortable. I blink my eyes open to see a book just next to my face, gentle fingers running through my hair, and the rhythmic breathing of Tom making me rise and fall gently with his chest. I could definitely get used to waking up like this. Looking up, I see Tom immediately divert his attention from his book to me. After stretching a little with a yawn, I settle back down against him while staring into his ruby eyes.
"Good morning, Kitten. Did you sleep better this time?" I nod with a blush.
"Yes. You make a good pillow." He barks out a laugh. "Thank you. I'm sorry I woke you up, and hogged your bed last night, I just had to make sure you were alright. That your heart was still beating."
"Hey, it's alright. I am just happy that you were alright, and comfortable enough to come to me. You can wake me up at anytime you need, even if you just want to talk or cuddle. As for the bed, I quite enjoyed your so called hogging. Feel free to hog it all you want anytime."
He smiles comfortingly at me, and I hide my blush in his chest, making him laugh.
"What time is it?"
"Almost noon." He answers calmly. "I was about to wake you for lunch actually. I had the elves bring breakfast while you slept, but I felt you needed a day to sleep in for once. I know last night must've been stressful to explain to Hermione, and with the dream, and we had a long day in Hogsmead. You deserved the rest, and clearly you needed it too."
"Thanks, I'm starving though."
"Let's go have lunch then. Afterwards you can get ready, and we will go to Paris for the afternoon."
"Really?! Can we stop by the Dupain-Cheng Bakery again? That place is awesome! I love their macaroons."
He laughs, and leads me by the arm to the dining room.
--
"Harry mate, where have you been?" Ron asks as I enter the dorm at eight thirty, a half hour before curfew.
"Paris." I say honestly. He rolls his eyes, but forces a laugh.
"Seriously though, we've been looking for you all day." He says gesturing to Hermione and himself, the former of which sneers at him behind his back, and shoots me a worried glance.
"Sorry guys, I was studying, but I was having trouble focusing. I ended up moving around a bunch, and when I finally found a place, I lost track of time." I smile reassuringly, and both of them relax.
"Alright, well just try to let us know next time so we don't get so worried." He agrees.
With a nod, I drag him off to play a game of chess. After an hour, Ron goes to bed, and Mione, Neville, and I are sitting on the couch together.
"So where were you really?" She asks me.
"I told you."
"Come on Hadrian, we both know you weren't studying. If you had been, it would have been here, your bed, or in the corner you claimed in the library." Nev says.
"Well then, that was clearly not the answer I told you."
"Wait, you mean you were really in Paris? What were you doing there?" She whisper yells.
"I actually snuck out at about two in the morning. I had to go see Ryan, it was important. I ended up spending the night there, and he took me to Paris for the day. By the way," I pull a shrunken box from my robes. "I brought treats from my favorite bakery. It's the Dupain-Cheng bakery in Paris. These are the best macaroons you will ever eat. But we have to wait for Luna, or she would be very disappointed."
We all share a look, and check to see if there is anyone watching. It's just us in the common room, so we sneak out, pick up Luna who is waiting for us outside of the Ravenclaw dorms, and head to the seventh floor, where we enter the R.O.R.
"Oh look! A time turner so we can get enough sleep!" Luna says.
Then another us appear, and walk through a door to a bedroom. We stay up late, playing games, and eating our treats. In the morning, we use the time turner to go back in time, and finally get some sleep.
--
"Is it just me, or has she gotten worse since the first Hogsmead weekend?" Hermione asks, glancing over her shoulder at the redhead tailing us through the halls.
It's been a month since the first Hogsmead weekend, and Ginny has taken to stalking me everywhere I go. My only break is during my morning routine. She can't seem to keep up with me when I run. Tom wasn't able to make it last Hogsmead weekend, and I have deliberately avoided mentioning it when I speak with him in the journal because I know that he will overreact. Now, there won't be a way to avoid it considering we are on our way to Hogsmead now, and he is planning to be there.
Ron has begun to freak out a little, and is avoiding me as often as possible. Mione and Nev have dropped the hints about how similar he and 'Ryan' are. A week ago, they mentioned to him that I may have a crush on him. I had planned on hanging off his arm until we met up with Ryan, but he was nowhere to be found after breakfast this morning. Oh well, I don't want to be near him anyway.
When we finally make it to Hogsmead, Ginny is in the carriage behind us with some third years, and she continues to follow after we've gotten off and into town. I spot Ryan, and run into his open arms.
"Hey Kitten, I've missed you."
"I missed you too. How did your meeting go?"
"Let's just say, you are now speaking with an apprentice transfiguration master." He bows dramatically.
He pulls out a piece of parchment, taps his wand on it, and turns it into a bouquet of purple roses. He hands them to me, and I take them happily. As we walk through town, Ryan begins to tense up more and more.
"Ryan?" I ask.
"Hm?"
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"It's not nothing, you're all tense."
"The Weasley girl is following us." He whispers in parseltongue after throwing up some wards. It seems a little over paranoid, but I guess better safe than sorry.
"She's been following me ever since she found out about you. It's really annoying, but she isn't hurting anyone."
"Not yet! What do you think will happen when she gets bored of watching you, and decides to take what she wants?"
"Tom, relax. I have everything under control."
--
I groan at a throbbing in my head, and open my eyes. Red is the first color I notice, and when my vision focuses, I see Ginny standing in front of me with a smile on her face. I try to sit up, and that's when I realize I'm tied to a bed with only my boxers on.
"Good! You're awake! Now the fun can begin. It took me a while to realize that you really were just playing hard to get, but don't worry, I understand. You don't know how to react to my feelings, so I have to teach you."
She straddles me, and leans in for a kiss. I pull away, but she turns, and forces her lips on mine, grinding down on me in the process. She tries to get me to open my mouth, but I use a wandless spell to break the bindings, and push her off of me.
"How dare you?! I could have you arrested for that! You'd be charged with kidnapping and rape!"
"Why don't you love me?!" She screeches. "I've tried everything! Love potions, spells, runes, rituals, persistence, and finally this! This was my last idea! I don't understand what's wrong with you!"
I glare at her and petrify her, transfigure some clothes out of the bedsheets, and go to find the nearest teacher that isn't Dumbledore. Luck is on my side when I spot Dad and McGonagall, looking around, and talking in hushed tones.
"Professors!" I shout, tears threatening to spill from my eyes now that I've fully registered what nearly happened.
"Mr. Potter! Where have you been? We've had the whole castle searching for you since you didn't show up to classes yesterday!" McGonagall exclaims. My father looks momentarily relieved before a scowl falls on his face.
"Doing whatever he likes, as always no doubt."
"No, come with me." I lead them back to where I left her.
"Mr. Potter! What on Earth happened?!" Dad asks.
"Sh-She, tried to-" I shake my head, unable to say it as bad memories of Uncle Vernon run through my head. Instead, I point at the bed.
"I can't under-" McGonagall is cut off by my father.
"She tried to rape you?" He says in barely a whisper.
I look up at him shamefully, and nod.
"That is a serious accusation Mr. Potter. Would you be willing to provide memories to prove it?" I nod. "I see. Professor Snape, do you have an empty vial? Best do this now, and get him back to his dorm."
"I do have a vial, but perhaps it would be best not to send him back to the dorms so soon after a traumatic experience."
"Well where else would he go?" They stop to think for a moment, then he seems pained as he says his next words.
"I suppose, it would be... acceptable for him to stay in my personal quarters for at least the next night or two. I will have a house elf retrieve his things."
"He will have the next two days off as well Severus it's the weekend after that. Would he be able to stay in your quarters during that time as well?"
"So long as he does not touch anything he's not allowed to. And try to keep things private, Minerva. This is not something we need the papers getting ahold of."
"Very well. You should take him to Madam Pomfrey first. The students should be in class for the most part, but keep them from asking questions if you see any."
He nods, she takes my memory of the event, and he takes me to the hospital wing, where I am given a headache relief potion, and she heals a concussion. Then, I am lead to his personal quarters. It's here that he finally drops the mask, and wraps me in his arms. A sob racks my body, and I nestle myself deeper into his embrace.
"Would you like me to get Tom?"
"No! P-please. He already knows about what Vernon did. H-he can't know. He- he won't want me anymore!" I sob.
"Hey, that's not true. He will always love you. No matter what."
"I-I can't."
"I understand if you aren't ready to talk about it. Why don't you get some rest, and let me take care of things with him."
"But what if-"
"Hadrian, you can't keep this from him forever. It's best to get it over with now. Take this, and get some sleep."
He passes me a dreamless sleep potion, and I down it in one go. Before I know it, I am curled up in bed, drifting off to sleep.
--Severus' POV after explaining to Tom--
Tom stands up abruptly, after five minutes of silence, and storms towards the door. I move in front of him.
"What do you think you're doing?" I ask.
"Come now Severus, you're smart enough to figure that out on your own."
"I meant, where do you think you're going when Hadrian needs you?"
"He is asleep."
"And when he wakes up, if he does not see you, he will worry that you have left him. He was terrified of you finding out. He said it was bad enough that you found out about Vernon, if you found out about this, you wouldn't want him anymore. I had to secretly spell a calming drought into his stomach to get him to calm down, and agree. You find a book or something to entertain yourself, and you go in there to wait for him to wake up. If you decide to sleep, it will be in that room. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, but what about-"
"What about nothing Tom. Hadrian doesn't need revenge right now, he needs you. Revenge can wait. I must go see what will be done about the Weasley girl. You stay here. And change your appearance just to be safe."
I storm out of the room, leaving no room for arguments.
--Hadrian's POV--
I wake up much more comfortable, and relaxed than when I fell asleep. The dreamless sleep kept me from reliving what happened, or making up crazy scenarios about how Tom is going to react. Shit, so much for waking up relaxed. Maybe he won't be here, and I won't have to face him. Dad should have told him by now, so he's probably back at the Haven planning to kick me out, and never lay eyes on me again. I'm so disgusting!
"Hey, Kitten, calm down, love." I hear a voice say.
Looking up, I see that the reason I feel so comfortable is because I am once again using Tom as a pillow. When did he get in here?
"Hadrian? Hadrian, Love, I need you to breathe for me. Can you do that?"
Breathe? I'm not breathing? Is that why I'm getting dizzy? Focus Hadrian!
"That's it love. In and out. Deep breaths now. I'm right here. It's going to be alright."
"T-Tom?"
"That's right. I'm right here. Severus told me what happened. I'm not going to leave you Hadrian. Especially when it was out of your control."
I relax at his words, and let him hold me until my stomach growls, and he calls for some lunch. As we are eating, my father walks in angrily.
"Dad? What's wrong?"
"They're expelling her. Snapping her wand and binding her magic. That's all they're doing because she is too young to be tried as an adult. She should have a decade in Azkaban for what she did on top of this." He fumes.
"Dad, it's alright. They did what they could."
"That fool tried to let her off easy. He wanted to suspend her for a week, and give her detention under him for a week. If Minerva and I hadn't seen the memories ourselves, he would have likely claimed you were overreacting, and needed to calm down. Minerva called Amelia Bones who agreed to keep the reason behind the punishment a secret, but said that even with the evidence, nothing more can be done."
"She'll get what she deserves." Tom says angrily, and storms towards the floo.
"Tom? Wait what are you going to do?"
He ignores me and leaves. Wherever he went must be under fidelius because I couldn't hear what he said.
--
It's been four days since I saw Tom. Ron was called home by his family yesterday. They said it was a family emergency. I'm sitting in the Great Hall for breakfast, but I'm having trouble eating because of the feeling that something is wrong.
The owls suddenly come flying in, and the particularly large amount of them suggests a major story in the Daily Prophet. I pay for a newspaper, the feeling of dread rising to my throat. Guilt and anger crash down on me as soon as I see the headline.
Youngest Weasley Murdered
Miss Ginerva Weasley, 15 years old, was recently expelled from Hogwarts for unknown reasons. Her family claims the expulsion was just because of a misunderstanding, but would not comment on what it was about.
Two days after her expulsion, Ginerva disappeared from her home. The next day, she was found dead in her bedroom, seeming to have been tortured before she died.
I stop reading after that, stand up, and leave the hall. I know everyone is watching me go, but nobody bothers to stop me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wow! Things are starting to heat up. Hadrian is beginning to understand that no matter what manipulations Dumbledore may have put on him, Tom is still the Dark Lord for a reason.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
Stay mad!
Alice Out!