Hadrian Riddle Harmonia - A Harry Potter Fanfiction

Chapter 6

"I don't understand. You're saying this has happened elsewhere, to other clans? Why? Who would do something like this?"

"I understand you're grief, mademoiselle, but to find the answers to your questions we need to know what happened here first. Are there any witnesses? Did anyone see anything at all? Even the smallest details could help us." Hadrian pressed, frustration building.

The veela had so far been entirely unresponsive to their desire to help. It was a wonder that Lysander had been able to get an audience with the clan head after weeks of silence, but even now their chances of getting any information were looking slim.

"The children who live all say the same thing. A person dressed in black came to their homes, and then half their family was dead. What more do you want from them?" The old veela implored, grief clear on her face.

"May we speak with them? Any of them?" Hadrian asked, trying his very hardest to look sympathetic. She finally sighed in defeat, and waved a hand. 

"There is a child in the house next to this one. She is older, and less affected. She may be able to help you."

Hadrian nodded his thanks, and quickly left the old home with Lysander on his heels. When they knocked on the door of the next house over, a girl who couldn't be older than twelve opened the door, stepping aside to let them in. She led them to a small living room which was surprisingly clean for not having had an adult looking after it in almost a month. They sat on a sofa across from her, and waited patiently for her to speak.

"You're here to know what happened to maman et papa?" She calmly asked. They nodded.

"This has happened to other clans around the world. If you can tell us anything of what you saw, it would be a great help to others as well." Hadrian stated. She gazed at him for a long moment with a startling mature look, one he found himself growing more uncomfortable with by the second.

"We had eaten dinner. Luciano, " she nodded to the hallway where a young boy was peeping out from behind the corner, "had just gone to bed. The door was thrown open, and papa pushed me behind him. He went down first, and then the woman walked past me to maman."

"How do you know it was a woman?" Hadrian interrupted.

"She moved like one." The girl stated, as if the fact were obvious. Hadrian nodded for her to continue. "She walked towards maman, and then put a hand out. A black light moved from her hand to maman, and then maman was dead." She finished. 

The ambivalence that Hadrian had experienced just minutes ago with the clan head swiftly disappeared. The stoic nature of this girl called upon some primordial emotion inside him, like a memory, and he found that the empathy he had been faking was now almost choking him, rushing through his body and through his heart in a way that he had never experienced before.

Hadrian and Lys walked out of the house in silence. He looked back to see the girl standing in the doorway, the same look of a battle-hardened warrior in her eyes.

"Your name?" Hadrian called out. For the first time, a smile flew across her face, but it was gone in the next instant.

"Veliana. Goodbye, Harmonia."

~*~*~*~*

"While we're close, we may as well visit with the elves in Germany." Lsyander suggested, glancing down at Hadrian. The teenager gave no reply, eyes staring straight ahead to the lake they were walking towards. "Hadrian." Lysander called again, reaching out and placing a hand on Hadrian's shoulder.

"What?" Hadrian distractedly replied, glancing up.

"We should go to Germany. There is a major clan of elves there, they may be a target." Lys stated again. Hadrian nodded in agreement.

"Sure. Sounds good." He replied. 

"Are you alright?" Lys questioned, pulling Hadrian to a stop. The people around them continued bustling by, ignoring the foreigners in the middle of the road.

"That girl..." Hadrian started, eyebrows knitting together in some indistinguishable emotion.

"If you're worried about her, don't be. She'll be just fine, she still has half her clan to support her." Lys stated matter of factly, drawing Hadrian back into their walk.

"Right." 

He allowed himself to let it go, as Lys wanted him to, but he knew from experience: she wouldn't be fine.

"Do you think it's worth it, regardless?" Lys suddenly asked. Hadrian looked inquisitively up at him.

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"Well, the girl said the person in the cloak was a woman, right? So we know it isn't your Ash." Lys stated. Hadrian bristled at the last comment, but waved it away.

"Whether or not it's Ash doing these things, he will be involved with mass murders like these. And besides, there's someone out there killing creatures. Don't you feel an obligation to prevent them if you can?" Hadrian replied. Lys didn't answer, but cast a curious look at Hadrian's retreating back before quickening his pace to catch up.

~*~*~*~*

"I must say, my dear, our plans are going along just wonderfully! With Tom out of the equation, the Dark will be left leaderless. Young Hadrian, while certainly doing his best, is no Tom Riddle. He lacks the ambition to be a strong leader, and would undoubtedly disappoint whatever  followers might remain after Tom's death. Certainly, our victory is just on the horizon." Dumbledore stated, gazing down at his newest tokens of success.

"And yet you still have no way of achieving that victory. Talk all you want; you don't have a way to destroy them." The hooded figure drawled. Dumbledore smiled, no sign of concern in his eyes.

"Don't worry, my dear. That problem will solve itself, and very soon."

~*~*~*~*

"The elves have sent a dignitary to meet us in Königssee. We'll then be escorted to their forest, and will remain there for the night. Is that okay?"

"That sounds fine, Lys. You know I don't like dealing with all these technical details. As long as we get what we want, you can do things however you wish." Hadrian remarked offhandedly. He saw a strange look pass through Lysander's red eyes, but chose to ignore it for the moment. There were more important things to worry about than Lys' emotional state.

Father,

We are headed to Germany. We have learned of a cloaked woman who uses a black light to kill her targets, and nothing more. The trend has remained the same. Half of the clan is killed, seemingly at random, and then the assailant disappears. The elves in Germany have yet to be attacked, so we may learn more if they are targeted while we are there.

I will be at Hogwarts when the time comes. Do make sure you inform me as to when that may happen.

Hadrian

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*