Fate's change of plans

Chapter 4

Hadrian/harry pov

I tiredly followed Mr big bad dark lord to buy our equipment in silence. I didn’t mind, it’s not like I wanted to talk to the man who killed my parents because of a prophecy which wouldn’t come true if he didn’t interfere. I could have had a normal life, with loving parents to keep me warm, friends who don’t have to endanger their lives just to hang around me, a life where I’m not expected to save the world, a life where I’m just Harry or Hadrian I guess? But not the boy-who-lived, the boy-who-lied, scarhead, the boy-who-just-wouldn’t-die. Honestly my favourite out of all of those titles is scarhead but only the blondie calls me that and he’s no longer here, or is anyone else apart from the man that ruined my chance of having a normal life, of being normal!

  I didn’t notice I’ve stopped with my desperation pooling and pouring out of eyes silently. I sigh softly and quickly wipe my tears, to only realise two dark pools was staring at me, ripples with some sort of emotion but I was too tired to try to work out what emotions they were and why. I place a perfect fake mask on and strode on into Knockturn ally searching for the pet store for Tom as the last thing to
buy.

Tom pov

I stop to the lack of footsteps following behind me. We were nearly done shopping and we only needed to buy me a pet and then we can go back to hell after a snack at the Leaky Caldron. The whole shopping trip has been in silence apart from when Hadrian says ‘thankyou’ to the workers in the shop. I turned to look at Hadrian and froze. He had the most broken, given up look on his face. I felt my heart swell at the pitiful look on his face. He looked so fragile and broken, as if he broke and glued himself back together. His cheeks were slightly puffy dusted with redness the trail of tears left; his eyes were galaxies away from here while his traitorous tears slid down his face so slowly that even I felt bad. His usual bright eyes glistened dully, wet with desperation. He looked so desperate for something and I felt a funny feeling seeing him like this, I-I wanted to protect him, but I don’t know why. He just looked so broken that it hurt.

It was gone. All in 5 seconds, no more tears but also no more emotions. It was concerning how fast he went from having a mental breakdown to looking perfectly fine. He walked past me towards Knockturn ally, emotionless. I followed him silently, then it hit me. He was making me soft; I can’t be soft else everyone would just walk over me again. I can’t be soft; I WON’T be soft. I will keep up my cold emotionless status and keep my emotions on the inside, that’s the easiest way to protect myself.  

Hadrian/harry pov

I sigh with relief as we entered the old shop. The shop was loud and overflowing with lots of species of animals, including reptiles. It stunk of pet food and animal dung. I watch Tom walk towards the snakes. I heard a small green one that looked like Nagini hiss “human, I dare you to come near me and touch me, I will bite you and watch you die”. I was as surprised as the snake when I heard him hiss a laugh, wither though we are both surprised for different reasons.

“I would prefer it if you didn’t bite me and come to Hogwarts with me”
At hearing this Ivy’s head pops out of the sleeve of my shirt to listen.
“I’m so sorry speaker, I would be honoured if I could go Hogwarts with you but I have a question” the snake hissed hastily.
“what may the question be?” Tom asked politely.
“why is the poor boy behind you filled with so much pain and sadness and why do I sense another unknown snake?”
I felt the air escape my lungs for a moment after I heard those questions but Tom didn’t notice, but I’m not so sure about the two snakes. Tom looked confused for a moment.
“I’m sorry but I can’t answer those questions because I don’t know the answer, but what is your name beautiful?”
“my name is Nagini, young speaker”
She said this to Tom but her beady little eyes were fixed on me in either curiosity or suspicion. I fidgeted a little under her stare until Tom answered her.
“my name is Tom and the boy with me is Hadrian”

Ivy hid her head back in my sleeve while Tom bought Nagini. We leave the shop with Nagini in Tom’s hand and head for the Leaky Caldron. We sit down in a booth in the far corner and order some chips each. While we were waiting for the chips a boy with platinum blonde hair along with a boy with black, shoulder length hair had walked up to Tom and they started talking ignoring my existent. This wasn’t something new, the Dursleys always did it to me. The three engrossed boys didn’t notice Nagini make her way over to Hadrian’s seat. “hello” Nagini said politely, and this was the start of an eternal war within my head. Do I answer? Do I not answer? Is she talking to me? Or Ivy? If I answer will Tom catch me? Is that a good or bad thing? I waited. Ivy poked her head out of my sleeve and replied for me “hello Nagini, I’m Ivy and this is Hadrian”.

They had a not so interesting introduction because it was cut short by the chips being served and the two older boys actually noticing that Tom wasn’t alone. The Sirius look-a-like shot me a sheepish smile while the obvious Malfoy said “I apologise, I didn’t see you there”. The young assume Black said a quick sorry. “Well Tom, are you not going to introduce us?” the Malfoy asked Tom. Tom cleared his voice “Hadrian, this is Abraxas Malfoy and Orion Black. Abraxas, Orion this is Hadrian Peverell”.