Hadrian Sirius Black

Christmas Break (Part 3)

Christmas Break (Part 3)

"The elves did a brilliant job." commented Draco as he and Hadrian finished wrapping the last few gifts to their friends and family. Tom sat in the chair by the fireplace, reading a book and humming along to a Christmas song that played in the background.

It was an odd sight and more than once did Sirius and Tadeus comment on it, saying that this had to be the first time they had ever seen the Dark Lord in such a good mood.

If Hadrian were someone else, he would think it hard to disconcert exactly how Tom was feeling, since his expressions were always calm, usually, but he knew the Dark Lord was feeling happier than he had before.

So much in fact, that their connection was open once again and he didn't have to worry about Tom hiding his emotions again.

"They did. I suppose they can get a break Christmas Eve. They'll be back at work on Christmas day with helping in your ball." said Hadrian and Draco hummed. The boy reached for a bar of chocolate and split it for himself and Hadrian, the raven smiling toward him.

"Would you like a bar, Tom?" he asked, the man humming in response. "I'm fine. I don't really like sweets." said the Dark Lord and both Hadrian and Draco looked at the man as if he had gone mad. "There's no way you don't like sweets. How can you not?"

At these words, Tom tensed up and Draco cringed. They must have hit a sore spot.

Tom sighed deeply, and closed his book.

"I suppose..since you two will be married to me in the future..that I should probably...open up to you more. Tadeus mentioned it isn't healthy to hold in the monsters of the past." he said, more to himself than the two boys before him.

"When I was seven, the foster mother at our orphanage threw a small party for us. It was her attempt to get everyone together. To have no animosity between all the boys there. Which was difficult since there were many of us, too much testosterone in one place is my guess. The other boys..hated me. I have no idea why and to this day sometimes I think about it, but they hated me. I tried to fit it in then. Of course I did, I was a child that needed affection.." the man trailed off, Hadrian and Draco waiting patiently for him to finish.

He sighed, closing his eyes and Hadrian noticed that his grip on his book had tightened. The air around him thick with anger and...was that, humiliation?

"When it was time for cake, there wasn't enough for everyone like the foster mother had originally thought and I couldn't get a slice. She then left, saying she would get more and that the older kids were in charge. I was going to go back to my room, maybe lay down, I don't remember, when one of the older boys offered me a piece of his cake. I was wary of accepting it but I didn't want to make him mad if I didn't so I accepted it." now Tom's voice had taken on a certain edge and Hadrian knew he wouldn't like the end of this story.

"He and the other boys held me down and forced cake down my throat. So much that I began choking it back up. The foster mother eventually came back but the damage was already done. After that, I couldn't bring myself to eat anything sweet without the memory surfacing. Your birthday was the first and only time I had ever enjoyed eating anything sweet." finished Tom and there was a tense silence.

"And Dumbledore let this happen for years after you were brought into the wizarding world?" hissed Draco, tone outraged and Tom gave a bitter chuckle. "That he did. Of course as I grew older, I grew powerful. Soon the boys began to fear me and I got my revenge." he said but Draco just shook his head.