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It was just a normal day in Little Whining, Surrey. The birds were singing, the sun was hot up in the sky due to the summer, the streets were empty, save it for the children running about, trying to escape the heat inside their homes.
All in all, everything was perfectly normal.
Little Harry Potter wasn't normal, at least according to his relatives. He was skinny, far too skinny for his age, with clothes bigger than his body, with even bigger and mended glasses, and he wasn't in the streets playing with the other kids.
It wasn't allowed, his aunt would say.
He wasn't normal, his uncle would say.
He was useless, his cousin would say.
He was a freak, they would say.
Right now, Harry was tending the garden of the little, and boring in Harry's opinion, house number 4, Privet Drive. The sun was blazing on his back, his knees were hurt for being in the ground for a long time, and his hands were shaking due to the dizziness of the heat. But he wouldn't stop, because if he did, than his aunt would scream and shrill at him again. If he stopped, his aunt would tell his uncle that he didn't finished his chore, and he would spend the night in the cupboard without dinner at best, or receive a beating at worst.
Careful in tending the dozens of flowers, Harry finally got up, in shaking legs, and looked around to admire his work.
While it was true that the garden was one of his many chores, he always enjoyed taking care of it. It was the only time that he had some sort of peace away from his relatives, especially his cousin, and it was therapeutic, at some level, so Harry put a lot of work and dedication. It was clear that the garden of Number 4 were the best of Little Whining, and Harry, at least in the safety of his mind, was extremely proud of himself, not that that was what his aunt told the neighbours, she claimed it was all herself, even if nobody saw her tending it.
“BOY!” the scream of his aunt made him take a deep breath, bracing himself for whatever that made her angry now.
“Yes, aunt Petunia?” he took care to keep his voice obedient and meek, lest he anger her more.
“Get inside and go to the cupboard, Vernon has guests coming from work!”
Withholding a sign, Harry tried to get off most of the dirt on his, hand-me-downs, trousers and walked quickly inside the house.
“They are coming in about an hour, go wash yourself and go directly to the cupboard.” she pushed him to the sink.
“May I have a glass of water?” he desperately needed after spending two hours in that heat.
She just gave a brisk nod and walked away to separate her fancy cup set that she saved for special occasions.
Washed off, or at least better than before, he quickly drank his water and all but ran to the cupboard. Inside the tiny space, with nothing to do, Harry began to think.
He knows that his life wasn't normal, kids didn't sleep in a cupboard under the stairs, nor they did as many chores as himself, but what could change the situation? It's something he often thinks, ways to try and improve his life, but so far, nothing helped.
He tried to follow everything they said, with a shut mouth and a smile, but it didn't work.
He tried to defy them and do nothing, but it only resulted in screams, accusations of him being ungrateful and beatings.
He tried to ask for help of the neighbours and school, but everybody that tried to help were sent away or believed the lies that his relatives sprout about him being a liar and a delinquent.
So far, his only option was similar to his first try, just do everything they asked without questions, but no smiles.
There was also another option, but it didn't depend on him. He often daydreamed of another relative coming and taking him away, where he didn't need to do chores all day, didn't receive beatings from his uncle and cousin, where he get a real room with a bed and clothes that actually fitted him.
He spent so much time in his head that the loud doorbell startled him. Now, he wasn't a gossiper like his aunt, but he didn't had anything else to do, so why not hear what they're talking? (That, in fact, was a lie. Little Harry loved a good gossip, he just didn't had someone to share what he heard.)
“Good afternoon, please come in.” Harry could just see the fake plastic smile that her aunt usually wore for those that she didn't know and, based in her pitched voice, someone that she clearly didn't like the first impression.
“Good afternoon, Ms. Dursley. We hope we aren't bothering you.” it was a woman's voice, much better than her aunt in his opinion, pleasant and smooth.
“No bother at all!” she laughed away, “My husband told me that you would be coming today, so I cleared my schedule to greet you.”
‘Lies. You do nothing all day expect gossiping with the neighbours.’ Harry thought bitterly.
“Really? Wordenfull then, when your husband singed your praises, we were curious about you.” that was definitely a man, his voice was deep and soothing.
His aunt just laughed and footsteps were heard, moving from the front door to the living room.
“Ah! There they are, Vernon Dursley gentleman.”
“It's a pleasure to meet you personally Mr. Dursley, my name is Alice Peverell, and those are my brothers, Hadrian and Alexander”
Feeling bold, Harry peeked through the tiny window of his cupboard. The woman was tall, a little bit more than his aunt, with long cascading hair that ended with soft curls and brilliant hazel eyes. She was wearing a long black dress with long sleeves that ended with point shaped on her wrists and she had her handbag clasped firm in her hand.
The first man, Harry just saw now that there were two, was the tallest of the three, had red hair that was tied in a loose bun, a golden earring, and dressed a simple black suit. He also had the most blue eyes that he'd ever seen, even counting that all Dursley's had blue eyes, it looked like the sky, but brighter.
(Harry figured it out that this was why his aunt had a pitched voice earlier, she didn't think that any man should have their hairs that long.)
The last man was the shortest, even more than his aunt, with an equal black suit. His black hair was long and loose, reaching his back, with the front being almost spiked, and forest green eyes, looking like emeralds.
Looking at all the three, they didn't look like brothers, each one looked too much different from the other, and seeing the way his aunt keep glancing back and forth between them, she was thinking the same thing.
After the exchanged pleasantries, all got a seat in the couch, in case of the brothers, and the loveseat, in case of his uncle and aunt.
“We would like to get to the point, Mr. Dursley, our company has heard wonders from your fabric, especially from you, so we have a proposition for you.” the redhead, Alexander, said.
His uncle preened from the compliment, making Harry roll his eyes. He didn't took his time, wanting to see everything.
“But of course, our fabric make the best drills in all of Britain, possibly all of Europe. I will just ask that we wait a little longer, my son will be here shortly, he's just finishing his summer homework.”
Harry knew that that was a completely lie. Dudley didn't do his summer homework, or any of them for that matter, he thought that he was too good for them.
Soon, the heavy steps of his cousin came from above, making dust fall in the crumpled space making Harry almost sneeze. Almost.
Vernon introduced Dudley, with more lies of how smart he is, and the conversation continued. While his uncle was still talking about his life, his aunt quickly excuse herself to get tea in the kitchen. When she came back, however, the sweet scent was extremely strong, making Harry sneeze without meaning.
At that time, everything froze.
Petunia stopped mid step, her smile frozen in place. Vernon cut himself, widening slightly his eyes. Even Dudley, who wasn't paying any attention, snapped his head in Harry's direction, his eyes getting bigger.
The only ones who didn't seemed fazed where the guests who, even if they stopped talking as well, just kept their faces friendly.
The one with black hair and green eyes tilted his head to look at Harry and meet his eyes. Harry felt that he had stopped breathing, his heart thundering in his chest with fear and panic creeping in his veins.
When seconds that felt like hours had passed, Hadrian winked at Harry, his lips curling into a smirk.
“Mr. Dursley, you didn't told us that another person lived here with you.” Hadrian's voice dripped like honey, so sweet and smooth, but Harry still could hear a bit of annoyance, or perhaps was anger.
“There isn't! It's just my wife and son.” he lied quickly, but sweat started to form between his brows.
Petunia quickly put the tray of tea in the small table and joined her husband, trying to act normal.
Hadrian ‘tsk’ and got up, making the Dursley's stiffen. He walked calmly to the stairs, stopping in front of the cupboard, never breaking eye contact with Harry. He flicked his wrist, making the tiny door open slowly and Petunia gasped.
“You… you're one of them.” she shakily whispered, torn between fear and anger.
Alice snapped her fingers twice and Harry felt something covering not only his body, but if he had payed attention, the whole house. The three Dursley's stiffened even more, if possible, and Harry was slightly scared.
“Now, Mrs. Dursley, that was not polite,” Alexander tutted while a smirk was forming in his lips.
Harry was paying close attention to the guests and his relatives, seeing the tension and fear in the air.
Being so distracted, he almost jumped out of his skin when a warm hand landed on his shoulder, making him flinch violently. Looking up, he saw that Hadrian had crouched, possibly so that he could see Harry more clearly, and there was a soft, almost sad, smile on his face.
“Hello little one, what's your name?” he asked softly, Harry almost didn't heard it.
Glancing nervously at his uncle, Harry could see he was getting red in the face, almost purple, and that meant trouble.
Usually for him.
Hadrian's hand gripped a little harder, making him look at him again, and Harry felt breathless.
Harry saw his eyes before, they were a striking green, like emeralds, but up close he could see so much more. There was a mischievous, almost vindictive, glint in his eyes but, for some reason, Harry knew for sure it wasn't directed at him. There was also a shadow there, almost like he was seeing him, but at the same time, didn't. Like he was lost in a memory.
And finally, there was a warm so intense in his gaze, a protectiveness so strong that made Harry tear up a little.
No one ever looked at him like that.
Feeling braver than ever, Harry answered him, hoping against hope in a steady voice, “I'm Harry.”
Hadrian sighed softly, closing his eyes briefly, but soon opened them, and his gaze was warmer than before.
“Well, Harry, could I talk to you?”
His gaze never wandered, and his smile was as soft and sad as before, but Harry could feel in his bones that he could trust him.
Unfortunately, uncle Vernon's patience ended there.
“GET OUT OF MY HOUSE YOU FREAKS!” he thundered, getting on his feet.
Harry tried to shrank himself instinctively, but Hadrian's hand was firm in his shoulder, and he turned slowly to look at Vernon. Harry couldn't see from behind Hadrian, but his glare must have been impressive as
Vernon paled at least four shades and took a step back.
Alice sighed loudly and got up, making every eye, minus Hadrian, snapped at her.
“Hadrian, why don't you take Harry outside so you can talk, me and Alex will take from here.”
Her gaze was no longer a warm hazel, but cold marron, almost black, and Harry could see that she wanted nothing more than to not deal with the Dursley's.
Her eyes meet his and they softened for a second, before going back to his uncle and they lost their shine.
Harry honestly wanted to see what was going to happen, it's not every day that someone can cower his relatives, and he was feeling a little giddy about the fact. But Hadrian got up and offered his hand and, even though he glanced for a second to the living room, he took up the offer immediately.
<¥>
Sitting outside in the garden of the house, Harry started so sweat a little. The sun shining fiercely on top of him, combining with the fact he's been found out almost got him to hyperventilating, if it wasn't for Hadrian and his calm and warm gaze, he would've broken down.
Even now, sitting in the soft grass, Hadrian kept his grip on his shoulder, and Harry was grateful for the grounding gesture.
But still, his body may have calmed down a little, but his mind was spiraling with a hundred thoughts per hour.
Who exactly were these people? Why did his uncle called them freaks? Why were they so shaken and scared? How, now that he thought about it, did Hadrian seemed like he knew he was in the cupboard?
So many questions and no answers.
The hand on his shoulder loosed up and let go, making Harry turn to Hadrian at his side. The man didn't look at him, just gazing through the flowers ahead, lost in his mind.
“I want you to know,” Harry startled s little by the sudden break of silence, but recovered quickly and started paying attention, “that no matter what happens, you will not live with them anymore.”
Harry's brain short-circuited. He must've heard wrong.
“What?”
Hadrian looked at him then, with that same warm gaze, and soft, sad smile on his face.
“Me and my brothers will take you out from here. You will not come back,” he said seriously.
Harry didn't realise he started crying, nor did he realise when he was full sobbing in the lap of Hadrian, but when he finally understood what was happening, he was already talking.
He talked about the lonely nights in the cold cupboard, the days, even weeks, in hunger, the harsh beatings and insults, how he prayed every night for somebody, anybody, take him away from the hell that was his life, how he wanted to go to bed some nights and never wake up again.
By the time that he finished, Harry passed out from the strain.
<¥>
Picking up his younger self (and wasn't that a strange thing), Hadrian made his way back into the house.
Petunia and Vernon were clutching their heads, like they had the most intense headache of their lives.
‘So, Ron managed to convince her to use Legimency on them,’ he thought grimly.
Even with his back to him, Hadrian could feel the rage and anger rolling of Alex in waves, his fingers clasped tightly his wand. Alice was breathing a little to heavy, but it was her way to cope through anger, her fingers equally tight in her wand, her hands were shaking.
That's something that he didn't like, and voiced his opinions before. He didn't want them, his brother and sister in all but blood, to see the abuse (and it took a long time for him to admit it) he suffered at the hands of the Dursley's. But they were adamant, they wanted, needed, to understand him, what he went through, what he suffered.
Alex's fingers were twitching a little, a sign that he was restraining himself from throwing curses left and right.
“Alex,” he warned quietly.
Alex turned then, and Hadrian could see so much. All the rage, the disgust, that he was feeling but, most of all, anger at himself. Wanting to stop that as soon as possible, Hadrian maneuvered Harry in his arms, holding him at his hip, his head falling back in Hadrian's shoulder.
“Don't you dare,” he ordered softly, “It is not your fault, any of you,” he glanced at Alice, seeing the same emotions of Alex in her, “It is in my past, I overcame it.”
“Hadrian…” Alice flicked her eyes to the sleeping form of Harry, but soon she met his eyes.
“We're here now, he won't grow up the same,” he guaranteed.
“He still had seven years of it,” Alex said bitterly.
Alice seemed like she would agree, but refrained herself from voicing it.
“Anyway, what do you wanna do?”
Alex and Alice eyes bore into him, but he didn't mind, his gaze was focused now on the limp forms of Vernon and Petunia. After a few minutes in silence, Hadrian made his decision.
“They're not mine Vernon and Petunia, but they are the same despicable human beings,” he began slowly, “that decision, as much as I didn't want it, should be Harry's.”
“However, seeing as he is asleep right now, and we can't delay this, we'll be doing things as he should have wanted it.” he pulled his wand from his concealed wrist, pointing at Vernon, “Just don't kill them, we'll Obliviate them of Harry's existence.”
After a quick work with their minds, Hadrian stored his wand and made to the door.
“That's it? Just Obliviate them and let them get away with it?!” Alex asked incredulously.
Hadrian stopped at the door.
“Now, now Alex,” he turned, a cruel smirk in his lips, “I just said that Harry would have liked this outcome,” he gestured to the three unconscious forms, “but remember that I said that only not to kill.”
His smirk was mirrored by his family, and Hadrian continued his way.
Between Alice, who had an frightening grasp at mind magics, and Alex with his extensive knowledge of charms, Hadrian was sure that the Dursley's would have nightmares and ghost pains for the rest of their lives.
And if the last gleam in Alex's eyes were any indication, he would come back to make more chaos in the future.
Moreover, when they finally released Sirius and got reacquainted with Remus, if little Harry ever mention the Dursley's again, the two Marauders would definitely paid them a visit as well.
The only one Hadrian felt an ounce of pity was Dudley, but this time, without Harry there, he never would be attacked by dementors and become a better person.
Standing in the front of the house, Hadrian breathed in deeply.
The air around him suddenly got chilly, the few shadows created by the blazing sun got stronger and darker. Not minding the dark atmosphere, Hadrian waited for the faint flap of wings.
Too soon, they came, and a man spoke next to him.
“Master.”
“Hades,” he teased lightly.
The entity sighed deeply, resigned to his fate, and ignored the name.
“Now that the abomination is dead, and you rescued your younger self, what do you intend to do?”
Hadrian hummed, not for show, for he didn't exactly know the answer.
“Honestly, my current goal is to give myself a better life. Free Sirius, reunite him with Remus, and introduce them to Harry here.”
Hades nodded briefly, but continued watching Hadrian, who sighed.
“Alright, spill, what happened for you to look at me like that?”
Hades stayed silent for a time, but finally, he said with a smirk, “You are unusual, for a human.”
Looking at him, Hadrian quirked an eyebrow, “How come?”
“You've defied Fate, and won,” he said bluntly, causing Hadrian to widen his eyes.
“Really?” he asked, more curious than anything, “and how, pray tell, did I do that?”
“Every soul in this Universe, or others,” he sent a meaningful look at his direction, making Hadrian to raise his eyebrow again, “has a path that they walk in their lives. Everything is ‘programmed’, for the lack of a better word, since the beginning.”
At that Hadrian frowned, “But what about free will? Don't we have the power to make our own path?”
“Yes and no,” the human rolled his eyes at the cryptic answer, but hold his tongue, “Free will does exist, and every action taken upon them does indeed change the path in your lives, but the thing is, as soon as you change your course, Fate will arrange for a new path for you to walk on, and that way, your free will is gone once more.”
That was... a little sad, actually.
“But then came you,” Hades continued, his smirk widening, “Harry James Potter, son of Lily Evans and James Potter, child of the prophecy, the Chosen One, last Horcrux of Lord Voldemort,” he paused, and without meaning, Hadrian tensed a little, “your path should've ended on that night in October, when Voldemort came for you, however, because of Voldemort's unstable soul and the blood magic that your mother cast at you, you lived,” his gaze lingered a moment in his faded scar, before resuming at meeting his eyes, “then, you should've died at least three times in this house, but the Horcrux saved you from it,” Hadrian froze, “in your years during Hogwarts, you should've died five more times, but others and your free will prevented that. But that's okay, that's normal.”
When Hadrian was starting to relax again,
Hades eyes bore into his soul, not judging, but with a maniacal gleam.
“Your end was supposed to happen when you walked to your death, years ago, but again, because of the Horcrux, you managed to survive, yet again.”
A soft gasp beside him made him look briefly to see Alex and Alice, but Hades wasn't done.
“When you came back, your fate was sealed for good. Kill Voldemort, win the battle, become a Auror and live the rest of your life happily ever after. But you,” Hades chuckled a little, “you dared defy the Fates one more time, just to be a little shit. You didn't throw away my Stone in the forest that night, you didn't relinquished the title of Master of Death, even if it was accidental.”
Hades eyes bore a gleam, almost maniacal, and his smile got wider and wider with each word.
“You had my Stone in your pocket, and my Cloak in another, and then, the most difficult Hallow to get, you grasped your fingers in my Wand,” he cackled loudly, “you destroyed your Fate that day, becoming my Master and the first, and only, being to ever achieve true immortality.”
Hadrian gaped openly at him, completely dumbfounded.
“I can't die...?”
“Oh, sure, you can, but only when you give up the Hallows,” he regained his breathing under control, but still had a shit eating grin on his face, “but for you to do that, since you're the first Master to ever exist, you'll be condemning another soul to your existence.”
“What do you mean?” Hadrian glared.
“Simple,” he shrugged, “now that the Hallows are together, they won't be separate again, which means, as soon as you give them up to someone, they'll take your place.”
“So,” Hadrian was furious, but being angry was easier than being desperate, which he was feeling right now, “you're saying that I'll live forever and, if I don't want anymore, I'll have to dump the Hallows and condemn them to being immortal as well?!”
Hades shrugged, it was not his problem.
Hadrian was absolutely furious. He spent most of his life wondering when he'd die so that he could meet his parents and friends again (the Stone was good, but not enough, never enough) and now he didn't even have that?
Feeling a hand in his hand, Hadrian broke away from his thoughts and looked at Alice and Alex, both with a determined look on their faces.
“Harry,” Alice was dead serious if she was saying his real name, “do you remember when you talked to us about the possibility to come to the past?”
Of course he remembered, it was one of their biggest fights. Alice was very concerned about paradoxes and ripples in the space-time, Alex wanted really bad to go with him, but his family was mourning deeply the lost of Fred. There was so much to do in the aftermath of the war, bodies to be buried, criminals to round up, the Ministry was in pandemonium.
And Hadrian... he had his little godson, Teddy. He didn't want to live him alone but, after Alice and Hades assured him that he wasn't going to another universe and letting Teddy alone, but actually going back in time, he relaxed and was all in for going back.
The fight itself broke when Hadrian insisted that he should go alone, only for there to be a screaming match between him and his best friends. They discussed for hours, until Hadrian finally relented and agreed to let them come.
Shaking the memory from his head, Hadrian looked at them in question, a small frown in his lips.
Alice squeezed his hand, smiling softly, “we said that we'd be with you until the end, no matter what happens.”
Frowning deeply, Hadrian tried to make sense of his sister message.
Only after seeing a ring, a very familiar ring, in her hand and a wand in Alex's hand did he understand, and gasped.
“No, you can't do this!” he pleaded.
Smirking playfully, Alex spinned the wand between his fingers.
“Mate, you know that I'll follow you forever, and we wouldn't survive a day without Hermione.”
She nodded, beaming at Hadrian, “we're in this together Harry, until the very end. And now,” she grabbed his hand with more force, and then grabbed Alex's hand, “for all eternity.”
Looking between his friends, Hadrian knew he wouldn't be able to change their minds. Eyes soft, but strong and so, so loving that he almost cried.
He loved them so much, and he could see that they loved him as well.
Turning his attention to Hades, Hadrian could see that he was more amused than anything.
“I'm immortal? Fine by me,” Hadrian smiled, “but I'll have my sister and brother, and since the Hallows will not be separated again, I'll give Alice the Stone and Alex the Wand, they'll come with me.”
Hades cackled again, and his Cheshire grin only widened.
“Oh, how amazing! Not only one, but now three souls who don't have a path anymore!” he clapped his hands.
“You're wrong Hades,” he shaked his head, “we will make our own path from now on, but without Fates.”
Laughing once more, Hades made a salute and disappeared, only the faint flap of wings could be heard.
Grinning at his friends once more, the three of them disappeared with a silent crack.
Next order of business, free Sirius Black.