Chapter Text
Chapter Eleven: Lily's Day
James Potter was found guilty on every charge and sentenced to Azkaban. Hadrian hadn't bothered to pay any attention to how long, just that he was there for the foreseeable future and when he got out he wouldn't be allowed anywhere near Hadrian or Teddy. He also wouldn't be allowed to contact them, which was all good things in Hadrian's book.
Sadly, for Hadrian, he and Draco had to go back the following day for Lily's trial. Where once again there was an idiot attorney (Mr. Pellet) to defend the woman.
"Lily Josephine Potter nee Evans," Minister Shacklebolt called out, "you are being charged with one count child neglect, six counts child endangerment, one count child abandonment, one count kidnapping a national hero, one count kidnapping of a minor, two counts kidnapping the lord of an ancient and noble house, three counts of kidnapping the heir of an ancient and noble house, two accounts of assault, one account of battery, one count of illegal use of magical suppression objects, resisting arrest, and one count using the unforgivable curciatus curse."
"How do you plead?"
"Not guilty."
Everyone in the courtroom knew it wasn't going to take long if it was anything like yesterday's trail.
"I call to the stand Marigold Potter," Mr. Pellet called, starting off with the only legal witness that wouldn't want to see his client in prison.
The teenager took her time getting to the witness box and getting sworn in.
"For the record," the teen said before anyone could ask her questions, "any question that is asked yesterday will be answered the same way today. So please don't make me repeat myself, again."
"Miss Potter, we have to do this by the book."
"Then I will submit my memory of yesterday's questioning to save myself the trouble," she insisted.
"If that is what you wish," Madam Bones agreed after sharing a look with Kingsley.
An unspeakable was called and a vial brought that Marigold dropped her memory into before getting up and leaving the stand. She had no interest in watching her mother get sentenced to Azkaban for casting an unforgivable on her brother and more importantly almost killing a baby."
None of the Wizengamont wanted to watch the memory since they all remembered it clearly. There was only a single difference between James Potter's trial and Lily's and that was the charge of using an unforgivable.
"I call Lord Hadrian Black-Malfoy to the stand," Madam Bones said when it became clear that the defense had no one else.
Just like the day before, the teen seemingly materialized in the witness box with a cheeky grin towards to head of the DMLE and the minister. "Please stop doing that," Kingsley sighed, rubbing at his temples because he just knew this was going to go about the same as yesterday.
Pouting the teen agreed not to cause the minister and head of the DMLE so much problems....probably...
"Lord Black-Malfoy," Madam Bones began, "when did you first learn of-"
"Let me stop you right there Madam Bones," Hadrian said as he leaned back in the chair, propping his feet up on the podium of the witness stand, "we all know how this is about to go. You're going to ask me when I learned about the Potters being alive, I'm going to say May fifth when the article was written. You're going to inquire about why I didn't try to contact them, I'm going to say because they never gave a fuck about me before so why should I bother with them now."
Various people in the room glanced at Madam Bones who was shrugging because he wasn't wrong.
"Then you're going to ask me about the events of August second and I'm going to inform you that Draco wanted a new potions book so I took Teddy with me to the ice cream shop and some stranger was suddenly hugging me and I had to use my magic to get free and then I picked up my son and backed away only to have a stranger behind me tell me not the be mean to my mother."
He paused to take a break and Madam Bones opened her mouth to say or ask something only to snap it closed as Hadrian continued.
"I'll also explain how they began to attack me for no reason after I informed them that my name is Hadrian Regulus Black and my parents are Molly and Arthur Weasley. To which someone will inquire about my being Harry Potter, which I will then have to point out that any test given to me will show that I am Hadrian Regulus Black, my husband is Draco Malfoy, thus my name is Hadrian Regulus Black-Malfoy and my parents are Arthur and Molly Weasley. I'm the youngest of seven boys with a younger sister. My parents already have six kids to carry on the Weasley name and so while they are my parents they allowed me to pick my own name."
He glanced over at the defense attorney who was scowling at his notes and scribbling things out as Hadrian spoke.
"I will proceed to talk about how my poor Teddy was starting to get fussy and as any true parent would my focus turned to him and thus my attention to my shield slipped, giving the Potters barrage of spells a chance to take my shield down. I had to turn my back on them so protect my son from the magical backlash -as any decent parent would- and by the time I turned around with the intent to use more powerful magic to protect my son, I was hit with the cruciatus curse."
He turned his glowing green eyes up to Madam Bones. "Now you can ask questions because this is the part that's important."
The woman sighed and she heard some people muttering 'finally' somewhere behind her. It could get tiresome, the amount of things the teen could get away with after defeating You-Know-Who for a second time.
"How do you know it was the cruciatus curse?"
She felt like an idiot just asking the question and so the look the teen shot her made plenty of sense.
"I think it has something to do with the fact that I've been under it. Multiple times. Most of them via Voldemort, granted, but still. It's not that hard to figure out."
"And where was your son, Teddy, at the time?"
"In my arms," Hadrian's hands clenched into fist as he tried to control himself, "I barely managed to turn in a way that didn't result in me falling on him and I had just enough sense to go down immediately to keep from dropping him."
The idea of his baby boy being hurt because of the woman infuriated him and it was made obvious by the bit of his magic leaking off of him. Luckily, it wasn't yet as bad as yesterday.
"Do you know how long the curse was held on you?"
The teen tilted his head in thought, counting on his fingers before nodding. "Thirty seconds."
Many people gasped at that because it was a long time to keep someone under such a spell. Hadrian was lucky not to have been permanently injured.
"I know. Long time. Still didn't hurt as bad as Voldie-Moldie though."
Someone in the crowd choked at the name and the sounds of reporters scribbling let Hadrian know that come tomorrow the name 'Voldie-Moldie' was going to be known to every wixen.
"And...what happened next?"
Green eyes shifted to look at Madam Bones.
"James Potter cast something on me. From the testimony of Miss Marigold Potter, yesterday, apparently Lily carried my son home in her arms while James floated me into the room. Then after handing my son off to her daughter, Lily and James entered the room I'd been placed in and put the magical suppression bracelet on me while I was unconscious and proceeded to tell their children that I was asleep. Of course, this is all speculation on my part seeing as I was unconscious, but it's based on what Miss Potter said yesterday."
"Note that he does admit it is speculation on his part," Madam Bones called, getting a 'noted' back.
"And what happened next?"
"Well I finally woke up, realized I had on a magical suppression bracelet, was seriously pissed off, Lily appeared in the room acting surprised that I was awake, but her quick appearance so soon after I woke up tells me that there was some sort of ward or spell that would alert her to my waking. I was led into the sitting room, where I took my son back from Miss Potter. I think I covered this yesterday," Hadrian suddenly stopped himself as he thought hard.
"I'm forgetting something," he muttered with a hard frown, eyes glowing as he ran back over the events of the day he'd been taken.
The room was silent because it was obvious the teen wasn't paying any of them any attention.
"Oh. That's what I was forgetting," Hadrian muttered, facepalming.
"I told them I didn't trust them and Lily got upset and demanded that I apologize. When I pointed out that I'm eighteen she pulled out her wand. The implied threat that if I didn't do what she said she would use her magic on me, or maybe my son, was very clear. Then I asked if they were going to hold me hostage and Lily claimed I wasn't a hostage, but when I asked if that meant I could leave James told me no because I was brainwashed."
There were murmurs around the room at that because 'why did they think he was brainwashed?'
"Then Lily introduced everyone to me and claimed I was their big brother, I said I wasn't and she sent me a look that implied she would hurt me or my son -I'm unclear on which- if I didn't 'behave' and so once I made it clear I wasn't their brother, I left and stayed in the room I'd woken in until I could get the bracelet off."
"That's not what happened!"
The sudden shout had everyone looking towards the red haired woman.
"I don't understand why you're lying to everyone Harry. Honestly, claiming we kidnapped you? You're our son. It's not kidnapping if the child you bring home is yours."
"Mrs. Potter, please be silent until it's your turn."
"How am I supposed to be silent if my son is telling everyone that we kidnapped him and our grandson?"
"It's fine," Hadrian assured as he stood, "I've told you everything of importance anyway. Oh! And when Draco and the aurors showed up, Lily and James fought them in an attempt not to be taken into custody."
Then he seemingly vanished from where he'd been.
This time Hadrian and Draco didn't leave immediately so they were there to watch as Lily Potter was given the truth potion.
"What is your name?"
"Lily Josephine Potter nee Evans," was delivered in the usual monotone of someone under the influence of the potion.
"How many children do you have?"
"Six."
"What are their names?"
"Harry James Potter, Marigold Euphemia Potter, Briar Fleamont Potter, Daphne Lillian Potter, Dahlia Rose Potter, Indigo Charlus Potter."
"How many of those children have you raised from birth?"
"Five."
"Which five?"
"Marigold Euphemia Potter, Briar Fleamont Potter, Daphne Lillian Potter, Dahlia Rose Potter, Indigo Charlus Potter."
"Why did you leave Harry at Godric's Hollow?"
"I became pregnant."
"And you couldn't stay at Godric's Hollow while pregnant?"
"No."
"Why?"
"My baby could have been hurt."
"By your baby, you mean the one you were pregnant with at the time?"
"Yes."
"And did you care that you'd left your older son alone?"
"No."
"Did you ever think about him in the seventeen years you've been gone?"
"Occasionally."
"Did you want to be part of his life?"
"Not really."
"Then why did you insist on kidnapping him?"
"His siblings wanted to meet him."
"And your insistence that he's your son?"
"I gave birth to him."
"And then you abandoned him."
Lily said nothing because it hadn't been a question.
"So, you abandoned him. Hardly ever thought about him. And didn't much care to have anything to do with him. Is this correct?"
"I suppose."
"Then why are you so insistent that he's your son and you didn't kidnap him if you don't care about him?"
"Because he's mine."
"Are you...do you think of him as a possession? Something to be owned?"
"Yes."
"Do you think this way about all of your children?"
"Yes."
"...why?"
"I gave birth to them. They came from my body. Therefore, they are mine."
"And why did you cast the unforgivable on Lord Hadrian Black-Malfoy?"
"Because he would have easily beaten us if we didn't do something to stop him."
"And the reason for the magical suppression bracelet?"
"To keep him from just leaving before his siblings got a chance to know him."
"Did you ever intend to let him leave?"
"No."
"Give her the antidote."
Chapter Twelve: And They Live...Something Ever After (a.k.a. The Epilogue
11 years later
Lily Potter had been sentenced to life in Azkaban, which Hadrian didn't see a problem with. He had a little problem with having to raise the woman's kids -his siblings- but he got over it soon enough. He just treated them like his kids -and adopted them as his kids- and it was much easier to deal with...well he didn't adopt Marigold or Briar, but they eventually got a sibling relationship going on.
It helped that Molly Weasley was all about mothering anyone who would let her. In this case, Marigold and Briar were all about letting her adopt them because they needed someone that wasn't crazy to help them out.
Eventually, Daphne and Dahlia got over the whole 'Harry Potter is our brother' and instead fell into the 'Hadrian Black is our father' mindset, which honesty wasn't much better. But they stopped wanting to hear about his adventures so he'd count it as a win.
Since they'd adopted them it meant that Molly and Narcissa had plenty of girls to play dress up with and Daphne and Dahlia loved it.
Indigo was a whole different story. From what Hadrian had managed to figure out over the years the child was disturbingly like him in a lot of ways. If he didn't know any better he'd say Lily Potter managed to clone him or something. The three year old had taken to calling him 'dada' right away, which was a little weird, but whatever. He dealt with weird fairly often so this would be no different. The boy got along fantastically with Teddy and for all there was a three year age difference the way they acted they might as well be the same age.
When Indigo went off to school Teddy pitched the biggest fit. He even tried to -and almost managed to- get on the train and go with his brother. It was only Charlie asking about him that Hadrian even realized he was missing. It probably had something to do with the entire Weasley brood showing up to see everyone off as had become sort of a tradition.
The tradition started with Marigold's last year because if they didn't show up she would be on her own and Molly Weasley would not have any child under her care -no matter how old- not having people to see her off. So she gathered all the Weasleys to see the seventeen year old and her thirteen year old brother off. And when the train came back at the end of the year? Everyone was gathered to greet them.
If anyone thought for a second that the tradition would end after that they were wrong. Briar got the same send off and welcome home every year, which meant that by the time he graduated in 2003 they were already gathering for Daphne too. And by the time Daphne was done in 2009? They had Dahlia, Aiden (one of Charlie's kids), and Indigo to see off.
When Dahlia finally graduated in 2011? They still had Aiden and Indigo, but they also had Teddy. Indigo and his cousin graduated in 2013 and by then there was Teddy, Victoire (Bill and Fleur's daughter), Molly (Percy & Penelope's daughter), and Cadmus (Charlie's son).
Teddy graduated in 2016, but they still gathered for Victoire, Molly, Cadmus, Gideon (Fred & Angelina's son), Fabian (George and Alicia's son), Dominique (Bill & Fleur's daughter), Roxanne (George & Alicia's daughter), Madison (Fred & Angelina's daughter), Louis (Bill & Fleur's son), Harriete (Charlie's daughter), Lucy (Percy & Penelope's daughter), and Gwendolyn (Ginny's daughter).
And by the time Louis and Harriete graduated in 2021? Rose (Hermione & Ron's daughter), Valmai (Ginny's daughter), Hugo (Ron & Hermione's son), and Saphira (Charlie's daughter) also known as the last four grandkids had started school.
And if Hadrian or any of the others thought everything would end when Saphira and Hugo graduated? Well...they obviously didn't know a very determined Molly Weasley who wanted to ensure that every single one of her kids, grandkids, and great grandkids knew they were loved.
Even after the woman passed the Weasley family and all their attachments (Malfoy, Black, Potter, Spinnet, Johnson, Delacour, and all the others) still gathered every September first and whatever day in June that the students returned with open arms and words of love.
Hadrian never really paid attention to what happened to James and Lily Potter after they'd been sentenced. Neither did the three youngest, though Marigold and Briar paid attention and once James got out of Azkaban they stayed in contact with him, but Hadrian and Teddy never saw him.
The news that Lily Potter passed away after almost twenty years of dementors had Marigold and Briar in tears, but they had a large Weasley clan to fall back on and help them through it.
And so they lived....something ever after...