Lord of time (chapter 41-107)

74

"Hadrian? Why. Is. The. Pendant. In. An. Auror's. Investigative. Bag?" Tom asked, enunciating each word when it became clear that Hadrian remained quiet on that front. In fact, he looked like he was contemplating something, lying to him? Trying to worm his way around the truth? Or downplay it? He wasn't even meeting his eyes, instead, he was staring at the bag on the bed as if it had personally offended him. Which just confused Tom all the more.

Hadrian moved over to the bed, scooping up the bag, ripping it open and removing the pendant. A pendant that had caused so much trouble in just a short amount of time. He felt irritated that he hadn't even thought of it at the time. It had completely slipped his mind. "I forgot," Hadrian replied, his tone more thoughtful than anything else.

Tom followed Hadrian, his brow furrowed, eyes glinting determinedly, "Forgot what exactly?" he demanded, unable to curb his need to know. He wanted to know why the attack happened, why the pendant was in an evidence bag. Why the Auror's had been treating him like some suspect when he was the victim. He wasn't in the mood for anything else. He had gone through the emotional wringer last night. Even the curses and hexes he'd thrown hadn't completely helped him. It just took the edge off. Perhaps it was feeling the pain through the bond that irritated him so thoroughly. He did not like Hadrian being in pain, it brought forth emotions he couldn't deal with.

Oddly enough, the hardest part was being away from Hadrian. He'd had to return to St. Mungo's despite being just as useless there. Feeling only marginally better at being close to him. Not even Abraxas had been able to get him answers regarding what had happened.

"What this design meant," Hadrian revealed pensively. "It's not known as being the Peverell coat of arms, Tom, not even in my time...it's not even known as the sign of the Deathly Hallows bar a few...it is merely known...as a sign of Grindelwald, his supporters use this insignia," something he would have to change, and if it led to a confrontation with Grindelwald then he was all for it. The question was would it lead to a confrontation? Or would he just send people after him? He was all for ending the war, destroying Grindelwald but having to fend off a legion of his followers? No thanks. It wasn't like he knew where Grindelwald was, Scamander had ensured Grindelwald's arrest, that had been years ago, in New York. He'd somehow managed to break out and continue his cause.

Tom's nostrils flared as he realized what had happened in startling clarity. Those wizards had attacked his husband because of his gift. He dug his nails into the skin of his palm as anger tore through him. Grindelwald was using his husbands' coat of arms for his cause. Steeping it in suspicion and distrust, this would not do. "It must be rectified." he absolutely refused to let Grindelwald tarnish Hadrian's name like that.

Hadrian nodded in agreement, "Yes, I...have a plan, I just need to get a trustworthy journalist to publish my story in the Daily Prophet." it was the quickest way to garner the most readers, the most understanding from everyone. "My only concern is how Grindelwald will take it. If he sends people after us...we might not survive that, at least not in this time as us, I truly don't want to have to start all over again so soon." he was still getting over the fact he could just 'start all over again' whenever he wished. It wasn't something he tended to dwell upon, although he had no doubt it was the opposite for Tom who had long desired immortality.

'He will make his way directly from Germany to France in exactly half a year. After his current plans are well underway and can commence without him,'twice winces appeared on Tom and Hadrian's face at the abrupt entrance of Death, who as always, regaled them with the information they otherwise wouldn't get. 'From France, he plans on entering Britain, this you cannot allow, you must stop him in France.'

'It looks like there are some things that refuse to change, no matter what happens,'Harry mused wryly, for it had been in France that the Dark Lord Grindelwald had met his end in his old timeline. 'If we do this, then we must make the plans now so that it doesn't look like we went there for the purpose of defeating Grindelwald. More like being in the wrong place at the right time sort of thing,'