I've returned from the past

Chapter 33

Ekkathion wandered around the Black Manor beside Hadrian, looking at the dirt and everything with Death still in the crook of his arm, a puffed up black bird. His fathers room was in the worst condition and nothing had changed in Hadrian's room. The windows had been closed, dust had settled but all his belongings were still there.

{So what now?}

"Orion will probably come back to collect you," Hadrian responds. "He waited a night but he'll likely come back to make sure you left."

{But I didn't.} Hadrian nods slowly.

"I know. But it was rather foolish of him to just leave you here and he'd have gotten a berating from everyone." Ekkathion nods slowly and glances around.

{What do wizards do?}

"Hang out with friends, learn magic..." he glances at Ekkathion who was looking at his hands. "Learn to be yourself."

{So I can change the style?} Ekkathion asks, looking at the formal black attire.

"Sure." Ekkathion jerks his head.

{My friends?} He showed Ekkathion Theodore, Draco, Blaise and Hayes. Then as an afterthought he adds Viktor. The dragon grumbles something.

"If it's of any consolation, they all have animal forms so you'll be allowed to shift in front of them. I think that would be relieving for you." Ekkathion shrugs, looking around the manor.

{Who are you going to call to get this place up and running?}

"Once Orion comes and you both go, I'll call Griffin, Edwin, Lidia, Freda and maybe Isaiah." The dragon huffed smoke out of his mouth in mild irritation and he smirks. It was fair to say Ekkathion was the keenest on Isaiah but that was mostly because Isaiah was shit scared of him and would lash out- even on accident. "Oh your in human form Ekk, calm down."

The dragon rolls slitted green eyes and glances around.

{How did you act in front of everyone?}

"I mean... strangely, I suppose. From an outside perspective I would have acted very strangely indeed..." Hadrian cocks his head and then laughed. "I wonder how on earth they even put up with it."

He felt a fluctuation in the wards, stole Death from his Ekkathion and nodded to the suddenly nervous looking dragon. Hadrian vanished to the nearest shadow, concealing all his magic and watched.

"Hey kid," Orion calls out and Ekkathion has to quickly figure out how to use his voice.

"He-re," his voice cracks and the dragon coughed into a fist, shaking his body. "I'm over here."

Orion slowly walked over from the main hallway, glancing around at first and then peered curiously at Ekkathion.

"You never came back."

"I got distracted," Ekkathion muttered, not making eye contact with Orion. Thankfully the dragon had taken initiative to return to normal. Hadrian leant back against the wall and watched.

"Did you look around?"

"I did. It's neglected," Ekkathion says bluntly, but took another glance at the expansive hallways. "Cool but empty." Orion actually winced but Ekkathion didn't notice. Hadrian wanted to sigh because his brother was so damned sensitive without him. Jeez... he could barely imagine how Christmas was going to go. Lots of screaming, he thinks. Lots of it. A lot of curses as well, just the normal voice kind.

"Well, we haven't lived in it for a long while."

"Seems kind of pointless," Ekkathion muttered, voicing his real opinions. Orion glances at him.