The Dark Slytherin (Trilogy)

Ch 26- Confessions

Hadrian had been having a particularly bad day. It was one of those days where everything seemed to go wrong. He woke up feeling off, his usual morning routine of studying and exercising before the day's classes bringing no solace. 

The unsettling feeling gnawed at him, making him irritable and distracted. He wasn't sure if it was the sleepless nights, the endless whispers behind his back about him being in Slytherin, or simply the looming presence of his brother, Julian, that was driving him mad.Julian Potter. Even though he was four years younger and didn't even attend Hogwarts yet, he seemed to haunt Hadrian's life. 

At seven years old, Julian was small, charismatic, and adored by nearly everyone who came into contact with him. The Potter family's golden child. Everywhere Hadrian went, it was as if he were just a shadow in Julian's light. 

Even at Hogwarts, people constantly asked him about his younger brother. Today was no different. In the corridors between classes, Hadrian had been approached by at least six different girls — all older, all infuriating. They weren't interested in him at all; they wanted him to deliver letters to Julian. Fan mail, as if he were some child celebrity. 

These girls, all around fourteen or fifteen years old, were mooning over a kid, barely out of childhood, as if he were some prince. They giggled and blushed, talking about how "adorable" and "cute" he was.

For Merlin's sake, he didn't even grow up with Julian. 

But they couldn't be bothered to give their letters to his parents — James and Lily, who were teaching at Hogwarts. Oh no, that would be too embarrassing. Instead, they thought it was perfectly fine to dump it all on Hadrian, like he was some kind of messenger pigeon for their fan mail.

He clenched his fists, anger flaring up inside him. For Merlin's sake, they were four years older than Julian, and they still acted like lovesick fools. It wasn't just annoying, it was humiliating. Why did everything have to be about Julian? Why couldn't anyone notice *him*?

The breaking point came when a Hufflepuff girl — round-faced and cheerful, like most of her housemates — caught his eye in the Great Hall. She was staring at him from across the room, holding a letter in her hands, her cheeks turning pink. 

He knew exactly what was coming. She was going to walk over, ask if he could "pretty please" deliver a letter to Julian, and flutter her eyelashes like it would make him want to help her.

When she did, Hadrian snapped.

"No, I am *not* delivering another damn letter to Julian!" he shouted, causing several heads in the Great Hall to turn and stare. 

The girl's face crumpled in shock, her eyes wide and watery. "If you're so desperate to give it to him, owl it yourself or give it to my parents. I'm not your bloody mailman!"

The girl stammered, "I... I didn't mean to—""I don't care what you meant!" Hadrian's voice was louder than he intended, his frustration pouring out unchecked. 

"I am *not* dealing with any more of this Julian nonsense!"The girl hurried away, clearly shaken, but Hadrian didn't feel any better. In fact, the outburst only made his mood worse. He didn't want to be angry, but he couldn't help it. 

Why did it always feel like everyone cared about Julian more than him? Why was he always the one left out, the one forgotten?

Later that evening, Hadrian was sitting in a dimly lit corner of the Slytherin common room with Draco, Theo, and Blaise. They were sprawled across the couches, talking and joking, trying to unwind after the day's frustrations.

 The common room was warm, the fire crackling in the hearth, casting shadows against the stone walls. Their conversation had drifted, as it often did, into discussing the girls at Hogwarts.