Of Monsters and Men

II.

Unassigned children should not exist, Hadrian ponders as he walks through Little Whinging; Harry still cradled in his arms. There's no humans awake to see him, which gives him the opportunity to walk in the middle of the road. Besides, even if he was seen... what can humans really do? He has magic, although he does not know if he can use Tom's wand. He should be able to. A part of him wants to; longs to; demands him to.

It's not the main of his concerns right now. The wand nevertheless burns temptingly.

There's still the question of why Harry does not have a monster of his own; Hadrian still belongs to Tom. Then there's the more pressing question of where they should go.

Tom's followers are not Hadrian's friends, and he can't impose on Garrick. It really only leaves one place.

"I hope that you're not afraid of monsters, Harry."

Not that it matters. Hadrian does what he has to, especially if it will do Tom good, and he truly thinks that Harry will do the new Tom, the one that calls himself Voldemort, a lot of good.

---

"I did not expect to see you back here anytime soon." a voice he knows all too well greets them when Hadrian enters his home. Harry is thankfully still asleep; has been since Hadrian first stole the child.

"Circumstances changed." Hadrian deflects the true question. He rarely gets visitors, and he cares more for Harry's well being than he cares about if he's being rude.

"Sit down and tell your uncle?" Death suggests and Hadrian smiles thinly. It's nice with something familiar, something with a pattern that he can foresee, even if it's Death.

"Why are you here?" he counters instead of answering as he starts moving furniture around with his tentacles. He has to transfigure some of it for Harry's care... Tom's wand hums inside him, in anticipation or in mourning. Perhaps both. He wonders if it misses it's brother or if it misses Tom. He still doesn't use it, as tempting as it is.

"I was curious as to what my dear nephew has been up to, and it's not everyday you meet your destined master." Death answers unheedfully and conjures them both some tea. Hadrian looks at the offered mug but makes no move to take it. He feels as if he should be surprised that Harry is the destined Master of Death, but it's almost as if he expected it.

"Harry does not need you. Nor does I."

"You can't tell Death what to do. Drink your tea."

Hadrian takes the mug this time. Much as he hates to admit it, Death would be great help in locating Tom.

---

"No."

"No?" Hadrian repeats, the word overwhelmingly salty in his mouth. He abhors salt. It reminds him too much of Tom's tears.

"Your lover only has himself to blame. I will not assist any resurrections. In my opinion, he's better off if he turns completely dead."

"But I need Tom." Hadrian whispers. It sounds broken and desperate even to him. Once, he would have been nauseous by the mere thought of needing someone else.

Harry wakes up and starts crying.

---

Children that grow up in the realm of monsters turn peculiar by circumstance. Hadrian is sure that Harry would have been just as peculiar in any other environment; Harry is more than just Harry.

Longing and loss has made lesser men delusional, but Hadrian is no man and he knows that he's not imagining the tugging at his heartstrings that reminds him sickeningly of Tom. It only happens when Harry is let out of sight, and it's stronger than the connection that he has to Tom's Horcruxes; perhaps with the exception of the one he carries as a skin.