66 Chapter 66: "Dumbledore's Recollection Part - 2"

As time went on, nothing out of the ordinary happened. Dumbledore was quite satisfied to see that James and Lily were heavily involved in their careers and focused on their son Charles, gradually paying less and less thought to Hadrian, their elder son. They had even stopped asking about him altogether. The only person who had been actively searching for Hadrian, his godfather Sirius, also seemed to have given up a year later, presumably moving on with his life.

This situation pleased Dumbledore as it meant he didn't have to deal with the repercussions of his neglect that led to the unfortunate passing of the young boy. He believed that the Potters wouldn't hold a grudge against him in the future, especially since he played a significant role in Charles' upbringing. Over the years, Dumbledore felt he had become closer to the Potter family, which he valued.

However, as the eleventh birthday of Hadrian approached—an age when children receive their Hogwarts letter—Dumbledore thought it might be time to address his past mistakes.

On that day, to Dumbledore's surprise, his deputy, Minerva McGonagall, brought him a Hogwarts admission letter that was meant for Hadrian Potter.

Minerva questioned why the letter for the boy wasn't sent to the Dursley's home in London, but instead to the Black Castle. Dumbledore found himself too shocked by this revelation to provide her with an answer.

This revelation was a surprise to Dumbledore. The letter implied several things: firstly, that Hadrian had not died as previously believed. Someone must have rescued him on that fateful night since Hadrian was in no condition to save himself, and then they cleverly made it appear as though he had died to deceive him. Furthermore, it was revealed that Hadrian was now under the care of Arcturus Black, the formidable Lord Black.

Dumbledore deduced that the Blacks must have come into contact with Hadrian only about a year after the incident, which aligns with when Sirius ceased his search. This was because if the Blacks had saved Hadrian, then the fate of the Dursleys would have been much worse.

For Dumbledore, this news was unsettling. He didn't have all the details, but one thing was certain: Hadrian was likely to be raised by Lord Black and would be recognized as the Heir of the Potter family, possibly even becoming the future Lord Potter, which would eliminate any chance for Charles to inherit the title. Dumbledore was aware that Arcturus Black, whom he regarded with a degree of apprehension, would ensure Hadrian's rightful place in the Potter lineage.

Dumbledore managed to soothe Minerva McGonagall's questions and sent her on her way, but his mind was already racing with the implications of what had just unfolded. 

He realized the loss of the Potter vote in the Wizengamot was inevitable and worried about Hadrian Potter's feelings towards him and his own parents. He just hoped that the Blacks did not turn the boy Dark like them. His greatest fear was the possibility of Hadrian turning to darkness, influenced by his tough experiences in the non-magical world, reminiscent of Tom Riddle's own troubled past. Dumbledore was determined to prevent another Dark Lord from emerging because of his mistakes.

Dumbledore reassured himself that the situation hadn't reached its worst. Hadrian, still young and legally under his parents' guardianship, could be brought back from the Blacks' influence. Dumbledore's task was to locate Hadrian, bring him back to his parents, and mend their relationship. He firmly believed that, given time, any rifts within the family would heal.

According to Dumbledore, the bonds of family were strong enough to overcome past grievances, and Hadrian would eventually forgive his parents, choosing a path aligned with the light.

But as the days went by, Dumbledore's hope began to fade. It appeared his previous actions had been too effective. James and Lily Potter seemed to have moved on, showing little concern for Hadrian, their firstborn son. They hadn't approached Dumbledore about Hadrian's expected integration into the magical world, a troubling sign of their detachment.

To complicate matters further, Dumbledore couldn't pinpoint Hadrian's whereabouts. The location of the Black Castle, where he suspected Hadrian might be, remained a mystery, and the Black family was unresponsive to his inquiries. Even his extensive network couldn't provide any clues, leading Dumbledore to question whether the Hogwarts admission quill had erred in its address or, more worryingly, if Hadrian had not survived after all.

This uncertainty left Dumbledore in a precarious position, grappling with the potential fallout of his decisions and the daunting task of reconciling with a boy who might view him as an adversary.

While Dumbledore was immersed in his efforts to locate Hadrian, a letter from the Ministry arrived today, causing him considerable worry. As the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, he was notified that Hadrian Ignotus Potter had successfully completed all the necessary steps to become legally emancipated that very day.

Learning that Hadrian had excelled in his OWL exams in Arithmancy, History of Magic, and Muggle Studies was not too much of a surprise, given he was under the care of Arcturus Black. However, the news of his emancipation took Dumbledore by surprise.

Emancipation was no simple matter; it required proof that the young wizard could responsibly wield magic and also necessitated the consent of his guardians.

Yet, it seemed Sirius Black, with Arcturus Black and Amelia Bones' assistance, had skillfully navigated the bureaucratic channels of the Ministry. They managed to liberate Hadrian from the control of his parents and, consequently, from Dumbledore's influence.

This development troubled Dumbledore deeply. It implied he would lose any leverage over Hadrian, raising concerns that without proper guidance, Hadrian might be drawn towards darker paths. Dumbledore did not want the two brothers to face each other during the inevitable war on Voldemort's return.

As Dumbledore pondered the ramifications of this revelation, the glow of his office's floo network caught his attention. This emergency floo connection was rarely used, sparking his curiosity about the visitor who deemed it necessary to contact him so late into the night.