puer autem ineffabilem (The Unspeakable boy)

Summary: On that fateful Halloween night, only one of the Potter twins survived. Supposedly, Eve Potter defeated the Dark Lord after he had just obliterated her brother, thus becoming the Girl-Who-Lived. That's the story everyone knows. But the department of mysteries knows differently, and so does the well trained, well informed, eleven year old unspeakable they're sending to Hogwarts.

Pairings: undecided. Suggestions would be appreciated.

Rating: T (may raise to M later)

Disclaimer: I, in no way, own anything to do with the Harry Potter series

-/-\-/-\-/-\-

My name is Hadrian Wordsworth. It is also Haris Wardell. As well as Harold Eadward, Hakim Bashar, Heinrich Hochberg and Henri De Sauveterre. I have many more names, but those all depend on where the department has me training at the time. But no matter where I go, deep down I will always be, Harry Potter, the-boy-who-died... Even if I can't tell anyone.

kings cross station

Alan and Leanne Wordsworth stood with their son Hadrian, at the entrance to platform nine and three quarters. They walked through the semi-illusory warded gateway to the hidden platform, and as soon as they emerged into the crowds of wizards and children, each one of the three amplified their public face for the occasion.

Leanne was teary eyed, but smiling so broadly it was unbelievable. Whereas Alan looked like he was experiencing the kind of pride only a father can feel. The skinny eleven year old, with unkempt dark hair, looked considerably apprehensive as he wheeled his trunk along on it's luggage trolley. Out of the three of them though, only the young Hadrian's expression was completely genuine.

Four weeks prior, Ministry of Magic, department of mysteries. briefing room 3

After the four figures had taken their seats around the table, the uniformed unspeakable began by addressing the youngest of their number. "Harry, these two people are Alan and Leanne, they will act as your parents when necessary. You have read the background file we provided you with?"

Harry rolled his eyes briefly, before answering seriously. "Of course, sir. I am Hadrian Wordsworth, eleven years old, only son of Alan and Leanne Wordsworth, who are 36 and 34 respectively. I'm a half-blood, my mother's a muggle, my dad is a wizard. Mother owns a bookshop, my father works with her, and we live in Woking, Surrey. If anyone asks, my dad was a Hufflepuff, and mine and his favourite quidditch team are The Wimbourne Wasps. My birthday is on the 1st of December, my star sign is Sagittarius and my favourite colour is green..." Then a sly smile spread across the young boys face, and he continued in a mock boastful tone. "I'm also an unregistered animagus, I cast a mean patronus, i've survived the killing curse and I'm definitely 'not' Harry Potter 'the-boy-who-died'... That about it, Croaker?"

Croaker laughed, croakily if you can believe it, and answered jokingly. "Well, sort of, it was going well up until 'i'm an unregistered animagus' but apart from that, you're ready to go i'd say."

Harry looked amused, but a disheartened look soon came across his face. "But, Croaker, why can't 'you' act as my dad or something?" Harry quickly turned to 'Leanne' and 'Alan' and said. "No offence! I'm sure you two are great fake parents, it's just" He turned back to Croaker. "I'd be more comfortable with someone I know, y'know?"

Croaker sighed. "I know, but I don't want to risk being recognised, and the concealment charms would take extra effort, not to mention all the other duties i'd have to do as your 'legal dad', which i'd have to split between my current duties. The department thinks its just unnecessary, as much as i'd like to."

Harry slumped in his chair, dejectedly answering. "Understood, sir."

Present day, Kings cross station, platform nine and three quarters

"Okay kiddo, remember to write, okay? Don't want your poor ol' mum worrying now, do we?" Alan beamed as he wished his son well.

"And stay safe! Don't do anything that might get you in trouble. But don't be lazy!" Leanne fretted over her son, as Alan looked on happily.

"Alright mum, but i've gotta go, 'cos, the train." Hadrian said, as his mother engulfed him in a bone breaking hug.

"Okay sweetie. Go, go! Don't let it leave without you." His mother shooed him away, whilst still looking after her son tearfully, as Hadrian boarded the Hogwarts express.

"Look after yourself son, I can't wait to hear what house you're in!" Was Alan's last call, as Hadrian Wordsworth disappeared into the train, and numerous other children and teenagers swarmed onto the locomotive as well.

Hadrian now needed to begin his primary objective, the whole reason the department had taken him in, trained him, raised him. He needed to find his sister, Eve Potter, the-girl-who-lived, and protect her. Now, Hadrian (and the department) figured the best way to do that, would be to befriend her. First however, Hadrian had to find her.

The train had started moving before Hadrian found his objective. She was sat in a compartment, along with a red haired boy.

Poking his head through the door, Hadrian sheepishly asked. "Alright, err, can I sit in here? There's not much room anywhere else."

The red head answered, saying. "Tell me about it mate. Sure, I mean, if thats cool with you?" The ginger haired boy looked across at the girl-who-lived, who nodded and said. "Yeah sure, come in."

After Hadrian had pulled his trunk inside, Eve brushed a lock of her long dark red hair out of her light hazel eyes, and continued. "i'm Eve Potter, this is Ron Weasley. You are?"

If Hadrian had to say, he would note that Eve did sound a little too pleased with her surname. But he could hardly judge character straight off the bat, however that didn't mean he had to indulge possible arrogance, so he said. "I'm Hadrian Wordsworth, nice to meet 'cha both."

As Hadrian settled into a seat next to Eve, closer to the door, Eve and Ron continued the conversation they'd been having. "Anyway Eve, what quidditch team d'you support? I support the Chudley cannons." Ron spoke pridefully.

Eve was about to answer, but Hadrian chipped in, to say to Ron. "Wow, you're a cannons supporter? Huh... I didn't think they had any fans left." Hadrian quipped sarcastically.

"Oi!" Ron objected. Then accusingly asked Hadrian. "What team d'you support then?"

7 years ago. Croakers office, deparment of mysteries.

A much younger Harry was sat in Croakers office, spinning on a chair and waiting for the moment when Croaker would announce that they could go home. When the little boy spotted something that piqued his curiosity, Harry piped up. "Croak? Why's a picture of a wasp on your mug?"

Croaker looked over his desk at little Harry and answered sagely. "Well Harry, thats the mark of the quidditch team I support."

"What's Kidditch?" Harry questioned, as he stopped his office chair spinning to question the unspeakable.

"Well Harry, Quidditch is a sport. Played in the air, flying on broomsticks." Croaker explained.

"Cool, can we play?" Harry answered, awed at the answer.

"Not at your age, Harry." Croaker chuckled, before noticing the downtrodden look the boy now exhibited. "Tell you what though, i could check with the higher ups, see if we can get out to see a game or two."

"Really!?" Harry responded, now practically bouncing on his seat.

"Probably. You'd have to go under concealment charms though. Remember those kiddo?"

"Yep!" Harry replied joyfully.

The next week, Harry Potter went with Croaker to see his first Quidditch match. The Wimbourne Wasps VS The Appleby Arrows. The Wasps lost 170 to 40, but it was one of the most exciting things Harry could remember in his young life.

Back in the present, on the Hogwarts express

"The Wimbourne Wasps." Hadrian answered proudly.

"Cough, bandwagon, cough." Ron joked.

"Hey, me 'n my dad have been Wasps since I was little, my dad since before then. I've even got my Wasps scarf in my trunk" Hadrian seemed offended, but was smiling nonetheless. It was all in good fun after all. And he was enjoying actually being able to talk with people of his own age for an extended period of time.

"Whatever" Ron snorted a bit with laughter, before regarding Eve again. "So, what team do you support then Eve?"

"Holyhead Harpies." The girl-who-lived answered simply.

To this, both boys made simultaneous 'ahhh's' of understanding. Before Ron said. "Figures."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Eve challenged.

"Nothin' nothing, they're a good team." Ron quickly covered.

Eve answered with a victorious 'hm'. Before a calm silence descended upon their compartment.

"So..." Hadrian broke the silence inquisitively. "What houses are you two hoping for?"

Both Eve and Ron answered simultaneously, chorusing. "Gryffindor."

There was a moment of chuckling, before Ron said. "Yeah, my whole family have been Gryff's, so i'm pretty much a cert."

"Same here." Eve added brightly.

"Plus you're the-girl-who-lived, so there's that." Ron added.

"So?" Eve retorted defensively.

"Well, y'know, defeating He-who-must-not-be-named... That's pretty brave." Ron somewhat shyly joked.

"Ugh, I don't even know what the big deal is. It's not like I duelled him or-" Eve was getting irate, so Hadrian opted to shift the subject back to houses.

"I'm hoping for Hufflepuff." Hadrian said, a little too cheerfully.

This silenced Eve, and drew both her's and Ron's attention to him. Both of them wearing slightly shocked, puzzled expressions.

"... What?" Hadrian said, taken aback by the looks they were giving him.

"Well... No offence, but, no one really 'hopes' for Hufflepuff." Ron sheepishly said.

"Yeah. And, I mean, nothing wrong with Hufflepuff, but." Eve continued.

"My dad was a Hufflepuff." Hadrian stated, faking being offended by the insult to his 'father's' house. But he silently thought to himself, a little genuinely disheartened. 'Croaker was a Hufflepuff too'

"Er, what we mean is..." Ron rambled, fishing for a salvation to this faux pas.

"You don't really seem like a Hufflepuff!" Eve blurted, sounding as if she'd metaphorically struck gold in the saving of the conversation.

Hadrian opted to have a little fun at the expense of the two, so he let them stew in silence for a minute. Fixing them both with cold stares. Before bursting out into laughter. "HAhahaa, oh dear, you two's faces. Man, that was funny."

Ron and Eve looked flustered, yet amused and relieved as well. And soon they joined the laughter too.

Then their laughter was interrupted by a hooting, screeching sound from the luggage racks. Hadrian looked up, and saw a snowy owl in a cage sitting up there. "Ohh, whose is she?" He questioned.

"Her names Hedwig, and how do you know she's a she?" Eve answered happily.

"I love animals." Hadrian replied with a smile. "You got a familiar Ron?"

"Well, sort of." The freckled boy replied, glumly.

"What do you mean sort of?" Eve said, raising an eyebrow.

"His name is Scabbers... He's a rat." Ron said, taking a sorry looking Rat out of it's small cage, from where it had resided under the seats. "And a terrible one at that..."

"Do you have a pet Hadrian? I don't see a cage or anything, do you not have one?" Eve asked curiously.

"Oh, i've got a familiar. She just doesn't like being cooped up, and I can trust her not to wander off too far, so." Hadrian lifted his forearm up, and raised his other forearm to meet the cuff of his jackets sleeve.

Ron and Eve's eye widened in alarm, as Eve stuttered out. "Good luck with getting into Hufflepuff. With a pet like that, I think theres only one house for you."

4 years ago, Department of mysteries

Croaker had instructed him to wait here before they began the lesson of the day. And in Harry's personal opinion, there were way too many jars in this room. They were all bell jars made of a thick looking glass, all on raised platforms, and some of them were clouded, their contents obscured. Whereas others were visible, but no less unidentifiable. The few jars, with contents Harry could identify, contained things that Harry thought were mundane objects, but this being the department, he knew they were anything but. One even contained an animal. The one containing a living specimen caught his eye in particular, or ear rather, when he heard a voice hiss. "What a loathhhhsssome human you aaaare... Sssssmall, ssssmelly, ssstupid, and you can't even undersssstand me you ssssilly, little-" Harry whirled around and locked eyes onto the source of the voice.

The voice immediately stopped when Harry faced the speaker. And after a few moments of awkward silence, the speaker spoke once more. "Caaan you hhhear me?"

Harry answered very tentatively. But when his voice came out, it was different. It slipped out, the sounds of the words he spoke came so naturally, yet Harry couldn't control or even comprehend how he was making them. This resulted in his tone being somewhat confused and surprised. "Yessss..."

"Thhen get meee out of hhhere." The speaker replied.

In an adjoining room, Croaker and another unspeakable were watching the events going on with Harry, as the boy lifted down the jar and proceeded to free its inhabitant. "Out of all the possible connections, it was that... Can't say i'm surprised." The Unspeakable said dryly.

To which Croaker replied, with a hint of pride. "Neither can I. This is a breakthrough though. Harry Potter. The-Boy-Who-Died. A parseltongue... You compile information on parseltongues and anything serpentine and magical. I'll tell Harry."

Present day, Howgwarts express.

"Oh come one, just 'cos i've got a snake as my familiar doesn't mean i'm a Slytherin. Besides, whats wrong with Slytherin?" Hadrian answered offhandedly, as the blue and purple, striped garter snake wound its way around his right arm.

"What's wrong with Slytherin?" Ron said, sounding aghast. "My dad said no one good has ever come out of Slytherin."

Eve added informatively. "Yeah, my dad says the same. It's also you-know-who's house..."

"Well, if I am in Slytherin I guess i'll have to make some changes then." Hadrian smiled, trying to settle the two down. If he had known they'd freak out like this, he probably wouldn't have shown them. "It's just a snake guys. Besides, Calypso's harmless, ain't'cha girl?" Hadrian said, lifting the small serpent up to eye level.

"Well, if you say so..." Said Ron, not sounding the least bit convinced, and even a bit wary.

Eve was thankfully a little less put off than Ron was, and said. "Calypso's a lovely name though. But, is she supposed to be that colour."

"Aha, check this out." Hadrian said, proudly, as he drew his wand, and levelled it at the snake. "Red and yellow alright with you Calypso?" He asked the serpent, whilst Eve and Ron looked on, dumbfounded.

The display was halted though, as the door to their compartment suddenly slid open. Turning their attentions to the now open door, the three were greeted by a girl with (in Hadrian's opinion) ridiculously bushy brown hair. The newcomer leant into their compartment and asked, no, demanded of them. "Have any of you seen a toad? His name is Trevor. A boy called Neville's lost him you see."

They were about to answer, when the bushy haired girl seemed to actually realise what was going on in the compartment. She yelped rather violently, reeling back from the snake, which had been (given Hadrian's seating in the compartment) quite close to her face. After recovering, and realising that 'no, the very small snake was not going to devour her whole, or poison her, or do anything untoward like that' the girl noticed how Hadrian was holding his wand. She asked, flustered but trying to regain some sense of composure. "So, are you doing magic? Go on, let's see it then."

The attention went back to Hadrian, who, with a "uhhhm, okay." Placed his wand on Calypso's back, and silently cast the spell.

The snake instantly changed colour, going from electric blue and deep purple vertical stripes, to bright yellow and ruby red, band-like horizontal stripes.

A collective 'wow' went up from the three onlookers. And each responded in their own way. Ron commented with an impressed. "Wicked." Eve similarly said "aww, so cool." And Hermione flared up, saying. "How did you do that without saying an incantation?! That's really advanced, even if it is just a colour changing spell, thats silent casting of transfiguration. How did you do it!"

'Oh, good grief' Hadrian thought, as realisation dawned on both Eve and Ron's faces. Then Eve said, sounding in equal parts impressed and curious. "Yeah. That's apparently really difficult to do."

"Mate, screw Slytherin, you're a Ravenclaw if you're doing magic like that." Ron declared.

Hadrian knew he screwed up, and could just try and pass this off as harmlessly as he could. There was nothing wrong with standing out for being smart, but standing out too much, standing out like casting silent spells in his first year, would be problematic. The department had trained him better than to make mistakes like this. "Uhh, I dunno, I just, did it. I've done the spell a bunch of times before so."

The bushy haired girl then began speaking. "Well anyway, that's really impressive." as Hadrian thought 'oh thank Merlin, i'm off the hook' whilst the girl carried on. "I've read all the books of course, and more, but I couldn't even begin to try that. Or maybe I could. I'm Hermione Granger by the way."

"Hadrian Wordsworth." "Ron Weasley." "Eve Potter." The respective owners of said names replied.

To this, Hermione lit up like a christmas tree, her hair was bushy enough too Hadrian considered. "You're Eve Potter? Oh my gosh, i've read all about you of course. You're in 'The rise and fall of the Dark Arts' and 'modern magical history'. Not to mention the papers i've seen you and your family in. I can't imagine what it must be like, to go into hiding for your whole life. You're so brave, and defeating the Dark lord too, wow, you're a role model really." Hermione rambled.

"Heh, thanks." Eve said, somewhat sheepishly. "But s'no big deal really, I was only a baby when I 'defeated' you-know-who. And it's not like I did much."

"Huh." Hadrian interjected, after having noticed something Eve said, and found it curious.

"... What is it?" Inquired Eve.

"I don't know, it's... It's just out of all the people in the world, I thought at least you'd have the guts to call him Voldermort." If anything, Hadrian sounded disappointed. But all that disappointment, vanished with the reactions the other three gave.

Eve and Ron gasped to such a degree that it was remarkable they didn't pass out. And Hermione seemed quite put off.

He had expected this, and Hadrian explained. "My dad always told me, 'fear of the name increases fear of the thing itself."

Eve scrambled to regain her composure, and stuttered out. "Yeah, well, I don't say his name 'cos, y'know, it'd, err, scare, other people. Yeah, don't wanna frighten ya' haha, haa. I've no problem saying it if you can. I'll s-say it all day... V-voldermort... There, haha, haa..." The girl-who-lived hurried out the dark lords name like lightning, afterwards gulping, quite obviously alarmed at how she had managed to say it.

"Well, i'm going to continue helping Neville look for Trevor. It was nice meeting you all, see you later." Hermione said rather briskly. Smiling widely at Eve, nodding at Ron and casting an appraising yet wary smile at Hadrian.

Silence reigned in the carriage for a time after that, until they heard a voice call from the doorway. "Anything from the trolley dears?"

Some time, and many bertie botts every flavour beans later...

"Ok, last one." Eve said, "what d'you two reckon it is from the colour." Staring at the jelly beam in her hand.

"Nothing thats browny-beige ever tastes good. I'm thinking wax of some kind." Hadrian surmised.

"Nah mate, could be cookie dough or something." Ron said thoughtfully.

"Only one way to find out." Eve smiled, and ate the bean. She chewed for a moment, before her face contorted into a grimace and she made a sound akin to a car engine grinding to a halt. She swallowed the bean, and then said in a defeated, disgusted manner. "Burnt candle wax."

"Yes!" Hadrian exclaimed. Punching his hands into the air. Then retracting them and apologetically saying. "I mean, aww, tough luck."

The three had started laughing, when their compartment door once again slid open unannounced. This time their visitor, or visitors, were a blond haired boy, who was being flanked by what Hadrian could swear were half trolls, but at second glance they were revealed to just be big guys. "I heard that Eve Potter was on the train. Are you her?" The blonds drawl of a voice was directed at Eve, obviously. As he bluntly ignored both Hadrian and Ron.

"Err, yeah that's me." Eve answered simply. "Hi."

"Well Miss Potter, i'm Draco Malfoy, and might I suggest you choose you company wisely. Your family has come out of hiding, so I should warn you that 'some people'," with the comment of, some people, Draco shot a pointed look at Ron. Whose face soured even further than it had when he first laid eyes on the blond boy. Draco continued regardless. "Theres nothing to be gained from associating yourself with losers, and nobodies."

In saying losers, the Malfoy boy shot a look at Ron and with the comment of nobodies, he cast a withering gaze across Hadrian. Hadrian didn't much care what the Malfoy brat though of him, and could only spare to think to himself, amusedly. 'I'm not a Nobody(1), i'm still an unspeakable. Though being a Nobody officially would be awesome, Croaker says they get to actually use all the badass department stuff. But then again, officially i'm dead so what can I do.'

When Hadrian snapped out of his own thoughts, Eve had stood up and was confronting Draco. "I don't care who you, or your 'father' are. You don't get to insult my friends!" The girl-who-lived then proceeded to slam the door shut in Draco's face. Before she huffed, and slumped back down into her seat, arms crossed, looking agitated.

There was a pregnant silence, before Ron quipped. "I can see now. You-know-who never stood a chance."

Eve spared an exasperated. "Oh shut up." Before Ron said. "Thanks though, for defending us. Not that we couldn't have done it ourselves, but still. cheers. Malfoy's a right prat."

Eve gave a nod of confirmation, and the train journey returned to normal. The three of them sitting and talking about Hogwarts, Quidditch, their families, and various other things until it came time to change into their school robes. Ron and Hadrian stepped out of the compartment whilst Eve changed, and when she had her robes on, she did the same to allow Ron and Hadrian to change.

Soon after they had donned their robes, and Hadrian had Calypso under his sleeves, wound around his forearm, the train began to pull to a stop.

They had finally arrived at Hogwarts school for witchcraft and wizardry. Here's where Hadrians mission would really start.

-/-\-/-\-/-\-

A/N: I started writing this and couldn't stop. I find the department of mysteries so intriguing, so full of possibilities, and deputy unspeakable Harry promises to be quite fun. Consider this a shot at the 'Harry is raised by (insert powerful maguffin here)' genre, with half 'wrong boy(girl) who lived' too. Read, review and follow if you enjoy it. Thanks for getting this far!

Also, i've had formatting trouble, so you'll just have to dofferentiate thoughts, speech and parseltongue through the contest and wording. Parseltongue should be easy to ssssssspot.

Footnotes:

1) Nobody/Nobodies. A branch of the Department of Mysteries. While the Unspeakable's are focused more on research, the Nobodies do field work and covert operations.