THE SERPENTS OF SLYTHERIN [BOOK 2 - SECRETS OF THE SNAKES]

-Doran's Ring-

HP AU Fanfic

Chapter 1: Summer Heat

"Come on Hadrian! I know you got more than that!"

Hadrian whirled around and shot ropes of Flamma Flagellum at Antoninus. It had been a gruesome duel for the last half an hour. Hadrian's shirt was drenched with sweat whilst Antoninus' was only half soaked. The summer heat had served as an extra obstacle in their training. Antoninus expertly batted the flames away to the side. Hadrian then switched out from his fiery offensive and cast a variety of spells, the body-bind curse, bone-breaker, cutting curse and a few others. Hadrian then noticed that Antoninus' image flickered slightly when he dodged his Stupefy. Not good!

Hadrian quickly turned around behind and cast a Protego in time to catch Antoninus' Umbra Cantariarum. The spell spewed against his shield. Hadrian then watched as the pressure on his shield decreased as the shadows started moving back towards Antoninus. Hadrian quickly strengthened his Protego while jumping in the air. Antoninus then let loose a force bomb around him. Hadrian managed to prevent himself from falling back and instead used the force bomb as a way to put distance between him and Antoninus. Hadrian's arm shuddered as he got sent back from the force bomb. Antoninus has gotten stronger… his force bomb really packed a punch…

Hadrian landed roughly on the grass and looked back up to see black colored spells being flung at him. Hadrian quickly rolled out of the way to his right before deflecting another two spells. Then all of a sudden, Antoninus closed in and launched a ferocious offense. When did he get so close? A mixture of black, red and blue came Hadrian's way. Hadrian dodged a few spells before meeting one of Antoninus' black spells head on. Red and black collided in the center between them. Hadrian let the ball of energy in the center come closer towards him. Hadrian then snapped the connection and grabbed the remnants of the ball of energy and blew on it. A fiery snake head was launched out towards Antoninus with its jaws open.

Antoninus instantly slashed his wand out with an Aqua Eructo. The spell struck the Fiendfyre and halted it temporarily. He then ducked below the fire and shot a stunner, bone-breaker and shin-splintering curse towards Hadrian. Hadrian barely managed to notice the spells came out from beneath the flame and dived out of the way in a hurry. This broke his connection to the Fiendfyre. Antoninus took this moment to release the strongest Aqua Eructo he could muster, a tidal waved erupted from his wand as the water doused out majority of the fire. He then whistled and swished his wand in a circular motion. The water surged forward towards Hadrian and encompassed him. Hadrian didn't get a good breath of air before getting submerged by the water, he was running out of the air quickly. Hadrian's senses were frazzled as he was getting tossed and turned around in the water. Hadrian's world then went black as he was hit with a red light within the water.

Antoninus then canceled the ball of water that he suspended Hadrian in the air. He cast Arresto momentum wandlessly and caught Hadrian before he hit the ground hard. They both had mastered the slowing spell wandlessly for Quidditch. You weren't allowed to bring a wand, so if they ever fell off their broom, they wouldn't become a tomato on the Quidditch field since they knew this spell. Antoninus had focused quite a bit on the Aqua Eructo spell, more than his shadow spells over the Summer. He had done so to match Hadrian when he unleashed his ace, Fiendfyre. Seriously… that spell is overpowered… if Hadrian somehow added the blue ball flame into it… that thing would be unstoppable. Water spells then can't put it out. You would need an extremely strong Finite spell or another Fire mage like Hadrian to put it out…

Antoninus waved his wand and cast an Enervate. Hadrian then suddenly sat up, spitting water out of his mouth. Antoninus then dried and cleaned Hadrian with two flicks of a wand.

"When did you master Aqua Eructo? I swear you started that only two weeks ago!"

"Practice… and when I started I pretty much looked like how you were just now. Actually nearly drowned myself in the shower once… it tends to happen."

Hadrian's eyebrows shot up at that. He then let out a grunt.

"Let's call it a day, I don't think the Confundus that you placed on our room at the Orphanage will last that much longer."

The two boys then started to run back to the Orphanage. This opening that they practiced in was in a forest 9 kilometers away from the Orphanage. Hadrian and Antoninus would set up the muggle repelling ward. This was thanks to Hadrian's constant study of Runes all summer long. Hadrian and Antoninus thought it would be good for their fitness for Quidditch by running to this area and back. They would cast Scourgify and freshen up once back at the Orphanage. The boys had a pretty good summer all things considered. Hadrian's parents, nor Dumbledore came after James tried to curse Antoninus last time. The anti-apparation wards were just a safety measure at this point. The ward also wasn't very large. It was enough to cover their room and down the hallway.

Both of the boys had been experimenting with various spells they read from the grimoires given to them by Nicholas. Antoninus had learned three spells and had also managed to now control Umbra Cantariarum perfectly. He had learned Nyx Tenebris, a warding spell that utilizes a subtly noticeable shadow shroud to make everything within that ward unable to speak, pretty much an area of effect Silencio, Noctis Diffinduo, a shadow version, of a more powerful cutting curse, and Farciretur, the shin-splintering curse. Antoninus had managed to teach Hadrian the shin-splintering curse. It didn't require any extensive shadow manipulation, unlike the other two spells. These spells were also all written in French. It seemed like Nicholas forgot to tell them that. He was from France after all… This had delayed both boys somewhat as they had become fluent in French in order to learn the spells from the grimoires. They didn't want risk using a spell if they didn't fully understand the magical theory and spell properties. That could be disastrous.

After getting back to the Orphanage and showering, the two boys laid down on their beds and canceled the Confundus they placed on the room. Hadrian then heard a pop in front of him. Wait… how is this possible, the anti-apparation ward… it is still working! Hadrian and Antoninus both shot up from their beds, wands drawn, to find a house-elf. A very badly dressed house-elf.

"How did you get through the anti-apparation ward?"

The elf's tennis ball sized eyes glanced around the room.

"Dobby is an elf, master Hadrian Potter must not go to Hogwarts-"

"I am sorry, but I cannot do that. I am going to Hogwarts."

"But terrible things are happening at Hogwarts this year, master Hadrian-"

"What things? What is so terrible?"

Honestly… what could be worse than your DADA teacher chasing you with the killing curse… and secretly turning out to be possessed by Voldemort...

"Dobby cannot say, Dobby is-"

"If you can't say, then I can't not go to Hogwarts."

"NO! Master Hadrian Potter is the brother of Julian Potter! He must be kept safe-"

"I can handle myself Dobby! I do not need you to watch me. Now leave…"

Hadrian then pointed his wand at him.

"Before I make you."

Dobby noticeably gulped.

"Dobby has been threatened by his Master before, 10 times a day, Dobby had to iron his hands…"

Dobby then raised his fingers that were wrapped in bandages.

"Master Hadrian Potter must-"

Dobby's body then went rigid and locked together, he then fell on the floor. Hadrian glanced over and saw that Antoninus had shot a body-bind curse at the elf. Good going… I was about to do just that… Hadrian then crouched down in front of the frozen Dobby.

"Now listen to me Dobby, when my friend, Antoninus, releases you. You will go annoy my brother and go bother him about not going to Hogwarts. Hogwarts is our home and Antoninus and I are going to it no matter what. If you do anything aside from apparating away from here we will both take you down and throw you outside in the garbage can, got it?"

Dobby's eyes dilated a bit. Hadrian gave Antoninus a nod and he waved his wand to cancel the body-bind. With a snap of the elf's fingers, both his and Antoninus' wands flew from their hands and to his.

"I am sorry Master Hadrian, but if you insisting then Dobby must-"

Dobby was then slammed by a drawer that Hadrian had wandlessly pulled out from behind Dobby. Antoninus then mustered what energy he could and fired a disarming charm from his fingertips. It hit Dobby's hand that held their wands. Hadrian and Antoninus then both caught their wands and worked in perfect sync. Hadrian bound Dobby with an Incarceous whilst Antoninus hit the elf with a stunner. Hadrian then walked over to see if the elf was really out cold. He then glanced around the room to make sure there were no more surprises.

"Now… let me figure out a way to block random house elves teleporting in as well… if there even is a way, if not… then we will throw him outside in the garbage can."

Hadrian and Antoninus left the Orphanage and were on their way to Diagon Alley. Since McGonagall wasn't escorting them this year, they could go buy the upper yearbooks without looking suspicious. They got changed into better muggle clothes first before walking around. They didn't want to wear these clothes at the Orphanage as other children would just ask questions and try and take it off them. The first stop that the boys made was Flourish and Blotts. There seemed to be some sort of commotion at the store today. Hadrian and Antoninus were buying the books first listed in their Hogwarts letters. The bookshelves were currently deserted on the upper level of Flourish and Blotts as everyone was downstairs with Lockhart.

"Seriously, what is the racket about?"

"Hadrian, Lockhart is our DADA teacher this year remember? Everyone is probably getting their book signed by him."

"Oh yeah… the fraud. Fabian was very critical of him during the meetings."

"He had every right to be… just read the first page of each of his books… you can tell he doesn't know a thing of the dark arts or advanced magic."

Antoninus then chucked the Gadding with Ghouls by Gilderoy Lockhart behind him and into a pile of other books. Hadrian and Antoninus then spent their time picking out other books. The leftover gold that they took out last time when McGonagall took them to Gringotts to supposedly 'withdraw gold for brooms' was enough to buy all the books they wanted. The clerk at the desk absentmindedly checked out their books as her attention was solely focused on Lockhart. She didn't notice that the two young boys had picked out NEWTS Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, Ancient Runes, and Arithmancy books.

Hadrian stood behind Antoninus for him to block his face. He didn't want to be mistaken for Julian and cause a commotion. There was then a blinding amount of flashes going off behind them. Hadrian turned and saw his brother next to Lockhart. He thought for certain his brother would get a seizure from the blinding amount of flashes. His eyes then flicked over to the left and saw his parents clapping on the sidelines for Julian. Now that he thought about it… this was the first time he personally saw the Potter family at a public venue, outside of Hogwarts.

"Let's go."

Antoninus nodded and he and Hadrian left the store instantly. The two then walked towards Gringotts. Both wondered if their investment in Ellerby and Spudmore's new broom was a walked through the grand lobby of Gringotts until they were in front of a familiar goblin with his head down.

"Name please?"

"Hadrian Potter."

"And Antoninus Black."

"Room 189, I will get Sharptooth and Bloodfang immediately."

The goblin jumped down from his desk and went down a different hallway. Hadrian and Antoninus made their way down the corridor until they were at room 189. They then sat down on the sofa in the room and waited for the two goblins. A few moments later, both goblins walked into the room. Bloodfang had a few pieces of parchment in his hand.

"Greetings, Mr. Potter, Mr. Black. I have the contracts for Mr. Black to sign. Ellerby's and Spudmore were very honored that you invested so heavily in their brooms. We came to an agreement of you both investing 3100 Galleons from your vault 1037. Along with the 12% share that you will also be given two brooms with your name and a number engraved on it. Gringotts will be taking 2% of the earnings you make as service fees. Ellerby and Spudmore also allowed in the contract that any future brooms that you purchase from their stores will be free of charge."

Essentially they get 10%. Both boys were fine with this as it was standard procedure for Gringotts bank. Antoninus read over the contract carefully, he then passed it over for Hadrian to read. It had been a very generous offer by them, well, they were looking to take off and challenge a duopoly of Nimbus and Cleansweap, so they would naturally be very generous to any huge and early investors.

"Firebolt huh? Has quite the ring to it."

"It does. Can't wait until the broom comes out. The enchantments and capabilities listen here are quite amazing."

"It's a good deal, for both parties. Go ahead and sign it Antoninus."

Bloodfang then handed Antoninus a blood quill to sign the contract.

"Excellent, I will go and file these off and send copies to Ellerby and Spudmore, Sharptooth has a few more things to discuss with you both, good day Mr. Potter, Mr. Black. Is there anything else you wish to send?"

"Please send this letter to Nicholas. For obvious reasons we chose not to send by owl."

Bloodfang gave them a cruel grin then left the room with the contracts and the letter to Nicholas in hand.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Black, I will cut to the point, I believe I may have found a solution for the issue that I raised last time."

Hadrian and Antoninus both leaned forward, Sharptooth's words gained their full attention.

"You see Mr. Potter, I did a lot of digging through the Potter archives whilst Griphook was out, I had found that James Potter is only Lord Potter… and not Lord Potter and Peverell. The oath and contract he signed to cement himself as Head of the Potter House didn't specify he would also become Lord Peverell as well, but only take over and manage any assets that were merged with the Potter estate."

Both Hadrian and Antoninus' eyes nearly popped out of their skulls. Hadrian then realized that what the goblin was saying was true. He remembered when James took his wand out to curse Antoninus. He only wore one ring on his hand. If he was indeed Lord of two houses, he would have two rings.

"So that means… I have a chance to become Lord Peverell when I come of age at 17?"

"No Mr. Potter, not 17, 14."

Hadrian nearly slipped off the couch at that.

"How is this possible?"

"Lord Potter can technically still claim Lordship of the Peverells any time he wishes. It just seems he is unaware. That much is known as he doesn't even utilize the Peverell votes in the Wizengamot. Your grandfather and those before him weren't aware of this either. I had looked through the document carefully many times to find that."

Hadrian was flabbergasted at the turn of events. Antoninus sat up straighter at hearing this as well.

"Aside from him, only you and your brother Julian are candidates for reclaiming the Peverell Lordship. Hence, according to the bylaws left behind by the Ignotius Peverell, in an emergency where there are less than three male Peverell descendants alive, they are to be emancipated and receive Lordship at the age of 14."

Sharptooth then handed Hadrian and incredibly old piece of parchment with barely readable writing. Hadrian reread the piece of old parchment for a long time.

"However, this can only be done so long as you remain in the Potter family. If you are cast out prior to 14 years old, then you will no longer be eligible. It will be down to a blood test, but even then, James and Julian Potter would have priority over you and will be made aware of it."

Hadrian tensed at that.

"I am sorry, Mr. Potter, but that is the only solution I have for you to potentially avoid the consequences of being cast out."

"14 huh? That is only two summers away… we can hold on till then. This doesn't really change our goal from before anyway. James won't cast you out unless you do something that is considered a serious crime or taints the Potter name permanently. Your association with me doesn't give him grounds to cast you out. Besides, he attacked me before summer remember? We have that as leverage… We were planning to lay low and be less confrontational with your brother at school anyways."

Bloodfang then reentered the room as Antoninus tried to make Hadrian think more positively.

"I see that Sharptooth must be explaining to you about Mr. Potter's potential chance. I will take this opportunity to also inform you Mr. Black that you have a chance at emancipation and claiming the Lord Black position at 14 as well."

Antoninus' eyebrows then shot up at that.

"Dumbledore did well to hide this and even had many files at Gringotts replaced. I suspect it was the work of Vytteeng… but I managed to recover the old bylaws of the Black family. If there is only one remaining Heir from the main branch that is alive, they may be emancipated and claim Lordship at 14. As long as you can come to us within a week after your 14th birthday, we can legally make you Lord Black, and you will then manage the Black estate, instead of Dumbledore… who has nearly defiled and split the corporations and resources the Black's had amongst his network of associates."

Bloodfang growled the last part out angrily. Both boys then looked at each other with determination in their eyes.

"Thank you Bloodfang, Sharptooth for the information. This may have just given us a chance to break free from the chains around us… honestly, Antoninus and I wouldn't know how to repay you both…"

The goblins then both laughed at Hadrian's sincere speech.

"You both already are paying us Mr. Potter, Mr. Black. The investment you just made gave us a 2% cut. We also are being paid 3% from whichever client we manage. We also have no doubt you both will make better financial decisions in the future than the current managers of your family estates… it would be profitable for Gringotts if we were to aid you both."

After that, both boys then left Gringotts and started heading back to the Orphanage under the disillusion charm. Hadrian had nearly bumped into his mother, who was looking around the street for any sign of him or Antoninus.