Chapter Four

"Boy! Get here now!" Bellowed a man. "Coming sir." I replied in a meek voice. I walked in the living room where three people. There was a woman, she was tall and thin with a very long neck. The others were an overweight man who was as tall as he was wide and a boy who was the size of a baby whale. "Mummy the Freak broke my train." whined the whale boy. "No I didn't." when these words left my mouth, the overweight man slapped me across my face. "How dare you boy! For two years we welcome you in to our home we clothe you, we feed you and this is how you repay us!? Your freakishness was inherited from you freakish parents, but we have always tolerated it until now. Starting today if any of us notice you doing anything freaky you shall be punished." I gulped I looked at the lady and she looked smug almost as if she was glad I was getting punished. "Just so you know what kind of punishments you will have I give you a little taster." the man took of his belt and hit me repeatedly, I cried out in pain but no one did anything.

"Wake up lad. It's just a dream." I awoke to Uncle Charlus shaking me. As soon as I could I clung to him crying my eyes out. "Shhh shhh it's alright I'm here." he gently whispered. He began to rub my back to soothe me. "Why don't you tell me about mm?" I nodded. I explained to him about the people in my dream and what had happened. He looked very angry now, once he notice my worry he said "I'm not angry at you, I'm angry at those people. Worry not Hadrian I shall not let anyone harm you." I nodded and clung to him tighter. "Why don't you sleep with me and Dorea for the night? come on lad." he picked me up and took me to there room, where a worried Aunty Dorea stood. Uncle Charlus told me about my nightmare and she gave me a big hug while whispering nice things in my ear. I was placed between Aunty Dorea and Uncle Charlus and they spoke to me until I fell asleep.

The next time I woke up it was light outside and both of the adults were still asleep. I was wondering on what I should do till James burst through the door interrupting my thoughts. "Mum! Dad! Hadrian is gone!" both adults quickly awoke with panicked faces. "oh don't worry he's right there..." the adults sighed in relief. "Don't you ever do that to us again James." said Aunty Dorea while giving me hug. Uncle Charlus was laughing and then gave me a hug also. James rushed over to me "Hadrian we never got to play quidditch yesterday. So I thought we could today, what do you think?" but before I could answer "James! he hasn't even had breakfast yet." scolded Aunty Dorea. James blushed and he gave her a sheepish grin "Sorry mum."

Uncle Charlus carried me town to the dining room and he placed me in the seat I sat in yesterday. "How about we have some chocolate chip pancakes with a bowl of fruit eh?" I nodded. He called Flutter and asked her to make breakfast. Once everyone was sat it appeared. Aunty Dorea cut my pancakes into small pieces before she began eating her own. The pancakes were great it tasted to fluffy and I liked it when the chocolate melted in my mouth. I was munching on an apple slice when James spoke "Mum I really want Hadrian to meet my friends can they come over?" I looked at Aunty Dorea, she look conflicted. "Well I suppose so, as long as you don't play to rough with Hadrian." James was all smiles now "Of course mum. Isn't that great Hadrian?" James looked really happy about so I guess so, I nodded and smiled back at him.

After Breakfast James went off to owl? his friend... me and Uncle Charlus was sat in the sitting room, I'm not sure what owling was I asked Uncle Charlus, he explained that James would write a letter then an owl would deliver it for him. That sounds convenient. James returned not long and sat next to me ruffling my hair. "Ah James your Mother and I need to run some errands, could you watch Hadrian for a little while?" asked Uncle Charlus. I looked at James and he beamed at me and answered Uncle Charlus enthusiastically "Yeah dad! Of course! Come on Hadrian let's go play." he took my hand in his and led me to my room, he got the stuff we got yesterday out. "What would you like to do first Hadrian?" I don't know... I didn't want to bug James so I pointed to the paints. "Painting? Awesome I'll have you know I'm quite the artist." he smiled he got everything ready and he got one of his old shirts for me to wear. I decided to paint my new stag. after an hour or so of painting James called an house elf and asked it to dry the paintings. "I like your stag painting Hadrian. Could I hand this up in my room?" I beamed at him and nodded "I'd like that."

Not long after that a house elf poofed in and told James that his friends are here. James thanked the house elf and picked me up as we made our way downstairs. "Everyone I would like you to meet Hadrian." James held me up for everyone to see. There were three boys, one was tall and had back hair and blue mischievous eyes. another had short sandy hair and he gave me a gentle smile and the last on was short and chubby who looked at me with jealousy. I wonder why? "Hello Hadrian, I'm Remus." I gave him a shy hello. the blacked haired boy looked at both me and James in disbelief "He looks like a mini version of you Prongs! Oh and I'm Sirius by the way and the little guy next to me is Peter." James laughed while Peter looked simply offended but said a quick hello. "I know Padfoot, good looks run in the family though." Prongs? Padfoot? "Those are their nicknames." answered Remus to my unasked question, I nodded in understanding. "Why don't we play quidditch?" asked James excitedly. "I think Hadrian is too young for quidditch James." stated Remus, I'm not too young I'm a big boy. "Come on Moony, he can fly with one of us." said Sirius trying to Convince Remus, bit Remus still looked reluctant. "I'll be okay Remus." I didn't want to be a burden on James and James really wanted to this quidditch thingy.

James quickly took my upstairs and dressed me in some outside playing clothes. Once we were outside James led the boys to the shed, when he opened it it had all these different brooms. Remus gave me a brief explanation on what quidditch was and what to do. I was placed on Remus's broom with him, because he didn't think that the others had enough self control to not go overboard with me on their broom.

I really enjoyed flying it was fun, although James won the game. But I didn't care I have had a brilliant day. it was four o'clock when Aunty Dorea and Uncle Charlus came back and they had a mountain of presents behind them. "Come on Hadrian we have got you some more birthday gifts, go on open them." Beamed Uncle Charlus. I sat down and opened them all carefully I had lots of great stuff I had a lots of books, toys and I even broom of my own, it wasn't like James's it was child's broom so I could go on it by myself. I thanked them over and over again. "Now lad it may be a child's broom but you are not to ride it without supervision alright?" instructed Uncle Charlus, I nodded. I don't think I've ever been so happy.

Once night time came James and his Friends disappeared into his room while Aunty Dorea and Uncle Charlus tucked me in to bed. That night I didn't have any nightmares.