53 Ch53. Susan's talent

Hadrian was on his morning run.

Since he found out the more fit his body is, the more potent will his magic turn out, he started to train some exercises that will in the long run improve his agility and dexterity. He was going for the so-called lean muscular build.

This was not his first run as he quickly decided his route the next day he came to Hogwarts. The grounds were enormous so there was always someplace where he could exercise in peace. He would prefer the Room of Requirements but unfortunately, Dumbledore was watching him like a hawk. He could feel the eyes of portraits following him. Occasional 'accidental' ghost popping up here and there with some lame excuse... well, at least he didn't feel any house-elves with his perception. It was such a pity Kreacher as an elf bound to House Black could not enter the grounds without the Headmaster getting a notice.

Alas, he had to make do with what was available.

Looking behind himself, a bemused smile crept up his face. There, Susan Bones was huffing and puffing as her clothes were drenched in sweat, her eyes sleepy, and the girl barely kept running. This was the second day she joined him for his exercises as when she found out, she vehemently demanded to be taken along. Then, she proceeded to give up mid-run and Hadrian thought that would be the end of it but he was wrong. The next day, today more precisely, she showed up as he was leaving the common room, all fired up with great resolve in her eyes. Now, she is barely dragging her feet.

Hadrian was at first annoyed that she slowed him down but could only sigh in exasperation. She was his friend and so far he had only two in Hogwarts.

He stopped to almost crawl as he waited until she reached him and gave her a smile she promptly tried to weakly reciprocate, sending him more of a wince than an actual smile.

"Sue, let's rest for a moment." Hadrian quipped and nodded in the direction of the grass-filled clearing.

Susan's eyes instantly lit up as she bobbed her head up and down in total agreement.

They sat down, surrounded by the grass. Hadrian watched Susan trying to regain her breath in amusement, her chest going up and down as he asked.

"Why did you decide to join me in my exercises?"

"I am sorry." Susan quietly answered, her eyes tearing up as she thought he is unhappy with her presence.

"No, no. I didn't mean it like that." Hadrian assured her as he waved his hands in denial.

"I just wanted to spend my time with you." Susan said sincerely with red cheeks. "I didn't have any idea it would be this demanding though." She huffed in good humor, making Hadrian roll his eyes at her.

"You can always quit."

"Nope." She intoned the 'p'.

"Whatever. So, any information about Snape?" Hadrian 'offhandedly' asked.

"Oh..." Susan's face scrunched into a dejected expression. "He will be suspended for a year but other than that, nothing."

Hadrian's eyes widened at that.

"But..."

"Headmaster Dumbledore vouched for him in DMLE and even Lucius Malfoy relented eventually and demanded lighter punishment before the Board of Governors. None of the injured will have any permanent scars as it was quite a low-grade potion so that weighed a lot in his favor." Susan shook her head sadly. "Aunt was so angry. She tried to hide it but I know her enough. Dumbledore dragged Minister into it and well..."

"I see. Any idea who will be the new Potion Professor?" He tried to distract himself from the information.

Snape injured five Heirs and got only the suspension? Heck, that's a dream come true for the git. He now has time to focus on brewing while being free from his duties as a teacher. 'His' actions would see any other man in Azkaban for years.

"Ah, one of Aunties aurors. She at least persuaded the Minister into being better informed of what is going on in Hogwarts. 'After all, it would not do well for more heirs to be injured.', were her words." Susan chuckled. "She was laughing herself silly on the sour expression Dumbledore showed when Minister and the Board of Governors approved."

"And the name?" He asked, praying to not hear any Shacklebolt or Moody come out of her mouth as that would make it a moot point.

"Peter Horple." Susan furrowed her brows as she searched her memory. "He is one of the five Potion Masters in the auror force."

Hadrian nodded satisfied but disgruntled as he will have to factor into his plans an auror roaming the school.

"Oh, I tried more wandless transfiguration!" Susan suddenly exclaimed and Hadrian almost jumped out of his skin.

Quickly channeling his perception he sent a pulse of magic around. Only when he was assured no one was in the immediate surrounding and no scrying spell was on him, his shoulders sagged as he glared at Susan.

"Oh, sorry." She looked sheepishly at the ground.

"Never mind, just be more careful. Now. Show me your new trick." He excitedly prompted her.

Susan reached her hand out and grabbed a handful of grass. She showed it to Hadrian as the stalks laid on her outstretched palm. He felt her channeling magic into her palm, exactly as he showed her. Peeking at her expression he found it cute how it was scrunched up in extreme focus.

The magic started affecting the grass as it slowly started disappearing from the view. Hadrian reached his hand towards Susan's and as he ran his index finger over her palm, he felt her squirm.

"You are tickling me." Susan giggled.

Hadrian was astonished when his finger felt the grass. She made it invisible... No. She made the surface reflect the light. She transfigured it to contain some kind of invisibility coating. If nothing else, this was a new spell and Susan invented it all by herself, in under a week since Hadrian showed her the wandless transfiguration in their Transfiguration Class.

Hadrian's gaze towards Susan changed. She was no longer a good friend but a slightly above average talented witch. He remembered from the movies she was not incredibly exceptional. Her most redeeming quality was her being a relative of the head of DMLE. But now, now he knew she was quite prodigious and innovative. Hadrian will just have to nudge her in the right direction and show her that 'how it is done' in the Wizarding World may not have been the 'best way'.

He wondered if he should have her start learning the niche of the Bones family... Amelia did send their Family Tomes as debt repayment to Lord Black in fear Susan would one day discover them and try to learn, after all.

'No. Not yet. First I have to ensure Susan is loyal to me first and foremost... but then, I am really curious if the old legends about the Bones family ring true.' He mused, perhaps for too long.

Pouting Susan poked him in the shoulder, thinking he was ignoring her. As he turned his eyes towards her, he was greeted with an angry glare at ignoring her.

"Yes, yes. I didn't ignore you." Hadrian patted her head, turning her anger into embarrassment. "I just thought about your new spell. It is amazing. But can still be improved."

"Did you try to experiment too?" She asked eagerly.

Rolling his eyes he took his wand. Susan knew he could do wandless transfiguration. Not that he can do wandless everything.

"Incendio." He intoned and a small flickering flame appeared on the tip of his wand.

"Watch." He said as he saw the confused expression on Susan's face.

Incendio was a spell they learned this week. It was one of the most basic ones.

Hadrian reached his free hand and put it a few inches above the small flickering flame. Suddenly Susan squeaked as she saw the flame turn into emerald green and burst out, covering Hadrian's hand. A rush of panic ran through Susan in fear Hadrian was injured when he heard his voice.

"Calm down, Sue. Look." He told her, making her stare wide-eyed at his hand, encompassed in killing-curse green flames as it licked his skin without burning it. Hadrian moved his fingers and the flame danced according to his movements. For Susan, it was an amazing sight.

She slowly reached her hand, completely enamored, ignoring the increasing heat. When Hadrian's wand arm suddenly dropped his wand and gripped her approaching hand, snapping her out of her musings.

"No, Sue. It won't burn me because it is basically my magic. It is the fire created by Transfiguration and my magic is the main component. Anyone else than me, it will devour. So no touchy-feely, Sue." He cheekily admonished, making her cutely pout.

"Well, let's go. We are kinda missing breakfast." Hadrian quipped as the fire extinguished itself with an uncaring wave of his hand. He grasped Susan's hand into his previously burning, now comfortably warm grip and left the clearing with the flushed girl.