Expectations
Adrian stood in the grand library, surrounded by shelves that stretched all the way to the vaulted ceiling. Candle lights flickered off rows of gilded tomes, some older than the Ministry of Magic itself, as a faint, familiar scent of aged parchment and dragonhide bindings filled the air. Adrian was reading a thick, leather-bound book titled The Treaty of Secrecy: Origins and Amendments.
The passage before him was perplexing.
"The Statute of Secrecy, which was created for the survival of wizardkind, was never intended to last indefinitely. Amendments proposed during the 18th-century crisis reflect a vision of eventual coexistence, yet these plans were abandoned in favor of concealment."
Adrian frowned, his grey eyes narrowing. Never intended to last indefinitely? Was this law meant to be permanent or not?
Well, you may be all wondering why Adrian cares so much about the Statute of Secrecy. In his previous life, Adrian was 25 years old until he met a tragic accident. As an avid Harry Potter fan, he still remembers reading the book, and during his wondrous read, one of the things that perplexed him the most was that even after Voldemort's death, the magical world was never exposed. This was his second shot at life, and he did not want to let it go. Nothing could stop him from living his life to the fullest, absolutely nothing. To achieve that, he needed strength—the strength that will grant him enough influence to make decisions for the wizarding world. He recognized the future threat posed by the Statute of Secrecy, and he needed to do something about it.
Coexistence, Adrian thought; the word lingered in his mind like a spark that threatened to ignite. "I have lived as a muggle in my previous life, and I will not let muggles get hurt in the process.". Just as he was clearing up his thoughts and was about to close the book, the door to the library opened. Adrian glanced up to see his older sister, Evanna, stepping inside. At thirteen, she was tall, slender, and pretty. Her blue eyes shined bright alongside her glistening brown hair.
"Father's looking for you," she said, brushing a lock of dark brown hair from her face. "The Nott family has arrived."
Adrian sighed as he got up from his comfortable chair. The Notts were like every pureblood family, their politics being as stagnant as their old-fashioned ideologies. Yet, their influence always remained, due to which his father had deemed them as necessary allies.
"They have arrived... like seriously?" Adrian said with a sarcastic sneer.
"Adrian, please don't say anything outrageous, I request you?" Evanna said, in a pleading tone.
He smirked. "When have I ever been outrageous?"
She gave him a pointed look. "Last week, when you asked Aunt Clarisse if she ever questioned the point of blood purity."
Adrian laughed softly, straightening his robes. "I was being rhetorical, and she overreacted. I still don't understand why you guys don't let me have my own viewpoint."
Evanna rolled her eyes. "Just… don't make Father furious. He's already suffering enough."
The hall was filled with the hum of polite conversation when Adrian arrived. The Notts were seated near the fireplace, their patriarch, Theodore Nott Sr., discussing the political affairs in the Ministry of Magic. "You know that mudblood, Julia? She just earned a promotion in the ministry. How could the ministry allow such scums to roam free? " The Notts kept on showing their disdain for muggles as Damian, Adrian's dad, kept on nodding along with a thin smile.
"Adrian," Damian said, his tone edged with warning. "Join us."
Adrian stepped forward, offering a courteous nod to the room. "Mr. Nott. It's a pleasure."
"The pleasure is ours," Nott Sr. replied, his sharp gaze lingering on Adrian. "Your father tells me you've been quite studious. Preparing for a career in the ministry, no doubt?"
Adrian's smile was polite as he said. "I've been exploring all possibilities, sir. There's so much to learn, and the ministry is just one avenue."
Nott chuckled, though his expression didn't soften. "A wise answer. But the ministry is where power lies, young man. Those who shape policy shape the future."
Adrian inclined his head, the wheels in his mind turning. He chose to stay quiet as he knew there were better places to voice his opinions compared to the current scenario.
The room fell silent. Adrian felt his father's eyes pressing him, yet he didn't flinch.
Nott Sr. raised an eyebrow. "See you around, Adrian; my son Theodore Nott will be joining Hogwarts this year. Hopefully both of you become good friends."
Adrian shrugged his head in a noncommittal fashion as he began to walk away.
Damian Blackthorn cleared his throat as he gave a stare to Adrian before tightening his smile. Such meetings were common in Adrian's life; however, Adrian knew he could not spend time on such dirty politics. Instead, he spent his time studying magic in the grand library. There were still 3 months left before he would get his letter to Hogwarts, yet he had mastered all the content up to the 2nd semester. Adrian was a genius, and everybody knew it. Due to this, many families had even offered to give up their daughters for the sake of reaping the benefits of the Blackthorn's future heir.
3 months later,
The pages kept on flipping as 3 months soon went by. Adrian was absorbing knowledge like a sponge. His parents, specifically his father, were dissatisfied that he did not advocate for any of the family's traditions. Yet, at the same time, he realized Adrian's talent and let everything slide by.
During these 3 months, he spent most of his time in his library or with his older sister, as he knew based on his family's behavior that his older sister was the one who loved him the most. She would not forget to spend at least two hours a day with her brother while also teaching him quite a bit of magic. She herself was a pureblood supporter but not a staunch one. Due to this, Adrian hoped to change her ideologies regarding pureblood supremacy in the near future.