Hadrian Peverel: The Lord Of Haven

Chapter 7

October 1976 – One Day After Dumbledore's Visit

The air inside the manor was still, thick with the weight of unspoken thoughts. Hadrian stood in the great hall, one hand resting lightly on the polished stone of the banister overlooking the main floor. The dim sconces flickered with enchanted fire, casting long shadows across the high-vaulted ceilings. Dark marble columns framed the hall, engraved with intricate silver inlays—wards woven so seamlessly into the structure that they pulsed faintly with unseen power.

This place had been abandoned for centuries, lost to history. Now, it was something more. Something his.

Below, his people were already moving. Matthias stood near the entrance, speaking in low tones with Catherine, his posture firm but composed. Jonas leaned against one of the grand pillars, idly twirling his wand between his fingers, while Conrad Burke—the newest addition to their ranks—watched everything with careful, assessing eyes.

They were waiting.

Hadrian exhaled softly. Dumbledore's visit had changed nothing.

But it had confirmed something important.

The old man was watching. The Ministry was watching. Voldemort was, by now, undoubtedly aware.

Time was moving faster than expected.

Matthias glanced up, catching Hadrian's gaze. "We need to talk."

Hadrian nodded, pushing off the banister and descending the staircase with slow, deliberate steps.

As soon as he reached the main floor, Matthias spoke again. "Word's spreading. Fast."

Hadrian smirked. "Good."

Matthias exhaled through his nose. "Depends how you look at it."

Catherine crossed her arms. "The Knockturn lot are interested. Some see opportunity, some see risk. The smart ones are waiting to see what we do next."

Jonas grinned. "And the dumb ones?"

Catherine's lips twitched. "They're already making bets on when the Ministry will send Aurors to shut us down."

Hadrian chuckled. "Let them waste their gold."

Jonas's grin widened. "I'd be more interested in the bets on whether we'll win."

Matthias ignored them, his voice turning sharper. "The Order is talking, too. Not just Dumbledore. Some of their people are… concerned."

Hadrian tilted his head slightly. "Concerned, or afraid?"

Matthias hesitated, then exhaled. "Both."

Hadrian's smirk deepened. "Good."

He turned, pacing toward the massive arched windows lining the far end of the hall. The view overlooked the estate grounds—vast, sprawling, lined with the remnants of ancient pathways and overgrown courtyards that had once belonged to a forgotten era.

It would not remain forgotten much longer.

He spoke without turning. "We move forward. Faster."

Matthias frowned. "What exactly does that mean?"

Hadrian turned back to them, green eyes gleaming.

"It means we start building."

The room fell silent for a moment as Hadrian's words settled. Building. It was a simple enough statement, but they all knew what it meant.

Matthias folded his arms. "You're not just talking about expanding the manor."

Hadrian smirked. "No. I'm talking about Haven."

Jonas let out a low whistle, pushing off the pillar. "You're really doing it, then."

Hadrian tilted his head. "Did you think I wouldn't?"

Jonas chuckled. "Oh, I knew you would. Just didn't think you'd move this fast."

Hadrian's gaze flickered to Catherine. "How soon can the wards be extended?"

She didn't hesitate. "If we use layered runic expansion instead of traditional ward-stitching, I can reinforce the existing framework within a week. Full-scale protections? That'll take longer."

Hadrian nodded. "Start with the expansions. Prioritize structural integrity, then layer in the advanced defenses once the foundation is set."

Catherine inclined her head. "Understood."

Matthias exhaled, rubbing a hand over his jaw. "You realize what this means, right?"

Hadrian raised a brow. "Enlighten me."

Matthias scowled. "You're making it real. Right now, you're just a rumor. A name. The moment you start physically building Haven, it's not just whispers in Knockturn Alley anymore. It's a statement. The Ministry will escalate. The Order will escalate. Voldemort will escalate."

Hadrian met his gaze evenly. "I know."

Matthias studied him for a long moment, then shook his head, half amused, half resigned. "You really don't hesitate, do you?"

Hadrian's smirk was slow, sharp. "Hesitation is for men without a plan."

Jonas grinned. "Well, if we're making bold moves, might as well go all in. What's next?"

Hadrian turned back toward the windows, gazing out at the land beyond.

"Land acquisition. Infrastructure. Recruitment." His voice was smooth, certain. "We secure the territory first. Then we make it ours."

Silence stretched between them again, but this time, it wasn't uncertainty.

It was anticipation.

Matthias exhaled, rolling his shoulders. "Alright. Let's build a city."

The next two days passed in a storm of movement.

Catherine and her team worked on the ward expansions, setting the groundwork for the boundaries that would eventually define Peverell Haven. The ancient wards of the manor—old, complex, and deeply tied to Hadrian's bloodline—resisted at first, but Catherine was skilled. With each adjustment, the magic began to accept the changes, stretching outward to accommodate the growing domain.

Matthias focused on security and recruitment. He reached out to trusted contacts, spreading the word carefully—not to mercenaries or criminals, but to skilled, disciplined individuals willing to work outside the Ministry's grasp. Those who came would be tested. Trained. Molded into something greater.

Jonas took charge of logistics. Supply lines, safe houses, routes for smuggling materials—everything needed to build a functioning infrastructure without Ministry interference. The goblins, as expected, were more than willing to assist for the right price. Hadrian paid them gladly.

And all the while, whispers spread.

The Ministry knew something was happening, but they had no proof. The Order was divided—some believed Hadrian could be an ally, others saw him as a dangerous unknown. And Voldemort?

Hadrian knew he was watching.

But none of it mattered.

Standing atop the newly constructed foundation, Hadrian gazed out over the landscape. What had once been empty land was now the beginning of something unstoppable.

Haven had begun.

And soon, the world would have no choice but to acknowledge it.

The first structures of Peverell Haven rose like specters from the land—smooth dark stone, reinforced with magic, standing firm against the wind that rolled across the valley. The foundations had been set in place overnight, enchanted stone settling into the earth as if it had always belonged.

Jonas whistled lowly, running a hand over the nearest wall. "Fast work."

Hadrian stood beside him, arms crossed, his green eyes scanning the construction site. "It has to be."

The first phase was simple—fortified housing, strategic defenses, and infrastructure. The real challenge wasn't the magic required to build it. It was doing it without drawing direct intervention from the Ministry.

Matthias approached from the edge of the site, his boots kicking up loose dust as he moved. "We've secured the outer perimeter. Anyone who doesn't belong won't get in unless we allow it."

Hadrian nodded, already expecting the report. "Good. And recruitment?"

Matthias hesitated. "It's… interesting."

Jonas raised a brow. "Define 'interesting.'"

Matthias exhaled. "We're getting people we expected—curse-breakers, former Hit Wizards, disenfranchised traders looking for new opportunities." He paused. "But we're also getting… others."

Hadrian smirked. "Define 'others.'"

Matthias scowled. "People with questions. People who aren't just looking for work, but looking for something to believe in."

That was expected.

Hadrian exhaled through his nose, watching as a group of workers—half goblins, half wizards—began setting the next round of reinforcement spells along the stone pathways.

"They'll either prove themselves useful," he said simply, "or they won't."

Jonas grinned. "Efficient as always."

Catherine's voice cut through the conversation as she approached. "The main warding structures will be fully operational by the end of the week." She glanced toward Hadrian. "Once they're in place, we can officially open trade routes."

Matthias crossed his arms. "You realize the moment we do that, the Ministry will know exactly what we're doing."

Hadrian's smirk was slow. "Let them."

Jonas chuckled. "You want them to react."

Hadrian turned away from the construction, glancing toward the distant horizon.

"I want them to realize they're already too late."