Standard Disclaimer: I do not own anything in regards to Harry Potter or Once Upon A Time. All properties therein are those of their creators. I am just a writer attempting to increase my skills with characters and worlds that I love.

Note: Once Upon A Time has been one of my favorite shows for years. This idea for a crossover has been buzzing around in my head for a while, and having started a few other stories, I thought I'd add this one to the mix.

Note: The curse sent Harry into the real world several years after Emma.

Note: I'm changing some events in the timeline. Why? It's my fanfiction, and I do what I want.

Note: This story is going to feature a very different Harry. He has memories of his original life and his current one. These things together are going to cause conflict.

The Black Prince Of The Enchanted Forest

Part One - A Curse Is Cast And Broken

In the great hall of the Charming's castle, a grand event was taking place. The storied wedding between Prince Charming and his beautiful princess, Snow White was in full motion. With the couple standing happy, and the priest giving the rights, everything seemed set to go off without a hitch.

There were humans, dwarves, elves, sentient woodland critters, and all manor of foreign dignitaries present to show support, and they, along with several mystical guests, were staring in awe at those upon the raised platform.

"Prince Charming," The holy man spoke, "do you take this woman, to have and to hold, and to love from this day until your last?"

"I do." There was no hesitation, no last thoughts, in the brave warrior's voice.

"And do you, Princess Snow-"

"I do." The petite woman didn't even let the man finish before giving her answer. This caused a general, heartfelt, level of laughter from all present in the hall.

"Then by the power vested in me, you may now kiss the bride."

Charming took that moment to step forward, and pull his new wife into a grand kiss that sent their audience into a roar of approval and delight… Until the hall's great doors slammed open and fell off their hinges. All sound and movement ceased, as the eyes of the crowd turned to regard the intruders to the event.

Two individuals were standing arrogantly in the entrance, darkness coating the space behind them.

"Sorry I'm late." The woman in the lead, was dressed in a pitch black gown, her hair in a loose braid over her shoulder.

"Our invitations must have gotten lost in transit." Spoke her associate, a male in his early twenties. His jet-black hair and beard matched the woman's, but his emerald eyes were completely different. An ugly scar ran from the bottom of his left eye to his jaw, and he was dressed in a crisp black suit, with red shirt, and high collared overcoat. A two handed great-sword was held by the scabbard in his hand.

In perfect tandem, the two started marching towards the dais, the darkness of the hall seemingly following them, blanketing the crowd in uneasy silence.

"It's the queen, and the black prince! Run!" A gnome had run in front of the royal couple and raised his hands to try and hold them off. As if leaving now would help them.

To her credit, the princess showed great courage as she drew her new husband's sword, and brandished it toward their intruders.

"Not anymore!" She declared. "She's nothing but an evil witch, and he's a bastard sorcerer!"

"Please," the mystery man waved off the insult. "sorcerer I may be, but I know who my father is."

"Don't stoop to their level Snow," The prince placed his hand on the blade and lowered it to point at the ground, "there's no need." He took the blade away from Snow and approached the bane of their existence. "You're wasting your time, you've already lost the kingdom." His eyes hardened as he finished his declaration, "I will not let you ruin this wedding."

The queen tilted her head back and let out a great laugh. "I haven't come here to ruin anything, dear. I've come to give you a gift."

She started pacing before the platform, as the man brandished his weapon lazily over his shoulder. The sheath had yet to be removed.

"My gift to you," she began "is this happy… happy day. For tomorrow my real work begins. You've made your vows already, so hear mine. Soon everything you love, everything all of you love, will be taken from you forever. From your suffering my victory will be complete. I will destroy your happiness, and create a perfect world of my own. Even if it is the last thing I do."

With a dramatic flourish of her skirts, the queen turned around and marched back to the door. The man, however, blew a kiss to the new bride before turning to follow.

Prince charming however, could not take that insult on top of everything else that had happened. "Hey!" He yelled, and as the two turned back, he threw his sword as a lance towards his foes… only to have it lazily slapped away by the black prince's own weapon. He gave his attacker a sarcastic smile, and then the two disappeared in a swirl of black mist. They had a curse to prepare.

Regina's Castle

"Oh!" Regina glided across the room of her tower to embrace the scarred prince of the kingdom. "Hadrian, my boy. How are you?"

He grumbled, but nevertheless wrapped his arms around his mother. "Annoyed mother. Taking grandpa's heart… I hated that, but I could understand it. It was a necessary ingredient for your curse, and he would have done anything for you, including die. But hurting Maleficent? Do you know how much groveling I had to do to get back into her good graces?"

Regina huffed. "She had the literal curse, son, and she refused to give it up. Of course I had to fight her."

He pulled back from the embrace and just stared at the most important person in his life. "You could have just sent me in there for you. I could have grabbed the damned thing while she was sleeping. Hell, I was there this morning anyway."

The queen growled at the insinuation. "I don't like thinking of you two together like that. Maleficent is my best friend, and she's much too old for you."

The prince sighed at the familiar argument. "Again mother, we live for hundreds of years, so a twenty year age gap doesn't really count for much. And it isn't like we're committing ourselves to get married. How long are you really going to complain about us?"

His mother stepped forward and lightly tapped him on the cheek. "Until you finally do get married. It's a mother's job to harry their son's. Now, let's cast that curse."

Hadrian was dubious. "Are you sure that this will work mother? That we'll both retain our memories in this new world? I've read the wording on the curse, and it seems dubiously put together at best."

"I'm sure, darling. Now let's begin. It will take our combined might to swallow this entire kingdom."

Unwilling to argue further, the black prince of the enchanted forest followed his mother to the terrace of her tower, where a large brazier was burning. Eight times did she circle the fire before tossing in the written curse, followed by her father's heart, then taking her place opposite her son.

"Together now Hadrian. Match your power to mine as I incant."

Her son nodded, and black mist enveloped them both up their elbows. As Regina spoke the ancient words, and forced her will to take effect, the mist started to circle the brazier once, twice, thrice… when it reached eight, a great boom was heard, and a tidal wave of darkness erupted from the flame, enveloping everything in sight.

"We did it." Regina breathed, smiling at the light of her life. "You were perfect Hadrian."

"Thank you mother." The young man was just lowering his arms, when he started to get the most peculiar feeling. His thoughts were becoming sluggish, and he was losing his center of gravity. As he looked down, the skin visible just past his sleeves seemed to be losing its texture and firmness. He was fading from sight.

"Mo-Mother" He looked to the woman that had given him life, terror in his gaze.

She ran to his side immediately, brushing his hair away from his face in a soothing fashion. "Sh. Shhh, darling. It's alright. The curse is just transporting you to the new world first since you were the closest to it's epicenter. As the caster, I'll follow last. Don't worry about a thing."

As his body continued to fade, his mother started to hum a sweet tune. It was a lullaby that she'd sung him to sleep with many times in his youth. It had been years since he'd last heard it, but much as when he'd been a child, it brought him peace at the end.

An Unknown Number Of Years Later (Curse Time Logic)

The Department Of Mysteries - Veil Chamber

Spells were flying in every direction as students, Order of the Phoenix members, and death eaters traded life altering attacks. Columns shattered, bodies flew, and combat traveled everywhere from the floor to the walls to the ceiling.

On a central, raised, portion of the floor, a great arch stood with a solitary strip of fabric waving in a nonexistent breeze. Before it, two men could be seen dueling three death eaters. Suddenly, the younger man gave a quick flourish of his wand, and two of his opponents were sent flying across the room into the chamber wall with enough force to crack the stone.

The spectacle of the attack forced the older of the two to turn away from his own duel long enough to exclaim, "Nice one, James!" Sadly his lack of attention would be his downfall, as the criminal maniac known as Bellatrix Lestrange chose that moment to apparate into a clear line of sight, and cast an avada kedavra.

The sickly green light impacted Sirius Black with enough force to send his body skidding back into the Veil. By the time Harry Potter reached it, there was nothing left to retrieve.

The boy who lived was devastated, he was heartbroken, he was… awake. His eyes flashed with an emerald glow, and a cruel smirk alit on his face. Fifteen years. Fifteen years of living as a weak, abused… hero. He shuddered at the last term. It was the greatest insult he could imagine in his life. Being heroic. Ugh.

His eyes traveled to the veil before him. That being said, he'd been fond of Sirius Black, and the prospect of a dark lord existing that wasn't him, was irksome to say the least.

So he clenched his fists, and compressed his power into the tiniest mote of heat in his chest, before letting it all out at once. A circle of fire came into existence around his body. Seeing the threat that he'd come to represent, the closest death eaters all launched bone breakers in a combined assault.

Harry, no… he was Hadrian once more, smirked as his all consuming fire rose to eat the harmful magic before it could impact him. He was going to enjoy this.

"Ignis Magni!" He yelled, and his power rose to meet his desire. The flames expanded, leapt from the earth, and soared around the room. Dozens of tentacles of flame began piercing the hearts of his enemies as he watched and laughed, taking unholy joy in their destruction. Several tried to escape by apparition, and some even made it. But by the end, over forty-five corpses littered the ground with scorched holes through their torsos.

Seeing his work had been completed here, the boy turned to the nearest exit. He could hear Bellatrix's mad laughter echoing down its hall. It was time to avenge Sirius. He'd figure out his next move after.

While his former friends, and Order members stared at the devastation he'd wrought, Hadrian left the room. A short run, followed by an elevator ride later, and the dark prince found himself in the ministry atrium. A brush of air hissed by his ear and he twitched slightly to the side as a crimson light skidded past the space his face had just inhabited.

"Well," Bellatrix skipped out from behind a pillar, "Ittie bittie Pottie has a spine after al-"

Hadrian raised a hand and twisted it sharply. An audible snap was heard and the dark witch fell limply to the ground. Her head twisted one hundred and eighty degrees behind her.

"Only monologue if you're the stronger opponent, bitch." Hadrian chuckled.

He was all set to leave the building and go wandering when a chill walked up his spine. "Oh," He turned slowly, noticing the gaunt form of Lord Voldemort. "It really is my lucky day. All my old enemies in one place."

"Harry Potter." The other dark lord mused, "Are you prepared to die?"

The boy held up a hand to stall whatever monologue was coming. "A moment there Tommy boy." Ignoring the outrage his words wrought, Hadrian pressed a hand to his face, and slowly ran it down his body.

As Voldemort watched, ash rolled down the boy's skin, and his body seemed to grow a foot, as his muscles grew out to fill a taught and powerful frame. His features eventually solidified into an adult man's, with a strong jaw, jet black beard, and scar running down from his left eye to his jaw. The only feature that seemed the same was the curse scar over his brow.

His clothes had changed as well. Instead of the rundown, oversized, hand-me-downs and school jumper he'd been wearing, he was instead decked out in a crisp black suit, with a collared overcoat, and red shirt. (Same outfit from the Enchanted Forest.)

"Oh, you have no idea how good it feels to be back in my own skin." Even his voice had dropped an extra two octaves. "Getting rid of those teenage hormones is a bonus too I guess."

Voldemort stared. Where once his disappointment of a nemesis stood, there was now a grizzled man that simply radiated power and malice. "You're not Harry Potter." He rasped as he leveled his want. "Who are you?"

Hadrian chuckled darkly, as shadow flames coalesced over his hands. "Oh, but I was, Tommie." He tilted his neck far enough to crack it. "Luckily a pesky curse was removed, and my true self is finally free to shine. I'm the black prince of the enchanted forest, the lord of ash, and unlike you, I am a true dark lord."

His arms shot forth and fire, as black as space, crossed the distance between him and his foe. Voldemort reacted quickly however, swishing his wand to cast the dark force away from his body, his forearm shaking under the strain of such a movement.

Not giving an inch, Hadrian followed by disappearing in a cloud of smoke and knocking down the lights, leaving his foe in darkness. "Welcome to my domain Tom. You're not going to be leaving it."

From the shadows, blades of darkness started slashing at the false dark lord. With the grace of a trained duelist, Voldemort started ducking and weaving away from the attacks, but even he couldn't escape all of them. Lines of scarlet began to crisscross his body, and currents of blood started to coat the ground, until eventually he fell to his knees in exhaustion, and the lights returned.

The return of sight was not welcome however, as it revealed the black prince, and the naked claymore in his hands. Voldemort tried to raise his arm to curse the impertinent opponent, but only found pain. A quick look revealed his arm was only hanging onto his body by a thin layer of flesh.

As the prince started walking toward him, he decided he needed to buy time until his followers could come to his aid. "What are you going to do Harry?" He mused, not believing for a second, new body or not, that the protege of Dumbledore would take the life of a literally unarmed opponent. "Kill me? You're a hero-"

He didn't get a chance to say anymore, as the large blade cleaved through his neck like butter. Leaving his head to roll along the floor.

Hadrian would have laughed at the sight, but a gasp had him spinning around with his blade in a low guard. At the sight of Dumbledore he relaxed. He could deal with that piece of shit later.

"Harry," The old man asked warily as he approached, "what have you done?"

Instead of answering, the new man rested his sword on his shoulder, and began waving his free hand in the air. A compass of flame ignited above him, slowly turning to and fro in rapidly shrinking circles.

"Harry." The old man was only a few feet away. "You've just murdered a man."

Hadrian didn't look up from his calculations. "First, it's Hadrian old man, get it right. Second, I simply got rid of an adversary. Nothing more, although I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy seeing the life leave his eyes. There's just something about a conquered foe that makes me giddy."

Dumbledore could only stare. Now that he was close enough he could see the changes. Harry looked different, and he was acting different, but the magical devices he carried were all confirming it was him. "Are you alright Harry?"

The compass needle was getting slower. "I already told you, it's Hadrian, and I understand your confusion. That curse I was under was a nasty piece of work."

"Curse?"

"And don't worry your wrinkly old head Dumbles, Voldemort isn't dead. Not really. A shade of his spirit escaped after I separated his head. Most likely he has an anchor somewhere he's fleeing to."

"W-What?" the aged wizard had long suspected that fact, but he had not intended to bring Harry into that knowledge for another year at least!

"Another anchor, old man, try to keep up." The arrows finally finished turning and they, along with the slight indentations they represented, gave the man an exact location. "But regardless, I think it's time I was off."

"Yes, I'm sure your friends are missing you. We can talk to the minister about what happened here and get extra security for your relative's home. Even with Voldemort temporarily displaced, his followers are still out there."

Hadrian waved a hand and the compass disappeared. He had what he needed. "First off, I'm never returning to those fucks you left me with again. Second, your machinations in my life are done, you geriatric piece of shit. Third, I'm leaving the country. My curse is done, and now its finally time for my happy ending."

The prince smirked, waved his hand, and his body disappeared in a fresh wave of smoke.

The moment he disappeared, Dumbledore rushed to apparate back to Hogwarts. His Order was still in danger, but the prophecy made it clear that Harry was the priority. Even if he was acting different, and annoyingly less responsive to his leadership.

As soon as he was back in his office, he rushed to the devices he'd bonded to Harry's blood. None of them were working, and it seemed as if they'd all broken down at the same time, except for one. The location tracker had stopped working mere moments before he'd entered the room. It wasn't accurate enough to give him an exact location, but it did list the country. What the hell could the boy who lived be doing in America?

Storybrooke, Maine

The peace of Storybrooke's forest was broken by the roar of a Harley Davidson as a single rider tore his way down the asphalt past the welcome sign. His speed was beyond anything the machine should have been able to reach, and the bike's wheels sparked fire onto the street, but Hadrian was in control, and loving it.

His magic had told him exactly where this town was located, but he'd stopped in a neighboring city first to abscond with his current ride. Growing up in Surrey as Harry, he'd seen commercials and shows that featured machines like this, and he'd always wanted one. So as Hadrian, he'd decided it was the perfect time to make an acquisition. After all, one should always return home in style.

The town came into view, then the stores were passing by, and finally the residential district was reached. Naturally he started making his way to the biggest house, and was surprised to find what appeared to be an angry mob with torches and everything.

He revved the engine and shot forward, getting the attention of all present as he screeched to a stop just in front of the door. He could see his mother through the window, and decided to have some fun.

He stepped up off the bike, and confronted the mob as his travel outfit transformed back into his familiar suit and overcoat. "Ah, the Charming's." he spoke softly as he noticed the couple in the lead. "Leading an angry mob against my mother, how nostalgic."

"You." David gasped upon seeing his old adversary.

"Me." The man agreed, before shoving his hand forward with an exhalation of will, causing the prince of light to be sent flying back over the crowd. "Still got it."

His musings were interrupted by a feeling of cold metal being pressed against his neck. "You just assaulted a man in my town punk."

Hadrian turned his head slowly and beheld a beautiful blond woman, holding a pistol on him.

"Aw, and who might you be gorgeous? I thought I knew everyone in my kingdom, but your face is a mystery."

"It wasn't your kingdom!" There was Snow again, supporting her limping husband with her shoulder.

"Very true, sister. It was my mother's." The dark prince snapped his fingers, and the blonde's weapon was in his hand instead of her own. He promptly tossed it back to her. "Are you satisfied that you'll not be able to harm me with that?"

She seemed somewhat flustered, but nevertheless holstered her weapon.

"Now if you would all disperse, I will refrain from slaughtering each and every one of you!" He bellowed, causing all the formerly enraged citizens to flee in terror. Just like old times.

By the end only the Charming's, and the blond chick were remaining.

"Oh." He sidled up to the woman that had held him at gunpoint. "I just love a woman with a backbone. What do you say to drinks tonight? My treat."

"You stay away from her!" Snow stepped forward and shoved him back with a push to his chest, leaving David tottering on his own, trying to keep his balance on a clearly sprained ankle.

"Now, now, sister, don't be a cock block."

Snow growled for several moments before biting out, "Emma is my daughter, back off."

"Oh, your daughter." He breezed past the former princess and took the blonde's hand in his own, raising it to his lips. "Charmed my dear. So about that drink?"

Emma didn't really know what to do with this situation. The reaction of the townspeople and her parents made it seem like this guy was the devil incarnate, but he was currently acting like a flirtatious gentleman. Should she be revolted? Impressed? Charmed? At the very least, she acknowledged that he was very handsome, if a bit younger than herself.

She finally settled on a vague answer. Who knew, he might grow on her. "Maybe later. What was your name again?"

His eyes widened at the realization that he had yet to introduce himself. "My apologies, my dear." He took a step back, placed one leg slightly behind the other, threw his arms out to his sides, and bowed a perfect ninety degrees. "I am Hadrian, the Black Prince of the Enchanted Forest, and the Lord of Ash. It is a pleasure to meet you, Emma…Charming?"

"Swan."

"Emma Swan." He tasted that name on his tongue as he rose. "A truly delectable name."

Snow threw her hands in the air in frustration. "Could you please stop flirting with my daughter, Hadrian. By the Light, you've called me your sister for years. Doesn't that make it weird for you?"

"Not at all. Weren't you the one that kept insisting we weren't blood."

"Could someone please explain to me who this guy is?" Emma exploded. She'd been patient, let the conversations run their course, but she was done waiting now.

"He's my son." Regina stood in the doorway at last, smiling indulgently at her boy's antics. He had always been a bit of a flirt, and she enjoyed watching him fluster people, but she'd definitely prefer he not make advances towards one of her enemies.

"Your son!" Emma was shocked. "He looks like he's in his twenties!"

"I am." Hadrian answered with a raised brow. "I thought you were the Charming's kid? Do you really not know how our kind ages?"

"I grew up in this world. I only met my parents earlier this year."

"Ah. Makes sense that the uppity ones would abandon their child. No doubt it was for the 'greater good'." The Charming's shuffled with discomfort as he hit the nail on the head. "Well, here's a lesson for you. Our lives are tied to our land and our stories. We age until we reach our prime, and then we just kind of stop. Eventually we'll start to get old, but the process normally takes a few hundred years at the minimum. So yeah, my mother looks like she's maybe five to eight years my senior, that's not uncommon at all. Hell, look at your parent's ages in relation to you."

"That's because they were stuck in stasis as a result of the curse."

"Is it though? Why don't you ask them." He turned to leave, but called over his shoulder, "I'll pick you up at eight."

As he stepped away, Charming hobbled up. "Okay, Hadrian The Black 'didn't' just try to murder us all. What happened?"

Emma smirked at the man, still feeling a little bit of residual anger at her abandonment. "I got a date. That's what happened."

As the hero family started a spirited argument, Hadrian climbed the steps to the grand house, and embraced his mother for the first time in who knew how many years.

"I've missed you, mother."

"Oh, Hadrian." her shoulders were shaking, and tears were starting to fall down her face. "I'm so, so sorry. You were supposed to be here, with me, but I woke up and you were gone."

He tightened his arms, hating the mere thought of his mother crying. "I ended up getting reborn as a hero." He spoke the last word with clear disgust. "I suppose that was my nightmare being enacted. But I guess that hot, blonde, savior with the great ass must have broken the curse because I suddenly got my memories back, retrieved my old body, and I'm here now."

He reached a hand up and wiped away the older woman's tears. "The wording of the curse was ambiguous, and I do not blame you. So dry your eyes, mother. I'm never leaving you again."

"Thank you, son. Now come inside. I'd like you to meet your brother."

"Brother?"

Regina smiled warmly as she explained. "I adopted a baby shortly after I arrived in this world. His name is Henry."

"After grandpa." Hadrian smiled with his mother then.

"Yes. Oh, he's just perfect. If only he'd drop that sense of morality he holds."

"Lead the way."

He was stopped by a hand clamping on his shoulder, and only a sheer force of will stopped him from reacting to this interloper as he had with David.

"If you're going to talk to my kid, I'm coming too." Emma declared.

The black prince was a bit confused by that statement. "I thought Henry was adopted by my mother?"

Emma sighed, "He was, but I birthed him."

"Then denied yourself all parental rights!" Regina argued.

Sensing a cat fight that he had no desire to be in the middle of, Hadrian placed his hands on both women's shoulders. "Mother, if Emma promises not to try to turn the boy against you, will you let her speak to him as long as I am present." His mother nodded with clear reluctance.

"Emma, do you promise to follow the rule I just stated?"

The blond raised her hands in surrender. "I stated from the beginning that my only purpose in this town is to make sure Henry is alright. I love the kid, so as long as Regina isn't hurting him or trying to turn him evil, I have no problem with him staying. Regardless of everything else she's done, she's been a good mother to the kid."

Regina was actually rather touched by the acknowledgement of her efforts with Henry. "Thank you Ms. Swan. I'll be in the kitchen, just let me know when you leave."

"Emma you can't be serious!" Snow tried to intercede, but Hadrian just raised a hand threateningly. "If you try to take Henry against my mother's will, I'll start burning buildings to the ground." Then he pulled the blonde into the house with him.

"Well, mother's taste hasn't changed over the years apparently." The interior of the house was all sharp angles, marble, sculptures, flowers, and paintings. Regina liked the finer things.

"You know," Emma mused "I always thought this place seemed like a palace. I guess, knowing who Regina is, it makes a bit of sense."

"You have no idea, lady. At the very least, after the hell her life turned into as a result of your mother, she earned some finery."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, you mean my dear sister never told you how her feud with the 'evil' queen got started? Why don't you ask her someday?"

Anymore questions would have to wait, as they reached a door with the multicolored name Henry stamped on it.

"I'm gonna go out on a limb and say this is Henry's room."

"Yeah. Listen, he doesn't know you yet, so just follow behind me." She said.

"I'll follow your lead."

"Thanks." She knocked lightly on the door before opening it, "Henry, I'm coming in."

She entered first, and as promised the prince followed behind her.

It was a strange sight that met their eyes. Henry, a boy of maybe ten, was tying together shirts and sheets to try and make what appeared to be a rope.

"Ah, the old clothing rope out the window routine. I wouldn't try it little brother, Mother knows all about that one. Courtesy of yours truly of course."

The boy looked up at his guests, smiled at Emma, and gave a wary glare at the newcomer.

"Who are you?" He asked in a tone of voice that made it clear he was running his own version of an interrogation. "I know every face in my storybook, and yours wasn't in it."

"Oh, regular sheriff of the forest, this one." Hadrian mused as he sat down beside the boy. "I'm gonna go out on a limb and say it's probably because I wasn't a legitimate prince of the realm, as it was." He reached out a hand for the boy to shake, "My name is Hadrian, and apparently I'm your brother."

The boy stared at the hand, then his face. "Brother? I don't understand."

"What's not to understand? When a man and a woman love each other very much, or sometimes when they've had too much wine, or whiskey, they-"

"I don't think that's what he meant." Emma cut in hurriedly. She didn't know if Regina had covered the birds and the bees, but she had no intention of doing it herself just yet.

Hadrian smirked at the woman's discomfort. "Regina had me while she was in the enchanted forest. I was born before she married the king, but she wasn't married to my father so I wasn't" he made quotations with fingers, "a legitimate prince. I grew up with Snow White, but her dad never missed a chance to let me know how much of a bastard I was."

"But the king was a good guy." Henry defended, sure of the virtues of good and evil.

"Even good guys are capable of small acts of villainy, Henry. Especially if they believe themselves to be in the right. Remember that. Now, I wanted to introduce myself, and Emma wanted to see how you were doing. So how about we kill two birds with one stone. You tell me about your life, and then you can talk to your birth mother."

Not seeing any other options, Henry acquiesced. He talked about growing up in Storybrooke, what it was like living with Regina, and how he and Emma eventually broke the curse. Then Emma started asking questions about how he was being treated in the house, and how his mother seemed to be acting. By the end they were all a little worn out, and Hadrian had a good idea who his kid brother was as a person. His mother was right to be fond of him.

"So Emma, what's the plan for getting out of here?" Henry asked, hope literally glittering in his eyes.

Emma looked down, unable to meet his eyes. "Henry, I'm not taking you away from Regina."

"But-"

"Hear me out, alright. Listen, Regina is still legally your mom. She adopted you, raised you. If she was abusing you, I'd take you away in a heartbeat, but as things stand I don't have the right."

"But she's evil!"

"Hold on, evil is a very subjective term." Hadrian tried to speak up, but Emma had other plans.

"Shut it, Ash Lord. Henry, You need to stay here. Your mother needs you, and I don't have the legal right to take you away. If it helps, think of your time here as a way to be her moral compass. Try to teach her how not to be a villain. We can call it, Operation Night To Light."

Henry looked dubious at best, but he was at least considering his birth mother's words. "Will I be able to keep seeing you?"

Sensing weakness in the boy's resolve, Hadrian cut in. "Of course. Listen Henry, our mother doesn't hate Emma because she is a Charming. She hates her because she tried to get between the two of you, and even take you away. There are very few things more important to her than her family, so when her bond with you was threatened, she reacted. That being said, Emma has already made it clear she won't be trying to take you away anymore, so I'm sure she'd have no problems with Emma walking you to and from school. I'll make sure of it. Would you like that?"

The boy gave a weak smile, and nodded. It clearly wasn't everything he'd wanted, but he was willing to take what he could get.

"Good, now there will be plenty of time to get to know each other going forward, but I have another stop I need to make before tonight. Emma could I talk to you for a second."

"Sure."

The two stepped into the hall and he asked, "What's your address? I'll need it to pick you up later."

"Oh." Emma blinked. "You were serious about that."

"I never kid when a beautiful woman is involved."

"Well, sure then… I live in an apartment on-" She rattled off the address and he transcribed it to memory.

"Fantastic." He reached forward, kissed her hand in farewell, and took off down the stairs. Smiling as he heard the door close behind him, signaling that the woman had gone back to talk to the kid.

"Well?" His mother inquired when he reached the kitchen. "How did it go?"

"He seems open to me, so there's that. Great kid by the way. He's going to try to convert you to the side of 'good' rather than run away, so have fun there. Emma will be walking Henry to and from school from now on, and I'll be taking her out tonight. Yup, I think that covers it."

Regina's eyes bulged, "Wait, what?"

Hadrian sighed, he hated repeating himself. "She said she wasn't going to come between you two mother, and I believe her. Walking the kid to school makes Henry happy, and further convinces Emma that you aren't hurting him. It's a win-win."

The evil queen nodded and waved her hands repeatedly. "Yes, I get that, but what was that bit about taking her out?"

"Oh, right, we're having drinks tonight. What can I say, she's hot."

"She's the mother of my son, and the daughter of my step daughter."

The black prince shrugged. "Still not blood." He put his hands in his pockets then and gave his mother a hard stare. "Now, where can I find Maleficent and Rumpelstiltskin?"

Twenty minutes later Hadrian's harley was pulling to stop outside of Gold's Pawn Shop. He couldn't help thinking that it was just like the old sorcerer to display his priceless collection in front of a town full of cursed people that couldn't afford to buy any of it. Rather clever form of torture that.

As he entered, the bell over the door dinged, alerting the cane wielding man to his presence.

"Ah, young Hadrian." The Dark One limped around the desk to stand before him. "It's been a long time."

The black prince smiled warmly at the man before him. "Indeed it has, papa."