"Dementors are such sick creatures." Adalonda grumbled, watching amusedly the antics of the smaller beings, "Old tales said that they borne from sickened children."
"And that's not true?" Adrian asked, using Parseltongue for the flow of the conversation.
"No, little one." Adalonda chuckled, closing her eyes to relax on the surreally warm stone of the floor, "Tis other beings which borne from child's last breath."
"Have you seen one? A Demon-ter?" Lutain enthused, nearly blending into the darkness with how his scales were black once more.
"I have," Adalonda cooed, "Many seasons and many men ago. When I breathed air and hunted in sun. They were such foul things, perverse and greedy. Mercenaries for those in need."
"Mercenaries?" Adrian asked, "How could a nonliving be a mercenary?"
"They spoke none but transferred the final breath of those who wanted." Adalonda rumbled, her body relaxing and tensing with every breath, "If not religion who determines your soul what does?"
"People used them as executioners back then, that's so fascinating." Adrian blinked, imagining the weathered hands and the ghastly faces under the cloaks.
"Aye, formidable weapons but the toll too high. I have heard of kings selling kingdoms for aid in battle, fools betting worse for a chance of fate."
"You can bribe a Dementor?" Adrian asked, a smile slowly spreading "How? How do you bribe a Dementor?"
"Souls most prideful. Those who would not bow to those cowardly or weak." Adalonda explained, "Knights and knaves were fodder in their breath."
"Those who wouldn't bow to the weak." Adrian murmured out loud, thinking of who would fulfill that end of the bargain.
And, oh.
He had just the creature in mind.
Daphne changed from the one eventful day of reckoning in the Slytherin common room. At first Adrian assumed that she was having another argument with her roommate, Tracey Davis, but as it started to go on and on, Adrian realised it was something else at work.
At age thirteen, fourteen in some students, his classmates began to change. More ramped on hormones and desire to perform well, and occasionally insult every Gryffindor that walked past.
Adrian was no exception, he found his temper slowly impairing his other functions. Since his brawl with Suzie, he had targeted and exchanged spells with a Hufflepuff and an overconfident Gryffindor boy.
Draco started casually throwing around the expression, 'burning angry' which infuriatingly caught on quickly in Slytherin. Even applicable to others, the expression was used when the threat of spells or a fight was just barely restrained.
Other people were annoying, they were constantly wanting help or information, favors or papers, wanting him to purchase and give them the perfect gift or object.
It was exhausting to the point of reducing Adrian to simple introvert. Normally this wasn't a problem, if anyone wanted his direct presence they would tell Theo, who was the only one able to open the room. The rare occasion where Adrian stumbled out he normally wore sloppy sleep clothing, it made most purebloods sneer in disgust.
More than anything, Adrian was confused.
Why had Lupin been trying to get closer to him? Why had he gone through the effort?
What did Lupin want with him?
Lupin had his uses no doubt, not only his immense wealth of information and the kind personality and aura around him managed to soothe Adrian's temper on occasion.
The fact he was a werewolf was just an added bonus.
But what would Lupin want? There had to be an ulterior motive behind his actions.
Was it possible Lupin somehow connected the dots between who Adrian was? That he somehow linked Adrian's entirely different appearance to the small scared little boy who just wanted to go to an expo?
With Suzie suddenly in Slytherin and poking around where she shouldn't, the added stress of Lupin figuring out who he was would be too much.
Not to mention he still needed to investigate the Dementors, establish contact for the Azkaban break-out, and pass his final exams. He needed to prove Skylar Potter wrong with a higher Defence exam score.
His desire to perform better sent him into a haze of studying and reading. Wrapped up in a blanket stolen from his bed, he read the thick Defence textbook in dark sleepwear in the public common room.
"Comfortable?" A smooth eloquent voice asked, voice thick with the disgust Adrian always received when wearing sleepwear.
"Your discomfort is my comfort," Adrian responded absentmindedly, belatedly realising who it was actually talking to him. "Oh, over your tantrum then?"
Daphne's exterior frosted over, "Done antagonizing my first year?"
Adrian's face twitched against his will.
"Careful there, Selwyn," Daphne warned, walking slowly around the couch to sit daintily on the far side of the one he sprawled across, "those facial tics of yours give you away."
"I don't have facial tics." Adrian scowled.
Daphne smiled thinly, "Of course. You know, I was wondering what type your snake is. I've never seen one like it before."
Adrian eyed her suspiciously, "Considering you don't even know his name, your sudden interest is suspicious."
Daphne laughed gently, perfectly; it was posed and practiced too well, "Oh I've always liked him. He's gorgeous, such pretty black scales. He must have cost a fortune."
'She's digging' A voice whispered wearily, 'She's looking for something.'
"If you enjoy him so much, why don't you look for him?" Adrian asked, waving his hand to the open room, "He's around here somewhere."
"You just let him loose?" Daphne's face tightened, "that seems...dangerous."
So she was still afraid of Lutain after he had lunged at Suzie with lethal intent.
"Don't upset him," Adrian advised, "He understands English."
"If he has your temper, you should keep him caged at all times." Daphne thinly stated, "For everyone's safety."
Adrian smiled, "Why, was that a threat, Greengrass?"
Daphne stared, her blue eyes watched him carefully. She would have done well in Ravenclaw.
"Selwyn," Daphne leant forward, crossing her leg to subconsciously alter her entire presence, "I was speaking with Millicent the other day-"
"That must have been strenuous."
"-and she told me the most fascinating thing." Daphne paused, "How she believed that you were adopted-"
"Oh not that bloody mess again," Adrian sighed, closing his book pointedly and drawing his legs up into a more professional position, "Greengrass, if you have nothing to do but spread around rumors that circulated in our first year-"
"The man in your boggart was your birth father," Daphne smoothly covered, silencing Adrian's protesting words, "or, a blood adoption."
'Humor her,' The voice whispered, soothing tendrils to calm his anxiety.
"So now it's a blood adoption?" Adrian spoke, somehow, thank Merlin, his voice didn't tremble. "What's next, I'm half veela? A vampire? A daywalker?"
Daphne frowned, "Things about you don't add up, Selwyn."
"Just the way I like it," Adrian sighed, "If you're that interested, cough up the galleons. Then we'll talk."
"No," Daphne spoke, rising to her feet smoothly to look down at Adrian. Her eyes were suspicious and sharp, her mouth turned downwards in a small frown.
Adrian arched his eyebrow, toxic green eyes nearly glowing in the green light of the room. His face was broken with a careful smile, an insufferable one which gave the viewer the urge to smack him right in the face; it was obviously a taunt but never with words.
"Am I the only one who seems to realize that your deals aren't just for galleons?" Daphne asked softly, "You get just as much out of it as whoever asks for help."
Adrian shrugged, reaching for his book again, "It gives me assurance."
"It taints your name."
"Honestly, Greengrass," Adrian snorted, "Do you really think names matter that much?"
Her jaw twitched falling for the bait. Then she smiled, a victorious look with a self gratified fire burning in her eyes, silvery-blue like unicorn blood.
"Thank you Adrian," She smiled, voice like fae's bells, "you've just told me you aren't a pureblood."
She sauntered away, leaving Adrian staring at her in shock.
"What." he breathed, unable to react until the cornsilk haired girl had left his eyesight.
"Well, that was fun." Lutain hissed, sliding his way out from under the couch, "More fun than scaring humans. You were tricked like rat-man and Nagini."
"Never call me Wormtail again," Adrian clipped hotly.
Lutain snickered to himself and slithered back under the couch to the safety of darkness.
....
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