Adrian tilted his head back and laughed, "Oh Merlin," He wheezed, nearly crying at the ridiculousness of it, "Is that really what you're telling people?" He gagged, inhaling too quickly for his lungs to accomodate, "Oh, no wonder you're the joke of the Wizarding World."
"I am not!" Skylar shouted, flushing up to his ears in embarrassment, "I really am doing important-"
"Listen here, Potter." Adrian's smile became wickedly sharp, "You may think you know what you're doing, but in this castle, I'm the one, who's one step up."
Skylar frowned and looked ready to punch Adrian in the face.
"You're not the boss of me." Skylar prickled, nearly sending spittle on Adrian's face. Skylar was in an unusually grumpy mood, generally he wasn't this easy to rile up.
"No, I'm not." Adrian agreed, "But remember that when the time comes for you to need information or help, I have blackmail or dues for nearly everyone in this castle."
Adrian's eyes nearly glowed, "And that's something even you, Golden boy, don't have."
He shoved past Skylar, taking great satisfaction with how his bony shoulder clipped the other's.
"Professor?" Adrian asked politely, elevating his voice to speak through the door, "Professor Lupin?"
The door opened slowly, revealing a sickly looking man who was still unmistakable.
"You look terrible." Adrian blinked, ever so blunt with his observation.
Lupin still looked baffled, stepping back to allow the door to open further, "Mr. Selwyn, why are you-"
"You're having Skylar Potter do your errands?" Adrian arched one eyebrow, "Really?"
Lupin blinked, large bags under his bright golden eyes, like melted galleons, "Don't you have class?"
Adrian ignored it and walked further into the room, stumbling as he slammed into the strong smell of incense in the air.
"Mr. Selwyn, I feel morally obliged to send you back to your class-"
Adrian sighed audibly, "I have your lesson plans, I'm more useful than Skylar."
Lupin smiled thinly, dropping onto the opposite chair with a small wince.
"Well, Skylar is a good boy-"
"Also your godson," Adrian pointed out, causing Lupin to frown.
"Mr. Selwyn, I'm not sure where you get this information-"
"I have a lot of good information," Adrian slyly added, "I'm sure you'd find it useful."
Lupin rolled his eyes with a strange fondness Adrian hadn't ever seen directed at him before.
"Well, I'll let you know next time I want to know the newest gossip wheel in the Slytherin house." Lupin smiled, "Maybe Professor Snape and I can discuss it over tea."
Adrian gave a bark of laughter at the thought.
"Anyways, thank you so much for delivering my lesson plans. I'm feeling a bit under the weather, I'm afraid I won't be able to teach tomorrow." Lupin apologized with a sincere expression of regret.
"I'm sure that Snape would like teaching for a day, since he can't get the position." Adrian blinked slowly, "The position is cursed, you know."
"It's such a strange expression considering real spellwork and curses exist." Lupin smiled, running one hand through his limp brown hair.
"Oh," Adrian blinked slowly, "It is cursed. The Dark Lord cursed it himself, only misfortune falls to those who attempt to teach more than a year."
Lupin froze, his hand stilling in his hair. He looked at Adrian with a sense of utter disbelief, "Mr. Selwyn where did you hear such a silly rumor-"
"I know a lot of things," Adrian swallowed, "Can you swear to me what I say won't leave the room?"
"Mr. Selwyn-"
"Please?" Adrian paused, stomaching his pride to try and assume the persona of not his father's son. "Please, Remus?"
Remus melted like the paternal sap he was. "Of course, I swear what we talk about won't leave the room."
Adrian smiled, a gentle expression formed on Lupin's face. Adrian stomached his doubt, briefly wishing Lutain was with him to egg him on, "I know about the Order of the Phoenix."
"What?" Lupin jumped to his feet in alarm, "What are you-"
"I know a lot of things," Adrian added, "Things that a boy my age shouldn't. People overlook me," he pointedly stated, staring with all seriousness into Lupin's eyes, "Bellatrix underestimated me."
Lupin paled more than it seemed he possibly could with his complexion, "Mr. Selwyn exams are fast approaching, you should be better using your time-"
"The dementors are so close, Professor." Adrian spoke, lowering his voice to a whisper as he looked out of the nearest window, it was already getting dark out, "they're leaving Azkaban."
"Listen to me, Adrian," Remus Lupin growled, a low rumbling noise in his throat that was distinctly canine, "Bellatrix Lestrange cannot get out-"
"Students are whispering," Adrian pointed out, still gazing out the window, "They're saying things that Azkaban is going to fall."
A complete lie. Or perhaps it was truth, Adrian didn't know for sure.
Remus Lupin leaned back, rubbing his eyes and looking considerably worse off, "That's...Let me think on it, Mr. Selwyn-"
"If I'm helping you, you can call me Adrian." he pointed out, green eyes finally meeting gold, "anonymously of course."
Lupin smiled tightly, "This is dangerous work, Adrian."
Adrian smiled back, eyes sharp, "This is a dangerous world we live in, Professor."
....
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