Adrian sighed but started running again, jumping over fallen trees and off mossy boulders when he could. He could hear the whispers in his ears, his breath drawing mist before his mouth, and he knew he was in the right place.
The lake was frozen, dementors dipping down low enough to brush against the lake and cool it once more. It was beautiful in its own way, the swirling pattern like a tornado of black, illuminated by the full moon.
Adrian walked out, trying to quell his hammering heart, watching the phantoms of reality dance before his eyes like a private show.
"Sonorus," Adrian cast with a sliding motion, pressing his wand to his throat to amplify the sound, "Dementors," He addressed, hoping his voice didn't warbel.
They spun, swooping to somehow curve around him, wrapping him in the center of the cyclone. The temperature dropped drastically, numbing his exposed fingers. The cloak appeared to neutralize the other effects, they seemed to realize it as well.
One swung forward, pausing just out of his grasp. It tilted its hood, creaking groans and gasping parted from what was its vocal chords. It reached out one hand, long and bony with scaled rotting skin flaking off.
"Dementors," Adrian addressed once again, "I come offering a token of peace, and a sample of what My Lord can offer."
It tilted its head, drawing closer with the grace of death itself.
"Master," Lutain shivered, tensing closer as the monster pressed nearer.
"There is a- a herd of Hippogriffs on the outer rim of this forest," Adrian stumbled, feeling his hands start to shake from the cold. His instincts crying at him to get away-
He wanted to reach out and touch it, to see if it's hand felt as it looked.
'Bestow them,' the voice whispered in his skull, 'A gift of gratitude.'
"I bestow to you and your kind, a gift of gratitude and a-an offer, for future compliance with the D-Dark Lord Voldemort," Adrian started again, feeling lightheaded from the pressure of so many monsters, so many beautiful creatures-
It tilted its head as if considering. They swept back, bowing with arms extended in a circle around Adrian. The one in charge rattled loudly, it's cloaked hood seeming to lower as the bottomless black depths of…
Sound seemed to pulse slowly, even the feeling of Lutain drifted.
The black depths seemed closer, ever so close to Adrian. It swallowed him, the edges of his vision creeping black as his breath rattled hollowly.
It inhaled and Adrian felt so very dizzy...
"Expecto Patronum!"
And it was broken.
A shaky antelope bolted out across the ice, skittering playfully and dispersing the Dementors.
Adrian knew that shaky creature. He knew that creature and why was this happening?
"Potter!" Lutain hissed, who tucked himself to Adrian's neck, disguising himself better. Lutain seemed oblivious to the disorientation Adrian felt, how the very air itself stung and burned his lungs.
Adrian felt like teetering to the ground, he couldn't. Not when somehow Skylar had followed him.
How? How did Skylar follow him? He couldn't have, but the likelihood that the two of them would venture into the forest at the exact same time…
Where was Skylar, anyways?
And then Adrian saw. Across the pond, there were two people, laying in the grass exhausted and shivering. Looking worse for wear, shaking and trembling on the pond stones bordering the frozen pool.
"The female," Lutain warned, "Potter's Den-mate."
Hermione and Skylar were a shaking mess, the epitome of pathetic and lucky.
To make matters worse, a huge black dog barreled into the area, skittering across the ice with a yelp before crashing and sliding, it hit the bank as a man.
"Skylar! Hermione!" Sirius Black shouted, grabbing the two and pulling them to their feet, "Let's move, Moony's on his way and Prongs can only-"
Moony? Prongs?
The trees smashed open with the strange sight of a huge twelve point stag tossing its head, trying to warn back a humongous bipedal creature, short fur interspersed with pale silvery skin. Large gruesome scars and claw marks decorating its shoulder and face in a recognizing pattern...
Lupin.
"Move move!" Sirius shouted, scrambling back and pushing the kids behind him, "Run!" He shouted, jumping into a mid-air animagus transformation.
It was amazing, to see skin be replaced with fur in a smooth transition of wax melting on a candle burning too hotly. The stag- Prongs, Sirius had called it, bleated out an angry noise, stomping its hoof angrily. It was too intelligent for a normal animal, avoiding its prey thought process.
Lupin's golden eyes met Adrian's through the hooded cloak with the savagery of a wild animal.
The werewolf howled, a long single note that rang true through the trees and on the wind. The lonely sound of a wolf without its pack.
Adrian held his wand in front of him, and exhaled slowly.
This was no worse than Bellatrix.
This was no worse than his father.
....
Want to read ahead by more than 60 chapters. Then join my pa*treon now.
Link: pa*treon.com/Amelie796 (Remove the *)
Free members will get 2 chapters for free.