There was a new professor at Hogwarts that was both an enigma and an absolute horror for Adrian.
His name was Professor Moody, or Mad-Eye-Moody as most of the Slytherin's were murmuring unsurely to one another. An experienced Auror, a dark wizard catcher, a lunatic. Apparently a high percentage of wizards and witches imprisoned in Azkaban were due to the one man alone.
Moody unnerved Adrian scarily so, especially with the Ex-Auror's blatant disregard for school rules and punishments.
Professor Moody displayed the three Unforgivable Curses with terrifying ease.
Adrian hadn't ever attempted the curses; they were the darkest spells he knew. He didn't even know the incantations for them (well, he hadn't before.)
Dark Magic addiction would be overwhelming, it would have left him immobile and writhing against it.
Yet this teacher didn't even flinch, he didn't even grin.
That was a horrible sign if there was one.
Draco had been...different.
Very different.
Admittedly, it was Adrian's fault that he had slipped away too obviously. Word had spread as rumor tended to.
Granted, Adrian had thought that the rumors with Bellatrix would have lasted a bit longer, that the secret would have remained hidden for a bit longer in time.
For the Order and for word to so carelessly fall into the hands of children, well, obviously there was a spy within his Father's ranks, or within the Order.
(Not only that, but the spy fell for something as simple as irrelevant information, Adrian was almost disappointed.)
Draco was angry, a seething fury that was restrained by fear and the knowledge that Adrian very likely could (and would) attack him.
Draco believed that Adrian would send him to the Hospital Wing unrecognizable, Adrian knew that he could.
(Would he? No, not when more things were at stake. Not when he was being watched by so many eyes.)
Draco found a way to combat this new threat, in the standard Malfoy name. His name carried weight in a way Adrian hadn't truly realized before.
The influence and power of Draco's standings, and his new ignorance policy he implemented towards Adrian absolutely demolished Adrian's dealings.
Hopefully when the tournament began, the selected champions would need assistance or some sort of help with spells. The galleon's he had saved were quickly running low, scraping the bottom of the cauldron as he recklessly purchased useless quills or new potions for Lutain's scales without halt.
For now, he was withholding his spending and hoping for some sort of demand of his services.
Until then, and until the weather plummeted to even colder outside, Adrian was perfectly content to spend his time outside with Lutain sitting along the lake. The giant squid was enough company as it was.
Adrian skipped the announcement for the Hogwarts Champion and the Champions of the other schools. It wasn't yet too late for a walk, too many people and too many eyes on him still unnerved him.
Not to mention the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students tended to stare at Adrian. They would stop, or take a double glance to follow him as he walked across the courtyards. Sometimes he was lucky to be out of hearing range before they started whispering,
('What's wrong with him?'
'Why is he alone?'
'Hah! Look at how disgusting!'
'Don't look, Mari, he'll see you-')
Adrian wasn't quite used to his reflection yet either.
"Adrian!"
The boy in question spun on his heels, jolting at the noise. His change in movement nearly threw Lutain from his shoulders.
"Remus?" Adrian blinked in surprise, overwhelmed when he was suddenly taken into the man's arms and hugged quite fiercely.
He was fortunately outside near Hagrid's hut, far enough nobody saw the man embrace him.
"Oh thank Merlin," Remus exhaled, clutching the younger boy close, "Skylar sent an owl saying that you were alright; I-I couldn't come until today you see, sneaking in with the family group for the champions."
"What…" Adrian blinked, struggling to understand what was going on, "What do you…"
Lutain took that moment to hiss, the sound was muffled from under the clothing but the thrashing couldn't be disguised. Remus loosened his arms, relaxing them from where they had constricted to a twinging pain. His torso shook slightly, a hitch in his breath as if he was sick.
"Oh!" Remus pulled back, peering down quizzically before his expression changed to beaming, "Ah! Your familiar! Are you alright, little one?"
He addressed Lutain directly. something which baffled the snake.
"Yes?" Lutain hissed curiously in response, almost expecting the werewolf to speak back.
Remus didn't, and instead smiled far too overjoyed for Adrian to comprehend. What on Earth made him so happy?
"May we talk?" Remus asked politely, his expression shifting into something serious, although the light never did fade from his eyes. The two walked towards the forest, taking a small path around the hut into the woods where a small lake rested shrouded by trees.
"I would generally never take a student into these woods, although we both know we're well versed with magical creatures."
Remus' slightly sarcastic drawl caused Adrian to smile faintly without his knowledge. He reached out his hand to brush against the thick bark of the ancient trees, "That's true."
Remus smiled, taking a seat on a large boulder just shy of the small lake's lapping edges.
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