Rowle was a good teacher. He was calm, and didn't tire. It was convenient since Apparation was even harder for Adrian to perform than he anticipated.
Bellatrix didn't always watch, she often had other things to do. Rowle was given a special Portkey to the manor, and the privilege of freedom only in the main training room. On the rare occasions he saw another person, it was either Wormtail being chased by Nagini, or Rabastan delivering another shipment of illegal goods.
Rowle was professional in terms of never asking for information about his student.
Adrian almost suspected that the man doubted that he was the Dark Lord's Heir, until he saw Adrian deep in discussion with Nagini.
Lutain then terrified the man by moving across the floor faster than any curse, five feet of lethal intent.
"Got you!" Lutain crooned happily, displaying his fangs horrifyingly, "you are not so fast."
"That's because father would kill him if he cursed you," Adrian sighed, rubbing his eyes with his palm, "Leave him, he's my tutor."
"Shame he isn't as good as Nagini," Lutain sniffed, but retracted his imposing body obediently, "we are well matched."
Rowle swallowed nervously, blue eyes focused on Lutain's strikingly dark scales. "An impressive snake you have, young lord."
"Young lord?" Adrian quoted questioningly, blinking slowly as his familiar hissed laughingly, "That's a new one."
"Is it?" Rowle asked calmly, hands trembling as they clenched only air- not daring to draw his wand, "It baffles me others do not show you proper respect, my lord."
"Considering only you, and the Lestrange's know of my existence," Adrian stated boldly, drawing his wand and pointing it at Rowle innocently, "I don't have many to base my standards on."
Rowle nodded, not so much as blinking at the threat, "Then allow me to thank you for the generosity of your presence."
"You flatter me," Adrian drawled, lips pressed thinly together, "I know you're supposed to be teaching me how to apparate. I want you to teach me a spell, or a curse. One that will be more useful than popping birds or tripping aurors."
"Hatchling," Nagini scolded, peering over at Adrian disapprovingly, "You are to learn different magics."
"I won't be of any help without knowing any useful spells" Adrian hissed in response, "What point is learning Apparation when father already said he didn't think I could master it before the raid? I should at least know how to defend myself for a while."
"You have our bite," Nagini's tail thrashed loudly, thumping heavily on the floor, "That is all that is needed."
"But I should know something- just the incantation," Adrian bartered, "I'll practice it on my own. Just one day for the spell, then I can master it along with Apparation."
Nagini looked unconvinced, "You will practice with yourself?"
"And I won't get far behind. Let me surprise father."
Nagini grumbled and looked at Lutain who was obviously waiting for her decision.
"Okay," Nagini huffed, "But strong spell! Only for your safety!"
Adrian smiled, nodding to Rowle who looked remarkably well composed for having witnessed an entire conversation in parseltongue.
"She agrees, and you won't be disobeying my father," Adrian translated with a small smile, "I want you to teach me a spell. Something for combat, something strong."
Rowle's face spread into a vicious grin, his pale eyes lightened considerably, "Oh? Dealing some damage, are we?"
Adrian's face didn't flicker, "Something brutal." Something dark.
Rowle paused in consideration, chewing his bottom lip thoughtfully. "What do you know about the Dark Arts, Ki- my lord."
Adrian almost smiled. He wondered how Draco would look if he was forced to address Adrian as such.
"Dark magic is a mutating form of magic, always adapting and changing. It's not defined or restricted by limits of power, or expressions of emotion." Adrian recited properly with near textbook definition, "I want something which cannot be countered easily."
Rowle grunted an affirmative, "Tell you what. I'll show you two; one for large scale attacks and one for single targets."
Adrian nodded, watching as two training dummies were conjured- not nearly as well constructed as Bellatrix's usual creations.
"Abrumpo!" Rowle hoarsely grunted, slashing his wand in a diagonal shape. A shimmering red line blasted out of his wand, glinting like a blade. It slashed deeply into the dummy, spilling its cotton and straw stuffing onto the floor.
Without giving Adrian enough time to register, Rowle was already moving onto the next dummy.
"Ruptura," Rowle spoke, sending a thin stream of purple fire searing through the air like a long rope attached to an arrow. It singed, burning through the cloth of the dummy with a clean move.
"How is the second one able to affect multiple people at once?" Adrian spoke calmly, ignoring how the purple heat singed his own skin.
To demonstrate, Rowle twisted his wrist, severing his wand's connection to the fire as it continued through the air like a dangerous ribbon.
"It'll exist for several minutes after being cast," Rowle explained with the smallest flicker of a smile, "And will continue to feed off of your own magic unless you consciously sever it."
The fire burned, moving faintly in the air with the grace of kelp in water.
"Alright," Adrian exhaled through his nose, "Abrumpo and Ruptura. I can remember that."
Rowle's eyes shined with some sort of sadistic humor, as if he wasn't telling Adrian all of the relevant information.
"Good," He smiled, lips pulling back in an expression Adrian couldn't decipher, "Apparation then?"
Dinner was always an uncomfortable situation, mostly because it never extended to involving people beyond Adrian and his father.
The table was a long piece of wood, lacquered darkly and covered with silvery plates with various foods. They were fancy, high quality ingredients set in an aesthetically pleasing shape by the house elves.
"How are your studies?" His father asked casually, more out of obligation than actual interest.
"Decent," Adrian responded politely, pausing as he buttered a roll with a dull knife, "Rowle is an adequate teacher."
His father arched one eyebrow and looked at him with an almost lazy ruby glance, "Only adequate?"
Adrian gave a minor shrug, looking down at the bread in his hands.
"Don't shrug, it's unbecoming," his father scolded without looking up from his food, "I had assumed that his personality would prompt you to master the techniques faster."
"He's…" Adrian paused, thinking carefully, "He's bold. Impressive endurance."
Voldemort gave a low hum of thought, slicing his own portion of meat into bite sized cubes with elaborate silver utensils. "He's loyal. I noticed you asked Rowle for advanced spellwork."
Adrian paused, "Did Nagini..."
"No," Red eyes glimmered, "You forget your mind is as open to me as it is yourself."
It wasn't like he was hiding his curiosity. Adrian didn't want to be pinned down by Hogwarts curriculum spellwork and charms. With a resource like Rowle at his disposal, Adrian would be an idiot to not take advantage of it.
"Unfortunately, although Rowle performs spells acceptably, he lacks the required knowledge on theory itself." His father continued, plucking a ripe plum from a nearby plate. His knife split its skin effortlessly, sending darkly tinted juice over the metal.
"Magical theory?" Adrian paused tentatively, "Dark magic is a mutating form of magic, always adapting and changing. It's not defined or restricted by limits of power, or expressions of emotion."
What he said to Rowle suddenly sounded much less impressive when he was saying it to the Dark Lord.
"That book was created to address neutral magic and light magic," his father explained casually, "I recognize the phrase. Unfortunately misinterpretive for the content. Dark Magic feeds off of destructive emotions. Normally thought of as a loose term applicable to any spell whose intended effects are discomfort or death, it generally does not consider other emotional based magic."
Adrian paused thoughtfully, "Magic such as the Patronus charm then-"
"Is a derivative of dark magic which does not function in previously defined categories."
Adrian paused thoughtfully, "Dark magic is any magic which feeds off of emotional cues, and light magic is from intent itself?"
"There a considerable difference between 'intent' and outcome," Voldemort sighed, holding the sharpened knife with plum juice on the blade between two fingers, "If the intent behind one dark spell is lesser the damage will be reduced. If the intent behind a light spell is lesser, the spell will not perform."
With how Adrian's patronus could be conjured in the beginning depending on his level of emotion, it didn't fit in the category of light magic.
"Dark magic is considered dangerous," Voldemort continued with the smallest twist of amusement on his lips,"because our cores interpret strong emotions as pleasure."
"The more emotion required behind a spell, the nicer it feels?" Adrian simplified, staring transfixed at his father.
Voldemort sliced off another layer of the plum. It's juice was similar to blood dripping over his fingers. "Precisely."
Adrian shrugged on his cloak, pulling the hood up carefully just in case his father had late night visitors over. Adrian was not sure- although he knew that the residential wing and his training rooms were off limits to guests.
"Master?" Lutain asked groggily, eyes clearing as he awoke to Adrian's movements, "Where are you going?"
"To practice spells. Go back to sleep Lutain," Adrian hushed, pulling the covers back up to save whatever heat they still retained. Lutain grumbled something before drifting off into sleep once more.
Adrian smiled fondly at his familiar. It was still rather early in the morning. He'd have hours before Bellatrix or his father went looking for him.
He tiptoed out of his room, through the hallways carefully and down the stairs. He didn't encounter anything except one startled house elf, wearing a strange mixture of half a curtain and a woman's hairnet.
He opened the door to his training room, activating the illuminating and protective wards with the keyword. The door closed behind him, sealing the protective barrier in place until he or someone else opened the door once again.
Adrian shrugged off the cloak, pulling out his preferred wand and smiling at it fondly. "Avis!"
Birds exploded from his wand- the magic was simple and he barely felt it tug on his senses. He repeated it twice, watching confused cardinals and doves roost above him on the wooden rafter beams.
He then drew two of the hay bags in the corner over to the center of the room, taking time to transfigure them into something humanoid. They barely resembled anything human, although he wasn't picky.
For having attempted and getting decently along in an Animagus transformation, he was rather rubbish at transfiguration.
Adrian breathed out, smiling slightly at the silence of the room. There was something comforting about practicing spells alone without an audience.
His magic tingled, boiling under his skin ready to be summoned in the air with flames. He didn't want that this time, this time he wanted to perfect the spells Rowle had shown him.
He didn't know anything about them to be honest, he had not even heard of the incantation. Admittedly, it was possible that he had actually heard of the proper names, and forgotten about it from one of his many books.
He pointed his wand at the shoddy dummy, recalling the slashing curse he had seen. "Abrumpo!"
His wand fizzled, scrounging only the thinnest ripples of a spell. It traveled only a foot[1] before vanishing.
Adrian's entire hand felt numb, sparking with sensations entirely different than what Bellatrix had shown him. "Whoa," He breathed excitedly, feeling shivers twist down his spine and shake his body against his will.
He positioned his wand at the ready, focusing on his emotions which generally ran a bit stronger than others already. "Abrumpo!"
This time the spell worked, sliding through the air as thin as a razor, not the desired thickness of a sword's blade. It sliced through the thin canvas layer of the dummy, puckering and revealing the smallest hint of hay.
The tingles zapped up and through Adrian's body like an electric shock. He made a strange keening noise, his spine spasming against the most wonderful feeling...
"Abrumpo!" Adrian casted again, slashing faster through the air. "Abrumpo!"
Unlike the other spells, the sensation didn't vanish. It built and built slowly until all of his nerves were alive, popping and sizzling like the muggle candy he tasted once as a child.
His blood was electric, and it was one of the best things he had ever felt.
He gasped, stumbling upright- when had he been lying on the floor? The birds circling above were looking at him curiously, chirping happily.
The dummy was obliterated, shredded like a manticore's nest. How many times had he cast the spell to achieve that effect?
No wonder Rowle seemed so amused when he displayed the spells, he knew how amazing it was.
Adrian rolled, stumbling to his knees. His heart was pounding and adrenaline was causing his vision to blur.
"If only I knew this," Adrian almost giggled, "When I was against Potter."
What about the other spell? Adrian had a natural affinity for fire, if it worked better than what he knew now, he may have found a formidable spell for combat.
He pointed his wand at the other dummy, still resting on his knees.
"Ruptora." Adrian pointed, pausing as nothing happened. "Ruptura?"
He felt something flare, his magic surging as the proper pronunciation made the difference. Already it seared, drawing a breathless smile to Adrian's already worn out body. "Ruptura!"
His wand flared, sending a hot whip of fire flying like Lutain's strike.
It came much easier to Adrian than the cutting curse. It washed through his blood like hot water, prickling through his nerves almost unbearably. It snapped outwards much stronger and more viciously than he had ever experienced.
Adrian's blood burned.
Bellatrix found him after the sun had risen. She cautiously pressed on the door, feeling the wards unlock and allow her to swing the hinge open.
"Adrian?" Bellatrix peered inside curious, "Are you here?"
She paused, observing the room with the vaguest sense of confusion. The air itself crackled, like static before a lightning strike. Shreds of cloth were scattered around the ground as if a feral dog had torn into scarecrows. The acrid stench of burnt hair was pungent in the air.
Adrian was trembling in the middle of the room, eyes wide and dilated to the point of no green. His entire body spasmed, looking to Bellatrix like one of the strange diseases people were afflicted with after the Cruciatus.
Had someone cursed Adrian in the night? Why would someone sneak in and leave him alive? Let alone in one of the training rooms.
Unless it was his father who had done it, although that felt counterproductive. Which meant the only reasonable suspect was Rowle.
"Adrian?" Bellatrix asked, walking over hurriedly through the straw and feathers. Her shoes were sticking in something congealed on the floor.
"Bella?" Adrian asked, his voice hoarse as his head wobbled unsteadily on his neck, "What are you- what are you doing here?" His teeth were tinged pinkish.
"It's noon." Bellatrix stated bluntly, cocking her head like a particularly curious owl "Where's Rowle? I'll kill him. Please?"
Adrian blinked sluggishly, as if on high strength pain potions, "Rowle? What... what did he do?"
"Didn't he curse you?" Bellatrix asked, voice trailing off awkwardly, articulating her confusion accurately.
"No- he..." Adrians eyes lit up, his pupils shrunk so amazingly quickly Bellatrix felt alarmed. A second later, his eyes were nothing but bright venomous green, a pinprick where his pupils were.
a strangely disconcerting grin spread across Adrian's normally relatively composed face, "Look- look,"
He brandished his wand, pointing it upwards and prattled out a spell so fast Bella almost couldn't understand it. Birds exploded outwards, but before she could marvel at how many there were- he had crooned out another spell that caused her to stare in surprise.
"Raptura," He hissed out, voice almost slurred and lethargic. His eyes nearly rolled up into his head as his entire body jerked at the spell, a fine tremor that was distinguishable from his constant shaking. The bright fire ribbon blasted upwards and cauterized the wings off of two birds, evaporating the blood and setting the feathers ablaze in one swift motion.
"You know the Lavcorpus curse?" Bellatrix stumbled over the name in surprise, "That's..."
Adrian shivered, entire body twitching as every nerve in his body was set ablaze.
"I know," Adrian moaned in satisfaction, "It's wonderful."
'This is bad,' Bellatrix thought distantly to herself, somewhat alarmed and somewhat proud 'This is very bad.'
Adrian was still shaking- miniscule spasms wracking along his arms and legs. His skin itched and insects crawled under his flesh.
He walked, his cloak clasp digging into the sensitive skin of his throat. He couldn't bear to wear Lutain, even his familiar's pressuring coils made his body flair in pain.
He walked with the slightest limp, his hair hanging low on his face from his earlier exertion. His complexion was pale with his exhaustion, he was almost certain he had bags under his eyes as well.
It was embarrassing to walk to his father's study in such a state, knowing that his appearance would displease him.
"Are you sure you are not sick?" Lutain pestered once more, slithering slowly over the floor next to him, his bright yellow belly almost reflecting on the polished wood flooring.
"I'm fine, Lutain." Adrian muttered back, shaking and shivering, "I overdid it."
"Spells and spells," Lutain grumbled sourly, "you should just become the noble kind already."
"Animagus transformation isn't easy," Adrian sighed once again, wincing as his joints ached in pain, "After I get Apparation down."
"You always lose your legs," Lutain sighed wistfully, "Always the legs."
Adrian rolled his eyes but didn't deny it. He paused by the main door to the study, resting one hand on the wood before closing his eyes briefly.
He pushed the large door carefully, not sure of how heavy it was. The last thing he wanted was to slam it into the wall behind.
Adrian walked inside confidently, clasping his hands behind his back to hopefully hide the shake. The study was imposing, tall piles of books and elaborate bookshelves. Glowing stones and runes encircled the walls, strange objects hung from pegs nearest the door.
His father didn't look up, writing something attentively with a black fountain pen. Nagini did, her large head lifting from the corner of the desk where his father sat.
"Hatchling!" Nagini cried instantly, dropping her head to the floor with a mighty thud, "What did you do! You have a sickness!"
Adrian's father's head snapped up at the sound, red iris' widening slightly as he took in Adrian's appearance. His eyes stared at Adrian's face, seeing something new and surprising.
"Hello," Adrian spoke, clearing his throat uncomfortably from the hoarseness of it, "I- how may I be of assistance?"
His father stared for an uncomfortably long moment. Eventually he straightened his back, placing the black fountain pen down on his desk in its respective mount. He paused, tilting his head and looking at Adrian critically.
"You've ventured into more difficult spells," his father stated ambiguously, "Quite advanced, by the look of you."
Were they? In that case, it was entirely Rowle's fault. Which may have explained why he was so pleased with teaching him spells.
Advanced dark spells.
That load of dragon dung.
"I only wanted to impress you," Adrian spoke, his voice a slightly shaky murmur, "I wanted to be helpful."
"You would be helpful once you mastered Apparation."
Adrian shrunk back with a wince.
"Of course," Voldemort paused, tapping a finger to his lips thoughtfully, "This could be a solution to our current dilemma. Your appearance."
"I look like you?" Adrian spoke, his voice raising in pitch at the end so the fact in itself sounded like a question, "Are we going to establish a glamour? You said it would impede with my magic."
"It would," His father agreed, "Fortunately, the story you told the werewolf will work in our favour."
"Bellatrix?" Adrian tilted his head curiously, "how will Bellatrix change the way I look? You ah, you didn't explain before."
Voldemort smiled with the look of Nagini staring at a hopeless rabbit. Adrian swallowed thickly.
"She's going to nearly kill you," His father replied almost gleefully, folding his fingers delicately into the posture of a politician, "and you're going to have a horrible curse-scar."