Chapter 53 - Caiman

'I can cast anything, I know I can. I mean, I mean I can. I'm not struggling in classes, I mean I can do the spellwork. I can do it. I can cast anything. I can do it.'

Adrian slipped back into Hogwarts like rain on a sunny day.

Unsuspecting, invisible in the daylight, and unfathomably sad.

The welcome back feast was a somber affair, candles lit with a dim glow as Albus Dumbledore stood at his pedestal with a grave expression. Dolores Umbridge looked content and gleeful, wand resting on the table in front of her, as if the concerns of those beneath her were pleasantries.

"It is a pleasure to welcome you all back from your holiday break, although all news cannot be joyful in such a trying time." Dumbledore started, his voice resonating throughout the hall.

"It has come to my attention, that once more in our halls, a student has failed to join us, and forever will be unable to. Suzie Forestar, a fourth year Slytherin student, was found murdered in her home by dark forces."

Dolores Umbridge leaned forward obviously, as if moving for her wand. Dumbledore ignored it with grace.

"I find it my duty, as a headmaster and as a human being, to consider the danger we live in, and remember those who have passed far too soon beyond our help and wishes."

'Get rid of her!'

Adrian flinched, head held low.

"And I want to remind you all, to stay vigilant. And to remember those, who have left us."

'Let her starve to death.'

Adrian slowly lifted his head, breathed in and then out.

He felt peace, the small slow acceptance of something much greater than him. A sense of humbleness in wake of something much larger than him; a sense of comprehension and enlightenment a blind man receives seeing the sun the first time.

Through the Great Hall Adrian's eyes met silver.

Adrian inhaled.

'They are only rats.'

Adrian exhaled.

Luna Lovegood was crying quietly.

Educational Decree Number Twenty-Six.

All students are hereby banned from conversing with teachers outside of academic assignment.

"Luna, what do you think about destiny?"

"The concept? Well, I think it's a bit silly. Isn't destiny made by people?"

"What about prophecies?"

"I don't believe in them."

"Really? Even when the Ministry keeps record of prophecies? Doesn't that mean they're real?"

"What fun are prophecies if not to throw the unknown word of gods to simple swine and see what conclusions they misinterpret."

Educational Decree Number Twenty-Seven

The paper titled 'The Quibbler' is hereby banned from Hogwarts grounds and property. Any person seen reading such paper is to be immediately reported.

"Why were you never upset with me, when I hurt Draco?"

"I was, but I thought better of it. I don't like it when you hurt people."

"Do you like me?"

"Of course I do."

"So why are you so bothered by it? Why won't you let me scare the students who bully you, Luna?"

"It's not the right thing to do."

"But being bullied is the right thing?"

Educational Decree Number Twenty-Eight

All students are hereby banned from exchanging goods or merchandise in systematic order of a bartering network. Any student seen or heard of fencing such products will be immediately expelled from the grounds.

"Do you think the world is good, Luna?"

"Do you?"

"No. No I think it's actually a horrible place."

"..."

"Is it wrong to think like that?"

Daphne was a woman on a mission.

She found Adrian, curled around a book but not actually studying the content. Likely something for Defense Class- he managed to always rack up an immeasurable amount of extra assignments.

"Selwyn," She spoke in lieu of a greeting. Her tone cold and bland. Adrian jolted, looking at her with a somewhat blank expression.

No- a somewhat dead expression in his eyes.

"Greengrass," he quietly answered back, closing his eyes and keeping them shut. He had long eyelashes, she hadn't ever noticed that before.

"Did you read the paper?" Daphne asked dully, the words sour and stagnant in the air. "Or did you find out about Suzie Forestar when the Headmaster told us?"

Adrian sighed quietly, he sounded tired. Daphne noticed instantly that he didn't open his eyes, instead he looked more tired.

"I don't want to do this now, Greengrass."

"Too bad," She snapped sourly, feeling frustration and annoyance bubble in her blood. With how much she had warned Astoria, Daphne knew she shouldn't be acting so aggressive towards Adrian, especially given how dangerous he was.

She couldn't help it- Adrian always had been a bit of a jerk, an untactful arse that always left her prickling in annoyance, but that never justified….justified…

Daphne felt like screaming, so she settled for a sharp bite to her hissed accusation. "I know you always hated her, and now she's murdered?"

"What!" Adrian snapped suddenly, a complete turn from his passive expression before. His eyes widened suddenly, the whites prominent against the ghostly pallor of his skin. The red marks across his flesh, the scars, matched the small blood vessels across his eyes. His nostrils flared slightly, rhythmic to the clenching of his hands. Daphne could already imagine the flames licking at her clothing.

"Do you think I did it?" Adrian spit out, pupils dilated and entire body looking ready to spring. It was a violent reaction, and although Daphne knew how volatile Adrian was, even this seemed unexpected.

Daphne could hardly breathe, her lungs refusing to fill properly. 'Yes' she thought dazed, swallowing any words she could have uttered.

Something in Adrian's expression looked tortured, like a feral dog tied to a post knowing the sun was setting. Something afraid, something animalistic, something being hunted.

'What could possibly terrify you, Adrian Selwyn?' Daphne thought to herself. Images of blood and bone flashed through her head, of something screaming and fire- terrible fire. Surely Adrian himself knew, that one day when he finally fractured, he would be something horrible to face.

(And yet, somehow underneath the terror, there was a sense of calm acceptance. A knowledge, or an epiphany that was still a mystery to Daphne herself.)

It was a terrifying expression.

"Suzie was a brat and I'm glad she's dead!" Adrian hissed, tilting his head sideways a noticeable angle. A strange tilt that looked like it would hurt Daphne's neck muscles. Adrian didn't even blink, maintaining a nearly bulging eye expression teetering closely to something manic. "Is that what you want to hear?"

Daphne's heart beat loudly, she could scarcely inhale enough to breathe.

Adrian's expression wilted inwards in a single second. He curled in on himself, clutching the book tightly in his hands yet he didn't appear devastated. He seemed calm, serenity in chaos, "Leave me alone, Greengrass."

Daphne turned and walked away, all the way to the dorms where she found Astoria settled on a chair inconspicuously waiting. Astoria leapt to her feet, nearly skipping down the hall to her room, dragging Daphne behind her with a look.

The door closed and flashed blue, privacy wards locking in place. It was silly to think about, but behind the doors and the privacy wards, Daphne finally felt that she could breathe again.

"What's wrong Daphne?" Astoria asked, blinking owlishly as she peered in Daphne's eyes, "Can you show me?"

How strange, Astoria's eyes were wide like Adrian's but they didn't even begin to mirror the silent words in them.

A second passed, than two, and Astoria flinched back as if shaken.

"What is it?" Daphne asked quietly, still alarmed by the sudden twist.

"I think…" Astoria blinked wide eyed and starstruck, as if the world was about to fall apart, "I think you shouldn't talk to that boy anymore, Daphne."

'I know.'

Daphne made a noise of frustration, something anxious and tired. "I've been telling you that! I told you to stay away from him!"

Astoria shook her head slowly, "Daphne, I…"

"What is it, Astoria?" Daphne asked quietly. "Do we need to go to Professor Snape?"

"No." Astoria assured quickly, "That's why she's dead. She...she must have messaged someone, which means I was right."

"What are you talking about?" Daphne asked, now on the verge of tears. She was just...so tired of all of this.

Astoria looked dazed and she sat down heavily, "He was blood adopted, by the man you saw. But it must have been him- he's...he's a parselmouth, but…"

"What?" Daphne hissed quietly.

Astoria turned her wide gaze on Daphne, and never had Daphne felt a chill so cold. Such a foreboding expression didn't fit on her smaller frail sister's face. Astoria was too small for this, too frail and at times Daphne thought she had a weight on her shoulders far too much for her to bare. Her eyes sometimes gazed off, and her hair was a thin whisper so shushed it left Daphne afraid that one day her sister would vanish in a strong breeze.

Her sister knew things, it made Daphne question Astoria's fervent denial over being a seer.

(Not that she needed it, she was a terror with Legilimency)

"Daphne," Astoria started, pausing and looking very very scared, "I think Adrian Selwyn... murdered Suzie Forestar's brother, and had a hand in her death as well."

"Do you remember it, when your mother died?"

"Of course I do."

"You saw it, didn't you."

"I did. It was terrible, I don't think I'll ever forget it...But I don't think about it much anymore."

"Is it wrong to forget about it? To just...stop caring about what it looks like?"

"What, death?"

"All of it, Luna."

Educational Decree Twenty-Nine gave the formal permission to replace Albus Dumbledore with Dolores Umbridge.

Never had Adrian felt so on edge.

It felt like every painting in the corridors watched him, eyes trailing on his form no matter where he went.

Something about it was bugging Lutain, even before break Lutain had mentioned something felt off. His familiar found more time to spend in the Chamber or on his own than around Adrian's shoulders. The serpent wasn't comfortable under such surveillance.

Skylar seemed...more difficult than usual. The boy was going out of his way to be friendly, overly nice and positive whenever the moment struck. Gentler, yet more firm on hanging out or interacting. He was...Adrian couldn't explain it. It was almost as if the boy was carefully testing him, treating him like expensive china yet at the same time- not.

It was….strange.

The next secret meeting of the DA was an endeavor to plan- delayed by multiple days due to Umbridge's oppressive eye.

When they could finally meet, it was more out of built up anxiety and stress than satisfaction.

Skylar was nearly bouncing on his feet, looking a sick shade of pale despite it all. He looked exhausted, just as everyone else.

"Hello! I'm so happy to see you all here," Skylar started, looking very relieved that so many people showed for the meeting, "Especially with Umbridge around."

Fred and George snorted, "Like we're going to listen to that-"

"-toad of a woman."

Skylar smiled, looking at every individual face until his eyes rested on Adrian. Something tightened, something in his eyes changed until his expression seemed unmistakably different.

"Anyways," Hermione cleared her throat loudly, hoisting herself to sit on the top of a wooden crate, sitting next to the large blackboard that had been dragged into the room, "We were thinking of defensive spells now instead of OWL level spells because we-"

"We need to protect ourselves," Skylar bluntly added, licking his lips as he peered around anxiously, "I- look. I...Suzie Forestar was one of us, she may have been Slytherin but she was just a kid."

"You think you can make us good duelers?" One student asked skeptically, crossing her arms as if to protect her, an unmistakably defensive body position.

"No, not that at all." Skylar shook his head, his expression more stony, "I think that we all need to know how to stall for time, because who knows when it's going to be your family? Your friends?"

"You think time is going to save us?"

"Time could have saved a lot of us," Skylar retorted, eyes sharp and flinty in the room, "It could have- just a few small seconds could make the difference. It could save you, or…"

"Your sister," Ron added quietly, looking at his feet.

The topic, the sudden real connection twisted something in the room. It sombered suddenly, the skepticism melted away to leave the rough raw undeniable truth of Skylar's words.

"I think we should learn the Patronus Charm," Skylar explained loudly, "It- it isn't only a shield against dark creatures, but it can also be sent distances as a messenger."

Fred and George Weasley nodded as one and stepped forward looking trademark giddy, "We're in!"

The spell was hard, but the realization that the world was harder motivated them to do their best.

They began working, although Skylar did announce that producing a Patronus in the middle of a brightly lit classroom when they were not under threat was very different to producing it when confronted by something like a dementor.

"But they're so pretty!" A girl sighed happily, trailing her hands through the swirling silver mist. Her patronus took on a bold swan-like shape, soaring around the Room of Requirements.

"They aren't supposed to be pretty, they're supposed to protect you," Skylar scolded, although it was only half hearted considering the beaming smile across his face, "We really need to grab a boggart or something."

Hermione's Patronus, a shining silver otter, was gamboling around the room.

"They are sort of nice, aren't they?" Hermione said rhetorically, looking at the otter.

Neville Longbottom was having the worst luck, his face was screwed up in concentration, but only feeble wisps of silver smoke drifted from the tip of his wand.

"You've got to think of something happy," Skylar gently reminded him.

"I'm trying," said Neville miserably, nearly shaking from the exertion.

The two jumped as someone new had drifted nearby, looking with a critical eye.

"Ah- h-hello." Neville mumbled, looking alarmed and incredibly uncomfortable with the close proximity to the Slytherin.

"Hey," Skylar chirped, looking at Adrian with a slightly curious look, "Neville is still having a bit of trouble."

Adrian blinked slowly and the movement made the facial scars (although they were turning silvery, they were no less disturbing) twist unsettlingly.

"Fake it," Adrian sighed, as if merely coming over was beneath him, "The memory doesn't have to be real."

Skylar floundered, "It...it doesn't?"

Adrian snorted softly through his nose, "No, it doesn't."

"I-Is yours? Real?" Neville gulped out, causing Adrian to pause and stare at the other boy as if he had asked something outrageous.

Skylar was holding his breath, as well as Fred and George Weasley, ready to intercept with twin Coyotes weaving through the legs of nearby students.

Adrian blinked slowly once again, "It's fake. I don't have any happy memories, so I made them up."

Somehow, the concept of that was horrifying.

Adrian pointed his wand in front of him, to the side of the two. He cast the spell quietly, his whole body shuttering as he very quietly gasped as if it pained him.

His patronus solidified in something large and lumbering, close to the ground with a thick hefty tail.

It was big, and it kept getting bigger.

Hermione gave a squeal climbing onto the crate to lift her legs off the ground where the scaled patronus rumbled lowly, its snout rather blunt but filled with many many teeth.

"Is that- is than an alligator?"

Zacharias Smith whooped from across the room, squinting at the reptile fascinated.

"It's...it's big." Neville breathed in alarm, looking highly alarmed.

"It's a black caiman." Adrian looked slightly proud, "They're the apex predator where they live."

"Sure it's not a crocodile?" Someone asked unsure, although interested by the way the eight foot reptile was waddling its streamline body around the room.

"No, it's bigger than one." Adrian shrugged, staring at the patronus.

"Aren't Caiman really aggressive?" Hermione blanched, "They've attacked people!"

Adrian grinned, showing teeth as he beckoned Skylar with his wand, "Yours, eh?"

Skylar grinned in queu, the strangely gleeful expression that always appeared when Adrian challenged him to something. Skylar nodded, bellowing the spell and sending something long with spindly legs leaping through the air, bounding above heads as it chuffed and tossed its horns proud.

It was slightly smaller than a dear, and its horns branched from its skull outwards before stabbing straight upwards with small ridges around the base.

"It's an antelope," Skylar unnecessarily added, "Empala?"

"Impala." Adrian murmured quietly, the antelope's nostrils flared, silvery fur practically glowing in the light.

The Caiman hissed, thrashing in alarm as something leapt onto its back. A rabbit- no, a hare the size of a small dog.

"Sorry about that," Luna apologized, not looking sad at all, "I'm amazed you can cast a patronus, Adrian."

Adrian scowled looking slightly annoyed, "I told you I could."

Luna shook her head in disbelief, or to make her earrings jingle, "Yes, but I didn't know if you'd still be able to."

Adrian repressed a shudder, and Skylar found himself pausing as he considered the words.

Why would Adrian not be able to produce a patronus anymore? Skylar had heard cases of course, where the memories used to create the patronus were too painful to remember, even in danger. His dad had told him a few examples of other aurors, unable to manage the spell after the death of a loved one.

Why would Adrian be stressed or struggle with the spell? The only one that had died recently was Suzie Forestar, and the rumor mill had suggested that the two had never gotten along well.

Skylar felt himself repress a twitch with how callously he thought 'that had died recently.'

How could he think like that? How could he just...just accept someone dying as normality? As an event likely to be repeated?

"I thought you knew I'm good with most spells, Luna." Adrian bantered back, tone sharp yet his body language suggested he was more calm in her presence.

Luna smiled dreamily, "Except for hair charms. Yours are terrible."

Adrian's lip twitched slightly as he looked away, observing the massive caiman as it opened its terrifying maw and stayed stationary.

"I think it's funny," Luna offered with a shrug, "That your patronus is a caiman. They're related to crocodiles aren't they? But they only live in South America, and they're very mean."

"Maybe I'm mean." Adrian shot back, causing Luna to reach out and gently bop his nose as if he was a misbehaving cat.

"I like yours, Skylar. It's very cute. They're very fast, and live in Africa I think." Luna tapped her lip consideringly, watching the Impala leap through the air above.

"Yeah, it's faster than most patronus." Skylar admitted with a small grin, "Nothing impressive to look at but I think it's accurate."

Luna nodded knowingly and turned to glance over her shoulder. Adrian sighed loudly as he spotted another student approaching his caiman with no regard for self safety. He snuck off, walking through the crowd likely to deter the student from aggravating the giant lizard.

Luna watched him walk before she paused, stiff and suddenly incredibly serious, Skylar almost stumbled at the sudden change of her personality.

"Okay," she confirmed calmly, looking back at Skylar.

'She was looking to see if someone was listening.'

"Do you want a privacy w-" Skylar started before Luna shook her head- radish earrings and hair whirling around.

"He'll notice," Luna shrugged as if noticing a ward was common, "Do you think it's strange how your patronus and Adrian's are foes?"

Skylar reeled, what?

"I mean, they aren't really." Luna shrugged, gazing off sightless, "Yours lives in Africa and Adrian's lives in South America. But your patronus is an antelope, and his is similar to a crocodile."

Her eyes sharpened suddenly, looking serious and searching, "Don't you think it's strange? How you're so similar to enemies but so far apart?"

"I-" Skylar bumbled, entirely off guard with the topic, "I- Luna, what are you talking about?"

Luna looked unsure with the questioning, and looked even more paranoid in the close quarters they were standing in, "He's sick."

Skylar's head was whirling from the sudden topic change. With how...oppressively serious Luna was acting, he knew better than to question her. He would go along with everything she said.

Skylar chewed on his bottom lip quietly, "I- I know there's something wrong but-"

"No, no he's sick," Luna stressed, her entire body tense as if hanging by a single taught rope, "There's something wrong."

Luna had always been a rather strange one, yet she seemed to have a keen understanding of when things were unusual. She had surprised Skylar on many occasions with knowing information she shouldn't have, and through a few instances even Hermione gave her grudging respect.

Luna knew things, yet not in the strange supernatural way that Trelawney was always bemoaning about. Skylar had begun to suspect that she was a very very good actor, and constantly portrayed herself more daft than usual to simply listen to what others didn't hear.

Skylar also believed that she was very lonely.

"Okay," Skylar agreed quietly, "Would you like to talk later? After this?"

Luna gave the slightest inclination of a nod before she twirled away, nearly sending Neville flying.

The caiman gave a low rumble, snapping its silver jaws shut with a resonating crack!

Near the end of the alloted time, Neville was able to conjure the roughest shape of a patronus, thanks to the surprising help of Adrian. The patronus wasn't corporeal yet, flickering between a misty shield or the condensed flash of something silver and furry.

Ron's patronus, a Jack Russell Terrier, eagerly barked at the door, personally saying goodbye to the groups of students who slipped out into the hallways cheerily.

Adrian lingered slightly, sticking to the back wall as he watched the groups leave, even reciprocating a small wave to the twins.

'He's sick' Skylar thought to himself unsure, looking at the other student a bit closer.

Adrian Selwyn did appear the slightest bit more pale, although it could have been the lighting. The dark circles under his eyes were slightly alarming, yet Skylar couldn't imagine him without them.

The branching scars across his skin were impossible to count, looking sore and angry although they were starting to silver with age. His eyes were different too, ever since break he had been staring off in thought more than before. Moments where he wouldn't meet anyone's eyes, tracing bricks with fingers absentmindedly as if fretting over something unknown. He seemed in dilemma, or an ultimatum.

There was something more worrying as well- the fact that Luna had mentioned what Skylar had firmly been denying.

Remus had mentioned that he as well as Professor Dumbledore suspected that Adrian was intended to try and kill him, the fact that his patronus took the form of something so similar to Skylar's patronus' natural enemy was alarming.

Of course it could be nothing, but a patronus was supposed to reveal or match parts of the soul- the expression of your innate being.

Skylar knew that his patronus, the Impala or simply the antelope, represented him pretty well. It was small, but incredibly fast and able to leap heights so high it almost soared. Catching it when it was running was no easy feat, and the males took care of the herd and scouted for threats.

It matched him rather well, more than a deer ever would (although his dad had been a bit put out).

But a caiman...well, Skylar didn't know much about crocodiles (or whatever a caiman was), but what he did know was how they lurked in rivers and dragged prey into the water and drowned it.

And they had a wicked bite.

Skylar didn't know enough about the animals to begin with, so it probably wasn't worth thinking too much about it.

"Hey mate, we're heading out," Ron cheerfully added, clapping Skylar on the shoulder once, "You coming?"

Skylar hesitated, "I'm staying back. Luna wants to talk to me."

Ron's eyebrows rose, "Luna? Loony Lovegood?"

"Don't call her that, honestly." Hermione huffed, smacking Ron with one of her arms as she peered around to look at Skylar worriedly, "Is something the matter?"

"No, nothing like that." Skylar assured with a small smile, "Ah, just something maybe important."

Ron frowned and looked at Skylar with a small tilt of his head, "You're a terrible liar, mate."

Skylar huffed slightly, "Okay, well, I'm just worried over Adrian."

Ron blurted out in a slightly annoyed tone, "Selwyn?" the same time Hermione yelped, "Adrian!"

The two paused, glancing at each other before looking back at Skylar in worry.

"What's wrong with Adrian?" Hermione hurriedly said, words slurring together so that it took a small moment for Skylar to even realize what she said. "Is it because he ran off over break?"

That was a mystery that they all had to uncover, although Skylar knew Adrian wouldn't give that information up willingly.

Ron looked a bit more skeptic of the situation, "Why are you worrying about him, mate?"

Skylar withheld his first impulsive answer, and thought carefully in his head.

Both Ron and Hermione knew that Adrian Selwyn was in some sort of trouble, or at least had some sort of 'bloody weird background' in Ron's words.

Ron had been suspicious that Adrian was a more approachable Draco, and a 'death eater spy', whereas Hermione had vehemently defended Adrian's character multiple times.

Hermione had used Adrian's almost charming help and library encounters back in their first and second years- yet after that (and after he had been cursed to London and back) he was...different.

More reserved, quiet but undoubtedly more mean. Skylar hadn't told Ron and Hermione about the time he had to practically drag the other boy off of Draco, or how much blood really had been shed that day. He knew without a doubt, that Ron would jump to conclusions and Hermione would take Adrian's side and once again Skylar would have to mediate the peace.

It was out of the question to even think about telling them what Remus had confided in Skylar. He knew that although his two friends meant well, they didn't know enough about the situation to really form an unbiased opinion. Yet, on that same trail of thought Skylar wasn't telling them enough information to not be biased. It was a predicament, and although he would really love input and advice he didn't feel comfortable sharing Adrian's personal information.

Something about all of this...sat wrong in Skylar's stomach. It felt private, inclusive only to Skylar and Skylar alone.

"It's likely nothing," Skylar hesitantly stated, "Luna's worried that he's sick and doesn't want to admit it."

Hermione tilted her head and pursed her lips considerably, "He was really helpful today! I didn't think Neville would ever get the patronus charm." she confessed.

"He was helpful." Ron grudgingly admitted, although he looked almost annoyed by the fact.

Skylar missed when he too, was that innocent.

"I'm just going to hear Luna out." Skylar smiled reassuringly, "You two head back, i'll catch up in a bit."

"Don't let Umbridge get you!" Ron retorted, already heading towards the exit doors.

As soon as they left, Luna entered the room. She likely had been waiting outside to give the three privacy; Skylar felt almost guilty at how long she had waited.

"Luna," Skylar greeted pleasantly, peering around the room for anything to sit on.

Almost instantly, two chairs popped into existence, plush and comfortable mimicking the Gryffindor common room chairs.

"Oh this is nice," Luna commented, hopping onto her velvet chair with a happy sigh, "Very homey."

"It's a miracle anyone leaves the tower," Skylar joked with a small quirk to his mouth.

She smiled, hiding the fragile expression behind a curtain of blonde hair. Skylar hadn't ever seen her so exposed, the dreamy facade washed away by concern.

Skylar's gentle smile fell, and he was once again reminded of her worried voice just an hour before. "What's this about, Luna?"

Luna plucked something from her pocket, a polished wooden talisman with string and little dried flowers. She played with it in her hands, turning it over and running her fingers over carved symbols that likely didn't actually enchant the object.

"I'm worried." Luna muttered, looking reluctant to even speak.

Skylar breathed in, and then out. She was far too stressed to even begin speaking, and Skylar found the idea of digging for details too rude or invasive.

"What sort of talisman is that?" He inquired, peering at the deep brown wood and fraying string.

"Oh," She blinked, holding it out for Skylar's closer inspection, "It's a celtic torque. They're usually made out of metal, but I thought that selkies would like the wood more."

Skylar raised the talisman for further investigation, biting his tongue when he realized that the string was actually very carefully braided strips of rubbery leather.

"I make them a lot," Luna mentioned, "I like to think that they help."

"Help with what?" Skylar inquired, gently investigating the small dried flowers, held together likely from a stasis charm.

Luna fiddled with a lock of her hair, accepting the talisman when it was returned, "Well, some of them are to make other people happier. Some are to ward off the doxies or lysalanders. That hasn't helped, so I've tried helping the thestrals more, and making these for selkies or phoenixes or cat siths."

Skylar rolled his tongue in his mouth, thinking. He knew what selkies were- Dean Thomas had mentioned seeing a pack swimming off the coast in the ocean when he was a kid. The creatures were seal-women, and generally peaceful if left alone. Cat sith's were different, he had thought that it was just a nickname for feline animagi'. Phoenixes on the other hand, he knew plenty well.

"Have you met Fawkes?" Skylar asked curiously, "He's Professor Dumbledore's familiar, a big phoenix."

Luna looked hesitant, "I don't think Fawkes would like me."

"Fawkes likes everyone," Skylar insisted, "He's very beautiful as well, I think you'd like him a lot."

Luna shook her head, radish earrings bouncing back and forth, "I visit the thestrals too much, I don't think Fawkes would be comfortable with me."

That was new information. "Do thestrals and phoenix's not get along?"

Luna bit her lip and fumbled with the talisman between her thumbs, "I didn't think they would. Phoenix's brighten the soul and thestrals steal them."

"What." What?

Luna shrunk back, "I...Phoenixes help you with their song? It... it lifts the soul and makes you lighter. Thestrals are like cat siths, they're made from souls."

Skylar's brain was barely understanding what Luna was saying, "What about selkies then?"

"They judge them," Luna's voice was quiet, as if she was confessing something she didn't want to, "Selkies can tell, I think they smell it."

Skylar didn't even know that a soul existed.

Well, no that wasn't true. He knew Dementors kissed by sucking out the soul of a person, apparently leaving them lifeless but still living. Hagrid had also mentioned that thestrals had something to do with souls also, but had insisted that they were completely docile. It would be rather silly to think that nothing else could affect a 'soul'.

"Well, why don't we go to Fawkes and we'll see what he thinks about all of this soul stuff?" Skylar offered, "I mean, you weren't positive he wouldn't like you, so maybe he will."

Luna looked torn, "Professor Dumbledore is gone because of Umbridge. But-"

Skylar held out his hand, "I'm sure that your soul is perfectly fine, Luna."

She stilled, looking at him as if a great tragedy had taken place, "Oh Skylar, it's not me."

Several things clicked into place at once.

Skylar swallowed and tried to think clearly- it was no use leaping to conclusions, "You're worried about Adrian?"

Luna chewed on her tongue and nodded quietly.

"Well," Skylar thought rapidly, "I don't know if you know this, but his scar is a curse scar and sometimes-"

"It isn't that," Luna corrected quietly, "He...It was after that. The thestrals are different now, since the start of this year."

"I'm sure it's nothing Luna, he'd likely go to Madam Pomfrey if he thinks he's sick-"

Luna shook her head, almost desperate with the action, "Skylar he's sick."

'Okay, okay.' Skylar thought to himself quickly, 'I'll ask him.'

"Do you think that I could convinc-"

"No!" She nearly shouted, "You can't tell him I told you anything!"

Skylar nearly jumped at how loud she suddenly was.

"You can't." Luna's lower lip trembled, "He- I don't...Skylar you can't."

"Okay I won't!" Skylar hushed her, eyes wide at how bizarre the entire conversation is, "Why tell me then?"

Luna's lip was trembling harder, her eyes glassy as if about to cry, "Because I don't know what to do anymore."

"I wasn't going to tell you," Luna confessed quietly, "I thought that I could fix this on my own, but I don't think I can."

"It was stupid of me to think that I could actually do anything." Luna sniffed, and with a pang of horror Skylar realized that she was crying.

"But there's something wrong with him, and..and I can't do anything."

Skylar exhaled shakily, "How...how do you know something's wrong?"

Luna wiped her eyes on her sleeve, sniffling quietly, "My mother was a spell creator. She...she'd experiment and they had a taste."

Skylar struggled to comprehend what she was saying, "A taste?"

"A feeling," Luna mumbled, correcting herself, "Like when you hear crinkling parchment and you feel tingles down your spine?"

That Skylar understood, he knew that feeling well.

"It's like that, but there's a feeling kinda, cold or warm. Sour, bitter…" Luna tucked her legs to her chest, "He was kinda warm, like when a match is too close to your fingers. But now he…" Her face twisted, looking sickened and somehow furious, "It's like that feeling after you sniff bubotuber pus."

Skylar ran his fingers through his hair in exhaustion. He kinda knew what Luna was talking about, his mother had an affinity for charms and had confessed a few times that each charm almost had a sound to it. Luna having a feeling for specific people would be weird, but considering that curse residue could be picked up by anyone a bit sensitive to spells, it wasn't that strange. Skylar thought he remembered a foggy statistic, some number of witches able to have a sense with magic. It was too far back to remember the number clearly, but he thought it had been high.

And to think, all this time people thought Luna strange when really she could just feel a tiny bit of spellwork. No wonder she had caught onto the patronus charm so fast.

"Okay, is anyone else like that?" Skylar asked, thinking through the entire exchange, "Or has the err...the pus been recent?"

"Nobody else, and since the start of this year." Luna shrugged, pausing and looking incredibly reluctant.

"...his head is cold." She confessed, closing her eyes in defeat, "It hurts, Skylar."

Oh.

'We're thinking Adrian may be cursed as a weapon to be used against you. He may try to kill you due to Bellatrix.'

Skylar stood suddenly, feeling nauseous. "How long?"

It was almost as if Luna understood how grave the information was as she nearly whispered, "Always."

Since before he was cursed then.

Skylar was beginning to think, that Remus had been right.

Skylar had always referred to his fellow classmates as something innocent, something naive despite their best wishes to know more. They haven't experienced the world, yet in retrospect Skylar hadn't either. The difference, was that Skylar had grown up far too soon under the weight of loveless support. He had received fanmail, intermingled with death threats and manic words of devotion, bordering on unsettling devotion. Since he was a toddler, witches and wizards would whisper about him in corridors, in the streets. More than once he'd seen a shapeless figure leave him tokens of love, of respect laced with poisons and honey. Skylar had seen death- although now he guessed he could say that he had seen death. He had loved people, he had lost people. He was a hypocrite, but he was aware of it. He didn't consider himself a child, and the welfare of another student (no matter how much it pained him) was not a concern for someone who had the literal weight of the Wizarding World on his shoulders.

Yet something about Luna struck him deeply, like a thorn he could never quite dig out from the meat of his palm. Her words were gentle, they oozed like fresh blood or perhaps the desperate pleas of forgiveness from someone who committed manslaughter. Luna was a child, matured in areas that hurt Skylar to think about but she was still a child.

It wasn't time for her to speak in metaphors, or only half truths. Skylar was tired of games, he was tired of this immense pressure that weighed on him so heavily it was difficult to rise in the mornings. Luna knew something, but she was a child.

(Skylar was a child too.)

"Luna," Skylar's voice dropped, barely a tone deeper but perhaps the inflection behind it was what really struck the girl. "I'm asking you this as a friend, but I need you to know that I can't do anything, unless you tell me everything."

Luna chewed on her bottom lip. "You'll help him?"

Skylar settled himself and gave the smallest of a nod towards her, "if It's within my abilities. But you need to know, that if I can't help him, I can't just let him suffer alone. If this is beyond me, I need to get him proper help."

Luna's eyes widened in alarm, a small gasp leaving her mouth. "No- no, Skylar you can't."

"What do you expect me to do?" Skylar snapped back, feeling instantly guilty for treating her so sharply. "I'm sorry, I don't mean it like that. It's just...what can I do that someone else can't? I can't help him with medical attention, or laws or other problems he may have, Luna. I'm just a kid still, I really can't do much unless you let me."

Luna was shaking ever so slightly, and Skylar realized just how much pressure the other girl must be under. "I- I need you to listen-"

"Luna," Skylar soothed her with a resigned smile, "I'm not a trained mediwizard. I can listen, but if there's a problem I really can't do anything else. I don't know how, I'm not certified and...and it's not really fair to me."

Luna looked shaken, alarmed in a sharp aware way. "You're not going to help him? I'm his friend."

"Being his friend doesn't equate to taking on his problems," Skylar soothed back. Luna was just a child. "To be a good friend, you don't need to take on his burdens alone. That's not your job."

Luna's eyes welled with tears, and Skylar felt so immensely saddened.

They were all so young, this war truly was something unspeakable.

"Luna, is it wrong to do terrible things for someone you care about?"

"You're scaring me, Adrian."

'I can appar- I can do magic. I have...I've done magic that's advanced. Very advanced. I'm strong, I- I know I'm strong. I can- Moody said this was going to make me useful. I'm useful. I'm so so useful.'

Since the removal of Dumbledore as Headmaster, and the decree banning all teachers and students to converse, Skylar had barely an opportunity to talk to anyone about what Luna had confided.

The floo network was being monitored, and all owls were being searched. He knew that any attempt to contact Dumbledore would result in disaster.

He could see why Luna was so stressed over the information, and now that Skylar knew it was all that he could think about.

Even if he could get a letter out to Remus, but with Umbridge watching the halls so carefully, it would be nearly impossible. At this point, Skylar would have settled with talking to a legal or parental representative, but requesting one would only draw more attention and make things worse. Skylar didn't think that Umbridge would allow him to call in his parents under student rights, he was sure she'd find a way to ban that also.

"It's getting to me," Skylar confessed with a scowl and a half hearted kick at the ground. "There's nowhere in this castle that's away from her!"

Hermione rolled her eyes but didnt lift her head from the book she was reading, "What do you expect? With so many accidents at the castle, it would look terrible on her record."

"Yeah mate, plus I think she has it out for everyone." Ron added, poking and shifting a stack of parchment into a very precarious tower.

It wouldn't be much longer until something gave way- everyone was already feeling the tension. The Twins looked just about ready to snap, although all chaos would surely break loose. If the Gryffindor tower didn't explode in fireworks, the whole castle was sure the dungeons would start burning.

"I wish I could get a letter to Dumbledore." Skylar confessed quietly, finding relief in at least spreading part of his knowledge.

"Hah, not likely." Ron snorted, "With that Umbitch so paranoid, she'd pounce on your owl at first sight."

"With how paranoid the ministry is also, we'd all get in trouble." Hermione added, looking out of the window with a large sigh, "I wish that this year would end already."

"It's like the whole castle is waiting for something." Ron shrugged, scowling as the movement sent the parchment tower to the floor, "Hey! You should ask Selwyn to set her on fire."

"Ron!" Hermione gasped, smacking him with the book she had been reading. Ron yelped, ducking away although.

Skylar's brows crinkled in worry at the thought. With Luna's worries and Adrian's impressive past record, well…

He wouldn't be surprised if something did happen.

His friends didn't quite understand just how bad something like that would be. Skylar had heard Remus talking to his father before, stressed to his hairline with how to juggle Adrian's record. Property damage, student assault, illegal selling of goods, illegal selling of illicit goods, well, anything else and Adrian would surely be expelled. It drove Skylar barmy that Hermione and Ron didn't realize the significance of a single outburst- how they accepted it as something inevitable.

Once again, Skylar wanted to scream.

"We should push up the next meeting," Skylar interrupted Hermione's vigorous textbook reading, "I think we should work again on aiming practice."

"Aim?" Ron protested in a whine. "What? Why!"

Hermione looked puzzled as well, "Why, Skylar? We all have decent aim for most spells."

'But you haven't seen Adrian spell birds', Skylar bit his tongue, chewing it consideringly. 'If that's what he can do, what do you think adults can do?'

"I just think that it may relieve some stress in us," He explained hesitantly.

Hermione's eyes brightened, "Oh! Wonderful idea!"

Skylar only hoped that maybe some excitement would delay the breaking point a little more.

"I hate her." Adrian spat, taking relish in kicking a stray rock and sending it clattering down the pipe. It echoed, ringing wetly as it echoed for a fair distance.

"She is foul," Lutain agreed, coiled gently as they advanced towards Adalonda's chamber.

There had been an increase in corridor monitors and alarms all throughout the hallways; Adrian was only able to sneak through the plumbing thanks to his Animagus form. Never had he appreciated it more than when Umbridge began tailing him, watching his every movement. Adrian was almost positive a new rule had been enacted, and she was waiting for him to unknowingly break it. He tucked into a loo, making way instantly for the pipes to slip away out of sight. He knew that she would be more furious, suspecting some sort of foul play now with his inexplicable vanishing.

"I swear she has it out for me!" Adrian continued, his voice raising in pitch, "She's been following me for days!"

Lutain made a noise, ignoring him in favour of sliding down and darting through the dark room.

There was a low groan and a sound of shifting scales on stone. Adalonda emerged, foggy yellow eyes iridescent in the gloom.

"Cerestes," she greeted, more out of nobility than care, "You've been gone a while."

"Longer than I'd like." Adrian admitted, sighing and plopping onto the ground in exhaustion, "It feels like forever."

"You do not have the understanding of eras ending." She chided him in a smooth rolling rumble.

Adalonda emerged further, her long tongue piercing the air as she scented it many times, glancing towards Lutain suddenly.

Adrian looked between the two, puzzled, "What?"

Adalonda looked strange, her eyes filled with an emotion Adrian couldn't place, "I am curious when Lutain will stay in my chambers with me, instead of your ventures."

Adrian blinked in surprise, "Why would he?"

Adalonda paused, "Forgive me, I had assumed you had...discussed the age."

"Oh what?" Adrian spoke, blurting it in English in his growing dread.

Lutain tasted the air carefully, "My age of resting?"

"Death," Adalonda supplied helpfully, tilting her head to the side to see him better, "Had you thought he'd live forever?"

Adalonda was painfully blunt at times.

"What?" Adrian nearly shrieked, panic rising quickly in his throat, "Lutain what are you talking about?"

"I am old, I have lived many suns and seasons." Lutain hesitantly added.

"You're only- only maybe twelve!"

"His kind live for only one of your decades," Adalonda sighed, sounding condescending the way a parent would over something basic.

Lutain wasn't a magical species.

No.

No.

Nonononono

"You can't die." Adrian blurted, voice hitching and warbling uncontrollably, "You can't die!"

Lutain's tail flickered, "Master, I am old. I have lived well and-"

"Nagini is like, thirty years old!" Adrian screamed, voice deafening as it echoed, "You can't die!"

Adalonda's tail lifted slowly, then slammed against the stone like a battering ram. The ground itself vibrated, water trembling from the shockwave. Adrian jumped in alarm, staggering on his feet. His breaths were fluttering too quickly in his chest.

"Leave us, little one?" Adalonda asked Lutain gently. The smaller black serpent paused, as if considering. After a brief pause he honored her request and left through one of the dozens of pipes.

Adalonda swung her head back, and once again Adrian was amazed at her size. Scales thick and strong, flexing and glossy in the dull lighting. Adrian often forgot how large and how old she was, but on few occasions her regality bewildered him beyond words.

"Nagini has lasted, as she lives beyond the realm of normal life." Adalonda hissed, flickering her tongue as fast as a hummingbird's wings, "She has been enchanted with magics far beyond you."

"That's shite!" Adrian protested, throat clogging sourly, "She- my father got her when he was in Hogwarts! It can't be that much ahead of me!"

Adalonda's eyes were impossible to read- golden and clouded from the third membrane she used to protect Adrian.

"It's beyond you," She repeated after a brief pause, "You are a mere speck of your father's skill."

Adrian flinched, the near obsessive mantra 'I'm useful I'm useful' drowned out his thoughts in a thrumming haze. He didn't need to think like that anymore. That wasn't him, it didn't matter.

Still, it ached at him painfully. A hot throbbing like a tooth torn out by the root.

His head hurt, his ears popping with the pressure of his own fluttering breaths.

"Please," Adrian's voice was hoarse, raspy from where his throat had clenched around his words. "Adalonda, Adalonda help him."

"I want to," she soothed, looking genuinely sad, but resigned to Lutain's fate. "I am fond of the little one. He is intelligent."

"Then help him!" Adrian snapped, feeling his body shake minutely as he stood there, panic making his skin feel frosty.

Adalonda had to know what to do, she was something with immeasurable knowledge and information. She had seen things, lived through eras where commonplace information was what was now considered lost. She was far too calm, resigned and disinterest despite her obvious sadness. She had seen this before, she likely had seen many friends come and go in her age.

Not Nagini, which meant that she knew a way (or suspected) some sort of way to sustain him.

Lutain was his friend.

Adrian's lungs burned for air, "Adalonda please I'll do anything."

Adalonda pulled her head back, resting her body in thick coils before she looked down at Adrian in the visage of a cobra, "You would not accept the requirements, to sustain and prevent the death of Lutain."

She sounded so certain, as if it was a natural truth.

Adrian shook his head wildly, hair mussing as he hoarsely pleaded "I would! I would do that Adalonda," Adrian's voice cracked, his hissing trailing off in a whine. "Lutain is everything to me!"

Adalonda's eyes almost glowed, "I do not think you are capable of the magics."

"I am!" Adrian screamed, trembling as finally something snapped and spilled, an animalistic gasping that shook his frame, "Adalonda tell me!"

Her tongue flicked the air, smelling.

Testing his worth, his ability.

(I know I'm useful. Maybe I wasn't before, but I am now.)

"A ritual, or a ritual to make a spell." She explained slowly in a crooning voice, like a siren playing with its food, "Simple to cast, and to prepare."

I can do this

Adrian nodded his head repeatedly, chest and mind steadying roughly. A soreness spread through his muscles, an exhaustion too pure to describe. "What do I need? I- I can go buy it, or I can try."

Adalonda exhaled through her nostrils, the wet breath jostled Adrian's hair. It puffed against his skin, juxtaposing the coolness of the chamber.

"I have all that is needed," Adalonda assured smoothly, voice a gentle rumble that was more grudging admittance. It didn't mean she was withholding information anymore, which was an improvement.

Maybe she had finally clued in that Adrian wasn't a child to be coddled.

"What is needed is only one trail."

Only one pathway, only one series of directions to guarantee Lutain's life.

Adrian sniffed and rubbed his eyes and face with the back of his arm. He was frustrated, embarrassed by the stubborn tears that had leaked out slowly and continued to do so. He felt hot, warm all over and flushed with emotion. "If you have everything still, is this what my Father did? For Nagini? The same one?"

Adalonda paused before responding after a few terse seconds, "No. He did do this spell not for Nagini. A different method for her."

"I can do it anyways." Adrian hissed out, his throat burning like he was choking on venom. "What did he do it for? What did he do to Nagini?"

Adalonda watched him carefully, her tail moving slightly. Did she see the difference? Did she see now how he was motivated for himself?

"Nagini was different," Adalonda rumbled, almost wistful as she stared over Adrian's shoulder. "Temporary, to prolong her. Eventually, same was done to her as what will be done to Lutain."

Adrian nodded, swallowing twice to try and compose himself. "When?"

"It will take time."

"I-It'll be hard to sneak out under Umbridge but I could do it during the night sometime…"

"It will span a day." Adalonda informed him with no sympathy, "You will be in pain."

He could do it for Lutain. Not even for himself, he could do it for his friend.

"I don't care." Adrian breathed, "What- what's the spell called? Do I know it?"

The longest pause yet, as if Adalonda was struggling to recall the name, her maw opened twice, moving with cartilage flexibility.

"I know not names for your magics," Adalonda confessed, dismissing as if it was nothing important, "I remember the steps."

Adrian didn't think of it. Lutain generally used his own nicknames for others, not abiding the human system of naming objects and people. Adalonda was a blessing with her fluidity in human terms and references, although a few things still miffed her.

She didn't need to know the name of the spell, only how to do it.

"Okay, I can do it during Easter. The week long holiday, I'll stay at the castle." Adrian licked his lips, feeling dry. "Or... or right before classes start again."

Adalonda thrummed a low noise in her throat, a pleased noise. "I have doubt, Cerestes."

"I told you!" Adrian screamed, throat raw and hands trembling. "I can do it!"

Something scurried away, likely Wormtail. He had thought she'd be startled by his confidence, that she would scold his confidence and remind him of his weaknesses again. The cruel animal laws, the weak always die.

Instead, Adalonda watched him with something wicked in her eyes. "I'll take your word."

Since he learned his friend's fate, Adrian didn't let Lutain out of his sight.

Lutain wasn't happy with the exchange, claiming it was a 'useless human thing', but didn't act out even when smooshed in Adrian's bag between quills.

Adrian was very tempted to message his father, yet with the heavy surveillance on him he would only be able to inquire through the tattooed snake on his skin.

Despite the flutter of anxiety, the idea of asking his father for help again was…

Adrian didn't need help. He could do anything his father could. He wasn't weak, he was useful and Adalonda would help him prove it.

He could do it, he could make his father proud. Most of all, he could prove to himself that he didn't need to live under his father's praise, that he didn't need some sort of external assurance.

(He still burned for it.)

"You're being watched," Lutain informed him quietly, peeking his head out from where he had hid in Adrian's bag. When wasn't he being watched?

Adrian paused and looked casually to the side. He stilled his motions, careful not to hurt the agitated vine any further.

Herbology took place in the greenhouses, and in the February air, water had condensed slightly on the windows. He had thought it would be Filch, or one of the cocky Slytherin students gifted with pompous asinine excuses for real power.

It was difficult to see through the fogged glass, but not so much he couldn't see the large black creature, standing a half dozen feet beyond the edge of the forest.

The thestral, likely Mylla, was watching him.

"I'll tell you when it leaves," Lutain offered, Adrian nodding silently before he attacked the vine once more.

Mylla never left.

Astoria Greengrass was alarmed when one morning, a Hogwarts barn owl swooped over the table with the daily post, and delivered her a scroll.

The scroll could barely be called a scroll, in reality it was more a scrap of paper that was hastily tied in place with a white hair tie.

She hadn't expected a letter, or any note in all honesty. It was almost arrogant, the audacity to send a letter when owls heading in and out were so heavily monitored.

Then again...that meant the note must be simple, something of no concern. Maybe it wasn't arrogant, maybe it was smart.

Without a care and to not draw attention to herself, she plucked the note free and sent the borrowed owl on its way.

She unraveled the note, peering at the handwritten 'Astoria! Can I borrow the notes from astromony? Thank you!'

The gal, the author hadn't even spelled astronomy right.

It wasn't marked with a name, although the handwriting was very loopy and curly, decidedly feminine.

Astoria made a small noise of dismissal, sliding the scrap into her pocket. The message was innocent enough; except she wasn't taking Astronomy.

Astoria finished her breakfast, gathered her bag and calmly left the Great Hall and headed towards the astronomy tower.

She wasn't worried, as the note seemed polite enough. She couldn't imagine any of her yearmates trying to trick her, they had reached a new level of gullible since the High Inquisitor squad was given roam of the castle. Her sister had been working her way in with the Headmistress also, praising her with practiced elegance to charm the new head of Hogwarts. Astoria was rather safe with being randomly investigated, she hadn't given anyone a reason to suspect otherwise.

The tower was quite lovely in the morning, the sunlight filtered through the windows making the spiral staircase rather beautiful. A few of the portraits waved at her, and she smiled at them in return.

"Do you like the view also?" someone asked, startling Astoria out of her observations.

A half flight of stairs upwards, a girl was looking at her rather curiously. The newcomer had blonde hair that gave Astoria's own a run for its galleons. There was something unsettling in the girl's expression, a peculiar aura that nearly shouted different.

Like most different things, like deformities or strange social customs, Astoria felt the primitive desire to walk away. She ignored it of course, it wouldn't do to simply abandon her mission due to something with an air of…dottiness.

"Oh, I've never seen it in the morning." Astoria cheerfully responded, casually locking eyes and sinking forward. Vertigo struck her in her descent, viciously disorienting her.

A flash of white... snow falling from the other side of the astronomy tower windows. Snow falling just out of touch... reaching out from the covered bridge to catch flakes in unraveling wool mittens. They were faded, fringing in tufts where they had caught on tree branches and bark.

'Reach much further and you'll fall,' Someone spoke, distorted as if hearing it from water.

Astoria laughed, her voice very much not her own. She found the idea of falling so very silly, 'That would be a long ways. It would get boring, wouldn't it?'

'Only you would call falling off a tower 'boring'. Will a griffin appear out of nowhere and catch you? I wouldn't be surprised at this point.'

She giggled, hiding a breathless grin behind one orange mitten, 'Don't be silly. You'd catch me.'

Searing green eyes, rapidly darting back and forth as if looking for a hidden meaning that didn't exist. Paranoid, worried, hiding or scared. How strange, and how sad to be always prepared for someone to bite you. Waiting for a crack of a whip, or a blow that would never come.

'I guess I would.' Adrian Selwyn responded slowly, as if unsure himself.

Astoria breathed out, and felt herself snapping back into shape like an elastic. She balanced the vertigo, righting herself back to the moment. She was smiling pleasantly once more at the strange girl.

The strange girl had dangerous friends.

The girl blinked twice, tilting her head almost as if she had noticed. "Hello, I'm Luna."

"Astoria Greengrass." Astoria politely introduced, "I think you're in one of my classes, Ravenclaw?"

Luna nodded happily, "I am, I also sent you that owl and wondered if we could talk."

Astoria smiled, although it wasn't as honest as it was before. What does she want? "Of course, I don't have classes until noon."

Luna turned and skipped up the steps, heading higher and spiraling towards the top of the tower.

Once there, she opened the heavy iron door, holding it open for Astoria to clamber through. The girl had manners, how quaint.

The classroom was empty, save the many desks and thick velvet curtains that were open to reveal a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains. It was serene and quiet, as well as very isolated.

"I come here sometimes to work on essays, it's nicer in winter." Luna offered casually.

"I thought the doors were locked when Professor Sinistra isn't here."

"They are," Luna agreed, and didn't clarify any further.

The door creaked closed, and the two were completely alone.

"I'm terribly sorry to tear you away or to message you so suspiciously," Luna stated, not sounding apologetic in the slightest.

"It's fine," Astoria smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Luna bobbed her head, "I wondered if you know anything about my friend? I think your sister knows him awfully well."

"Who?" Astoria retorted, eyebrows lifting at the strange question. Inside, a ball of yarn began unfurling, taunting her in I told you so! I told you so!

Sirens were ringing, her palms were sweating.

"Adrian Selwyn," Luna beamed. Unknowingly, the name rained down like a shovel, uprooting mud of what would be a grave. Astoria's blood chilled.

She took one step backwards, suddenly hyper aware how alone they were, and how high they were.

No, Selwyn couldn't know. She hadn't told anyone besides Daphne her suspicions- and Daphne knew better than to blab to anyone. Daphne knew how unstable things had become.

Luna tilted her head, brows scrunching, "Oh, I guess that did come across a little scary."

The air shimmered, and suddenly someone else was there.

Astoria almost screamed, scrambling for her wand.

"Whoa whoa!" The other person yelped, voice softer and more boyish than she thought, and recognizable. "We just want to talk!"

Astoria's cheek twitched, "What could Skylar Potter possibly want with me!" She hissed, mindful to keep her voice low.

"To talk," Skylar hushed, licking his lower lip in a nervous habit as he kept both hands up and in plain sight; the invisibility cloak fluttered to the ground.

Astoria's nostrils flared as she pointed her wand between the two quickly, "If this is about Suzie then-"

"What...Suzie Forestar?" Skylar asked, looking perplexed although Luna's face didn't change, "What about her?"

Astoria's jaw twitched, choking back words. Slowly, Skylar's face looked more hesitant, shifting into something older. No, not older, something more mature.

Oh, she had underestimated Skylar Potter. She had always thought he was a poster boy, an icon without any weight behind him. He wasn't, he looked like he had...Astoria didn't know. She repressed the urge to dig past his eyes, and instead looked at the window behind them

"Are you...Does Adrian know something about Suzie Forestar's death? I mean, I know that you two were in the same house but…"

What? Why inquire now about Selwyn if not-.

"You don't know." Astoria whispered in disbelief. She adjusted her gaze, staring at the tremendously stupid girl. "You're his friend and you don't know?"

Luna's face was alarmingly calm, like she was prepared. "We were wondering if you noticed Adrian acting a bit strange?"

Skylar slowly lowered his arms, but kept them in her view. "We're worried about him."

Astoria almost laughed, "You- you're worried?" she sounded only slightly stressed, "about him?"

Luna frowned, "He's my friend."

Merlin, they were going to get her killed.

Astoria swallowed dryly, feeling that their inexperience and meddling was a much greater threat at hand. "I...I'm sorry, I need to be going. You didn't tell him about this, right?" She paused and looked at the two with something akin to panic, "Right?"

"No, he doesn't know." Luna's voice sounded clipped.

Astoria gave a nod of relief, feeling as if an immense weight lifted off her shoulders. That didn't mean she was quite in the clear yet, she'd have to talk to Daphne. Perhaps find a way to suggest that the Lovegood girl should be monitored, or removed from the school. Once she was out of the way, it would be simple to spread slander about Skylar Potter, especially with how much already existed.

"Astoria," Skylar quietly spoke, and something about his resigned yet gentle voice caused her to stop, "Do you think he's going to hurt you?"

Astoria shouldn't respond.

"Please," Skylar quietly added, his voice dropping even quieter, "I know it's a lot to ask, but I'd never want to hurt anyone. I'm so sorry if you think this somehow puts you in danger-"

The snake.

Astoria spun, pulling her wand and sharply snapping out detection spells. Skylar flinched back, but didn't make for his wand. Luna flicked hers into a rudimentary shielding charm, preparing for impact.

"The snake," Astoria bit out sharply, "The bloody snake, did you see it?"

"I- no." Skylar adapted quickly, "I checked the room when I got here and nobody came before you."

"He's been keeping Lutain on him," Luna supplied simply, "it isn't here."

Astoria relaxed once more, sliding her wand back into her pocket.

"Why is the snake so important?" Skylar asked slowly, looking between the two.

Luna looked at the floor, and refused to look up.

She wasn't going to lead the discussion, and Skylar knew too little.

"Oh," Astoria breathed, understanding the situation so aptly, "So I'm the chess player."

She wasn't used to this, she...her sister was supposed to be the one in charge of negotiations. She was the one to talk and smooth the ruffled edges of diplomacy, Astoria was supposed to be unobtainable. Knowing, a threat, always out of reach.

The astronomy tower was a strange spot for all of this, and somehow aptly fitting.

"Selwyn is adopted, but that's old news." Astoria felt numb, explaining as simply as she could, "I've been trying to figure out where he's from."

Skylar blinked in confusion from the sudden twist of events. "Well, his name's Riddle-"

Astoria's breathing paused, storing the information in her brain as quick as possible, "Pardon?"

Skylar Potter looked alarmed, and surprised as if he didn't know the information was useful, "ah, yes. It- I found out years back on a ma-... I found out his name is Riddle."

Astoria thought quickly, "Why would someone blood adopted to Riddle, live with such an infamous dark witch as Bellatrix Lestrange?"

Skylar looked reluctant before he gave a simple shrug.

They were withholding information, fine.

(It wasn't like she couldn't find out later.)

Astoria's cheek twitched again. "Fine. Adrian Riddle or whoever, knew Suzie Forestar, before Hogwarts. I don't think she recognized him, but he certainly remembered her."

Skylar looked deep in thought before he shook his head slowly. "No, that doesn't line up. They were in completely different worlds, and how would Suzie not know him?"

Astoria prepared her words like venom in her teeth, "they went to the same orphanage."

Luna looked decidedly alarmed, Skylar looked as if he couldn't comprehend the information.

"But…" Skylar spluttered in denial, "But...she would recognize-"

"Blood adoption." Luna interrupted quietly, with the weight of something damaging. "It...dominates the appearance and alters your genealogy."

"So this Riddle adopts Adrian through blood adoption, and then gives him to Bellatrix Lestrange." Astoria deadpans, feeling now that if they were to know everything, then she would hold them at as much risk as she was.

"That's not it." Skylar objected in a flat tone. He had seen the flaw, and he did. He was better than she thought he was, or maybe he truly realized what was at stake.

"Adrian Selwyn wouldn't tell you that," Skylar continued, voice calculated and very suspicious. He didn't deny the information, which meant now he was simply suspicious of her.

Astoria felt like sarcastically complimenting the Golden Boy.

"You're right," Astoria agreed thinly, "I owled Suzie Forestar, asking her if she remembered what Adrian Selwyn looked like or his name when they were in the same establishment."

"When?" Skylar asked sharply.

Luna shook her head, rattling her earrings against her jaw. The sound interrupted them, the ferociousness in which she argued against what Astoria was saying. "The blood adoption would-"

Astoria crossed her arms and cocked one hip. "The snake."

Skylar's breathing hitched before he exhaled in one long rush, "The- he had his familiar."

Luna froze, as if so overwhelmed she couldn't move.

"I sent an owl to Suzie Forestar asking if she remembered Adrian, or remembered that blasted snake. You know what happened?" Astoria's eyes flashed and her jaw trembled, "She died the next day."

"No." Luna breathed quietly, eyes widening as if something had dawned on her.

Skylar ran a hand over his face, rubbing his eyes exhaustedly, "Death Eaters turn up and...and kill Suzie right after you owl her, asking about Adrian."

Astoria nodded sharply, "Which means someone doesn't want word getting out."

Skylar looked exhausted, and Luna looked near the point of tears.

"Okay," Skylar breathed, biting his fist in thought, "So, we're assuming that somehow Suzie Forestar was under watch. If we make a big stretch, we could say it was Bellatrix Lestrange watching Suzie Forestar to make sure Adrian Selwyn's cover wasn't blown. That also means, that somebody doesn't want Adrian Selwyn's real name getting out."

Astoria hadn't given the boy enough credit.

He was taking this seriously.

"Bellatrix Lestrange doesn't work like that," Skylar continued, pulling on his fingers as if to count the problems with his theory. "Not to mention she would have just... gotten rid of Suzie instead of waiting until something came up."

"There's a problem." Luna whispered quietly, fiddling with her hair and refusing to look upwards, "That...that implies that she'd be protecting him still."

Astoria caught on quickly, and felt as if she had been struck by a blasting hex.

"Oh Merlin," She bemoaned quietly, shuffling towards a student desk to sit down.

"What?" Skylar asked, looking at her with alarm.

"Use your head, Potter!" Astoria's voice was high pitch from stress, "Bellatrix would be protecting him."

"His scar was intentional." Luna elaborated, her hands shaking, "It would mean that his appearance was planned."

If that was planned, what else had been falsified? What else was going on?

"Okay- no." Skylar barked, looking harsh and firm as he crossed his arms, "Let's not think that. What if it wasn't Bellatrix, but this...this Riddle fellow. This Riddle goes and...and meets Suzie-"

"Doesn't change the fact someone doesn't want this being known." Astoria breathed, closing her eyes in stress, "Merlin, Selwyn's going to know about this. He's going to find us."

Skylar's nostrils flared before he dug in his bag, pulling out parchment and a single quill. He stomped over to the nearest desk, taking a seat next to Astoria before he looked at the two girls, "This is what we're going to do. We are not going to leap to conclusions. We're going to write down what we know, and then make a plan from there."

Luna sat on the ground, folding her legs under her as she quietly nodded, looking at Astoria.

Astoria ran one hand through her hair and grabbed her wand to cast the strongest privacy charm she knew. At this point, with such consequences in place and the realization that someone was watching Selwyn, the only way to guarantee her safety would be removing Selwyn himself.

She wasn't safe, she had never been. Perhaps...perhaps if she helped, one day she would be.

"Alright," Astoria soberly agreed, "But he isn't going to be happy."

"First, Adrian Selwyn is adopted." Skylar spoke, looking at the two girls for objections. He wrote it carefully, then next to it wrote the mysterious 'Riddle'.

"He went to Suzie's orphanage, but I don't know the name." Astoria sighed, watching critically as it was added.

"He has a familiar, apparently even before he was adopted." Skylar added quietly.

"That young?" Astoria looked surprised, tapping her lip considering, "Birth family must have been abusive."

"Lutain knows English," Luna added without looking at the growing list, "Most don't."

"Selwyn has a tattoo." Astoria shrugged, "I haven't seen it, although my sister has. Some python."

"No he doesn't." Skylar stared at her in confusion, "We...St. Mungos did a check after Bellatrix cursed him-"

"Supposedly cursed him." Astoria interrupted sourly, "And it's hidden or comes when called or something."

"A hidden tattoo." Luna hunched in on herself, "He has a scar."

"No shite." Astoria snapped, feeling much more high strung with the entire situation, "The supposed one from Lestrange!"

"A different one," Luna corrected, "Thestrals like him, I think he can hear one."

Astoria and Skylar paused to look at Luna with matching expressions of impatience, "Luna, you can't hear-"

"Yes you can," Luna protested although her heart wasn't in it, if anything she looked like she wanted to hide in the deepest corner she could find, "Those related to them."

"How are you related to a magical omen of death?"

Luna looked at her hand, fiddling with her fingers, "Children who die in terrible ways are born as thestrals."

Astoria obviously didn't accept that fact, but Skylar wrote it down anyways.

There had to be more. What about Riddle?

"His boggart," Astoria perked suddenly, "His second year there was a boggart, it took shape of...some man. Likely this Riddle fellow."

Skylar scribbled it down, "You sure? Not just some random man?"

"My sister saw him pick up Adrian on the station the end of your third year." Astoria dismissed, "Same man."

Luna fiddled with her fingers again, "His patronus is a caiman. I don't know what his animagus form is."

Astoria jolted in surprise, "Animagus?"

Skylar inhaled slowly, and released it. Wordlessly, he wrote it down.

"He's sounding more and more like a prodigy, throw wandless fire spells on there."

Skylar did so.

"One time he stabbed Mun- er...a friend in the hand with a butter knife." Skylar smiled wryly, adding it on purely because he could.

Adrian had stayed at the Order for a long while. Skylar could see the Adrian of then, and he Adrian of now as two entirely different people.

Back then Adrian was a brat, but still a sometimes funny bloke. He had joined in on conversation, and was rather helpful around the place.

Now...now Adrian seemed closed off, lost in his head but in an entirely different way than before. Perhaps it was the same sort, but had escalated so far beyond what they knew.

"At the O- over the summer." Skylar lamely deflected, taking note that the two people with him weren't Order members, "He...he said he had something called Oclu- Ocluman-"

"Occlumency." Astoria corrected with a blank expression, "Wonderful."

"He...Actually, maybe you know." Skylar blinked, remembering the single boggart that he, Adrian, and Sirius banished. He looked at Luna, and with the most cheerful tone of voice he could muster, asked "Have you ever heard of a boggart being afraid of something?"

Luna's face was chillingly blank, "No."

Astoria wrapped her fingers on the desk quickly, "I...I think, that Adrian mentioned having a brother. Accidentally, in his first year."

"Adopted or birth?" Skylar asked, causing Astoria to roll her eyes and sourly respond "You think I know?"

"He set Millicent on fire, then the train compartment. A lot of books," Astoria added, using her fingers to keep count, "Sent Malfoy and Millicent to the Hospital Wing more times than I can count."

Skylar almost smiled, but it was hollow and meaningless.

The parchment in front of them was filling up fast, and with some damning evidence.

Something didn't line up right. A single linking segment was missing.

Adrian had his fair share of snapping moments, but just before break when he 'vanished mysteriously' he had collapsed rather... spectacularly.

Skylar could almost feel the heat, rising to such a degree it felt like his blood was boiling. He remembered the cushions aflame, the grass cracking as Adrian curled in on himself and just...shook.

""I left her there to die. I left her, and she died. She was begging me and I left her there to starve!"

Something about the broken hysterical crying that Adrian had shrieked was something Skylar would never forget.

Who...who was Adrian referencing? Was it...had he somehow killed his mother?

Skylar would sell his left kidney to just have ten minutes with Professor Dumbledore...

"We're missing something," Skylar spoke, his voice slightly hoarse, "He...he'd have to see someone die, to see the thestrals. So…"

Astoria shifted, looking slightly guilty, "I...It wasn't ever confirmed by Suzie, it's why I sent her a letter. She...I think that her brother died."

Her brother.

Brother.

That….Adrian had somehow indirectly killed a girl. Who was this boy? Someone else? Or had it been a boy all along? Skylar was so sure Adrian had screamed about a girl- had he remembered it wrong?

"His patronus memory is false." Luna contributed, "He knows Legilimency I think."

Astoria gaped, "Impossible. He can't know both Occlumency and an Animagus transformation and casually fit in learning Legilimency just in time for tea!"

"I have to agree," Luna admitted with a small frown, "I don't know how he does it. It shouldn't be possible, It takes years."

"He can apparate." Skylar blurted.

Astoria very politely cursed foul enough that Skylar blushed.

"Is there anything else that we're missing?" Skylar asked, the opposite of calm, "Because this parchment right now makes Adrian Selwyn look scarier than that Vipertooth."

'Other than the fact he may have been raised to kill me,' Skylar thought sarcastically, biting his tongue so he wouldn't mention it.

"You mean the fact that Adrian Selwyn is some...some sort of psychotic child prodegy?" Astoria hissed out, lashing out with her discomfort. Skylar didn't take it to heart.

Luna looked sick, her skin pale. If it weren't for the small tremors in her hands, Skylar would have mistaken her for relaxed.

'Adrian is a Parselmouth and told that snake of his to murder Suzie's brother.' Astoria thought to herself.

'Adrian is growing sicker and I'm afraid he may do something horrid.' Luna thought to herself.

Neither girls vocalized it.

"Then we're done here." Skylar smiled weakly, "I'll leave out the tower- I brought my broom. Don't tell anyone- thank you so much, Astoria."

Skylar rolled up the parchment, both girls noticed he had the only copy.

Astoria gave a small regal nod, "If my family needs protection due to this, I expect you to help."

Skylar's smile became more determined, and a fire burned in his eyes, "Don't worry. Nobody is going to hurt you."

Adrian Selwyn

Hadrianus (Riddle?)

Went to same orphanage as Suzie Forestar.

Abused by birth family/ young age.

Had familiar/Lutain/snake prior to adoption.

Was blood adopted by Riddle (placed with Bellatrix?).

Familiar understands/comprehends or knows English commands.

Snake tattoo that appears on command (Supposedly?)

Multiple scars/ Supposedly second curse scar (check to make sure).

Blood adoption (Riddle) related to bloodline of thestral

Can see thestrals (witnessed death at young age)

Boggart was Riddle (Riddle picked up Adrian end of year)

Caiman Patronus (false happy memory- tie into child abuse_

Animagus transformation (Supposedly?)

Occlumency (Shield mind from being read?)

Legilimency (Reads minds- required eye contact)

Apparate

Fire spell wandless magic affinity

Temper (Set train on fire, attacked Malfoy) Child abuse tie in?

Boggart was afraid/repelled by Adrian

Has a brother (Birth? Adopt?)

Witnessed death of Suzie Forestar brother (David) at orphanage

Indirectly killed girl ("Left to starve") (Mother? Suzie relative?)

Death Eaters murdered Suzie Forestar when letter was sent inquiring about Adrian (maybe?). Suzie under watch OR Adrian under protection of Death Eaters (Lestrange?).

If under protection of Death Eaters (Bellatrix) why cursed him? Why abandoned in Knockturn Alley? If Suzie was under watch why not removed/killed earlier?

Sick from something, gotten worse since start of year. 'Smells' like 'bubotuber pus'. Head is 'cold' (curse scar?)

Increased temper and more vicious. Less polite or gentle, tired and eats too much food.

Skylar kept the curtains to his bed drawn, looking at the parchment illuminated by a light charm.

Remus said that Adrian was a weapon, that he had somehow been...transformed by Bellatrix with the intent to injure him.

Looking at the list of disjointed statements, if he applied the assumption that Adrian was a weapon to kill him…

Well.

"Why would she scar you?" Skylar muttered, curling his knees to his chest and holding them tightly.

The words looked at him, empty, yet something still didn't fit right.

He'd have to ask Remus just to be positive, but...hadn't Adrian sent a plea for help to Remus? In Knockturn, after he had escaped from Bellatrix?

If Bellatrix were protecting him still, and the scar had been intentional, why was it something so noticable? So horrible to look at?

Adrian Selwyn had been injured, and Remus took him in and-

And Remus took him into their lives. He took Adrian into the Order, and kept him safe next to secret members.

Adrian was being protected by Bellatrix, and he knew the faces of every member of the Order.

"Shite," Skylar breathed, feeling as if he would vomit. "Shite!"

If Adrian was injured on purpose for some...some sort of strange sympathy, then it had certainly been achieved. Occlumency- why would a child need to learn to shield their minds? A coping mechanism? A safety feature?

(To find out secret information, and keep it hidden?)

Skylar needed to talk to Dumbledore immediately, but he couldn't get a single owl out under the blasted bitch of a headmistress.

She couldn't keep him there over Holidays, and Easter was rapidly approaching.

"I just have to last until then," Skylar breathed, still feeling very very ill.

Adrian Selwyn maybe, was a spy.