'Why did they get rid of me. Why am I so replaceable?'
Skylar Potter was shopping for his books and new supplies.
That was it. He swore that was all he was doing.
He was accompanied by Ron and Hermione, keeping the conversation light and without banter. They were there for books, that was all they were there for.
Skylar hated it. Skylar absolutely hated the fact they were shopping. Why, why was it so important that they shop for school supplies?
It seemed entirely asinine, the fact they would be shopping for books.
(Skylar had watched people die in front of him, he had faced dragons and thestrals and a basilisk. He had to search Umbridge's corpse for his wand.)
And they just- they expected him to buy books?
There was something inexplicably wrong about it, about the concept of returning to Hogwarts. It felt to Skylar like he was...like he was ignoring the past, that he was ignoring everything that happened.
(He felt disgusted, as if the death and suffering and everything he experienced was nothing.)
Voldemort was alive, shouldn't Skylar be doing something important? Like helping to stop him?
Lutain shifted under Skylar's robes, causing Skylar to flinch. Ron paused, breaking off mid word uncomfortably. He didn't resume what he was saying.
"Sorry," Skylar apologized quietly. Ron swallowed and took a small step away- the red head was painfully timid of anything that hissed now.
(It was understandable, but Skylar couldn't fathom being apart from the snake. It was...impossible to comprehend, painful to imagine).
They were shopping, and it was only due to pure coincidence that Skylar had an unimpeded view out of the window.
Lutain did also, the snake rumbled a low dissatisfied noise as the two saw an infamous student hurrying up the street alone.
Lutain made way to chase, managing a few inches from Skylar's neck. Skylar reached up to hastily to shove its face back under his collar.
"Sky?" Hermione asked warily, following his eyesight before she too frowned.
"Wonder where his mummy is?" said Skylar, frowning and in thought. It was incredibly suspicious.
"Given her the slip by the looks of it. Hasn't he always shopped with his father?" said Ron.
"Not today. Why, though?" said Hermione.
Skylar frowned; he was thinking too hard. Narcissa Malfoy would not have let her precious son out of sight willingly; Malfoy must have made a real effort to free himself from her clutches. With how tensions were rising and even more whispers of the Dark Lord were stirring, Malfoy must have pulled an impressive maneuver to escape her clutches.
But why, why would Draco Malfoy be sneaking around for book supplies so late in the day? Shops were close to closing, the street was fairly empty.
Skylar, knowing and loathing Malfoy, was sure the reason could not be innocent.
"Think we could follow?" Skylar asked lowly, Hermione chewed her lip in concern.
"Got your cloak?" Ron asked in form of an answer, already helping to block the view as Skylar fumbled in his bag. He had taken to never leaving home without it, as per Dumbledore's request.
"I don't know, Skylar." Hermione worried.
"Come on," Ron shushed. She hesitated a second, then ducked under the cloak with Skylar and Ron. Nobody noticed them vanish; the trio squeezed their way out of the door as quickly as they could but by the time they gained the street, Malfoy had disappeared just as successfully as they had.
It was the right thing to follow Malfoy. Maybe it was foolish hope, but Malfoy was a Slytherin, perhaps he knew something about Adrian that they didn't. Perhaps he was tied into this- or he knew something. Malfoy may know something that had far greater implications than anyone thought of.
"He was going in that direction," Skylar murmured, shuffling them until they were scurrying along the street. They peered left and right, glancing through shop windows and doors until Hermione gasped and shoved them forward.
"That's him, turning left?"
Malfoy glanced around, then slid into Knockturn Alley and out of sight.
Definitely nothing good, but considering how twisted and corrupt the world itself was now, it was nothing less than Skylar expected. Lutain thrummed in contentment, perhaps the snake too had figured it as well.
They hurried after, ignoring how the cloak fluttered and exposed their ankles. Knockturn Alley, the side street devoted to the Dark Arts, looked completely deserted. They peered into windows as they passed, but none of the shops seemed to have many customers. It did seem a bit dangerous and suspicious to buy Dark artifacts, or at least to be seen buying them.
Lutain hissed, wriggling his way free before flopping out onto the cobblestone and taking off speedily. Skylar cursed and Hermione jumped, nearly trampling the animal with her shoes. Ron flinched away, yet the three followed hastily.
"Look! He's in there!" Hermione breathed, barely audible to the two boys.
Lutain on cue reared outside the window, looking in with a strange level of intelligence. A snake couldn't open a door, no matter how smart in the end.
Draco Malfoy was barely visible in the window, his back to the front of the store. He was half visible, obscured by a black cabinet. Judging by the movement's of his hands, Malfoy was talking animatedly. The proprietor of the shop, Mr. Borgin, an oily-haired, stooping man, stood facing Malfoy. He was wearing a curious expression of mingled resentment and fear.
"If only we could hear what they're saying!" Hermione muttered angrily.
Lutain didn't appear to be bothered by this, because without much hesitation the snake tilted itself and slammed itself against the glass with a quiet thump.
The noise normally would have been too muffled to hear, but with the vacancy of the street the two occupants inside the stoor heard it quite clearly. They peered at the window, squinting to try and discern what had made the noise.
Mr. Borgin stamped his way to the front of the store, grimacing with an expression of disgust when he spotted Lutain, leaning against the glass like a haphazardly thrown coil of rope.
"Oi! Off!" The man shouted through the glass, grabbing a nearby umbrella to tap on the glass.
Lutain flicked his tongue once, and the man cursed foul before opening the door to prod the snake.
"Wait!" Malfoy blurted, having walked closer to see what the commotion was. Skylar watched in surprise as Malfoy paled to a shade just shy of parchment. His breathing hitched and he took two steps back, "The- the snake. Stop!" He hissed at the owner.
Mr. Borgin paused, his eye twitched but he lowered the umbrella. Lutain seemed pleased, because he slumped down and waited in a calm coil outside the store.
Malfoy stumbled his way outside the store, kicking the door closed behind him to keep the store owner on the other side of the glass.
"You." Malfoy murmured so lowly Skylar doubted the store-owner could hear him, "Where- how are you here?"
Lutain's tongue flickered, and Malfoy paled as if he realized something horrible.
"Look, I know." Malfoy hissed out, looking on the fringe of desperation, "I- I didn't know. I'm sorry okay?"
Lutain lifting himself in a sick parody of the basilisk' stance. Malfoy flinched, as if he had seen something familiar.
"I'm doing the best I can!" Malfoy hissed out again, fingers twitching and his skin almost translucent in his fear, "If I had more time-"
Lutain opened his mouth in a terrifying hiss. Malfoy took a short stumble back, throat moving as he swallowed convulsively.
"Fine, fine!" Malfoy snapped, "It'll be done!"
Malfoy turned on his heel as if to storm away before he stiffened with a sharp breath. Lutain made a low noise, something that sounded displeased. Malfoy looked terrified of it.
After a few seconds, Malfoy resumed walking. They watched him leave, before Ron cursed sharply and Hermione let out a breath.
Skylar felt uncomfortable with all of that- would it be possible to stun the boy and take him into custody? Would the trace be in effect with such a populated magical area? Could Skylar even do that?
"What was that about?" Ron asked sourly. Lutain turned, seemingly able to know exactly where they were.
"I don't know," Hermione responded quietly, "It- he seemed so scared."
Ron and Hermione wouldn't understand, Skylar hadn't expected them to. For as wonderful as his friends were, they were still very innocent and didn't think of the larger picture.
Malfoy looked terrified of Lutain, which meant that Adrian likely had a more violent or prominent position in Slytherin than they had originally assumed.
Or perhaps Malfoy had somehow learned more about Adrian Selwyn himself? Skylar didn't think that Astoria would have told him, she seemed downright terrified of Adrian- would she have told her sister, Daphne? Daphne didn't seem the type to spread information, and only something major would have warranted that reaction.
Skylar didn't know, but he knew enough to understand that there was something else at play.
(Did Lutain know? What would it take for him to tell Skylar?)
Lutain stared down the road without moving, and after a second Skylar tugged the cloak off. The alleyway seemed much more terrifying when anyone could see them.
Lutain took off, moving in a completely different direction.
"Shite," Skylar cursed, sprinting to keep the nearly invisible snake in his line of sight. Ron and Hermione cried after, and the three were suddenly scrambling through a thin alleyway up broken steps towards a second alleyway. The snake didn't stop, it kept moving faster and faster until Skylar clued in that it was going towards an intended location.
Then they heard it, unsettling enough that all three slowed to a stop. Lutain stopped grudgingly, watching them annoyed.
A melodic trilling noise was faint, foreign and captivating despite the inherent wrongness of it.
"What is that?" Hermione whispered, and abruptly the noise cut off. Lutain made a noise, egging them closer.
They hesitantly stepped around the corner, and the first thing Skylar noticed was how beautiful the fountain was.
It was archaic, cast iron with large statues of fish dribbling clear water in a constant cycle. The size of one of the Prefect baths, it was large enough to swim in, or for a strange creature to lower itself until only its bulbous round eyes looked at them.
The snake hissed, and the creature gurgled something, "Hello again, Sharptail."
Skylar blinked in amazement, and took a half step backwards. The rusting iron of the fountain, along with the dripping water looked suspiciously like blood over the edge of the rim.
"You understood him?" Skylar asked cautiously. The creature tilted her head, her ears were humanoid.
Then it tilted its head back and laughed, as if it had realized the most hilarious thing.
"How similar," The creature blinked, before peering at Lutain with something puzzled, "Now you smell sour."
Lutain hissed something and the creature spat in anger. Something opalescent and scaled moved under the fountain water.
"Skylar, we need to run." Ron urged, already ready to bolt the way they came. The creature chirped like a bird, and looked upset.
Something cawed above them, a large angry crow.
"You reek." the creature's nose wrinkled, pointing one webbed finger at the snake, "You reek foul. Plague."
The crow called twice more, and the creature chirped twice like a happy lark, "Plague! Plague!"
Hermione tugged on Skylar's sleeve, as if to drag him away.
(Skylar couldn't leave yet. This...this thing knew something.)
"Oh," the creature gurgled, hoisting itself out of the water partially. It looked like it had a disease near its collarbones, scales shimmering and growing out sickly, "Oh you get plague from the other? How sad."
Lutain hissed something, and the creature gave a bark like a seal. Luna would have loved this monstrosity.
(It knew something, Skylar couldn't afford to leave without knowing.)
"No offense!" It giggled like a musical instrument, "Curious. Other child die yet?"
"Selwyn?" Skylar spoke, feeling the worst come from his mouth almost numbly, "What- what do you mean? You know Lutain?"
The creature blinked, a movement that looked painful, "Other child. Related? He's dying."
Lutain hissed and the creature shushed him. "Better hurry."
(Selwyn was dying? Selwyn was going to be killed?)
Lutain hissed something final, and without a care for his own being Skylar grabbed the snake's tail and pulled him backwards.
"Let's go." Skylar confirmed, eager to get away from the freakish insane creature.
Its weird barkish laughter followed them all the way to Diagon Alley.
(For some reason unknown to Skylar, he wished the weird beast would die.)
Adrian was sitting on his bed, eyes open and glazed sightless. The door to his room opened, and without truly reacting he looked.
His eyes sharpened, his breath left him in a small puff and a smile spread, "Remus."
Lupin stepped through, nursing a wicked cut along his jawline and a padded area near his shoulder that suggested a wound. His face was bruised, his eyes sporting shadows but despite it all, he seemed very happy. "Hello, Adrian."
Adrian twisted, righting himself to sit crossed leg on his blanket. The grey clothing hung from him, the hollow of his collarbone was large enough to fit a walnut.
"Oh, Adrian." Remus whispered, as if the sight was something pitiful. Adrian nearly vibrated from the glee and inexplicable happiness.
"You're back! They said you had to talk to werewolves." Adrian continued, sounding far too content and happy given his unhealthy state, "Is that why you're injured?"
Remus swallowed and found the chair Sirius told him would be there, "Ah, yes. A few weren't happy when I tried to advocate for them."
"Of course they wouldn't be." Adrian blinked as if it were obvious, "Fenrir holds the most sway and he was converted years ago."
Remus floundered, and settled for saying nothing in the end.
"I missed you," Adrian confessed, then blinked in surprise as if he hadn't even realized he did.
"I missed you too." Remus spoke. His voice was pinched, strained as if under great stress.
Adrian beamed, a wide smile that had been long since vacant on his face. "You're staying here now, right?"
Remus nodded slowly, "My work is done now. Thank you for taking care of Sirius, I know at times he can be a bit much."
Adrian scowled slightly, "I swear he's illiterate."
Remus chuckled softly, light and breezily, "Don't let him catch you saying that. He'll throw a book at you."
Adrian rolled his eyes, "there aren't any good books left. I took them all."
"From the Black Estate?"
"Bellatrix took me there a long time ago. She let me take books I thought interesting from the library."
Remus' face twitched slightly, "You must have been young."
Adrian tilted his head slightly, his teeth were pink.
Remus inhaled sharply and suddenly, he could smell the faintest twinge of blood.
"Adrian?" Remus asked, his voice firming as he stood suddenly, reaching out with one arm to gently touch the younger's shoulder, "Adrian are you bleeding?"
Adrian blinked in surprise, staring at Remus' hand on his shoulder with something confused, "You're touching me?"
Remus inhaled and suddenly the metallic twinge was much sharper. A drop of blood dripped down Adrian's face, curling over his lip before plopping onto his grey shirt.
Adrian breathed in and out, chest rising and falling gently. Two drops of blood dripped, adding to the single stain with a foreboding warning.
Adrian sniffed, a wet squelching noise, then the stream began.
Remus flinched back, the smell was painfully strong in his nose. Adrian didn't seem alarmed, instead he poked the stain on his shirt, already darkening to a wet disgusting black. His fingertips came away red, he seemed almost mindless of how disgusting the blood was.
He grinned, blood dripping in a frothy pink paste from the corner of his mouth. He coughed, hacking out a globule of pink foam which hung to his mouth by a long strand of saliva.
Something in Remus, something deep inside recoiled at the sight of the blood, the sharp acrid smell. Something in him itched to turn away, to leave Adrian alone like how he was repelled by rabid animals. Something sick, festering and contagious.
"Are you in pain?" Remus asked quickly, gently pulling Adrian's hair back from where a few strands were dangerously close to the sticky situation. "Is the air too dry?"
Adrian coughed again, this time a large clot that had a blackish sheen. It reminded Remus of a raw liver.
"I'm fine," Adrian assured, voice nasally and wet. His lips were scarlet. "It happens."
"Often?" Remus asked concerned, "I didn't know you had a predisposition for nosebleeds."
Adrian rolled his shoulder, then after a slight pause he leant slightly sideways, leaning into Remus' hand. Adrian hadn't gone out of his way for physical contact before.
"Where's Lutain?" Remus asked gently, finally taking note of just how painfully bare the room was. Truly there was very little, just the bed, a side table, and the single rickety chair that Sirius had complained about. Adrian must have been going insane from the boredom.
"I don't know." Adrian confessed, his voice higher and contemplating as he blinked twice, "I don't know where he is. I should ask him."
'You can't ask him if he isn't here.' Remus thought to himself, biting his tongue to not say it out loud.
"He doesn't like being with me anyways," Adrian gave a shrug, dismissing the idea coldly even though even thinking it must have been painful. "He's been avoiding me."
Remus didn't say anything as he sat down on the bed beside Adrian. The younger leant back, choking wetly as blood continued to dribble. Remus was warm, Adrian slumped against his side.
"Familiar's aren't like that." Remus tried to assure him quietly, "They rely on you and share a connection."
Adrian gave a small noise, something between a hum and a scoff. "I don't think he's my familiar. He's mine though. He's mine."
Remus crossed his arms, thinking over how Sirius had demanded he not take his wand into the room with him. He could have at least spared bringing a tissue with him.
"Muggles used to think that familiars were demons, forced to obey a witch. They would take the form of animals, and wouldn't hesitate for any wish of their master." Remus mused quietly with a small smile on his face, "Of course, that isn't right. They say that our magic finds an animal, one that we imprint on as much as they imprint on us. Due to this, our cores align and they become an extension of ourselves."
Adrian blinked lazily, "What is our core?"
Remus hummed quietly, noticing as the tension left Adrian slowly the longer he talked, "That's magical theory. To be honest, when I was your age I hated magical theory."
Adrian's nose made a gross high pitched whine, the breaking of pressure. A blood clot bubbled and dribbled down his face like a slug. Thankfully, the worst bit seemed to have passed.
"We refer to our magical core as our reserves, or our magical capabilities." Remus explained, using one hand to try and convey his words clearer, "Imagine a lake, or a sea of our capabilities. In the past, we used to believe that our reserves were similar to a tree, and our magical casting abilities were like the branches that stemmed out from our center. We know that's not entirely true now, and instead we imagine our core as a pool."
Adrian fumbled with his shirt, running the fabric between his fingers leisurely, "And when we cast spells?"
Remus chuckled softly, the vibrations and movements shifting Adrian slightly from where he rested. "It's always up for interpretation. The widely accepted explanation is that we have a system of pathways that generally aren't in use. When we use our magic, our reserves release our capabilities down these pathways to meet with our wand where it is used as a conduit for our magic."
"Like a stream." Adrian simplified quietly, "Our magic is a lake and flows through us like mountain rivers and streams, breaking into thousands of tributaries throughout our body."
Remus smiled and nodded, his face tickled by Adrian's hair, "With that model, we've explained accidental magic as a flash flood- an uncontrollable surplus down one of these pathways. Thankfully, by having so many different paths we're able to ensure more control over our magic."
Adrian hummed quietly, "What are the other models?"
"Generally they all have the same principle, that our core and our conduits are two separate systems. Some people or educational system refer to it as more of a...a nervous system, in Muggle terms. Others think of it more as a heart, supplying our bodies with a near constant stream of magic we are able to redirect when performing feats. The pathways; rivers, veins, nerves, however you interpret it, are almost unanimously thought to be our embodiment of our soul."
Adrian's heart beat quickly, thrumming repeatedly with a calming mantra. "And soul magic? Like the patronus?"
Remus hummed once again, "I presume that magic relies on the utilization of those pathways. Less the reserves or the capabilities of your core itself, but the passages by which it travels. It must be why the patronus is infamous as such a difficult spell."
Adrian tasted blood, and felt it crumble into a gritty dust from where it caked to the fine hairs lining his face. The hairs had appeared quite randomly, softening his jawline with the presence of the peach fuzz. It was strange to see, the hairs had given him a fuzzy downy appearance that contrasted sharply with the sickly pallor of his skin. The dried blood made it look like he had been attacked, his shirt was nearly black in a downwards triangle towards his naval.
"Has your nosebleed stopped?" Remus inquired, unable to see Adrian's face as the back of the younger's skull rested on the werewolf's side. Adrian nodded, yawning bored.
"They happen," He shrugged, dismissing it just as he had done earlier, "Whenever I cast magic."
Remus stiffened, "That doesn't sound healthy."
Adrian laughed, a self deprecating noise that Remus felt sad to hear. It was all too easy to relate to.
"The first time my nose bled I didn't know it was because of that." Adrian admitted fondly, as if it was a good memory, "Ron Weasley punched me in the face so I thought it was from that."
"What?" Remus blinked in surprise, nearly jostling the younger from where he was plastered to his side, "When was this?"
"I set the train on fire." Adrian nearly laughed, "I remember being so confused afterwards. I didn't mean for that to happen, I only wanted Draco to burn."
"You shouldn't want anyone to burn." Remus scolded without much heat.
"Draco was annoying. He deserved it."
Remus didn't know how to respond to that.
"I think if I tried to set a wall on fire, the entire house would be alight." Adrian confessed quietly, finally for the first time that night, showed worry.
"What do you mean?"
"I don't have a frame of reference anymore." Adrian struggled to convey, "If you were to spell lumos, would your spell be brighter than a first year?"
"Only because I have had practice, and I understand magic more astute than a first year." Remus professed.
Adrian craned his head back, sliding down Remus' side until his head rested against the man's thigh. Adrian blinked twice, he had long eyelashes and hollows below his cheeks. He looked emaciated.
"I think If I tried lumos right now," Adrian whispered, his voice a raspy thing, "This room would glow as if filled with many lanterns."
"That's a very boastful claim." Remus smiled down at the child (a child no longer). "I don't doubt it. You were very powerful when I had you as a student."
Adrian's face pinched as if what Remus sad was something finicky at best. "That was before. I'm better now. I think I could beat Bellatrix now, I could explode a dozen birds until they painted her." Adrian paused, then lamely added, "At one time."
Remus had grown used to Adrian's macabre history. His fascination in what would be considered cruel or unsettling now was simply an endearing quality of his individuality. Of course, Sirius had been whining and cursing under his breath all day about how unnerving Adrian was, but Remus had long since learned when his words were something to ignore or something to address.
This was something to address.
"I didn't know you knew a spell to rupture birds. I don't know a spell like that." Remus carefully commented. His left hand rising to run very gently through Adrian's hair. It was nearly slimy with the amount of grease in it. The ends had split so aggressively the knots looked as if he'd have to cut them out.
"Rumpervis." Adrian whispered reverently, fingers twitching as he stated the spell almost with adoration, "It was...breathtaking."
Remus didn't know that spell, but he could tell by the tone of voice that it most certainly was dark magic.
"I've never been one for attacking spells." Remus admitted calmly, "That was more of Sirius' or James' expertise. I know defensive spells, shielding spells."
Adrian's face lit up as if delighted, "How did you learn to shield?"
"James learned first," Remus smiled at the memory, "He and Sirius were trying to learn how to do it, they spent a weekend shooting stinging hexes at one another. I think others thought we were daft."
Adrian laughed at the idea, small almost soundless giggles that revealed his teeth. They were pink.
"I kept mispronouncing the spell." Adrian confessed sheepishly, "I got in trouble for dodging so I spent an entire day learning the spell."
Remus ruffled Adrian's hair with a small smile, "I could spend hours of telling you my magical disasters."
Adrian grinned looking delighted, "Likewise. I'm bad with fire- well, I'm not...bad."
Adrian contemplated the topic with a small scrunch of his eyebrows, "No, no I'm really good at fire. That's the problem."
Remus didn't say anything but continued to gently tug at the knots in Adrian's hair. They weren't coming loose.
Adrian lolled his head around, stretching his legs out like a content cat, "You should stay here."
Remus smiled and with a sick ripping noise, removed a nasty knot. "I'm not. You're my primary concern for now."
Adrian frowned, "No. I mean you should stay with me. I could take you with me, and you wouldn't have to do this anymore."
Remus' hand stilled, and suddenly Adrian's wide eyes didn't seem so nonthreatening. Obviously the younger didn't understand what he was implying, or what he was saying in his uncharacteristic childish reasoning. Remus had heard that Adrian had been delirious, somehow inebriated but he seemed quite logical now. If not for this childish reasoning, this very strange childish reasoning.
(And the fact he was very obviously touch starved, but that was another concern for a later time.)
"I can't just leave people behind here." Remus explained gently, "I have people here, Adrian."
Adrian's face clouded in confusion, as if the notion was crazy to think of. "Tonks? I know you like her. She's loud, she's been nice to me."
Remus tensed and once more he was unsettled by the strange knowledge Adrian had of things he shouldn't know, "Tonks and I are very close."
"Oh," Adrian blinked, tilting his head in thought, "I could take her with me. I could mark you, and you would be untouchable. I don't know if you could boss them around, but wouldn't they be scared of a werewolf?"
Remus wasn't following, but he was intelligent enough to form some horrifying conclusions on his own. Where had Adrian gotten the idea of a mark? "I don't like the idea of a mark, Adrian."
Adrian grinned, eyes burning like a fire. His eyes were different, the heterochromia was startling and very recent. The yellow looked sickly, like old pus seeping from his pupil into the color of his iris, "You don't have to always have it! I could make it secret, oh but you can't speak to it. That would be difficult. Maybe link it to a keyword? It would have to be intelligent."
"I don't think something like that exists, Adrian." Remus soothed once again.
Adrian prickled, twitching as if he wanted to pull away from Remus' lap, but he couldn't in fear of losing the touch. "It does."
Adrian stilled, pausing as if in thought. He looked at Remus with half lidded eyes, the yellow far too bright to be anything but alarming. "Do you like me, Remus?"
Remus felt as if he was mourning for the loss of something gone, which was impossible. Adrian was right there, but he felt so far away. He felt as if he had changed truly, as if something hideous had condemned him to something so foul, he had accepted it.
"Of course I do," Remus spoke, voice strained and distorted through his distress, "Adrian, you know I do. Why would you ever think I wouldn't?"
Adrian's half lidded eyes blinked slowly, and then twisted with something challenging.
'Do you really?' Adrian silently seemed to ask, dangerous yet screaming for confirmation, as if Remus' mind would never change.
Then Adrian's neck darkened, looking almost bruised before it moved.
"Oh Adrian." Remus whispered, feeling as if he was going to cry.
Remus had seen the pictures, he had even seen one in person before. It wasn't a dark mark, but the concept behind it was identical. It looked like the snake from the mark, although normally being so tiny had the details impossible to see.
This one...this one was a bold black statement that stained Adrian's skin.
'Do you still, Remus? Do you still like me?' Adrian seemed to challenge in the small quirk of his lips, tinted red and cracked in the corners.
"Merlin's Beard." Remus whispered, and then he blinked and he was crying.
"Isn't she beautiful?" Adrian asked cooing as he craned his neck to see the thick coils imprinted on his flesh lower until it snuck below his collarbone. Adrian reached down, prying the hem of his shirt up to where his ribs protruded like spider legs. The snake was moving, trailing and twisting over his sunken abdomen with the vibrancy of a bruise.
It was massive, vicious and angry looking as it trailed over his hip bone and below the edge of his trousers.
"I could get you one too," Adrian sighed relaxed, releasing his shirt to sprawl more leisurely across the bed, careful to remain touching Remus. "I could get you a beautiful one. Nobody would touch you again."
'I could make you untouchable, Remus.'
Remus' hands were shaking slightly, trembling almost unnoticeable. "I don't think that's a good idea, Adrian."
Adrian pouted with a huff, "I could hide it for you."
'It could be our secret.'
"I'm...I'm not comfortable with the idea of being branded." Remus sounded pained, "I don't like you being branded."
Adrian shrugged, "It doesn't hurt."
"Did you ask for it?"
Adrian paused, a second that stretched long enough it was easy for the surprise to be felt. Adrian looked uncomfortable, and by then it was far too long for any answer to be taken lightly.
"Bellatrix got it for me." Adrian deflected, although it sounded slightly unsure and limp.
"Do you like it?" Remus asked calmly, taking every precaution to not come across too strong or sharp, "It looks like it would be uncomfortable."
Adrian was quiet. Remus understood, how Adrian decided to direct the conversation was how they would continue the topic.
Adrian looked torn, and he curled up slightly, nearly fetal. His head was heavy on Remus' lap, his breaths looked far too laborious. The childish immaturity faded, he looked far too tired for someone his age.
"It itches. Like when food dries on your arm and you have to peel it away."
Remus hummed encouragingly, and Adrian curled in on himself slightly more, "...It's big."
"It looked quite large."
"It is. I didn't want it to be that big. I can feel it."
Adrian paused, his breathing stilling. Remus patiently waited whatever Adrian was to say- judging by his body language it was something quite personal Adrian hadn't ever admitted before. "It...It talks to me a lot. When I don't want it to."
Remus resumed the gentle brushing of Adrian's hair. The poor boy looked exhausted, as if the simple confession took everything out of him. "How about you shower? Or bathe if you'd like. Tonks told me to bring some of her bath potions, apparently they'll make your skin feel soft."
Adrian's face twisted slightly in confusion, "W- why?"
'Why are you still being nice to me?'
Remus smiled gently, "Frankly, you stink. I tried the bath potions once and honestly I haven't looked back once."
"R-really?"
Remus nodded playfully, "How about I help you up, Pup."
Adrian stared at him, eyes searching with the strange new acidic band around the black center. A starburst that Remus knew wasn't there before. He was worried, what possibly could have caused that? Perhaps he should ask Adrian if he knew anything about it later, but not now. Not when the child looked ready to fall to pieces.
"Okay." Adrian's voice was small. Cracking and tiny, vulnerable, "A bath?"
Remus very slowly shifted himself, carefully adjusting his right arm to prop the younger off his lap and into a more seated position. Remus stood, turning with both hands out to help assist the younger into a standing position.
Adrian's skin was anemic, the bags below his eyes were purpling. Adrian stood, grasping Remus' arms to hoist himself up- the bones of his wrist were far too prominent.
"I'll make sure the water isn't too hot," Remus assured the younger, pausing a second before he tugged off the blanket to wrap around the younger. The blanket was grey, yet it looked so much darker against Adrian's pale flesh.
"I feel gross." Adrian whispered, his voice a high pitched whine with a slight wobble to it.
"That's okay," Remus assured, opening the door and keeping it open as Adrian shuffled out of the room for likely the first time in weeks, "I'll try my best to make you feel better."
Remus thankfully didn't acknowledge when Adrian choked.
The potion made the water soft, the same way Hedwig's feathers felt when Adrian stroked her back. The water was pink, a pleasing shade just shy of bubblegum, and smelled sweet and gentle in a way Adrian couldn't explain.
Remus helped him into the water, offering to leave but understanding without Adrian vocalizing anything that he really didn't want that. Remus had a rag, and helped clean the flaking blood from his skin like a rough tongue.
The water had bubbles, thick frothy bubbles that threatened to spill over the edge of the moderately sized tubs. These too, were pink.
"Is this a thing people do?" Adrian asked, hanging his head and curling his shoulders slightly. The water reached the middle of his rib cage, but he looked so terribly exposed.
Remus didn't pause with his movements, knowing that the gentle touch was relaxing. "I suppose. I'm not really the best with children."
Adrian gave a small huff, curling in slightly more, "What about Tonks?"
Remus didn't slow his movements, "What about her? She is a wonderful woman."
"I saw her before coming here, when they took my wand. I know that you're with her."
Remus, through the might of Merlin himself, didn't stop scrubbing. Adrian had mentioned Tonks before, that he knew about the two of them. If he was bringing it up again, then it certainly was an important thought that had circled in his head for a while.
Remus decided to take the safer route. "I always wondered how you knew things like that. I looked into it a bit, I hope you aren't offended."
Adrian looked over his shoulder with a strangely perplexed expression, "I- offended?"
Remus gave a slow nod, "It's normal to feel offended if people invade your privacy. I though you may be upset that I looked into it."
The corner of Adrian's eyes lifted slightly, his face tightening into a slightly more pinched expression. "I- I'm not? I mean, I've always had my things shared or looked through and I don't- Why would I be offended for you researching?"
That was a concerning thought, that the basic human decency of privacy was foreign to Adrian. Remus felt a pang of guilt- it likely hadn't helped that Adrian's things were periodically checked over when he stayed at order headquarters.
"Are you a legilimens?"
Adrian looked so perplexed, "I- are you asking me?"
Remus smiled slightly, "Well, you could lie but I'd appreciate if you were honest with me."
Adrian was so baffled with the exchange, he found himself ducking his head down behind a curtain of his wet hair. "I- yes. I'm a legilimens."
Remus carefully controlled the smile that almost twitched across his face. "You scared Sirius, I think he thought you could somehow see spirits or something else."
Adrian's torso shook with repressed laughter, "That would be ridiculous."
"Ah, sometimes Sirius is a bit silly I'd agree. Could you close your eyes?"
Adrian followed his direction, tensing slightly but accepting the water that was poured over his hair with a borrowed mug from the kitchen.
"I know why you have these bath potions, and why you're with her so much." Adrian spoke flatly, but not coldly. Monotone, dull and blunt like a metal butter knife. Not sharp enough to tear, but the implications clear.
"I wouldn't lie to you," Remus soothed, ignoring how Adrian flinched as the man used a comb and small scissors to clip loose the worst knots. "Tonks and I are close."
"Are you going to leave me too?"
Adrian's voice was quiet, filled with longing and already expecting the worst.
"No, I'm not." Remus confided with the smallest shlk shlk of his scissors, mangled black locks drifted to the pink bath water. "Tonks brought up moving your belongings to her house, I think she has all of your claws and teeth in your bedroom in her cottage."
Shlk shlk, more hair fell.
"...my things a-are at her house?"
"Our house," Remus corrected with a tranquil peace to his voice, "Once things calm down. Tonks has been running herself ragged trying to find out what sort of heating charm would work with Lutain, there's not much published on snakes surprisingly."
Adrian curled down, a small weakened ball surrounded by bubbles and saccharine aroma. He was shaking under Remus' hand, each vertebrae pronounced like turrets on castles.
"I have the certification necessary to teach, although the Ministry made sure I won't be hired," Remus sighed wistfully, not sounding too devastated by the discrimination. "It wouldn't be hard to have you caught up on school work at your own speed, maybe we could try to fix the broken garden shed into a little Care for Magical Creatures room for you. Within reason of course."
Adrian was making horrible noises, gasping wretched inhales of breath that would have alarmed Remus before.
"Did Skylar ever have this?" Adrian asked, voice slurred and wet and sounding so undignified Remus was partially surprised he spoke at all.
Did you ever treat Skylar like this?
"Well, I presume at some point in his life he may have experienced a bubble bath," Remus confessed, nonplussed by Adrian's state. "In truth, I couldn't imagine inviting that child into my home. Skylar is a wonderful boy, but he isn't mine."
Adrian made a noise, a hoarse twisted whisper that was impossible to hear. Remus didn't need to, he knew Adrian far too well now to ever doubt what he would say.
And I am? He would ask, voice equal parts scathing and longing.
"In my eyes," Remus began, the carefully inflection lilting his voice just so. "You are far more important to me than Skylar Potter ever will be, So perhaps the real question you should ask, if you want to be?"
'Do you want to be mine?'
Adrian didn't cry prettily, he sobbed like something monstrous.
There was a saying, that the more you trusted the more likely you were to be hurt.
Skylar knew that, he tended to wear his heart on his sleeve. He made friends more than enemies. He would help before hurting others. He would talk, before cursing.
He was in a bind, he was forced into a corner with Lutain his only opportunity out. He was diplomatic, he was kind, Skylar was a hero.
He wasn't going to stand aside and watch someone be hurt on his behalf.
So he talked, even when he wasn't asked to. He would talk long into the night in low murmurs with Lutain curled on his chest. He told the snake of meaningless things, of flowers and sunsets and quidditch. He would talk until his eyelids were heavy and his throat abrasive and raw.
(Sometimes he blinked and imagined blood seeping from his nose and mouth and over his chest and filling his lungs.)
Lutain was always there, a low steady rumble. The deep pulsing of the reptile's heart over Skylar's pulse-point.
At times Skylar couldn't even recall simple actions, talking and talking while getting dressed or laying in bed. He felt sore in his bones like a phantom ache and his skin tingles in the strangest patches. Numb and burning, peeling glue from his shoulder and chest and hip.
He found a bird, stunned and disoriented from running into the window. It fluttered weakly, jerking in Skylar's grip. It was beautiful, small and delicate. It's beak was small, suited for picking bugs from the air or hovering over the nearby meadow. It's beady black eyes flickered across Skylar's face, its heart trembled like a pocket watch.
Lutain twisted, coiling over his thigh and hip and over his shoulders caressing his neck.
Skylar opened his mouth, inhaling slowly and feeling saliva pool below his tongue.
Lutain whispered in pictures, thrumming and gentle like another limb. Skylar whispered his heart to the snake, late at night where there was no light to observe his transgressions.
He gave the snake all he had, in hopes that perhaps the trust and admiration would be returned in information, and assistance.
The bird chirped frantically, its little bones wiggling between Skylar's fingers.
Lutain draped around Skylar, around his shoulders and skin and blood and bone and-
It's prey. Lutain susurrated around his neck. It is a rat.
It was prey, it was a rat.
Skylar rotated his hand, and wrung the bird's neck.