'Is this your joke. I let you starve, and I'm starving too. I eat and eat and I just keep starving.'
"Are you with Tonks? More than being with her, I mean." Adrian asked quietly, sitting with his legs crossed facing the wall. Remus' hands stilled from where he had been combing through the strands of hair- scissors on the bed between them.
"I know you are," Adrian continued after a pause, "I heard from Luna that I should ask questions instead of saying what I know." Adrian paused once more, thinking hard, "I think it's supposed to make you not panic."
Remus' mouth twitched slightly in amusement as he resumed brushing his hair, "You always seem to know things you shouldn't. Do you read minds a lot?"
Adrian shrugged, a very subtle movement mindful of the scissors near his neck, "Sirius is loud."
"Loud?" Remus hummed, gently clipping away another unsalvageable knot. It truly was taking several sessions to try and fix the messy cluster that was Adrian's hair. Although he had worked on it when wet, now that it had dried it only revealed more problems.
"His head," Adrian clarified quietly, "You were gone. I was worried."
Remus carefully continued moving his hands in calm rhythmic movements, "Legilimency? I heard from Severus about the skill, fairly rare. Many people would consider it intrusive, and very rude."
"Oh," Adrian smartly responded, "...I didn't know where you were."
"That doesn't give you permission to look through the minds of others," Remus chastised gently, "You should apologize to Sirius."
Adrian stiffened, and Remus resumed clipping until the other slowly relaxed from his posture.
"I don't want to." Adrian muttered.
"You should, it would be the right thing to do."
"I thought I was insane." Adrian mused without much emotion, "Disturbed. Psycho. Spastic. Mad. Mental. Thick. Freak." Adrian's body twitched in a small spasm, "Loony." he practically hissed out.
Remus breathed through his nose carefully, "Who called that to you?"
"Nobody," Adrian murmured quietly, "Everyone. They think it, everyone does. Selwyn has a few screws loose. Selwyn is a freak."
Remus gently set aside the comb and scissors. He ignored the few scraps of hair, and instead slid forward slightly so that his weight was a nearby presence for Adrian.
"That isn't even my name," Adrian whined, shaking across his shoulders, "I- I just want to be good."
"You are good, Adrian." Remus assured him, "You're exceptional."
"I'm not," Adrian whispered choked, "I don't know what I'm doing."
Remus shushed him softly, "When I was your age, oh what a mess I was. I had nowhere to go in the world, I had nothing going for me. But you know, I found something along the way. The secret is that you can do whatever you want to do."
Adrian hung his head slightly, tucking his knees to his chest. Remus could count the vertebrae through his shirt, despite the overwhelming amount of food he had ravenously consumed.
"I don't think so." Adrian whispered, barely audible even for Remus' ears, "I think I'm dying."
Remus didn't breathe. He didn't have anything to say.
"Absolute rubbish, all of this." Hermione scowled, storming through the kitchen to throw the prophet against the fridge. It hit, then flopped onto the floor with a satisfying heavy noise.
Ron slowly looked at Skylar, both of the two were seated at the kitchen table enjoying the leftover pasta salad Lily had dropped off the day before. Ron's eyebrows rose slightly and he tilted his head towards Hermione.
Skylar's eyes widened and he shook his head subtly. Ron paled and pointed with his spoon, looking desperate.
Skylar spooned more pasta into his mouth and Ron followed suit until both the boys had cheeks bulging with pasta.
"You know I can see you two." Hermione huffed, crossing her arms before snatching the paper off the floor and throwing it onto the table between the two. It was just a normal prophet, the front cover showed its normal shite but no signs of a Death Eater attack or anything else drastic.
"What's wrong with it?" Skylar tentatively asked after painfully shoving the pasta down his throat.
Hermione looked at him exasperated, "Does it not bother you the papers seems obsessed with you?"
Ron blinked slowly and squinted at the headliner, 'Of course we can!'
It was written in bright bold font, under a picture of Dumbledore and Skylar that the prophet had taken after Skylar's victory for the Triwizard Cup. He had seen the picture often, he had his arms crossed and a grimacing snarl across his face- his eyes were pained and furious. Skylar hated the picture of him.
"I don't see what you're talking about," Ron blinked, "It's just the prophet."
Hermione gaped in amazement, "This- this isn't news. It's propaganda!"
Skylar looked at Ron, then back at Hermione unsure, "Er...okay?"
Hermione yanked a chair out and sat down heavily. Ron gulped.
"This is wartime propaganda! It's a military and political strategy, by publishing persuasive or accusatory information public opinion is able to be swayed to believe or inspire a specific thought." Hermione sniffed, "Honestly, this wasn't as common in the Wizarding world but World War Two? Propaganda was across the world against Hitler!"
Skylar slid the bowl away from him, silently mourning the few noodles he knew he wouldn't have a chance to eat anymore, "Right, there was some around for Grindelwald but practically everyone already knew that he was bad news. 'Mione these papers are rubbish but they aren't being mean."
Hermione frowned, "That's true, but it...everything seems a bit odd. I mean, you'd think they'd be sprouting things about how awful V-v…" she choked on her own tongue before hurrying along with her sentence, " how terrible you-know-who is, but instead they just keep….saying how great Dumbledore is."
"Well he is great." Ron muttered with a shrug, "Probably trying to cover their own arses."
Skylar grimaced slightly, "Yeah 'Mione, my dad was muttering about it too. I think that the papers want to keep most bits about the Death Eaters out just in case something happens, protect themselves, you know?"
Hermione huffed, "I don't like it. They're putting you on a pedestal Sky! This- this paper here was claiming that you're able to vanquish Death Eaters with one spell!"
Skylar's nose wrinkled, "It makes people feel better, Hermione."
"It's rubbish!"
"It helps people be able to go outside." Skylar quietly soothed, "I don't like it, I don't. I'm...I'm not some sort of hero, or..or the only one able to..to k-kill Voldemort." Skylar choked but continued with a miserable look, "but 'Mione if it helps...if it helps Madam Rosmerta open up The Three Broomsticks every day instead of closing it, or if it helps Florean Fortescue sell ice cream without being so scared that Diagon's going to be attacked then I'm fine with being something I'm not."
Hermione looked like she had been struck, "Sky…"
"No, no listen to me." Skylar stressed, "Hermione all around the country people think the name 'Skylar Potter' and you know what they think? They think 'oh! The boy-who-lived! The boy who survived something impossible!' and you know what, when people are given miracles then it gives them hope, that maybe, somehow they can have that same sort of miracle. I'm not special, Mione. I'm just a kid who likes Quidditch, but for almost everyone else I'm a symbol of hope, and right now if the prophet wants to blow me up so I'm the next Merlin, fine. I don't like it, I don't like being something I'm not."
Skylar's eyes were glassy, his lips were trembling slightly and with a pang of horror, Hermione and Ron realized he was on the point of tears.
"I've been praised and worshiped for something I had no control of, for something I have no memory of. Every tragedy, every time I've suffered, people have celebrated because I'm some- I'm some sort of weapon...and I don't want to be." Skylar's voice cracked with a whine, "I'm not a hero, I'm not some… some sort of great wizard. I'm just a kid, and I'm afraid...I'm afraid that I'm going to end up a martyr for something I don't believe in."
Hermione rightfully looked guilty, Ron looked like he had been struck but had a strange sense of understanding.
"You know, mate." Ron started with a small shrug, "the thing about growing up with Fred and George, and Percy and Charlie, is that you sort of start thinking anything's possible if you've got enough nerve."
Skylar gave a shallow laugh, a small smile despite the fact he was shaking where he sat, "Ron, Ron you know that's not true mate. I..I'm supposed to stop him and-"
Ron breathed through his nose loudly and looked very tired, "You're talking about Ginny."
Skylar snapped his mouth shut.
"You know, I used to think I knew a lot about death and dying and all that." Ron's face was unreadable, "but it's bollocks. We know what death's like once we watch it happen. And it isn't...it's sick. It's a twisted thing."
Skylar nodded, "I don't think I can k-kill…" Skylar's words broke off with a hitch of his voice, "...Guys I'm supposed to save the world and I can't-"
"You're not doing any of this alone." Hermione interrupted, "Skylar Potter you're an idiot if you think we're leaving you."
Skylar smiled breathlessly, "I can't ask you-"
"Good, because we're not asking." Ron agreed. "Don't think we haven't noticed how you've been keeping things from us, mate. It'll drag you down."
Skylar shook his head, "No, no guys I can't. I can't ask this from you. Hermione, you...Ron, I...your sister-"
"That wasn't your fault." Ron swallowed painfully, "It took me a while too, but...but it wasn't Selwyn's fault either."
Skylar flinched back in surprise. Hermione's jaw dropped in amazement.
"I… let me say this, because I don't think I'll ever do it if I don't say it now." Ron blurted before inhaling and exhaling shakily, "I...I don't know. I've been...I've been thinking a lot about Selwyn. Like...like a lot. You ah, you remember when he was here and ah, and we got in a spat about Ginny. Selwyn...I dunno, he had this look, and I thought about it for years. He just had this one look on his face right before he dropped, sent us in a panic."
"Yeah, I remember that." Skylar hoarsely agreed, nodding slightly.
"Yeah well, I don't know if you know it Sky, but you've been havin' the exact same face after Cedric. And after Luna."
Skylar made a small choking noise, Ron determedly didn't look at him. "I thought about it so long, for so long, that I think it's scrambled and gnarled worse than...I don't know. I just...I talked to Remus a bit. I didn't understand why he was around the bloody git, and just...I dunno." Ron shrugged, his voice going even quieter, "I always thought of 'abuse' and 'ill' like those kneazles and featherless owls you see on those posters, with those auror's floo number under it. Shaking little things that flinch if you talk too loud and stuff. I didn't really...I didn't really ever think of Selwyn like that but at the same time I knew, and...and I know how scrambled your head gets after spells and potions- Sirius told me that Bellatrix Lestrange had a pet cat when she was a kid, bloody loved the thing."
He paused in his monologue, the ticking of the clock echoed through the room to mark the passage of time.
"I think the point is that I forgive the git," Ron confessed so quiet it was almost a whisper, "because I sure do still hate him, and I hate what he did, but I feel sorry for him more than anything. I feel sorry for the bloke, because the more we know the more sad I am that someone like him even exists. Doesn't mean he isn't going to pay, just...I dunno, he'll pay for the other stuff he's done. He'll get a trial and all that rubbish and it'll be fair. But...Ginny wasn't fair, I don't think he wanted to."
Hermione had started crying at some point, although exactly when was unknown. She had always felt that way about Adrian, she hadn't known that Ron had thought about it like that.
"I want to try and help him," Ron winced with a grimace, "but...but at the same time I want to bloody smash his face in."
"Yeah, I know the feeling." Skylar gave a small bubble of laughter, which made Ron's face twitch into a slight smile.
Hermione threw herself at Ron, nearly tackling him out of the chair as her arms wrapped around his neck.
Skylar thought he had to do it alone, but he was quickly realizing that he didn't have to. He didn't need to be the savior, he didn't need to walk down the path with only Dumbledore guiding him.
"There's more." Skylar spoke, "About everything."
The two looked at him in confusion, before a well hidden look of excitement. Skylar had been incredibly tight lipped about what he and Dumbledore had been discussing, even his parents had been left in the dark much to their frustration.
"You can't tell my parents," Skylar explained quietly, "I swore to Professor Dumbledore I wouldn't tell them."
"Blimey, it must be serious." Ron muttered in awe, nodding furiously in agreement.
"Hermione, have you ever heard of something called Horcruxes?"
She frowned, "Horcruxes...Horcruxes...I've never heard of them."
"You haven't?" Ron gaped in surprise. Skylar instead nodded, expecting that.
"A horcrux is...Dumbledore told me it's incredibly dark magic. I mean...I mean dark, some of the darkest that exists." Skylar felt like his explanation was lacking, "It's foul. Against nature itself."
Hermione and Ron shared a grim look before nodding for Skylar to continue.
"A horcrux is...it's an object or a thing that contains a broken chunk of your soul."
Ron flinched back with a gasp, "Your- your soul?"
Hermione blinked in confusion but thankfully clued in that it was terribly bad news.
"It- by breaking your soul and hiding it in an object, it means that even if your body is damaged, even if you're killed, you're still alive. Your broken part makes sure you're still alive."
Hermione inhaled with a sharp horrified gasp, "You-Know-Who has one of these?"
Skylar shrunk in on himself, "Dumbledore said that...he said that there wasn't a book that could give this information. That apparently it was so dark that...that people wouldn't even write about it. Dumbledore thinks, that Voldemort was expecting the threat of death many times, but no wizard has ever done more than tear his soul in two."
Ron's hand twitched into a fist, "Skylar…"
"Dumbledore thinks that Voldemort made seven Horcruxes."
Hermione recoiled with a strangled noise of horror. "But- but they could be anywhere in the world! Hidden, or spelled, or invisible or buried!"
"No, Dumbledore thinks that they'd be something special." Skylar shook his head.
"Yeah, he's right." Ron agreed, pausing while the two stared at him, "I mean, You-Know-Who is all about pureblood culture, right? Well, I mean technically my family is pureblood so I know all about that. Those blokes are all about heirlooms and trinkets, jewelry and fine china and stuff they can show off."
Skylar smiled, a small grin creeping across his face, "You see the ring on Dumbledore's hand?"
Hermione gasped in horror, "The one that looks so sick? That's a Horcrux?"
"A house ring?" Ron squinted in thought, "Purebloods have house rings that are for their bloodline or something. I think Bill has ours, never really cared much for tradition though."
Hermione smiled and nodded slowly, "Then...then there are six more? Heirlooms?"
"Five, apparently he's got a piece still in him. Dumbledore and I have a theory that Voldemort went after relics, before he knew his bloodline." Skylar enthused quietly, "Relics from the-"
"The founders!" Hermione's eyes widened, "Of course! I thought relics from the founders had been lost to history though?"
Ron scratched his chin with a frown, "I don't know, I'd reckon they'd be passed down some family or given to a collector of some sort."
Skylar found himself overwhelmed with pride for his friends. How quickly they believed him, and how quick they were to help. "I already know two of the relics, and Dumbledore assures me that Gryffindor's sword is well hidden."
"A sword?" Ron's eyes practically glittered in awe, "Bloody hell."
"Which relics? Hufflepuff's bracelet is on display in a goblin run museum."
Skylar shook his head, "Hufflepuff's cup, and Slytherin's locket."
Hermione paused, eyebrows scrunching as she tapped her jaw, "Assuming he found something of Ravenclaw, that still leaves a fifth and sixth Horcrux."
"Er, yeah," Skylar grimaced, "This is where it gets a bit messy. We ah, we think we already know what the fifth one is."
"I have a feeling this isn't going to be easy." Ron muttered under his breath.
"We think it's his snake, this big python thing named Nagini."
"You-Know-Who's snake?" Hermione said, startled. "You can use animals as Horcruxes?"
"We didn't think so at first, but ah…" Skylar looked uncertain, gnawing on his lower lip, "...you know Lutain?"
Hermione paled. Ron looked confused, "You mean that pissy black rope? That's You-Know-Who's horcrux?"
Skylar twitched, "No, it's Adrian's."
Ron's mouth snapped shut. His eyes bulged and Hermione looked ready to pass out. "Oh," Ron breathed, sounding weak.
"Yeah, oh." Skylar murmured, fiddling with his shirt, "But uh, Lutain doesn't know that he is. I mean, he knows, but he doesn't know what he is."
"Hold up, the snake actually bloody talks?" Ron gaped.
"It more...it kinda like...sends ideas? Concepts? Feelings? Oh, and uh, occasionally can like make you hear memories or something."
Hermione floundered before she swooned into Ron's side, "That isn't good, Sky."
"I think that Adrian doesn't actually know what a Horcrux is." Skylar admitted, "I- I don't really think he knew what he was doing."
"The- you don't just accidently make a dark ritual!" Ron hissed under his breath, looking on the verge of tearing out his hair.
"No no, he…" Skylar's hands flexed into claws, "He made the snake into one because the snake is- it's normal."
"Lutain had a normal lifespan, and was going to die." said Hermione.
"Oh," Ron blinked and looked downcast, "Now I really feel bad for the bloke."
"Won't Lutain be bad? Skylar- he's...he's a dark artifact now!"
Skylar winced, "He...I think, that...that Lutain somehow has...has some of Adrian in him now."
Ron snorted, "What part of splitting your soul did you not hear?"
Skylar's mouth twitched, "I mean I think Lutain has some of his memories, or...his knowledge."
Hermione sat back in her chair, looking fascinated against her grudging frown, "There hasn't ever been a recorded way to pass knowledge from one to another, except through possession but that still isn't quite…"
"Okay wait, I'm lost on something," Ron smacked his palm on the table between them lightly, "You said that you don't think Selwyn knew what he was doing? So how did he find out about whatever this Horycox is."
Skylar leant back in his chair with a small sigh, "Well...that's the thing. You remember the basilisk?"
Hermione gasped, "You said...you said it wasn't in any book, but the basilisk...Skylar how old is that basilisk?"
Skylar felt like his mind had been hit with a stinging hex. Everything he knew suddenly clicked into place with a cold realization.
"I..I told Lutain that I'd kill the basilisk." Skylar wheezed out as if he had been punched, "We...we made a deal."
"Bloody Selwyn and bloody deals." Ron huffed, "I mean, how are we supposed to take on that...you saw how big that thing was! It- It killed Lun-"
He cut off abruptly and stared furiously at the table. The clock was ticking again.
"He's right," Hermione murmured, "It's...it's unrealistic...to take on a basilisk that's been alive for centuries."
Skylar's mouth twitched, "We aren't Selwyn."
Hermione laughed, a sudden startled noise that sent Ron into quiet guffaws. The air seemed to shift from sombre to determined.
"Alright," Hermione nodded with a firm look on her face, "Skylar, you worry about these Horcruxes with Professor Dumbledore. We'll handle the basilisk."
Ron spluttered, "Excuse me? We?"
Hermione rolled her eyes, "Yes Ronald, we're handling the basilisk."
Ron blinked in surprise and resignation, "'Mione, you're the most brilliant witch of our age but even you can't take on a bloody basilisk."
Hermione sniffed, "I know that. I'm calling in an expert."
Although the Order of the Phoenix meetings were still going on, Skylar was rarely actually in the same location. He spent a large proportion of his time at the Burrow, before jumping to small private cottages or even to Charlie's shack of a house he was renting for the summer.
Skylar's parents were coming and going, although at no point did they ignore him. They had taken great care to message him, either through notes scrawled on parchment sent through a portkey or in plain sight before his arrival at his temporary dwelling. Sirius had felt bad, so he slipped him a mirror that allowed Skylar to smile and wave to his father late at night when Ron and Hermione had long since fallen asleep.
Death Eater activity was increasing, so his father was busy helping out and preventing damage. Kingsley (the new Minister after Fudge's public resignation) was sending auror forces to help, politely assisting the Order through the political filter.
His mum was working by jumping to the first year muggleborn students, explaining carefully to the parents the problems and why they wouldn't be accepted into Hogwarts for the next year. Apparently some of the meetings were incredibly vocal, often Lily left feeling more distraught than happy. Skylar understood completely, and just as he understood why his parents were so busy, they understood why they couldn't prevent him from communicating with Dumbledore.
They tried, and they sheltered him enough and got into enough arguments with Dumbledore and Sirius, but in the end they couldn't hold him back.
The fight was bad, and involved a fair bit of screaming on Skylar's part.
("It isn't fair that people die for me!" "That's how the world is, Skylar!" "No! That's how you are!")
It was painful. Remus had been called in, looking exhausted and worn but patient and understanding as Skylar cried his guts out.
Remus was too understanding, he was too empathetic and too kind of a man.
Skylar was shuffled back to the Burrow, practically living out of his trunk at this point. Crookshanks nearly clawed through his sock, not happy that he had returned. Sirius gave a bark (which Skylar would never get used to coming out of his human form) and sent the kneezle running.
"I'll never like that cat," Sirius sniffed, "Here I thought we had an agreement. I gave you half of my dinner, you thief!"
He shouted up the stairs, shaking a fist angrily in the air. Crookshanks peered back from the second floor, hissing spitefully.
Skylar smiled thinly before he unhooked his trunk, letting the spitting angry black snake fly out of the box and into freedom.
Sirius grimaced at the snake, but didn't say anything.
(Nobody did anymore. Ron and Hermione still stared at it in slight fear, Slughorn and Dumbledore looked resigned at the sight. Skylar couldn't imagine life without it anymore.)
Crookshanks must have managed its way into Hermione's room, because only a short while after her head popped over the edge along with a neon pink afro.
"Wotcher Sky!" Tonks cheered down, wiggling her eyebrows happily. Skylar beamed, he hadn't seen Tonks in months.
"Hey!" Skylar waved with a grin, "You my house arrest officer?"
Tonks laughed before she changed her hair to something buzz cut and boring grey. For effect, a bushy stereotypical mustache burst across her face- it looked terrible.
Sirius cackled, throwing his head back, nearly crying at the sight.
"Ron stepped out with Fred and George," Hermione explained when the redhead never appeared, "He's uh, helping with supplies."
Skylar arched his eyebrows. Hermione flushed and looked away quickly- obviously a lie.
"Right well," Sirius rolled his shoulders, "A storms coming in tonight, mind helping me outside moving the chairs?"
Skylar peered out the window, pouting when he spotted the makings of a recent bonfire, "You all are terrible."
It was late that night that the door banged open and a loud rustle of hushed voices were heard downstairs.
Skylar leapt to his feet, snatching his wand hurriedly off the side table and rushing towards the door. He struggled to open it, hefting it aside just as something cold and scaly attached itself to his leg and soon after; his shoulder.
He hurried out to the main stairwell, exchanging glances with Hermione and a surprisingly steely eyed Tonks. The later swept down the stairwell ahead of the two, holding her wand in a well practiced dueling position.
Crookshanks took off down the stairs, nearly tripping them. A half second later Tonks smoothly stepped to the side and allowed a shapeless black mass to barrel down the steps- Sirius.
A second later a loud bang, noises, and complains were heard.
"Well I- Ronald!" Hermione nearly shrieked, a flush on her cheeks. Ron, as well as Fred and George were sheepishly plastered to the far wall. Fred's shoulder was smooshed against one portrait, the occupant was trying to beat him off with a broom.
"Well," someone else said from the doorway, flicking a wand to illuminate the lights, "Nice to see you guys too."
"Charlie!" Tonks greeted, shifting her hair back to pink from its previously black shade (to help disguise her in the dark supposedly.)
"Charlie, I thought you were out trying to find an escaped Wyvern?" Sirius gaped, before he paused and slowly looked at Hermione.
Hermione tried to look inconspicuous, if not for the fire red blush on her face.
"A wyvern?" someone else murmured, almost sounding disappointed. "So...overrated. I'm almost offended."
Charlie ducked his head to try and stifle a chuckle.
It was someone new, someone that Sirius had never seen before. Tonks hadn't either, although both were politely keeping their wands low.
"Pleasure to meet you all," The newcomer grinned, hobbling in with a slight limp in his one leg. His face was weathered, but kind and energetic in a youthful way, "Which one here is Hermione?"
"Er, that's me." Hermione squeaked, raising one hand. The man's eyes lightened even further. He opened his mouth to say something, before he spotted the interested kneazle weaving between the group.
"Oh hello there," He cooed to the little demon, "Oh, you're gorgeous aren't you. You look just like my Milly."
Crookshanks sat and looked at him thoroughly unimpressed.
"That's Crookshanks," Hermione squeaked out, still flushing.
"Well hello there Crookshanks," the man greeted politely, and then respectfully lowered himself to the ground on ancient legs to reach out politely. Crookshanks looked at the hand, contemplated, then brushed itself against the outstretched fingers before walking off to sniff Ron's shoe.
Hermione looked delighted.
"Whoa," Tonks breathed in surprise, "I didn't know that thing liked anyone."
Sirius blinked rapidly, as if he couldn't comprehend what had happened.
"Apologies," The man apologized awkwardly, "Just...you know," he paused before lamely waving towards Crookshanks, "Kneazle."
Hermione nodded understandingly.
"Uh, hi?" Skylar offered, taking a step out and around from Tonks, mindful of his plain sleeping clothing, "It's a pleasure to meet you."
The old man- for that's what he was, smiled back. His face had dimples, and long creases around the corners of his eyes as if he had laughed or smiled most of his life.
"Oh!" The man blinked, recognizing Skylar easily- likely from his pictures all throughout the post, "Hi there. Sorry I didn't see you there. Anyways, is there anywhere I can sit? Awful rainy out, you'd be amazed at how it makes my elbows creek."
That was...a disappointing reaction.
"That's it?" Sirius blinked, feeling just as confused with everything, "I- Charlie who is this?"
"Oh! Right!" the man apologized, setting his bag down before he wrung his fingers and held out a hand awkwardly, "Uh, call me Newt. Sorry, I don't do introductions much. Or people."
Sirius and Tonks looked at Hermione, who looked on the verge of leaping at the man in excitement.
"Wait," Skylar thought quickly, "Wait."
Hermione looked sheepish as Skylar looked at her in disbelief, "This is how you're going to fix that problem!"
Hermione crossed her arms defensively, "Well honestly Skylar, even you said I couldn't stop it myself!"
"That was me actually." Ron blurted, wiggling from where he and the twins were still stuck to the wall, "Can you let us down?"
"Oops," Tonks hummed then with a mischievous glint in her eye, nullified the spell and sent the three rapidly floating to the ceiling.
Sirius gave a single bark of laughter before nullifying that spell, sending the three crashing to the floor.
"Bloody hell Tonks," Fred whined, rubbing his head with a frown. "Could've taken our eyes out!" George whined in que.
Ron groaned quietly, he had landed on a footstool.
"Right so," Newt cleared his throat, fumbling with his bag awkwardly, "I ah, heard that you had a situation- a rather impressive one if what you implied wasn't you know...fake."
Ron mumbled something into the carpet.
"I'll be honest, I dunno why you're here." Tonks shrugged, "But it's nice to meet you Mr. Newt! I can fancy up a room for you!"
Newt smiled happily, eyes lighting up in a way that could never be faked, "Thank you Ms...?"
"Nymphadora Tonks, at your service!" She smiled, giving a pleasant wink as she twirled and offered one arm."But just call me Tonks!"
Newt looked surprised but delighted at her arm, taking the offered limb gently in his. He reached for his bag before Sirius politely picked it up. Sirius staggered, puffing out a breath in surprise as the bag was apparently very heavy.
"Merlin," Sirius wheezed in surprise, "What do you have in here, a bloody castle?"
"No, ah, that's the other bag." Newt offered sheepishly, "I mean uh, of course not. Those are illegal."
Tonks laughed and Sirius' face twitched into something surprised and delighted. The twins exchanged excited looks, looking very eager.
"Right," Charlie smiled from the doorway, "I'll fly the thestral back then."
"You took a bloody thestral?" Ron gaped, finally rolling off the stool but not yet rising to his feet.
"Oh yes, it was delightful. Haven't ridden one in years." Newt commentated delighted, "Thank you so much for the ride, Charlie. I do hope you'll send through those notes on that Ironbelly!"
"I doubt it's anything you don't know after the Eastern Front incident. but I'll be sure to send through what I've got when I head back." Charlie teasingly shot back, as if he had known the man for a while.
Newt managed to somehow look proud, and embarrassed at the same time. The man was sneaky, and grabbed the heavy bag back from Sirius as if it weighed a twig.
"Wait," Skylar blurted, feeling that everything was moving far too quickly. Tonks twisted and peered around Newt, everyone pausing to look at Skylar quietly. It felt strange to be the center of attention in the Burrow. Lutain tightened slightly, feeling his hesitation.
"I er," Skylar paused trying to think of his phrasing properly, "You're ah, Newton Scamander? The world famous Magizoologist?"
Newt's face twitched slightly, reflecting something oddly familiar to Skylar, "Ah, yes. I don't think world fame suits me well, I'm retired."
Skylar smiled slightly, something Newt seemed to recognize as a shared feeling, "Yeah, sometimes the spotlight gets a little bright."
Newt gave a short nod of acknowledgement, one tired soul to another. Skylar felt very assured with the man in the house.
"Newt Scamander, eh?" Sirius squinted at him unsure, "Did I have to read a book by you? Or some sort of... etiquette for centaurs?"
"Newton Artemis Fido Scamander," Newt introduced himself with an unnecessary flourish, almost mocking the fact he had a long name to begin with. His elbows creaked audibly.
"Sirius Snuffles Padfoot Black," Sirius introduced himself with a small twitch of his mouth.
"Snuffles Padfoot," Newt mused, sounding like he was about to laugh, "On your mother's side I presume?"
Sirius's voice was nasally in his attempt to withhold laughter, "Oh you know, I found all those pure-blood names unnecessary and a pain to write out on ministry forms."
Newt laughed, an honest breathless noise with a small wheeze that betrayed just how old the man was, "I like you, you remind me of an old friend of mine."
Lutain shifted, a startling reminder what Skylar was going to ask to begin with, "Oh, er, excuse me Mr. S- Newt." Skylar corrected himself quickly, "If you wouldn't mind I actually have a question for you. I could grab you a cup of tea if you'd like?"
Tonks clued in quickly that the question was a private one, and in a swift move managed to corral not only Fred and George out of the room (they whined loudly), and dragged Ron out by his ear. Sirius walked along with Hermione, chatting about something irrelevant but interesting enough for her attention.
The Burrow wasn't quiet (It would never be, with all its small homely comforts) but it was as private as ever.
"How may I help you, Skylar Potter." Newt asked, shaping the vowels of his name with a slight grimace.
Skylar smiled thinly, "Just Skylar. Or Sky if you want, I found that only the ministry calls me by my whole name. Or journalists."
Newt squinted at him in thought before he hummed in thought and leant back in his chair with a sigh. He reminded Skylar of Slughorn a little bit, the way he held himself exhaustively or as if he was waiting for some stressful request. Skylar presumed that the man likely had to have done many said requests before, either by the ministry or by past unfair treatment of magical animals.
Skylar dropped off the cup of tea, taking the seat across with a quiet shuffle of the wood chair legs.
"Alright," Newt sighed, shifting slightly as if to brace himself, "What is it you'd like to ask of me?"
Skylar looked at the table, fiddling with the grains in the wood, "I had a friend. I think you would have loved to meet her."
Newt shrugged slightly, looking suspicious. "I'm sure it would have been pleasant."
Skylar shook his head slightly, "No I mean, she was very…" dozens of words flitted through his head. He couldn't quite find the right one- then again it was always impossible to summarize an entire person in a single word. "Disorienting."
Newt tilted his head into a small nod, "I've found in all my journeys, that those most unsettling to us are those who are simply aware."
Skylar inhaled a silent laugh, "Yeah, yeah you could say that. She introduced me to thestrals actually."
Newt nodded looking sad, "I'm sorry for your misfortune."
Skylar ignored it, instead he looked at the cup held between Newt's wrinkled fingers, "No, she uh...she went and fed the thestrals all the time. For years I think, she'd go out in the woods to sit with them and feed them."
Newt paused, so surprised he was motionless.
"She made talismans and things, something about selkies and cat siths. She was afraid Fawkes- a phoenix, wouldn't like her."
"Phoenixes like everyone." Newt mumbled under his breath, but it didn't sound like he was arguing with him. He was trying to fit pieces together.
"Yeah, you would have loved her. She was gentle, and curious. I heard that she got kicked out of the Beauxbaton stables because she wanted to see the pegasus. She wouldn't even cut up potion ingredients."
Newt tapped his fingers against the cup, "I'm so sorry for your loss, Skylar. She sounded interesting."
"She's partially the reason you're here," Skylar confessed quietly, "I don't know how much Hermione told you."
Newt took a sip of the tea, "Honestly I wasn't going to come. I get letters all the time you see, it was only because of Charlie. I've stayed in touch with the Dragon reserve, and I recognized the last name."
Skylar gave a small smile of amusement, "Really? The name of the famous Boy-Who-Lived couldn't convince you?"
Newt snorted into his cup, "Merlin knows I've met too many famous witches and wizards. You all need to keep me out of your bloody business."
Skylar huffed a small laugh, before the mood became serious once more.
"It's...I think we just need advice." Skylar said. "Luna was killed, by a basilisk."
Newt dropped his cup. It spilled a little and Newt scrambled to mop it, pulling out rags from his coat pocket that seemed to be stained with the oddest colours. He mopped it up, not lifting his head as if anxious with the prospect of what Skylar had said.
He mopped the tea almost robotically, thinking silently with wide eyes.
"A...a basilisk?" Newt asked, sounding resigned and at the same time uncertain. "Well, that's...not what I had expected. A basilisk?"
"Yeah," Skylar's nostrils flared, "I promised I'd get rid of it. It's...It's done a lot of damage."
Newt licked his lip and blinked in thought, clutching his upper arms across his chest defensively, "I..you want my help to kill a basilisk?"
Skylar looked pained, "I...I understand, that you don't want to kill it. I really do, it's a beautiful creature but I can't ignore the fact it killed my fr-"
Skylar choked and he looked away, one fist raised to his mouth as it to keep himself composed. "I'm sorry," Skylar breathed, closing his eyes to settle himself. "I made a promise that I'd take care of her. It's...the basilisk is intelligent, it understands what it did. I think, that even though it's a magical creature, it should be held responsible for its actions."
Newt folded his hands on the table and stared at them, looking quietly devastated. "This basilisk...it didn't just kill your friend, did it?"
"No." Skylar admitted quietly, "I...I think that it contributed in the rise of Voldemort."
Newt hissed something low and sour, "Figures I get brought in to another Dark Lord."
Skylar laughed something cold, "Tell me about it."
Lutain shifted again; Skylar had forgotten that he was even there.
"I uh," Skylar licked his lips before very slowly reaching towards his neck, "I figured you'd like to meet someone- I mean he's...his name's Lutain and uh…"
Newt smiled, as if amused by Skylar's awkwardness.
Lutain hissed, suddenly so loud in the room. The snake slithered, separating himself from under Skylar's shirt and oh, suddenly they were apart.
It felt strange.
(Skylar felt nauseous and shaky.)
"Oh, hello there." Newt greeted the snake, not looking as afraid or worried as most people tended to when meeting Lutain. "You're a taipan I believe? A non-magical species but...you feel enhanced." Newt mused, looking excited and intrigued with how Lutain coiled himself regally.
"This is Lutain," Skylar introduced between the two, "He's a familiar to someone who...well. He's a familiar to someone who isn't here right now."
Newt paused and looked at Skylar from the top of his vision, "You're separating a familiar from his master?"
"It's consensual." Skylar assured, shifting in his seat once again, "I promised Lutain that I'd kill the basilisk."
Newt looked at the snake, then at Skylar with an unreadable expression. If the man was confused as to how Skylar could communicate with a snake, or how a snake was intelligent enough to have a sense of commitment, then he never said anything.
"Alright," Newt collectively said, "How much do you know basilisks?"
Skylar paused, "Not much honestly. I should get Hermione, she knows more about basilisks."
Newt shook his head, "No, I feel that I should tell you this. I wrote my book as a guide to help people understand why we should be protecting these creatures instead of killing them. That being said, very few creatures on this planet are as inherently evil and cruel as a basilisk. There's a reason I never included them in my books."
Skylar swallowed and nodded, a sense of foreboding sent shivers down his back. "Okay, I'm not going to like this, am I?"
The old man was impossible to read, not even a thin smile for Skylar's obvious fear. "I encountered one once, and it was terrifyingly intelligent. They had gouged its eyes out, and kept it in a cage as a decoration. The poor thing would entice and behave in a specific way to lure someone to open the cage. It killed five people before it was caught a week later. It took them another week to successfully kill it."
Skylar felt sick. "This basilisk...it's very big."
Newt nodded quietly, forlorn and already accepting the fact. "I'm assuming that this basilisk is terrorizing Hogwarts, which leaves me to presume this is the basilisk Slytherin sealed in his chamber."
"You knew it was a basilisk?"
Newt shrugged his shoulders, staying at his tea distantly. "I was...I was fascinated with the story, and determined that out of all creatures, it likely was a basilisk. As such, it was the only thing that could be sealed away, or was a mistake that was sealed away. Please understand, the Chamber had not been opened, it was still a myth."
"A mistake?" Skylar echoed, the one word from Newt's explanation sticking with him.
"It's my personal belief that Salazar Slytherin sealed the beast due to it's accidental killing of his child. He couldn't bear to kill it, so he let it sleep because in the end, a creature as...monstrous as a basilisk may one day be needed."
Skylar felt sick, "I...the basilisk killed his child?"
Newt looked unsure, "It is only through my encounters with basilisks in my youth that I have been led to assume my theory. Of course it isn't confirmed, but in my personal opinion the basilisk is the cause of the unexplained death of Mylcades Slytherin."
"Why?" Skylar choked out, "Why..why would it do that?"
Newt looked grim, "Well, I'd assume it was jealous. Or it was bored."
Newt Scamander had said that basilisk venom was potent, able to destroy everything it touched. Able to singe and sear and kill everything it touched.
(Lutain didn't seem surprised. Lutain wanted the basilisk to die.)
How...funny, that in all the careful plots and calculations of a centuries old serpent, the single overlook was a tiny black snake.