Draco had boasted rather readily that his father had funded the Slytherin House team, supplying the team with new brooms for the upcoming Quidditch season.
Adrian himself hadn't flown on a broom since he was young, very young in fact, and had no desire to do so again.
Draco had been pleased that he had been awarded the position of Seeker on the Slytherin team by Marcus Flint. Not only that, he had Pansy check out the Gryffindor Quidditch post times and gotten a signed letter from Snape, giving the team permission to take the field directly during Gryffindor practice times.
Adrian had looked at Draco flatly as the blond fool told Adrian of the plans. Draco had, after all, waved goodbye to the element of surprise the new brooms would've afforded them. In a dry voice, Adrian had asked, "Aren't you taking this rivalry too far?"
"It's never too far!"
They had returned after the practice, everyone much too pleased with themselves for just kicking off Gryffindor.
"What happened?" Theo asked eagerly, obviously sensing something different in the air.
"Weasley spelled himself!" Draco laughed. "You should have seen it! The idiot was belching slugs!"
Adrian looked at Draco in amazement. "Weasley? As in, Ronald Weasley?" Draco nodded, snickering. "Considering he's already on a tight leash, what in Merlin's name did you say to get him that angry?"
Draco's expression darkened. "The Granger girl said I bought my way onto the team!" Draco bit sharply. "I told her that she's a filthy mudblood and-"
Adrian raised a hand, "You called her a mudblood?"
Theo let out a low whistle.
"Draco," Adrian tried not to laugh. "I think Granger may call in a deal if she's that upset. Or maybe Weasley-"
"He's poor!" Draco squawked.
"You know I don't only deal in gold."
Adrian's grin was spreading. Draco scowled and stood up and stomped to his room, leaving Theo staring at Adrian in speculation. "You would curse him, wouldn't you?"
Adrian shrugged. "Someone needs to show him his place."
Against Adrian's expectations, neither of the two approached him. So instead he focused on his Occlumency shields; the four walls of defense were still developing but he was getting there.
The animagus potion was the true thing that had drawn his attention. To Owl Order it pre-made from Knockturn Alley was seven galleons, but he only had four to spare since business had been rather slow. He was walking in populated areas to get to class, hopeful that his presence would give someone the motivation to address him but nobody came his way and it was infuriating.
Adrian spent some time on the covered bridge after sunset. It was getting colder once again signaling winter was well on it's way. It was also a good place to clear his mind and reign in emotional control behind the barriers he was creating.
He hadn't found the strange sensation around Ginny. It had mysteriously vanished. He still had no idea what it was that could affect him so strongly yet no other, but it was almost always on his constant mind.
Lutain shivered under his robe, tightening against the cold.
"Let's go inside," Adrian sighed, turning and leaving the darkness of the covered bridge for the safety of the castle.
He was passing nearby the classrooms when he heard something strange, something whispery but foreign.
"Master?" Lutain hissed, poking his head out and scenting the air quickly. "Master there is something big."
"What?" Adrian mumbled, walking closer to the wall and listening harder. "What is it?"
"I don't know--"
"Come…Come to me…"
Adrian flinched, head jerking back from the stone wall. His hands fluttered over the stone, trying to figure out where the old feminine voice was coming from. Lutain was scenting wildly; he too could not figure it out.
"…Let me rip you…"
"Where is it?" Adrian mumbled, eyes flickering over the shadows the torches casted. Was it a python? It sounded as big as Nagini for sure.
"…Let me tear you…"
Adrian glanced up and down the hallway, there wasn't anyone actually approaching.
"Serpent!" Adrian hissed as loudly as he dared, still trying to figure out how this creature was managing to avoid him so adeptly. "Answer my call!"
"…Let me kill you…"
The voice was faint. It trailed off and the hallway felt suddenly much colder than it had been before.
Adrian waited, sinking to the ground in disbelief and staring at the wall in front of him. He felt a vague sense of loss- he was confident that whatever it was would yield to him. Did it not hear him?
"Master, I do not scent it." Lutain flickered his tongue uneasy. "Only wet earth."
Adrian leant forward, pressing his forehead against the stone just shy of a torch sconce.
What was that?
....
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