The Dementors were swirling, conspiring in thick shrouded masses outside the windows.
Adrian could see them dance in his peripheral vision, startling students who sat nearest the windows with sudden bouts of frost and dread. An impressive fire had been charmed to blaze cheerily in all classrooms, dancing the shapes of phoenixes and unicorns running in and out of the smoke.
Aurors were more present, less to protect the populace and more to figure out why the Dementors had suddenly congregated at the school instead of the borders along the property. They still worked at Azkaban, at least a portion did, securing the prisoners and feeding on their faint tastes of hope and longing.
Perhaps that was why they were near Hogwarts, just beyond the wards of the castle. The hopes and aspirations of children would be as delightful as a suckling pig to a butcher.
"They're creepy," Draco muttered under his breath, sitting next to Adrian in Potions although not actually sharing his cauldron. Instead Adrian worked with Goyle, trying to save the potion as much as possible.
"I think they're beautiful," Adrian countered, slapping away Goyle's grubby fingers who were reaching for beetle eyes at the wrong time.
"Yeah but that's you," Draco argued, deftly slicing poppy roots while instructing Crabbe how to stir the concoction, "I wouldn't be surprised if you had a taxidermy pixie collection at your home."
Adrian shot him a wounded look, "A pixie collection? If you're asking about my dragon claw collection-"
"What, no skulls?" Draco drawled, "Missing the pickled two headed baby squid in a jar?"
Adrian chuckled under his breath, shaking his head in amusement as he added in the beetle eyes Goyle had been pawing at the proper time.
"I wouldn't object to a dragon skull," Adrian mused, "Especially if it had been in battle."
"You mean with scales?" Draco asked with one eyebrow raised, "An Opaleye would be interesting."
Adrian hummed, pointing out how to stir the cauldron to Goyle as he started peeling hopping seed pods, "A live dragon would be even better."
"If they weren't illegal." Draco added with a frown, "I have a feeling you wouldn't follow the law anyways."
"What, me?" Adrian gaped in mock surprise, "Never."
They continued chatting, Draco offering animals that gradually grew more and more ridiculous. Adrian then named the proper living conditions or how he would contain it, or mount it on his wall. Potions class was let out, thankfully with no unfortunate accidents from Longbottom or Potter (Who managed to lose forty house points). They rose from the steps, heading out across the covered bridge towards Hagrid's hut where Care for Magical Creatures took place.
Dementors swooped in the air around them, kept out by a near invisible shimmering sheen like glossy fish scales.
Draco shivered, "I don't see how you find such monsters, beautiful."
Adrian frowned, "Look at them. They look so effortless, so powerful in the air." Adrian explained, eyes glazing as they danced in the air swooping down and up again, "They look like wind itself."
"More like a nightmare." Draco muttered, "If you like flying so much, why don't you just ride a broom? I'd take you flying again if you want."
A dementor looped in the air, its cloak trailing behind like elongated shadows of smoke.
"No," Adrian mused, not regulating his words, "I want to fly like that. Without a broom. Just the wind and your own body twisting in the air."
Draco laughed out loud, "Better luck riding a Griffon, you dolt."
Adrian smiled faintly, "Bet you ten galleons I'll do that too, someday."
Red sparks shot up from the rough area of Hagrid's hut, from the various pens and wooden fences along the side. Hagrid was nodding in the distance, talking to someone with unmistakable bushy hair.
"Oh look, your mudblood girlfriend." Draco sneered, causing Adrian to jolt.
"Excuse me?" Adrian blinked, "She's a Gryffindor snob along with a pushy bookworm. I despise the air she breathes."
Draco looked as if he had been struck, "Why do you hang out with her?"
Adrian blinked in bafflement, "I have debts to fulfill. Besides," He paused, smiling slightly in amusement, "She's friends with Potter. Never know when that will be handy."
Being close to Potter would be handy.
He'd be able to spy and-
Adrian exhaled in a single large rush of air, his eyes widened as slots of ideas slid together into a cohesive idea.
"Look, I've got to go," Adrian breathed, stepping backwards towards the castle.
"What?" Draco snapped, "No, no, you are not skipping Care-"
Adrian had already turned and bolted, running into the castle with determination in his steps.
He ran up the stairs, waiting impatiently for a specific moving stairwell. A group of upper year Hufflepuffs shouted angrily for him to slow down.
Adrian first checked the classroom, swinging the door open to look in the quiet room. Dementors flicked beyond the high stained glass windows in the back.
"Selwyn?" A baffled but obnoxious voice questioned, curiosity thick like molten chocolate.
"Potter," Adrian monotonously responded, pausing to form a pleasant smile as he observed the Gryffindor boy, "What might you be doing here?"
"Er," Skylar blinked, eyes half hidden behind mousy bangs. His rounded cherub looking face looked cursable, "Remus wanted me to get his lesson plan for tomorrow-"
"Remus?" Adrian asked dryly, "Really feeding out of your teacher's palms, aren't you."
Skylar blushed, then flushed angrily.
"I don't know why Hermione likes you!" He blurted suddenly, "You're always so rude-"
"But I'm helpful." Adrian sniped out cockily, "Much more than you are."
"You snake faced-"
Adrian snorted at the insult. His father may be, but thankfully he hadn't inherited those genes.
"Is he in his quarters?" Adrian asked, already walking to Lupin's desk to grab the lesson plans in question, "I'll take them to him."
"You-" Skylar started to question before pausing abruptly, "Aren't you supposed to be in Care right now?"
"Aren't you?"
"I'm on-" Skylar winced suddenly, "Official Saviour business-"
....
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