locket

I have potions. I'm not sure why. They go down cold, and I can feel them sit heavy. Remus says that he can smell something wrong with me. Nobody else seems to be sure, or they can't tell. I'm starting to think that he's right.

"Where's Voldemort? What's he doing? I've been trying to read the Prophet but I think Mum and Dad monitor it. There haven't been anything that looks like him yet, no funny deaths or anything-"

"That's because there haven't been any suspicious deaths yet," said Sirius, "not as far as we know anyway...and we know quite a lot."

"More than he thinks we do anyway," said Lupin.

"How come he's stopped killing people?" Skylar asked quietly.

"Because he doesn't want to draw attention to himself at the moment. It would be dangerous for him. His comeback didn't come off quite the way he wanted it to, he messed it up." Sirius sounded slightly smug.

"Or rather, you messed it up for him," said Lupin with a satisfied smile.

"How?" Skylar asked, perplexed.

"You weren't supposed to survive!" Sirius almost shouted, "Nobody apart from his Death Eaters were supposed to know, but the Triwizard fiasco and Moody's imposter made it so you're a witness. And the very last person he wanted to know about his return was Dumbledore, and you made sure Dumbledore knew the moment he returned."

"Has it helped?" Skylar asked quietly, shrinking in on himself.

"Thanks to you, Dumbledore was able to recall the Order of the Phoenix about an hour after you saw Voldemort. It's been tricky to get a few of us rounded up, especially with no solid proof, but we've been getting there."

"What have you been doing?"

"Trying to find that graveyard of yours," Tonks chimed in, "We've figured that you really shot his plan to hell since nobody can find the place. He hid the entire area because he's on the run now. Dumbledore's got an idea where it is, and Dumbledore's ideas generally turn out to be right."

"He hid the entire place?" Skylar gaped, "Okay, so what does Dumbledore reckon he's doing then?"

"Well," Sirius started, leaning onto the table heavily, "Firstly, he wants to build up his army again. In the old days, he had huge numbers at his command; witches and wizards he'd bullied or bewitched into following him, his faithful Death Eaters, a great bunch of Dark creatures. You didn't see any other Death Eaters, and that Barty Crouch didn't know about his return which means he's only got a handful right now. He's certainly not going to try and take on the Ministry of Magic with only a dozen or so followers."

"So you're trying to stop him getting more followers?"

"We're doing our best, right now most people don't think he's actually back. We're also checking out some of the old haunts, Lestrange, Yaxley, Carrow, seeing any of the known houses or estates to try and find out where he's hiding. Selwyn actually mentioned a few houses we didn't know about, so I guess he's helped."

"Have you been checking the Ministry records?" Skylar asked, amazed and slightly impressed by the speed of everything.

"Well," Sirius trailed off, "I tried, got down into the records before some bloody toad of a woman caught me. Couldn't very well say I was with Dumbledore, though she knew who I was already. Doesn't matter, now I'm a full time Order member!"

Skylar's gaped in horror, "You were fired?"

Sirius gave a wink, "Between us, Sky, the Ministry sucked arse. I'm proud to help out Dumbledore any day, much better than that moron Fudge."

Skylar swallowed guiltily, "I'm sor-"

"None of that," Sirius firmly interjected, "Don't worry about it, mate. Tonks and Arthur are still in the Ministry, so we have a few spies in there."

"We've got a few spies spread out," Remus added helpfully, "Mundungus is keeping his eyes out in Knockturn, he's already spotted a few known Death Eaters and recorded their locations. Snape is helping- and I know how you feel about Snape but he is helping."

"It's a shame, I'd happily curse him." Sirius sighed wistfully.

"But we have Kingsley Shacklebolt's support, he's been a real asset too. He's in charge of the hunt for a few Dark Wizards from the last war, or those still running. Not all of them went to Azkaban, some just dropped off the map but are poking their heads back out. Kingsley's been chasing Greyback for the ministry for years."

"Is that why Adrian's helping? He's a spy in Slytherin?" Skylar interrupted hopefully.

Remus shifted uncomfortably, "He...his position is a bit difficult."

"From what we've gathered from Snivellus, Selwyn isn't the sweetest Pumpkin tart. He's said that Selwyn isn't the brightest, and gets into a dozen brawls or spats with his roommates weekly. Spends more time sleeping than going to classes and-"

"And is sick." Remus sharply bit out, his voice edging the slightest tone of a snarl, "with the increase of Dark Magic."

Sylar blinked in confusion, "He's sick? When did he become sick?"

Remus sighed and rubbed his temples, "I don't know. Around the time of your third task, although it may have been dormant."

"This is what we like to call, Mama Wolf," Sirius cheerfully interjected, "Poppy's cleared him before and no scans are picking anything up. He seems fine, if only a bit moody. Likely since my bitch of a cousin is on the run and we both want her dead, but we're thinking Selwyn could be our very own Bellatrix hunter."

"No, we aren't thinking that." Remus sniped out coldly.

"What's Voldemort after apart from followers?" Skylar asked, diverting the conversation from something that could be tense.

Sirius and Lupin exchanged the most fleeting of looks before Sirius slowly added, "Stuff he can only get by stealth."

Skylar blinked, confused.

"Like a weapon. Something he didn't have last time."

"When he was powerful before? The last war?"

"Yes."

"What kind of weapon? Something worse than the Avada Kedav-"

"That's enough," Mrs. Weasley spoke from the shadows beside the door. Skylar hadn't noticed her return, her arms were crossed and she looked furious.

"I want all of you in bed, now. All of you," She added, looking at all of the younger students in the room.

"You've given Skylar plenty of information, any more and you might as well induct him into the Order."

"Why not?" Skylar asked quickly, "I'll join, I want to join. I want to fight-"

"No."

It wasn't Mrs. Weasley, it was Lupin.

"The Order is comprised only of over-age wizards. Wizards who have left school. There are dangers involved, of which you can have no idea."

Skylar's hand clenched and in a sudden fit of anger he blurted, "I think I have some idea, Moony."

Remus looked at Skylar, and then wilted, glancing away slightly guilty.

"He's right, Sky." Sirius quietly mentioned, "Just...just look at Adrian. The poor kid is more scarred than you can believe, halfway to St. Mungo's already with how he talks to walls. You don't want that, not now."

"Bed." Mrs. Weasley clipped out, holding the door open. Skylar hunkered down, sighing as he could recognize defeat already.

Fred and George apparated into Ron and Skylar's room only an hour after Mrs. Weasley locked the door behind her.

Skylar saw the blurred outlines of Fred and George through the darkness of the room, clambering onto Ron and Skylar's mattress as they settled.

"So? The weapon?" Ron asked eagerly, leaning forward in the dark as if he could see them better.

"We didn't hear that bit on the old Extendables," Fred admitted, "Interesting though, wasn't it?"

"What d'you reckon it is?" Skylar asked.

"Could be anything." Fred admitted.

"But there can't be anything worse than the Avada Kedavra curse, can there? What's worse than death?" Ron asked, bafflement thick.

"Maybe it's something that can kill loads of people at once," suggested George.

"Maybe it's some particularly painful way of killing people," Fred added along.

"He's got the Cruciatus Curse for pain," Skylar pointed out knowingly, "He doesn't need anything more efficient than that."

They paused in the dark, thinking and wondering what horrors the weapon could be.

"So who d'you thinks got it now?" George asked.

"I hope it's on our side," Said Ron, sounding nervous.

"If it is, Dumbledore's probably keeping it," said Fred.

"Where? Hogwarts?" Ron hissed out, obviously alarmed.

"Bet it is! That's where he hid the Sorcerer's Stone!"

"A weapon's going to be a lot bigger than the Stone, though!"

"Not necessarily," said Fred, rolling his eyes, "I mean, look at ickle Adrian."

"What do you mean?" said Skylar, blinking in the dark.

"Well, you saw him go at Mundungus. Back when he had all those deals, I reckon he was the most powerful student at Hogwarts. Merlin, I heard he had Snape owe him."

"A shame that they shut him down," George sighed wistfully, "I reckon he could have found a way to sneak a centaur in the castle if you paid him enough."

"Probably why they snapped down fast," Fred concluded with a frown, "Isn't a problem when it's just butterbeer. Merlin, remember Callum? He was years above us, able to find dirt on anyone, but he had nothing on ickle Adrian."

The statement trailed and tickled something back of Skylar's brain. A weapon that could be hidden, something powerful but disguised…

"What...what if it isn't a thing. What if it's a person?"

They dropped into silence.

"You mean a dark wizard?" Fred asked confused.

"Yeah mate, they're already looking for those."

"No, no." Skylar shook his head unsure, "Back...back in my third year- you remember the Dementors?"

"Yeah, when you did that Patrony thingy?" Fred tilted his head curiously.

Skylar flushed in the dark, "Er, yeah. But...but right after that, before Moony came in, there was this...thing, standing there. I thought it was a Dementor, but it was really small, short I mean. And just standing there. Watching us."

The room got significantly colder.

"Whatcha mean?" George asked, leaning forward to nearly pin Skylar to his bed.

"There's a dark creature out there?" Fred asked excitedly, "We should ask Adrian, he knows all that shite."

"It fought dad," Skylar said quietly, "He said that something bit him, that he almost died. It was right by Hogwarts, outside the wards."

The room turned somber.

The quiet made the approaching footsteps seem very loud.

"Mum," George whispered, and without further ado, both twins vanished with a crack.

Skylar was positive he would not be able to fall asleep; the evening had been so packed with things to think about that he fully expected to lie awake for hours. The next thing he knew, he woke from a curled ball, warm under his bedsheets. Half an hour later, Skylar and Ron were dressed and darting through the dusty drawing room with buckets of soapy water. Fred and George joined them, looking peculiar with tied cloths over their noses and mouths. Each were carrying a large bottle of black sludge like liquid, looking distinctly homemade in the recycled butterbeer bottles.

"Cover your faces and take a spray," Mrs. Weasley said to the group, "It's Doxycide, Adrian made it a few nights ago with some ingredients we found in an abandoned potions room and some he had Tonks fetch from the shops. I've never seen an infestation this bad- go on!"

Hermione gave a shiver, holding her bottle with a hesitant look. "Mrs. Weasley are you sure this is safe?"

"Of course it is, dear." Mrs. Weasley assured her with a small smile, "Adrian has already helped with a rather prickly gnome in the walls, rather fascinating to see the boy at work actually. Doxies require more work- go on!"

"I think they brighten this place up!" Sirius cheerfully added, skipping into the room with a basket full of onions, some of them filled with small bite marks, "Anyways, the writing desk is a boggart. I'll head with it towards the storage room we cleared out on the third floor, I'll steal Skylar from you."

Skylar exhaled a quiet thanks, grinning behind his tea cloth as Sirius gave a thumbs up. Nobody asked why Sirius was holding a basket of onions.

"Right you are, Sirius." Mrs. Weasley agreed. They were both speaking in carefully light, polite voices that told Skylar that neither had forgotten their argument before.

Mrs. Weasley peered over a book Skylar recognized. The page on doxies in Gilderoy Lockhart's Guide to Household Pests was lying open on the sofa, large passages crossed out in red ink and scribbled over in a certain Slytherin's aristocratic handwriting. For some reason, the idea that Adrian had absolutely demolished the passages left him gleeful.

"Come on, Sky." Sirius chimed happily, steering the younger boy out of the room and towards the stairwells, "Remember those Hippogriffs? Or that dragon you faced?"

They found the landing and took a left, down a hallway Skylar hadn't ever traveled before. "Yeah?"

Sirius had a mischievous expression on his face, "This is the exact same thing."

Skylar blinked in confusion, feeling dread as they neared an unmarked door, "What- Sirius what do you mean-"

"Go get him!" Sirius cheered, opening the door and scooting Skylar inside with one large hand.

Skylar stumbled, nearly tripping over a tiny rug in the doorway. The floorboards were polished, and the room was empty except for a couple trunks and a large bed filled with a mound of clothing. It wasn't anything like Skylar's room, the one he quickly decorated with posters and spare knicknacks. The room was cold, and isolating.

Then, a low sound of something scraping softly was all Skylar could hear. He was reminded instantly of the dragon's tail over rock- and then he saw black scales emerge from a spelled corner of one of the trunks.

The snake was horrifying, angry, and coming right at him. Doxies his arse, he'd take them any day over this.

"No-no!" Skylar blurted, raising his arms defensively as he skittered back towards the bedroom door Sirius was keeping shut, "I'm supposed to wake him, Sirius threw me in here because he's a sadist!"

Sirius laughed with a hoarse bark on the other side of the door, muffled slightly by the wood.

The snake paused, lifting itself upwards as its head rose to Skylar's naval, its tongue flickering incessantly.

"I'm just supposed to wake him because there's a boggart, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please don't eat me."

Skylar's voice was totally not a whine at the end.

The snake paused, then opened its mouth in a large yawn and lowered itself to the ground. It shifted, and slithered back into the crate.

The lump on the bed didn't move at all despite the noise.

With the immediate danger gone, well, Skylar felt that he had already tempted fate, why not continue?

Skylar leapt onto the bed, his stomach landing unfortunately on a bony elbow. His breath left him with an oof.

Then Adrian moved, which drove the elbow further into his stomach and sent him to the floor in crippling pain.

"What, the hell!" Adrian roared, his voice croaky and hoarse as the boy jolted out of bed, scrambling to try and orient himself, "Lutain!" He roared, although it came out mostly as a whine. Adrian's arms swung pointedly, hands coiled into fists which thankfully never collided with a target.

The black snake head poked out of the box, now dangerously close to Skylar's face. The snake hissed something low, although it didn't seem threatening.

Adrian pouted, seemingly due to how docile his snake looked.

"Sorry," Skylar wheezed, trying not to laugh at how ridiculous Adrian's bedhead was, "supposed to help with a boggart."

Adrian huffed sourly, blinking owlishly as he fumbled on a side table to find his wand. He held it firmly, sliding it up his sleeve before collapsing back into his bed.

"No," Skylar tried not to laugh, "No, you're supposed to get up."

Adrian mumbled something into his pillow, that sounded suspiciously like 'bite me,'

The door opened slowly, Sirius peeking through with a hopeful look. "All fingers still attached?"

Skylar wiggled his fingers at him wordlessly.

"Somebody's in a good mood," Sirius sang, peering at the lump on the bed amused.

Adrian reached for his side table, grabbing an unnecessarily extravagant silver goblet filled with water, and chucked it at Sirius' head.

Sirius ducked, although he spluttered when the water matted down his shaggy hair. He pulled out his wand, levitating the blankets off Adrian's body. Adrian moaned into his pillow, slowly increasing in volume until it was a muffled screech. It almost sounded like the terrifying falcon of his.

"We're uh, supposed to be dealing with the one boggart." Skylar provided helpfully.

"Good. Have fun. See you later." Adrian mumbled back, his eyes forcefully closed.

"You're coming with incase it's a manticore!" Sirius chimed in helpfully.

Adrian scoffed into his pillow, "A Manticore wouldn't fit."

"See, you're perfect." Sirius grinned, "Grab a robe and come on. It's almost noon. Wakey wakey."

Adrian flipped off Sirius with one hand, the one without his wand in his sleeve. "I already gave you my notes on boggarts."

"Yeah, but see, if you don't do this then you'll be cleaning up doxies." Sirius pointed out, Adrian groaned into his pillow again.

"Light them on fire," Adrian moaned tiredly, trying to roll away from the bright light, "Throw 'Dungus at em."

Skylar found himself smiling, something about Adrian's actions were rather plesant to watch. Ron was always messy in the morning, more grouchy and disoriented than anything. Hermione was far too chipper and an early bird. Adrian was...well, Adrian was incredibly relatable.

"C'mon mate," Skylar teased, laughter just shy of breaking free, "I don't think the Doxies would touch Mundungus, maybe they'd catch something."

Adrian paused before he submitted himself to sleepy giggles, vibrating his entire chest.

Sirius looked rather amused with the situation, "Merlin, you are in a good mood. I thought you were going to try and strangle me with the blankets again?"

Adrian only laughed a bit more into the pillow, snuggling further into it even without the blankets.

"No, nope none of that," Sirius rolled his eyes, "I'll curse you with hiccups-"

Adrian's body tensed and instantly (almost as if he wasn't aware of it) he was sitting upright and already sliding to a very unstable standing position. His eyes were sleep glazed, bed head messy and silly to look at. His sleep shirt was oversized, hanging low over one shoulder revealing a thick purple scar, puckered over his collarbone. Adrian blinked once, then he scowled at Sirius in a vaguely irritated way, "oh ha ha. Nice one, play the curse threat Black, why don't you." Adrian huffed sourly, he grabbed one robe that seemed to be of fairly high quality, although his sleep clothes were secondhand at best. He didn't seem happy, but then again he never did. "Stupid mutt."

Skylar felt a sharp pang of guilt, and Sirius grimaced silently at it also. Skylar would have to pass along the word subtly that even teasingly mentioning that they'd curse Adrian was something to avoid. It didn't seem like Adrian truly cared, but it was unsettling to see the instinctual reaction.

"Potions!" Sirius reminded, recovering quickly. Without stopping to see if Adrian was going to follow through, the man took off vanishing down the hallway to grab the writing desk from the doxy infested room.

Adrian mumbled something under his breath that most likely was rude. Skylar tried not to pay attention, although he found himself gasping in surprise at the sheer amount of potions in the one trunk. At least three dozen, attached to an expandable rack that slid out from the trunk lid like one of Madam Pomfrey's private storages. Adrian casually selected three potions, one a soft blue, one pale yellow, and another one that swirled between red and blue. There were empty vials on the racks, next to the ones he selected. Daily doses of potions.

Adrian downed them without grimacing once, obviously with experience.

Skylar tried not to think about how Remus was so sure that he was sick in some way.

"Alright, Golden Boy, where's the boggart?" Adrian sighed, seeming somewhere between annoyed and still exhausted.

Skylar flushed, although he bit his tongue. "Some storage room on this floor, Sirius said they wanted it out of the way."

Adrian nodded slightly, "Yeah, down the hall. Remus uses it for his changes. Come on, saviour."

"Don't call me that." Skylar bit out. Adrian's lips twitched amused.

Adrian grabbed shoes, expensive dragon skin that didn't line up with Remus' shopping list. They made their way down the hall, Adrian leading as he opened one door a fair distance away.

The room had been cleared out, except for one large metal cage that took care of half of the room. Adrian didn't look at it once, although Skylar felt slightly sick at the sight.

"The dragon awakens!" Sirius cackled, doing a small spin as the writing desk shook ominously.

"Place the one ward, the magic blocker." Adrian yawned, rubbing his eyes tiredly, "you know, abscondam vestigium."

Sirius looked baffled, "What?"

Sirius paused and tilted his head sideways, blinking at Adrian in surprise.

Adrian looked annoyed, "The ward. It blocks the trace, Merlin's beard, how do you get anything done around here?"

Sirius looked intrigued, "It blocks the trace? On a wand?"

"Yes, like I just said." Adrian groaned, looking agitated, "Cast it so I can be useful, you skrewt."

Sirius looked amazed, "I've never heard of that. It's illegal, but I'm fired so, why not. Imagine if that spell was known, good Merlin, Don't tell the twins."

Sirius followed Adrian's words, casting the spell with stiff movements. Finally a dark red line trailed out of his wand, flickering through the air with the pattern of a dragonfly's wing.

"Where did you learn this thing?" Sirius looked on the verge of cackling, "Merlin knows what chaos Prongs, Moony, and I could've done."

Adrian yawned, his jaw clicking quietly but audibly, "I don't know, Bella knew it. I think someone made the spell, but not her."

Skylar twitched at the thought, but it didn't seem to deter Sirius.

"Well I bloody love this." Sirius smiled up at the faint shimmering in the air.

"Great," Adrian deadpanned, pulling out his wand tiredly, "Open that bloody desk. Potter near it, right?"

Sirius looked surprised but nodded, "Er, yeah. Your boggart is still a Dementor, right?"

Skylar nodded, "Yes- stay close to me and I'll cast a patronus for you Adrian-"

"I can cast my own bloody patronus." Adrian snapped out, swishing his wand through the air from shoulder to hip in warm up that seemed like he was well used to combating foes. He repeated it twice, rolling his right shoulder before rising and falling on his toes for a few seconds. He shifted backwards slightly, into a small exhausted stance. Adrian hadn't ever positioned himself in such a way before, Skylar didn't know the other boy seemed like such a capable dueler. He likely could have fought them at Hogwarts a dozen times.

With a cold feeling, Skylar realized he probably had dueled many times.

Skylar wondered morbidly what the incantation was for the spell that had wounded Adrian so terribly.

"Right," Sirius nodded, not looking that shocked with Adrian's absent minded movements. Sirius took a few steps to stand behind Skylar as he swished his wand through the air, "Alohamora."

The writing desk's lock clicked open, and the door swung open. From inside, a large black ghostly figure billowed out, rising towards the ceiling.

The room chilled, Sirius shivered slightly and Skylar took a half step back. Adrian didn't move.

"Well, that's a boggart." Sirius grimaced, looking at Skylar encouragingly, "You've got this, pup."

Skylar nodded with a smile, he lifted and pointed his wand. He spoke the incantation, and an antelope burst outwards, skittering forward on feeble legs. It tossed its head, dancing on limbs much more delicate than his father and mother's deer pair.

The boggart recoiled, swinging out and around from the patronus. It made its way in a large arc, directly towards Adrian.

Adrian pointed his wand lazily upwards, pausing and freezing suddenly as his eyes glazed. Then they snapped forward, and he strode forward, past Skylar and near the Dementor.

It bubbled, its body struggling as it seemed to blur, almost disoriented as Adrian approached it. It looked almost blurred, out of focus or smeared ink. For a split second the dementor seemed twisted between it, and an unidentified humanoid face. Something with pale skin, tall, looming, distinctly masculine.

Adrian scoffed quietly, "None of that," he muttered, loud enough for Skylar to hear. The boggart seemed stuck, flickering too quickly between two frames of a picture.. Then it solidified as a dementor, and Adrian smiled. "Hello there," he nearly cooed, taking a step forward and outstretching his left hand, the right at his waist with his wand still in his grasp.

"Selwyn!" Sirius barked sharply in alarm, stumbling forward, before staying behind Skylar. Skylar didn't know what Adrian had done, but somehow the boggart wasn't shifting form anymore. The dementor rattle something ominous, and it flinched back.

Adrian paused, tilting his head wonderingly at the Dementor as he walked ever so close. It was trapped between the antelope and the back wall.

Then Adrian reached out, one hand outstretched towards one long tail of the Dementor's cloak.

Skylar's breathing stopped.

The Dementor backed away with a low rattling noise of pain.

Adrian's expression flickered, from one of glee to one of righteous fury. His face twitched into a snarl and he drew his wand- from the tip a large silvery creature exploded out angrily.

'He does know how to cast a Patronus.' Skylar thought in a daze, watching in curiosity as the silver shape solidified. Something that looked like a crocodile, maw as long as Skylar's leg. It snapped its jaws once, forcing the Dementor even further back into the corner.

"Selwyn!"

Adrian stomped back, looking still annoyed although the crocodile or alligator kept the boggart back in a corner, "It's trapped. You know a Boggart-Banishing Charm? Or are we trapping it?"

Sirius looked angry, his knuckles were pale around his wand, "Yeah. Fine."

Adrian's face shifted once again, and he looked ticked, "Okay what. You were the one to yank me out of bed, I did what you wanted."

Sirius' jaw clenched, "You were here in case it wasn't a boggart."

"I already told you it would be!" Adrian hissed back furiously, spinning on his heel to point his wand and snap out a spell Skylar had never heard. It shot out rather quickly, and the boggart shrieked, sounding very un-dementor as it curled in on itself.

Sirius' nostrils flared ,he banished the boggart, which vanished in a scream that sounded suspiciously like a cat yowl. The moment the boggart left, both the reptilian patronus and the antelope faded away.

"What," Sirius fumed, "was that? Trying to touch it?"

Adrian crossed his arm with a frown, "What? I knew it would stay like that. It was trapped. I wanted to touch it."

"That could have- have killed you!" Sirius gaped.

Adrian rolled his eyes, "It didn't."

Skylar looked uncomfortable, "How- how did it stay mine? Like, as a Dementor?"

Adrian looked at Skylar as if he was a moron, "Occlumency. You do know what that is, right?"

Skylar flushed and looked at his feet.

Sirius' jaw tensed, "Why was it afraid of you?"

Adrian shrugged.

Sirius looked unsure but nodded slightly, still annoyed, "I'm sure Molly could use your expertise with the doxies. Of course, without magic."

Adrian groaned lowly, although he did shuffle out of the room.

Skylar swallowed looking at the corner where the Dementor had been trapped, "Sirius, Dementors don't act like that, do they?"

Sirius' jaw tensed, "I think Moony's right. Something's wrong with that kid."

Skylar tried his best not to think about the strange Boggart-incident earlier that morning while he and Hermione emptied all of the glass cabinets around the house. They were filled with an assortment of odd objects, most of which required a lot of concentration as many of the objects seemed reluctant to leave their dusty shelves.

Adrian joined them, looking just as bored as he normally did. He apparently had arranged something with Remus, where he had his own pile of unique objects he wanted to keep. The twins had called it his dragon hoard, and he was fiercely protective of his pile especially when Mundungus spotted something shiny. Most of the trinkets were useless or random broken bits, but it was an incentive for the boy to actually help out. Otherwise, Adrian would have stayed in his room all day or linger in the kitchen. From what Skylar could see, there was a half dozen claws of various sizes and shapes, one coiled up snake-skin, a jar of eyes, and an old pelt.

Sirius sustained a bad bite from a silver snuffbox; within seconds, his bitten hand had developed an unpleasant crusty covering like a tough brown glove.

He threw the box into the disposal pile, although Skylar spotted George carefully sneak the back with a cloth wrapped hand.

They found an unpleasant-looking silver instrument, something like a many-legged pair of tweezers. It scuttled up Skylar's arm and tried to puncture his skin with its little fangs; Sirius seized it and smashed it with a heavy book. Hermione pulled out a pair of twisting horns, still attached to a yellowing skull. Adrian was quick to snatch the horns, handling them reverently as he added them to his own pile.

"What the blazes is this?" Fred muttered, pulling out something in a glass bottle, plugged with a rabbit's foot on a silver chain.

"Toss it," Sirius advised, opening another drawer without care. Adrian scowled as he traced the path of the rabbit's foot, looking at it almost somberly.

"Where's Tonks?" Fred asked, poking his head out to draw Sirius' attention. George snuck across the carpet on his belly, obscenely wiggling before he could pluck the rabbits' foot out of the pile. He winked at Adrian with a small grin.

"Off with Moony, getting groceries I think." Sirius shrugged, brows furrowing at something inside Fred's cabinet, "He tends to stay away when we're going through the collections. Merlin knows something in here might spell him into a frenzy."

Skylar nodded in understanding, wincing as an enchanted ratty quil flapped around before sinking its broken nib into his thumb.

Adrian gasped suddenly, a high pitched noise that was relatively quiet, yet very loud in the room. Seconds after, the crystal cup he was holding fell to the ground and shattered into a million pieces. The shards scattered across the room, dangerous to Ron's sock clad feet.

"Stay still!" Sirius shouted, drawing his wand and banishing the broken glass with a cautious look, Adrian was thankfully wearing the dragonhide boots he loved so dearly.

"You alright there?" Sirius checked cautiously, weaving his way around his frozen helpers.

Adrian nodded, turning around and blinking wildly, "Er- yes. Fine. I just…" He stumbled towards a couch, thankfully free of objects. He collapsed on it heavily, pulling his legs up around him in a small curled up ball. He had a highly dazed expression, he reminded Skylar of Luna Lovegood.

Fred immediately ventured over to Adrian's cabinet, poking around inside cautiously. He shook his head at Sirius, who still looked rather concerned.

"You alright? Need me to run and get Moony?"

"Fine." Adrian clipped out, blinking slowly although he still seemed rather disoriented.

"Are you sure?" Hermione asked concerned, setting her new treasure down on the discard pile; a golden locket.

Adrian's eyes fixed on the locket before flickering to her face. He smiled unconvincingly. "Positive. I must have touched something unfriendly. Give me a few moments."

George looked unsure, although he joined Fred at Adrian's abandoned cabinet where they diligently searched through the contents carefully. They were considerate enough to add a silver scale into Adrian's box.

Adrian's eyes slipped close as he felt it- he felt it. Small whispers, tickling the back of his mind, reaching out like bean sprouts.

They tickled and poked and it was so...so…

'Little one…' It hissed, tingling and numbing as it caressed his thoughts, twisting through his barriers without pause, 'Where are you little one?'

Adrian stood, unaware of his movement until he heard Hermione say his name.

"Fine," he smiled, polite as he skittered wide around the pile, the tingling and tugging drew his hand out to almost brush the gold…

He pulled his arm back, swallowing as he continued to her cabinet, pulling out dusty wax seals to add to the discard pile.

Kreacher sidled into the room, once more bemoaning and crying as it attempted to smuggle things away under its loincloth.

'Take me, cherish me,' the locket whispered, a hissing croon that made Adrian's fingers twitch, 'Hide me, Hadrianus.'

Adrian's head snapped around, just in time to watch the house elf slip the locket under his cloth and out of sight. The whispers didn't stop until the elf vanished from sight.

They moved from the drawing room to a dining room on the ground floor where they found spiders as large as saucers lurking in the dresser. Ron left the room hurriedly to make a cup of tea, and did not return for a hour and a half. Adrian gave one look at Sirius before he huffed and started stomping. The clicking heels of his boots were high quality spider squashers.

The china, which bore the Black crest and motto, was all thrown unceremoniously into a sack by Sirius, and the same fate met a set of old photographs in tarnished silver frames; the occupants squealed shrilly as the glass covering them smashed.

The doorbell rang several times a day, which was the cue for Sirius's mother to start shrieking again. Twice, Adrian had slipped away before Sirius had noticed to rage war on the portrait with whatever object he had nearby. He was obscenely proud of the hair thin scratch he had inflicted with one cursed dagger, before Sirius wrestled it away from him. Snape flitted in and out of the house several more times, though to Skylar's relief, they didn't meet face to face. The one occasion Adrian came stomping in with a wild fury around him was only after he had briefly encountered Snape. Skylar didn't think the two wouldn't get along.

Sometimes, the visitors stayed to help; Tonks joined them for a memorable afternoon in which they found a murderous old ghoul lurking in an upstairs toilet, and Lupin, who was staying in the room next to Adrian, helped them repair a grandfather clock that had developed an unpleasant habit of shooting bolts at passersby.

Mundungus redeemed himself slightly in Mrs. Weasley's eyes by rescuing Ron from an ancient set of purple robes that tried to strangle him. Somehow, the robes mysteriously caught on fire, which burnt off Mundungus' left eyebrow. Adrian was sent to the floor laughing whenever he saw the shorter man.

Remus swiftly went through the pile Adrian had produced, looking everything over with a critical eye. Almost everything was accepted, except for the charmed bird head which seemed to chirp and move with a level of animation that obviously disturbed the other man. Adrian pridefully ascended the stairs to his room, carrying his box of prizes to decorate his room.

Despite the distractions, Adrian couldn't help but feel intrigued by the locket that had called to him so strongly. It was eerily similar to his father's diary, the way it demolished his occlumency barriers should have been horrifying.

For dinner, everyone descended to the kitchens once more while Remus promised to bring him a bowl after. Adrian thanked him, staying reclusively inside his room until he was certain that everyone was far below.

Then he slipped outside, grabbing Lutain and venturing around the smaller corners of the giant house.

He followed the barest traces, the slight whispers that seemed to permeate the air and sink into his skin.

"What are we looking for?" Lutain asked curiously, hanging leisurely around his shoulders like a scarf.

"The house-elf." Adrian explained, tilting his head as he ducked through an archway into an unexplored room in the building, "It took something I want."

"You want? Was it a skull? Bones?"

Adrian smiled fondly, "No, it was a locket. Very pretty."

"I did not know you liked a necklace." Lutain hissed amused, "Am I not good enough?"

"You're perfect," Adrian crooned happily, stroking the small scales affectionately, "the best scarf."

Lutain flicked his tongue in good nature, glancing around curiously as they opened one cabinet, seeing nothing but books inside.

"You were here before, with the crazy lady." Lutain noted.

Adrian hummed a positive, "For a birthday. She gave me books."

"Are they still here?"

Adrian scoffed, "Unlikely. They probably already cleared them all out. I could check, but they're probably gone."

"I do not smell anything in here." Lutain added, "I can help? Say if smell anything?"

"That would be perfect," Adrian smiled, leaving the room and entering a new one.

The system worked rather well, Lutain would refer him to cupboards or areas where he smelled something. Only once did it turn out to be something vicious- Lutain took quick work of sending it howling and moaning back into its cranny. They left quickly.

They were on the fourth floor, where old abandoned bedrooms were located. Lutain directed him into one room, and the small attached cupboard on the side.

The whispers started, and Adrian smiled.

"Found it," Adrian assured his friend, and they opened the cupboard. Inside was a mess of old mildewed cloth and various trinkets. The locket was hidden under one blanket, piled up on the left side.

He grabbed the locket- bitingly cold in his hand. He tugged it out, closing the closet quickly and hurrying out of the room before the house elf could return.

"Is that it?" Lutain asked curiously, "It smells sour."

"Do I?" Adrian asked curiously.

Lutain hesitated, before he flickered his tongue three times and tilted his head, "A bit. Not too much."

Adrian hummed, finally reaching the landing for the third floor and taking the bend back towards his room.

He arrived before dinner was over. He shut the door behind him, locking it with the old deadbolt. He uncovered the locket, gazing at the beautifully crafted serpent on the golden cover.

It whispered to him, promises and praise.

Adrian traced the ornate shape, the curl of the serpent and the glittering emerald eyes. He pressed the clasp to open it, yet it wouldn't budge.

"Hello," He spoke softly to it, tracing the shapes gently, "My name is Adrian. How are you able to get through my barriers?"

It hissed, repeating his name lowly over and over in a crooning mantra, Adriannnnnn

"Is it speaking?" Lutain asked curiously, butting it with his snout, "I don't hear anything."

The soft crooning whispers of the locket stilled, into silence.

Adrian rolled the locket in his grasp, feeling it gently and huffing quietly in annoyance

"What is it?" Lutain asked curiously, peering at it from multiple angles.

"I don't know," Adrian confessed, picking it up by its golden chain to dangle between both of them, "but I think it's important."

Despite living in the same building as Adrian, Skylar rarely actually encountered him.

He saw him in the mornings and at dinner, eating an obscene amount of food. Even Ron was gobsmacked by the amount of buttered rolls Adrian could scarf down like some sort of ravenous beast. Hermione was disgusted by the display, although Adrian's dry sarcasm was a welcome relief from the usual crude humor.

Fred and George absolutely adored Adrian, and would teasingly bring him up whenever Mundungus got a bit too rowdy. Skylar had asked the twins if they knew why Adrian and Mundungus were so aggressive to one another- they hadn't a clue. Sirius helpfully mentioned that the first time Adrian looked at Mundungus, he snapped and tried to smack 'Dungus to the floor.

Remus tended to go off on runs with Tonks, looking for supplies that the two could sniff out and snag while on the run. That, and Tonks was absolutely bewitched by the cute market stalls in Muggle London. Whenever the two left, Adrian retreated to his room likely to sleep or brood once more.

Sometimes though...Skylar didn't know. There were small moments where Sirius seemed a little...too understanding. Sirius didn't talk much about his childhood, but Skylar assumed that he saw a lot of parallels between himself and Adrian. Skylar thought that it bothered his Godfather quite a bit, seeing such similarities. Sirius prided himself on being on the 'right side', it must pain him to see what his cousin had done. Despite that, Sirius was a wonderful addition to Skylar's life, and a great way to stave off boredom.

"Padfoot!" Skylar shouted, poking his head in and out of various rooms. His godfather sometimes tended to nap on furniture in his animagus form, leaving behind large clumps of black fur.

He wasn't there, nor was he in the cleaned parlor or the kitchen stealing bits of pastries before Mrs. Weasley could chase him out.

Skylar ran up the stairway, his legs burning by the time he got to the highest floor. They hadn't managed to clean up here yet, the dust itself was nearly as thick as a galleon. The ghoul that had hidden itself away was only one of the numerous threats that lurked in the house. Even the air itself seemed darker, clouded by some sort of...stagnation.

"Padfoot?"

A second later Skylar heard a muffled noise, resembling a vulgar swear. Skylar's lips twitched into a smile, and a second later Sirius stuck his head out of a doorway.

"Sky!" Sirius barked out in surprise, blinking in a silent question.

"I didn't know where you were," Skylar admitted with a small smile, "Ron and Hermione were kidnapped by Mrs. Weasley. I barely escaped with my life."

Sirius barked a laugh before beckoning the younger boy to come over, a second later Skylar was peering around the doorway into the room he had clearly never seen before.

Adrian was sitting on the floorboards, clawing grooves into the panels. Adrian peered upward, removing bits of wood from under his nails. He spotted Skylar then groaned loudly and slumped backwards to lay in a sprawl.

"Stop that you dramatic pegasus." Sirius huffed, passing through something which rippled only a few steps into the room. It took Skylar a second to recognize it as the ward Adrian had shown him before, the one which blocked the wands' trace.

"Why did you have to invite him." Adrian seethed, "did you really not think this through?"

Sirius blinked before he wilted slightly, "Actually...shite."

Adrian snorted, struggling to withhold a laugh as Sirius chewed his lower lip as if sheepish.

"What are you guys doing?" Skylar asked hesitantly, skimming the contents of the room absentmindedly, before he paused and backtracked to actually look at the room.

Paintings were stacked up on the far left wall, all in various states of destruction. The occupants of the portraits had long since fled, especially with the massive gouges and lacerations across the canvas. Scattered across the floor were the remnants of marble busts, blown apart and sending fine powder across the floorboards. One bust gazed out sightlessly, missing the lower half of its face. Couches and chairs had the upholstery nearly falling out, large wads of what looked like horse hair spilling out like fine silken entrails. The wooden writing desk which once contained a Boggart was scattered across the floor, doors looking singed and burned while the cabinet itself had a chunk missing as if a dragon took a bite from it.

"Yeah Black, what are we doing?" Adrian snickered, still laying sprawled on his back without looking at all like he would be lifting himself up soon. In fact, he looked more relaxed and boneless than Skylar could remember.

"Well, uh," Sirius fidgeted, using his wand to scratch the back of his head, "Well...Sky…"

"Well, Sky." Adrian mimicked from the floor, pausing before laughing quietly to himself.

"Does dad know you're up here?" Skylar frowned, the room itself seemed almost...smokey.

"Er, well…" Sirius shifted where he stood uncomfortably, "Well Sky, ah…"

Adrian laughed quietly again, as if he took personal pleasure from Sirius' discomfort.

"We're cursing the stuffings out of sofa," Adrian helpfully added from the floor, "It's delightful."

"Shut it you mangy bag of arse." Sirius muttered, scowling at Adrian who only grinned breathlessly.

"I don't…" Skylar swallowed unsure, "I don't understand? Sirius what are...uh."

Adrian giggled, Sirius looked ready to kick the boy.

"Okay, okay Sky." Sirius sighed through his nose, lifting his head skywards in a lungful expression, "Bloody hell of all days Moony isn't here. Okay, so, er...sometimes when witches or wizards are raised in dark households they er...they get used to it."

Skylar shifted his weight uncomfortably, "Okay?"

"Like, the dark magic. It er, it kinda...stays in the air?" Sirius waved his hand as if trying to explain it through body cues also, "and sometimes when you're removed from it, it kinda...it can shock your system and get painful, or get you too twitchy and snappy."

Adrian smacked the floorboards twice with his palm, the loud noise snapped Skylar's attention to the boneless other, "It's called dark magic addiction you twit."

Sirius scowled darkly and Adrian grinned, the smile was large and slightly unstable. Sirius flinched when he spotted it.

"I don't understand," Skylar admitted quietly, "I- dad doesn't talk about dark magic that much. Mum doesn't either, she gets this...sad look on her face."

Sirius grimaced, "That's Snivellus. Some sort of drama back in the day, she doesn't really like to think about that."

"Snape should suck a screwt." Adrian muttered from the ground, lazily tracing his hand along the knots of the floorboard.

"Ignore him, he's wasted." Sirius dismissed Adrian. Adrian gaped, before glaring and complaining sourly.

Skylar smiled slightly, finding this...version of Adrian rather amusing to interact with.

"Anyways, so since this poor bloke here has er...has an overindulgence of that sort of magic, he was getting more and more high strung without letting some of it out." Sirius shrugged with a small twitch, "It's therapeutic I swear."

"He's not saying that he's also stir crazy, can't deny a dark family, Black." Adrian snarked back, looking very self satisfied when Sirius flushed.

"Shove it you twit."

"Tell that to that stinging hex four minutes ago." Adrian shot back, looking satisfied when Sirius looked distinctly uncomfortable.

"Wait," Skylar floundered before trying to find the proper words. "So...it's...sometimes if you're exposed to dark magic, you need to indulge slightly to not have it hurt you? Like a...a potions problem?"

Adrian snorted so hard he choked, "Merlin, did you just compare this to rehab?"

Sirius sighed, "Look mate, I ah, we can't really help it-"

"I'm not upset." Skylar chewed his lip quietly, "I mean, I don't really know that much about this, but I don't think it's fair to just...judge without knowing both sides, you know?"

Sirius looked very relieved, "James isn't very happy about it but he gets why Moony and I do this here and there. Can't help families, you know?"

Adrian groaned from the floor, "Can you leave already so I can destroy a couch?"

Sirius looked ready to scold the black haired boy but Skylar beat him to it, "Go ahead."

Adrian sat upright and stared at Skylar blankly. Skylar didn't know what the other was trying to find in his expression, but when Adrian frowned slightly Skylar guessed he didn't find whatever it was.

"Alright…" Adrian trailed off lowly, looking over at a couch in one of the better states, "Abrumpo!"

Sirius jolted forward in alarm, face an expression of panic. Skylar's mouth opened but he only inhaled sharply when the resounding curse blasted through the air as fast as a snitch. It sizzled on contact, slicing cleanly through the couch with the vicious power of a claymore through butter. The couch squealed and then collapsed inwards, crumpling to the ground split evenly in half. The wall behind the couch had a slash in it, the curse slicing nearly half a foot into the plaster and wood. The air sizzled and sparked like ozone, contributing to the strange fogginess in the air which made Skylar's fingers tingle.

Sirius looked upset yet at the same time he looked like he had expected it. "We didn't agree to that curse, bollocks-" Sirius hissed under his breath before taking three steps forward to catch the slowly slumping figure of Adrian. It looked powerful, and it seemed very dark.

"Sorry, Sky. He's out for the count," Sirius sighed, grunting under Adrian's weight.

"No I'm not," Adrian protested dazed, "One more, two more, I can destroy that couch."

"I'm sure you can," Sirius soothed, not even blinking as he started to drag the boy towards the door. Adrian lolled with the movement, looking boneless as if barely conscious.

Skylar found himself almost laughing, either due to Adrian's drugged state or due to the horrific devastation of the single curse. He had heard the rumors of course, that Adrian had set people on fire. Hermione didn't talk about it often, but a girl in Slytherin had burned. This wasn't one step in the other direction, it was a quidditch post away from fire.

"No!" Adrian snapped, jolting free and into a standing position, swaying slightly yet eerily focused. His eyes were too bright, "No- I'm not done yet."

Sirius raised his arms in annoyance, but Skylar noticed that he had his eyes tracking Adrian's wand's movements quite carefully.

Adrian didn't seem to care that Skylar was in the room anymore, he turned and started attacking the couch with fervor. Hissing out curse after curse, the air was almost suffocating and very quickly the couch was bubbling and torn with stuffing pooling out. Then the desk exploded, lacerations spreading outwards like a clawed beast had used it as a scratching post.

Sirius moved, quickly placing one hand on Skylar's shoulder to shove him backwards gently, shielding him if necessary. Shrapnel rained down around them, glowing red resembling ash more than pieces of furniture; embers falling on ancient Pompeii.

Adrian didn't stop, a grin spreading across his face which unnerved Skylar beyond words. Seconds later the wall groaned and collapsed. Only then did Adrian stop, keeling over and bracing himself on his knees. His breaths were heavy pants, sweat trailing over his jaw as if he had run a great distance. His entire body shook as if freezing, he was listing slightly to the one side.

"Adrian, you're don-" Sirius started, only for Adrian to whirl around looking far too disoriented but aware.

"Bugger off Bella!" He hissed back, swaying and at that moment, Skylar realized quite clearly he didn't know where he was.

"You should go," Sirius muttered very quietly, nudging Skylar behind him with his shoulder. Skylar ducked out, closing the door quietly behind him. They must have set up a silencing ward, or at least a sound muffling one. Before Skylar could get the door closed all the way, he heard a single outraged shriek and the beginning clatter of something breaking. Adrian's face looked like the silent screaming expression of Bellatrix Lestrange in all of her Azkaban posters.