Adrian shot his head around to stare at Draco in unrestrained shock, was the boy a complete idiot? Malfoy's complexion was fixed with a rosy flush, his face split with an excited grin as he eyed the cat.
The Chamber of Secrets?
What was happening?
"What's going on here!" A loud angry voice shouted as the unmistakably voice and body of Filch shoved his way through the crowd. He spotted the cat and he stumbled backwards; his hands curled inwards to his chest and trembled in dismay. "My cat! My cat! What's happened to Mrs. Norris!" He shrieked, and his eyes fell on the very guilty sight of Skylar Potter.
The cat was Filch's? Adrian hadn't ever spent time with the man, normally only Gryffindors were granted his company.
"You!" He screeched, hand pointing threateningly at the horrified Chosen One. "You! You've murdered my cat! You've killed her! I'll kill you! I'll-"
"Oh please," Pansy snickered under her breath. "I'd love to watch that fight."
"Argus!" Dumbledore had appeared, followed by a number of teachers who split the crowd to press against each wall of the passageway. "Come with me, Argus, and you Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, and Miss Granger."
Draco grinned as the four turned to walk away, only for Lockhart to stumble into the way with his bright velvet robes in an unsettling tone of pumpkin orange.
"My office is nearest, Headmaster- just upstairs- please feel free-"
"Thank you, Gilderoy," Dumbledore nodded and the entourage mournfully walked away, Filch clutching his stiffened cat in his arms.
"Two galleons that Granger did it," one slytherin piped up with a grin. "Those puffskeins don't know a spell to stun a butterfly."
"You think a mudblood would write that?" One asked in disgust. "You're denser than the Weasley if you think that."
"Oi! It would be a good cover! Nobody would suspect her!" The first boy defended.
The sudden interchanging of hushed suspicions and rumours filled the passageway with the susurrus of many voices. By the time the mob had diverged into specified houses, dozens of ideas and rumours were circulating.
The "attack" seemed to rattle everyone in the castle, even Slytherins grew wary of the other houses. Students and Prefects started approaching Adrian almost constantly, asking him for information about the attack. Most students wanted some sort of spell or object that would keep them safe from this invisible attacker.
Adrian also hadn't seen Hermione around the castle, which was strange considering she would most likely seek him out to find out what she didn't know. She had disappeared almost completely. Speaking to her house was useless; no Gryffindors were willing to talk with a Slytherin with tensions running so high.
The school in itself seemed to be avoiding Skylar. Whispers were being exchanged rapidly with no control or intended target.
'He's been trained by Dumbledore since he was very young..'
'He vanquished You-Know-Who, maybe like this-'
'Better stay away from him-'
'He'll be after you next-'
Adrian found most of the ideas hilarious. The mental image of Skylar Potter trying to avoid Bellatrix's playdates nearly left him hysterical.
After cashing in two deals, one with the Pavarti Gryffindor girl, Adrian finally found Hermione. Granted, she approached him outright, which made the two deals he cashed in entirely useless much to his own irritation.
Adrian hadn't know that it was common knowledge that he liked to watch the sunset when able from the northernmost covered bridge. A guilty pleasure, he supposed.
"Adrian," she greeted, looking thoroughly miffed and irritated by everything around. "I need to borrow a book."
"What a pleasant night it is," Adrian started,completely ignoring her request and rudeness. "What a wonderful sunset; all of those colours remind me of Lockhart's terrible wardrobe-"
"Do you have Hogwarts: A History?" She asked, lacking the concept of subtlety. She must have been desperate if she was asking for a book Adrian was almost positive she already owned.
Hermione approached him, crossing her arms with an impatient glance.
Adrian was taken aback by her exhaustion, she elaborated tiredly. "All of the copies have been taken out, and there's a two-week waiting list."
"I'm surprised you didn't bring your own copy."
She didn't ask how he knew she owned it. "There wasn't enough space with all of Lockhart's books."
Adrian snorted and Hermione whacked him on the side.
"Alright alright," Adrian held up his hands in defense. "Why do you want that book?"
She looked surprised, "The same reason as everyone else wants it: to read up on the legend of the Chamber of Secrets."
Adrian blinked slowly. As much as people had been talking about it, Adrian shamefully knew next to nothing about it. "What is it? Specifics, not rumors."
"That's just it, I can't remember." Hermione bit her lip. "And I can't find the story anywhere else-"
Adrian lifted his hand and frowned, thinking. The Chamber of Secrets, somehow it felt familiar but he couldn't recall-
"I'm calling in my debt," Adrian stated, holding out his wand which Hermione tentatively took; she gasped when the flare of heat snaked up her arm, leaving it tingling.
"Don't tell your classmates where I'm going to take you and of what happens."
....
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