The Rise of Harry Potter

Adrian had mixed feelings over Halloween. It was the day of the pagan Samhain festival, something Adrian enjoyed quite thoroughly. On that day, it was custom to honor the dead, or the names of your ancestors. Although awkward and uncomfortable, it was an apparent honor to stumble through the names of your ancestors, tracing your lineage back as far as you could. Adrian could certainly understand why reciting his lineage, the descendants of Salazar Slytherin, would be a privilege.

On the other hand, the night was repeatedly marked with the foreign high pitch hiss of 'Show the boy his place!' and Bellatrix unhinged like a mad hound. She was entirely a different person, the concepts of comfort or maternal instinct absent from her cackling and vicious curses.

Adrian had shouted, he had begged-

He twitched, fingers sliding towards a phantom ache of something wriggling in his abdomen. His sudden movement jarred the book which had been balanced lazily on his lap.

Draco looked up sharply, following the book with a pinched look of annoyance. His elaborate albino peacock quill stopped scratching against his parchment.

"What, is that book too boring for your prestigious tastes?" Draco asked, looking challengingly at Adrian. It was no lie that Adrian was very particular about his books, that he was very critical of them.

"Says the one holding a peacock quill," Adrian snipped back, without much feeling.

Draco only scowled, looking back at the book of charms and jinxes not taught in the Hogwarts curriculum.

"I hope you're not planning on using that on Bulstrode," Draco warned, not flinching at Adrian's glare.

"I did nothing to that girl-"

Draco looked at him with obvious skepticism.

"It's for a bargain, a second year Slytherin wants a hex that is unique enough to do damage, but tricky enough not to be fixed quickly." Adrian explained, "Three galleons on it."

"So now you're selling your services too?" Draco rolled his eyes. His tone made it clear he thought the idea of Adrian selling his services was beneath him. "Give you a sickle and you'll jinx Potter for me?"

"I'd need more than a sickle if you want me to hunt down a professor," Adrian grunted, flipping to a specific page before turning and showing Draco the desired hex.

Draco read it, eyes widening in surprise at the description, "The Jelly-finger hex?"

"Makes your target unable to hold anything in their hands, not taught in schools, and has a potion to reverse the effects. Which takes two days to brew," Adrian deadpanned, the wicked gleam in his eyes belying his even tone. "Pretty useful."

Draco paused. "What was the incantation for that-"

Adrian snapped the book shut, sliding it into his bag with a blank expression. He looked at Draco and dryly informed the blonde that the information would cost him three galleons. Draco scowled again.

But he paid Adrian anyway.

.....

The Slytherin first year boys shuffled into the great hall in quest for lunch. The hall was nearly vacant, people tried to stay away since it was in the process of being decorated for the feast later in the day.

"What charms do you reckon they use?" Blaise muttered, just loud enough for the group to hear. Adrian peered up and over, seeing a large pumpkin getting dragged across the floor between the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables.

He opened his mouth once Theo looked at him expectantly, the pumpkin turned and Adrian froze alongside Theo.

"None," Adrian breathed, resisting the urge to walk over to the creatures.

"We're used to him acting all mysterious, but what's gotten into you?" Draco drawled, looking pointedly at Theo who spluttered, eyes never leaving the creatures.

Theo could see Thestrals?

"It's nothing!" Theo snapped, his voice a bit higher than normal. He was fidgeting and looked aggravated.

Adrian had to agree. It would be suspicious as to why a first year would be able to see an omen of death so clearly.

Thestrals were absolutely beautiful.

Adrian found himself sneaking peeks towards the animals any time he could as he helped himself to the recently harvested vegetables and fruits. The apples were just ripe. He bit into one with a satisfying crunch while he watched the winged horses help tug another pumpkin into position.

They stumbled out of the great hall, Adrian heading off to snatch Lutain from where he lay dozing back in Adrian's room (casting a glare at Strix when the bird tried to snap at his fingers), and headed to the library.

He almost bumped into a crying Hermione, who was too upset to see who she had actually run past. Adrian blinked in surprise, but decided it was best to ignore her and headed to the library to read.

He was reading for pleasure, listening absently as Lutain rattled off what Adrian had missed in the time he had been gone. The Slytherin boy paused, listening as Lutain described how Blaise had very cautiously hidden what seemed to be a suspicious book into a locked trunk. The info wasn't surprising, considering how Blaise had actively smuggled a live animal into Hogwarts. The ramifications were alarming, if Blaise unfortunately was caught with the book, assuming it was illegal, he could easily blame it on Adrian. Adrian also had to wonder why Lutain, a snake barely able to articulate, considered a book 'suspicious'.

"And you saw all of this?" Adrian murmured under his breath. His focus was now entirely on his companion.

"Yes!" Lutain crowed. He was just as frustrated by the Strix as Adrian was. "He speaks word cotello."

"Cotello?" Adrian repeated in English, just to make sure the translation hadn't changed the word.

Lutain hissed excitedly, causing Adrian to smile and slide the book back on the shelf. He already knew all the spells in that specific book anyway.

....

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