A Conversation of Confusion

Adrian packed the Animagus Transformation potion in his trunk with all of his things; as well as Lutain's new home and his near bookshelf worth of tomes. Even trying to push and arrange Nagini's considerable weight on the top lid only compressed the pile slightly. He unhappily had to restack and remove several of his books from his collection simply to fasten the lock shut.

On September first the Hogwarts Express left promptly, and it wouldn't do to show up late or early enough to be noticed.

Normally lucky to find an empty compartment, it seemed that no matter where he looked Adrian was forced to exchange pleasantries with younger students or the occasional annoying upper year. His reputation was working against him, after the fiasco of the Chamber of Secrets people started to view him as the more shady salesman of Hogwarts. On multiple occasions in the short trek through the cabins, he was forced to awkwardly inform equally awkward students that no, he didn't have anything on him for the trip.

One student even gasped embarrassingly loud before yanking her friend out of his way. She blushed embarrassed yet still eyed him warily. Merlin's beard, did she think he was suddenly going to throw a cursed mummified rat at her?

The idea behind such an unwarranted stigma caused him to hotly shove past, none to gently, knocking his bony shoulder into her side. He heard her gasp loudly again and murmur to her friend as he practically stomped down the hall.

He hadn't done anything, it was absolutely asinine for anyone to treat him like that.

He slid into a compartment with a strange looking younger year student, wearing dark robes with a silvery blue scarf which complemented her surreal eyes. She was reading a book upside down, seemingly enraptured in it, although it must have been entirely illegible.

Adrian stewed and slid down slightly in his seat, saliva pooling in his mouth as he bit his tongue waiting for her offensive question or action.

She didn't look up, she simply turned a page of her upside down book.

The train ran over a bridge, the repetitive sound of wheels turning changed pitch and light flickered in the window.

"That's a nice snake you have," The girl spoke, her voice feathery soft and her eyes half-lidded as if she had just woken up, "He seems nice."

Something about her face reminded Adrian of a newly hatched snake, eyes clouded and unfocused with the sudden exposure to air. No, somehow the incoherent hatchling didn't fit her. She seemed more haunting, a dream-like creature such as a Nocnitsa; drifting in and out of awareness with a state of relaxed lethargy.

Adrian stared at her with no regard to politeness. Who was she?

"Excuse me?" he asked abruptly, long past the point where a comment didn't seem awkward.

She didn't look like she noticed the time that elapsed.

"Your snake," She blinked widely, tilting her head and sending mosquito-earrings twisting gently. At least, they looked a little like mosquitos. If mosquitos normally had three wings and a stinger. "He must be a gentleman."

Adrian had no idea what to say in response.

"It's a shame with last year," She continued, confirming that she wasn't a first year, "Now people look at you like you have Bowtruckles for hair."

"Well I hope I don't," Adrian blinked, still completely baffled. At least she made a little more sense than Bellatrix. A little. "That would be a disaster."

"Yes, it would," She tilted her head with a knowing smile and the disconcerting silvery eyes. "Your hair is more blue. Like a Korruu."

"A korruu?"

"Yes. They're like giant wolves with antlers. But they have black hair and eat femur bones. It's a shame that they're being pushed out of Bulgaria- "

"I know what a Korruu is," Adrian stumbled to try and save the conversation, "There's a preservation in Hungary for them. I heard the American breed is doing well."

"Oh wonderful, I wondered if they were doing alright with the Thunderbirds and the Naki war. Silly things, Naki, they think that every storm is because of a Thunderbird. Naki just want to eat tree roots in peace, but it's hard to when the tornados keep coming around. At least they don't have any Hankypuffs fighting with them either." She smiled, beaming with strange eyes like they were filled with stardust.

What? What was, what was this girl? Some sort of Sylph? No, the sylph were much more elusive and other species of human or human like creatures weren't accepted into Hogwarts. Perhaps she was some sort of seer? A seer wouldn't explain her befuddling personality.

Then she looked back at her upside down book and ignored him for the rest of the ride.

Of course.

....

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