A First Step
"You know that feeling after a few drinks? That light, gentle buzz before you actually get properly drunk? A floating sensation.. Your mind lulled in to a state of happiness. Not a thought or worry to concern yourself with. That's what it feels like."
Adrian couldn't stop thinking about it for the rest of the day. All he'd done was carefully prod Matthias Herdorum about those.. rumours. And the masked student had pulled Addie aside, grilling the shorter boy over what he'd heard.
As was often the case.. Making the blonde Slytherin buckle under intense pressure wasn't difficult. And when pinned to the wall both literally and figuratively - Addie gave in and spilled what he knew. How some suspected Matthias of trying to create some sort of.. gang of followers. A powerbase who shared his keen desire for the Unforgivable Curses. Most especially when employed against the goblins and poachers in the surrounding Highlands.
After realizing Adrian was easy to manipulate, it hadn't taken more than a few words of firm encouragement from Mr Herdorum before he'd made the Slytherin nervously agree to learn the Imperius curse. Matthias had described it so pleasantly after all.. and that burning curiosity - coupled with a need to impress and improve himself.. meant Addie's better judgement stood no chance.
The first step of many down a darker path.. A pleased smile crept up behind that emotionless face-mask, while eager eyes watched as the soon-to-be-corrupted Slytherin hurried off to his next class.
"I-.. I have to go, I'm really sorry!" Addie gave Heather a remorseful look, guilt evidently weighing heavy on the boy - but even still he'd refused to divulge any details of what exactly called him away early that evening from their voluntary shift at the Hog's Head. A troubled sigh escaped the Witch, but before any last looks or words could be exchanged Heather's view was obscured by a large, burly local who immediately and carelessly lobbed a thick glob of almost blackened saliva on to the bartop, before grunting out his demand for a drink.
Glancing back over his shoulder, Adrian spotted the brief flash behind a grime-encrusted window, followed by the heavy thud of someone being flung in to the wall with force. Yeah, Heather would be fine on her own.
"Didn't think you would actually show, you really are a curious one aren't you Addie?" The blonde, robed Slytherin could almost hear the damn grin on the masked student's lips, but he was correct - Adrian was curious, he'd heard Imperius being discussed in the common room before. Just never by anyone he trusted enough to approach. Maybe someone outside Slytherin would be better? He didn't know, in fact his head spun from the whirlwind of conflicting emotions over the whole ordeal.. but he soldiered on. At least they were close to the forbidden forest. Worst case he'd just get eaten by something unseemly before anyone found out what he was up to.
".. L-Lets just do this." Adrian muttered, trying to hide how excited he was behind that typical reluctance and embarrassment people had come to expect from the effeminate male. His fingers were already coiled taut about the handle of his Blackthorn wand, determined to make the most of it.
Matthias took the lead and guided them towards a location he had in mind. He'd instructed his new follower to be quiet on their approach, and for a while the only sounds were that of Adrian's quiet and half-panicked inhales anytime a twig cracked underfoot, or an animal somewhere in the distance produced an unexpected noise.
Eventually they'd walked far enough under the canopy of tall trees that they reached a little clearing. Adrian figured they must've still been relatively close to the border of the Forbidden Forest, because he could see how it opened up a bit when gazing in to the distance.
"We shouldn't be bothered-.." His words just.. faded, but Adrian could still see Matthias talking from the way his exposed jawline moved. The masked student-turned-tutor gestured for the Slytherin to approach.. and as he did the feeling of congested ears manifested after passing an invisible barrier. Addie had to stretch his jaw a few times to make it pop and for his hearing to return. "Nothing outside will hear us, or see us if they're far enough away. Now.." Matthias paused and pulled out his own wand. ".. Look at what I do and repeat after me."
It had been on Adrian's insistance that he was put under Imperius at least once, in order to verify the claim which had driven him to do this in the first place. And so.. after getting his confirmation (and recovering from the disorientating experience) - they'd trained for a while longer. Using smaller bugs for the most part until Matthias considered the other boy confident enough to use the curse for real. Adrian didn't know what he meant, but once again he was being guided towards a location the masked wizard had in mind.
Didn't take very long until they saw the flickering shadows from a campfire, and the low mumbles of voices. Poachers? Goblins. Part of Ranrok's crew judging by the snippets of their conversation the two students could pick up from their hiding spot. A short distance away behind a thick brush.
Matthias nudged his companion with an elbow and whispered in a low, commanding voice: "Follow my lead."
Adrian nodded, reaching up to draw a sleeve across his forehead. The surge of adrenaline had made him sweat. His pupils dilated, muscles flexed and hardened. At that moment Addie felt confident enough to take on just about anything. The pair rose in unison and with their targets pre-determined.. cast the curse.
"Imperio!"
TBC?