Thoughts

Things were quiet at the Hog's Head Tavern, most of the night owls had petered out save two locals which were in the process of putting their coats back on. Getting dressed wasn't always easy after a drink (or ten) at the bar. The 'helper' behind said bar was offered a drunk, clumsy wave and a horrid burp as the pair staggered out on the streets. Adrian grimaced, an expression which faded quickly as the door shut behind them and a mellow silence finally settled in.

As much as he normally appreciated the peace and quiet.. the Slytherin struggled with it recently. Lots of scattered thoughts which gnawed away at him whenever he was given pause long enough to consider them. That recent.. adventure with Matthias for example. He felt a mild shiver coil up the spine, recalling how they'd employed the Imperius Curse on two Goblins. At first it had seemed like nothing but harmless, childish fun. Adrian forcing his spell-bound victim to perform silly dances, grimaces.. The kind of stuff a bored kid might do after seeing themselves in a mirror.

Things abruptly took a much darker turn when the Goblin under Matthias' control was made to punch the other, and it escalated from there. Sharp teeth and nails were used to tear open skin and clothes. Neither of the two Goblins really seeming to have the upper hand until Adrian's exploited an opening. Bloodied hands found the throat of his disadvantaged companion and with a drawn-out gurgle, he was strangled to death.

Mr Herdorum seemed pleased with the outcome, though his attention was more so on Adrian than the pair of Goblins. Observing how the reluctant student had momentarily been enthralled by the power and control afforded him with the use of such a spell. He'd watched Addie's soft lips crack in to the smallest hint of a pleased grin as he claimed victory in the duel between their temporary minions. Only for the adrenaline to start fading and the realization of what had happened began to kick in.
The connection between Adrian and the spell-bound Goblin had weakened considerably at this stage, and Matthias had to step in to finish the job with the most Unforgivable of Curses. Though the Slytherin student had been too out of it to really note much beyond the flash of green, followed by silence. All he could remember clearly was how tight his fingers clutched the wand. Knuckles near bone-white.

The memory faded as he felt something warm on that same hand. Gone was the eerie forest camp and back came the comparatively cozy interior of the Hog's Head. Addie blinked a few times to regain his bearings, noticing he'd squeezed a glass so hard in his hand it shattered and cut through the skin. The warmth he'd felt was a slow stream of his own blood.

A while later - after bandaging up the hand, he slumped down in one of the corner seats. Tired.. Exhausted even, both mentally and physically.
He just.. needed someone to talk to, someone to help him make sense of it all. One of his thumbs gently stroked over the white cloth wrapped tight around the injured hand. It drew out a wince from the boy and he let it rest again with a sigh.

Maybe he could ask Heather? Though she seemed rather enamored and distracted with Alice for the time being. It meant Addie had to take more solo shifts than usual while they were away, something which he didn't necessarily mind. But he couldn't deny the thumping pain in his chest anytime he thought of them together.
That's the second time in almost as many weeks where a student he'd carefully allowed himself to fancy was swept up by someone else. The heartache he felt quickly forced another memory to burst forth, that of Euphima doting over James in the sickbed after the Quidditch game. Adrian remembered her hand, softly grasping the Seeker's bruised forearm. How concerned she looked for the star player and.. and how he wished someone would care that much for him too, some day.

Addie choked back a snivle and blinked some moisture out of his eyes, then aimlessly peered around the empty tavern for a while until he dozed off in to an uneasy sleep.