Voldemort's lips twisted into the rare displays of genuine humour, "That may have been an inspiration."
"You're awful," Adrian breathed, wincing as the loud ringing returned to his ears, they felt wet, "Now, now what?"
Voldemort peered out of a window to see the darkened outdoors, "Now you will continue with the plan and appear in an area of Knockturn alley for the wolf to find you."
"Right," Adrian coughed, hating the way his entire body twitched, "And I'll see you at
the Quidditch World Cup?"
"We will communicate the finer details as the time grows near," Voldemort's eyes flickered southward, pointedly looking at a spot below Adrian's collarbone. The tattoo he had would be able to bypass most wards and spells.
"Alright," Adrian wheezed, "Lutain-"
"Will be taken care of and tended to by Nagini," Voldemort rose slowly, his dark cloak made it near impossible to distinguish him from the walls of the room, "You will be unconscious until you are revived."
Probably for the best considering how his left leg was growing more numb over the course of the conversation.
"Stupify."
Adrian's body slumped limp against the bed once again.
The bird flew and soared over the darkened Victorian architecture just outside the muggle entrance to Diagon Alley. They flew themselves, just alongside the wards of the alley to the point where the postal service gateway enabled the Gyrfalcon to swoop through.
"Well," James Potter grimaced, "He's in Diagon."
"Bad luck, mate," Sirius winced, peering around the sky above, "I'll get Moony!"
Sirius then casually stood on his broom, throwing his arms out for balance. With a twist and a startlingly loud snap!, the man vanished and left the broom hovering aimlessly in the air.
James sighed and snatched the broom, shrinking it and stashing it in his inner robe pocket.
James turned and flew down towards the courtyard just outside of the Leaky Cauldron which publicly allowed brooms and other modes of transportation into the alley. James had barely landed and stashed his own broom when two resonating snap! popped right in his ear.
"Merlin!" James jumped, not expecting Sirius to clamp one hand on his shoulder, "Warn a bloke!"
"Never," Sirius grinned, looking at the faintly smiling werewolf alongside him, "Anyways, the bird vanished in the postal corridor for birds."
Remus nodded, "Let's check Knockturn. Do you know the local floo channels or the stores hooked up to the floo network?"
James' jaw dropped, "Wait, why do we have to go right to Knockturn?" James hung his shoulders, "you know I can't go down there, mate."
Sirius grinned, "No worries, Prongs. Just search around Diagon then! We'll handle the search and rescue!"
Remus tried to smile, although he still looked ridiculously worried, "Actually, James. You may want to keep mediwitches on standby. Just in case."
Sirius's smile fell, "The kid may be injured?"
Remus didn't say anything, instead he pulled his brown worn cloak further over his shoulders and took off further down the road.
Sirius glanced at James unsure before he looked around for any visitors. Sirius jogged towards a small storage room, slipping inside before running out as a large shaggy black dog. He sniffed a few spots, giving a playful bark at James before taking off after Remus.
James Potter sighed, looking around the entry point with a growing sense of unease.
According to the plan, Adrian shouldn't have woken up until Remus had found him.
Like everything in his life, his plan went out the window when he felt sharp claws digging into his side and trying to pull him further into an alley.
Adrian's eyes flickered open, vision foggy although he could recognize that ratty feathers and orange claws normally meant something had gone wrong.
He fumbled for his wand, feeling his body protest to the movement. The creature squawked, claws digging in deeper.
"Harpy," He rasped out with a glare, focusing singing flames to lick the flammable wings through his migraine. It stung, hurting his face and his skin as it flared through his blood. He gagged, as if suffocating or breathing water.
Flames sparked, the harpy shrieked and released him and hopping away leaping from one foot to the next.
Adrian groaned, rubbing the back of his head which pulsed so angrily. He felt like his gums were bleeding, aching sore through his teeth all the way to his bones and skull. His side was bleeding sluggishly, the harpy's claws were effective in puncturing his skin near his shoulder.
Adrian struggled to grab his wand, it having rolled a few feet just out of his grasp. Once he held the wood in his grip, his worry faded slightly although it did nothing for how his head throbbed.
Black spots danced in his vision as he struggled to right himself, pressing his shoulder and cheek to the cold stone of the nearest building. He was getting something slimy against his skin, stinging and aggravating the injury his father had made.
"Why didn't you bite it Lu-" Adrian cut himself off, suddenly overwhelmed by the crushing sensation of loneliness.
"Right," Adrian breathed slowly, the alley was unsettlingly quiet, "You're not here."
The ominous sounds of Knockturn suddenly sounded much more intimidating.
"Okay," Adrian breathed, stepping away from the stone wall. He cut off a choking sound as his entire body burned.
....
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