Antithesis

Chapter 68: Bluff

Howwhy why why did they leave me I howcould they do this to me.'

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Skylar walked through Diagon with the hood to his cloak kept low. Out of the three of them, he was the only one that was relatively unrecognizable (ironically). Ron's tall gangly body was something easy to spot, from there the pale freckles skin or bright red hair only made things worse. Hermione could have passed if not for the stutter or the way she anxiously chewed on her lip. Skylar at least, could walk around pretending he knew where he was going.

That, and Lutain was curled visibly outside his cloak.

He could faintly hear Hermione and Ron behind him, stumbling to follow closely from under the invisibility cloak. Lutain hissed quietly, thrumming in discontent.

"Hush," Skylar soothed the snake, stroking it carefully as he turned sharply down one alley. The various 'undesirable hunters' had started to patrol Diagon, sometimes bleeding into Muggle London.

Stupid. Lutain mumbled back, less audible but more felt through the power of whatever strange sickness they had. Loud, could hear them across a den.

"Oh I know," Skylar sighed, right as he heard Hermione hiss in pain. Ron likely stepped on her foot.

They ducked down and around another alley, the line between Diagon and Knockturn was increasingly blurred. It seemed that the hags and other uncomfortable folk were leaking into the once cheery atmosphere- vampires were hiding outside of the pet stores.

The world was falling apart, either from the increasingly ridiculous galleon rates for something as mundane as a sheaf of parchment.

Something flew above them, the dark shadow moving quickly over the cobblestones. Skylar kept moving, keeping his head low and Lutain close.

The fountain that had always been running, rusted red like blood, was empty. It was barren, a thick sludge on the bottom from the many years of rust and algae. It was strange to imagine the fountain was every anything besides the home of the disturbing cackling creature that lived in it so long ago. Skylar distantly hoped that such a wretched thing died in the purge of the ministry.

"Okay, we're here." Skylar murmured, tense and exhausted. Lutain hissed out his confirmation, uncoiling as Skylar sat himself on the edge of the fountain. His robes would likely be coated in grime, but he didn't care much for it anymore.

Someone walked out from the other side of the alley, short and accompanied by someone equally shrouded. Only when they drew closer was it obvious who it was, the scars catching in the faint light of the day.

"Selwyn," Ron grumbled from behind Skylar, voice heard yet still unseen.

Adrian glanced between them, spotting Skylar and Lutain at once. He paused, looking at the snake before he glanced behind him, peering around slowly through the open area. Then, just to add to the surreal experience of it all, Selwyn's eyes distorted and shrunk into something clearly reptilian. He stuck his tongue out, suddenly much longer to where it hung below his chin, flickering in the air.

"Potter." Adrian spoke, eyes and mouth returning to normal. "I've got what you've wanted."

Skylar's heart thrummed loudly, he licked his lower lip. "All of them?"