A/N: Thank you for all of your supportive reviews. I have gotten so many and they all make me smile! Oh, and I just wanted to let you know – I don't know how many of you actually go and read the other reviews I've received, but I've gotten a couple …not so nice ones (which explains my previous author's note), but I wanted to let everyone know that "Guess Who" is not actually a horribly mean person. We have talked via e-mail and settled things out and she actually kind of apologized, so…if you were planning (like some of you offered) to send nasty comments her way, it would be unnecessary. (But thank you anyways!). I really do appreciate all of your support – I think it's the reason I keep going when I hit pitfalls like those.
Oh and about the chapter…it's shorter than the last one (obviously because I can't write 12 page long chapters every time…well I could, but that would be really hard…).
And a special thanks to my new beta. It's strange to have one – but thank you so much!
Chapter 10 – Ominous Intimations
Moonlight poured in through the glass window, illuminating her bedroom in a silver haze. The most beautiful thing, she thought, about the moon's light, was the way it transformed appearances, changing everything into either crystal or ebony.
She watched the shadows dance along her wall. Sometimes she thought it was a tree, waving in the wind. Sometimes she thought she saw a bat or a stray owl fly past. But most of the time the shadows took on strange, disarming shapes. So, when in daylight she would see a bush or a tree, at night she was presented with some horrid creature of the night, armed with horns and long, sharp fingernails.
Adara lay on her bed, her blankets draped around her body. She was on her stomach, perched atop her elbows, her knees bent and in the air behind her. Lethargically, she played with her hair, twirling a strand around her finger, only for it to limply fall back out again.
She couldn't sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, their faces flashed in her mind again and again. But how could she not? They haunted her memory: alluring and untouchable phantoms.
A shiver crawled up her skin.
Her parents.
Adara shook her head and rolled over, her head sinking into more blankets.
She wasn't happy. Happy just was not a word one could use to describe her feelings. She just felt…odd? Maybe pensive? Curious?
It was just indescribable. They were indescribable. Finding that portrait was…she couldn't find the word. But she was intrigued. It was like being starved of sweets and then one day tasting a small, tiny piece of candy. She was curious to learn more.
Ok. She was dying to learn more. She was itching to run back to the portrait room and stare at their faces all night. They might not offer her any more answers about who her parents were, but she didn't necessarily need answers right now. She just wanted to look at them. To memorize their every feature. To reassure herself that what she had seen had been real, not a dream.
She swung her eyes towards the heavy oak door of their bedroom. It was shut, but it wasn't locked. She knew the Slytherin door was unlocked; it always was, so sneaking out wouldn't prove a difficulty. Getting back to the portrait room, however, would. She had no idea how she could get back there. She seemed to remember she took a left from the Great Hall. Then she walked down a few corridors before turning right? Or was it left? No. Maybe she continued up a few more steps….
She was standing in front of the portraits again. There were her parents in front of her, smiling at her from the picture. Her mother waved at her and laughed, her sparkling eyes full of love. Her father stood like a statue. Still and proud. Arrogant and haughty.
Adara reached for the portrait, eager to lay her hands on it and trace their features.
Suddenly the picture rippled, a shadow crossing over the other faces, obscuring them in darkness. Adara's ear's popped as she lost her hearing. A shiver raced up her back as her heart started beating faster.
Her mother was still smiling but her mouth, open from silent laughter, grew red. As if filling up with something. Adara blinked, taking a closer look.
With blood?
Adara's skin crawled and she felt herself grow cold. She turned her glance to her father, but she jumped at what she saw.
The man was still there, but his mouth was open as if he was speaking. His tongue, forked like a snake's, was moving silently as he gazed straight into her eyes.
Suddenly she could hear hissing. It seemed to be coming from the man's mouth…as if he was the one making those noises.
But, as a chill climbed up her back, she found herself understanding him.
"Come to me" It whispered. "Come to me."
Adara shook her head, her heart beating faster as she unconsciously took a step forward. She shook her head harder.
She didn't want to get closer. She wanted to leave.
Something wasn't right.
The hissing grew louder, the words assaulting her ears.
And then it seemed like he was inside of her mind. She could hear him inside of her brain.
She could feel him inside of her, his presence a dark cloud of power.
She bit her lip, her teeth ripping her delicate skin as she was pulled closer to the painting.
She didn't want to go.
Fighting the strange spell that seemed to have taken hold of her, she pulled against it, willing herself to move backwards.
Tears formed in her eyes as pain swelled in her brain.
She wouldn't go.
With one burst of power, she broke off the connection, falling backwards onto the floor.
The pain was gone. Her mind was clear again and she drew in shaky breaths. Glancing up towards the portrait in disbelief, her heart stopped as the man looked back at her with glowing red eyes.
--
Adara sat up, her whole body trembling. She blinked her eyes a few times, trying to gather her senses.
When had she fallen asleep?
And what a horrid dream!
Her heart was racing, her palms sweaty and shaking. She licked her dry lips, the acrid metallic flavor of blood stinging her tongue.
What the hell?
"Oh Adara, glad you're up. I was afraid I was going to have to wake you again," Jasmine muttered as she entered the room in her pajamas. She caught sight of Adara and froze.
"Are you ok?" She asked. Adara forced her head to nod.
"Yeah, I just had a really…strange dream," She said.
"Right. Well, breakfast is in an hour…" Jasmine said before leaving the room with a change of clothes.
Adara shook her head and slipped out of bed. There was absolutely no way she could go to bed now. Not after that dream.
She grabbed a change of clothes on her way out, heading for the bathroom.
Numb with shock, she brushed her teeth before she slipped into the shower.
She shook her head as the water soaked her hair, trying not to think too much into her dream.
But bloody hell, had it been weird!
She shivered, even under the spray of hot water.
It was too weird! It was too frightening!
Hopefully it was just the result of an overactive mind and the shock of finding that picture earlier.
That had to be it.
She knew she had always had a morbid mind. And after reading all of her "dark magic" books, it would have to influence her eventually. And the shock she had received must have triggered that imagination.
Yeah…that must be it.
Adara shook her head and pushed the dream out of her mind, deciding to ignore it.
After she finished her shower and got changed, she made her way back to her bedroom. She dumped her clothes on the floor by her bed before she fell down on her bed.
Taking her brush from her side table, she combed her hair, finally remembering that Sirius was going to meet her before breakfast.
She smiled and then felt herself blush as she remembered the detention.
He had kissed her.
She bit her tender lip and rolled her eyes.
She had kissed a lot of boys.
This one wasn't any different.
But, as she placed her brush back down on the table, she couldn't help feeling that he was. She didn't know why, or how, but he was. She sighed as her stomach grumbled.
She looked at the clock in their room.
Breakfast was in ten minutes.
Well…It's soon enough.
Getting off of her bed, she threw on her robes and decided to go and see if Sirius was there yet.
---
His eyes jerked open. A frown forming along his brow, he remembered the dream he had just awoken from.
The snake that had been resting on the floor across from him looked up at him, sensing his disturbance.
A fire crackled softly in the dim, dilapidated room.
Slowly, a smirk played upon his lips.
"So...you are indeed alive…" He said to himself. Turning to the snake, he hissed.
"Nagini – I have work for you. I need you to find someone for me…"
---
Adara joined in the crowd of students exiting the Slytherin common room. As she stepped out of the doorway, she was thrilled to see Sirius leaning against the opposite wall.
She waved to him as she made her way over. He smiled as he caught sight of her.
"Good morning," He said, pushing off of the wall.
"Good morning." She said.
"How'd you sleep?" He asked. She hesitated.
"Not much," She said. "I don't think I fell asleep until four."
Sirius raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"You must be tired," He said.
"I am," She agreed. "I'll probably take a nap this afternoon." Just then, her stomach growled. Loudly.
A blush crept across her cheeks.
"I guess you're hungry," He said.
"Not at all." She said dryly, but smiling nonetheless.
"Come on." He said, placing his hand around her waist and leading her towards the Great Hall.
She couldn't help blushing as they passed other Slytherins.
They reached the great hall and Sirius kissed her on her temple, making sure to tell her to "eat a lot", before he left to join his friends at the Gryffindor table. Adara seated herself next to Jasmine, who was eyeing her with suspicion.
Adara sighed.
"So…I see you're getting pretty close with that Gryffindor…" Jasmine started.
Shit.
She was in trouble.
"Jasmine, can we talk about this later?" Adara said, too tired to feel like dealing with this in front of the entire table.
Jasmine gave her "the look" but said nothing more.
Adara helped herself to some coffee, desperate for some caffeine.
She was definitely not in a hurry to get back to the room. A long lecture most assuredly awaited her.
She grimaced and took another sip of her coffee.