The Crow

Chapter 27. Blinded

**CONTENT WARNING**This chapter contains mature content such as alcohol use. Material is explained further, see information in "Ongoing Updates, Publishing, Warnings."

Neveah Crow

"You look lovely as always." Adrian wrapped me in a hug, catching me off guard. Before letting go I caught his eyes sneaking a glance. "You ready?"

"Ready for what, exactly?" Adrian had given no details of our 'date.' Which left me with minimal outfit options. "You didn't exactly give me any clues."

"Don't worry, you'll have a blast. Now hold on." He wrapped his arm snugly around my waist, pulling me close without warning.

A second later we stood on a bustling street far from Hogwarts.  A neon sign made people glow red. I had zero clue where we were, somewhere far from Godric's Hollow. From the looks of it, it wasn't exactly a safe place in town. The street was filled with stumbling men and dressed up women.

"Come on, we're going in through the back." Adrian gestured to a dark alleyway of a nearby pub.

"Adrian, this is a club, isn't it? How would we even get in?" I asked. I wrapped my arms around each other, feeling uncomfortable.

"Don't worry, I know a guy." He insisted, pulling me further in the alley.

Adrian knocked at a rusted door. The door struggled to open as a heavily built man stood at the entrance. I watched at a distance as they whispered. Adrian slipped something in the man's hand, which I assume were galleons, before offering his hand.

"We're good to go." He smiled.

Adrian guided me through a small hallway with his hand at my back. The closer we got to the main floor, the more the music became audible. Neon lights flashed the ceiling while women in short dresses pressed together at the music.

I felt incredibly out of place. Surrounded by lavish, older women dressed to impress. Even covered with a jacket, I could feel the lingering eyes of the men at the bar.

"I'd love to see you in one of those." He whispered in my ear, eyes on the girls on the dance floor. I turned my head away from his words, feeling disgusted. "Oh come on, that's not the girl I saw at the party. Let's get you a drink, hmm?"

Before I could protest, Adrian glided towards the bar. I couldn't risk getting lost alone in the swarm of people. Even if I didn't want to, Adrian was my safety net. And something told me he already knew that.

Against my better judgement, I quickly followed him. Shoulders brushed against mine as I struggled to get through the crowd.

"Here you are," Adrian slid a dark alcohol my way. He smiled, watching me as he drank.

Everything about this place told me to leave. Stay sober, stay aware, and leave. Even Adrian left me with an uneasy feeling.

"Not a fan of gin, I'm afraid." I lied, sliding the drink back to him. "I'll get my own drink, thank you."

"Ah, I see." He spoke with a neutral tone before finishing his drink, then mine. He slammed his cup against a counter before sitting up straight. "I have some friends here tonight, I promised them a drink. Mind if I go say hello?"

"Not at all." Half worried, I let him leave me alone at the bar.

After ordering a club soda, I sat on a stool waiting. I kept my head down, which quickly proved useless.

"What are you doing here by yourself, beautiful?" An older man in a baseball cap slid into the seat beside mine. With a drunken gaze he stared eagerly. A beard in need of a trim and a prodding bear belly being his most defining features.