Consuming Shadows

Chapter 15

A small section of him was viciously glad that Jacob finally got it, that he finally understood the danger he had so stupidly thrown him into. He wanted to laugh at how pitiful the other had looked afterwards, but nothing about his impending task was funny.

He wanted to forgive Jacob. He wanted to just let go and accept the other back. Gods knew he needed the support now more than ever. He just - he could not. Not right now. It was still too soon for him to even seriously contemplate offering anything more than strained acknowledgement.

"You will get wrinkles if you keep frowning like that." The mirror tsked at him. Hadrian slid his eyes open and gazed at it balefully. His reflection shrugged at him, "I'm just saying. You're too young to have wrinkles just yet, handsome."

"One day," Hadrian promised, "I am going to shatter you, and get a normal, non-talking mirror. A mirror that just does what it's meant to instead of mouthing off. Wouldn't that be nice?"

His reflection snorted, as if the mere thought of it being replaced was so laughable. "Please, sweetheart. Then who would be here to offer you advice for all your life problems?"

"In the weeks that I have had you, not once have you given me anything other than compliments on my appearance."

"To be fair, you are rather ravishing. Can't blame me for noticing." It leered at him in a way that would have been flattering if it was not his own face doing it. "And I help boost your ego in a healthy, friendly way."

Hadrian rolled his eyes at the grin it gave him. "Anyway, maybe if you did more than insult me and tell me to shut up, I would be able to give you better advice. Instead, all you do is scowl and mope around."

"I somehow doubt that an enchanted piece of glass is a fount of wisdom." He reached out and threw his blazer on, doing up one button and brushing it down to get rid of any crinkles that might have appeared.

"You'd be surprised," it said amusedly. "who are you dressing up for anyway, you don't typically spend so much time in here. Is there a new interest in your life?" Its eyes brightened. "Oh I bet there is! So, tell me, is it a girl?"

Hadrian ignored its rambling. "You are the bane of my existence."

It hummed thoughtfully. "Boy?" He cut a sharp look at it. "Definitely a boy then." Hadrian now knew why people hated whenever he was smug, if his expression was anything like what his refection looked like. He had never thought he would have the urge to punch himself.

"I think after the last one, I can wait a while before getting tangled up in something again." Hadrian headed towards the door. He had never understood the appeal of enchanted mirrors, they were just unnecessary - and so annoying. Before he exited, he called back over his shoulder. "By the way, it's the Minister I'm 'dressing up for'."

He made his way out of his room and down the hallway, entering the lounge room and taking a seat near one of the windows. Hadrian leaned his elbow on the sill and perched his cheek on his fist, gazing out at the slowly lightening grounds of Hogwarts as his thoughts swirled.

He felt strangely detached right now. Adrift.

The closer the first task drew, the worse the feeling got. His classmates were putting ever spare moment into assisting him; all of them now looked at him with barely concealed worry, as it became more and more apparent that defeating a manticore was virtually impossible.

The sense of inevitability had caused two totally different attitudes to emerge. There were those whom were treating him as if he had already lost, voicing sympathy and false confidence, as if he were a child in need of comfort. He hated that, but he could understand their lack of hope at his situation.