#dada lesson

The lid of the chest flipped open, Adam widened his stance, and sure enough Robert Parrish crawled his way out of the box.

‘You useless piece of trash,’ Boggart-Robert snarled, pulling himself to full height, towering over Adam. ‘Think you’re too good for this family, huh? Think you can run away to some fancy-ass magic boarding school in Britain and you’ll be safe?’

Adam was as white as the ghosts that floated the halls of the castle - so different to Noah - his wand-hand falling as he watched the facsimile of his father advance on him. Boggart-Robert’s hand was raised, ready to strike his son down as he had done so many times before in real life.

Professor Potter watched the exchange in horror and belatedly pulled out his wand to stop it, but Ronan was faster. He darted in front of Adam, pushing him safely behind his back as Ronan raised his wand and snarled at the Boggart.

‘Oh no you don’t, you little shit,’ Ronan growled. ‘You’re not getting him.’

Boggart-Robert shimmered slightly and then morphed into Adam instead. Boggart-Adam collapsed to his knees, his eyes desperate and his hands scrabbling at his throat as he struggled for air, thick, black vines slowly choking him.

From behind him, Adam breathed Ronan’s name in horror, but Ronan had already cast the wand movement.

‘Riddikulus,’ he hissed. Boggart-Adam looked around in shock as the vines started to fatten and inflate, slowly morphing into colourful balloons and twisting themselves into the shapes of dogs as they floated towards the ceiling.

As the whole class laughed, Boggart-Adam rushed back to the chest, diving into the darkness.

Adam turned on his heel and marched out of the classroom.

Ronan looked at Potter briefly. Their Professor looked ashen, his wand useless in front with him. He looked at Ronan and something flashed in his eyes. Understanding? He gave Ronan a small nod.

‘Go after him,’ he said, before turning back to the class. Ronan stormed out of the classroom, catching Blue’s sympathetic gaze briefly as he did.

Adam was already halfway down the hall, far from the classroom, striding away on his long legs.

‘Parrish!’ Ronan called after him, breaking into a jog to catch up. Adam didn’t slow down. ‘Adam, c’mon, wait up.’

Catching up to him, Ronan put a hand on Adam’s shoulder but the other boy shrugged it off angrily.

‘Leave me alone, Lynch,’ Adam said, a warning tone in his voice.

Ronan ignored him. Instead he pulled Adam into a nearby broom cupboard, letting the door close behind them and plunging them into darkness. Ronan pulled Adam into an unforgiving bear hug, wrapping his arms around him and cradling Adam’s head into the hollow between his shoulder and his neck.

In the dark, safe in Ronan’s arms, the tension finally bled from Adam. His body melted into Ronan’s, and he let out a helpless sob. Ronan held him tight, letting him cry, without saying a word.

Eventually Adam’s tears stopped and he fell silent. He lifted his head from Ronan’s shoulder, and with shaking hands sought Ronan’s jaw, pulling his mouth close and kissing him, his tears wet against Ronan’s face.

‘Thank you,’ Adam whispered, and Ronan kissed him again.

‘Tamquam,’ he replied simply.

‘Alter idem,’ Adam murmured back with a sad little smile. Ronan took Adam’s hand in his and led him back into the daylight of the castle.

DADA was their last class of the day, and Ronan insisted on walking Adam back to the Slytherin dungeons.

Ronan was not surprised to find Blue already ensconced in the Slytherin common room, her small figure perched on a green leather chair, a scowling Gryffindor lioness among the snakes. It was just an act, of course, the other Slytherins adored Adam’s angry little friend and she them. They tolerated Ronan, mainly because they knew his presence in the common room wasn’t negotiable for Adam.

Blue was surrounded by seventh year Slytherins now, all with matching looks of fury and vengeance on their faces. When Adam and Ronan approached them, Oscar Montague was the first one to clap a hand on Adam’s shoulder, his dark eyes burning.

‘Parrish,’ he said, his voice low and dangerous. ‘Tell us everything. We’re going to get a portkey set up and go kill that bastard.’

There were murmurs of agreement from around the common room, as Adam was ushered forward into the seat next to Blue. Ronan hung back, his arms crossed and a small, satisfied smile on his face.

Adam had been accepted so fully into the Slytherin house, even though they’d only come to Hogwarts in the last year. He could feel the indignation and protectiveness of the gathered students for his boyfriend. Blue looked up at him and smiled as if she could read his mind.

Adam gave his new friends a weak smile and shook his head, even as someone Summoned a bottle of Firewhisky and pushed it into his hands. ‘It’s all in the past, now,’ he assured them. ‘I got out, thanks to Ronan. I’m never going back.’

It was all he would say.