Two months, twelve days and two hours he'd been away.
Two months, eight days and seven hours he'd been at Durmstrang.
Too. Fucking. Long.
Adrian couldn't help the deep relieved breath as he entered the Slytherin Commonroom, flanked by his uncle Barsat and his cousin Jeevan. The familiar green and silver soothed his eyes and mind, like nothing had been able to for a long time.
At this early hour, nobody was around. Which was good. He didn't need a great welcoming scene. He'd actually prefer to slip back into normal life without much notice.
Not that things were normal anymore. He still couldn't quite grasp what Grandmother and Uncle Barsat had juggled about legally to make this possible. He only knew... He was now officially a citizen of the Indian Wizarding Community, and his legal guardian was Grandmother. To such a degree, that he was considered - legally at least - to be her youngest son.
Adrian Pucey Thirumalai
His mother's brother.
His father's brother in law.
The last was hard to swallow. Renouncing his own parents... signing that piece of paper... that had been the hardest thing he'd ever done. But he'd flat out refused to give up the Pucey name. Perhaps Father would reconsider? Gods, he hoped...
Adrian stopped in front of the door into his dorm room. They'd all be asleep, so it would be better to say good bye outside. He hugged Jeevan and shook uncle Barsat's hand and promised he would contact them in Hogsmeade - where they would be staying for 12 days, until the period of appeal was over - if anything came up or if he needed anything.
With that, he was left alone. Silently he let himself into the dorm room and levitated his trunk to the foot end of his old bed. He felt bone weary. More tired than he had in his entire life. And more sad, even as he was happy to be back. He felt like crying and laughing at the same time.
Perhaps he should just go to bed, before he woke up everybody.
Which he did, falling asleep still dressed in his hated Durmstrang uniform, almost before his head hit the pillow.