Riddle

Chapter Thirteen

Ivy stared after Draco's retreating back. There was something about him that unnerved her. He knew something she was sure of it. Ivy's thoughts were interrupted by Ron slamming a book on the table.

"I have found it!"

"Congrats you found a book in library!" Ivy said sarcastically.

"Not just any book!" Ron said annoyed, "This is a transportation book!"

Ivy sat up, intrigued, she immediately began imagining opening the book and being transported to any place she could imagine even her wildest dreams or places she had could only ever read about. Ivy knew that she would have to visit camp half-blood or Ravka. There were so many places she would want to visit. She knew it was unlikely to book would transport her to a fictional place, but she would settle for an uninhabited island far away from people like Draco Malfoy. All her hopes were immediately dashed when Ron opened the book and Ivy caught a glimpse of pages filled with text and a couple small pictures squeezed in. She sighed and picked up her defence against the dark arts textbook losing interest.

"You must have gotten that from the forbidden section!" Hermione accused Ron, "I didn't even know Hogwarts had a copy! They are dangerous!"

"You say everything fun is dangerous!" Ron complained.

"I do not!"

Ivy hated to interrupt their lovers quarrel, she was getting tired of their constant bickering, They could never agree on anything. She sighed impatiently reaching over and grabbed the book from where it lay in front of Ron and held held it out in front of her. She studied the text. It was just lines of tiny overlapping circles and lines.

"What even is it?" She asked letting the book drop onto the table.

Hermione squeaked.

"Ivy no!"

The room began to fade. Colours span out of Ivy's vision. She felt sick. She knew she should not have eaten all that chocolate at lunch. Ivy focused on the book which was the only thing not spinning. The library spun round her faster and faster until Ivy was left in darkness. The book suspended in front of her. Gold dust began to stream from the pages, collecting into a point, creating a prism of gold. Ivy's head began to pound. The collected dust began to move, creating shapes faster than Ivy could comprehend. Her eyes began to water. The shapes changed faster with increasing speed, the movement of the dust getting more and more frantic until suddenly the dust exploded in every direction surrounding Ivy. Gold filled her vision.

The dust began to fall away revealing a hedge lined pathway leading to a massive manor all covered in snow. Ivy fell onto the gravel. Scraping her hands on the frozen stones. She felt a cold wind biting into her skin. She reached for her school robes to pull tighter around her only to realise that she was now wearing a form fitting black velvet gown. Dust clung to the fabric like stars in the night sky. Ivy franticly reached for her neck to check if her locket was still there. She breathed a sight of relief when she felt the familiar metal beneath her fingers. Her hands trailed to her hair. There was a crown fixed into her hair. Ivy pulled a couple pins out her hair. They were made of pearl. Her hair had been curled! Ivy was outraged. Who was this magical book to give her a make-over! She shoved the ins back into her hair and set a determined pace to the manor.

Ivy's breath filled the frosty air. Snow fell from the sky. Her chest began to feel like a cage. She picked up her skirts and ran to the manor. Snow crunched beneath her feet. She did not dare look at what the magic book had done to her boots. The wind pulling curls free from the pins in her hair. One foot in front of the other faster and faster. She could see the door looming in front of her. With one last breath she lunged for the door. There was something warm at her foot. She tripped and fell headfirst. She pushed against the door, tumbling through the doorway, landing on a plush carpet in a grand entry way.

There were people gathered there shocked to see a girl tumble through the door in a pile of skirts and gold. Ivy turned to see what she had tripped over. There standing in the snow outside was a silver peacock. She gaped.

"What the-" Ivy let loose a long string of cuss words she had learnt from the butcher's son when collecting food for Matron.

"That is no language for a lady!" a voice cackled from behind Ivy.

Ivy turned, restraining herself from swearing at the woman, she had just fallen unceremoniously into their house without an invite but Ivy's patience was thin. The woman was dressed all in black with curls piled on top her head. There was a dangerous glint in her eyes. Her mouth curled into a cruel smile.

"And who are you?" The woman asked.

"Stranger danger you know, shouldn't tell you my name," Ivy stood up hurriedly, "I'm defiantly in the wrong place and season so ill be off now!"

She dusted off her dress accidently sending clouds of gold onto the fancy carpet. Ivy paused for a second. The house was decorated in Slytherin colours but not in a tacky way. The house was the definition of elegance. People stood before a black marble fireplace. There was an elegant silver edged mirror reflecting the black roses that stood on the mantelpiece. The people inside the house matched the dark yet elegant aesthetic of the house. Ivy did a quick study of the faces and caught sight of a familiar glare. Draco Malfoy. Panic began to build in Ivy's stomach. She needed to get out of there. It made no sense, it had been mid-October when Ivy had fallen prey to the magic book. Now there was snow and Draco at home?

"Nice to meet you, bye!"

The door slammed in Ivy's face.

"But we hardly know each other yet?" The woman teased, "You must be one of the muggles going to the local village ball!"

Ivy did not look like the smile playing across the woman's face, It promised violence.

"Aunt Bellatrix-"

"Shut up Draco. Let the adults handle this poor muggle." Bellatrix smiled again, "Now what was your name again?"

Ivy was enraged. She hated being clueless and she hated traps. She gave Bellatrix a smile of her own. She would not be a mouse for the snake to devour. She prayed these people were scared of her father too.

"Ivy Riddle."