Rylin Riddle

chapter 19

December 27, 1996 (monday)

       Laney and I spent the whole night talking. With how much time I've been spending with Theo, Draco, and George recently I haven't had the time to just talk. It was worth the headache of sleep deprivation today.

        Today, everyone was in random places in the house. We all just kind of spread out to do what we wanted. Theo originally was with Draco and Mattheo playing muggle video games and I rediscovered our music room.

         I missed this place. I traced my fingers carefully over the piano keys and looked over the glossy wood. I wonder if I can still play. Bellsy had a piano for a while, then she got rid of it. I used to play every day I was home and I got pretty good. I haven't even touched a piano for years now.

      The music desk was empty. Where would the music be now? I know they didn't get rid of it all. I walked around the piano and to the bookshelves. The music for all the instruments but the piano were in a small basket.

       They had to have hid it. Where else would it be? I started to feel around the piano, pressed on every inch. It has to be in here.

"What are you doing?"

       I jumped and stood up straight, whipping around to the voice. Theo stood with his eyebrows raised, staring at me like I was insane. "I'm looking for my music."

       I continued feeling around the wood, ducking under the instrument. "Is it wood colored? Why are you poking around?" Theo chuckled and stood next to me.

"No. It's hidden."

       Theo started to help me look and found a rough looking piece of wood under the back corner of the piano. "Try to unlock it. Maybe it's a blood lock. My mom uses one on our valuables."

      If Kell spelled it, my blood should work. Please tell me you spelled it, Kell. I pulled my wand out of my pocket and tapped the palm of my hand, creating a slow blood stream. I pressed my hand to the wood and mumbled a spell to unlock it.

       There was a click and what was once smooth wood opened up. "You're a genius!" I exclaimed, pulling out stacks of papers and books. It was like a never ending cabinet.

        I laid all the materials on the floor and sat in front of them, sorting through. Theo joined me, sorting through his own pile.

       "Aw! Ry Riddle. How old were you?" Theo held up a tattered work book titled 'Beginners Piano'. My name was sloppily signed across the front, clearly old. "Oh jeez. I must've been 4 or 5." I took the book and flipped through it. Notes were scribbled all over the pages in thick ink blotches.

       I paged through the old books and got entranced in the memories. Bellsy used to come and help us learn between our tutoring lessons for piano. That was when we all got along.

      Notes drifted through the air, a fast tempo of keys being played. It was a difficult song, ranging in notes from all over the piano. "You can play?" I yelled over the music in awe.

       Theo was sitting at the piano bench, reading off a very advanced piece. I barely even learned this difficulty of music.

       "Riddle, you're not the only one who learned a classical instrument as a young child." Theo said, lifting his hands. "But you're good. Like really bloody good!" I exclaimed again, coming up to get a better look at the music.

       "It's called practice. My mom still has me play every once in a while. It's fun for me."

      Of all the people and all the things, I didn't think Theo Nott would be a pianist. And not this good of one either.