RIDDLE ME THIS

14

i lay on the common room floor with my head on Pansy's lap, my legs stretched over Draco's and my feet reaching Matteo.

"come on, Lola." Matteo stood up, disturbing my foot rest.

"where are you going?" i frowned.

"we've got to find Tom."

"oh, i saw him in the courtyard." Pansy said.

if we ever had to 'find one of our siblings' it meant we needed to complete a task for our Father.

i didn't protest, following Matteo out of the common room.

we didn't speak as we hurried through the corridors and up a flight of stairs.

we finally got to an old girls bathroom where Tom waited impatiently.

"took your time!" he faced to the faucet and turned the tap.

i held onto Matteo's arm as we descended slowly, eventually reaching a circular door with twelve three dimensional serpents on it.

Tom whispered something in Parceltongue—which he was fluent in and always rubbed in our faces—and the snakes began to move.

the door swung open and i grinned. "the Chamber of Secrets."

we walked down the long stone aisle towards the large pool of water but when we rounded the corner we were met with a sight that was sure to set us back.

"this is what i've got to do tomorrow," he told us. "something with the Basilisk."

the skeleton of the Basilisk lay half in, half out of the water.

it looked like it had been dead for a while.

Tom groaned and kicked the bones gently, sending a layer of thick dust cascading into the air.

"this'll set us back a while." Matteo stated.

"what are we even doing?!" i was tired of not being clued in.

Tom and Matteo shared a look and my oldest brother shrugged.

"she'll find out one way or another." he said to Matteo who sighed.

"Father sent us to Hogwarts to keep an eye on Harry Potter."

"why can't he do that himself?"

"Dumbledore's got strong magical protection surrounding the school. even Father can't get past them." Tom took a leather book from his pocket and flicked through it.

"it can't be just to act as spies." i folded my arms as they shared another look.

"he's breaking into the school at the end of the year. we need to find ways in etcetera, etcetera." Tom sighed.

"and bring the Basilisk back to life, apparently." Matteo peered over Tom's shoulder at the book.

"what is that?" i snatched it out of Tom's grasp. "Tom Riddle's Diary?!" i snorted.

"shut up," he grabbed it back. "it's got spells and things in it... from Father."

i sniffed as he found the page he was looking for and walked up to the Basilisk.

"it says we need to find the sword of Gryffindor. that's what killed it." he lit a hand on its skull.

"perfect, i know just where it is." i threw my hands in the air.

"i know where it is." Matteo looked up.

"seriously?" Tom frowned.

Matteo nodded. "it's in Dumbledore's office. i saw it when Reg and i were called in there."