𝙃𝙀𝘼𝙍𝙏𝙇𝙀𝙎𝙎 | mattheo riddle

06 | something tragic

"Layla! Where've you been?" She hears a familiar voice over the loud music and turns around to find her boyfriend Ryle approaching her. "Damn, you look beautiful baby."

"Thank you Ryle. I've just been dancing with Luna." Layla shrugs.

"Well, it's time to dance with me." He says, looking down at her and snaking his hands around her waist, pulling her close but she quickly pushes them off.

"Please can you get me a drink first?"

"Yes of course, anything for you baby. But you owe me a dance." He says before turning around and heading towards the bar.

"He calls you baby?" Luna whispers into Layla's ear with a small laugh.

"Unfortunately, yes. It's cute sometimes I guess..."

"Sometimes Layla, if I'm being totally honest... you don't seem happy with him all the time. The energy isn't right." Luna says, in the sweetest way she could possible.

"Honestly, I somewhat agree."

"I got the drinks." Ryle says with a smile on his face, holding two in his hands.

He holds one out for me, and then one out for Luna. "And this one is for you Luna." Her face lights up but then he immediately pulls it back. "Ha, jokes on you! It's actually for me." He sniggers.

"What the fuck?" Layla says to him, her face full of disgust. "How fucking rude?" She says and snatches the drink off Ryle's hands, handing it to Luna.

"Layla it's ok-"

"See, she says it's okay." Ryle says. "Don't make a deal out of it."

"I'm not making a deal out of it, that was just rude."

"Listen here, Layla. You're staying in my house so I suggest you keep your mouth shut." He says lowly, gripping hard onto her arm and pulling her closely, speaking into her ear so no one else hears.

Layla stands there in shock and Ryle walks away.

"Layla? Are you okay?"

"Uh, yeah I'm fine! Let's just get more drinks." She says, putting a fake smile on her face.

***

The next morning, Layla wakes up with a pounding headache, laying on the floor of the Slytherin common room with other students going through their hangover.

She didn't know what was in those drinks, but it really did have a great effect on everyone at the party. With only a few shots, Layla was drunk as hell. But she knew she wasn't a lightweight, for some reason the drinks last night at the party really made her pass out.

Lazily, she attempts to stand up, her makeup all smudged and her hair all messy. Her dress is stained too with Merlin knows what.

"Fuck. Pansy's dress!" She groans and finally stands up. She quickly snaps her fingers and the dress is cleaned, looking brand new. "Fuck!" She exclaims again, realising she just used her powers out in the open. Hopefully no one saw her mistake.

She doubt they saw anyway, everyone in the room is passed out on the floor, sofas and even tables. Layla heads to her dorm and takes the dress off, washing her face and changing into some comfy clothes so she can sleep in for a bit.

***

Suddenly, there's pounding on Layla and Pansy's dorm door. Pansy also decided to sleep in so both the girls are in the room when they here they vicious banging on their door.

"Who is it!?" Layla shouts, annoyed and wanting more sleep.

"There's an emergency assembly! Get up!" We hear a Slytherin girl shout.

"Rude. But okay!" Layla shouts back, and both Pansy and Layla roll out of bed.

"I guess we better get ready quickly." Pansy says, both of them heading to the bathroom. They're comfortable enough already to share a bathroom. It hasn't been a problem.

"Yeah. It better be something major important though. This hangover is horrible."

"Yeah, I've got the worst headache ever!" Pansy replies, in the middle of brushing her teeth, so her words come out mumbled.

"Something was definitely in those drinks." Layla states.

"You know what, you're right. I thought so too because I barely drunk anyway, and I know for sure I'm not a lightweight." Pansy adds.

"Same here. Plus, I barely remember much from last night."

"Me too."

The girls are finally dressed and they quickly head to the Great Hall where all the students are lazily sitting at their tables, most of them on the verge of sleeping.

A lot of people attended the party last night, so everyone looks like they're about to collapse.

The girls take a seat at their Slytherin table and Layla looks around.

"Pansy, where's Draco and Blaise?"

"I don't know." She shrugs.

"They weren't at the party either." Layla recalls.

Everyone's attention is directed to McGonagall and the other professors, rushing into the hall looking stressed and worried.

"What's up with them?" Some students whisper.

"Do you think they found out about the party?" Another student wonders.

"Attention, students!" McGonagall's booming voice pierces everyone's tired ears. "Last night, something tragic happened. We were reconsidering on whether we should announce this sorrowful news, but it needs to be heard. Please, do not get startled or frightened. We're still looking into this."

Everyone looks around in confusion.

What could it be?

"Seamus Finnigan was found dead."

***

Everyone was ordered to stay locked in their rooms, until further investigation took place, and to give the students a chance to grieve. It was shocking news, and very unexpected.

As soon as it was announced, the whole school gasped, and nearly everyone was in tears, including the Golden Trio. It must have affected them the most.

"And to think that I was dancing and talking to Seamus just last night-" Layla says.

"Why Seamus though? Why was it his turn to go?" Pansy asks, the two girls cuddled up on Layla's bed, comforting one another.

"I- I was dancing with him and I look away once... then suddenly he disappeared?" Suddenly, Layla's face drops and she sits up rapidly, her eyes opening in realisation. "Pansy- what if I was the last person to see him?"

Pansy quickly sits up, her reaction almost the same. "No- no! Trust me, it can't be! It must have been an accident or something. Maybe he fell and banged his head?"

"Let's not think about it." Layla sighs, flopping back down onto the bed.

"Agreed." Pansy says, and does the same.

"I bet the Golden Trio and the Gryffindors aren't taking this well." Layla sighs.

"Yeah, it must have affected them the most." Just then, Pansy sits up again. "Isn't the school dance next weekend?"

"I doubt anyone is going to go after what happened Pansy."