RIDDLE ME THIS

30

"we found an invisibility cloak." i looked between my brothers.

"who is 'we'?" Tom responded sourly.

"Draco and i." i answered, even though he knew full well.

"where?" Matteo asked.

"a burned down house in the woods."

"if the house burned down then how did the cloak survive?" Tom spoke again.

"because it was in the workshop which didn't burn down."

"then why did you say it was in the h-"

"do you want it or not?!"

"i suppose it will come in useful, seeing as i'm the only one completing Father's tasks."

"it wouldn't be that way if you didn't try and kill us." Matteo shot back.

"oh stop going on about it!"

"are you being serious?!" i couldn't believe what i was hearing.

we all began to shout over each other—well, Matteo and i shouted over Tom, who was denying the fact he'd done something wrong.

"fine then!" he yelled. "i won't have it!"

"good! i wasn't going to give it to you anyway!" what a great comeback.

"good!" Tom stood up and stormed up the stairs to his dorm.

"fine!" i hurled back, heading out of the common room and leaving Matteo sat on the sofa.

"how did it go?" Draco was waiting for me outside.

"exactly as you thought it would." i huffed.

he slung his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close, kissing the top of my head. "at least you tried."

"yeah."

"what are we going to do with it?"

"keep it, i suppose."

he nodded.

after a while we reached Snape's dimly lit classroom and headed for the back row where Enzo and Theo were already sat.

"i haven't seen you in ages." Theo said by way of greeting.

"i've had a lot to do." i sat beside him.

"'a lot' being Draco?" Enzo snorted and the two were overcome with fits of what could only be described silent giggles.

i looked over at Draco, whose eyebrows were raised in an unimpressed stare.

"Mr Nott, Mr Berkshire." Snape barked from the front of the class. "would you like to share your joke?"

"no, Professor." Theo's amusement was wiped clean of his face.

"sorry, Professor." Enzo cleared his throat and sat up straight.

i watched the pair for a while, both of them engaging deeply in Snape's undertone and making notes in their books.

after a few short moments, i couldn't take it anymore.

i had to bury my face in the crook of my arm to muffle my laughter.

"what?" Enzo frowned quizzically.

"you!" i whispered.

"what have i done?!"

i sat up straight, pretending to scribble in my book and nod along to Snape's every word. "you're such a suck up!"

"ha!" Theo punched his friend's shoulder.

"and you, Theo!" i pulled an apologetic face, looking down and worrying at my lip. "both of you are so..."

"strange?" Draco finished for me.

"i was going to say funny, but strange works." i grinned. "you're exactly the same, yet completely opposite."

"huh," Enzo put his pen down. "i have no idea if you're saying that as an insult—"

"Lorenzo Berkshire!" Snape shouted. "did i tell you to stop writing?!"

"sor..." he glanced at me and gritted his teeth. "sorry, Professor."

i had to lean back and rummage around in my bag so Snape wouldn't see me dying of laughter.

later, at dinner, i sat surrounded by my friends.

Draco was on my left, gripping my thigh with one hand and eating with the other.

Pansy was on my right, talking to Matteo who sat opposite her.

opposite me was Regulus and next to him was Blaize.

"have you got a dress for the ball yet?" Pansy asked me.

i shook my head. "we went to Hogsmeade but there was nothing there."

"we've got a free weekend next week." she said. "why don't you, Draco and Matteo come down to London?"

"London?" i echoed. "why?"

"to find dresses for the ball!"

"i've never been to London." i frowned.

her eyes widened slightly. "i live there—you can all stay at my house."

"i'll come," Matteo leaned over the table.

i looked at Draco, who was waiting for my answer.

i knew if i said no, so would he.

"we'll come too." i decided. "it will be fun."

"yay!" Pansy clapped her hands. "i can't wait!"