RIDDLE ME THIS

34

Wiston House was a large cottage on the edge of a little coastal wizard town.

we all stood by the fence awkwardly, unsure of what to do.

"i don't want to leave Pansy out here," Matteo folded his arms.

"i don't really want to let Lola walk into some strangers house." Draco argued.

"well then-"

"Draco, you can stay with Pansy. Matteo you're coming with me." i sorted easily.

"we can both look after ourselves, by the way." Pansy sat down on the grassy pavement and pulled out a cigarette.

Matteo stared at her for a moment before looking at Draco with a pained look on his face.

Draco noticed me watching so wisely shrugged in response.

i rolled my eyes at both of them before opening the gate and walking up the path.

"Lola!" Matteo hurried after me. "you need to let me go first!"

in response, i knocked hard on the front door.

"really?" he stared at me.

i copied Draco's shrug. "i just want to make sure they hear us."

"well they didn't," he raised his fist to knock again but before he could, the door opened.

"yes?" asked a man who looked like he should have died a century before.

Matteo cleared his throat. "my name is Matteo, this is my sister, Lolita, and we have another brother called Thomas—we're triplets."

"right...?" the man shook his head, most likely wondering what the fuck my brother was on.

"you see... the thing is-"

"we think you're our grandfather." i finished for Matteo.

the old man looked as if he'd seen a ghost.

maybe there was a mirror behind the door and he'd caught sight of his reflection.

"grandfather...?" he echoed.

"yes," i said curtly.

he blinked rapidly. "i think you'd better come in."

the house was full of stuff.

books, board games, radios, wands... and they were everywhere.

the corridor had been lined with things so we had to squeeze through a gap about half a metre wide.

the man led us into the kitchen where a woman sat darning clothes.

"who's this, Harold?" she frowned at us.

"they claim to be our grandchildren." he huffed.

"oh... right." she put her socks down.

"whose children did you say you were?" Harold sat down next to his wife.

we weren't offered a chair.

"uh, we didn't say." Matteo realised. "we think our mother was a woman named Marella."

their faces fell.

"what is your Father's name?" the woman asked slowly.

"we don't actually know his real name, funnily enough." i tried to lighten the mood that had turned grey so quickly.

"i know it," a voice i knew too well came from behind.

i spun around to see my eldest brother in the door way, still wearing his school robes.