RIDDLE ME THIS

56

Father rubbed his chest, a grimace on his face.

i knew Blaize, Enzo and Theo must have found another horcrux.

the courtyard was ghostly silent, the flagstones smashed and covered in rubble.

the wind whistled eerily, stirring up piles of leaves and clouds of dust.

the Death Eaters sorted themselves into regimented rows and i had earned a position of honour, standing at my Father's right hand side.

Draco stood slightly behind me and Tom stood on Father's left with Matteo beside him.

a few paces behind Draco stood Bellatrix, Pansy and Mr and Mrs Malfoy.

slowly, warily, the teachers and pupils of Hogwarts crept out of the school.

when a sizeable crowd of them had gathered, Father glided forwards.

"Harry Potter..." he spread his arms. "is dead!"

screams rose from the crowd as they registered the limp form in Hagrid's arms.

"by the hand of my daughter," he turned to me. "Lolita."

i stepped forward to join him and he laughed.

it was a strange, awkward sound, one he never made.

Ginny Weasley started forwards but her mother grabbed her arm, pulling her back.

"you monster!" she screamed, her voice carrying on the wind. "you murderer!"

Father's hand gripped my shoulder, silently commanding me to ignore her, not to let her spiteful words get to me.

from the crowd stepped a weak, withered figure.

everyone quietened—even the wind seemed to pause.

he removed his hood and assessed our army... Dumbledore.

"Tom Riddle..." he lifted a finger, pointing to Father. "Senior."

the Hogwarts crowd quitened, as did we.

"if you believe you will get away with this, you are sorely mistaken."

Father stepped forward, raising his wand. "i've overpowered you once, Albus... i can do it again."

"not here, Tom." Dumbledore shook his head and apperated.

"keep them in line." Father said in my ear before disappearing in pursuit of the headmaster.

Draco stepped up, taking place at my right hand side with Tom beside him.

Matteo stood to my left with Pansy at his side.

we glared out at the sea of horrified faces, who stared right back at us.

"how could you?" McGonogal stepped forward. "help is always available at Hogwarts, to those who ask for it! you could have spoken to someone!"

"help is always available to those who you believe deserve it." i corrected venomously. "help is always available to Gryffindor, and Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff."

"Lolita-"

"Slytherins are confined in the dungeon common room, kept out of the way and sat at the back of classrooms. the moment we're sorted, we're written off."

"that's just not true!" McGonogal continuted. "Millicent Bullstrode was brave enough to come to me for help and advice..."

she trailed off as i slowly turned, scanning the faces for Millicent Bullstrode.