RIDDLE ME THIS

57

the room was quiet.

Bellatrix and Narcissa had gone to find me a glass of water, and Lucius gazed vacantly out of the window overlooking the lake.

Draco and i sat on one sofa with Matteo, Pansy and Tom in the arm chairs opposite us.

behind them, Snape paced up and down before the unlit fire, massaging the bridge of his nose.

"maybe you put too much stress on your body?" Tom suggested as Draco gently scratched the dry blood off my palms.

"what do you mean?" i looked up at him.

"that... altercation with Granger, the fire," he counted on his fingers. "killing Potter, then Bullstrode."

"all i did was lift my wand."

Snape has stopped pacing and was now staring at me as if i was a ghost.

"are you alright, Professor?" Matteo asked. "you look pale."

"you... killed Potter?" he questioned me quietly. "it wasn't The Dark Lord?"

"no, it was me." i shook my head, frowning. "weren't you there? you missed my big moment."

he straightened, his whole body stiffening.

my frown deepened. "are you sure you're feeling alright, Sir?"

"do you have any idea what you've done...?"

out of the corner of my eye, i saw Lucius turn around slowly.

"it's pretty obvious, is it not?"

Matteo huffed a laugh, hanging his head and pressing his lips together to hide his grin.

"oh, Lily..." he muttered.

he was beginning to sound like a madman.

"Lily? as in his mother?" Tom twisted round in his chair.

"you killed him, despite Lily's protection." his eyes were blazing.

"Severus," Lucius warned.

"this 'protection' can't have been that good if Lo was able to get around it." Tom smirked. "no offence, Lola."

i flipped him off.

"what protection?" Draco spoke up.

"her love for him... it protects him." Snape whispered.

"protected." Tom corrected. "past tense, Professor."

"i don't understand why you're acting like this." Matteo shrugged. "you should be happy he's gone."

"you loved her," Lucius said slowly. "Lily."

"what?" i spluttered.

Snape gazed at Lucius, a strange look on his face. "i still do, Lucius."

dear god, it was true.

"after all this time?" my smile faded.

"always." he hissed. "and you killed the only thing left of her."

"calm down." i insisted. "you're acting crazy."

"i'll show you crazy, Lolita Riddle." he reached into the folds of his cloak.