All The Lies You Tell - MATTHEO RIDDLE

Chapter 34

My breathing is ragged as I grip the wall and spin around the corner, my bare feet sliding across the wooden floor. I feel the rapid beat of my heart and realize it's fear. Fear for knowing what must happen next.

Racing down the steps as fast as I can, I suddenly trip over my two left feet and slam into a door. Luckily, it was the door I was looking for. I try the knob without knocking and see that it's locked. Huffing and bouncing impatiently, I bang my fist against the wood. I realize it's an ungodly hour and I hear the faint sounds of others peaking their heads out of their rooms to see what the commotion is all about.

After about five seconds of no reply, I bang again, louder if that's possible. Soon a very tired and very annoyed Loui yanks the door open. Irritation written all over his expression. His hair is a mess and he's sporting joggers with no top.

Then Enid peaks his head around Loui's shoulder. I notice Loui's roommate is nowhere to be found. I'm suddenly thankful for that. When Enid sees me, he pushes his way forward towards me. He takes one look at my face and the color soon drains out of his. He knows what I'm going to say. He just needs me to say the words.

"It's time," I mutter.

I tap my foot against the floor anxiously. I'm chewing a hole straight through my finger. The terror written all over everyone is unsettling. It brings me back.

Enid, Loui, and I sped towards Slytherin house, forced a poor fourth year out of his sleep to let us in, and ran to everyone's rooms to wake them up. Now we're all crowded in Mattheo's room doing... Well I'm not sure. I haven't mentally been here since I arrived.

"Hermione!", a voice then shouts, breaking me from my trance.

"What?", I croak.

"I said, what did Bellatrix say to you?," Mattheo repeats.

I gulp, trying to find words. "She told me that she knows I haven't been following her orders and there will be 'consequences'."

"Orders?", Draco asks. "What orders?"

I sigh and give a heartbreaking glance in Mattheo's direction.

"To not be with Mattheo."

I see his rough exterior crack a little at my words. I know he's thinking right now that this is all his fault. I wish I could just wrap him up in my arms and run away from all this. Find a small cabin in the woods and never talk to another living soul except each other ever again. I think I may do that when this is all over.

"Well we have to go along with the plan," Enid states. "This is what we've been working for."

"It's too soon!," Marco exclaims. "We're not ready. I'm not ready."

Liv lays a comforting hand on Marco's arm. "You're ready. I've seen how much you've grown."

Marco musters up the biggest smile he can, which at the moment isn't very big, but at least he's trying. We're all trying. It's all we can do.

"So, do you mean right now at this very second? Or can we like wait till the morning, because I am really ti-"

"Loui, shut up."

"No," Mattheo mumbles. "We have to go now. The sooner that bitch is in the ground the better."

"Where will we go?"

"The forest. Far, far into the forest."

Great. The forbidden forest gives me the creeps.

And I hate that I've managed to rope myself into standing there right now. We walked a good distance into the woods. Trees tower over us like a cage, trapping us inside. I turn around only to see the entrance has disappeared. I guess there really is no turning back now.