Reflections - Mattheo Riddle

Chapter 2

Pressing her finger to her lips, Kirra led Harry on tiptoes past a pair of long, moth-eaten curtains, behind which Harry supposed there must be another door, and after skirting a large umbrella stand that looked as though it had been made from a severed troll's leg, they started up the dark staircase, passing a row of shrunken heads mounted on plaques on the wall. 

The three Slytherins followed after them, not bothering to hide their dislike for the elder Potter sibling. A closer look showed Harry that the heads belonged to house-elves. All of them had the same rather snoutlike nose.

Harry's bewilderment deepened with every step he took. What on earth were they doing in a house that looked as though it belonged to the Darkest of wizards?

"Kirra, why — ?"

"This was the safest place for us to stay," Kirra whispered distractedly. "There" — they had reached the second landing — "you're the door on the right." Kirra stepped back so her brother could go through. Harry crossed the dingy landing, turned the bedroom doorknob, which was shaped like a serpent's head, and opened the door.

He caught a brief glimpse of a gloomy high-ceilinged, twin-bedded room. 

Kirra stood next to her brother, "I cleaned it up a bit for y-" then there was a loud twittering noise, followed by an even louder shriek, and Harry's vision was completely obscured by a large quantity of very bushy hair — Hermione had thrown herself onto him in a hug that nearly knocked him flat, while Ron's tiny owl, Pigwidgeon, zoomed excitedly round and round their heads.

"HARRY! Ron, he's here, Harry's here! We didn't hear you arrive! Oh, how are you? Are you all right? Have you been furious with us? I bet you have, I know our letters were useless — but we couldn't tell you anything, Dumbledore made us swear we wouldn't, oh, we've got so much to tell you, and you've got to tell us — the dementors! When we heard — and that Ministry hearing — it's just outrageous, I've looked it all up, they can't expel you, they just can't, there's provision in the Decree for the Restriction of Underage Sorcery for the use of magic in life-threatening situations —"

"Let him breathe, Hermione," said Ron, grinning.

"Right well do you want me to sta-"

"It's alright, you can leave." Harry said blankly, looking at his sister who's mouth was rather quick to close. 

"Watch your tone mate-"

"I'm not your mate, stay out of it," Harry said, cutting Jasper off as the curly haired brunette stepped forward. 

Mattheo's jaw clenched tightly, he went to step towards Harry but Kirra quickly spoke up. "Right, well Mattheo' and my room is just down the hall, if you need anything just knock." She said softly. She couldnt blame Harry for being upset with her, he had been forced to stay with the Dursleys for the past few weeks and she couldnt even tell him where she was or what she was doing.

"What so you, your boyfriend and little snake friends could stay here, but I couldnt?" Harry snapped, not being able to hold himself back. 

Ron and Hermione stayed silent. The three Slytherins looked pissed beyond belief but stayed silent as Kirra stepped forward. She gave Harry a soft smile, "I'm sorry Harry, but this is the way that it had to be."

Harry was about to say something but was cut off. There was a soft whooshing sound and something white soared from the top of a dark wardrobe and landed gently on Harry's shoulder.

"Hedwig!" The snowy owl clicked her beak and nibbled his ear affectionately as Harry stroked her feathers.

"She's been in a right state," said Ron. "Pecked us half to death when she brought your last letters, look at this —"