Babysitters

Chapter 17

           VERONICA VALDEZ

I walked through the front door nervously. Theo should already be here, he left the table before I did, but when I looked around, searching for his tall frame I saw nothing. Just the dark summer night, falling over the Malfoys garden like a cloak.
I took a few steps forward, squinting my eyes. The darkness allowed me to see nothing, and I think I wouldn't have seen Theo in his black suit even if he was standing right in front of me.
The few steps turned into more steps until I was at least 100 meters away from the house, next to a tall tree. My legs were hurting from the heels I forced them into for the sake of looking formal. My hand brushed against the rough surface of the tree. I let it stay there, allowing me to get some support to stand. Then I heard the front door open but before I turned to look who it was my hand felt something. A small hole on the trees trunk.
I turned to look, only to notice that it wasn't a hole, not at all. It was a carving. It was hidden behind a small branch, safe from anyone who wasn't actively looking for it or just wasn't standing right next to the tree. I leaned down, taking a closer look. It was a crescent with a writing inside. 

In darkness, I'm silent, yet always near,
Shape-shifting, I bring both joy and fear.
Without me, light cannot be seen near.

I frowned at the riddle. My interest was piqued and I wanted to take my time to solve it. Why is it here? Who wrote it? Does it have a deeper meaning?
I had so many questions, yet no answers, and now I could clearly see who the person walking towards me was. As expected, Theo.
I quickly took a step away from the tree. I don't know why but I didn't want Theo to see the carving. I wanted it to be my little secret, my mystery to solve, though I obviously didn't know if Theo had already seen it.

"Hey," Theo said as he finally reached me.
"Hey."
Theo shifted his weight from one leg to another, looking uncomfortable. "Listen, Ver', I'm sorry about the other night. I just... I had a bad day and—"
The front door crashed open and two people ran outside, looking around frantically.
"Is that—"
"Cazzo..." Theo muttered and grabbed my hand, beginning to drag me to the opposite  "That's just Enzo and Mattheo, what's wrong?" I don't know why but my voice came out as a whisper. I had a feeling I should keep my voice down for whatever reason since Theo did too.
"I have to tell you something," Theo started, speaking quickly while pulling on my wrist with so much power it was almost hurting.
"Theo, shut the fuck up!" Mattheo shouted from a distance. They had seen us and started running towards our direction. "I swear to God, if you say a thing—"
"What?" I asked confused. There was clearly something I didn't know and the curious person I was wanted to know everything.
"When I left during breakfast the other da—" Theo couldn't finish his sentence before Mattheo had already reached us and was pulling Theo away from me with harsh movements.
"I told you you can't tell her!" Mattheo hissed into Theo's face, gripping his shoulder tightly.
"She has the right to know!" Theo argued and pushed Mattheo away, making him stumble back.
"How many fucking times do I have to tell you—"

I wanted to listen on the conversation, to hear what Theo had to say but Enzo took my hand and gently pulled me aside back towards the tree, away from the two boys. I followed him hesitantly, my head filled with questions. The situation escalated so quickly I felt almost dizzy.
"What can't Theo tell me? I know I haven't been here for long and you don't need to trust me but if it's something that involves me I have a right to kno—"
"Shh," Enzo hushed. His mouth was gaping as he looked over his shoulder at the two of them fighting. "It's nothing. Really."
"Well it clearly is something," I frowned and pulled my hand back. "Why is it so important to Mattheo that I can't know whatever it is Theo wants me to hear?"
"Because if Theo tells you he will get in trouble. You'll find out... eventually," Enzo sighed and tried to grab my hand again but I didn't let him. "Let's go back inside Ver'."
"Don't Ver' me, I want to know! Tell me the truth!" I was about to give him a full speech of how annoying it is to know that you don't know and that this secretive thing that was going on between them was pissing me off.
"Can you just let it go and accept the fact you'll find out later?" Enzo said, his tone changing from quiet and calm to something more aggressive. He was getting annoyed, but so was I.
"Seriously, fuck this," I scoffed and turned around, starting to march towards the mansion. I was tired of this, why couldn't they just tell me? I was deeply offended.
Enzo didn't follow me or say a thing, even though I kind of hoped him to.
As I reached the stairs to the entrance the only thing I could hear was Theo's and Mattheo's angry voices arguing in the distance, and Enzo's much quieter speaking, most probably trying to break their fight.

I have always hated fighting. It gives me unnecessary anxiety and stress and that leads to a messed up sleeping schedule and a bad mood in general.
What could be so bad they couldn't tell me?
Well, they were death eaters so it could be basically anything, but I was sure I could handle the truth.
Or could I not?
I didn't know. Whatever it was seemed important and I made a promise to myself to figure it out myself. I could snoop around and eavesdrop, figure it out myself. Enzo, Mattheo and the others can take their stupid secrets and shove it right up their—never mind.

Most of my night went with me thinking about all possibilities of their secret, but there was something else also bugging me. The carving. The crescent. The riddle.
Does the crescent have a meaning?
Is the riddle related to something?
I know I have to figure them out. First the asshole Riddle's secret and then the crescent riddle.
What a funny coincidence.

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A/N:
Hello loves
Another week, another update ;) This chapter and I are having a heated argument about whether it is or is not good enough. I say it's not, but it's not entirely my fault. I don't know what has happened but when I tried to do the last edits to this chapter here (I don't actually write anything in wattpad since it's honestly 💩, gotta use some other platform), Watt-fucking-Pad would not cooperate, so if the appearance is off in some ways, don't blame me. I tried my best🫡
Please vote and comment if u liked the chap (I did not) because it motivates me to update quicker for you :)
Love u all x