The Last Riddle

21. Christmas Ribbons

The day after the dueling club I spent my time curled up on the sofa reading everything I could about parsle tongue. Of course I had to beg Blaise to go and retrieve the book for me due to how bad it would look if I checked it out.

That evening Draco came running into the common room excitedly shouting news of another attack on a student. His face was lit up with excitement and soon a small crowd gathered around him, Blaise and I stayed towards the back but never the less moved closer to hear more.

"Who is it that was frozen this time Draco?" Pansy Parkinson a girl in my year asked as she looked at Draco with doting eyes.

Draco smiles and looks around at the crowd clearly happy to be the center of attention "just some Hufflepuff I didn't even see who exactly. I'll ask the prefects when they get back from their meeting with Snape. It was weird even that Gryffindor ghost Nearly Headless Nick was petrified to!"

The crowd gasps and people start shouting in shock. Not only was a student attacked but this time a ghost as well, who can be doing this? Soon the crowd disperses and people sit in groups whispering excitedly about the news.

Draco walks over to the sofa Blaise and I are now sat on and sits next to me leaning closer "listen Angelica." He starts catching both mine and Blaise's attention immediately and we lean closer together to hear him over the other students. He lowers his voice and looks around nervously "I didn't want to say who it was straight away cos I wanted to warn you. But Potter it's bad news."

I gulp "who is it Draco? Who was it this time?"

Draco's face pales slightly and a grimace makes its way onto his face "Justin Flinch-Fletchley. The boy who the snake turned on last night."

Blaise lets out a low groan "Merlin's beard. People are going to be sure you and Harry are to blame now, it's only going to get worse Ang."

I look away from the two boys and stare in to the large fireplace nodding my head in understanding.

They were right and in the days following the attack on poor Justin, Hogwarts is alight with whispers of who is to blame. Rumours are spread and conspiracies are quickly formed.

Firstly that Harry is the heir and secondly that I am also the heir (considering we are twins it wouldn't make much sense if only one of us were) and assisting my brother in the attacks. People avoid me even more than they already did in the corridors, skirting out of my way and avoiding eye contact with me.

I have seen Harry walking along with the two Weasley twins as they shout out jokes about how he is the heir and picking his next target. They laugh loudly and I can even see a slight amount of humour in my brothers eyes.

Unfortunately I do not have any loud and garish friends to escort me from class to class, instead Blaise and I walk in silence as I try and hide my face with my long dark hair. I am tripped up by older students who claim loudly that they aren't afraid of me, Gryffindors glare at me and the Hufflepuffs in my year who I assume are friends with Justin whisper loudly about me. I know it can't be easy on Harry right now but I have a feeling that it is slightly worse for me due to my school house.

Thankfully the Christmas holidays soon arrive with only a few students choosing to stay behind meaning that I will not be the subject of such open stares for the next few weeks. In all of Slytherin only myself, Draco, Goyle and Crabbe have decided to stay over Christmas. Blaise begged me to spend the holidays with him several times right up until he walked out of the castle and got onto carriages towards the station. Telling me how amazing it will be just the two of us and his mother travelling to exotic countries and celebrating Christmas Day as a group.