Slipping Secrets (Rhya Riddle- Book 2)

An Argument at Breakfast

When I woke up the next morning, my eyes were crusted together, stinging with the salty remains from last night's tears. Picking out black jeans and a black top I got dressed slowly, and brushed my hair without looking in the mirror. I didn't know what I had hoped for, maybe I would have made myself look better and taken the worst of the shock over my appearance away. But before I left downstairs I peeped at my reflection in the bathroom.

My hair was sticking to my skull, and my eyes were bloodshot and drawn back, making my face look gaunt. I closed them for a second, trying to get angry, maybe have them flash red to cover up my expression but they were just a dull green when I looked back.

"Screw this," I muttered and stalked out the door and down the corridor, away from my reflection. I passed Lucius' study and paused outside the open door. My uncle was going through a large, black chest on his desk. Curious, I walked forward silently.

"What's all that?"

Lucius jumped, turning around. "God, Rhya!"

I ignored him and piced up a small dagger that lay inside the old chest. It was a dull silver and the tip was coated in what looked like dried blood. There were other things in the box too, including vials full of dark liquids, stone boxes cared with strange runes and a couple of deformed skulls. "Scary."

Lucius sighed. "They're objects from the days when... your father was still at large."

"What are they doing out now?" I reached for a worn looking black diary, but he caught my wrist. My temper flared briefly and I shook him off.

"I presume you've come across the Weasley family at Hogwarts?"

I remembered Ron and his flaming hair and large appetite. "Yeah, I know them."

"Well their Blood-Traitor father has launched another investigation into dark magic and it's uses on his beloved Muggles. He's petitioning to have us investigated. Of course they can't get us for anything too big, the Minister of Magic is far too dependent on my funding, but it could bring up some past issues that are best left in the past."

"Are you going to hide it all?"

"Not all of it, we shall be visiting a certain part of Knockturn Alley when we go to buy your school things, though. I suggest you go and have breakfast now, though."

I left him to his sorting and continued walking down to the dining room.

My brother was sitting at the head of the table when I arrived, and I took the seat perfectly opposite him. We both avoided eachother's eyes. Draco sat halfway in between us, unsure of what to do. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but closed it again.

After a couple of seconds there was a sharp crack and Dobby appeared with a platter of breakfast. He handed Draco and I jam toast and laid cereal out for Marcal, who avoided looking at him. I noticed Dobby's hands were wrapped in bandages and as I watched the end of one slipped down, revealing his nail melted around his finger which was red and blistering. I stifled a sob.

"I-I'm just going to eat this in my room..." Draco said and took his toast with him as he left. A moment later, Dobby disappeared too, leaving my brother and me alone.

"You look awful," Marcal said at last.

"You've noticed. Well done."

 He sighed. "Rhya, why do you do this? One minute you're friends with Potter and Weasley, flirting with Blaise and the next you're approving of the torture of house elves and being sarcastic. Are you bipolar or something?"

"No, I'm not. I'm the daughter of Lord Voldemort, I'm doing what's in my blood." I felt empty and I hated what I was saying, but I couldn't think of anything else to say. "What about you, brother? You seemed happy enough to be in Slytherin last time I checked."