𝙃𝙀𝘼𝙍𝙏𝙇𝙀𝙎𝙎 | mattheo riddle

20 | four down

Layla struts her way back into the party, making sure no one notices she even left. She looks around, holding her purse tightly, as she searches for her next victim.

Liam Matthews; spotted at the bar, taking a shot of fire whiskey.

Layla can't help but chuckle as he chokes on the drink that burns his throat, continuously coughing at the intensity of the liquid.

She walks over, putting a smile on her face and Liam spots her.

"Oh hey Layla." He says, dabbing his mouth with a tissue, cleaning the spilt drink.

"Hey Liam." She smiles. "Fire Whiskey, huh?"

"Yeah. Burns like a bitch." He says, shaking his head. "Water please." He says to the bartender.

"Wow, we've even got a bartender?" Layla asks.

"Yeah, Ri- Mattheo wanted to make sure that this party was one to remember. He likes everything to be to perfection, just the way he likes it."

"Of course." She scoffs. "Feeling better?" She asks, as he takes a sip of water.

"Just about."

"I have a remedy that can soothe your throat if you like." She suggests.

"Really?"

"Yeah. It works like a charm!"

"If you don't mind." He chuckles.

"Follow me." She says, holding his hand and taking him out of the common room.

"Where are you taking me?" He asks nervously.

"I'm so sorry, I actually don't have a remedy."

"What?"

"Yeah, that was just a lie. I just... wanted to tell you something."

"I'm confused... what's wrong?"

"Dylan is extremely upset and I don't know why... he asked me to bring you to the Astronomy Tower. He's waiting there and he won't stop crying." Layla explains.

"That explains why I haven't seen him at the party since."

"Yeah."

"Maybe I should tell Mattheo- he'll know what's wrong."

"NO- I mean no, aha. Dylan is only asking for you." Layla tells him quickly. "I'll show you the way."

"Okay." He says, and he follows her all the way up to the Astronomy Tower, but as soon as they make it up there, Layla pushes Liam hard, until he stumbles right on top of the trap door, falling straight through it.

"OUCH!"

Layla hears Liam exclaim and she looks at the two boys, including Dylan inside the trap.

"Dylan!?" Liam shouts, looking at his friend in confusion.

Dylan frantically tries to speak, but since Layla muted him, there's nothing but muffles. Before Liam can say anything, she casts the Silencio spell on Liam too, so he can't speak either.

"And don't try and escape. Your magic wont work in here." She chuckles, slamming the trap door shut and walking away, back to the party.

Two down, five to go.

I guess I'll go for Lorenzo and Theodore next. But the thing is, those two are inseparable. Best friends they are, and I find that they're always by each other's side. So taking them down one by one will be difficult.

I'm going to have to come up with something else.

"A bag of muggle weed! Anyone? A bag of muggle weed!" Layla hears a Ravenclaw shout, waving about the bag, attempting to be a salesman.

Layla spots him, and quickly rushing towards him, grabbing the bag off of him and handing him ten whole galleons.

"That's equal to about fifty pounds in muggle money. Bye and thanks." She says quickly, before scurrying off back to Enzo and Theodore.

She waves the bag in front of them and their faces light up. Enzo attempts to reach for it, but she pulls it away from him.

"Eh, eh, eh." She shakes her head. "Come with me. Let's get out of here."

"Let's go to the Astronomy Tower, it's the best place to smoke a joint." Enzo suggests, and Layla laughs internally.

Wow, this is easier than I thought.

"Great idea Enzo. You've only been here a couple of days and you know the best spots." Layla says as they head up to the tower.

She keeps her hand on her wand, gripped onto it tightly as she waits for the right moment to strike. There's two of them, so it'll be difficult.

Layla watches as Theodore looks out into the night sky, the wind blowing on his face. His side profile perfect and defined, his eyes focused on the view ahead of him but his mind... elsewhere.

"You okay Theo?" Layla asks him.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He says, snapping out of his trance.

"He's been a bit stressed out lately." Enzo tells her, patting Theodore on the back. "Time for that weed."

Now's the time.

Layla whips out her wand, and casts it towards the two boys, until they stumble back and through the trap door beneath them, landing with a thud.

"What the fuck!?" Theo shouts.

"Dylan!? Liam!?" Enzo exclaims.

With another swish of her wand, the two boys are silenced, and she shuts the trap door once again, before heading back to the party.

That wasn't so difficult.

But Layla couldn't help but feel the tiniest bit of pity for Theo...

Why did he look so... upset? Stressed? Whatever Mattheo Martinez - or whatever his name is - is making those boys do, it must be horrendously evil.

As she makes her way back out of the tower, she stops to think.

Blaise. He's with Luna. But Luna's really upset right now so should I seriously go and bother her, by taking Blaise away? I mean, I have to. He's part of the group, and if he notices that the boys are gone, he's going to be suspicious and ruin the whole plan.

Right, Blaise next. He must be with Luna in her dorm at the Ravenclaw common room.