The Snake Pit || Mattheo Riddle

Chapter 23: A place for a secret meeting

By 7:55pm Octavia took her opportunity to enter the Room of Requirement. The Seventh-Floor corridor was deserted, just the lingering shouts of weekend bliss in the distance, portraits chattering and the yellow light of the flickering lamps for company. Octavia strode casually back and forth, eyes analysing; repeating over and over;

A place for a secret meeting

A place for a secret meeting

A place for a secret meeting

With each careful pace a door emerged from the originally empty, stone wall. The brunette watched it come to life, melting into view, and finally pausing, waiting for her to open the door. Her jade eyes swept over the corridor, assessing for any movement, before striding forward in three short steps opening the door and disappearing along with it.

The door to where she had entered was hidden behind a tall bookcase; its handle, a leather-bound tome, snapping into place as the door closed. Octavia made a noise at the back of her throat, impressed, fascinated. The room was small, the size of a walk-in closet, draped in materials spilling from the walls. Silks of crimson red, luxurious furs of ancient creatures she couldn't quite place and black velvet adorned in lace damask of metallic gold, waterfalled into the space around her. Octavia stationed herself in the middle, turning about on the carpeted floor, rugs overlapping, muffling her every step. Standing lamps cast soft yellow light, fighting their way through the volumes of fabrics, seeking to overwhelm them.

'You came!' the shout had Octavia swinging around and instantly overwhelmed in Slytherin's. Daphne squeezed her into a hug that had Octavia gasping and laughing. Pansy and Theo looking on in amusement. Octavia's chest filled with an overwhelming warmth. Cheeks flushed and grinning, she greeted each of her friends.

'The others are coming later,' Pansy stated, hovering by her side, watching her take in the trio with aching cheeks. She pated her arm with a soft smile, something so sweet on her sharp lips, Octavia could only regard her in affection as a response.

'I missed you!' Daphne squealed shaking Octavia by the shoulders. The latter laughing and reciprocating the sentiment.

'It's been a week, Daph,' Theo teased. Daphne huffed and glared at the boy playfully. The blonde swept her long golden hair over her shoulder in a huff, making an effort for the sweet-smelling locks to brush under Theo's nose. His ashy eyes were bright, never taking them of Daphne, thirsting for every inch of her.

'Daphne has had us plague McGonagall everyday this week, poor old bat expects us by now, she's even started setting up tea for us,' Pansy made an effort to roll her eyes but really, she looked quite pleased, her mouth fighting a smile.

'Besties with the Headmistress, Pans? No, one could have predicted that,' the low drawl of Draco Malfoy swept into the room as the bookshelf swung shut behind him.

'I did actually, she's going to be at my wedding,' Pansy sniffed a superior simper. Draco really laughed then, a deep hearty sound that had him holding his stomach.

'Will your kids call her Aunt Minny?' Draco gasped between his laughter. Pansy slapped him upside the head but it had no effect he kept laughing.

'Who's the groom?' Theo's eyes bulged.

'Now, that's a secret,' Pansy's smile was secretive, all allure and mischief.

'You know who you're going to marry?!' Daphne demanded, the hands resting on her friend's shoulders sagging as she swayed dumbfounded. Octavia couldn't blame her. Pansy said the strangest things sometimes; words wrapped in mystique that made little sense until they did. Suggesting to leave early for Herbology before it rained on a clear day only for it to piss down the moment, they made it the greenhouses or telling Octavia to pack another jumper in her bookbag for Potions because 'trust me, you'll need it,' the day her cauldron exploded. These things Octavia tried not to pay much mind to; coincidences or lucky guesses maybe. This was a little different, a little too all knowing, it was unnerving.