Rylin Riddle

chapter 48

April 16, 1998 (sunday)

I woke up with a blanket over me, laying down. I looked around and recognized Tom's living room. I blinked to adjust to the bright sun and saw Mattheo sleeping on the couch next to the one I was on.

"How long have we been here?" I asked, fully awake in seconds.

Mattheo woke up and smiled, yelling for Tom.

"Where's Theo?" I asked again, standing up.

"We didn't find him, remember?" Mattheo hugged me.

I'm fine.

No pain, no anything.

I held up my left arm and saw that it was wrapped in gauze and a bandage.

The tears started to flow the second I remembered everything that happened. I never found him. Theo could still be out there.

What if he's dead?

"We have to go back. We have to find him. I- I can't just let him be lost." I started to sob.

Tom rushed into the living room and asked what happened. Mattheo told him I woke up and flipped out.

I kept sobbing.

"Let's go. Come on, we have to go." I begged them, looking around for a wand.

"Ry, it's been two days. You've been passed out for two days now. He's not at Hogwarts anymore. No one is." Tom told me.

Two days?

It's been two days since we've seen anyone?

"I don't care. We can use spells or something." I tried to reason.

My arm was itchy from the bandage.

"Erg, get this thing off of me!" I yelled, ripping the bandage and gauze off my arm.

"Ry, you really shouldn't-" Tom started.

I froze when I saw my skin.

My dark mark had turned dark green, almost black. Somehow it was even more noticeable than before. The skin was welted and bloody, bruised like it was during the war.

"You need to tell us everything that happened after Potter woke back up." Mattheo instructed, waiting.

So I did.

I told them every detail I could remember from the war. From the moment we all broke through Hogwarts' barrier to when I passed out.

"Enzo left you a letter. He said he'd be back to check on you as soon as you woke up." Mattheo told me, hesitation filling his voice. He handed me a folded piece of parchment and forced a small smile.

He didn't want to give it to me, I could tell.

"You should go shower and relax." They suggested, looking at each other. I agreed and went upstairs, going directly into the bathroom.

Inside, I stopped in front of the mirror. My hair was brushed out and my skin had been cleaned for the most part.

They probably did some spell on me.

I had a few cuts on my face and spots on my arms and legs from all the spells.

I ripped open the letter from Enzo and read it quickly.

Ry,

I'm not sure how long it will be before you read this. I know you're unconscious and I know you were hurt. Mattheo and Tom updated me on what they knew when I found you guys.