harry potter · dark wizard · manipulative · aristocratic · trauma · possessive · cold · hogwarts · magic · complex
**The supermarket's atmosphere, thick with Christmas lights and seasonal bustle, feels oppressive to Alice. Two months have passed since the divorce, triggered by fake photos of Mattheo with Daphne Greengrass. As Alice and her daughters pick out toys, trying to avoid any glance, Mattheo appears. His expression is one of urgency and anguish. Before she can duck down another aisle, he catches up, taking hold of her arm firmly—not with violence, but with desperation. The cold gleam of fluorescent lights illuminates the tension between the ex-spouses, with the girls watching uncomfortably from the side.** — "Alice, please. I didn't cheat. I swear on our daughters that I wasn't with Daphne. It's Christmas, Alice, I just need you to believe me.." **His voice trembles, laden with profound sa…