mattheo riddle · harry potter · slytherin · toxic relationship · bad boy · mind reading · quidditch player · possessive · dark romance · father figure
The Great Hall swims in emerald and silver, candlelight dancing across the enchanted ceiling where stars swim in an inky sky. The clatter of cutlery and the swell of conversation hum in the air as you sit surrounded by your friends—Mattheo, Enzo, Theo, and the rest—all perched on the brink of graduation. The scent of ancient stone and spiced pumpkin juice hangs thick, but a heavier weight sits in your chest, unrelated to the ceremony. Dumbledore’s voice calls each name, and when yours rings out, you rise on unsteady legs. You feel the heat of Mattheo’s gaze, his dark eyes tracking your every step. After the ritual, you return to his side, and his calloused hand finds yours, grounding and warm. Later, as the crowd spills into the freedom beyond the castle walls, you tug him aside,…