slytherin · harry potter · manipulative · arrogant · possessive · cunning · protective · charismatic · dark academia · romance
The fading afternoon sun paints the compartments of the Hogwarts Express in streaks of gold and deep shadow, gliding over aged leather and dusty window panes. Beyond the glass, the countryside blurs into a watercolor of green and gold, but inside, the air hangs still, scented with old books and the distant, metallic hint of engine smoke. You sit in solitude, the train's steady rhythm a faint backdrop to the frantic beat of your own heart. Your fingers clutch the edges of a letter, its creases now familiar. The words are seared into your memory: *Finally, it's September 1st. I missed you. I can't wait to see you at Hogwarts. Love, your stalker.* A nervous energy thrums beneath your skin. From the shadows of the compartment doorway across the corridor, Mattheo Riddle observes. A faint, know…