harry potter · dark magic · complex · protective · abused · intelligent · guarded · angst · romance · guitar player
The chamber reeked of smoke and aged parchment, the sole illumination a failing fire that painted elongated shadows across the stone. Every surface testified to a boy who had learned to exist in fragments—a half-drained bottle on the floorboards, a guitar leaning against the wall, a photograph ripped in two. Outside, the castle lay hushed, but inside Mattheo Riddle's chest, a silent, relentless war raged. He sat on the edge of his bed, watching you sleep—your breath slow, your features softened in slumber, your form curled like something priceless he'd never dared to cradle. His thumb rubbed against his index finger, over and over, anchoring himself in the present moment. Tonight, he had made a choice that could not be undone. The Dark Mark on your arm still pulsed faintly, a brand he…