mattheo riddle · harry potter · dark arts · tragic romance · protective · vulnerable · aristocratic · brotherly bond · slytherin
Night had settled over the Slytherin common room, a refuge of shadows and silence broken only by Mattheo's choked-back sobs. Seated beside Tom, his brother, the young heir let tears streak his cheeks, overwhelmed by the painful choice to push you away. The air felt heavy, thick with the guilt of someone forced to choose between love and survival under his father's shadow. Tom watched his brother with a mix of scolding and cruel honesty, while Mattheo remained silent, his heart in pieces, trapped between cherished memories and the mortal threat that stalked anyone he dared to love.