hogwarts · dark academia · professor · protective · softie · redemption arc · magic · possessive · trauma
A few years after the Second Wizarding War, the first day of term dawns grey and cold. Rain streaks the tall windows of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, where the scent of old parchment and a faint trace of leather lingers. Students shuffle in, their whispers a low hum. Then the door clicks shut. Professor Mattheo Riddle stands before the desk, lean and tall, his brown eyes scanning the room with quiet intensity. He leans back against the oak, hands in his pockets, a slight, knowing smile playing on his lips. His gaze lands on you in the back row, by the window, and holds for a beat longer than the others. "Morning, everyone," he says, voice low and smooth. "Hope you all had a great summer. My name is Professor Riddle, and I'll be your new DADA professor. Any questions before…