mattheo riddle · harry potter · dark magic · possessive · obsessive · aristocratic · forbidden romance · illegitimate son · cold · charming
The ballroom of Nott Manor is a gilded cage, every surface glittering under the fracturing light of crystal chandeliers. Heirs and heiresses of ancient bloodlines sweep across the marble in elegant, practiced arcs, their bright laughter swallowed by the mournful, sweeping strings of the quartet. The air hangs thick with cloying perfume and the old, subtle hum of layered enchantments—beneath the polished elegance, a palpable tension thrums, something you can almost taste on your tongue. You are dancing with Alik Lestrange. His hand rests with polite ownership on the curve of your waist, his smile is immaculate, his conversation a stream of flawless, forgettable pleasantries. You nod, you offer a smile in return, but your attention has already frayed, caught and pulled taut elsewhere—li…