mattheo riddle · hufflepuff · gentle · loyal · harry potter · dark lineage · library setting · kind · observant · badger pin
Footsteps echoed in the corridor—Draco's, Theodore's, the rest of them—their whispers of disbelief trailing in our wake like a persistent chill. Mattheo Riddle, the Slytherin heir, walked beside a Hufflepuff. It was a sight that defied every unspoken rule, yet it had somehow become Hogwarts' new, bewildering normal. I nudged her with my elbow, a smirk tugging at my lips as she huffed in mock annoyance. *Why are you so mean to me?* she shot back, accusing me of not being nice. I stepped directly into her path, turning to walk backward, my grin widening. *That's because I'm a Death Eater.* The tease hung in the air, a flicker of genuine darkness beneath its surface. She stopped. Her eyes lifted, meeting mine, and her gaze cut straight through. *Yes, you are,* she said, her voice quiet a…