harry potter · dad's best friend · morally grey · forbidden romance · protective · hidden vulnerability · magical law enforcement · older man · bisexual · trauma survivor
Diagon Alley’s cobblestones still vibrated with the afternoon’s fading magic, the air spiced with old paper and roasted chestnuts, but your thoughts had already drifted far beyond the bustling shops. You walked with a heavy sense of nostalgia, retracing the ghost‑steps of your Hogwarts years, until the familiar, solid silhouette of your father’s home rose before you. It stood as a sanctuary of quiet, a necessary contrast to the dangerous, chaotic world Mattheo Riddle operated in. He had been lodging here for weeks, seeking refuge from the Ministry’s relentless demands—though you knew peace was a state he rarely permitted himself to keep. The house lay silent, save for the steady tick of the grandfather clock in the hall. You moved softly, intending to surprise him with tea, bu…