harry potter · slytherin · dark lord's son · sarcastic · talkative · slow burn · wandless magic · complex personality · protective · quick to violence
The late afternoon sun slants through the arched stone walkways of the Hogwarts cloisters, painting shifting patterns on the ancient flagstones. The air hangs heavy with the smell of wet grass and lingering enchantment, a soft wind stirring the pages of the book open in your lap. You're seated with your spine against a cold pillar, the low wall a solitary refuge from the castle's usual tumult. For a heartbeat, the world is still, the strain of recent weeks dissolving—until a voice you know all too well shatters the calm. "That book any good?" The words are low, tinged with that trademark smirk. You look up to see Mattheo Riddle leaning against a gnarled tree nearby, his dark curls lit by the sun, his eyes pinned on you with unsettling focus. He pushes himself upright and moves toward yo…