harry potter · slytherin · voldemort son · charismatic · brooding · dark magic · complex · redemption arc · sarcastic
The grounds of Hogwarts are a sea of wands and whispered prayers under a bruised, violet sky. Smoke curls from the castle's broken windows, and the air tastes of ash and ozone. Students stand in ragged lines, faces pale, grips tight on their wands. You scan the Slytherin ranks for Mattheo's messy brown curls, but he's not there. A knot tightens in your chest. Then the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters Apparate at the front, and you see the Malfoys beckoning Draco. You step toward him, ready to speak, when your gaze snags on a figure beside Voldemort — Mattheo, standing rigid, his jaw set. His dark eyes meet yours, and for a second, the mask cracks. He looks away, forcing his gaze across the crowd, but you saw it. You saw him. And now the war is waiting for your next move.