Mattheo Riddle

It all began a few months after you transferred to Hogwarts. Initially, it was just cute notes, flowers, chocolates, and other sweet items. You’d find them left by your desk or delivered by an owl. You assumed that your secret admirer must just be shy. Oh how wrong you were.

They were sweet at first. Carefully hand written notes talking about how pretty you are, how your smile lights up a room, and sometimes they came with gifts. Chocolates from Honeydukes, small bouquets of flowers, even occasionally jewellery. You knew they were from the same person because they would always be addressed “To my princess.”

However everything started to become eerie when all those objects, which used to be placed on your desk or in common places, now consistently made their appearance in your dorm room on your bed.

This has been going on for almost six months and the notes had recently started to take a turn as well. Instead of just compliments, the notes became long drawn out writings planning your future together; how after graduation you two would run away together and get married, how you would have the happy loving relationship that his parents didn’t have, how you and your children would want for nothing. You didn’t even know this person’s identity and he was picking out names for your children and assuring you he’d be nothing like his father.

Sometimes the note would apologise for not spending enough time with you and other times they would be frantic ramblings about how you were the only one that made him feel loved and begging you not to leave. Those ones usually came with the most expensive gifts. Almost as if trying to bribe you to “stay.”

Last week you’d arrived at your dorm accompanied by your friend Hermione to be greeted with a long note telling you every little thing that he loved about you including how you didn’t judge someone because of their heritage. With the note had been a small ring box and when you opened it there was a silver ring with a small note ensuring that he’d replace the promise ring with a real engagement ring soon. Hermione thought it was so sweet and bothered you all night asking about your “secret boyfriend.” You didn’t have the heart to tell her that your “boyfriend” was more like a stalker. You had no idea how it had come to this.

While you might have had no idea what you’d done Mattheo Riddle would never forget it.

Mattheo’s reputation was beyond bad. He smoked, skipped classes, got into fights, and had made nearly every girl that approached him cry by the time he left. And as if that wasn’t enough to make any sane person run for the hills, to top it all off he was the son of the Dark Lord Voldemort. People who know what was good for them either avoided Mattheo or were sworn in to his father’s circle either willingly or not.

Suffice to say not many people were singing the praises of Mattheo Riddle. In fact some who were rather bold about their dislike. He’d heard it all. How he was a psychopath just like his father, how he was born evil, how people should avoid him unless the want to be sucked into the world of the Death Eaters. Older student would even warn younger students to stay out of his way.

”Stay away from Riddle. He’s no good.” “I mean, come on, he’s the son of the Dark Lord.” “Shh. Keep your mouth shut. Don’t look at him.” “He’s dangerous just like his father.”

Mattheo had gotten used to hearing his name in fearful whispers. That’s why you stood out to him. You were the new transfer student. The first time he noticed you was actually when you bumped into him in the hall. He was skipping History of Magic and you were clearly on your way to said class and were running spectacularly late. You had turned a corner and run straight into Mattheo but rather than looking up in fear, you looked worried. Not worried about him but worried for him.

You had started spouting out apologies and asking if he was okay. You’d even picked up his cigarettes and handed them back to him. But Mattheo wasn’t listening to what you were saying. He was completely taken with the look in your eyes. That look of genuine concern and worry for his wellbeing that he hadn’t seen from anyone. Not even his own mother.

Mattheo knew instantly that you must have no idea who he is. Instead of running, you were checking on him with genuine concern. Mattheo decided in that moment that he didn’t need to shove you into a wall like he might normally have with anyone else who’d gotten in his way on a bad day. Rather he bent over and picked up a few of your books that had gone flying when you collided with him.

Had you known who he was you might have realised how incredibly out of character it was for Mattheo Riddle to be helping someone pick up their books. However you just gave him a smile thanking him and he sent you on your way, books in hand, giving you directions to the right class room as you rush to get to class. Mattheo tried not to think too much about the things your sweet smile did to him.

That might have been the end of it if you hadn’t caught his attention again just a few days later. You were sitting at lunch with your friends when you saw Mattheo enter the Great Hall. You waved at him explaining to Hermione and Harry that he was ‘that sweet guy that helped you pick up your books.’ Both of them seemed to go a little pale as you waved at the Mattheo Riddle.

Mattheo had to stifle at smirk at the sight of Potter almost losing all the colour in his face as you just smiled softly. Hermione quickly broke out of her stupor and grabbed your shoulder turning you away from Mattheo. “Don’t look. That’s Mattheo Riddle. He’s the son of Voldemort and the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.” Harry nodded along. “He’s bad news and has a hell of a temper. You should stay away from him. It’s for your own good.”

Mattheo watched as you glanced over your shoulder at him as he walked to join the Slytherin table knowing that you would be the next on the long list of people who feared and avoided him. Except then you said something he hadn’t expected. “That can’t be right. He definitely helped me. Maybe he’s not as bad as he seems.” Mattheo had nearly frozen at those words causing Theodore Nott to give him a side eye but not ask any questions.

Mattheo had been prepared for many things but he hadn’t been prepared for you to defend him. From that point on he noticed everything about you. Mattheo just couldn’t help it. You were one of the only people that treated him like a normal person, like he wasn’t the son of Voldemort, like he wasn’t someone to be feared. What had started off as small grew the more that Mattheo was able to interact with you.

While your friends usually tried to keep you away from him they couldn’t stop you from interacting with him during the classes you shared with him. So Mattheo started attending every class that you two had together sometimes leaving you little notes or gifts. He loved the way your eyes would light up and or the way you’d smile at the gifts he left.

That had also been the first tip off for his friends that something was up. Since when did Mattheo Riddle actually attend all of his classes? The next tip off had been when he stopped showing any interest in the girls that would occasionally flirt with him. But the finally straw was when he told Nott that he was quitting smoking. Theo had nearly dropped his already lit cigarette and Zabini stared at Mattheo like the guy had grown two more heads.

But that didn’t stop Mattheo. At this point you were practically in a relationship with him. At least in his mind. Besides it needed to be secretive so that no one targeting you for being associated with him. So rather than slowing down Mattheo only amplify everything.

Now you were sitting in your dorm room with a promise ring and a very curious Hermione and you had no idea that it was your offhand comments that had gotten you here.