The cold stone walls of the darkened dungeon sent a chill through your bones as you were shoved forward by the De4th Eaters.

As the door creaked open, your eyes scanned the room and everything seemed to freeze. Your pulse quickened in an entirely different way as you saw them—your friends. The very people who had once been your closest allies, standing there in their De4th Eater robes, looking almost unrecognizable in their loyalty to V0Idemort.

Mattheo, Theodore, Draco, Blaise, Lorenzo, Regulus, and... Tom.

All of them were standing there. Watching. Silent.

V0Idemort’s voice cut through the tension. "Ah, they have brought you to me," he hissed.

It was then that Tom stepped forward, his eyes flicking between you and V0Idemort.

"I don’t think so," Tom’s voice was smooth, but his words carried weight—power, authority, and something else that made the air feel thick with danger. “Do you?” His gaze flickered to the others as if daring them to challenge him. “She is mine.”

The room fell into an eerie silence. Draco’s lip twitched in a way that might’ve been a sneer. Blaise shifted slightly, his eyes glinting, but he stayed silent as well. Lorenzo, Regulus, and Theodore all exchanged uncertain glances, their uncertainty palpable. The line between their loyalty to V0Idemort and their friendship with you was blurred, and for a split second, you could see it—they cared.

V0Idemort’s gaze snapped toward Tom. "You think you can defy me, boy?"

Tom didn’t flinch. "I don’t think. I know."

You felt your heart skip a beat as Tom’s hand reached out. His eyes never left yours, and for a moment, it was as though the world had narrowed down to just the two of you.

"You don’t have to be afraid," Tom murmured, his voice low, almost gentle. "I’ll protect you."

The De4th Eaters stood there, uncertain, some of them clearly feeling the tension in the air, but none of them spoke.

But you didn’t need to look at them. You only had eyes for Tom.

His words, his protection, his promise… they were enough.