Cassian and Lyra were nestled in your bed, their little faces full of excitement as they awaited the story you had promised. You were sitting next to them, a blanket draped over your legs.

"It was a dark time," you began, lowering your voice to a whisper. "A time when no one dared defy him."

"Who was he, Mummy?" Lyra asked, leaning in closer.

"You know who he is," you said, a smile tugging at the corner of your mouth. "The most dangerous De4th Eater of them all… Mattheo."

Cassian’s eyes grew wide. "Daddy was a De4th Eater?"

You nodded. "Yes. He used to cast dark spells with no hesitation—he was a master of chaos and destruction."

Just as you spoke the words, a familiar figure appeared in the doorway. Mattheo stood there, leaning against the frame.

"Are you telling them that story again?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Lyra and Cassian immediately burst out laughing. "Daddy!" they squealed in unison.

Mattheo strode into the room. "Ah, yes. The story of the most dangerous De4th Eater in all of wizarding history," he said dramatically, bowing low as if he were the villain himself.

Cassian giggled. "Daddy, that sounds so cool!"

"You think so?" Mattheo asked with a mock-evil smile.

Lyra gasped, clutching your arm. "What did Mummy do?"

"Your mummy?" Mattheo said, rolling his eyes. "She tried to stop me. She was clever—too clever. She always knew my next move. I couldn’t get anything past her, could I, love?"

You raised an eyebrow. "You fell for me, remember?"

Mattheo grinned, his expression softening as he reached out and ruffled Cassian’s hair. "Oh, I fell for her. Hard. She saw me—not just the De4th Eater, not just the chaos I caused. She saw what I could be… and I couldn’t stay in the darkness anymore."

"But you used to be bad," Lyra said.

"I did," Mattheo said "I made a lot of mistakes. But then your mummy showed me there was another way. A better way."

"You stopped being evil?" Cassian asked.

Mattheo chuckled. "Well, I’m still a bit evil. I do steal the last piece of cake every now and then."

"That’s not evil!" Lyra laughed.

"Ah, but it’s close enough," Mattheo said with a wink. "Besides, I traded my wand for better things—like you two." He pulled both kids into his arms, hugging them tightly. "There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you."

You leaned over, kissing the top of Mattheo’s head.

Mattheo’s smile softened as he looked at you. "I’ve changed. And for you, I’d do anything." His voice became more serious for a moment. "The world may have known me as something else, but now? I’m theirs."