It was a bitter October night, the kind that seemed to seep beneath your skin no matter how many layers you wore. The trees surrounding Riddle Manor stood tall and skeletal, their twisted branches scraping against the wind like claws, guarding the ancient estate buried deep within the Forbidden Forest.

Inside the grand meeting hall, cold stone walls echoed with the low hum of murmured conversation. Flames flickered in the iron sconces lining the room, casting shadows that danced like phantoms across the long obsidian table. Death Eaters filed in one by one—black robes trailing behind them, faces half-lit in firelight, each one carrying the heavy weight of the Dark Mark beneath their sleeves.

You slipped into your usual seat near the center, beside Avery, who leaned back in his chair with that lazy, crooked grin he always wore when he wasn’t taking anything too seriously.

“You should’ve seen Mulciber nearly trip over his own cloak in front of the Dark Lord last week,” Avery whispered under his breath, his voice laced with amusement.

You stifled a laugh, pressing your fingers to your lips. “You’re lying.”

“Swear on Salazar’s grave. Nearly landed on Travers.”

You giggled softly, the sound surprisingly warm against the chill in the room. For a moment, the tension in your chest loosened. But then—

You looked up.

And your laughter died in your throat.

Across the long table, just beyond the flicker of the firelight, sat Tiberius Nott.

His eyes were locked on you—ice cold, unmoving, calculating. The kind of stare that felt like it could peel back your skin and read every hidden thought underneath. He didn’t blink. He didn’t speak. He didn’t even pretend to look away when you caught him.

A slow shiver crept up your spine. Your skin prickled with goosebumps, though the room had grown no colder.

He sat perfectly still, one hand draped over the armrest, the other resting on the table beside his wand. His dark robes looked almost like shadows themselves, and the jagged scar running just below his jaw caught the firelight for the briefest moment, reminding you exactly who he was—and what he was capable of.

Avery said something beside you, but you didn’t hear it. Your breath caught as you held Tiberius’s gaze for a heartbeat longer, then quickly looked away, heart thudding hard against your ribs.

He hadn’t smiled. He hadn’t said a word. But that stare… it said enough.

Whatever game had just begun between you two—it wasn’t going to be a gentle one.