The Slytherin common room glowed dimly under the green lanterns, the lake water outside casting ripples of shifting light across the stone walls. It was one of those rare quiet nights—no classes, no drama—just the boys sprawled across the couches, passing time with idle chatter and a few too many hypothetical questions.

Theo leaned back, tossing a chocolate frog wrapper onto the table. “Alright, next one—if you could live anywhere outside Hogwarts, where would it be?”

“Malfoy Manor,” Draco said immediately, smirking.

Enzo groaned. “You already live there, mate. Pick something interesting.”

“Fine. The Alps,” Draco corrected, rolling his eyes.

Mattheo grinned. “I’d live in Italy. Big house on a cliff. Sea view. No rules.”

Theo smirked. “No rules meaning no Tom, right?”

Mattheo threw a cushion at him. “Exactly.”

Tom looked up from the book in his lap, his usual calm smile playing at the corner of his lips. “I heard that.”

They all laughed—until Blaise leaned forward, his tone suddenly thoughtful. “Alright, my turn,” he said, tapping his chin. “Here’s a good one. What would you two—” he nodded between Tom and Mattheo “—do if you suddenly found out you had a younger sister?”

The laughter faded. The question hung in the air like smoke.

Mattheo arched a brow. “A sister?”

Blaise nodded. “Yeah. Just imagine it. A little Riddle running around. What would you do?”

Tom closed his book slowly, eyes dark with something unreadable. “I suppose it would depend,” he said evenly. “On who she is… and how she was kept secret.”

Mattheo huffed, but his tone softened. “If she’s anything like us, she’s probably trouble.”

Theo chuckled. “So you’d like her?”

Mattheo shrugged. “If she could hold her own, maybe.”

Draco leaned in, smirking. “Imagine the chaos. Another Riddle with a temper? Merlin help us all.”

Enzo laughed. “She’d probably terrify half the school before breakfast.”

Tom’s expression flickered, something unreadable beneath his calm. “Perhaps,” he said quietly. “But I’d like to meet her, all the same.”

Mattheo nodded, half-smiling. “Yeah… me too.”

The room fell silent again—until the sound of footsteps echoed down the corridor.

Every head turned toward the entrance.

The door creaked open, and you stepped inside. The glow from the green fire caught your features—dark hair, sharp eyes, and that unmistakable Riddle expression.

The room froze.

Theo blinked. “You’ve got to be kidding me…”

Mattheo’s eyes widened slightly, his smirk fading. Tom stood, gaze locked on you.

Because there you were—looking exactly like them.