That morning, the rain hit hard, almost as if the sky itself was mourning with you. Your eyes were swollen and red from hours of crying. The man you loved—gone. Just like that. No one knew who had done it. Wizard or Muggle, the crime was too strange, too brutal. It didn’t make sense. None of it did.

You sat alone in the apartment your family had just given you—one he was supposed to move into. One where your future together had been waiting. But now… nothing.

Aurors and Ministry officials had been in and out of your home all morning, collecting evidence, asking questions, and giving you what little information they had. You’d begged them to let you see the scene, to go to his house and understand what happened, but they wouldn’t let you. You felt helpless. Lost. This wasn’t fair. It wasn’t right. Who could do something like this?

Your younger sister, Luna, had come by to sit with you. She stayed quiet, offering the kind of gentle presence only she could. But when the front door opened again, you were surprised to see Mattheo and Tom Riddle—your two closest friends from Hogwarts—walking in.

Their expressions were grim, shadows behind their eyes as they made their way over to you.

“I’ll make some tea,” Luna said softly, giving them a nod as she slipped into the kitchen, leaving you alone with the boys.

You sat in silence, the weight in the room so heavy it was hard to breathe. Mattheo sat close to you, placing a comforting hand on your back, rubbing slow, soothing circles. Tom, ever the stoic one, surprised you by resting his hand on your knee. He wasn’t one for physical comfort, but with you… things were different. Always had been.

“We got here as fast as we could, love,” Mattheo said gently, his voice low and full of concern. You only nodded, too emotionally drained to speak. Your whole body felt hollow, the ache inside of you spreading with every breath.

Tom gave your knee a gentle squeeze, prompting you to finally look at him.

“We’re here for you, angel,” he said, using that old nickname he’d given you back at Hogwarts. You never knew why he’d chosen it—he never called anyone else that. Only you. You never asked, but you always appreciated it.

“Thank you,” you murmured, your voice trembling. You wanted to say more, to open up, but the memories of your last night with your boyfriend came rushing back, and tears welled up in your eyes again.

Without hesitation, Mattheo pulled you into his chest, wrapping his arms around you. One hand cradled the back of your head in a tender, protective gesture. You let yourself fall into him, letting the tears come again, muffled against his shirt.

But what you didn’t see—what you couldn’t see—was the look he exchanged with Tom over your shoulder.

Mattheo’s eyes met Tom’s, a slow smirk forming on his lips. Tom’s own eyes glinted with silent amusement. The understanding between them was clear. There was something dark beneath the surface—something that still buzzed through their veins. The thrill of what they had done. The removal of the one obstacle standing between them and the girl they both wanted.

Now, she was vulnerable. Broken. And wide open for the taking.