An unspeakable truth that a professor from Mattheo's first year in Hogwarts uttered, and that he remembers up to this day, is that there's always someone better than us out there –– be it in our favored hobby, or even in what we deem to be our best talent. It helped one to become humble; and, simultaneously, gain a sense of ambition to overcome our nemesis.

Mattheo would like to have a word or two with said professor, who long left Hogwarts and took the answer with them, and ask how is it possible that that 'someone' better than us, manages to outdo every single part of our lives. In his older brother, Mattheo doesn't see a welcoming protector, like he sees the Weasley siblings share amongst them; in Tom, he sees an adversary that he can't beat, no matter how much he tries to bargain, struggle and punch his way to catch up with the older Riddle's genius mind.

For Salazar, Mattheo is fucking grateful that Tom perceives quidditch as a waste of time; he hates to admit to himself that, if Tom really tried, he'd probably become one of the Slytherin's best player, once again outshining this one thing that Mattheo is good at. So why, oh why, does the universe keep screwing him up?

Mattheo thought that it was some sort of advanced karma, that the Potions' professor assigned his brother, Slytherin's head boy, to become his girlfriend's tutor. Are you fucking kidding me, isn't the most intelligent choice of words to say at a professor's face. But hey, Tom and Mattheo are extreme opposites, right?! And you're his girlfriend, so no way that you'll get interested in his older brother, right?

Fucking hell, does Mattheo want to set fire to the library where you and Tom study at, thankful that those sessions aren't moved to the common room or, Salazar forbid, to the prefects' bedroom. He can see it –– how Tom's inexpressive eyes glim with interest, at the sight of you; and Mattheo wonders, bitterly, if his older brother must steal every good thing he has.

His mouth his shut, but his intense gaze betrays him.