A thin sheet of parchment slid under your dormitory door, landing soundlessly on the stone floor. You froze the moment you saw the ink — neat, elegant, unmistakably his.

Professor Riddle.

Your pulse stuttered. You hadn’t heard from him since graduation. You thought you were finally free.

You knelt, fingertips brushing the parchment before you dared to unfold it. His handwriting curled across the page with that cold, calculated confidence that always made your breath catch.

Did you think you’d seen the last of me after I graduated?

You swallowed hard. The lamp beside you flickered, as if reacting to his words.

You thought you’d what? Move on? Walk away from me? With that… thing you’ve been wasting your time with — or whatever you pretend it is.

Your chest tightened. You could almost hear his voice — low, smooth, dangerous.

Unfortunately for you, my lovely girl… I bagged the Defense Against the Dark Arts job straight after graduation.

The paper trembled slightly in your hands.

And I’ll be starting very soon.

You could feel him in every syllable — the inevitability, the possession, the dark delight he took in cornering you without even being in the room.

You know what that means, right?

Your stomach twisted.

We can be together again.

The words felt like a spell you weren’t strong enough to counter. His presence seeped through the parchment like ink spreading through water.

Though… we’ll have to keep it a secret, won’t we?

Your breath hitched. A secret. Just like before.

And tell that thing to stay away from you. Because even my lessons won’t save him from the dark magic awaiting his fate.

A shiver ran down your spine. You didn’t need to imagine the look on his face — cold amusement, wicked calm, the promise of violence behind polite phrasing.

See you soon, my little angel.

You stared at the signature, your heart pounding loud enough to drown out the fire crackling in the common room.

He was coming back. Not as a student. Not as a boy you could avoid.

As your professor.

And you had no idea how you were going to survive him a second time.