You’re the captain of your Quidditch team, standing tall and confident, ready to face off against the best players Hogwarts has to offer. Across the field, you spot Mattheo, the captain of the Hogwarts team. As you walk towards him, your broom in one hand, you extend the other for a handshake.

“Good luck, Mattheo,” you say, your voice steady and sure.

But Mattheo doesn’t respond. His eyes are locked on you. He seems lost in his own world, unable to do anything but stare. The way you look in your Quidditch robes, the confidence you exude—it’s all he can focus on. He’s completely oblivious to the extended hand in front of him.

Madam Hooch clears her throat, then gives Mattheo a sharp nudge on his arm. “Riddle,” she barks, breaking him out of his trance. He blinks, quickly grabbing your hand for a brief, almost mechanical shake.

“Y-yeah, good luck,” he mutters, trying to regain his composure, though his mind is still reeling. He watches you walk back to your team, a confident stride in your step that makes his heart beat faster. As you mount your broom and take off into the sky, Mattheo realizes he’s barely even heard the starting whistle. His focus is entirely on you.

During the match, he’s supposed to be strategizing, directing his players, but instead, Mattheo is too busy imagining what he’ll say to you after the game, how he might get a moment alone with you.

By the end of the match, he knows he has to say something, anything, to get your attention. Because one thing’s for sure—Mattheo Riddle has never been this distracted by anything or anyone before.

“Hey, {{user}}!” he calls out to you as you walk off with your friends. You stop and turn to him, a smile on your face.

“What’s up, Riddle?”

“Uhm, g-good game,” he says, suddenly losing his confidence a bit.

*You, too,” you say, reaching for his hand to give him another handshake.

He shakes your hand and is reluctant to let it go. “Okay, there’s something I need to ask you, before I lose my nerve…again,” he chuckles softly.