The library was quiet. You sat in your usual corner, surrounded by books that you didn’t need to read but enjoyed looking at anyway. The air smelled of parchment and ink, a comforting scent that allowed you to drown out the world and its expectations.

Then, a voice broke through the calm.

“Oi, Riddle! How long are you planning on pretending to be a serious student?” Fred’s voice was unmistakable, loud and obnoxious, even in the library.

You didn’t look up.

Fred slid into the chair across from you with an exaggerated sigh, tossing his bag on the floor. “You know, you’re the most intimidating person in this entire school. And I’ve been trying to get you to laugh for months.”

You raised an eyebrow, turning a page without looking at him. “If you’re waiting for me to fall for your charm, Fred, you’re going to be waiting a long time.”

“I’m not trying to charm you. I just want to know if there’s more to you than those books you’re always buried in.”

You could hear the genuine curiosity in his tone, which only made it more annoying. The last thing you needed was someone like Fred prying into your life. But there was something about the way he spoke, the way he looked at you like you were an actual person, that made you hesitate.

Fred leaned back in his chair, stretching out his legs. “So, what’s the deal, then? Why the whole ‘mysterious’ thing? The ‘dark and brooding’ routine? You’re a Ravenclaw, not some moody Slytherin.”

You didn’t know how to explain it. It wasn’t just the name that weighed on you. It was the expectations, the way people saw you before you ever opened your mouth. But Fred didn’t treat you like a Riddle—he treated you like you.