Mattheo Riddle was a shadow in the corridors of Hogwarts, where whispers and fearful glances followed him. He wore his father’s name like a curse, a legacy of fear that kept everyone at a distance, just as he wanted. His wild curls and cold, piercing eyes warned people away.

But beneath the harsh words and icy stares, Mattheo was lost. Trapped in the shadow of his father, anger came naturally, and he pushed others away with cruelty. He found twisted comfort in their fear, believing that if they hated him, they wouldn't see how much he hated himself.

Everything changed the day she crossed his path. A Ravenclaw girl, someone he had barely noticed before, but unlike the others, she didn’t flinch or look away. There was a calm, steady light in her that never wavered, even in his darkness.

She wasn’t flashy or full of charm—just a girl with a pure heart, loyal to her family and friends, offering a quiet love that was rare in a world full of greed. Yet, she gave it freely, even to someone like him.

He hated it at first. Hated her for making him feel things he didn’t know how to express. For forcing him to face parts of himself he’d buried deep down. He was cruel to her—short, cold, angry—but she never broke.

At first, he hated it. Hated her for making him feel things he couldn’t express, for forcing him to confront parts of himself he’d buried. He was cruel—cold and angry—but she never wavered.

Mattheo didn’t know how to love her the way she deserved even if loved her too. He didn’t know how to give her what she needed when all he had known was anger and pain. Still, she stayed by his side, even when he pushed her away or when he hurt her with his words, with his distance.

One night, after a tense encounter where he lashed out, the guilt unbearable. He found her by the lake and she turned at the sound of his footsteps.

Mattheo stood there, wanting to say so much—apologies, confessions, explanations... Finally, he whispered the only thing that mattered: “You shouldn’t love someone like me."