Descent - Mattheo Riddle

Chapter six

Mattheo

May 11th, 10:45 p.m. - Hogwarts

As Theodore and I stood on the Astronomy Tower, the sky above began to darken. Even more, heavy clouds rolling in with ominous intent. The first drops of rain began to fall, slow and steady at first, pattering softly against the stone floor.

I glanced up at the sky, watching as the rain clouds gathered, their dark tendrils reaching out to smother the stars above. The air grew heavy with the scent of rain, the cool breeze carrying with it the promise of a coming storm.

As the minutes passed, the rain grew steadily stronger, the gentle patter turning into a steady drumming against the tower's ancient walls. Theodore and I remained undeterred, our conversation continuing unabated as we sought refuge beneath the shelter of the tower's roof.

"Wait, wait... are you talking about that Peverell girl? Luciana or something?" Theodore asked, his eyes scanning me intently. It was clear that this was a topic he wanted to discuss.

I scoffed, took another drag from my cigarette, and blew the smoke into the night, which was torn apart by the now pouring rain and disappeared into the air.

"Who cares what her name is?" I replied dismissively. I had no interest in her first name; she was nothing more than a means to an end, a tool to regain what I had lost. The last thing I wanted was to get to know her. I wouldn't mind if her life left her body right away, but unfortunately, I still needed her.

"I think her name was Luciana. Or Lucy maybe? Something with an L in it anyway. Never mind... is she hot?" Theodore's gaze shifted from the Forbidden Forest in the distance, a spark of interest gleaming in his eyes. Though he was no longer a student, he was still the same old 'ladies' man' as always. It was amusing to see him show interest in a woman who was currently chained in the dungeons.

"It doesn't matter what she looks like," I muttered, turning back toward the stairs, to make sure that we remained unheard.

Theodore sighed dramatically. "Can you, for once, pretend she's not your captive, but just a hot chick? Let me have a little fun here..."

I rolled my eyes and flicked away the rest of my cigarette. It was time to get down to business and talk to Theodore about why I had come to see him. "Fine. She's hot. She looks good. I'd bang her, but I need something else more urgently. That's why I wanted to talk to you. Can we get to the important stuff now?"

Theodore grinned with satisfaction, flicking away the stub of his cigarette. "There you go. So, what can I do for you, amico?"

"I haven't had much chance to talk to her yet, but she won't be easy to crack. She's got a strong mind, and so far, she's been able to protect herself from Legilimency. I want to torture her, but normal physical torture or the Curciatus Curse won't be enough in the long run. I need to get creative... and since you're the potions expert I thought you might help me out."

"Ah, say no more. I have just what you need, my friend," Theodore interrupted quickly, an ominous grin spreading across his face as he gestured for us to follow him back to the lab.

I followed him all the way from the Astronomy Tower back to the lab. Theodore pushed the door open, and I followed him into the small adjoining room, which in Hogwarts times was used to store potion ingredients for lessons. Now, only ready-made potions were stored there, ready for every use.

As Theodore stepped toward the table, his hand moved swiftly, clearing it of clutter. In his haste, old jars and vials crashed to the floor, shattering into a thousand pieces. Despite the chaos, he seemed undeterred, his focus solely on the task at hand.