D I L E M M A x Mattheo Riddle

getting ready

Mattheo Riddle
"Tonight's the night," My father's grating voice says.

I am filled with dread as I sit in on the last Deatheater meeting before the attack on the Yule Ball tonight.

Or should I say, the attack on Alice Glancey. Draco has been ordered to kill her, and it'll take place at the Yule Ball. At least, I'm assuming it's Draco. He's the only other Deatheater Hogwarts student.

I stare blankly at the wall, trying to disassociate from the conversation, but my father's unsettling voice rambles on about security and precautions and other things I don't care to know.

All I can think about is how I'm going to apologize to Vivienne.

I wish I could tell her about what's going to happen to Ali, but it would only put her in danger. I'm already putting her in danger by sneaking around with her, and she knows that, but there are some things worth taking risks for.

Like love.

"I will see you all tonight," My father says menacingly. I don't hesitate to rise from my chair and apparate back to Hogwarts without saying goodbye.

I don't want to spend anymore time in there than I have to.

I get back to my dorm and notice that Enzo is the only one of our roommates in the room.

"Hey, mate. Where have you been?" He asks as he sees me appear in the doorway.

"Nowhere," I snarl. I don't mean to snap at him, but I'm really on edge right now.

He squints. "Uh, alright. Well, you better start getting ready for the dance. Theo and Draco went to meet their dates already, but I guess you and I are flying solo, right?"

"What?" I blurt out.

"Aw, don't worry Matty, you can be my date," Enzo teases and pinches my cheeks.

I swat his hands away. "No, no. Draco has a date?"

"Yeah. Why are you concerned?"

I scratch my head in confusion. "Nothing, I just thought he would be a little preoccupied tonight."

It's odd. Draco should be focusing on the attack, not on some date.

"Oh," Enzo shrugs. "Well, I'm not going with a date because I want to have ample time with all of my girls at the dance. Why stay with one when you could have all of them?"

I roll my eyes. "Very funny."

"I'm serious," He laughs.

"Trust me, I know," I joke and punch his shoulder.

I start getting ready by hopping in the shower. I try to scrub the guilt off myself, but it's no use. It will always be there. I am guilty of the crime of being my father's child.

I sigh and manage to shake the thought momentarily, changing into my black suit, but not before a watch resting in the drawer catches my eye.

My watch.

The watch that Lucas gave me before died. Before he was murdered.

I need to get rid of the damn thing, because every time I catch a glimpse of it, I picture the worst day of my life so vividly in my head.

When I see it, it's almost like I can still feel his blood soaking into my shirt, mixing with the tears that I shed staring into my father's wretched eyes. He tells me crying is unacceptable, but how am I supposed to not cry when I've just watched my best friend get murdered by my own father?