Faer • Mattheo Riddle

prelude

A/N: Faer is not related to Mattheo neither is she related to Draco in this story. All characters belong to JK Rowling except for Faer Lestrange and Ella Goldwing.

"Hello, boys," I call out, my voice dripping with humor as I waltz into the common room, the click of my heels echoing against the cold, hard stone. The emerald fire in the common room crackles softly, casting a flickering light that dances along the walls, stretching the shadows long and dark.

The two boys are hunched over in their chairs, faces illuminated by the green glow, deep in some heated conversation. Maybe it's about his task. oh well.

They don't see me at first. Good.

It gives me time to make an entrance.

Theo looks up first. His eyes widen, and his mouth drops open in a mix of horror and outrage. "Bloody hell, Fae!" he nearly shouts, springing to his feet so fast his chair nearly topples over. Lorenzo's head snaps around, and his expression turns from confusion to fury in an instant.

"Fae, what have you done now?" Lorenzo snaps, his eyes narrowing as he takes in the sight of me. I'm drenched in blood — hair matted, skin sticky and glistening, red streaks smeared across my cheeks like war paint.

I grin, feeling the heat of the fire warming the blood on my skin, making it tacky. It's a good feeling.

I shrug, giving them my best innocent look. "What? This?" I twirl a little, letting my robes swish around me, splattering tiny droplets of blood onto the stone floor. "It's just a bit of a mess. You should see the other guy."

Theo is livid now, his face flushed with anger. "A mess? You're covered in blood, Fae! This is beyond a mess!" His hands are shaking, his eyes wide and wild. "What did you do?"

"Oh, Theo, you always ask such boring questions," I tease, moving closer, watching him flinch slightly as if my very presence might stain him. "Let's just say, I helped a few people find their way... to the afterlife." I smirk, licking a drop of blood from my finger. "And they weren't too keen on the journey."

Lorenzo stands, pushing past Theo, his jaw clenched tight. "You're out of your damn mind, Fae," he growls, his eyes blazing with anger. "You can't keep doing this! It's going to catch up with you one day."

I laugh, a soft, playful sound that hangs in the air like smoke. "Oh, Lorenzo, you always were the sensible one." I take a step closer, then another, until I'm right in front of him. I can see the fury in his eyes, but beneath that, there's something else — something like fear, and I like it.

"Maybe that's why I like you so much," I purr, before sliding onto the couch beside him with a graceful little hop, my bloodied arm brushing against his clean shirt.

He recoils instantly, his face twisting in disgust. "Fae what the fuck?" He glares at me, furiously rubbing at the stain, but the blood just smears deeper into the fabric. "You're fucking insane"

I lean in, close enough that he can feel my breath against his ear. "Maybe," I whisper, "but at least I'm never boring."

Lorenzo clenches his jaw, his hands balling into fists. "You're going to get us all killed, Fae," he hisses. "Do you even care? Do you even realize what kind of trouble you're bringing down on us?"