~Twisted Loyalties~ Matheo Riddle x OC x Theodore Nott

Chapter 3

~Eris POV~

Draco suddenly appeared in the doorway, accompanied by an elegant older woman who was unmistakably his mother, followed by a few maids carrying plates of food. "I thought we could have dinner here, so we don't overwhelm Eris," Draco announced as he walked over to me. "This is my mother, Eris."

I quickly stood up and bowed my head respectfully. "Hello, thank you so much for letting me stay in your home," I said politely, trying to mask my nervousness.

She gave me a warm smile. "Don't worry, dear, I love having more girls around," she replied kindly, before whispering something into Draco's ear and then gracefully exiting the room with the maids.

As everyone sat down to eat, I found myself stealing glances at Matheo, who was seated next to Lydia, listening to her animatedly talk about her book. His attention was focused on her, but I couldn't help but feel a pang of something

Suddenly, I felt a nudge in my stomach, and Theodore leaned in, whispering into my ear, "That's his sister."

I froze, the shock hitting me like a freight train. In my surprise, I choked on my food, coughing uncontrollably. Matheo's eyes shot up, locking onto me with concern as Theodore patted my back, trying to help. Once I caught my breath, I glared at Theodore, who only smirked in response, clearly pleased with himself for causing the commotion.

Pansy piped up, her voice curious but slightly mischievous. "So, Eris, what's it like having the Chosen Boy as a brother?"

The question made everyone in the room turn toward me, their attention suddenly heavy. I felt the pressure mount but answered, keeping my voice steady, "It's... okay, I guess. He tries to be there, but not having magic always put a wedge between us. He was the one who lived, while I was the baby he never found. I was always second best growing up. But the worst part was how scared he always was to face our adoptive parents, while I stood up to them constantly. It caused a lot of problems, but I learned how to handle it on my own."

I could feel the weight of my own words as I continued, "The Weasleys took us in after that, and... well, that's when I felt the most alone. I only really liked Molly. She homeschooled me, and Ginny was alright, but I mean, he was my brother. Why would he forget about me like that?"

Suddenly, I realized I had said too much, the vulnerability of my admission sinking in. I felt exposed, embarrassed even, wondering if Harry had ever thought to come back for me. The silence stretched, and I became aware that pretty much everyone was staring at me, some with sympathy, others unsure what to say.

Lydia was the first to break the silence. She closed her book and looked up at me with soft eyes. "That sounds really hard, Eris. You deserved better than that. But you're not alone anymore."

Her words were kind, and I offered a small, grateful nod, but the mood still hung heavy in the air.

Theo, trying to break the tension, nudged Enzo and grinned, "Well, if you're ever feeling like second best, just remember—you're definitely ahead of Enzo over here. He's like fifth best, maybe."

Enzo Glared as he tried to fling food at Theo face but it horribly backfired going straight into his face

The group laughed, lightening the mood a bit, but Draco wasn't about to let it slide. Leaning back on the couch, he sneered, "The Weasleys, though? Really? No wonder you felt alone, living in a house of blood traitors and hand-me-downs."

The laughter died down, and the room went still again. Pansy shot Draco a warning look before getting up and walking over to me. She wrapped me in a quick hug, squeezing me tight. "Ignore him. We're glad to have you here," she whispered, pulling back with a smile.

Matheo, however, remained silent, his gaze fixed on me. He didn't say anything, but there was something in his eyes— He just kept watching, unmoving, as the group fell back into casual conversation.

But I felt the weight of his stare.

Short chapter I know I'm sorry <333

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