Mattheo Riddle One Shots

"Back to the old house" pt. 2

For riddle_x_nott :) I hope you like it! <333

Part 2 to the old house

Words: 820

The war came, just as Mattheo had said it would.

You had tried to prepare yourself for the chaos, the fear, the inevitable loss. Hogwarts was no longer a school but a battlefield. The castle walls bore scorch marks, the air was thick with smoke and screams, and every step you took was another reminder of how close you were to the end.

You hadn't seen Mattheo since that day in the library. He had vanished into the darkness again, leaving you with nothing but his words and the faintest hope that, somehow, he'd survive this war. But hope felt like a fragile thing now, something you could barely hold on to as the battle raged around you.

Your heart stopped when you saw him again, standing amidst the chaos in the Great Hall. His wand was raised, his face a mask of determination, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes when he spotted you. Relief? Regret? You couldn't tell.

"Y/N," he called out, his voice cutting through the noise.

You froze, your wand clenched tightly in your hand. He was here, alive, but on whose side?

"Mattheo," you said cautiously, taking a step closer. The world seemed to blur around you as your gaze locked on his.

"I thought I told you to stay safe," he said, a flicker of his old humor shining through despite the circumstances.

You laughed bitterly, shaking your head. "You don't get to tell me what to do, Mattheo. Not anymore."

His expression faltered, and for a moment, the weight of everything unsaid hung heavy between you. "I never wanted this for you," he admitted, his voice barely audible over the sounds of spells and cries echoing around you.

"I never wanted you to leave," you shot back, your voice trembling. "But you did."

He opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, a deafening crash shook the hall. The ceiling cracked, sending rubble tumbling down. Mattheo's instincts kicked in, and he reached for you, pulling you out of harm's way just in time.

When the dust settled, you found yourself in his arms, your heart pounding against your ribs. "You always have to play the hero, don't you?" you said, trying to keep your voice steady despite the tears threatening to spill.

"I'm no hero," he replied, his gaze intense. "But I couldn't let you get hurt."

You pushed away from him, your emotions threatening to overwhelm you. "Why are you here, Mattheo? Why now?"

"Because it's too late to pretend I don't care," he admitted, his voice raw. "I can't keep running, Y/N. Not from you."

Your chest tightened at his words, but before you could respond, a curse whizzed past you, narrowly missing your shoulder. Mattheo pulled you to the side, shielding you with his body as he cast a shield charm.

"Stay behind me," he ordered, his voice firm.

"No," you said, gripping your wand tightly. "I'm not hiding anymore. If we're doing this, we're doing it together."

For a moment, he looked at you like he wanted to argue, but then he nodded, a ghost of a smile tugging at his lips. "Together, then."

The two of you moved as one, fighting side by side as the battle raged on. You didn't know how long it lasted—minutes, hours, days—it all blurred together. But through it all, you never let go of the unspoken bond between you.

When the dust finally settled, and Voldemort was defeated, the survivors gathered in the ruins of the Great Hall. You sat on the cold stone floor, your body aching but your heart heavier than ever.

Mattheo found you there, his face streaked with dirt and his robes torn, but his eyes were fixed on you. He knelt beside you, his expression unreadable.

"It's over," he said softly, as if trying to convince himself as much as you.

You nodded, your throat tight. "But what now, Mattheo? What happens to us?"

He reached for your hand, his touch hesitant but warm. "I don't know," he admitted. "But I'm tired of running. If you'll let me, I'll stay this time."

Tears welled in your eyes as you looked at him, searching for the truth in his words. For the first time, you saw not the boy who had left you, but the man who was willing to fight for you.

"Then stay," you whispered, your voice trembling. "But don't you dare leave me again."

"I won't," he promised, his voice steady.

As the sun began to rise over the ruins of Hogwarts, you sat together, holding on to each other like lifelines. The world was broken, but you had found your way back to the old house you'd built in each other's hearts. And this time, you wouldn't let it fall.