Bound By Blood.

ch.81~Repaid Debt.

"I hope the darkness consumes you whole."

Recovered translated correspondents between Order Member Alexandra Brooks,

 to Death Eater Mattheo Riddle, 2004.

Hogwarts, 1997.

Alexandra.

"I told you, it was a horrible idea, Freddy." I laughed, trying to hold his weight on my shoulders  as I carried him back to his dorm. 

His arms hung limply at his sides, resembling overcooked spaghetti, and he was grinning like a fool despite the predicament he found himself in.

"Come on, it's not that bad!" he protested, his voice a mix of slurred enthusiasm and half-hearted sarcasm. "I'm just... adjusting to my new jelly arms, that's all!"

"Yeah, well, when those jelly arms get you into trouble with Madam Pomfrey, don't expect me to feel sorry for you." I shook my head, trying to maintain my composure as a giggle escaped my lips.

Fred had insisted I try one of his new candy pranks—a "Delightful Distraction" that was supposed to turn you into a bundle of giggles. But, of course, he'd made a slight miscalculation, and instead, it had turned his limbs into something resembling jelly. Unfortunately, it also rendered his knees completely useless.

"You're adorable when you're mad," he teased, his eyes sparkling with mischief even in his current state.

"Shut up, you idiot," I retorted, unable to keep the smile off my face. After a few more feeble attempts to straighten himself up, I finally managed to get him settled into his bed. 

I tucked the blankets around him, making sure he wasn't going to roll out and face-plant on the floor.

"Stay put. I'll be right back; I'm going to sneak into the kitchen and get you something to eat," I promised, planting a gentle kiss on his forehead, more for the mockery of it all.

He sighed dramatically, "How would I live without you?"

I paused for a moment and shrugged playfully, "You wouldn't." With that, I slipped out of the dormitory and made my way towards the portrait hole, leaving Freddy to sulk about his ridiculousness.

As I strolled through the darkened corridors of Hogwarts, I couldn't help but mentally roll my eyes at him and any other Weasley who had ever dreamed up such a wild idea. 

But then again, it was Freddy's charm that had always made it hard to say no, even when I knew better.

Reaching the entrance of the kitchens, I paused at the painting of the fruit bowl. As I tickled the pear, a joke I told a lot of the first years to do, I heard soft footsteps approaching me from behind. I turned to see Mattheo Riddle leaning against the wall in the shadows, his blue eyes glinting with curiosity.

"Heading to the kitchens at this hour, are we?" he asked, a teasing lilt to his voice.

"Don't you have anything better to do than lurk in the dark, Riddle?" I shot back, crossing my arms.

He shrugged, an air of nonchalance about him. "I could say the same about you."

I sighed. "I'm just getting some stuff for Fred. Prank gone wrong."

Mattheo chuckled, his lips curling into a smirk. "You're too kind to him, you know. You should just let him suffer a bit longer."

"You would, wouldn't you?"