Bound By Blood.

ch.94~ Best of luck.

"To be honest,

with you and myself.

I would take it back if I could.

But, not for reasons you think."

Recovered Translated Correspondents between Death Eater Mattheo Riddle, to Order Member Alexandra Brooks, 2004.

Hogwarts, 1995

Mattheo.

The Yule Ball, a pathetic excuse for the school to show off amidst this whole TriWizard Tournament.

If only they knew what awaited them. Perhaps then, they wouldn't be dressing up and fighting over who to ask to the ball.

Something I excused my self from entirely.

Dates, a waste of time.

Dancing, an even bigger inconvenience.

I'm only going on my fathers request.

That, and Enzo and Theo bribed me with booze.

As I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the lapels of my all-black tuxedo, an odd sensation crept over me.

My reflection shimmered back, crisp and polished; the fabric as dark as the thoughts swirling in my mind.

For a fleeting moment, the face I saw wasn't just mine — it was my father's, his piercing gaze scrutinizing every detail of my appearance.

Just as quickly, I was jolted back to reality, the moment shattered by the loud bang of the door hitting the wall.

"You're going to make one girl very happy tonight!" Enzo shouted, strutting into the room like he owned the place, a cocky grin plastered on his face. "Perhaps more!"

Behind him trailed Draco, his platinum hair slicked back, and a frosty bottle of Firewhiskey clutched tightly in his hands.

"Shut it," I quipped, rolling my eyes at their antics.

"Don't act like you're too cool for this," Enzo joked, elbowing me playfully. "Just remember, no one will care about your horrible moves if they can smell the Firewhiskey on you."

"I plan to black out before the first waltz, and then never stand up after that." I shot back, straightening my tie with a smirk, feeling an unexpected thrill at the thought of escaping the event without being seen.

"My plan is to dance like an absolute fool, completely embarrass myself, and follow the girl who laughs the hardest," Enzo said, his laughter infectious. He took a deep gulp of the whiskey, letting out a satisfied sigh before passing it to me.

"Don't you have dates?" I asked, genuinely curious. "You think they're going to find you charming while you're barely coherent?"

Idiots.

"Charming?" Draco waved his hand dismissively. "I dont need that, I'm a fucking Malfoy. Look at me."

"Plus, nothing screams 'romance' like a wobbly attempt at a slow dance and slurring your way through compliments," Enzo added, snickered, "The girls love this shit."

The banter rolled between us like a familiar melody, yet I couldn't shake off the discomfort.

Glancing back at the mirror, I took a deep breath, adjusting my cufflinks.