Bound By Blood.

ch.105~Illusion.

"I always knew,

when it came down to it,

it'd come to this.

It was worth it. You were Worth it."

Undelivered Correspondents from Order Memeber Alexandra Brooks, to Death Eater Mattheo Riddle, 2003.

Hogwarts, 1997.

Alexandra.

I couldn't believe I was doing this. I physically couldn't stop giggling and running through the castle, my only thought his face when he finally saw me. 

The Slytherin party was in full swing, celebrating their win in Quidditch, and all I wanted was to catch a glimpse of his face as the revelry unfolded.

Sneaking past a group of rowdy first-years, I finally slipped into the common room, where the atmosphere was... different. 

Green and silver decorations adorned the walls, a testament to the obvious pride in Slytherin's win. 

Students were laughing and cheering, drinks overflowing in their hands as they shared stories of the match. 

My eyes scanned the room until they landed on Mattheo, laughing with a group of friends, the light from the candles casting soft shadows across his perfect features. 

The carefree smile that graced his lips made my heart flutter, and I wished I could witness that joy more often.

Just as I marveled at him, a loud bang erupted from the direction of his dormitory. 

It was the unmistakable sound of one of Fred and George's party tricks. 

My heart raced as I watched him, eyes wide with disbelief. 

"Fuck!" he yelled, bolting up the stairs. 

Everything was going according to plan. 

I waited a heartbeat to gather my nerves and then followed him, a little thrill sparking in the pit of my stomach, being careful not to be seen. 

As I approached his dorm door, I saw it slam shut, a billow of smoke seeping out from underneath. I

 could already feel the laughter bubbling up inside me.

The moment I stepped inside, Mattheo turned sharply, and the moment our eyes locked, annoyance flickered across his face, quickly morphing into that familiar smirk. 

"Of course it's you," he said, shaking his head as if he had expected nothing less.

"Congrats on the win, Riddle." I smiled, grinning from ear to ear as I took in the chaos around us—confetti raining down and smoke filling the room, courtesy of the prank.

He rolled his eyes but couldn't suppress a laugh. "I'd like to say it was a team effort, but we all know we won because of me." he quipped, flexing playfully as he sipped on his drink.

"Oh, is that it?" I teased, narrowing my eyes at him. "I think I know why you really won."

His brow arched in curiosity. "Oh really? Enlighten me."