Emerson Wilmore was an exemplary Ravenclaw student, known for her unwavering dedication to academics and an unyielding moral compass. However, things took a twisted and deviated turn in her life after her boyfriend, Cedric Diggory, was murdered by L...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
On Friday, the heavy front doors groaned closed behind them as the five of them stepped into the chilly air outside the Great Hall, their laughter still echoing faintly in the entrance corridor. Emerson had just finished teasing Enzo about accidentally sitting on a banana muffin, while Olivia and Theo walked slightly ahead, heads bent together in quiet conversation about who would win the upcoming Gryffindor vs Hufflepuff match on the weekend and speculating loudly over whether Zacharias Smith or Cormac McLaggen would be flattened first, their arms brushing with a casual closeness that neither of them seemed to notice or maybe they were just pretending not to.
Mattheo walked beside Emerson, his hand occasionally brushing against hers, a silent and familiar touch that had become more and more natural between them. Even when everything inside him felt jagged and dark, her presence kept him sane. She looked up at him mid-sentence, her hazel eyes glittering under the soft torchlight, and for a moment, he forgot the weight gnawing at the edges of his conscience.
Then the unmistakable sound of Snape's voice cleaved through the corridor like a knife.
"Mr Riddle, Nott, Berkshire."
The three boys stopped in unison, as if someone cast Petrificus Totalus. Mattheo turned slowly, and tried not to look suspicious, even though his entire body flooded with heat.
Snape approached in his usual ominous stride, robes billowing behind him like smoke from a cursed fire. His black eyes flicked briefly across the group, lingering on Mattheo a second longer than necessary, before narrowing.
"I require a word with the three of you," He requested smoothly. "About your Defence Against the Dark Arts essays. There were... Interesting inconsistencies I'd like to discuss."
Mattheo saw the flicker of confusion pass across Theo's face. Enzo looked between them with a frown.
Theo blinked. "We turned those in a week ago."
Snape's expression didn't waver. "And I've only just gotten to reviewing them, Mr Nott."
There was something biting in his tone that curled around Mattheo's spine and sent a cold slither of warning down it.
Olivia tilted her head. "Seriously? You're stopping them now?"
Snape's lip curled just slightly. "Is there a problem, Miss Montgomery? If I require your insight in future, I'll be sure to summon you as well."
Olivia opened her mouth, likely to snap back with a sarcastic remark, but Theo glanced at her, silently communicating with his eyes. It was a subtle plea to let it go. She stared at him for a moment, something soft flickering behind her eyes. Her posture relaxed, and she let out a sigh. "I'll see you at dinner then, Teddy?" She smiled, poking Theo in the chest before turning. "Don't let him bully you."
