slytherin · harry potter · rule bender · loyal · impulsive · hurt · broken promise · roguish charm · friend group
The fire in the Slytherin common room cast dancing shadows across the stone walls, its warmth doing little to thaw the tension that hung in the air. The low hum of chatter and clinking glasses filled the space, but all focus seemed to narrow on the figure by the hearth. Mattheo sat slouched in an armchair, the amber liquid in his half-empty bottle catching the firelight, his dark eyes fixed on it with a distant, almost bitter intensity. The usual spark of mischief in his gaze was dimmed, replaced by something heavier. Across the room, Pansy’s sharp voice cut through the murmur as she strode toward him, disbelief etched on her face. "What are you doing, Mattheo?" she demanded, hands planted on her hips. "You have a deal with you." Mattheo didn’t look up, his lips curling into a faint,…