The Prodigal Son

Mattheo Riddle

The new 'securities,' as Lucius put it, were to arrive at lunch.

They went to their usual spot at the Slytherin table, far from the Head table, though Mattheo still caught Snape's stare as he sat down.

"Let's place bets," Enzo said.

"I bet you my father got me a 7 foot tall troll to follow me around and make sure I don't tarnish his reputation," Mattheo said, yawning and placing his head down on the table.

"I bet you he placed new house elves that poison muggleborn food, because muggleborns are most definitely the ones poisoning his son's mind" Theo joked.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he sent a death eater as a new professor," Draco added.

"Aw, old Snapey's not enough. Do you think he'll get jealous?" Astoria asked, laughing up at the Head table.

The hall doors opened then, and Mattheo didn't bother to raise his head from the table. Enzo started laughing uncontrollably next to him, though, and grabbed his head to turn it so that Mattheo could see who was walking down the center of the hall.

Whatever Mattheo was expecting, troll or death eater or anything, he could not have expected this.

There was a short woman, the height of most 1st years, in a bright pink outfit. The type of light pink that looked like Easter vomited on a flamingo.

She looked around, eyes lingering on- of course- Mattheo and his friends.

She got up to Dumbledore and made some long speech about how Fudge had placed her as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor and High Inquisitor of Hogwarts.

Mattheo didn't think she was a death eater, but he knew his dad had the minister in his back-pocket, so she could be. Either way, he'd be avoiding her.

"Umbridge more like Umbitch" Pansy said, and they all burst out laughing, which the Head Table did not appreciate.

Umbitch had said she hoped they would all be friends. She would not be finding a friend in Mattheo Riddle, or any of the Slytherins for that matter.

-

DODA was this period, and Mattheo had heard genuine horror stories from the classes who had her earlier.

"I heard she called one 4th year girl a whore because she sat next to a boy," Astoria whispered to them.

"I heard she confiscated a kid's shoes because they violated the dress code," Theo added.

They filed into the classroom and took their usual seats in the back, and Umbitch entered a few moments later from an office that sounded like...cats?

Umbitch gave a whole speech about our awful education so far and Potter got into a fight with her about Mattheo's dad being back. Eventually he got detention, and Mattheo thought that was weird. Like sure Potter was annoying but his argument made sense. Why wouldn't they use magic in a magical class at a magical school? Plus, Mattheo knew better than anyone his dad was back, so Umbitch denying it was just stupid.

All of the textbook talk was making Mattheo very tired, so he laid his head down in his arms on the table.

"Ahem, am I boring you Mr. Riddle?" Umbitch asked in some faraway land.

Enzo grabbed the back of his hood to pull him up and back to consciousness.

"Huh?" Mattheo asked, blinking himself awake.

"Let me repeat myself. Am I boring you, Mr. Riddle?" Umbitch said, crossing her arms.

"Yes...?" Mattheo said, wondering why she would ask such a stupid question.

Blaise just shook his head to his left in disappointment and the class broke out into laughter.

"Detention Mr. Riddle, and do try to stay awake and alert for the remainder of my class," Umbitch said, turning around and back to the board.

-

Mattheo walked up to his dorm room in a lot of pain. He had gotten hit by a bludger during quidditch practice and was pretty sure he dislocated his shoulder, but he somehow popped it back in and now it felt a little better. Unfortunately, Mattheo also had detention in 17 minutes.

He opened the dorm door and was greeted by, of course, Severus Snape, sitting on their bedroom sofa and reading one of Theo's essays. It's probably shit.

"Tell me, how is it that you have managed to secure a detention with Dolores Umbridge on her first day here? Potter and yourself are the only two to manage such a feat." Snape said.

"I'm an overachiever, what can I say," Mattheo said grumbling, heading to the bathroom to wipe the dirt and blood off his face from Quidditch.

"I talked to your father today, '' Snape said, getting to the point of the conversation quickly, like he always does.

Mattheo did not respond.

"He is worried about you."

Mattheo did not respond.

"It pains him to send a woman like Umbridge"

"Umbitch," Mattheo interjected.

"Sorry?" Snape asked.

"Her name" Mattheo said through brushing his teeth "Is Umbitch."

"Ah yes, Miss Parkinson and her nicknames." Snape said, chuckling a little which always scared Mattheo.

"During your detention I do not want you to speak a word against her. Stay the entire time, do not be late, and complete any task she asks you. It may be enough for her to leave you alone" Snape said, getting serious.

"I thought dad wanted Umbitch to control me, and now you're telling me to stay away from her?" Mattheo asked.

"You're intelligent Mattheo, surely you must see that this is a power play to gain control of Hogwarts. This is a great opportunity for your father, and he wants to ensure that nothing happens to risk your security while it occurs. " Snape said, walking into the doorway of the bathroom and looking Mattheo in the eyes through the mirror.

"So what? He sent her to make sure Dumbledore gets out and dad gets in? What does that have to do with me?" Mattheo asked, spitting toothpaste into the sink.

"There are concerns that the Headmaster or the Order will attempt to gain information from you regarding your father once they sense that he is trying to seize the castle."

"I'll tell them I don't know shit because I don't." Mattheo retorted, grabbing a towel to wipe his face off.

"I think we both know that you're aware of more than you let on, and your father does not want to risk this information falling into the wrong hands. Umbridge is good at controlling people, and as long as that happens you will be safe here," Snape said.

"Whatever, I have to go to detention." Mattheo said.

"Mattheo... do not say anything or do anything to provoke her. Her focus needs to be on others, she will not bother you if you do not give her a reason to." Snape said, looking after Mattheo as he walked out.

"Yes sir" Mattheo said, mock saluting Snape goodbye.

As Mattheo approached the door to DODA and Potter approached from the other side, Mattheo made a pact with himself.

If dad wants to be a bitch fine, I'll be a bitch. I'm going to become friends with Harry fucking Potter.

"Potter," Mattheo said as they met outside the door.

"Riddle," Potter said cautiously.

"Ready to go see Umbitch? By the way, you can call me Mattheo if you'd like, I'm not a big fan of the name Riddle lately" he said, stretching out a hand and offering a handshake to Potter.

"Harry" the Gryffindor said dumbfounded, accepting the handshake.

"Nice to meet you, Harry. So, Umbitch?"

"Yeah," Harry laughed.

They sat down in two desks next to each other in Umbitch's office, and were each given a scroll and quill.

"Today you will each do lines." Umbitch said.

"What will you have us write?" Harry asked.

"For Mr. Potter, write I must not tell lies and for Mr. Riddle, write I must not disobey. You won't need ink for these lines," Umbitch said in her little cheery voice.

"How many lines?" Mattheo asked.

"As many as it takes for the message to... sink in," Umbitch said, walking towards her desk.

Mattheo and Harry exchanged a glance before they each went to start the lines.

A couple of lines in, Mattheo felt a sharpness on his arm, and after a few more lines of this pain he looked up to find Harry looking at him in horror, and they both looked back at Umbitch.

Mattheo just shook his head and went back to the lines, Harry doing the same.

Snape had asked him to do as he was told, coming specifically from his father. After all, Mattheo must not disobey, so he continued the lines out of absolute petty and it seems Harry had his own reasoning for doing the same.

It took two hours for the message to sink in 'enough' for Umbitch.

It was 11 at night when Harry and Mattheo had walked out of the office. The blood vanished as soon as it slipped off his arm so as to not get on the office space, so he had no idea how much blood he had lost outside of a general idea of how fast the blood was flowing out of his arm during the two hours.

Mattheo wouldn't dare ask Snape or Madam Pomfrey for a blood-replenishing potion, though.

"That bitch is crazy," Harry said, breaking the silence as they walked down the hall.

"Tell that to Fudge," Mattheo said, "he knows Dumbledore's gone mental."

"Oh shit I'm sorry I forgot you like him," Mattheo said, realizing his mistake. He lost a lot of blood, okay?

"No it's alright, I'm not the biggest fan of his lately," Harry admitted.

Mattheo stopped him in the hall, "No shit? Bro, good for you."

"Thanks. You know your dad has tried to kill me like 5 times," Harry randomly said.

I guess the blood loss has gotten to his head as well.

"I'm not the biggest fan of his lately either," Mattheo said, grinning at Harry.

Harry smiled back, "guessing we're on the same page then?"

"I'm on Mattheo's page, you're on Harry's page, yeah I think on the same page," Mattheo said.

"I hate old bald dudes anyway. Pretty sure Dumbledore has a wig," Harry says laughing.

"Bro I gotta tell you something. Voldy's got hair now" Mattheo said.

"No shit? Never thought I'd see the day" Harry responded.

They laughed together over stupid things definitely induced by blood loss before splitting ways, Mattheo stumbling down the stairs to the dungeons.

Mattheo saw Enzo and Blaise sitting in the common room as he entered. Fuck.

"Mio fratello what happened." Blaise said, eyeing the blood trailing down past Mattheo's sleeve.

"My dad's trying to take control of Hogwarts. That's why he sent Umbridge, to throw old Dumbledick out." Mattheo said, ignoring Blaise's question and plopping down next to Enzo.

"No shot that Dumbledick gives up the castle," Enzo said.

Mattheo doesn't get emotional often, but he lost a lot of blood, so his voice cracked as he said what they were all thinking, "But what if he does get control. Fuck what if he comes here, what if he sends the Death Eaters to run the school. What if it becomes Voldemort's Hogwarts?"

"Mattheo... you're always going to be under his control until you're 17. You're his son, but when you're 17 he-" Blaise started.

"No you don't get it Blaise. I'll turn 17 during 7th year. I'll already be under his eye, in his castle, I can't just apparate away."

"It will be okay Mattheo, chances are mom goes crazy again and he'll get busy again dealing with her" Enz said, eyeing the blood streaming down Mattheo's arm.

"You never told us what happened," Enzo said.

"Her cat bit me", Mattheo said while throwing his head back on the cushions.

Enzo reached over before Mattheo could pull away and pulled up his sleeve.

It was hard to make out all of the words, but it was definitely a sentence on his arm and the other boys quickly realized that.

"Mattheo what the fuck," Enzo said.

"If Snape knew-" Blaise started.

"Snape told me to take any punishment she gave me and complete any task, like specific orders from my father. I was just obeying dad," Mattheo said, growing tired.

"I'm so fucking done with you Mattheo Thomas Black Riddle. If you don't tell Snape I fucking will," Blaise warned.

"No you won't, because you're my friend and I'll never forgive you if you betray me," Mattheo argued back. "Plus, it would fuck up things for us" Mattheo added.

"Yeah? Well I'm telling you that I will betray you and that you will have to forgive me because I'm your fucking brother." Enzo said.

"What does it say?" Blaise whispered, examining the cuts.

"I must not disobey," Mattheo answered easily, drifting off to sleep.

-

Mattheo woke up the next morning with a splitting headache, and he looked over to see his arm wrapped in gauze. He had gotten to his room somehow, but- oh shit.

"Blaise!" Mattheo yelled

"SÌ?" Blaise called from the bathroom.

"Did you call Snape?" Mattheo demanded, getting out of bed and walking in.

"No, but I should have. She assaulted a student," Blaise said.

"She did not assault me man," Mattheo argued.

"Mattheo," Blaise said, grabbing his good arm, "there are laws. Teachers cannot physically harm students. If your father and Snape knew-" Blaise started.

"They don't know and they cannot know. So just shut up about it. I am fine, I am not physically harmed, I just lost some blood but I'm fine now," Mattheo said.

"You are not fine," Blaise argued.

"I'm fine Blaise, I'll be fine," Mattheo argued back, but Blaise just hugged him.

"Just don't tell them, please," Mattheo begged.

"I won't, but I don't think Snape will tell your father if you ask for help," Blaise said.

"Oh he most definitely will," Mattheo said, "but thanks for the false confidence."

"Draconis Malfoy where the fuck are you?" Mattheo said, re-entering the bedroom.

"What?" Draco groaned from his bed.

Mattheo pulled back the covers from his face to look him in the eye.

"You breathe a word about this Umbitch incident to our family and I swear I will kill you, and yes Snape counts as family, got it?" Mattheo said.

"Perfectly, now go away I'm sleeping" Draco said as Mattheo shoved the blanket back over his head.

"Lorenzo Berkshire!" Mattheo shouted for his next victim, finding him in his bed also still asleep.

Mattheo plopped down next to him, and took his water from his bedside table, pouring it on his face.

"Hey!" Enzo yelled.

"Not a fucking word about it" Mattheo warned.

"Bu-" Enzo started

"Not a fucking word or I'll hunt you down and kill you," Mattheo interjected.

"Fine, your funeral. Just ask Snape for help and bam, Umbitch gone. Snape is gonna find out eventually."

"It's not that simple," Mattheo argued.

"Fine whatever you say, just let me sleep" Enzo said.

Mattheo just sighed and laid back down. The only people who could snitch now are Umbitch herself, Harry and anyone he tells, and the portraits.

-

Outside of the numerous Umbitch detentions Mattheo received for breathing, sleeping, or anything in between, the two next weeks went smoothly. Mattheo never responded to his mother's letter but he was still on the quidditch team so he figured they didn't care.

Theo, Enzo, and Pansy were added to the little detention group, as well as Fred and George Weasley. Pansy wouldn't tell her parents shit, and Enzo, Theo, and Mattheo were all on the same page. They would not ask their parents anything. Draco and Astoria had been answering letters for the group, but they were only short responses that gave nothing away.

They had actually talked to the Weasleys and Potter with Mattheo, and their conversations took away from the fact that they were writing into their arms.

"Bro did you guys see McGonagall's face today when Umbitch yelled at her in the stairway?" Fred asked.

"Oh my god Umbitch trying to be taller than her by going up the stairs was fucking hilarious" Pansy laughed.

"Did you see that Umbitch and Filch have joined forces? I wonder if they hook up," George said and they all laughed before the door opened and Umbitch re-entered.

They quickly went back to writing and resumed their discussion once she left again.

"Snape fucking hates Umbitch" Theo said.

"Really? I would think anyone who hurts me would be a friend of Snape's," Harry said.

-

Slytherin had its first big match in 2 days on Thursday the 24th, and it was against Ravenclaw who could put up a pretty big fight.

Mattheo had been focusing on that, and not where he was supposed to be going the very next day on the 25th.

That is, until Enzo and Mattheo were called to Snape's office the next morning to almost certainly talk about them leaving Friday.

Mattheo entered the room, bag slung over his shoulder, just to find Aunt Narcissa standing in the room as well.

Mattheo eyed them cautiously, looking at Enzo and sharing a look of distrust.

"Come here, Mattheo, Enzo," Narcissa beckoned.

She placed a kiss to their head and motioned for them to take a seat.

"Mattheo, you need to show us your arm," Snape slowly said.

That was NOT what Mattheo was expecting.

"Why?" Mattheo blatantly asked.

"Please, just roll up your sleeve Mattheo," Narcissa gently said.

Fuck no. Mattheo looked at Enzo and struggled to come up with something so he did the most mature thing possible, he rolled up the sleeve of his right arm, given that the cuts were on his left.

Snape sighed, "The other one, Mattheo"

"No," Mattheo responded.

"Mattheo..." Narcissa warned, placing a hand on his cheek.

"No" Mattheo repeated, shaking his head.

Snape only sighed and cast a body bind on Mattheo to the chair, making Enzo react by standing up. Stupid fucking chair.

Mattheo struggled while Snape went to roll up his sleeve, revealing deep, dark red letters spelling out 'I must not disobey'.

Narcissa gasped and Mattheo just looked up at Enzo with a look of dread.

"Did Draco tell you?" Enzo asked.

"No" Snape answered, "a Gryffindor student had suspicions about a friend of hers that turned out to be validated."

100 galleons on fucking Harry and Hermione Granger.

"Don't tell dad" Mattheo begged.

The two adults only stared at him before Narcissa said, "He must know, Mattheo."

"No, he doesn't need to know shit. This is my problem," Mattheo argued.

"That is why he needs to know," Snape said in finality.

It will be fine, Mattheo tried telling himself to calm down.

It will be fine.

"Lorenzo? Have you been in this detention as well?" Narcissa asked after she saw Mattheo and Enzo glance at each other.

"No, Aunt Narcissa," Enzo easily replied.

"Really? Because it seems like you two always get in situations together, and I do not recall seeing you in the common room at night lately" Snape questioned.

"Lorenzo, sit down," Aunt Narcissa demanded.

"Really, this isn't necessary. If you don't need to talk about us going home then I'd like to get to class," Enzo said.

"You never like to get to class," Snape said exasperated.

"I'm a changed man," Enz replied proudly.

"Lorenzo black Berkshire sit down this instant," Aunt Narcissa said, and Enz plopped back down in the chair next to Mattheo. Mattheo was screaming inside.

"Left sleeve," Snape said.

Enz lifted up his robe to reveal the words 'I must behave' and Narcissa let out a curse, which was very unlike Aunt Narcissa.

Snape just sighed and pinched his nose.

"Pray tell me why neither of you said something?" Snape asked.

"I was just following your orders, professor. Obey and fulfill her every wish, just like you said to do," Mattheo said, smirking.

"Riddle Manor will be aware of this. You are not to attend any further detentions nor defense against the dark arts, I will handle the fallout," Snape said.

"Why? It's what they wanted. They sent her," Mattheo said, hoping to gain a rise out of the man.

Aunt Narcissa interjected saying, "your parents would never want you to be harmed at school, by a professor no less, and you both know this. I cannot believe you did not trust us with this information. Draco did not even tell me!"

Mattheo and Enzo only stared.

"Your Uncle Lucius and I will pick you up from Hogwarts on Friday after dinner. Your mother has just arrived home and is anxious to see you, but news of this atrocity will pain her. I would prepare an apology for not mentioning it," Narcissa offered.

"Pardon my French Aunt Narcissa, but how the fuck would we have told her. She was in Azkaban," Mattheo said.

"You know very well that we could have shared the message," Snape warned.

"Yeah sorry, Enz we must have forgotten they control the prison, the government, the whole fucking continent. Our bad, we'll tell you the next time a teacher that you sent to punish us is carving letters into our arm." Mattheo said.

"Yeah Mattheo, entirely our fault, we sincerely apologize to you and our mother. Let's go, I'm done having this conversation" Enzo said, grabbing Mattheo's arm as the body-bind dissolved and walking away with two stunned adults left behind.

-

Sure enough, Mattheo looked down at the Daily Prophet after entering lunch, displaying the front- cover words: Infamous Death Eater Bellatrix Lestrange Azkaban - Escape.

Mattheo couldn't bring himself to read the article.

"What if we killed Umbitch?" Pansy offered as they all sat together at their usual spot.

"It would make more sense to kill Snape and that's not entirely feasible" Draco said.

"Well then what the fuck do we do?" Pansy asked.

"Quidditch practice. Big game tomorrow," Mattheo said dismissively, picking up an apple.

"Bro you can't be serious. Your dad is going to go ape shit once Snape tells him," Theo said.

"Yeah I know and I'll deal with it when I'm kidnapped on Friday" Mattheo said.

"Bellatrix's going to be all like 'why weren't you two strong enough to fight back.' I fucking hate her," Enzo said.

"At least they don't know about Theo too. Tiberius might kill Theo and Umbitch," Blaise said.

"I would be careful guys...father just wrote and said that all of the Knights of Walpurgis are at Riddle Manor and going to the trial...Avery, Lestrange, Nott, Malfoy, Mulciber, Dolohov, Rosier...the whole lot," Astoria said.

Mattheo shoved his face in Enz's shoulder and groaned.

"Are your fucking kidding me?" Enzo said in disbelief.

"There's no shot that you're getting out of voting now, Mattheo," Draco said.

Mattheo genuinely hated his fucking life. What if he just ended it. Then he wouldn't have to vote. Unless his dad brought him back somehow, he wasn't going to rule that out as a possibility.

"What do we do?" Enz whispered.

"Win the Ravenclaw match," Mattheo said.

"You're ridiculous. Ignoring your problems doesn't make them go away, Mattheo," Blaise said.

"One of these days it will," Mattheo said, biting his apple and grinning at Blaise, who just shook his head in response.

"We'll be fine," Enz said, "we've got each others backs there."

"We'll be fine," Mattheo repeated.