Grindelwald
Mattheo Riddle
Mattheo knew everything would be okay, that the dots would eventually connect, because they needed to. Mattheo could not see his parents for the rest of his life, or for the next year. He couldn't see his mother kill people because she liked it. Not for control like his father, just for fun. Mattheo needed it to be fine...but he could never have predicted what happened next.
-
DARK WIZARD GRINDELWALD SUSPECTED TO BE BACK
"What the fuck," Pansy said, slapping the newspaper down in front of where Mattheo and the others were eating dinner.
Theo choked on his soup next to Mattheo, "What the fuck?" he spluttered.
"Dude...I thought your dad killed him," Draco said.
"Yeah, a long time ago. Guess he failed," Mattheo shrugged.
"How can you be so nonchalant about this? Look here, it says he was spotted in Hogsmeade. What if he's coming after Voldemort's only son?" Blaise asked.
"Then I'm fucked," Mattheo shrugged. It had been 5 weeks since Mattheo asked Harry to speak to Dumbledore, and Harry came back a week later saying that none of them would be returning home, under strict instructions that members of the quidditch teams must stay home for break. Somehow McGonagall came up with that excuse, but Mattheo didn't think it would work as well as they hoped. None of the parents knew yet though, with Yule still being a month away, so it might.
Grindelwald returning was something no one had predicted, though. If they weren't busy once again ignoring their parents under the guise of 'exams,' Mattheo might feel the urge to send a letter asking how the fuck it was even possible. His dad killed Grindelwald, and now he was back and seen in a town just beyond the castle gates?
Mattheo glanced up at the Head Table, only to find Snape, Dumbledore, Flitwick, and McGonagall all gone, while the rest were...staring at Mattheo.
It was no secret that Mattheo was the son of Voldemort. However, Dumbledore lived under the philosophy 'education for all' and therefore the teachers really didn't address Mattheo's parentage. He was a good student in most classes and was respectful to every teacher besides Snape, so they didn't bother him. However, the connection with Grindelwald was clear as day, and he could tell that all of the professors were shamelessly keeping an eye on him, as if Grindelwald would pop out any moment and kill him.
"You should be worried about this," Astoria said. "Even if your dad didn't really kill him, your dad is pretty much unreachable at the moment. You, on the other hand, are a 15-year-old-boy who is very reachable past Hogwarts' walls. If he finds a way in..." Astoria warned.
"Thanks for the confidence boost, Astoria," Mattheo said.
"You know I'm right," she argued.
"She is right mate," Enzo said. "I don't think telling Grindewald you actually hate your dad will stop him from trying to get revenge," he said.
"Whatever guys, let's just go back to the dungeons," Theo said, "I'm bored of this tense atmosphere and it's already like 21H," he said, waving his hand around to the students in the Great Hall hunched over the newest Daily Prophet release.
They bickered on the way to the Slytherin common room, Theo and Pansy mostly arguing about whether or not a hotdog was a sandwich, which it most definitely was NOT.
"Theo think about it for a second. The hotdog bread doesn't come in two slices," Pansy said.
"Pansy some sandwich bread does come in one slice. Think about a fucking baguette," he argued back, but Pansy didn't respond.
Soon, they all noticed what she was staring at. Up ahead, on the entrance to the Slytherin dungeons, was blood smeared all over the door.
"What. the. fuck." Enzo said.
"Mattheo, you have to get out of here. Let's go back upstairs," Blaise said, pulling his arm.
They heard footsteps approaching from the hall behind them, and all pulled out their wands, ready to fight, but it was just Snape.
Snape visibly paled at the blood, as if the twat could get any paler, and he quickly walked over and grabbed Mattheo by the arm.
"Hey-" Mattheo started, but Snape said, "not a word. We need to get upstairs," as the group followed him and he dragged Mattheo along.
They reached the ground floor as Snape continued in the direction of the Great Hall. "I need to alert your father, things are worse than he thought at Hogwarts."
"What are you talking about? He knew Grindelwald was coming here?" Mattheo asked, confused.
"He had his suspicions, but he never thought that Grindelwald would make it into the castle," Snape answered.
Mattheo forcibly stopped him by dragging his feet. "What the fuck do you mean? This whole time I've been walking around the grounds and there was an old wizard trying to what? Kill me? And you didn't think to give me a fucking heads up?" Mattheo yelled.
Snape ignored his questions. "All of you go in the Great Hall and stay there," he said, marching off and leaving them in front of the doors.
Mattheo was about to turn in the opposite direction of the Great Hall before Blaise grabbed his arm and dragged him inside.
"What the fuck man?" Mattheo yelled.
"Grindelwald is somewhere in this fucking castle, and right now we have one common enemy with Snape and our parents, so we just need to listen to them," Blaise said.
Mattheo just shook his head and walked further into the hall, noticing some teachers already filing in from the back like Professor McGonagall and students still eating dinner.
"Students" Professor McGonagall announced, "I am sure you have all seen the grave news of the dark wizard Grindelwald's return. For this reason we have elected for all students to remain in the Great Hall until the rest of the castle is deemed safe to return to."
As she spoke, the tables disappeared and sleeping bags sorted by house started appearing on the floor.
"Please, understand that this threat is to be taken seriously and understand that your professors will try their very hardest to ensure the castle is safe," McGonagall finished, stepping out of the Great Hall once more.
"So their strategy is to make one large target that Grindelwald will know Mattheo is in? This is fucking stupid, no way father and Snape organized this," Draco said.
"Awww you don't want to have a big slumber party, Draco?" Pansy asked with a grin.
"I don't understand. How did he even get in? Where's Dumbledore?" Blaise asked.
Professor Flitwick came up behind them before anyone could answer, "students please make your way over to your house beds," his eyes resting on Mattheo.
"House beds as if...these have zero padding we'd be better off in the Divination room on bean bags," Astoria complained.
"I can be your padding," Enzo said with a wink.
"Oh fuck off Enz," she responded.
Mattheo and the others walked over to the Slytherin bags, and chose some before some 7th year junior Death Eaters walked over. "Riddle, we think you should sleep near us," one said.
"Yeah, no fucking thank you," he replied, laying down on his sleeping bag. Mattheo knew someone had probably instructed the older boys to protect him, but he didn't really fucking care. They all looked incompetent, anyway, and even drunk Pansy could probably beat them in a duel.
Luckily, three people that the older Slytherins would have hated very much walked over and the older boys retreated.
Fred, George, and Harry walked over carrying red sleeping bags, and laid them down among Mattheo's friends pine green ones.
"Listen" Fred started, "we think you just tell it to him straight. Hey Grindelwald, you don't actually need to kill me because I hate my father," he said.
"And killing me will only make him even happier because he hates me too, and you don't want him to be happy," George continued.
"We could always prank him," Fred suggested.
"Yeah sure throw a couple dung bombs at him. Solve the problem real quickly," Pansy said.
"Hey don't underestimate the joke products, Parkinson" Fred said.
"I hate you two," she sighed.
"Oh, you know you love us" George replied.
"On a serious note though Mattheo, you'll be fine. You see Snape in the corner? He's watching you like a hawk. So are the other professors and older Slytherins," Harry said.
"Yeah I wonder whose doing that was," Theo sarcastically said.
"Mattheo's fairy godmother, of course" Enzo responded.
"I'm going to bed, wake me up if someone tries to kill Mattheo," Blaise said.
"Goodnight," they all said.
"You'll be fine, Mattheo" Enzo whispered genuinely.
"I know, because I can't get free from my dad, so he can't let me die," Mattheo responded.
"Well yeah, and mom would kill the both of us if we ever died," Enzo added.
"Bro, I love you, but you make no sense," Mattheo laughed.
"We'll be fine," Enzo said again.
"We'll be fine,"' Mattheo echoed.
-
It was a couple hours of later when something happened.
Mattheo couldn't sleep, so he just lay there with his eyes closed. However, a few gasps let out and Mattheo opened his eyes to a green light illuminating the room. The light was coming from outside, and he could see some professors gathering around the window watching it, while students waking went to see what it was.
Theo sat up next to him, and Mattheo grabbed him while he shook Enzo to wake. Mattheo and Theo walked over to the window, while the others were woke by Enzo and followed.
As Mattheo approached the window, heads all turned to stare at him. The crowd split as he got closer to the window, and he soon saw the source of the light.
His father's dark mark, lighting up the night sky, a snake curving out of the skull.
Mattheo felt his breathing pick up. Shit.
Blaise walked up next to him. "The Dark Lord has evidently sent a threat to Grindelwald, on behalf of his son," Blaise grimly said.
Mattheo felt a hand on his shoulder. Snape.
"Students should get back to bed," Snape announced.
"Did you cast it?" Mattheo whispered.
"It does not matter. Your father has sent a warning. You will be safe if Gellert Grindelwald values his life," Snape whispered back.
"Yeah well look what happened when he tried to kill Grindelwald the first time," Mattheo said, pulling away from Snape and walking back towards his sleeping bag.
Mattheo felt eyes on him the whole night, and he knew that Dumbledore entered the room at around 2am. Mattheo was awake when Snape and Dumbledore stood over him, and heard the whole conversation.
"It seems his father and I have a shared enemy," Dumbledore said.
"The Dark Lord will not rest until his son is safe," Snape responded.
"He cares for him that deeply?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes, I believe Mattheo may be the most precious thing in the world to the Dark Lord. To lose him may be...catastrophic for the rest of us," Snape replied.
What utter bullshit. His dad would sooner love Beanie than love Mattheo.
"Then we must ensure that does not happen. We still have no idea of Grindelwald's location?" Dumbledore asked.
"No. It's almost as if he's...disappeared. We searched the castle three times but Filch is checking the dungeons again now," Snape said.
"Has the boy's father said anything to you?" Dumbledore asked.
"Only instructed me to not let him out of my sight, which I do not plan on doing," Snape answered.
"And the Dark Mark? A threat?" Dumbledore asked.
"Likely. A message to Grindelwald that he knows he is here. A message to the Dark Lord's supporters to protect young Mr. Riddle. A message to his son that he is watching. Any number of things," Snape said.
"I am perfectly happy sending the students back to their school houses if the castle is deemed empty. I think that Mr. Riddle is perfectly safe now that his father has spoken, but I will implement certain restrictions and he will never be left alone," Dumbledore said.
-
"I still can't believe Dumbledore's allowing us back in our houses. Snape did not look happy about it," Blaise said while they walked with Harry and the twins out of the Great Hall.
"I have an idea," Enzo said, "what if we used the map?"
Mattheo warily looked at Harry. "Harry, don't get mad. Remember how you had that map that you used in 3rd year? Well I saw it...and I maybe took it," Mattheo said.
"I knew it was you! I swore I told Dean that it was you 100%," Harry said.
"Okay but that's whatever," Enzo said, waving his hand, "my point is that the map could help us find Grindelwald. And, we promise to give it back to you later Harry."
"That's not a bad idea," Draco said.
"Oh and we'll give you back the cloak," Enzo said.
"Enz shut the fuck up," Mattheo said.
"You stole the cloak too??" Harry asked in awe. "I knew you two were behind that. Alright fine, let's find Grindelwald so that you can give me back the things you stole, " Harry said.
"Hey we stole them out of the kindness of our hearts," Mattheo said, grinning.
"I'll meet you tonight, can you bring the map?" Harry said.
"Yeah, 23:00?" Mattheo asked.
"Sure," Harry said.
"What do you two plan on doing if you find Grindelwald, huh?" Blaise asked, "Kill him? Kiss him? Let him kill you? There is no scenario in which finding Grindelwald is good for you."
"I wouldn't mind a big smooch from Grindelwald," Fred said.
-
"Hey man" Mattheo said, spotting Potter down the corridor, holding his wand and illuminating the corridor with a lumos
"Hey man" Mattheo said, spotting Potter down the corridor, holding his wand and illuminating the corridor with a lumos.
"Hey, you check the map yet?" Harry asked.
"Nah, let me open it now" Mattheo said, unfolding the parchment from his hoodie pocket. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," he said, the letters appearing.
They sat down against the wall together, examining the map for Gellert Grindelwald, and they were about to give up when they spotted him on the third corridor.
"Holy shit, he's here" Harry said.
"Go come on," Mattheo said, standing up and heading in Grindelwald's direction.
"Are you sure, Mattheo? He's here for you?" Harry said.
"Then let's give him a show," Mattheo said, grinning and walking out of the lumos light, Harry following with a sigh.
As they neared Grindelwald, who was walking in their direction now, both Mattheo and Harry pulled out their wands.
Mattheo watched as Grindelwald walked towards them, prepared to cast a spell, but looked around as Grindelwald walked around them in the other direction. What the fuck. The map said he was here, but he was nowhere in sight.
Mattheo looked at Harry and went to follow Grindelwald's map location, when he saw Snape approaching from the other direction on the map.
"Shit, mischief managed" Mattheo whispered, shoving the map into his pocket.
"Mr. Potter? Mr. Riddle? What are you doing wandering the corridors at night?" Snape asked, looking furious.
"Sleepwalking," Mattheo easily replied.
Snape just sent him a glare. "Turn out your pockets, the both of you."
Mattheo easily complied, pulling out the parchment from his pocket.
"What is this?" Snape asked.
"Spare bit of parchment," Mattheo answered.
"Mr. Potter, what is that paper Mr. Riddle has?" Snape asked, redirecting his efforts.
"Like Mattheo said, a spare bit of parchment," Harry replied.
Snape looked absolutely furious that Harry dare call Mattheo by his first name. Mattheo thought all of this was fucking hilarious.
Snape tried a number of spells on the parchment, before words finally appeared in front of Mattheo. "Read it," Snape demanded.
"Mr's Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs offer their compliments to Professor Snape and request that he keep his abnorally large nose out of other people's business," Mattheo read out.
Snape was fuming now.
"I don't know what you two are thinking," Snape said, gesturing with his wand between Mattheo and Harry, "but do keep in mind where your loyalties lie. Potter, go back to your house, now. Oh, and 50 points from Gryffindor. Mr. Riddle, with me," he demanded.
Harry gave a sympathetic look to Mattheo, while Snape grabbed his shoulder and walked him in the direction of the dungeons.
Snape slammed the door to the common room behind them. "What were you thinking? Is it not enough Grindelwald has been in the castle? You must go walking around the corridors at night, with Potter of all people? How did you two even become acquainted? You used to hate each other, he nearly killed your father, and he's in Gryffindor of all houses. Your father is trying to keep you safe, and here you are trying to get yourself killed. You're a fool, and what is this parchment? It is clearly full of dark magic," Snape said.
Mattheo just let him rant. Grindelwald was there. Right there. Except he wasn't. Mattheo knew Harry was thinking about it too. Unless Grindelwald was walking on the ceiling or had an invisibility cloak it physically was not possible.
"Nothing to say? Normally you have so much to say," Snape mocked.
"I'm tired," Mattheo said, "I'm going to bed. Keep the parchment, I don't give a fuck."
"No, Mattheo. Your father instructed me to protect your life with my own. I cannot do that if you are not where you are supposed to be," Snape said.
"I'm going where I'm supposed to be right now professor," Mattheo said, walking down the stairs to the dorms while Snape just sighed and pinched his nose behind him.
Mattheo burst through the door to the boys dorm to find all of his friends there. "He's still here," Mattheo said. "I don't know how, but he's in the castle right now."
"Did you see him?" Pansy asked.
"No but he walked right by Harry and I. He was there...except he wasn't," Mattheo said.
"What do you mean?" Draco asked, "check the map."
"Snape took it when he found us in the hall," Mattheo said, sighing and plopping down on the bed.
"Oh this is so fucked," Theo groaned.
"Wait, Snape saw you and Harry in the hall?" Blaise asked.
"Yeah," Mattheo dejectedly said.
"You better hope your parents don't find out," Draco warned.
"I think you should tell mom it's only a friends with benefits situation," Enzo giggled, obviously on some substances.
"Yeah tell Bellatrix you're sleeping with Harry, it will make a quick trip back to Azkaban for her and you won't have to see her again," Theo added, laughing over the idea.
"Seriously though, I'm going to go to the library tomorrow to find out how Grindelwald is doing thi-" Astoria started, but Draco's white parakeet started squawking.
"I told you to make that stupid bird shut up, Draco," Pansy said.
"I don't know what's going on with him, he's never like this," Draco defended.
"I will kill the fucking bird," Pansy warned.
"Yeah and I'll kill your fucking cat if you even dare," Draco said.
"I want that fucking map," Mattheo interrupted.
"Go steal it from Snape...if you're feeling suicidal," Pansy smirked.
"I'm feeling suicidal," Theo said, you with me Mattheo? Enzo?
"Always," Mattheo and Enzo said in unison.
They stepped out the door.
"They're going to get themselves killed," Blaise said, smirking and shaking his head.
-
"Shhh," Enzo said, laughing from where the three boys were under the invisibility cloak.
"I wasn't saying anything, you're the one who needs to shut up," Theo said, "you big fat whiner."
"Both of you need to shut up because I don't feel like having Lord Prince avada me today," Mattheo said.
They quietly walked down the corridor to Snape's quarters.
Theo nudged the door, and they slipped inside after seeing Snape wasn't in his office.
They took off the cloak to rummage through Snape's desk.
"There's nothing fucking here," Theo complained, and he walked over to where Mattheo was by the door to Snape's private rooms.
"Oh shit, get back," Mattheo whispered, laughing as they heard muffled voices from the other side of the door. They could never take shit seriously.
They all pulled on the cloak again and watched as Lucius, Snape, and...Rosier and Dolohov emerged. Rosier? Dolohov? Why were they here?
The boys watched, breathing quietly as the four men made their way over to Snape's desk.
"Is the Heir secure?" Dolohov asked
"At the moment," Snape sighed.
"Then why were we called here?" Rosier said. "If the brat's not standing in front of Grindelwald I don't want to be bothered."
"Careful how you discuss our Dark Lord's child, Rosier," Lucius warned.
"I just mean I don't want to be called again when a bludger hits him," Rosier said.
"The boy almost died, that is cause for intervention," Lucius argued back.
"Gentlemen," Snape interrupted.
"Yes, continue," Dolohov said.
"I found the Heir walking the castle corridors a couple of hours ago. I need you to find out what this is," Snape said, pulling the map out of his pocket.
"Why do you suspect that it is anything, Severus?" Lucius asked.
"Because the Heir was with curious company when he had it," Snape answered.
"What company?" Dolohov asked.
"Harry Potter," Snape answered like it pained him.
"Fucking hell," Rosier said.
"That boy has got a death wish," Lucius muttered.
"We all understand how this is sensitive information?" Snape asked.
"Yes of course, I will take this parchment straight to the ministry for inspection," Lucius said.
"It is comical that the oath we made to the Dark Lord 15 years ago now requires us lying to him to save our own lives," Rosier laughed.
"I don't think the Dark Lord will grow angry. He will not be happy, of course, but he does not care for the Potter boy anymore," Dolohov said.
"Did the boys seem...acquainted?" Lucius asked.
"They seemed like they have been close friends for a period of time. I have seen them talking at meals a few times, and they slept with each others groups of friends on the night of Grindelwald's attack, but it didn't strike me until tonight that they might be...friends," Snape answered.
"What were they doing out of bed when Grindelwald is loose?" Lucius asked.
"You remember Tom in school? He did what he wanted. Mattheo is much the same," Rosier chuckled like all of this was funny.
"Yes well that behavior is going to get himself killed," Lucius argued.
"Has his father sent him any letters?" Dolohov asked.
"No, no letters have come through the Owlery for the Heir outside of the ones from Nott and you and your wife Lucius," Snape answered.
"The Dark Lord needs to send a message telling his Heir to stay put," Lucius sighed.
"The day that Mattheo listens to his father is the day that house-elves talk back. It will never happen, although I think the Dark Mark sent the message much the same," Rosier joked.
"Who cast it?" Snape asked.
"Greyback, his pack is stationed in the Forbidden Forest in case Grindelwald tries to go through there. Don't worry, they have no interest in transforming children as of late," Dolohov said when Snape looked at him incredulously.
"I know, these levels of protection all seem over the top. If the Heir is facing any extreme bodily harm then the Heir ring will call his father, Grindelwald will have no chance," Rosier said.
"That's only if the Heir wants his father in the moment, and I think that everyone at this table knows the relationship between the Lord and Heir," Snape said.
"Okay, so what? Mattheo is becoming acquainted with Potter to shove it in his father's face? His father does not know that his son knows Potter. It's achieving nothing," Rosier said.
"Maybe he's actually trying to get himself killed," Dolohov added.
"I am going to ask the Dark Lord to exchange words with his heir," Lucius butted in.
"And say what? Son I know you hate me but I need you to stay safe so no mudbloods, no midnight walks, and no mingling with Potter?" Rosier asked, laughing.
"Maybe remind Mattheo he is still under the age of maturity, and consequently under his father's control," Lucius said.
"This boy will always be under his father's control, everyone is," Dolohov said.
"If you have nothing more to say, gentlemen, this is all I needed from you tonight," Snape said.
"I'll get this checked at the ministry," Lucius said, holding the map and following Snape back to his private quarters to use the fireplace.
As soon as the door closed behind the men, the boys pushed each other back to the door into the corridor, and ripped off the cloak.
"What even just happened?" Enzo asked.
"We lost the map," Mattheo sighed.
"Yeah but...dude. Greyback? This is fucking insane," Theo said as they started walking back to their dorms.
"And the oath...you don't think-" Enzo started.
"I have a very good idea of what the oath might be," Mattheo said.
-
"An unbreakable vow, most likely. Made 15 years ago, they said? Then almost definitely to protect Mattheo's life with their own," Blaise said, pondering over the new information.
"Bro...we knew you were untouchable before but holy shit. Do you think he made all of the knights swear?" Pansy asked.
"Probably. This is insane," Draco said.
"It's annoying as fuck is what it is," Mattheo groaned, laying back on the bed.
"Wait so-" Enzo started, then stopped.
"Spit it out, Enz," Mattheo said.
"If...let's say we run away after 6th year for the summer. Are all of the Knights going to be after you? Like you know...cause they swore to protect your life and they won't know where you are so they have to find you to do it?" Enzo asked.
"I don't know. I can't think about this fucking shit right now," Mattheo said.
Draco's bird started squawking loudly again.
"Draco I swear to god," Pansy yelled, pointing her wand at the bird.
Draco was about to intervene, but before he could all of their wands flew our of their hands and pockets and towards the bird, and the parakeet morphed into....fuck.
Grindelwald. In the living flesh.
"Shit," Theo yelled, moving with Blaise to cover Mattheo.
"Ah yes, shit indeed," Grindelwald said, smiling.