mad as hell
3 september 1996
Mattheo’s POV
“Morning, Matt,” Astoria says sweetly to me as I take a seat across from her and Theo, Enzo to my left for breakfast. I grunt in acknowledgement and pour myself a cup of coffee.
“Hm, pleasure,” Tori says sarcastically to me with a teasing smile as I take a sip of my coffee.
“Good morning, Tori. How are you on this fine Wednesday morning?” I ask, a sarcastic smile plastered onto my face as the boys chuckle.
“Lovely, why thank you, Matt,” Tori smiles and I roll my eyes. “Really, I just want to know how you are,” she adds, looking down at the fruit on her plate.
“Fine, why?” I ask, grabbing some toast.
“Oh, you know, I just saw you last night in the halls,” Astoria says cryptically, forcing Theo and Enzo to look between the two of us confused. “With Mia. You two seem very close.”
“Were they snogging?” Theo asks Tori enthusiastically.
“Aw, they missed each other over the summer!” Enzo cooes from my side.
“Thank you for that,” I say to Astoria.
“Hey! I think it’s nice! You guys are great together!” She says.
“Wait wait, Matt, you gotta fill in some blanks here. Are you guys together now?” Enzo asks, looking bewildered at the idea.
“No way Mattheo Riddle has a girlfriend,” Theo laughs.
“No, I don’t know,” I sigh and take a long drink of my coffee, savoring the bitter taste.
“Elaborate, Riddle,” Theo pushes.
“Fine. We hooked up the last night before the summer,” I relent, causing all my friends to squeal or whoop loudly. Sighing, my mind drifts to last night. I walked Mia back to her dorm and we agreed we wanted to talk things slow and more private for now. No reason causing a stir if it all goes up in flames anyway. Besides, I don’t even want to deal with Ella and her issues with Mia yet.
“I knew it!” Astoria gloats with a laugh.
“”Bout time, surprised you actually did it,” Enzo says through his toast.
“So now that you fucked her out of your system, now what?” Theo asks crudely.
“Pig,” Astoria mutters to the boy next to her.
“Fuck if I know, but she’s definitely not out of my system,” I mutter into my coffee mug, if anything sleeping together engraved her permanently onto my heart.
“So, are you together now?” Astoria presses.
“Do you really think that’s a good idea?” Enzo asks seriously.
“Why not?” Tori asks.
“C’mon Tori, we all know something is going on,” Theo mutters, his voice much lower than before.
“We don’t know that-”
“Yes, we do. Look at what happened at the World Cup,” he says, looking between the three of us and an uneasy feeling settles into my gut. “I mean, it’s obvious-”
“He’s dead,” I snap darkly. My friends turn to look at me, surprise in their eyes at my tone but my eyes are locked with Theo’s.
“Is he? Or just in hiding?” Theo challenges. “Listen, mate, I’m not trying to be a prick. All I’m saying is be careful. My father was acting weird all summer and from what Draco has said, his dad was the same way. Something weird is going on. I just think you should tread carefully going out with The Girl Who Lived. Just because he isn’t around, doesn’t mean it wouldn’t piss off other people and cause trouble for the both of you.” My eyes are locked on my best friend as he talks. I know he’s right, this summer was weird. Ella and Draco spent more time than normal being forced away from the Malfoy Manor, often ending up at mine, and when they were there, there was a nearly endless train of former Death Eaters coming through the house. Anxiety settles in my gut, not for me but for Mia. I’ll protect her, worst comes to worst, I promise myself.
✦
“Put your books away, you won’t need them,” grumbles Professor Moody, Mad-Eye Moody as he is more commonly known due to his bizarre fake magical eye and highly paranoid attitude, as he hobbles up the aisle towards the front of the classroom. “This is sixth year, yes?” he asks, his voice deep and gravelly, as he reaches the front, turning around to inspect us as we nod in assent.
I sit towards the back of the class, Theo next to me, as we greet the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, just like every other year. Most people say the position is cursed which is why no one ever stays longer than a year but I say Dumbledore hires idiots and ill fit teachers, examples being a fraud pretty boy by the name of Gilderoy Lockerhart, a secret werewolf, and now an ex-Auror who is infamous for being off his rocker. My eyes drift to Mia sitting up front next to Angelina Johnson, her white blouse and uniform skirt showing off her curves in a way that distracts me far more than fair.
“Right well, how far have you gotten along on curses?” The professor asks, looking around at all of us. Some Ravenclaw know-it-all raises his hand and gives an exhaustive list of all the curses and countercurses we studied in the last five years for our O.W.L.s and Moody nods along. “But you’ve not seen the Unforgivable Curses?” I sit up slowly in my desk, glancing at Theo out of the corner of my eye. In front of me, Ella straightens her back and I know she is all too familiar with the effects of the Unforgivables.
“Why would we need to see them?” Mia speaks up, her face in confusion and arms crossed over her chest, and the professor’s magical prosthetic eye swings around to her.
“How do you expect to fight them if you’ve never seen them?”
“There is no fighting them, not if they’re being cast at you,” Mia responds quickly. “You may be able to fight off the effects of the Imperius Curse but the others-”
“Yes! Quite right, Miss Potter,” Moody says, seeming to chew on her name for a moment. “You need to know what you are up against, and therefore prepared! Now Miss Potter has graciously named the first one, the Imperious Curse,” Moody continues, digging into a small jar at the front of the classroom. He pulls out a creepy spider and enlarges it with his wand before turning around and presenting it to us. “Imperio!” He casts at the spider, and forces it to swing through the air and onto Lee Jordan’s desk, who jumps slightly at the sight, and forces the spider to stand on two legs and dance. “Total control, the Imperius Curse gives the caster. Complete removal of free will. It can be fought off but takes great strength and is not possible for all. Years back, many claimed that they only did You-Know-Who’s bidding due to being under the Imperius Curse. The problem is, how do you sort out the liars? Constant vigilance!” He barks the last part out loudly, many students jumping in their seats. “Give me another!”
Next to me, Theo raises his hand slowly, his face set tightly. “The Cruciatus Curse.”
“Excellent, yes,” he nods as he holds out the spider in the palm of his hand. “Crucio!” he casts. I watch as Ella and Theo flinch and the spider turns in on itself, twitching and rocking and bending in unnatural ways. No sound comes out but I can imagine the horrifying scream of someone under the effects of the curse. “Pain. Excruciating pain. Pain so horrible and terrible it has been known to drive people to madness,” Moody explains with cool detachment, watching the spider twitch even after he has lifted the curse.
“Next? Miss Potter?” Moody’s gaze switches to the redhead at the front of the class, whose face is still and cold as stone. She stares defiantly up at the professor as if to say ‘you know very well I do’ but she doesn’t speak.
“The Killing Curse,” I speak up, breaking the eerie silence and stand off between Mia and Moody.
“Hm, very good, Mr. Riddle. You would be an expert here, wouldn't you?” The professor remarks, almost seeming amused, and sets the spider down on Mia’s desk as he addresses me. “Avada Kedavra!” He casts without warning and a blinding green light shoots out of the tip of his wand and lands on the creature on Mia’s books. Her body flinches and her head is turned away, but even from across the classroom I can see the uneasy rise and fall of her shoulders. . “There is no countercurse, no blocking it, just instant death. If muggles were to look at the body they would be able to find no biological reason for the death. Only two people in history are known to have survived it,” Moody says, his eyes on the lightning scar on the back of Mia’s hand. Mia’s green eyes flick up to the Professor, anger and disgust so vivid in them that I can see it from across the classroom. After a tense moment, she stands quickly and grabs her bag, her eyes never leaving Moody’s until she turns around and storms out of the classroom, Moody’s eyes following her the entire time.
Euphemia’s POV
I hear the door slam behind me as I lean against the wall of the corridor, my breath coming in rapidly and shallow. My knees buckle and I sink to the ground, my vision darkening and hands shaking as I try to control my breathing. Images flash through my mind, green lights and fire and screaming and a skull and snake and a tall shadowy figure, in rapid fire. I can’t feel my hands or my feet and all I see and feel and hear is pain and fear. My left wrist feels like it’s on fire and my lungs ache for air. I don’t know how long I sit there, frozen in time, until a distant voice cuts through the screams.
“Phe…. Mia… You’re okay…. You’re safe….” I vaguely feel something wrap around me but I push it off, feeling trapped in my own skin as I try to pull myself out of the depths of my memories. “Give her some space. Mia, just focus on my voice. You’re okay…”
“I think I know how to comfort my best friend,” someone snaps.
“You’re okay, Mia. You’re safe, I promise.” Slowly, I open my eyes, to see Fred and Mattheo kneeling in front of me, twin looks of concern on their faces. I’m pressed against the wall in a corridor a little ways away from the DADA classroom. The hall is empty save the three of us luckily.
“There you are,” Mattheo says with a gentle smile.
“You okay, Phe?” Fred asks, watching me carefully as I nod and wipe at my face.
“I’m sorry, I just-” My voice as shaky as my hands, “Godric, I’m sorry,” I breathe out as another tear slips down my cheek and I swipe at it angrily.
“It’s alright, Phe,” Fred says quietly.
“Nothing to be sorry for, Mia,” Mattheo says gently, moving from his knees to sit against the wall next to me.
“What can I do?” Fred asks, setting his hand on my knee.
“Nothing… “M fine,” I mumble, rubbing my face with one hand and the other grounding me against the cold stone, the adrenaline slowly leaving my veins. “I didn’t think he'd actually cast it like that…”
“Yeah, that was fucked,” Mattheo mumbles next to me, his hand finding mine pressed against the ground.
“You guys go back in, I’m good,” I say, standing slowly, my knees a little wobbly.
“You sure, Phe? I’ll go back to the Common Room with you,” Fred offers, his hand settling on my shoulder gently.
“No, I think I’m going to go walk down to the lake or something. I need some fresh air,” I say, running my fingers through my hair and pushing it away from my face. Fred nods and pulls me into a hug for a long moment and I sigh into my best friend’s embrace before he pulls away and walks back towards the classroom, leaving Mattheo and I alone. I lean against the wall and close my eyes, taking a deep breath.
“I’m sorry, Mia,” Matt says softly and I open my eyes to look at him and smile slightly.
“S'alright. Not your fault,” I say as I push off the wall and reach down to grab my bag. “You should get back to class.”
“Nah, fuck that. I’d rather come with you,” Mattheo smirks, brushing a piece of hair away from my face. “Besides, I think you owe me a cigarette, princess.”
“How do you figure that?” I ask, chuckling.
“Hey, I seem to remember leaving you one on your nightstand and I haven’t gotten one back. Or am I remembering wrong?” he responds teasingly.
“Ah, my apologies, how could I have forgotten?” I laugh sarcastically, rolling my eyes.
“I’ll forgive you this time, princess, but don’t let it happen again.” Mattheo takes a step towards me and reaches up to cup my cheek. “Sure you’re okay?”
“Promise,” I say with a nod. Matt nods and runs his hand down my arm to grab my hand and together, we walk through the empty halls and into the warm fall air.
✦
“So how was your date with Riddle?” Fred asks suddenly, interrupting Angelina’s sentence about Quidditch. I look up from my dinner plate to see Fred staring at me, his face set in a hard expression, and George, Lee, Alicia and Angelina all looking between Fred and I.
“What? I haven’t-”
“He didn’t come back to class. I’m not dense, Mia,” Fred snaps and I lean back from the table, Fred almost never snaps at me. He’s been in a foul mood since our Defense lesson but I hadn’t guessed it was directed at me.
“We just went for a walk, Fred, that’s not a date,” I respond slowly. I haven’t gotten around to telling the boys that I slept with Mattheo last term, or that we are kind of sort of maybe starting to see each other. I told Ang and Alicia the morning after but had kept the boys in the dark for the most part. Matt and I agreed to keep things quiet for a while, just while we figure out what we are and what we’re doing.
“You used to hate him, and being nice for the sake of prefect rounds was one thing but now you’re hanging out with him? Telling me to go back to class so you can skip with him?”
“Hey, I told him to go back to class too. It’s not my fault he didn’t listen!” I snap back, growing frustrated.
“What is going on with you? Why are you suddenly all buddy buddy with him? His father is the reason you grew up the way you did, Mia! How can you-”
“I bloody well know that, Fred! We are all fucking babies when it happened and its not Mattheo’s fault anymore than it is yours! If I of all people can look past who his parents are, something he has no control over, then I expect you can as well. Fuck, not even Harry has given me a fraction of the shit you’ve given me about it over the last year. Mattheo is in my life because I want him to be and if you have a problem with that, that’s on you!” Fred and I hold eye contact for a tense moment, our friends in various states of feeling awkward until George speaks up.
“He’s just worried about you, Mia. Riddle is dangerous-”
“I can take care of myself,” I interrupt, my eyes still not leaving Fred’s. After a long moment, I look down at my plate and stand. “I’m not hungry anymore,” I mutter as I turn away, my feet taking me out of the Great Hall.