☞ 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲, 4𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫, 1996

"Wake up, Y/n. It's the first day of lessons!" Astoria sang as she brushed her hair while sitting at her vanity. With a groan, I force myself out from underneath the covers and get ready for the day. Dazed with drowsiness, my mind almost let me forget last night's encounter. Remembering that moment snapped me wide awake faster than any cold shower.

I quickly gathered my uniform as I mumbled a good morning to Astoria, and I locked myself in the bathroom. I set my clothes on the counter as I placed my hands on either side of the sink. My eyes trailed across my reflection in the mirror. Under my eyes was smudged, left-over mascara I forgot to wash away last night. My hair was a disorganised mess, and my pyjamas are more wrinkly than a mandrake.

With little time to waste, I rushed to get ready. Neatly dressing myself in my uniform, taming my hair, and styling it the way I love. And lastly, some final touches, leaving me feeling beautiful and comfortable, ready for the busy day ahead.

"I'm ready!" I smiled at Astoria as I swung the bathroom door open. I threw my pyjamas on my unmade bed. Astoria laughed and rolled her eyes at the unkept sight. With a flick of her wand, my bed was made, and fresh pyjamas were folded neatly at the foot of my bed, ready for tonight. "What would I do without you." I smirk at the girl who sassily flicked her hair.

"You'd end up being a slob." Astoria laughed  as I let out a dramatic gasp. She passed me my bag, and once Astoria had grabbed hers, we set off towards the Great Hall for breakfast.

There we sat, Astoria enjoying her waffles while I had already eaten and was finishing the chapter in my book I had failed to finish the previous night. "Morning, Snape." Malfoy huffed as he sat beside Astoria. Zabini glared at him as he sat beside me, opposite Malfoy. Nott took Astoria's other side, looking half asleep, and Riddle happily sat beside me. Astoria looked astounded and worried. "What is going on?" She whispered to me as I glared at the group.

"Why are you all here? You don't have to sit by me." I rolled my eyes, and I looked back down at my book. Just as Nott was about to answer, Pugface Parkinson arrived and started screaming at me... again.

"Ugh! What are you boys doing with her!" She screeched. Suddenly, the hall fell silent, and tension filled the air. Riddle shuffled closer to me and he glared at Parkinson as I tensed up.

"Go away, Parkinson. We are done with you." Malfoy spat menacingly, making Parkinson stutter and take a few steps back out of fear.

"B-but, no. No! You can't just cut me off the moment some whore suddenly grows a pair of tits!" She screams at us. Riddle suddenly shot up and glared at the girl.

"How dare you speak about Y/n like that." Riddle fumed, his eyes dark with a dangerous expression plastered on his face. Parkinson did not stop. She never knew when to stop.

"I'm better than her! I'm better than both of them! I'm the Slytherin Princess! Not Y/n fucking Snape!" She cried and screamed, marcara and foundation staring to smear down her face from her tears.

Riddle suddenly gripped his wand so tight his knuckles turned white. His darkened expression made him look as though he was about to curse the girl at any moment. Before the boy could do anything foolish, my father and McGonagall stepped in.

"Detention for one week, Miss Parkinson!" My father yelled as McGonagall grabbed Parkinson. As she continued to yell and attempt to wriggle out of Minnie's arms, my father continued. "One month detention! Would you like to try for two, Miss Parkinson?"

Slowly, the girl began to calm down, although tears still streamed from her face. Oddly enough, I do feel for Parkinson. Despite everyone else knowing that the boys never liked her, she has always thought they loved her. Pansy has always viewed this group of boys as her closest friends, and despite her using them for popularity and to bully others, they were still friends to her. And suddenly they are hanging around the one person you can't stand the most in this whole school. Well, that must hurt.

Minne pulled the girl out of the silent hall, and my father turned towards me. "Are you okay?" I nodded my head, struggling to get a word out after that whole ordeal. "Very well." Father began to walk away until he noticed Riddle still standing with a seething look on his face. "Mr Riddle, sit down." My father spat as Riddle slowly took his seat beside me. What a strange boy.

Astoria looked at me with a confused expression as her eyes darted towards Riddle. I sent her the same expression, signalling that I am just as confused by his odd behaviour as she is. "Let's get going." Astoria broke the silence amongst us as we grabbed our bags and headed straight for the door.

The boys followed us from afar, making me glare at them. We entered the classroom, and my eyes landed on the one person who would get rid of the group of snakes that were trailing after us. Harry Potter.

In one motion, I grabbed Astoria, and I sat us beside Harry, who was sitting with Neville, while Hermione and Ron were in the row behind them. "Hello, Harry." I smiled at the startled boy. He turned to face me, and suddenly his cheeks grew red. "Mind if we join you?" I grinned.

"O-of course not. How are you? We saw what happened in the Great Hall. Why did Riddle and his gang sit with you? I thought they hated you, and vice versa." Harry rambled on, making me sigh.

"I'm good, thanks, just shocked that Parkinson did that. She's never been the one to cause such a scene in front of the whole school. And I'm not sure why Riddle and the boys were with us." Of course, that was a lie. I know fully well why they were with us. But with how much Harry has been obsessed with the idea that Riddle, Malfoy, Zabini, and Nott have been marked as death eaters, he would probably have me push for more details. Which is not a good idea, all things considered.

"Good morning, sixth years." Professor Flitwick beamed as he clambered onto his stack of books. He glanced around the room. "Right this year, we will start off by covering some charms that will be useful in battle. We will be covering Depulso this morning. So please stand while I take out the practice dummies. Gather into groups of six, and you can practice." Flitwick instructed as we all stood from our desks. Within a moment, the desks were gone, and before us was a dummy.
Harry, Neville, Hermione, Ron, Astoria, and myself gathered to work together.

Ron and Harry stood off to the side, not really paying attention. Astoria had finished practicing, and she had perfected the charm. She now stood off to the side, laughing at Hermione and me as we struggled to help Neville.

"Stop, stop, stop. You are flicking your wand like a lunatic!" Hermione huffed hopelessly. "Y/n, perform the charm on the dummy. And Neville. Pay close attention to her wand movements." Hermione instructed, sounding scarily like a professor. Neville took a few steps back to make room for me, and I stood a few metres away from the wooden figure.

I readied my wand, and with one swift movement, "Depulso!" The dummy is sent soaring across the classroom, hitting the back wall. Despite many people completing the task, no one has managed to send the dummy flying that far back.

"Well done, Miss Snape! Perfect demonstration of the Depulso charm! I'd hate to face you in a duel." He chuckled and clapped happily, he sent me a proud thumbs up and continued to help a student with their wand movement.

"Bloody hell!" Ron gasped. I turned to see both him and Harry completely amazed by my skill. I thank the ginger with a laugh at his expression. I then turned back to Hermione and Neville to work on his wand movement, which he soon perfected.

"Hey, Y/n!" Harry chased after me as I made my way towards the library. I don't have a lesson until after dinner now, so I intend on spending my break time and free period learning more charms and spells that could help me in battle. "A word?" Harry said after he finally caught up to me.

From the corner of my eye, I notice a certain group of Slytherins eavesdropping. "What's up?" I smile at the gryffindor.

"Remember how we held the DA lessons last year?" Harry whispers, and I nod, smiling at the memories. "Well, I was hoping to continue them, they are important now more than ever. And well... I was hoping you'd help me teach?" Harry asked hopefully.

I thought about it for a moment. "You want me to teach?" He nodded enthusiastically. "Very well. I'll gladly teach you and the others some things. I was actually planning on going to the library to learn more defensive and offensive spells." I whispered to him, remembering who was right around the corner.

"Brilliant! I'll see you later, Y/n. I'll give you the schedule and the time." Harry beamed as he walked away from me and away from the eavesdroppers.

Quickly, I fled to the library, hoping to have lost them. I head down to the Defence Against the Dark Arts section and take a few books that seem promising. I turn around to see Riddle staring right at me.

"What did Potter want?" He asked with a dark look in his eyes, his demeanour as lifeless as can be.

"None of your business, Riddle." I send the boy a passive aggressive smile, push past him, and take a seat. Moments later, I was unfortunately accompanied by the infamous four boys. Zabini and Riddle sat beside me, while Malfoy and Nott sat across from us. As an attempt to ignore them, I opened up the first book and began to read, taking notes on any spells, hexes, and charms that may be of use.

"Why are you looking at offensive spells? What is Potter planning?" Zabini spat from beside me. I roll my eyes and glare at the boy, who threw his hands up in defence.

"Harry is planning nothing, and if you must know, I'm researching spells that will help me protect myself." I spat back at the group as I continued to work. I could feel Riddle's gaze burn into the side of my face as I continued to note down spells.

"From what?" Nott yawed, slouching back in his chair. Malfoy hit him at the back of his head, which caused Nott to sit up in shock. He noticed the glare coming from Malfoy, and he soon realised. "Sorry." He mumbled.

"It's fine." I mumble back, not really having the energy to argue with the group. Silently, the boys watch me as I continue to write away. Soon break ended, meaning Zabini and Malfoy had to get to their next class while Nott wanted to take a nap. Leaving just me and Riddle behind.

"How long will this take?" Riddle complained as I picked up the third book. I glanced at him as he stared intensely back at me.

"The deal was that you lot needed to earn my help, not stick around me all the time." I huffed as I continued to flip through the book, not seeing anything worth noting.

"We are trying to do just that! It's not as easy as it looks when we have no fucking idea on how to earn it." Riddle spat at me, causing me to back away. Instantly, his malicious look faded, and one of regret replaced it. "I'm sorry. Merlin, why am I like this." He muttered to himself as he looked away, staring blankly down the rows of tables and chairs.

After a moment of silence and hesitation, my mind battling its own thoughts, trying to decide what's the best thing to say or do. "To earn my help, you first must earn my trust." I spoke softly as my gaze was fixed on the disheartened boy beside me.

"How do I earn your trust?" He whispered, his dark brown eyes flickering between my eyes. It was as if he was looking for something in them, perhaps a hint of a lie, a drop of dishonesty.

"Treat me and those I love with kindness and respect." Our sights never left each other. Riddle's face fell for a second, it was clear that was not the answer he was expecting. Perhaps a favour, an I-owe-you, or something more... lustrous. That's what people usually ask of him in return.

"That's all?" The boy asked, perplexed. I nodded, the seriousness in my demeanour never faltered. "No one has ever-" Riddle continued, however, he couldn't find the words to finish his sentence.

It was my turn to search his eyes. I expected humour, disdain, and a hint of mockery. Instead, his eyes told me the relief he felt, followed by worry, and lastly, a look I've never seen someone send my way. This unknown emotion felt warm and inviting, a stark contrast to Riddle's usual cold, unpleasing personality.

"Do we have a deal, Riddle?" I smirked at the boy, who gave me his signature smirk in return. He reached his hand out, a small gesture that meant a great deal to the two of us.

"You have a deal, darling." Riddle grinned. I placed my hand in his soft palm. His touch sent a tingly feeling up my arm. He happily smiled and gathered his things, explaining that he needed to have a word with his friends and that he'd leave me in peace for now. Although there was a deep feeling within me that wanted him to stay, I chose to ignore it and bid the boy farewell.

"Oh, and Y/n." Riddle called out as he began to take his leave. "Call me Mattheo." With a cheeky wink, the boy left my sight, leaving me alone with my dangerously sweet thoughts about Mattheo Riddle.