Stay - Mattheo Riddle

Duelling Champion

At eight o'clock on a Friday night Kirra, Theodore and Mattheo hurried back to the Great Hall. The long dining tables had vanished and a golden stage had appeared along one wall, lit by thousands of candles floating overhead. The ceiling was velvety black once more and most of the school seemed to be packed beneath it, all carrying their wands and looking excited. 

"I wonder who'll be teaching us?" said Nott as they edged into the chattering crowd. 

"Someone told me Flitwick was a duelling champion when he was young — maybe it'll be him." Kirra states, "As long as it's not —" Kirra began, but she ended on a groan: Gilderoy Lockhart was walking onto the stage, resplendent in robes of deep plum and accompanied by none other than Snape, wearing his usual black. 

"Kill me now" Kirra muttered to Nott and he grinned at her and laughed softly

"Quit being such a drama queen" Nott replied with a grin and she whacked him in the chest playfully. Mattheo watched the banter between the two and couldn't help but wonder what it felt like to have a friendship like that, one where you could joke around all the time but show how much you care for them while doing it.

Sure Mattheo had friends, but he didn't have a best friend, he didn't have somebody that he felt that he could rely on or tell his secrets too. He had people to do his bidding and stop him from being lonely. 

Lonely.

Mattheo Riddle was lonely, even when he was surrounded by all of his friends, he felt isolated and cold. He wasn't alone, but he sure was lonely and even he couldn't deny that. Mattheo wanted a best friend, he wanted one person that he could actually trust and rely on.

Lockhart waved an arm for silence and called, "Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent! Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little duelling club, to train you all in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions — for full details, see my published works." 

Kirra and Theodore looked at each other with grins and rolled their eyes, to say that the pair disliked the teacher would be the understatement of the century. Mattheo was silent and had a blank look on his face, feeling slightly out of place next to the Hufflepuff  and Slytherin who seemed closer than he had ever seen two people be before.

Kirra noticed this and then decieded to be bold and she reached out for his hand and held it softly in her own. He felt his stomach hum from the butterflies bundling around endlessly. He felt giddy inside, it was a feeling of true bliss as he felt her soft, warm skin against his own.

Mattheo was shocked at the small movement of affection and looked down at her with a look that she couldn't fully understand so she thought she had done something wrong, "is this okay? I know we arent dating bu-"

"Its fine," he told her softly, his cheeks were a deep red and he felt sick- but a good kind of sick. Kirra grinned widely up at him and she nodded her head. She felt absolute happiness as she noticed the pink hue in his cheeks, grinning to herself before looking back up to the front where Lockhart was. 

"Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape," said Lockhart, flashing a wide smile. "He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about dueling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry —you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, neverfear!" 

"I'm not a fan of Snape but believe me when i tell you I cant wait to watch him beat Lockharts arse in this" Kirra muttered in Mattheo's ear with a smirk on her lips, he grinned at her. When she turned her head once more to look up the front, his eyes had stayed glued on her this time, she was truely beautiful, she looked like an angel.