𝙃𝙀𝘼𝙍𝙏𝙇𝙀𝙎𝙎 | mattheo riddle

82 | in his arms

"I've noticed a pattern, Mattheo. Henry only leaves the castle once a day. But his timings change. He hasn't left once today, so I'm guessing he's leaving tonight." Liam explains to the group.

"Blaise and Dylan, I want you two to follow Henry's every move once he leaves the castle. Use your invisibility devices and get me that location. Come back straight away when you've got it, once you're sure he's keeping Layla captive there. Got it?" Mattheo says, and Blaise and Dylan nod in unison.

"Got it." Dylan says.

"After that, we can make our move. Our main goal is to save Layla. Killing Henry comes after. Or before, whichever is convenient. Layla's safety is our priority though."

They all nod in agreement.

"I don't want any of you at base tonight. Suspicions about my identity is rising and there's eyes on us all the time. So I want all of us waiting here in the common room for Blaise and Dylan's return." He sighs before looking at each one of them. "Blaise and Dylan you may go now. Get to the Gryffindor common room and follow Spector's every footstep."

Blaise and Dylan nod, switching on their invisibility devices and heading out of the common room, leaving the boys standing there with nothing but hope. That's all they could do right now - hope for the best. Hope that Blaise and Dylan don't get found out, and hope that wherever Henry is going, is where Layla is being kept.

The boys and Kamala sit back down onto the sofas, everyone silent and not knowing what to say.

"Mattheo... I have a request." Liam says out of the blue, catching their attention.

"Yes Matthews?" He replies.

"I know you said we can't go back to base... but I need to get back to work on those suits. I'm so close to completing them all, and it'll only take a night."

"Liam-"

"Riddle. We all sense a war coming, and these suits, these suits will guarantee our protection. It's a project I've been working on for a while now and-"

"Liam you can go." Mattheo cuts him off, patting his back. "Just be safe, and take one of the boys with you."

"I volunteer as tribute." Theodore raises his hand.

"God, is this from that muggle movie Layla made you watch?" Draco scoffs.

"Yes actually." Enzo rolls his eyes.

"Can we please not talk about Layla at the moment?" Mattheo sighs, running his hand through his hair as he lets out a breath.

"Sorry." Draco mumbles.

"Nott, go with Liam. And don't get found out. We'll cover for you. Come back by tomorrow morning." Mattheo says and Liam and Theodore stand up and nod.

"I'll be as quick as I can." Liam says, before the two of them head off.

"Looks like it's just the four of us left." Enzo sighs, looking at Mattheo, Draco and Kamala.

"Now it's just the three of you." Mattheo says, standing up and making his way out of the common room.

"Where are you going?" Draco asks.

"Astronomy tower."

***

Mattheo's POV

I light my cigarette and look into the night, leaning against the railing as I gaze out at the twinkling stars in the sky.

"Mattheo?"

"Layla?" I whip my head around and for a moment I see her, for a moment I see her walking towards me, the moonlight glistening in her eyes.

I blink and she's gone.

She's not there.

I shake my head and let out a puff of smoke, before sitting down on the wooden floor, leaning against the wall. The very same wall I marked her with my symbol. My dark mark.

OH FUCK. THE DARK MARK. I- How am I so incompetent to forget about that!? It won't be able to use it to summon her, but I can communicate with her... in some sort of way. Just to let her know that I'm coming for her. That I'll be there, to save her.

Because she's mine, and that pathetic excuse of a wizard can fuck right off. I'm going to rescue her. I will fucking rescue her.

I take out my wand and press it against the dark mark of my own, and I do nothing but think about her. Think about where she could be right now, how she must be feeling... her face. Her eyes. Her lips. The sound of her sweet sweet voice.

Author's POV

Layla sits in the corner of her cell, holding her knees against her body, shivering all over.

God this is hell. But who knew hell could be freezing cold?

Suddenly, she feels a stinging sensation underneath the shackles that cage her wrists. Confused, she tries to manoeuvre the metal slightly, and it moves just a bit, and she glides her finger over her skin.

She feels something and her eyes wide open. She's still stuck in the darkness so she cannot see a thing, but she knows.

A whisper. "The dark mark."

She gasps in shock. She feels it beginning to move and a smile forms on her face.

He's trying to give me a message - to let me know he's coming for me. This is probably the best news that I've encountered ever since I've been put into this shit hole.

She sighs and blows out a breath,closing her eyes, and fantasising what it'll be like when she's out. How it'll feel when she's finally reunited with the one she loves.

Merlin, as much as I hate this place I feel blessed that Spector hasn't killed me yet. I don't know why he hasn't, or what his motives are... but I'm shocked he hasn't just killed me already.

All I'm waiting for now is him. He will come and get me... I hope. I just have to stay strong and fight this. This cold. This darkness. The feeling of emptiness and loneliness around me.

The fear of the unknown - what's going to happen next, what will happen to me? Will I live? Will I die?

It's all just a game.