Shadows of Slytherin Book 1

Mattheo

"Dani, please talk to me," I plead as I rush down the hallways after her.

She stops abruptly, her eyes filled with fear. "My name was picked, Mattheo... so was Harry's," she says, her voice shaky.

I shake my head in confusion. "What? What do you mean your name was picked?"

"A couple of days ago, my brother and I were both chosen for the Triwizard Tournament," Dani says.

"But how?" I ask, realization dawning. "You're not even of age..."

Dani's eyes widen with horror. "Exactly," she says quietly. "Someone must have put our names in the Goblet of Fire."

After a brief moment of staring at her, I step towards her and take hold of her hands, "You have my word that I'll do everything in my power to protect you and your brother throughout the events that lie ahead."

She glances down at our clasped hands, but then pulls away, shaking her head. "I can handle things on my own, Mattheo. We have bigger problems to worry about than this stupid tournament."

"What do you mean by bigger problems?" I ask.

"It's my nightmares, even my dreams... hell, even when I am awake......they're becoming more frequent and intense" she confides in me, looking up at me, her green eyes piercing into me. "I can sense him, Mattheo...Voldemort is invading my thoughts..."

My heart sinks as I realize what this means. "Voldemort? Are you sure?"

"I think you already know the answer to that," she replies, her voice barely above a whisper.

My mind races as I understand that her words only mean one thing... "No, no, this can't be happening," I mutter to myself. I look down at her, "Dani, I have to go, but I promise that I'll never leave you alone again. Okay? I promise." I quickly turn and make my way down the hallway towards the Defense Against The Dark Arts classroom, stealing one last glance back at Dani and giving her a reassuring nod.

My heart beats faster as I walk through the halls, realizing that he is coming back... I had expected this day, but I never thought it would happen so soon. It now makes sense why we were required to acquire the dark marks two years ahead of schedule.

Entering the classroom, I spot Professor Snape seated at his desk in front of the room, absorbed in his newspaper. "What can I do for you, Mr. Riddle?" he asks without looking up.

"Voldemort's power is growing," I reply.

Snape sets aside his newspaper and focuses on me. "How do you know this?" he inquires.

"Dani," I respond. "She's been seeing him in her dreams more frequently. He's invading her mind with ease, which suggests that he's becoming stronger."

"And what about Mr. Potter? Is he experiencing the same?" Snape queries.

Shaking my head, I answer, "I'm not sure. My concern is primarily for Dani, not Harry. Shouldn't Granger and Weasley be responsible for him?"

"While you and the others have been absent," Snape explains, "Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley have been occupied with finding ways to assist Mr. and Ms. Potter with the tournament."

"Do you have any idea who put their names in the Goblet?" I inquire curiously.

"I have my suspicions, Mr. Riddle," Snape responds. "However, for the time being, you must begin training Ms. Potter's mind to become stronger so that Voldemort cannot easily access her thoughts. After all, you wouldn't want your father discovering your past with Ms. Potter, would you?" He picks up his newspaper, flipping to the page he was at.

I clench my jaw, responding, "Yes, Professor."

I storm out of the classroom, my frustration boiling over. I make my way up to my room, slamming the door shut, causing the pictures on my wall to shake. "Fuck!" I exclaim, my anger inescapable.

Leaning my head against the door, I'm consumed by thoughts of my father's return. I'm convinced that he orchestrated Dani and Harry's names being put in the goblet. It must have been one of his followers. It's all part of his master plan...

I take a deep breath, feeling the anger simmering inside me. I close my eyes, trying to calm down and let go of the frustration. Once I feel more composed, I make my way across the hall to Enzo's room and knock on his door. After a moment, he opens it with a welcoming smile.

"Hey, come on in," he says, stepping aside to let me enter. I walk towards his chair and take a seat. His room has a cozy dark academia feel, with books lining the walls.

He shuts the door and turns towards me, his curiosity obvious in his expression. "So what happened?"

I let out a sigh, feeling the weight of the situation. "Dani and Harry's names were put into the Goblet of Fire. They're both Triwizard champions now."

Enzo's eyes widen. "You've got to be joking?"

I shake my head, confirming the truth of my words. "I wish I was, but it's true."

"You know, I feel like they always end up having to survive this school every year," Enzo remarks, a hint of amusement in his voice.

I chuckle slightly, acknowledging the irony. "You're not wrong there."

Enzo smiles slightly, knowing me all too well. "So I'm assuming you have something for me to do?"

I look up at him, "Am I that predictable?"

"Well, when it comes to Dani being in danger, yes. But I don't blame you, I'd do the same. So, what can I do to help?"

I appreciate his understanding. "Do you mind working with Granger and Weasley in figuring out a way to support Harry and Dani in the tournament?"

Enzo's expression turns thoughtful. "Yeah... but you know, you all need to start getting along. It's exhausting being the only friend of Dani's that's liked by the Gryffindors."

I nod, understanding his frustration. "You're just a likable person, Enz," I say with a small smile.

He shrugs, brushing off the compliment. "Yeah, yeah. But still."

I sigh, realizing the complexity of the situation. "Well, I can't help Harry not being a huge fan of me and the others."

Enzo raises an eyebrow, "That's her brother, you should be getting along with him."

I sigh, feeling torn. "You know it's not that easy. Him and the others have a thing against Slytherins, and it's not the best. They only tolerate us because we're Dani's friends."

Enzo nods in agreement, his expression serious. "I'll meet up with them tonight." He smiles.

I smile gratefully, appreciating his willingness to help. "Thank you," I say sincerely.

However, his smile fades, "Have you noticed anything different with Draco?" he asks, a hint of concern in his voice.

I furrow my brow in confusion. "No, not really. Why?"

He shakes his head. "I don't know," he says slowly. "But he seems to be more focused on Dani lately, almost overly concerned."

A sense of jealousy shoots through me, but I quickly push it away. Draco is my best friend, and I trust him. He wouldn't do anything to hurt me. "That does seem odd," I agree cautiously.

Enzo nods in agreement, sharing my sentiment. We sit in silence, the air between us charged with unspoken thoughts.

"Oh well," Enzo finally says, breaking the silence with a dismissive tone, as if trying to brush off his concerns. But I can tell that he's still troubled by what he's observed about Draco's behavior. I can't help but wonder what's behind Draco's sudden interest in Dani...