𝓼𝓬𝓻𝓲𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓭 | mattheo riddle

37 | die for you

"Camila, do we have to?" Mattheo groans, the both of us stood outside my semi-detached house I grew up in with Josh, my mum, and my pathetic excuse of a father.

"Yes Mattheo, we have to." I say and grab his hand, and drag him to the door. I hit the ring doorbell and it makes that incessant noise, until a couple moments later my mum opens the door, her face twisting into a grin when she sees me... but it then turns into a confused expression as she takes in the boy behind me.

"Camila? What are you doing here?" She asks sternly, almost as if she's just remembered what I've done.

"I... we need to talk to you mum. Please, just hear us out." I say to her taking in a breath.

"Who are you?" She asks Mattheo, but by the look on her face, and the grip she has on her wand, I'm pretty sure she's already guessed who he is.

"Mattheo Riddle. I come in peace." In an instant her wand is lifted and she points it directly at him, my eyes widen and I step in front of him, the wand now being pointed at me.

"Mum please! He's innocent!" I exclaim and she shakes her head angrily.

"Exactly what your father told me about himself." She says through gritted teeth and I say the one thing that first comes to mind.

"Mattheo is the one who killed father." I say quickly, and she takes a moment to process what I said, and slowly her wand lowers.

"What?"

Mattheo takes a small step forward. "Please if you could just give us some time to explain what's going on, it'll all make sense." He says. "I did kill your husband, and I'm terribly sorry but-"

"Don't apologise." She says, and a feeling of relief runs through me. "Come in." I watch Mattheo's shocked expression and give him a 'I told you so' look before going inside. We take a seat on the sofa in the living room. It's as comfy as usual. I missed being home.

My mum takes a seat on the opposite sofa, her wand still in her hands. "What's going on Camila?"

"I think it'd be better if Mattheo explains himself." I say to her and she looks over at Mattheo with a glare. He sits up straight and swallows.

"Miss Dobrev," he starts. "I was never on my father's side if that's what you're assuming. Yes I did work for him, but eventually I realised that I never agreed with what he was doing. It was wrong... I decided to go on my own path and in the Hogwarts war, I secretly turned against him..." my mum shifts in her seat. "I saw your husband about to- about to kill an innocent student so before he could, I cast the spell... and killed him."

My mum takes a deep breath.

"Ever since then," I add. "There's been a few death eaters who remain... loyalists who haven't given up on their cause. They've been after Mattheo to join them, and to get me to join their little cult too but when they found out Mattheo was never on their side they start beating him." I explain and her mouth is agape.

"They're after you too Camila!?" She exclaims in shock, looking panicked now.

"Yes but I've been protecting her. They haven't been able to get to her because of me." Mattheo says and she shakes her head.

"No, no, no. So you're telling me they asked you Riddle, to get my daughter?" She asks, trying to fathom what she's been told.

"Yes mama but-"

"And how do we know you're not just going to turn on my daughter and hand her over?" She questions and my eyes meet Mattheo's.

"I'd never do that. Not to Camila. I haven't told her this yet but your daughter means a lot to me and I'll do everything in my power to protect her." He says, and I feel my eyes watering up slightly, my heart racing at the sound of his words.

My mum takes in everything he's saying and nods. "I get what you're saying but she's my baby, of course I'm going to be concerned... I don't trust so easily, not like my daughter who wears her heart on her sleeve." I feel a little anger in me when she says this but brush it off. "Camila have any of those loyalists touched you?"

"No... but there was this one blonde woman in London-"

Oh fuck.

"Camila you idiot."

"London? Why on earth were you in London?" She asks in confusion.

"That's a whole other story but basically this blonde woman was acting weird with me and she was one of the loyalists who beat up Mattheo."

"Well her masked friend was more of the one who did it." Mattheo adds for more detail and I nod.

"What did she look like?" My mum asks.

"Short blonde hair, works at a hotel and wears red uniform and she has a mole on her face." I describe and her eyes widen.

"She's the woman your father cheated on me with." My mum says suddenly and my jaw drops.

"I need some tea." Is all I say, and slouch back in my seat.

***

As my mum makes the tea in the kitchen, I sit with Mattheo at the sofa, and he holds my hand in his, stroking the back of it with his thumb soothingly. "I like what you said before." I say to him with a smile.

"I say a lot of great things." He replies and I roll my eyes.

"You know what I'm talking about."

"What about me basically saying I'd die for you?" He states and I nod.

"That was cute."

"It was more than just cute Camila." He pulls my hand towards his lips and plants a kiss on the back of it, my cheeks burning red.

"Stop." I say and he chuckles.

"Tea's ready." My mum says, walking into the room with steaming hot tea in a tray, with some digestive biscuits arranged in a plate too. We each take our cups and wait for it to cool for a bit.

"I've made my decision." My mum said abruptly. "You two should agree with me too... I think it's best for the both of you, and for the both of yours safety to stay apart." She says and my heart drops. "I don't know what's going on between you but it's not safe for you right now to be together. Camila do you understand?"

"Mama-"

"No arguments. I'll be going to the Ministry of Magic to make them aware of the situation, and hopefully these loyalists will be ended." She says, and I notice Mattheo get into a panicked state.

"No, please, you really can't do that."

"Don't worry, you won't be mentioned. I'll just say that my daughter got attacked. Friends of my late husband who are loyalists." My mum shrugs.

"I think it's a good idea for my mum to do that Mattheo. Mainly for you, not just me." I tell him and he runs his hand through his hair.

"Fine." He says.

"And also," my mum adds. "Even if you were going to go to the Ministry and tell them yourself, I don't think they'd believe you."

"That's very true." Mattheo chuckles. "Perks of being Voldemort's son."