The Snake Pit || Mattheo Riddle

Chapter 12: Blood and a Broken Nose

They both swore loudly as her forehead smacked his chin. Octavia stumbled back and held her head as it bloomed with pain. Her bookbag had swung off her shoulder. She apologised profusely as her eyes cast up to see Mattheo. Her eyesight was spotty with specks of light but she could make out his dark eyes and the casual slump of his shoulders. She snorted and then moaned at the pain it spiked. He rubbed his chin, eyebrows creased.

'Who are you running from?' he drawled.

'Madam Pince, the librarian,' Octavia huffed, hiking her bag back to her shoulder.

'Ah, I haven't had the pleasure yet,' he said with a wise nod of his head.

'I laughed and she descended on me like Hades' Furies,' she grumbled, more to herself. His eyes crinkled as he tried not to smile. She didn't have the energy to glare at him, so she settled for a deadpanned expression.

'What are doing here anyway?' she grumbled, crossing her arms. He had nothing but his wand in his hands. She noticed his shirt sleeves were rolled up to reveal his tan forearms. No dark mark in site she frowned, confused.

'None of your business,' his face had changed. There was no trace of a smile. He'd grown stony and his eyes were hard as they looked down at her. A chill ran down her spine.

'Fine,' she uttered. Octavia's eyebrows were knitted together. He stood there a moment longer before stalking off, leaving her there confused and alone in the quiet corridor.

*

*

*

Before Octavia knew it a week and a bit had passed since arriving at Hogwarts. It was Friday afternoon and the group of Slytherin's were lounging around the Common Room waiting for dinner.

'Ugh,' Theo sighed, 'I don't want to wait until after dinner, can't we just go the Room of Requirement now?' He was upside down on the couch, blood rushing to his head and curls brushing the floor. Octavia rolled her eyes.

'No Theo, it'll be suspicious if the majority of the Slytherin Seventh Years don't show up to dinner, especially with Potter's army watching us 24/7,' Daphne grumbled, her arms crossed and a glare aimed precisely on Theo. They began to bicker, the rest of the group awkward trying to look anywhere else. Mattheo waltzed into the Common Room, First Year's dodging him as he went.

'Trouble in paradise?' Mattheo drawled as he slumped into a seat. He had a gash across his nose and a large bruise forming over its bridge. His nose was bleeding. His teeth pink with blood that pooled onto his lips. He'd got in another fight. Octavia shook her head at him exasperated, Mattheo glared back at her, a strange darkness in his eyes.

'What the fuck happened to you?' Draco said, eyes bulging slightly. Mattheo rolled his eyes and rested his head back in his seat.

'Gryffindor Sixth Year thought he'd have a go,' Mattheo shifted in his seat, trying to play nonchalant. Octavia watched Mattheo move, he was stiff, it wasn't just his face that hurt.

'What did you do to deserve that?' Enzo asked shuffling a deck of cards. A serious expression creasing his eyebrow.

'I existed,' Mattheo grumbled back. The lot of them grimaced. The last week hadn't been easy, they had a fair share of spit and spite being thrown at them. Too proud to go to a teacher about it. No one had got to Octavia yet, but she figured only time would tell. They had all taken to sticking together as much as they could, afraid they'd get jumped the minute they were alone. Like Mattheo.

'You should go to the infirmary,' Blaise looked tired, his eyes were heavily lidded and he made no effort to show much expression.

'And how do I explain how I got hurt in the first place?' Mattheo replied, eyes on the ceiling still. He ran his fingers through his hair, a nervous but frustrated gesture.