Descent - Mattheo Riddle

Chapter twenty-six

His last sentence sent a shiver down my spine. He spoke with raw emotion, the depth of his words more profound than they seemed at first glance. I would never have believed that Mattheo Riddle, the son of the Dark Lord, was capable of such protectiveness. Yet, he had already surprised me multiple times with unexpected displays of care.

"What should we do next?" I asked after a while. "When we get to London... and beyond. We can't be on the run forever, can we? We should actively do something to put an end to your father's horrors."

"Of course, that's our greater goal," Mattheo agreed. "But you know as well as I do that it would be very unwise to attack him unprepared. We probably wouldn't survive. We have to be strategic, find allies, make a mature plan, strengthen our forces."

I nodded and sighed. "I know. I'd just like to get it over with as quickly as possible. I can't stand this world anymore..." I turned slightly towards Mattheo. "Since I lost my family under all this... it's become almost unbearable."

"I know," he said softly, brushing a strand of hair from my face. "But even if it's a long and hard road... it'll be worth it in the end."

I nodded and slumped more against him. "Are there even enough allies left to help us?"

"Absolutely," he replied. "Many people have refused to become Death Eaters, even at great personal cost. Some have paid with their lives or been captured, but there are still many who continue to fight. Think of the villagers who were attacked; so many of them refuse to give up." He paused, seemingly lost in thought for a moment. "Then there's the Order of the Phoenix, doing their best to resist my father. Even though Harry Potter and Dumbledore are no longer alive, there are still strong personalities who could achieve a lot against Voldemort. And wait until they meet you..."

I tensed up momentarily, causing Mattheo to gently stroke my hair. The gesture, though still unfamiliar, was incredibly reassuring. "What do you mean?"

I could practically feel Mattheo's smile and hear it in his voice as he spoke. "You don't want to see it, do you? You're damn powerful, Lucia. Your abilities far exceed the norm, and if my father didn't believe your power could be his downfall, he wouldn't have shown such interest in you. There's so much potential within you... you just need to trust yourself more."

His words struck a chord deep within me. I had often heard similar sentiments from my family, especially my father. They had always believed in me, trusted my abilities, and urged me never to give up. They were the reason I continued to fight despite everything I had endured.

I smiled at Mattheo, noticing his eyes briefly slide to my lips. Just as he leaned a little closer and my eyes involuntarily closed, the train suddenly stopped abruptly.

I opened my eyes and looked out the window. We had already arrived in London, and the platform was swarming with Death Eaters.

Mattheo

June 3rd, 11:15 a.m., Kings Cross

"Bloody hell..." I muttered, my eyes scanning the platform crowded with Death Eaters. It was glaringly obvious now: Lucia had been right all along. We had walked straight into a trap.

The strategy was cunning; they had deliberately left Hogsmeade and the train unguarded to lull us into a false sense of security, only to ambush us upon arrival in London. Typical of my father's tactics.

Lucia and I immediately ducked down in our seats, making ourselves as inconspicuous as possible. We were ensnared, just as she had predicted. I mentally chided myself for not heeding her instincts sooner.

"What do we do now?" she whispered, her voice barely audible over the deafening roar of blood rushing through my veins.

"We have to find a way out of here without being discovered," I replied, my tone low and intense.