Spirals || Mattheo Riddle

Chapter 53 ~ Marigolds

I wandered around the kitchen, checking cabinets and draws. There didn't seem to be any real food but all the equipment still sat in a magically undusty state.

I decided I would ask Mattheo to pick up some ingredients later so I could bake. Maybe I could make something for the house elves. A peace offering of sorts.

Footsteps coming down the corridor made me freeze, even though I knew no one could come into the house uninvited. 

"Raven? You down here?" 

I drew in a breath of excitement and went running out the door and straight into the tall blonde who took a step back as I came barrelling into him. 

"Woah there," he cautioned, grinning when I wrapped my arms around him. 

"You are a right twat, I hope you know that Malfoy," I cursed with my face buried against the navy blue robes he wore.

He chuckled and patted my head, smiling happily. He had more colour in his face and his hair looked thicker, regrown from when it had been practically falling out.

"I told Riddle you would miss me more," he joked. I huffed and punched him in the arm.

Another set of footsteps had me looking around Draco's arm. "Oh my 'hello present' was much better than your measly hug, Malfoy," Mattheo said, raising his eyebrows in suggestion. 

I rolled my eyes and stepped back from them both. It was weird seeing them so... friendly. There was really no other word for it. But even under the light hearted jokes, I could feel a darker energy that flowed between them.

"Do you think you could get me some baking ingredients next time you restock the house?" I asked Mattheo.

He paused and frowned at the same time that Draco grinned and said, "oh Merlin yes, Raven's baking is possibly the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"I... I don't actually restock the house. The elves do everything." Mattheo seemed bewildered, like the thought had never crossed his mind.

"Could you ask them to get some stuff then?" I questioned. Maybe he could introduce me to them too.

"Uhhh..." I slightly wanted to laugh at the obvious brain malfunction my boyfriend was having, but I was too busy being in disbelief that Mattheo didn't know where his food actually came from. "I've never actually spoken to the house elves."

I tilted my head while Draco just laughed. "Welcome to the world of rich purebloods, Rave. We don't even associate with elves."

"That's pathetic."

Mattheo just snorted and started walking back towards his study with Draco and I behind him. I would broach the subject of elves again later. 

The house was seemingly always cold so my footsteps were muffled by the socks I had on my feet. I hadn't gotten lost in the Manor yet (and I suspected Mattheo would tease me to no end of I did) but I'm sure if I explored too far into the nooks and crannies of this place it would swallow me up.

"So, how are you finding the place," Draco asked, falling in step with me. There was a mocking tone to his words and I smiled up at him cheekily.

"I'd give it three stars, someone really needs to install a heat pump." 

Draco frowned. "What's a heat pump?"

I grinned and shook my head. The simplicity of magical peoples live never failed to amaze me.

Mattheo's study was much like the rest of the house, only more lived in. I didn't let myself but I knew if I looked closely enough at the sink I'd see flecks of blood around the drain or a smear that was missed at the bottom of the basin. 

It didn't fail to come to my attention that Mattheo had done bad things, I just moved on from it and hoped that loving me would be enough to save him from the path that everyone was so keen to shove him down. 

Draco fell into the chair next to the desk and I sat in Mattheo's chair, eyes flickering over the newspaper that currently sat in the middle. 

'Hogwarts on its way to being restored to former glory!' read the title with the Carrows faces plastered on the front. I flipped it over with a grimace.

Mattheo leaned against the wall behind me, content to just play with a strand of my hair as Draco and I talked.

"How's Cissy?" I asked the blonde. He chewed at his ring finger, lost in thought until I brought him out of it.

"Mum's good, she's been staying home with... all this going on." 

I hummed. I didn't ask after his father, knowing neither of us probably wanted to talk about it.

"Have you heard from your Dad?" He asked quietly. 

I shook my head. "He's alive as far as Mattheo knows, but I haven't heard from him since the registry started up."

We fell into comfortable silence, each of us testing the weight on our shoulders that this war dumped on us. 

"Well on the bright side-" I was cut off as a white peacock flew into the room, settling in the middle before a mans voice came from it. 

"Draco, we need you at home this instance. This is important, waste no time."

The voice sounded rushed and anxious and those emotions reflected back onto Draco's face. "I- that was my father. I have to go." 

Mattheo stood straight from where he was leaning against the wall, real concern colouring his features. "Is it...?" His sentence trailed off.

Draco just shrugged, leaving me no less confused. "What's happening?" I asked.

"Nothing, it's fine Rave. I'll come visit again soon yeah?" My friend reassured me.

Before I could say anything he was out the door, heading back towards the Marigold statue that would take him home. 

I turned and gave Mattheo a questioning look but he just looked out the window. I knew it wasn't my place to ask but being left out of the conversation was not something I enjoyed.

I left Mattheo behind me, still looking out the window at Draco's retreating form as I headed to my room to laze the rest of the day away.