抖阴社区 it on my Heart-Mattheo Riddle story

Chapter 8

"So, you're helping because you suddenly have the altruistic desire to help others?" Theo asked, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"I'm helping because it's important to her, and that makes it important to me."

That's the best way he could describe it. He hadn't known Umbridge was torturing students, but if he had he probably wouldn't have cared enough to do anything about it. Not before seeing how fired up Claire was, how much it mattered to her, and the fact it had hurt someone Claire cared about. That made him care too. Enough to help her do something about it.

"Oh god, Mattheo, you're not just infatuated with her," Theo groaned. "You're in love.""You say that like it's a bad thing," Enzo said. Love was unfamiliar to them all, but that didn't mean it was bad.

"It's just not a Mattheo thing." Theo shrugged. None of them were really accustomed to it.

"I can do love," Mattheo said defensively.

"Of course you can," Enzo supportively agreed.

"You're just in uncharted waters now," Theo continued. "You've got even more of a chance to mess this up with her if you're not careful."

"Very uplifting," Mattheo said his words heavy with sarcasm. "And you wonder why you weren't made quidditch captain. We'd never win if we relied on you for team peptalks."

"He's got a point, you should learn to lighten up," Enzo said.

"I'm a pragmatist. You two idiots are idealistic enough someone's got to bring you back down to reality."

"Reality is a lot less fun" Enzo said. Turning towards Mattheo he added, "and taking down Umbridge sounds like my kind of fun. Count me in."

Enzo sent Theo an expectant glance that had him rolling his eyes with a huff.

"Me too. Merlin knows you'll need someone to reel in your more eccentric ideas."

Mattheo smiled at them. He should have known they'd want to help.

"Now, the most important question is, are you actually drawing again?" Enzo asked coming to look over Mattheo's shoulder. He hadn't done a single drawing since the end of term last year when his...when the Dark Lord came back.

Mattheo tried to tuck the sketchbook in so he couldn't see, but he wasn't fast enough

"That's really good," Enzo said. "Looks just like her."

It didn't. Mattheo could never capture her essence, how she radiated peace and confidence without being cocky. He wasn't sure any artist could.

"Of course you're drawing your muse," Theo sighed moving to see as well, his curiosity piqued. It really was a good drawing. Mattheo had talent. Too bad it was a talent none of his family appreciated.

...

"Ooh, so you're going undercover with Mattheo to take down the big bad Umbridge?" Shannon asked, nudging Claire and getting a bit of potting soil on her blouse. "Oops, sorry."

"Not undercover, just doing some investigative journalism to get enough proof so I can send it to a publication that will tell the truth," Claire corrected, grabbing a towel from the table to brush the soil off her shirt.

"And you went to Mattheo for help because?" She hitched her voice at the end, her tone leading as though she thought she already knew the answer and only wanted Claire to say it aloud.

"I didn't go to him for help, he was there when I came up with the idea—"

"Right, on your romantic walk around the grounds yesterday," she interjected.