The Great Hall buzzed with the excitement of the Second Task's aftermath, students gathered in small groups, recounting their experiences with grins plastered on their faces. Laughter echoed off the enchanted ceiling, but it all sounded distant, muffled, like a soundtrack to my own inner chaos. Everyone else seemed content to celebrate, but I wasn't in the mood. Not with the way my mind kept circling back to Ariana.

I lingered near one of the tall windows, staring out at the Black Lake below. Its surface was eerily still now, reflecting the deep blue of the evening sky, hiding all the chaos and danger that had been unleashed just hours earlier. I had walked past Ariana after the task, but she hadn't even spared me a glance. She had been sitting with Bletchley, laughing at something he said, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy twist in my gut. Not that I expected anything more from her—nothing had changed.

A voice broke through my thoughts, sharp and teasing.

"Oi, Mattheo Mate."

I turned to see Enzo strolling toward me, Theo trailing behind with his usual amused expression. Enzo shot me a smirk, already knowing what was on my mind.

"You're brooding again. Let me guess—her?" Enzo raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the effect he was having on me.

I shot him a glare, but the smirk on his face didn't falter. "Leave it, Enzo," I muttered, trying to hide the frustration building inside me. It was like they could smell weakness.

Theo leaned against the stone wall next to me, crossing his arms with a knowing look. "You've got it bad, mate. The more you stew, the harder it's going to be to pretend you don't care."

I couldn't hide the sharpness in my voice as I replied. "Who said I'm pretending?"

They exchanged a glance, and I could tell they were both holding back laughter. It only irritated me more.

"Oh, come on," Enzo drawled. "You're practically burning holes into her back with the looks you keep throwing her way. And don't think we didn't notice how quickly you bolted when she and Bletchley walked out together earlier."

I clenched my fists, the mention of Bletchley's name cutting through me like a blade. "It's none of your business," I said, but my voice was tighter than I intended.

Theo raised an eyebrow. "Maybe not, but it's painful to watch, mate. Either do something about it, or—"

"Or what?" I snapped, turning on him.

Enzo grinned, unbothered by my outburst. "Or we'll do it for you," he said, and I could hear the playful challenge in his voice. He wasn't trying to be mean, but it only made me angrier.

I shoved him lightly, more out of frustration than anything else. "Relax, Enzo. I'm not interested in your advice." I pushed off the wall, taking a step toward the stairs. "I've got things to figure out."

Theo sighed, his tone shifting to something more serious. "Look, I get it. It's not easy seeing her with someone else. But you've got to pull yourself together. You're Mattheo bloody Riddle, right? Since when do you let anyone—least of all her—get under your skin?"

I didn't answer right away, instead staring at the floor as his words sank in. They had a point, but it was easier said than done. I had spent so much time building up walls around myself, yet every time I saw her smile at Bletchley, it felt like those walls were being torn down one brick at a time.

After a long pause, Theo clapped me on the shoulder, an odd mixture of sympathy and encouragement in his gesture. "Just think about it. You've got more of a chance than you think."

With that, he turned and walked off, leaving me standing there, feeling both more irritated and oddly... relieved. As much as I hated admitting it, the thought that I might actually have a chance with Ariana was the only thing keeping me going.

But then the weight of his words settled on me, the pressure of what I had to do next. I couldn't let this mess up my focus—not with the Third Task on the horizon. The maze was coming up, and my father's expectations loomed large. He wouldn't accept failure, not from me. Not when everything hinged on me proving myself, both as a competitor and as his son.

I walked through the corridors, my steps echoing in the silence. The castle was quieter now, with most of the students out celebrating, but I needed space. I needed to be away from their constant chatter, from their prying eyes. As I climbed the spiral stairs to the Astronomy Tower, I felt the weight of everything pressing down on me—my feelings for Ariana, my father's pressure, and the tasks ahead.

The cool night air greeted me as I stepped onto the tower's balcony, the vastness of the night sky offering a momentary reprieve. I leaned against the stone railing, letting the chill of the evening wash over me. The Black Lake stretched out below, its surface reflecting the stars above, peaceful and still. But just like that lake, everything beneath the surface felt tumultuous, swirling with things I wasn't ready to confront.

"You're hopeless, Riddle," I muttered to myself, running a hand through my hair. I had no idea what I was doing, but I couldn't stop myself from caring. And that made me weak. It made me stupid.

A soft shuffle of footsteps behind me broke my spiraling thoughts. I whipped around, instinctively reaching for my wand, only to relax when I saw Theo standing there, hands in his pockets, a smirk still playing on his lips.

"What do you want?" I snapped, trying to hide the frustration in my voice.

Theo raised both hands in mock surrender. "Easy there. I just came to make sure you didn't throw yourself off the tower. I'm not that much of a dick."

I gave him a flat look. "Funny."

His expression sobered, and he took a few steps forward. "Look, I know you don't want to hear it, but... I get what you're going through. Seeing her with Bletchley, especially after everything that's happened between you two. It's tough. But you can't let it break you."

I stayed quiet, not trusting myself to say anything without sounding pathetic.

"Mattheo," he said, his voice softer now. "You've always been the one in control. You can't let her be the thing that ruins you. I love Ari she's the sister I've never had"

I wasn't sure how to respond to that, so I didn't. I just stared out at the night, the weight of my father's letter still pressing down on me. I had to keep it together, for my own sake. For everything that was coming.

Theo reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette, holding it up to me. "You want one?"

I took it, and we stood there in silence for a few moments, both of us lighting up at the same time. The smoke curled up into the night air, and for a while, neither of us said anything. I could feel the tension in my shoulders easing just a little, the cigarette acting as a temporary release from the weight I had been carrying.

Theo took a long drag, his eyes focused on the stars. "Sometimes, it helps. Just to take a step back and let the shit in your head burn away."

I exhaled slowly, watching the smoke dissipate in the cool night air. It wasn't much, but it was enough. For a moment, I didn't have to worry about the Third Task or my father's letter or Ariana. I just had to breathe.

Theo glanced over at me, the usual smirk replaced by something more genuine. "Look, mate... I know you're struggling, but you're not as alone as you think. Don't push everyone away just because you think you've got to do it all yourself."

I nodded, even though I wasn't sure I agreed. I didn't want to burden anyone with my mess. But as I took another drag from the cigarette, I realized he might have a point. Maybe it was okay to let people in—just a little.

Theo flicked his cigarette to the ground, stamping it out with his heel. "Just remember, you've got more of a chance than you realize."

With that, he left, leaving me standing alone once more, the weight of everything still hanging in the air. But this time, there was a small shift inside me. Maybe I wasn't as hopeless as I thought.

I stayed there for a while, watching the stars above, trying to clear my mind. The night was quiet, but beneath the surface, everything felt like it was moving faster than I could keep up with. The Third Task. My father's expectations. Ariana.

Ariana

Ariana's footsteps echoed down the empty corridor, her determination wavering with each step. She had spent all day mustering the courage to find Adrian and make things right. The problem was, her brother wasn't exactly known for handling emotional conversations well. When she finally spotted him leaning against a wall, locked in a heated kiss with a Ravenclaw girl, she froze.

"Seriously?" she said, louder than she intended.

The girl jumped back, her face turning crimson. "I... uh... I should go," she mumbled before darting down the hallway, leaving Adrian standing there, his hand still half-raised as if to stop her.

Adrian turned to Ariana, his expression sour. "What the hell, Ari?"

She crossed her arms, her tone biting. "A hallway, Adrian? Real classy."

"Oh, piss off," he snapped. "What do you want?"

"To talk," she said sharply. "But clearly, you're too busy playing Romeo to care about anything else."

"Oh, don't act like you're so high and mighty," Adrian shot back, his voice rising. "At least I'm not sneaking around with my brother's best friend."

Ariana's stomach twisted at his words, but she refused to back down. "I'm not sneaking around. Miles and I aren't a secret."

"Right. Because that makes it so much better," he said bitterly. "Do you have any idea how awkward it is for me? Watching you two together? Listening to him talk about you like—"

"Like what?" she interrupted, her voice trembling. "Like I'm his girlfriend? Because I am, Adrian. And maybe if you weren't so busy being angry, you'd see that it doesn't have to change anything between you two."

He laughed bitterly, shaking his head. "You don't get it, do you? You're putting me in an impossible position. What happens when you two break up, huh? Do I just pick a side?"

Ariana flinched at his words, the accusation cutting deeper than she expected. "That's not fair," she said quietly.

"Fair?" Adrian's voice cracked with anger. "You want to talk about fair? How about you dating the one person I've trusted more than anyone else? Did you even think about what that would do to me? Or did you just not care?"

Her throat tightened, but she pushed back. "Of course I care! But you're acting like I've committed some kind of crime. Newsflash, Adrian: the world doesn't revolve around you."

"Oh, screw you, Ariana," Adrian spat, his voice full of venom. "You've always been a selfish little brat. You don't care about anyone but yourself."

Ariana froze, his words slicing through her like a knife. "You're such an asshole," she shot back, her voice shaking. "You think you're so perfect? Like you've never done anything wrong? At least I don't go around snogging random girls in public like some pathetic, attention-starved idiot!"

Adrian's jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing. "Better than being a sneaky, self-centred bitch who can't keep her hands off my best friend!"

Her breath caught, and tears welled up in her eyes. "You're disgusting," she whispered, the weight of his words hitting her full force. "I didn't think you could be this cruel."

The anger in Adrian's face faltered, replaced by guilt as he realized what he'd said. "Ari, I—"

"Forget it," she said, turning away, her voice thick with emotion. "I shouldn't have bothered."

"Ariana, wait!" Adrian called after her, stepping forward. "I didn't mean that, okay? I was angry. I'm sorry."

She stopped but didn't turn around, her shoulders trembling. "You can't just say stuff like that, Adrian. It's not fair."

"I know," he said, his voice softer now. "I was out of line. I... I'm an idiot. I'm sorry."

Ariana finally turned to face him, wiping at her eyes. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have said what I did. But you've been so horrible to me, and I just... I just want things to go back to how they were."

Adrian sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Me too. I hate this, Ari. I hate fighting with you."

"Talk to Miles. Fix this. Please." she said simply.

He looked at her for a long moment before nodding. "Okay. I'll talk to him. I'll figure it out."

Ariana let out a shaky breath, relief washing over her. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet," Adrian said, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "This doesn't mean I approve of you two. He's still an idiot for dating you."

"And you're still an idiot for snogging girls in hallways," she shot back, a small smile breaking through her tears.

"Fair enough," Adrian said with a shrug. He opened his arms wide and tilted his head with a small smile. She pouted but slowly made her way to her big brother. Even though they cursed each other out, they both knew that no matter what, the three of them would always have each other.

The tension between them felt lighter, and as they stood there trading insults, Ariana knew they'd be okay—eventually. 

This was low-key interesting to do just because now I'm doing Mattheo's POV a lot more just so we can see what's going on inside his head. plus the 3rd and last task is coming (RIP Ced☠️...) I also think I just finished the 3rd task and just skip to Ari's 5th year

-Love your favourite badass Mexican Latina Victoria. C