Chapter 10 Nighttime Curiosity

The corridors of Hogwarts at night were far different from the bustling, sunlit halls of the day. Shadows stretched long and twisted across the stone walls, moving with a life of their own under the flickering torchlight. Liora Potter padded quietly down the familiar Hufflepuff hallways, her heart thudding with a mix of excitement and apprehension. She had spent the evening studying in the common room, but the quiet allure of exploration—and the pull of curiosity that had already led her into misadventures—was irresistible.

She had thought about her friends’ warnings: Slytherins were clever, dangerous, and often unpredictable. But tonight, Liora didn’t feel fear. There was a strange sense of opportunity, an instinct whispering that she was capable of more than she knew. Hogwarts itself seemed to hum around her, as if encouraging her steps.

“I just want to see,” she whispered under her breath, glancing at the staircases that led deeper into the castle. “Just a little. Just to see.”

Her mind raced as she approached the portrait of the Fat Lady, guarding the Gryffindor common room. On a sudden impulse, she reached out, expecting nothing, and instead felt the familiar tug of magic as the painting swung open. She stepped inside, heart pounding, and found herself in the cozy Gryffindor common room, the red and gold of banners and cushions contrasting sharply with Hufflepuff’s soft yellows and warm tones.

It was a shock, but also a thrill. She had never tried this deliberately—something had allowed her in. The thought struck her: could she… enter any common room she wished?

“Impossible,” she murmured, moving carefully through the Gryffindor space. The room was empty, quiet except for the crackle of the dying fire. Her fingers brushed a cushion, her mind racing. She couldn’t explain it. No spell, no charm, no trick she had learned could have opened the portrait. And yet, here she was.

The idea took root in her mind like a spark. If she could do this with Gryffindor, perhaps the others would yield the same way. With a nervous but excited breath, she returned to the corridor, her wand at the ready, and moved toward Slytherin territory.

The corridor was silent and cool, the green and silver accents faintly shimmering in the torchlight. Liora approached the entrance to the Slytherin common room, her pulse quickening. She had never been here intentionally before. The night seemed alive around her, whispering, urging her onward.

She reached the portrait of the Fat Lady’s less-known Slytherin counterpart, a stern-looking wizard with a long beard and piercing eyes. “Excuse me,” she whispered softly, testing her luck. “May I come in?”

The portrait didn’t respond at first. Liora felt a moment of doubt, a brief panic. Then, slowly, the image shimmered, and the painting swung inward, revealing the hidden staircase that led to the Slytherin common room.

Her eyes widened. She hadn’t expected this. Heart thundering, she stepped through, the air inside the room feeling different—cooler, heavier, tinged with magic that was unfamiliar and potent. It was dark, but the faint glimmer of enchanted lamps and the greenish glow of the walls gave it an almost otherworldly beauty.

Liora’s breath caught. This was forbidden, yes, but also thrilling. She felt a rush of exhilaration at stepping into a space few outsiders ever saw. Her wand twitched slightly in her hand as she moved cautiously, taking in the sleek, elegant architecture of the common room, the polished stone floors, and the gleaming windows that offered a view of the moonlit grounds outside.

Then, from the corner of her eye, she sensed movement.

She froze. Her pulse quickened, a mixture of fear and anticipation. Shadows shifted subtly near the far side of the room. She swallowed, trying to calm herself, but the sensation that she was being watched—stronger, more deliberate than anything she had felt in the library or the dungeon—made her stomach twist.

“Who’s there?” she called softly, her voice betraying the tiniest quiver.

For a moment, there was only silence. And then a figure stepped forward from the shadows, smooth and controlled, every movement precise.

Mattheo Riddle.

He was leaning casually against a pillar, partially obscured by shadow, but the dark intensity in his eyes was unmistakable. “I wondered how long it would take you to find your way here,” he said, voice low and calm, almost teasing.

Liora’s heart skipped a beat. “I… I don’t know how I… I just…” She stammered, overwhelmed by both his presence and the sheer audacity of stepping into Slytherin territory. “I didn’t mean to—”

Mattheo raised a hand, cutting her off, though not harshly. “Relax. You’re not in trouble… yet.” His eyes flicked over her, sharp and calculating, and then softened just slightly. “You’re… unusual.”

“I…” Liora trailed off, unsure what to say. She felt exposed under his gaze, like he could see every thought she hadn’t yet voiced. “I just… I was curious,” she admitted finally, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Curiosity,” he murmured, almost to himself, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “Dangerous. But… effective.”

Liora couldn’t help but notice the faint glimmer of interest in his eyes, the way his presence seemed to anchor the shadows around him. She felt it again—the same pull she had sensed in the dungeon and the library—the magnetic, inexplicable force that drew her to him despite every caution she had ever been taught.

She took a cautious step back, suddenly aware of the breach of boundaries. “I… I should go,” she said, trying to steady her racing heart.

Mattheo tilted his head slightly, a hint of amusement in his expression. “Perhaps. Or perhaps you’ll stay a little longer. I’m… intrigued.”

The words hung in the air, teasing and dangerous, and Liora felt a shiver of both excitement and fear. She realized then that this wasn’t just curiosity anymore—this was something deeper, something magnetic, pulling her toward him despite every logical warning.

Before she could respond, he stepped lightly back into the shadows, melting away almost like a phantom. Liora’s breath caught. For a moment, the room was empty, quiet except for her own heartbeat echoing in her ears.

She moved toward the doorway, reluctant to leave, and glanced back once more. The shadows remained still, but the sense of his presence lingered, heavy and magnetic, as if the castle itself whispered that this encounter had only begun.

As she stepped back into the cool corridor of Hogwarts, Liora felt a shiver run through her. She had broken the boundaries, trespassed where she had been warned not to go, and yet… she couldn’t regret it. There was a thrill in the forbidden, an exhilaration in the unknown, and above all, a pull she couldn’t resist.

Mattheo Riddle had seen her. He had watched her. And she had felt it.