𝐄den remained silent, Mattheo's words ringing in her ears. 

"Why do you say you have no soul?" she asked. She felt Mattheo's body tense and wondered why he was reacting like this, as if it wasn't really a joke. 

"You know, why should the son of Voldemort have a soul?" he said.  The redhead jumped and caught sight of the lights of the inn.

"Remember you told me I could talk to you if I wanted to? About my parents," she said. "It's the same for you, if you want to talk about..." Eden was cut off as he set her down on the floor a little abruptly and turned to face her. 

"I don't need to talk," he said.  Eden looked at him, surprised at his cutting tone, and he walked towards the inside of the inn. Theodore caught up with Eden and took her by the arm. 

"Madam," he said, "the Queen of the Underworld must make a grand entrance." He winked at her and she rolled her eyes.

"So I'm being escorted by Dracula himself? What an honour," the redhead sneered. Theodore laughed a little and a wry smile appeared on the boy's lips and he entered the small inn. It was crowded and people were huddled together. Eden noticed Joshua, but there was no sign of Elina. She had gone home for the holidays and was on a trip to America. The bespectacled boy waved at her and she smiled at him.

She left Theodore's jacket and put it on a chair. Theodore took the redhead's hand again and led her to the bar. Her ankle was a little less sore. He ordered two drinks and handed her one before pointing at the dancers. 

"He's not wasting any time, he's already having a good time," he said. Eden turned her head to see Mattheo pressed up against a girl he was kissing. She clenched her jaw and turned away to take a drink. "Hey, take it easy Marks, you'll end up drunk," Theodore laughed. 

"Maybe I want to get drunk," the redhead replied. 

"Come and dance." Theodore hadn't asked, it was more of a request, and he led her out onto the dance floor. 

Eden mingled with the dancers and began to undulate her body. Several boys watched her, jealous that Theodore was her date. She moved her head and danced like a goddess, her dress riding up her thighs to the edge of her crotch. Theodore pulled her closer. 

"Would you like something fun to get you going even more?" he asked as he pulled out two lozenges. 

"What's that?" Eden shouted to drown out the music.

"It's dragon fire, it'll make your head spin, but not enough to make you lose your nerve," Theodore explained as he swallowed one. Eden met Mattheo's gaze and frowned. He looked like someone very angry, but she must have been dreaming because the next thing she knew he was sticking his tongue into his partner's mouth. She rolled her eyes and looked at Theodore before opening her mouth. 

"I like that, Marks," he said. He placed the pill on his tongue and came to kiss Eden, handing her the pill which she swallowed.

Theodore didn't pull away and he caressed her tongue, discovering the sensation of kissing her and she wrapped her arms around his neck and came to play with his. Eden pressed against him and was about to continue kissing him when the sound of tables being overturned broke their bubble. Eden stepped back and turned her head towards the noise before she sighed. Mattheo had just thrown Oliver Pettigrew to the floor and was punching him hard. Someone shouted, but the others encouraged the fight. The other Slytherin had a bloody mouth, but Mattheo kept hitting him, driven by a dull rage.

Oliver didn't move, his face was bleeding and if Mattheo continued he would probably end up killing him and Eden even saw a tooth pop out of his mouth. She walked between the students, letting go of Theodore and grabbing Mattheo's arm. 

"Mattheo, stop," she said. He gasped, held Oliver's collar to straighten him up a little and looked at him. 

"Don't ever say that again or I'll kill you and you'll suffer, is that clear?" He looked at Oliver and let go. Eden hadn't let go of Mattheo's arm and was about to pull him away, but Oliver had got up and smashed a bottle over Mattheo's head.

Eden felt that if Mattheo stayed there he would really kill Oliver so she tried to push him further but in the act, Oliver pushed her back hard and she fell on her bottom. Eden's eyes widened as Theodore rushed to help her up. 

"You shouldn't have done that," Mattheo said in a voice so deep that Eden could hear the anger in it. 

"He's going to kill him, do something," Eden said. Theodore pulled her to her feet as Mattheo grabbed Oliver's head and smashed it against the bar.

She couldn't understand why he was so angry, she knew he fought a lot, but this wasn't even a simple fight anymore. Theodore grabbed Mattheo and pushed him back as Oliver crumpled to the ground. Mattheo straightened up, put his jacket back on properly and went outside to get some fresh air, followed by Theodore. Eden saw the bar owner arrive and he grabbed Oliver to take him away, probably to hospital, and she knew Mattheo was in trouble.

Theodore returned a moment later and took her hand. Eden tried to enjoy herself, but Mattheo's anger wouldn't leave her mind. For a moment he had looked like his father, cruel, inhuman, terrifying. She danced without really enjoying herself and went back to the bar for a drink. She needed a drink more than she should have. 

"Are you getting drunk because my company isn't good enough?" sneered Theodore. Eden rolled her eyes. 

"You know, I'm surprised I enjoy your company," she replied.

Theodore smiled. Eden was beginning to feel the effects of the pill and, as he had told her, she was feeling rather light but still conscious, which was good.  

"I'm going to the toilet," she said. Eden got up and walked through the crowd, who seemed to have forgotten Oliver Pettigrew, and closed the door. The music faded and she splashed some water on her face, it was too hot on the other side. It wasn't long before the door opened and she was pressed against the wall, Theodore's lips on hers. 

"I tried to hold back, but you're driving me crazy," he breathed. Eden felt her heart race and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Theodore's hand reached under her red dress and she sighed as he kissed her neck, leaving a mark. Eden moaned as she felt his fingers in her panties and he lifted her head to look at her. 

"I love seeing you like this Marks. You're so hot," Theodore growled. 

"I know I'm hot. Remember? I'm from Hell", Eden laughed. She yelped as he pulled his fingers down and slipped one inside her. Her breath caught and she swallowed hard. 

"You like it, Marks. Admit that you like what I'm doing to you," Theodore bit her neck and pressed his body against hers.

"You talk too much," Eden blurted out, grabbing his hair. "Make me come if you want, but you won't sleep with me." She spread her thighs as she wet and he chuckled. 

"If you come, I win the bet," Theodore said. She looked up at him and tugged at his hair a little more. 

"The bet is that you fuck me and I come, that doesn't count, so now Theodore, keep your mouth shut and finger me," the redhead replied. She moaned as he added another finger and she tried to undo his belt. "Shit, why are you wearing a belt?" grunted Eden.

The door opened and she immediately pushed Theodore away while Orion Longbottom looked at her and disappeared into a cabin. Theodore took the opportunity to lean over to Eden with a smile on his lips, 

"Let's do this again sometime," he smiled before leaving the bathroom and she dropped to the floor, panting and frustrated that she hadn't come. Theodore crossed the dancers and joined Mattheo who was still outside smoking.

"Where did you get that?" he asked, pointing to the empty bottle of booze. "Why do I ask? Did you fuck the waitress again?" Mattheo didn't answer and took another drink. His knuckles ached. He'd hit Oliver, but the cold prevented him from feeling the pain. "Guess what, Marks and me. In the bathroom. Shit, she's so hot," Theodore said.

"I guess you won the bet. You fucked her," Mattheo blurted out. He took a cigarette and loosened his jaw. 

"Nah, Longbottom came so I fingered her and she wanted to jerk me off but she didn't have time to come and she didn't want to sleep with me so the bet's still on. You know, I think I am going to ask her to be my girlfriend. I mean, i like her. I think. I don't know. Last time, in the library, I said it like that, but I like spending time with her." Theodore grabbed Mattheo to lift him up so they could go inside. Lorenzo waved at Theodore and Mattheo ignored them and made his way to the bathroom. Seeing him, Eden stood up. 

"Are you all right?" she asked, showing her fists.

"Why the do you care?" blurted out Mattheo. Eden sighed and clenched her jaw. He walked past her and turned on the tap as Orion came out and, seeing him, hurried out of the toilet. 

"Mattheo, you're drunk." Eden approached, wanting to take his hand to heal him, but he pushed her away and she backed away, bumping into the wall. Mattheo pressed against her and their lips were just millimetres apart. 

"Why the fuck do you care?" he repeated.

Even if she had wanted to answer, she couldn't because he pressed his lips to hers with a force that surprised her. She responded to the kiss, pulling him against her. All his movements were hurried and he pulled up her dress and, just as Theodore had done, she felt his fingers on her. 

"Did you like having Theo's fingers on you? Did you like him touching you?" Mattheo looked into her eyes and she thought she saw concern. Did she like it? Yes, but she knew that Theodore was not Mattheo. 

"Not as much as you." She looked at him. She wanted Mattheo to be the one to touch her, and he seemed reassured by her confession. 

"In that case, let me erase every trace of him." He threw himself over her mouth and she moaned as she felt him place a finger on her.

"No one can touch you like I can," he said in a deep voice. Eden couldn't understand Mattheo. He was complex and had conflicting reactions. The girl sighed and pressed herself against him. He was more talented than Theodore and she felt his thumb caress her clit. Her moan was louder this time and she threw her head back. Mattheo grabbed her hair and leaned into her ear. 

"I'm going to show you how much I mean it when I say no one can touch you like I can. And I won't stop. I'll keep going until you can't take it anymore", he said.

Nothing but words, and yet Eden could have begged to hear them again. The girl tugged at his hair as her whole body shook. 

"Mattheo." She sighed and he accelerated, leaving her unable to close her mouth as she moaned. 

"Come for me my little naughty devil, I want to feel you tremble for me." Eden nodded, at that moment she would have done anything he said. "I can feel how much you want it. Let yourself feel all the pleasure I'm giving you," Mattheo breathed.

Eden felt her whole body shake. She grabbed the edge of the sink and Mattheo lifted her leg, speeding up again. Eden moaned and began to come. Mattheo withdrew his fingers and brought them to his mouth to lick them. 

"Delicious like the devil you are."  He smiled wryly. 

"Why did you hit Oliver?" she asked.  She saw his jaw clench and he looked at her. 

"I didn't like the way he talked about you." He stroked her chin and she frowned. 

"Did you hit him because of what he said about me?" Eden sighed and he didn't answer, she was surprised he was defending her. He bent down again and lifted her head, holding her by the hair. 

"Tell me you liked that, that I'm the only one who makes you feel like that." Eden looked up at him. At that moment, she thought she saw fear in him. He needed reassurance. 

"Yes," she breathed. "You're the only one who makes me feel like this... Matty." The girl opened her mouth slightly, why had she called him that? He seemed confused too, because he froze, his face tightening. Eden started to say something, but he walked away. 

"Mattheo!" She watched the door close and sighed. Why had this nickname frightened him? Mattheo found Theodore and said, 

"I'm off, I've got something to do." He didn't let his best friend answer and left the inn. He waited until he was far away before he shouted in anger and fell to his knees to cry for a while.

Eden returned to the party and looked for Theodore. She hoped she didn't look like a girl who'd just been fingered in the toilet by his best friend. 

"Marks, where have you been?" he asked. He moved closer to her to dance and took out more pills. Eden took another and danced against him. 

"Sorry, there was a queue for the toilets." She felt better as the pill took effect and she enjoyed the party, dancing and kissing Theodore late into the night before deciding to go back to Hogwarts.

"I'll walk you at the castle", said Theodore. There weren't many people around when they left.  He gave her his jacket and took her hand. They didn't speak. Eden stepped on something that cracked under her foot and she looked down. 

"Shit," she said, picking up the object. 

"What is it?" Theodore asked. Eden winced when she saw she'd broken it. 

"Joshua's glasses, he probably had too much to drink and dropped them," she replied.

Entering the dimly lit hall, she saw a dark mass lying on the floor and immediately recognised her friend. 

"Joshua!" Eden ran over to him and knelt down. He'd probably had too much to drink and wouldn't be able to make it back to his dormitory. But when she turned his head to her, she gasped. His eyes were dead. Wide open. Eyes staring at the ceiling. "Josh?" Eden shook him as Theodore knelt down to try and wake him.

Students entered and the light grew brighter. A scream echoed through the group and Eden realised her hands were covered in blood. She'd got it all over her face as she tried to push her hair back. 

"Fuck." Theodore lifted Joshua's head even though he didn't need to, a pool of blood spilling onto the floor. 

"No, it's... Josh, wake up!" Eden shook him, but he remained motionless as the scream had alerted the teachers. 

"Eden, he's dead." Theodore grabbed the redhead and pulled her to her feet.

It was a good thing he was holding her because she was shaking and wouldn't have been able to stand. Dumbledore pushed some of the students aside and froze when he saw Joshua. 

"Minerva, take the students to their rooms." He approached and bent down to look at Joshua. Eden stood and watched his friend's face. He couldn't be dead. He was at the party, he was fine and his body was still warm. It was probably some stupid Halloween prank. She felt Theodore pull her back, but she resisted. 

"Eden, he's dead." Theodore walked in front of her to face her and hide the body from her. He put his hands on her cheeks to make her look at him and she realised she was crying as he wiped away her tears. 

"Hey, look at me, it's over, there's nothing more we can do for him, Eden." Theodore picked her up and she didn't protest. She felt guilty. She'd enjoyed the party while Joshua was dying. How could he have died? 

"He probably drank too much and fell down the stairs." Theodore's voice surprised her, she must have been talking out loud.

Theodore had a student tell him the password and went into the common room before taking Eden to her dormitory. He tucked her into bed and pulled the covers over her. She felt him lie down beside her and hold her close, so she cried in his arms until she fell asleep from exhaustion. When he was sure she was asleep, Theodore got up and went back to his dormitory. He found Mattheo sitting unfer the window. Mattheo raised his head and Theodore lit the lamp. He froze when he saw his best friend. 

"Damn, are you hurt? You're bleeding!" He rushed at him. Mattheo did not move. His white shirt was stained with blood and his face was darked. 

"It's not my blood", he says darkly.