During a quiet free period at Hogwarts, the narrator is suddenly pulled into a hidden alcove by Mattheo Riddle to avoid being discovered. As an obsessive admirer searches the corridor for him, the confined space reveals a side of Mattheo rarely seen—exhausted, tense, and overwhelmed by unwanted attention. His quiet request for help exposes his vulnerability, transforming him from an untouchable, dangerous figure into someone cornered and in need of refuge, marking a subtle but pivotal shift.