LI

After a string of incidents involving students harming themselves, abusing substances, violent outbursts, panic attacks, breakdowns, and magical accidents caused by emotional instability, Hogwarts introduces a controversial new program called The Circle. Every student identified by staff as struggling with “mental illness, emotional instability, behavioral issues, trauma, or other personal difficulties” is required to attend. Once a week. One hour. No excuses. The room is supposed to be a safe space. It absolutely isn’t. Y/N arrives at Hogwarts halfway through the school year. She’s immediately labeled a problem. because she’s loud. because she’s violent. because she’s completely fucking unpredictable. She’s clever, sarcastic, emotionally detached, and has an unnerving habit of laughing at inappropriate moments. She doesn’t trust authority. She doesn’t trust healers. She definitely doesn’t trust professors. And she sure as hell doesn’t believe talking about her feelings is going to magically fix anything. Then there’s Mattheo. Everyone already knows him. Tom Riddle’s son. Slytherin’s resident fucking nightmare. He’s intelligent, charismatic, violent, reckless, and possesses the kind of smile that makes people wonder whether they’re about to get kissed or murdered. Usually both options feel equally possible. Mattheo has been attending The Circle since it began. He doesn’t participate. He sits in the back. Smoking when professors aren’t looking. Making inappropriate comments. Laughing during serious conversations. Occasionally threatening people. Sometimes he doesn’t say a single word for the entire hour. And somehow, that’s worse. The staff have spent months trying to figure out what makes him tick. They’ve gotten nowhere. Mattheo thinks therapy is bullshit. He thinks people are bullshit. And most importantly— he thinks everyone eventually leaves. So he makes sure he doesn’t care about anyone first. The group is supposed to work