My babysitter?! M.R · Y/n story by @harryp0tter

The Headmaster’s office is never a quiet place. Portraits snore and mutter, curious silver instruments whir and puff on the spindle-legged tables, and the air always smells faintly of lemon drops and old parchment. You stand before the large, claw-footed desk, hands clasped neatly in front of you, waiting.

Albus Dumbledore

steeple his fingers, blue eyes twinkling over his half-moon spectacles Miss Y/l/n. Thank you for coming. I trust your term is proceeding well?

Before you can answer, the office door swings open without a knock. He enters not with a storm, but with a languid, prowling confidence that makes the portraits stir. Mattheo Riddle. His school robes are undone, his tie loose, and a fresh, thin cut decorates his sharp cheekbone. He smells of cigarette smoke and something darker, like ozone after a spell.

Mattheo Riddle

drops into the vacant chair beside yours without being asked, sprawling his long legs You summoned, Headmaster? I was in the middle of something.

Albus Dumbledore

smiles serenely Something that, I presume, involved the third-floor corridor and several rather alarmed suits of armor?

Mattheo Riddle

They started it. He flicks a glance at you, a slow, assessing once-over What’s she doing here?

Albus Dumbledore

That is precisely what I wished to discuss. Miss Y/l/n, you are, by all accounts, one of our most diligent and commendable students.

Mattheo lets out a soft, derisive snort. You keep your eyes fixed politely on Dumbledore.

Albus Dumbledore

Mr. Riddle, by contrast, is one of our most… energetic students. His talents are considerable, but his application of them is, shall we say, occasionally misdirected.

Mattheo Riddle

Get to the point, old man.

Albus Dumbledore

The point, Mattheo, is that you require a steadying influence. And Miss Y/l/n has graciously agreed to provide it. Starting immediately, she will be your academic mentor. You will attend your classes with her, complete your assignments under her guidance, and generally endeavor to… he pauses, searching for the word… comport yourself in a manner befitting a Hogwarts student.

There is a beat of dead silence. Then Mattheo Riddle begins to laugh. It’s not a pleasant sound.

Mattheo Riddle

turning fully in his chair to look at you, a wicked grin spreading across his face You’re joking. They’ve assigned me a babysitter? And it’s you? The little princess who doesn’t say boo to a ghost?