In the dim, suffocating heat of the Slytherin boys' suite, the line between sanctuary and prison disappears. Mattheo Riddle has convinced himself of a desperate lie: that he can protect the girl he loves by gently coaxing her into the Dark Lord’s service. He has spent the evening curating a "safe" space in his dorm, hidden away from the world, certain that his words and his love will be enough to make the unthinkable seem like a choice.