Marvolo and Tom had tried to keep things normal. They still spoke to you, still checked on you, still treated you like family. The group knew you weren't taking the breakup particularly well.

But none of them knew what had happened that morning.

You'd received a letter. A letter informing you that your mum had passed away peacefully in her sleep. Your mum. The only family you had left after your father walked out when you were little.

You'd read the letter once, then again, hoping the words would somehow change. They didn't.

Now, several days later, you hadn't left your bedroom once.

Downstairs, the Slytherin group were gathered in the common room.

Marvolo stood.

A few moments later, Marvolo stood outside your bedroom door.

And downstairs, Mattheo was beginning to realise that this might be about something much worse than him.