TW: Blood, dead bodies 

Lgbtq+ themes (If you don’t like it then just don’t read it, this is going to continue for like the rest of the book.) (I also have never written a relationship/ romance before so bear with me, I will try my best) 

(Thomas’s pov) 

We all got ready and met back in Mattheo’s dorm. Liam joined us and we filled him in on everything and went over the plan again. We all apparated there. Mattheo grabbed Theodore and Liam and I got Indu since Liam and Indu couldn’t apparate yet, let alone on school grounds. We arrived in front of a large mansion. 

We went through the gates and to the front door where someone checked to make sure we all had invites before entering the place.

The inside was even grander than the outside. Everywhere I looked I saw marble floors, glass, and gold. The foyer ceiling was very high and a large golden chandelier hung from it. Out of the corner of my eyes I could see Mattheo roll his eyes and scoff. 

We made our way to the ballroom and Malachi was standing outside the door. He stopped me before I went in and smiled at me “I wanted to warn you before you go in, Y/n is not the same as you remember” He pulled away but after second thought he leaned back in “Be careful, I would hate for you to get hurt” He pushed me away and I continued into the ballroom. Mattheo eyed Malachi before pulling the others over to me. 

“What was that about?” He asked 

“Malachi warned me about Y/n, saying she's not the same as I remember and to be careful” 

Mattheo glanced back at Malachi then away “Well, we still are doing everything as planned” He pulled Theodore to his side “Now, try to blend in” He pulled away with Theodore and walked away. Indu asked Liam if he wanted to dance and the two of them  went to dance. 

I looked around the room, through the sea of people until my eyes landed on her. She noticed me at the same time and came over to me. I’m surprised I even recognized her from halfway across the room for she looked very different. I wasn’t used to seeing her in so much makeup or in stilettos. She was almost as tall as me in heels. 

She stood next to me and turned to look in the same direction I was, out at everyone. “Hello Thomas” she greeted 

“Y/n” I replied 

She turned to face me “Are you wearing cologne?” She asked, tilting her head 

“Yes, why?” 

“It smells very…” She paused and she looked a little disgusted “strong” 

I turned my head to look at her again “In a good or bad way?” 

“Bad” She replied honestly

I couldn’t help but smile “Well your perfume smells very strong as well” 

“I know, I didn’t chose it” A frown formed on her face

“Lavender?” I asked, I knew she always hated the smell of lavender 

“Yep, I absolutely hate it” 

I shrugged “Could be worse”

She narrowed her eyes at me “It can’t get much worse than this” 

“Well which smells worse, my cologne or your perfume?” 

“They both smell terrible” She looked away and to the dance floor “Who is Indu with?” She asked 

“Liam” I replied 

“Is Mattheo here?” She asked 

“I thought you forgot about us?” 

“I only remember names, not anything else” 

“Yeah he’s here, and so is Theodore if you remember that name” 

“I remember” She answered “So where are they?” 

I looked around and saw them sitting at a table talking. Y/n followed my gaze as I nodded my head towards them “The one with curly hair is Mattheo, the other one is Theodore”

A lady came up next to Y/n and whispered something in her ear. Y/n turned to me “Well it’s been lovely chatting with you but I must go” She smiled and walked away. 

(Mattheo’s pov) 

I saw Thomas talking to Y/n before she got pulled away and I turned back to Theodore. He was still staring at me. “Why are you staring at me?” I asked 

“I just realized you look a bit like Y/n”

I let out a small laugh “You just realized that now?”

“Like you could be twins” 

“I wouldn’t say we look that similar” 

“Hey, I’m getting a little bored of just sitting here” He stood up and offered me a hand “Would you care to join me for a dance?” 

I eyed him “A school dance is one thing but…” I didn’t know what to say 

“Oh forget about everyone else, who cares. I’m not taking no for an answer” He grabbed my hand and pulled me up and to the dance floor. 

We danced for a little while and received a couple of weird looks but I tried to push them aside and soon we went back to the table to have dinner and we regrouped with the others. Theodore sat to my left and Thomas sat on my right, Indu sat next to Theodore and Liam next to her. 

(Theodore’s pov) 

While we were eating Indu leaned in and whispered in my ear “I saw you and Mattheo together, are you two like” She paused “a thing?” 

I looked away and tried to keep a straight face “No, we are not a thing” I shook my head 

She looked at me for a second before looking at Mattheo and back to me “Do you want to be?” 

I thought about it for a minute. I don’t know why I would be talking to her about this, I barely knew her, but something about her just made me trust her “I don’t think he feels the same way and besides, our families would never allow it” I whispered 

“But do you want to be with him?” 

I sighed “I don’t know, he’s been my friend for so long and I had a crush on his sister I just feel like it would be awkward” 

“Do you want to hear my opinion?” 

“Uh… sure” It sounded more like a question then an answer 

“I think you could make it work, I think you guys would be great together. Don’t think about what your family would think, if they have a problem they can go through me, and I think as soon as we get Y/n back she would agree as well” 

I smiled a little “Thanks”

“What are you two talking about?” Mattheo had turned away from talking to Thomas and leaned into our conversation 

“Nothing” I replied quickly, maybe even a little to quickly

Mattheo eyed me “Yeah… nothing” 

“I was complimenting him” Indu explained

Thomas got up and left the room, the start of the next step in the plan. We all left at different times and met up in the foyer. Indu was the last one to join us, she was supposed to have Y/n. Before anyone could talk she spoke up “I couldn’t see her, she wasn’t at her seat, she's somewhere else” 

“Well then, we need to split up and find her” 

Everyone turned to go in separate directions but Indu stopped us “Wait, what if this is a set up. What if they know what we are trying to do and they are trying to split us up? We need to stick together” 

“Indu might be onto something” I agreed 

“We don’t have enough time, there's too much ground to cover” Thomas replied 

“Fine, we can split into two groups. You and Liam. I will go with the Theos” Indu declared 

“No offense but Liam is the weakest one here, why does he have to come with me?” 

“Well unless you want to go alone” Indu shot back. “Theodore needs Mattheo and I’m the only one who can help him if he starts dying again. If Theodore can’t fight that leaves Mattheo and whoever else is left, and I don’t think Liam is bad at magic, otherwise why would your father want him in his group? If you don’t like the groups then we all can go together or your just going to have to deal with the groups” 

Thomas frowned “Fine, I will go with Liam. Just keep me updated if you find anything” He looked at Mattheo “Remember we still have the bond” 

“I didn’t forget” 

We split up and went in opposite directions. We walked for a while and I was starting to think we were going in circles or we were lost. Every hallway looked the same. I was beginning to doubt we would ever find Y/n but then we heard a scream from up ahead. It was completely silent again and we picked up our pace until we reached a large circular room. There were dead bodies scattered across the floor, probably about 10 people and blood everywhere. It almost looked like a vampire came and killed a bunch of people. All the bodies were pale as if they had been drained of blood, or magic. Or both. My mind immediately went to Malachi but I didn’t think he was the one who did it. I just hoped it wasn’t who I thought it was. 

The longer I stood there the more I could feel it. The sight of the blood, the feeling of magic in the air. But not just any magic. Dark magic. It was pulling at my senses, which all felt like they had been heightened. The smell of the blood, the silence. It was all eating away at me. I could tell Mattheo felt it too but he was better at controlling it from years of practice I guessed. I didn’t have years of practice, I had barely any. 

I hadn’t even noticed that Thomas and Liam were there until Liam came up to me “Theodore?” Liam asked, sounding concerned “You don’t look very good” 

Mattheo immediately turned his head around and took a couple of steps over to me then he pushed Liam away. 

(Mattheo’s pov) 

I could feel it in the air too. I could feel it in my head, all throughout my body. This want, this need dying to take control of me, whatever Malachi did to me… it was still there, but I pushed it away. Theodore didn’t know how to push it away, how to control it. “Theodore, just focus on something else, anything else” 

“I- I can’t” He whispered

I turned back to the group “You guys continue” . Thomas and Liam left again but Indu stayed there. I was about to tell her to go too but I knew she wouldn’t leave us and figured she could protect herself if it came to that. I turned back to Theodore “Come on you got to think about something different, anything, just push the rest from your mind”

“I said I can’t” His voice sounded angrier 

I shut my eyes tight, I could think of one thing that could probably get his mind off of this, I just hoped it would work. I looked up into his eyes “Theodore, I was hoping to do this somewhere else under different circumstances but it’s all I got right now” I looked at Indu for a second before looking back at Thomas “I overheard your conversation at dinner” His eyes got a little bigger “And-” I took a deep breath “I- I feel the same about you Theo” 

His mouth dropped a little bit “You- you do?” His face changed and he looked like a little puppy. Completely shocked and scared and confused. 

I smiled and let out a small chuckle “Was it not obvious after I tried everything to heal you and save your life after you saved mine?” 

We were having a moment and I could tell it was helping Theodore forget about the blood, but Thomas had to ruin it alright enough of that, we found Y/n and we are going to need you guys… she is, how do I say this, she’s- His voice cut off for a second Going to kill us It went silent again but I could feel he was suddenly in a lot of pain. I quickly grabbed Theodore and Indu and Apparated to Thomas. 

The room looked exactly the same as the one we had just been in, minus the dead bodies. Thomas was sitting up against the wall, I would've thought he was dead if I hadn't seen his chest moving. Y/n had Liam against the wall, a wand at his throat “Nobody moves unless I say so, or he dies” She waved her hand and the doors slammed shut. Still keeping the wand on his throat she turned to look at us and a smirk grew on her face “Now the fun can begin”