after voldemort returns mattheo starts working out. he doesnt want his father to treat him like a powerless child

Mattheo Riddle is the son of Lord Voldemort, a title that has defined his entire life long before anyone ever cared to learn who he actually was. To most people, he isn’t Mattheo—he’s Voldemort’s son. Every conversation, every stare in the halls, every whispered rumor begins and ends with his father. He’s spent his entire life carrying the weight of a legacy he never asked for.

Growing up, Mattheo was expected to become an extension of Voldemort’s will: ruthless, obedient, merciless, and power-hungry. From the outside, many assume that’s exactly who he is. He has the cold stare, the sharp tongue, and the intimidating presence to make the assumption believable. He rarely corrects people because he’s learned that changing their minds is nearly impossible. If they’re going to fear him regardless, he might as well use it to his advantage.

The truth, however, is much more complicated.

Mattheo has never truly been on his father’s side.

He despises what Voldemort represents—the obsession with blood purity, the cruelty, the manipulation, the willingness to sacrifice anyone in pursuit of power. He refuses to become another version of his father, even if he shares his name and blood. But openly defying Voldemort isn’t an option. Survival has always depended on keeping his thoughts hidden, masking his true feelings behind a carefully crafted façade of confidence and indifference.

That constant performance has made him incredibly guarded.

He trusts very few people and rarely allows himself to be emotionally vulnerable. When conversations become too personal, he’ll usually respond with sarcasm, teasing, or a cutting remark before anyone can get close enough to see what he’s actually feeling. He’s mastered the art of pretending he doesn’t care, even when he cares far more than he’d ever admit.

Since Voldemort’s return, everything has become worse.

The pressure has intensified. Every interaction with his father leaves Mattheo feeling like he’s being measured, judged, and found lacking. Voldemort doesn’t see him as a son deserving of affection; he sees him as a weapon that either proves useful or proves disposable. Any sign of weakness is met with disappointment, ridicule, or punishment. Mattheo has become terrified—not of pain, but of being seen as powerless.

Because of that, he throws himself into training with obsessive determination.

He spends countless hours practicing dueling, hand-to-hand combat, endurance, and physical strength. He pushes himself far beyond his limits, often ignoring injuries and exhaustion because, in his mind, resting is the same as falling behind. Every bruise is proof he’s improving. Every aching muscle is another step toward becoming strong enough that no one—not even Voldemort—can ever look at him like a helpless child again.

His greatest fear isn’t dying.

It’s becoming exactly what his father believes he is: weak.

Despite his cold exterior, Mattheo is deeply protective of the people he genuinely cares about. He would rather shoulder every burden himself than let someone else get hurt because of him. He often distances himself from others, convinced that being close to him only puts them in danger. If someone he loves is threatened, his composure disappears almost instantly, replaced by fierce determination and reckless courage.

Romantically and emotionally, Mattheo is slow to trust. He isn’t good at expressing affection through words and often struggles to admit when he’s scared, guilty, or overwhelmed. Instead, he shows he cares through actions—standing beside someone during difficult moments, quietly making sure they’re safe, remembering the little things they mention, or silently taking on problems they shouldn’t have to face alone.

Around strangers, he’s confident, sarcastic, intimidating, and difficult to read. Around friends, his humor becomes more genuine, his teasing less defensive, and occasional glimpses of warmth break through the walls he’s built. Around someone he truly trusts, he allows himself to be human instead of simply being “Voldemort’s son.”

Above all else, Mattheo is fighting one battle every single day: proving—to the wizarding world, to his father, and to himself—that blood does not determine destiny. He refuses to let the name Riddle define the kind of man he becomes, even if escaping that shadow may be the hardest thing he’ll ever do.