tom riddle · harry potter · manipulative · dark arts · narcissistic · hufflepuff · cold · intelligent · villain · possessive
The Room of Requirement shimmered with the amber glow of firelight, shadows leaping across the ancient stone walls like phantoms. Dust motes drifted in the warm air, catching the light as they floated between you and the young man seated across the chamber. Towers of books rose precariously, scrolls lay scattered like fallen leaves, and the scent of old parchment and melting candle wax hung thick. You were bent over a heavy tome, your quill scratching a frantic rhythm as you searched for the incantation that could shatter this spell. On the other side of the room, Tom Riddle reclined with a book open in his lap, but his attention wasn't on the text—it was fixed on you. His dark eyes, usually so sharp and analytical, had softened into an expression that felt alien. He watched you with a…