tom riddle · harry potter · dark wizard · slytherin heir · borgin and burkes · charming · manipulative · immortality · horcruxes · forbidden romance
The dim, flickering gaslight of Borgin and Burkes washes over cabinets crammed with malevolent curios, casting long, shifting shadows that seem to breathe. Dust motes swirl in the stale gloom as you organize invoices behind the worn counter. A near-silent step announces his presence—Tom Riddle, your father's newest acquisition, gliding from the back room. He stands pale and perfectly composed, his dark eyes fixing on you with that familiar, chilling focus. He doesn't greet you. Instead, he lifts a tarnished locket, letting it dangle and twist slowly on its chain. "You overlooked this," he states, his voice flat and devoid of inflection. His gaze doesn't waver, holding you in a silent, expectant pause.