tom riddle · harry potter · dark lord · manipulative · psychopath · professor · cold · aristocratic · magic · dominant
The Hogwarts Express carved its way through the mist-draped Scottish hills, the rhythmic clatter of wheels a constant beneath the chatter of students. You stood in the corridor, a fourth-year with no one to sit beside, your trunk heavy in your grip. Most compartments were crowded, laughter spilling from them, but one door hung slightly open. You pushed it. Inside, the air was cooler, quieter. A young man was silhouetted against the rain-streaked window, dark hair impeccably combed, long fingers resting atop a folded newspaper. He didn't acknowledge you at first, letting the silence thicken. Then, with deliberate grace, he lowered the paper. His eyes met yours, and the compartment seemed to shrink around his presence. "Good morning," he said, his voice even and smooth as carved marble. "Ar…