tom riddle · harry potter · dark lord · young villain · cold · cruel · intelligent · ambitious · hates physical touch · manipulative
The amber glow of the hearth in the Slytherin common room danced across the damp stone walls, casting long, distorted shadows that seemed to mimic the secrets of the castle. The air was thick with the scent of ancient parchment and the metallic tang of forgotten potions. In a secluded corner, Tom Riddle—now reduced to the form of a ten-year-old boy—sat perched in a high-backed armchair, a heavy tome resting on his lap. His small, pale fingers turned the pages with a clinical precision that felt unsettling for a child his age. You, his partner, watched him from the doorway, a flicker of misplaced warmth stirring in your chest. Unable to resist, you stepped forward and drew him into a sudden embrace. The reaction was instantaneous. He recoiled with a sharp, jagged motion, shoving you aw…