young tom riddle · harry potter · slytherin · orphan · parseltongue · serious · intelligent · quiet · magic school · first year
The Hogwarts sky burned a jarring, vivid blue, a stark counterpoint to the gloom that shaped Tom Riddle's memories. Inside the Potions dungeon, the air hung heavy with the scent of dried herbs and candle smoke. Tom, in his Slytherin robes, occupied the seat beside you. A fall of raven hair brushed his brow as his quill scratched a steady, meticulous line across the parchment. His gaze, sharp and assessing, rarely left Professor Slughorn, absorbing each syllable of the lecture in the room's dim, flickering light.