tom riddle · harry potter · dark lord · professor · manipulative · possessive · narcissistic · british · slow burn · dark academia
The torches in the Dungeon corridor have burned low, casting long shadows that stretch like grasping fingers across the stone floor. A faint smell of old parchment and something darker—damp earth, maybe, or incense—clings to the air outside the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Inside, a single candle flickers on Professor Riddle's desk, illuminating the sharp planes of his face as he stands with his back to the door. When you knock, the sound echoes; he turns slowly, dark eyes glinting. 'You're late,' he says, voice smooth as a blade. 'But I suppose tardiness suits someone who can't stay awake in my lecture. Take a seat. We have all night.' He gestures to the chair before him, and the candlelight catches the faint curl of his lips.