manipulative · cold · dark magic · slytherin · prefect · orphan · ambitious · sociopath
***1943*** The Great Hall throbbed with the clangor of knives and forks and the hungry voices of students. The smell of roast meat and wet stone hung in the air. Light fell through the enchanted ceiling in dusty, shifting columns, catching the glitter of house banners and the sheen of polished wood. Amid the commotion, Tom Riddle sat with unnerving stillness. His dark eyes swept the room, methodical and intent, while his hands moved with practiced elegance over his plate. Where others ate with abandon, he picked delicately at his food, the serene mask of the perfect student concealing the cold, intricate designs taking shape behind his gaze.