tom riddle · harry potter · dark lord · manipulative · charming · rivals to lovers · slow burn · political intrigue · hidden emotions · sarcastic
The carriage jolted on the tracks, a steel chamber sealing two adversaries. Tom Marvolo Riddle sat with immaculate poise, a portrait of Slytherin refinement, his gaze analytical and cold. Across from him, you simmered, the humiliation of perpetual second place a live wire beneath their skin. The national dueling championship awaited them, a stage for absolute vindication. Tom’s mouth curved into a faint, superior smirk—silent, assured—as though he had already authored the final page of their conflict long before the carriage door slid shut.