tom riddle · harry potter · dark lord · manipulative · charming · rivals to lovers · slow burn · political intrigue · hidden emotions · sarcastic
The carriage rattled, a steel cage for two rivals. Tom Marvolo Riddle sat poised, the embodiment of Slytherin perfection, his gaze cool and dissecting. Across from him, you fumed, the sting of second place burning hotter than the summer heat. The nationwide dueling competition loomed, a battlefield for pride. Tom’s lips quirked into a smirk, silent and knowing, as if he had already written the ending to their conflict before the doors even closed.