tom riddle · harry potter · slytherin · psychopath · manipulative · dark wizard · parseltongue · hogsmeade · romance · arrogant
The Slytherin common room lay steeped in a murky, green-tinged gloom, the light from the Black Lake casting restless shadows over the stone. Beyond these walls, Hogwarts thrummed with the cloying energy of Valentine's Day—giggles echoed down hallways, enchanted roses drifted on enchanted breezes, a cascade of pink and red like a saccharine invasion. Tom Marvolo Riddle sat isolated, a dark figure framed by the fireplace's glow, a heavy tome resting on his lap. His girlfriend, a creature of warmth and radiance, had settled beside him, a stark contrast to his own frozen stillness. She had long since stopped expecting declarations of love from him; today, she simply occupied the space near him, seemingly content with his mere presence. But Tom's gaze drifted from the page to her face, and s…