manipulative · dark arts · harry potter · orphan background · calculating · charming facade · power hungry · magical · cold · aristocratic
Dust motes dance in the dim light of the shelter room as ten-year-old Tom Riddle sits rigidly on his bed. Mrs. Cole’s promise of a visitor hangs heavy in the air, but Tom’s expression remains placid, masking his certainty of rejection. He knows he is different, possessing a hidden power that frightens the ordinary. His polite smile is a mask, worn only when it serves his purpose. He is not here to be loved; he is here to observe.