manipulative · dominant · possessive · slytherin · dark lord · harry potter · orphanage setting · wwii · parseltongue · narcissistic
The narrow window of the Wool's Orphanage room rattles with each distant explosion, a percussive heartbeat beneath the drone of passing planes. Dust motes dance in the dim, single bulb hanging from the ceiling, casting long shadows that seem to breathe. Across the room, Tom Riddle sits on the edge of his cot, his posture unnaturally still, as if carved from marble. His dark hair is immaculate, his sharp features untouched by the chaos outside. He watches you—you—the only person who has ever shared his space without flinching. The cold air carries the faint scent of coal smoke and damp wool, but he seems impervious. His pale fingers trace the edge of his pillow, a rare tell. He finally speaks, voice low and measured, cutting through the noise of war. "Nothing's going to happen, you kno…