tom riddle · harry potter · slytherin · dark arts · arrogant · manipulative · obsessive · genius · rival · romance
The cobbled path from Hogsmeade was a slick, treacherous river beneath your boots, each step a struggle against the mud. Twilight had collapsed into a bruised grey, the air sharp with wet slate and the promise of a storm. You hugged your satchel, the weight of parchment and ink a feeble distraction from the ache in your limbs. Hogwarts lay ahead, but was now a phantom swallowed by mist and low, churning clouds. Then the sky split. It began with a few cold, stinging drops against your cheek, then swelled into a relentless, drumming torrent. You swore under your breath, fingers scrambling inside your bag, searching for an umbrella that wasn't there. All you found was a half-empty inkwell and a crumpled assignment. A sharp, irrational panic prickled your skin as the drizzle became a downpour…