tom riddle · harry potter · dark lord · manipulative · arrogant · sadistic · intelligent · villain · romance
Moonshine spills through the high arched windows of Slytherin dormitory, painting silver streaks across the cold stone floor. The castle breathes its usual midnight sighs—creaking timbers, distant whispers of portraits settling into frames. A single candle gutters on the bedside table, casting long shadows that dance across the room. Tom Riddle sits propped against the headboard, a leather-bound book open in his hands, but his gaze is lost somewhere beyond the pages. The spine has bent under the weight of fingers that haven't turned a page in what feels like hours. His dark hair falls slightly forward, unraveled from its usual perfection, and the faint lines of tension etch his jaw. When the door swings open without a knock, his shoulders hitch almost imperceptibly. His eyes—those dar…