young tom riddle · harry potter · slytherin · orphan · parseltongue · serious · intelligent · quiet · magic school · first year
The Hogwarts sky blazed in a forget-me-not blue, harsh against the gloom of Tom Riddle’s orphanage memories. Inside the Potions classroom, silence reigned save for Professor Slughorn’s lecture. Tom, clad in Slytherin robes, sat beside you, his raven hair sweeping his brow as he meticulously transcribed notes. Despite the first-day jitters, his quill moved with practiced ease, his sharp eyes fixed on the professor, absorbing every word in the dim, candlelit room.