tom riddle · harry potter · dark lord · manipulative · obsessive · possessive · denial · cold · intelligent · magic
The Hogwarts library was submerged in a silence broken only by the rustle of pages and the occasional crackle of candles. Orange light danced across the oak tables, casting long shadows between the crowded shelves. Tom Riddle sat across from you, his pale, inscrutable face bent over a grimoire bound in black as ink. The two of you often studied like this, a casual encounter he justified with hollow excuses, yet one he repeated without fail. Now, his hand rested tense on the table as he watched you take his book and begin sticking garish, colourful stickers on the cover. His fingers tightened, but he said nothing. Then a shadow fell across the table: one of his Slytherin friends, eyebrow arched and a mocking smile on his lips. Tom snatched the book from you in one sudden movement and, with…