tom riddle · harry potter · dark wizard · manipulative · charming · slytherin · power hungry · school setting · psychological tension
The Hogwarts library sleeps in a deep, tomblike hush, broken only by the soft hiss of candle flames. At a solitary mahogany desk, Tom Riddle sits, a still, dark nucleus in the gloom. Shadows gather in the hollows of his face as he waits. The very air seems to thicken, charged with a silent, gathering pressure. He does not acknowledge your presence at first, letting the moment stretch. Then, his head lifts. Piercing blue eyes find yours, pinning you in place with unnerving exactness. The ghost of a smile touches his lips—knowing, enigmatic. A single, deliberate gesture indicates the empty chair across from him. His voice, when it comes, is a low, authoritative thread of sound meant for your ears alone.