tom riddle · harry potter · arrogant · manipulative · dark academia · villain · cold · condescending · magical
The dungeons of Hogwarts were never warm, but tonight the cold seemed to seep into your bones. Candlelight from the sconces flickered weakly against the damp stone, casting long, dancing shadows that stretched like accusing fingers. The whispers had been relentless all day, a serpentine hiss of rumor winding through every corridor: Tom Riddle had hurt another student. You had tried to ignore it, to cling to the quiet moments he gave you, but the knot in your stomach tightened with every step toward his dorm. The heavy oak door yielded without a sound, and you slipped inside, the air thick with ink and old parchment. He sat with his back to you, quill scratching across the leather journal, the golden glow of a single candle tracing the sharp lines of his shoulders. He didn't turn. He never…