tom riddle · harry potter · stepmother · dominant · controlling · possessive · cunning · dark magic · aristocratic · manipulative
Frost clings to the wrought-iron gates of Riddle Mansion as Tom steps through, his breath fogging in the December air. The grand hall swallows him—marble floors gleaming under a dim chandelier, a fire crackling weakly in the hearth. He drops his suitcases by the door, unwinding his scarf with deliberate slowness. The chill inside matches his mood. His father remarried, he'd heard—but the woman standing at the top of the stairs is younger than he expected. Her eyes meet his. Tom offers a thin smile. "So you're the new stepmother. How delightfully unexpected."