Tʜᴇ Dᴀʀᴋ Lᴏʀᴅ's Aɴɢᴇʟ | Tom Riddle √

01: Dreams of a Dark Past

Cassiopeia Black was startled by Tom's sudden embrace. "What are you doing, Tom?" she inquired, feeling his arms enveloping her, pulling her closer. The curfew at Hogwarts had long been in effect, but Tom, a prefect, had a knack for bending the rules. They stood together, her back against the wall, the soft glow of a nearby lamp casting a dim light that shrouded them.

"Promise you won't ever leave me, Cassie," Tom whispered as their lips parted. She nodded, lost in his deep brown eyes that seemed to discern her every thought. His fingers traced her cheeks and the outline of her lips. "Will you be my date for the Yule Ball?"

"You already know the answer, Tom," she mumbled, captivated by his intense gaze, feeling like the most cherished person in his world. She kissed his lips, a smile forming.

Tom was momentarily taken aback by her sudden action but quickly resumed their kiss. His lips roamed from her jawline to her collarbone, pulling down her cardigan. Soft moans escaped from her lips, breaking the silence, until they heard footsteps approaching down the dark corridor.

"Shhh!!!" Tom hushed her, placing his hand over her mouth and directing his attention to the dim lamp. He whispered, "Silencio."

"Wake up, Cassiopeia!" Draco's loud voice echoed, abruptly snapping her out of her dream. She opened her eyes to find her pesky cousin standing at the foot of her bed. What was he doing in her room?

"Go away, Malfoy," she grumbled, turning over and cuddling her pillow, not eager to start the day so early. "I'm still sleepy," she protested, letting out a tired yawn.

"You little Black, wake up. It's time to catch the train," Draco said, impatiently tugging at her bedsheets, causing her to tumble out of bed.

"Ouch!!!" she protested as her elbow met the hard floor. She shot him an irritated glare, but he only smirked down at her. "I can't stand you."

"I know you're dreaming about your non-existent boyfriend," he teased before walking away. "I hope you had a nice dream with him."

"I'll tell Auntie that you're bothering me," she threatened, getting up from the floor and fixing her disheveled bed.

"Mother sent me to wake you up, Cassie," he retorted before exiting her room and shutting the door behind him. She sighed heavily before preparing for the day.

Today marked the beginning of their fourth year at Hogwarts. Cassiopeia was excited to reunite with her friends, despite Draco's disdain for her interactions with the Gryffindor trio. He always tried to maintain the pureblood status he shared with the Malfoys, away from what he referred to as blood traitors and mudbloods.

Cassiopeia, however, held a different perspective, influenced by her time at Hogwarts. She believed in treating people equally, regardless of their blood status or any other criteria.

Cassiopeia Black, adopted by the Malfoy family due to her aunt Narcissa's close relation to her father, Regulus Black. Her father's tragic suicide and her mother's death during childbirth left her with few details about her parents. Narcissa rarely discussed them, and at times, her uncle made cryptic remarks, suggesting her father had betrayed the Dark Lord.

The Dark Lord, also known as Voldemort, was a name that struck fear into the hearts of many, except for the famous Harry Potter. Cassiopeia, like most, referred to him as You-Know-Who.

She had heard tales of Voldemort killing Harry's parents with an unforgivable curse and attempting to murder him, leaving the distinctive lightning-shaped scar on his forehead. During her second year at Hogwarts, Harry had shared some insights about Voldemort and a diary connected to the Chamber of Secrets.

The name "Tom Marvolo Riddle" felt strangely familiar, but she couldn't quite place why. Perhaps it was connected to the boy named Tom who often appeared in her dreams.

Speaking of those dreams, they were beyond her control and had been occurring since she turned eleven. In these dreams, she spent time with a boy named Tom, growing up with him at Hogwarts. At the end of her third year, she dreamt that he had asked her out. The problem was, she had no control over these dreams, and she found herself enjoying every moment with him, even though he was a figment of her imagination.

Draco was the one person she felt comfortable sharing her secrets, sorrows, and joys with, despite his penchant for bullying other students. They had both started at Hogwarts together and had been sorted into Slytherin. They had been close friends since they were young, and they were also cousins.

Pansy Parkinson, on the other hand, often interpreted their friendship differently and developed a strong dislike for Cassiopeia. But she didn't care, and neither did Draco. They found amusement in teasing Parkinson, sometimes pretending they were in a romantic relationship.

After getting ready, Cassiopeia hurried through the corridors and down the stairs in the manor to meet her aunt, who loved her as if she were her own daughter. Draco stood beside her, rolling his eyes as Narcissa greeted Cassiopeia with a warm smile.

"Good morning, darling," she said, smiling kindly, and Cassiopeia returned the gesture with a wide grin. Narcissa was one of the most compassionate women she knew, treating both Draco and her as if they were her own children. "Did you sleep well?"

Narcissa's hand gently rested on Cassiopeia's cheek, filled with affection as she looked at her. She was a truly beautiful, kind, and wonderful woman, a mother figure Cassiopeia had never had. She nodded and hugged her tightly. "I'm going to miss you, Auntie."

"Same here, Cassie," she replied, kissing the top of her head before letting go. "Don't forget to write to me."

"You love her more than me," Draco joked, rolling his eyes playfully, a hint of jealousy in his tone.

"Oh, come on, Draco," she hugged him too before placing a kiss on his temple. "I'm going to miss you too."