Tom Marvolo Riddle

The Difference

The Difference

That year when Tom Riddle swooped into the Great Hall, not only did the students feel a difference in him, but so did the teachers.

Of course they could not pinpoint what it was over every other obvious change, but it was there.

Was it his height? The length of his hair? Perhaps it was the closeness between he and his friends?

No there was something else.

As the Slytherin heir walked the length of the aisle to stop at the Slytherin table, the Slytherins stood, Tom taking his seat in the center of the table.

Abraxas sat to his right and Tadeus sat on his left, Antonin sitting across from Tom with Rabastan and Regulas on either side of him. There was still room there, but no one dared sit if they were not close to the King.

The rest of the Slytherin took their seats by year and the other students looked on in obvious confusion while Albus Dumbledore was wary.

He felt a great deal of magic from the Slytherin table, but he could not feel Tom Riddle's signature like usual. The boy was very good at hiding it.

The students of the other Houses took their seats, but they continued to look over at the Slytherin table, some stares envious, others with obvious admiration and others filled with hatred.

The Slytherin table chatted quietly, laughing about things the other students would never understand, all the while Tom Riddle lost in his thoughts, his friends wise not to disturb him.

The air around the group was intimidating and dark. There was something going on there and Albus thought he was the only one to know exactly what it was.

Slytherin House had a hierarchy and Tom Riddle was at the top. He was their King.

"Albus? You look pale." commented a teacher to his left and he blinked, forcing a warm smile. "Oh yes..I am fine. Just wondering how our new first years will fair." he replied, looking away from Tom just as the Slytherin heir narrowed his eyes toward the man.

"I also know why I cannot stand Albus Dumbledore besides his obvious biases." he said quietly, Tadeus raising a privacy ward quickly after those words.

"Why?" remarked Abraxas, tilting his head toward the older wizard.

"Because he is this generation's Light Lord. The only one recorded in history. But most don't realize it. I thought it was strange of him to be so persuasive in the ministry but this explains why. He may not be 'evil', but he has the same power I hold. And him being older and more experienced helps this. It's no wonder he wants to get rid of Grindelwald and now me." said Tom.

Antonin raised a brow at this.

"That old man is a Light Lord? How does someone manage that?" he muttered, eyes narrowed in disbelief and Tom shook his head, sighing as he fed Nagini a few sausages under the table.

"I'm not sure. It's different from being a Dark Lord. You have to actively be good. But I suppose one can be inherently good if your goals align with your actions. I do not know what all Dumbledore believes. Just that he likes light magic and wants to coexist with muggles. I do not know what else he would need to be a Light Lord and I have an even hazier idea of who his followers would be and their dynamic." said Tom.