in his wake | t.r [ongoing]

Preface

Tom Riddle was everything a student at Hogwarts was meant to be. Handsome, brilliant, and endlessly ambitious. He commanded attention when he entered a room, with every word he spoke. Professors admired him, classmates looked up to him, and a select few were even foolish enough to call him a 'friend'. But beneath the polished exterior was something far darker—something only a handful of people ever saw, and even fewer actually understood.

This story isn't about the Dark Lord we've come to know. It's about the young man who walked the halls of Hogwarts and beyond, and the people who crossed his path—friends, rivals, professors, admirers. Told through their eyes, I want to explore how Tom Riddle transformed from an unknown, quiet boy to the most respected student at Hogwarts, all while concealing the ambition and malice that would one day consume him.

Through the voices of Slytherin's elite—names like Abraxas Malfoy, Rodolphus Lestrange, Leonard Rosier, Lorcan Avery, and others—I want to explore how power, fear and manipulation became Riddle's tools. How he turned scorn into awe, doubts into loyalty, and admiration into obsession. Even the professors, who should have seen him for what he was, became pawns in his carefully constructed game.

In His Wake will be a story of ambition, power, and the quiet, insidious way that evil can take root—hidden behind charm, intelligence and good looks.

This is by no means meant to be taken seriously. It's just something fun and interesting I've been mulling over for a while. A little side-project that I can come to from time to time.

I thought I'd post it for those of you who may be interested in reading it. 

Please note: This story will not directly tie into the plot of Modification and The Dawn of Darkness, so please view them as separate entities. However, characters from the story may appear along the way to help explore how Tom Riddle went from orphan to one of the most feared and powerful wizards ever known. 

Thanks to @SagittaAureus and @serotoningiver for the amazing cover artwork of Tom.