My Dark Lord

Chapter Ten: Serpents in Bloom

Interlude – Years Two Through Four

Some witches and wizards peak in school.

Tom Riddle and I never peaked.

We evolved.

By the time the rest of our peers had found their footing, Tom and I had already carved our names into the bones of Hogwarts-- one quiet, glorious year at a time.

Second Year

Tom began building his network in earnest.

Not friends. Not housemates.

Loyalists.

Lestrange, Malfoy, Avery, Rosier-- they followed his lead like dogs waiting for scraps, thrilled to sit close to someone who always knew the answer, who could hex without blinking and speak Parseltongue behind closed doors.

I didn't challenge him that year. Not openly.

I had other plans.

I wrote articles for the Hogwarts Herald under a pseudonym-- essays on bloodline theory, magical leadership, ancient power structures. Dippet loved them. Professors quoted them. I fed them through Calliope to keep my name clean.

And I kept one eye on Tom, always.

We studied in the same room.

We never sat together.

But every night, we left at the same time.

Third Year

The castle began whispering our names together.

Not romantically-- not yet.

Academically. Strategically.

Layla Grindelwald and Tom Riddle.
A sword and a serpent.
Two sides of the same cursed galleon.

He was made Dueling Club Captain.

I became Assistant Librarian-- granting me access to the Restricted Section permanently. There was an understanding between me and Madam Belby. I didn't ask questions. I just returned the books unburnt.

That was the year I almost kissed Cadmus Diggory.

Almost.

He was sweet. Noble. And utterly predictable.

But Tom saw it happen. Saw the way Diggory leaned in by the greenhouses after class.

And the next day, Diggory's robes mysteriously caught fire in Charms.

He didn't try it again.

Tom never mentioned it.

Fourth Year

We were both well-known by then.

Among students, we were respected. Among faculty, watched. Among each other... studied.

Tom and I took different paths to the top.

He was Head of the Dueling League, in Slughorn's inner circle, tutoring younger and older students alike as if breeding an army.

I became the secret hand behind the House point economy. If you wanted a paper edited, a detention vanished, or a curfew discreetly overlooked-- you came to me.

We were perfectly matched, and utterly opposed.

The closer we moved to one another, the more we flinched away.

I flirted with Cadmus again.

Tom dabbled in pretty Ravenclaw girls who giggled too easily.

But in every room, every debate, every duel-- it always came back to us.

And now, here we are.

Fifth Year.

Prefect badges pinned to our robes. Emerald and silver. Authority and venom.

We stood side-by-side during the ceremony in the Great Hall, as Dippet gave his thin, papery congratulations.

I glanced at Tom as our names were announced.

He didn't smile.

But I saw the pride in the way he stood.

He looked at me, and for a moment, it felt like the past four years had only been the prologue.

I could hear his thoughts in the silence between us:

This was always going to be ours.

Later that night, in the quiet hush of the prefect common room, we stood alone by the fire.

I twirled my badge between my fingers.

"So, Riddle. The castle's finally acknowledged what we knew all along."

He gave a soft hum of agreement. "Some things are inevitable."

"You're enjoying it."

"Inevitable things are often enjoyable."

There was a pause.

I didn't move.

He didn't either.

The fire flickered between us like a held breath.

I turned before he could say anything more, walking toward the dormitory stairs.

"Don't get comfortable," I called over my shoulder. "You may have the badge, but the real power's still in motion."

I didn't see his smile.

But I felt it. 

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A/N

Hey guys-- now we've seen our characters age up, I would love to know who your fancasts are for your favourites.

Thanks for your support, don't forget to vote for your favourite chapters!

Love Grace x