~ Immortality unveiled ~Tom Riddle x Reader 🐍🌶

Chapter 5 3/5 - ~ Legilimens~

With little effort, I lift her into my arms, her unconscious form resting limply against my chest. Her vulnerability irks me, but there's also something captivating about it—a puzzle waiting to be solved. I carry her through the castle, my thoughts already spinning.

Once inside her chambers, I place her on the nearby couch, annoyed at the disruption to my evening. Her presence, unconscious and vulnerable, ruins the stillness of my routine. But as I gaze down at her face, softened in slumber, a thread of intrigue tightens its hold around my mind. What secrets do you hide, Eva Orlov? What part will you play in my greater design?

I drape a blanket over her, sitting down in a nearby armchair. The fire crackles faintly, casting flickering shadows across the room. As I lean back, playing with the ring on my finger, my gaze lingers on her. She has scars—literal and metaphorical. They tell a story, but not the whole one. No, that's buried deeper.

The woman holds her cards close, but no one can hide from me forever. Maybe she's the key to unlocking some secrets. She'll either serve me willingly or be made to bend. It makes little difference in the end.

With the firelight dancing on her features, I murmur softly, "Legilimens."

Her mind opens to me now, vulnerable and defenseless in her unconscious state.

At last. Images flicker past my vision—the mundane details of her day, her thoughts, her fears. And then, her husband, Theodore. Oh, so that's where you've been. The fool erased her memories, didn't he?

A chuckle escapes my lips. Jealous little man. It's amusing how threatened he is by me.
If I were him, I'd feel the same. But tampering with memories? How predictable. Memory charms have been done to her before. Unoriginal and pathetic.. She's so unaware..

Then there is a wall I can't seem to break. For now.
Smirking, I pull away from her mind, though the echoes of her thoughts linger.
She was thinking of me. That, at least, is intriguing. Curious about my whereabouts, are we, Miss Orlov? Don't worry—soon you'll know exactly where I am. Right here. Always watching.

I rise from my seat, casting a final glance at her resting form. Whatever she's doing to block parts of her mind from me, it won't last. I'll break through her defenses eventually. I always do.

Walking to the window, I gaze out at the moonlit grounds of Hogwarts, the cool night air seeping through the cracks. The castle holds many secrets, and I intend to unearth every last one of them. Lighting a cigarette, I take a slow drag, letting the smoke curl lazily around my fingers.

The embers glow brightly in the darkness as I contemplate the night's events. The pieces are falling into place, slowly but surely. Eva is one of those pieces—a significant one. Perhaps more so than she realizes.

How easily I could end her existence right now, I think, flicking ash into the fire. It would be effortless, and yet... there's something about her that stays my hand. Her usefulness, perhaps. Or maybe it's the challenge she presents. Either way, I have time. And I always play the long game.

The night is far from over, and as the embers in the hearth die down, I extinguish the cigarette with a flick of my wrist. The scent of smoke lingers, mixing with the fading warmth of the fire.

Patience, I remind myself. The time for subtlety has arrived. The secrets buried within Hogwarts are intertwined with the very essence of magic itself, and I will uncover them all—willingly or not.

I turn my gaze back to Eva, her breathing steady, her expression softened in sleep. Vulnerable. Unaware. You will help me, Miss Orlov, I think as I approach the door. One way or another.

The halls are quiet as I make my way through the castle, my footsteps echoing softly against the stone floor. The moonlight filters through the tall windows, casting long shadows in my wake. I have much to do, and time is of the essence.

Soon, I find myself at the entrance to the Forbidden Section of the library. With a flick of my wand, the heavy oak doors creak open, revealing shelves lined with ancient tomes, scrolls filled with forgotten knowledge. I move through them with purpose, my fingers trailing along the spines, searching for the key to unraveling the mysteries that have long eluded me.

The thrill of discovery courses through me as I dive into the forbidden knowledge. Each page I turn reveals another layer of complexity, another secret lost to time. The castle holds more power than anyone realizes, and its depths have yet to be fully explored. But I will be the one to unlock its full potential.

As the hours slip by, I close the final tome with a sharp snap, satisfaction thrumming through me. I've found what I was looking for—the piece that will turn the tide in my favor.

The game has begun, and I'm playing to win. Eva Orlov will be part of it, whether she knows it or not.

Stepping out of the library, the echoes of my footsteps fade into the darkened hallways. I am a solitary figure, but never alone. The shadows are my companions, the secrets of Hogwarts my guide.

With each step, I grow closer to my goal.

And nothing—no one—will stand in my way.