The world we live in is far deeper than we know.
There is an entire hidden world beneath the one known to Muggles — a world of magic, supernatural beings, and secrets that stretch far beyond ordinary life.
Mr. Tom Riddle, a Muggle, and Mrs. Merope Gaunt, one of the darkest witches ever known in the wizarding world and a descendant of the ancient House of Gaunt, were once bound together by a cruel spell.
Merope, born of a pureblood line obsessed with magical purity, used a love potion to enchant Tom into marrying her.
Under that enchantment, they conceived a child.
But when the spell's grip faded, Mr. Riddle abandoned Merope and returned to Hangleton, unaware she carried his child.
Merope gave birth to a baby boy, naming him after the father who deserted her: Tom Marvolo Riddle.
She died an hour later, her only wish being that her son would bear his
father's name and look just like him.
The infant was discovered by a nun near the gates of Wool's Orphanage, laughing beneath a blanket on the roadside.
She looked around for parents, but no one was in sight.
All she found was a nametag stitched into the cloth: "TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE."
Tom grew up in the orphanage, a place he would come to loathe. From a young age, he was feared.
Strange and unsettling things happened around him. Toys shattered without cause.
Doors locked without hands. Shadows lingered where they shouldn't. The other children avoided him.
The nuns kept their distance. By the time Tom turned five, doctors and priests had come and gone, each more disturbed than the last.
He didn't attend school like other children. He lived in isolation, confined to his own room.
Ten years passed since Tom was brought, and he hadn't made a single friend.
One day, while sitting alone on a swing, a girl about his age approached him.
"Hey there. Do you mind if I join you?" she asked.
Tom blinked, caught off guard. No one had ever approached him so freely before.
"You really want to be seen with me? I know you weren't put up to this. Even the nuns are terrified of me," he replied cautiously.
The girl studied him with interest.
"So you're the one they're all panicking about?" she teased. "You don't look that scary to me."
Her words hit something soft inside him. He said nothing.
"So, can I take a seat?" she asked again.
He nodded.
She sat beside him on the neighboring swing. "I'm Mary Polly," she said, offering her hand.
"Tom Riddle," he replied, shaking it.
"Not a bad name. My kitten might be terrified of it," she joked.
They both laughed. "So, he smiles," she said. "But tell me, Tom, why is everyone so afraid of you? What wicked thing did you do?"
Tom looked away. "I wish I knew. I've been asking myself the same question for years."
Mary looked at him gently. "Well, the only thing that stands out are your green eyes. But I think they're special. They make you look... cute."
His face flushed. He didn't know what to say.
Before he could respond, a nun called for Mary.
"Well, that's me. See you around, Tom," she said with a smile.
"Yeah... see you," he murmured. That day was the happiest he had felt in a long time.
Over the next few days, Mary visited him often.
One afternoon, she walked into his room. "So this is where you scheme your evil plans?" she teased.
"What are you doing here?" Tom asked, trying to hide his smile.
"Am I interrupting your plotting phase?" she laughed.
"Alright, that's enough of the 'I'm scary' jokes," he said.
"But aren't you scary? The whole building shakes when you enter," she joked again.
Tom gave a playful sigh. "Everyone decided to be terrified of me.
What am I supposed to do?"
"Run away," Mary said, suddenly more serious.
"Run away? To where?"
"Anywhere. The world's a big place. We could run away together."
Tom blinked. "You and me?"
She grinned. "Yeah, you and me."
Before he could reply, a nun stormed in.
"What are you doing with him?" she snapped.
"We were just talking," Mary said.
"I don't want to see you near him again," the nun scolded, dragging her away.
Tom sat in silence, haunted by her words.
The next day, he went looking for her.
He found her in her room, reading alone.
"So this is what you do in your free time?" he asked.
She looked up. "And to what do I owe the pleasure?"
"I've been thinking about what you said. I think we should do it."
"You want to run away?"
"It was your idea," he said.
She hesitated. "Tom, I went over it again. We have no food, no money... we're just kids."
Tom frowned. "But you were ready to go yesterday."
"I know, but I wasn't thinking clearly."
"No," he snapped. "They warned you. That's it, isn't it? They told you to stay away from the 'creep.'"
"That's not true," Mary said.
"Then what is?"
She stayed silent.
His voice rose. "And I thought you were different. I thought I had a friend."
He stormed out.
Mary chased him. "Tom, please wait!"
A nun blocked her. "Back to your room, Miss Polly."
Mary ignored her and ran after Tom. "You have to listen to me," she said, reaching his room.
He faced away from her. "What is there to say? I heard everything."
"That's not it," she pleaded.
"Then what is it?" He turned. His eyes glowed an unnatural green. The room trembled.
Mary froze. "Tom... what's happening?"
He stepped forward, anger pulsing.
"I don't need you. I don't need them. I don't need anything!"
"Tom, please!" she begged.
"Don't tell me what to do!" his voice deepened.
"I'm Tom Riddle. I don't need you, Mary Polly!"
A blast of green light tore through the room.
The building shook. Nuns rushed in, screaming.
Mary lay motionless on the floor.
A nun knelt beside her, pale with horror. "She's gone. He... he killed her."
Gasps. Panic.
Children were ushered away.
Only Madam Collins, the head of the orphanage, remained.
She looked at Tom, who was laughing... and crying.
His eyes still glowed.
She whispered, "Oh, Tom... what have you done?"
And she left him there, broken and alone.
When the glow faded, Tom looked at what remained.
He dropped to his knees. And wept.
NESSGEEORIGINAL