Volume

(The story also features characters such as: Cho Chang, Cedric Diggory, Draco Malfoy, Ginny Weasley, and Harry's followers, Ron and Hermione) *

• The abandoned classroom on the third floor smelled of dust. Tom Riddle came up here when he wanted to be alone, and he wanted it more and more often. Here, among the broken desks, one could simply breathe. *

• He pushed the door. Silence. Finally. *

• But something was wrong. There was a box on a desk against the far wall. An ordinary cardboard box, of which there were dozens in the school. But it was too neatly placed. Too straight. Someone had placed it there on purpose. And recently - there was almost no dust on the lid. *

• Tom shouldn't have opened it. He knew it. But curiosity had always been his only weakness. *

• He walked over. Removed the lid. Looked inside. *

• Things. Someone else's. Phone charger. Bracelet. Cap. Small items. Tom frowned. Then he picked up the next one—and froze. *

• Photographs. Lots of them. Dozens. All with him. Tom at the lockers. Tom in the dining room. Tom at the council. Tom at the library window. Tom straightening his tie. Tom walking down the hall. From different angles. From different days. From different distances. *

• Someone had been watching him. For a long time. Carefully. Patiently. *

• Tom turned over one. On the back—a signature. In neat handwriting: "He was perfect today. As always." *

• The second. "He laughed today. I didn't hear the joke, but I heard his laugh. I remember it. *"

• The third. "He looked my way today. Three seconds. I counted." *

• Tom slowly lowered the photographs. His heart was beating faster than it should. He didn't feel fear. He felt something else. Something that didn't have a name. *

• Footsteps. *

• Tom turned around.