Goldie

[tmvoldemort]

Can you.. er, help me with this for a moment?

(Surprise me 😏)

He was amused. Coming to Bella's side and looking over her shoulder. Considering the potion she was working on. "You? Needing aid? Unheardable." He teased,

Still The Dark Lord considered the brew. The flat of his palm hover over the evenly rising steam. Trying to sense where she was in the process and what was lacking. He shut his eyes taking information when it dawn on him.

Why was he helping?

Usually he would have mocked one for their lack of forethought on taking on the project. Or at the most summon another to finish the job. Never bothering himself. Perhaps say a snide comment.

Voldemort took up a bottle, adding it to the cauldron. Very much aware of Bellatrix presence next to him. His elbow brushing against the hanging fabric of her sleeve. Nervous all of a sudden.

Oh, this was new.

"I shall finish it." His tone quiet.

[crucioslut]

Her eyes moved to acknowledge him as he swept across the room and crept over her shoulder. The Dark Lord wouldn't know by her innocent and unassuming expression that in this moment she felt victorious. Of course, the young witch required no aid. Bellatrix was more than qualified to brew a simple Emerald Green potion with a twist. But time alone with her new master was rare, and fleeting when there. Bella wanted to take fulll advantage, perhaps even pick his brilliant brain. Perhaps dazzle him with intrigue just a pinch as much as he did her. "I... want to ensure it's perfect, my Lord." She said softly, stealing his gaze when she could. How bold of the eldest Black sister to seek the attention of the most terrifying, powerful Wizard to exist. "I got clumsy." She explained with an exasperated sigh, stirring the green glowing brew with a wooden spoon. "It's gone too thick." Moving her dark mound of hair out of the way she leaned over the cauldron and inhaled. "I reckon it isn't strong enough, either." It was most difficult to keep herself collected when He was this close, but she managed. Sucking in a shallow breath when his cool limb came close to her. She watched Lord Voldemort in wonderment as he tended to her potion, taking a step to the side to allow him to his art. Elbows propped up on the edge of the cauldron, her sharp jaw and cheek bones rest in her pretty hands. Observing. It was quiet enough to hear the bubbles popping at the surface of the mixture. Then, she spoke, before she could stop herself. "Is there a life you lead outside of the cause?" She asked, mentally screaming at herself immediately for such foolishness. "In your personal free time, I mean. Forgive me for speaking out of turn." Bella's curiosity knew no bounds, and she was just as dedicated to getting closer to the Dark Lord as she was to his cause. It was an obsessive need which only continued to grow.

[tmvoldemort]

The Dark Lord tried to keep his focus on the task at hand. It was hardly a lost cause. All the issues she had mention were nonexistent.

"Hmm,"

Picking through the stock of ingredients. Trying to ignore just how close she was. Or how aware he was becoming of it. The feel of the heat radiating off her. The deep, woods smell of her purfume. How her words crackled as she spoke. Hearing how her lips mash against each other when she grinned.

It made his back rigid.

"Life outside?" His smooth brow pinched. "You forget yourself, madam."

Had she been anyone else. He might have weave some clever tale. Brought some fable from his lore and spun webs of delight before Bellatrix's eyes. Forming a mythos of himself. To inspire or cause fear. Even have her question herself.

Yet in the same breathe he said, "It is hardly as entertaining as you wish to know."

Already regretting his words. His eyes remain fixed on his work.

[crucioslut]

A bright pink flush bloomed over Bella's cheeks. Yes, she had forgotten herself. It was hardly appropriate to be asking such questions of one's superior. Yet he didn't stop her entirely.

Bella smiled.

The only time they'd ever spent alone were during her training sessions. They spoke of nothing besides the tasks at hand. The sessions were intense, and took everything out of her both mentally and physically. Dueling with Lord Voldemort had been only professional and completely exhilarating. Showcasing her skill levels and proving herself to be not just good but great, the ruthless, twisted tool that he needed. The absolute high of gaining his respect. That should have been enough.

Bellatrix had always been greedy, with a confidence level that was almost comically high. Nothing could be too good to her. Everything was within her reach, she believed. All she had to do was reach out and touch it.

Reaching out her hand joined his on the wooden spoon, just above his ice fingers. Bella's hot blooded flesh grazed his own, which bit like the cold of a dank, leaky cellar.

The young woman shrugged. "Try me. You may be surprised. I find you to be entertaining just stood here, my Lord."

Once the words came there was no stopping what followed. Bella just had to push now that she'd made it this far!

"Do you enjoy art? Or music?" Her lips twitch. "All you do, my Lord, must be very taxing. What do you do to relax?"

Another brief silence.

"I fancy myself somewhat of a hedonist.."

[tmvoldemort]

"I am flattered to be so entertaining to the likes of you."

He side eyes that briefest of touches. Played off to be a throw away move. But it wasn't. Yet he said nothing. The patch of flesh she touched still tingled if not burned afterwards. Still his own hands remain on his work. Remaining safe, for the moment. Even if they were going into auto pilot.

Yet he listens to her. Amused.

Art. Music. Him? He could laugh.

"Idle time is a leisure afford to the less ambitious." He says,

The memory strikes him against his will.

He is a school boy again. His fingers were raw and there were indepts from his wand against them. A bad habit he unlearn about holding on too tightly. He had bags under his eyes from lack of proper sleep.

It was Professor Merryweather who had asked him the same question. And it was the same anwser he had given him that he said to Bella.

Voldemort shakes his head of the memory.

He couldn't remember a time when he had relaxed. Or even if his form of relaxing was the same as others. He had known what limbo was like. Of waiting. Endless waiting. Lurking behind corners and watching. But that didn't mean his mind fell into mindless wandering.

It was likely how he survived uncaught for so long.

So what clever image could he spin from a very workcholic life? Nothing that would inspire conversation.

"Hedonist?" He fanes shock, "You seem to young to know such delights and all their flavors."

[tmvoldemort]

Was delphini planned or an accident? Do you regret her?

The Dark Lord's eyes narrowed.

"Curious how you know of the girl." Had one of the others foolishly spoken about the child? Was it a leak? Would that be an issue later on?

Hmm.

Voldemort considered the option of being honest.

"Every thing The Dark Lord has done is with much forethough and planning. It is up to you, my noisy friend, if you believe I am capable of the same weakness as other lesser mortals."

"As for regret. No." Musing to himself, "The girl is powerful. In time she will prove most useful."

[bellamortlover-deactivated20250]

Speaking of Harry Potter characters and social media. I just know Bellatrix would have a FEILD DAY with us Bellamort shippers. She would be liking and reposting every post as she sits on her bed giggling and kicking her feet.

She would also absolutely DEPISE any Voldemort ship that isn’t Bellamort. And the only other ship she would like is Belladolphus.

[crucioslut]

She'd be out here just like us, blocking people for shipping her with the wrong people 💀

"This fanart makes me look fucking dreadful..."

[tmvoldemort]

//The amount of unhinged asks I would get from her. "Do this-" "But saying this!"

[tmvoldemort]

Your daughter has been asking about you.

He acted aloof. Pretending as if he had not heard. But when the silence carried and Bella pointed look held, The Dark Lord fell.

"And what of it? Does she not know who sired her? Who has kept this information from her? Not I."

[thebloodychampion]

@tmvoldemort

"And why can't I go to any of the meetings? You go out of your way to come to me for "work"? Why is that?" Fenrir had a suspicion for a long time although he didn't really admit to it. Of course the Dark Lord could always go with the "I hate half breeds" excuse.

That woud not however answer the last question. It could easily have Fenrir come to him for specific work regarding his expertise. The expertise being "hunt and kill muggleborns and muggles."

[tmvoldemort]

Voldemort practically purred. He reached out to coil his fingers around the thickest part of Fenrir forearm. Unable to feel the give a normal human body would make at a touch. It was impressive.

"Tsk, tsk. Have you not guess I am rather- protective of you."

Not wholly untrue but not the truth Fenrir was looking for.

"If you haven't notice my men are noisy. They ask to many question. And their eyes linger to long."

That last part was too truthful.

Voldemort sucked in his thin lower lip. Recalling an incident not too long ago. It still burn in the back of his mind. Rookwood. It had been Rookwood who watched Fenrir too closely. But not out of curiousity or scorn. There was lust there. The way his eyes rake over Fenrir's body.

"Here I believed you were not fond of common wizards company."

[tmvoldemort]

When is the last time you've slept, my Lord? Its been days, hasn't it? You must at least eat something.

As if saying the words conjured the wearniess to settle into his shoulders. He pushed the palm of his hand into his eyes trying to clear the stress.

"Sleep is for mortals."

He rose from his chair. Limbs still stiff from lack of use, "And mortals will not catch what Albus Dumbledore is up to."

He frowns. Giving Bellatrix a look over, "I thought you went home a while ago. Would not want your beloved to worry about you."

[gaymarvolo-deactivated20190518]

5 Things About Tom Riddle

In our fandom, Tom Riddle is a romanticized character. Even in dark and macabre fics, his most unattractive qualities aren’t really showcased, and when they are, they’re usually portrayed pretty favorably. Now obviously there’s nothing wrong with reinventing and redefining characters—imo, you definitely should. But just for a bit of fun, I put together a list of less-than-sexy canonical traits that make him more dynamic, complicated, and interesting to read imo. (Inspired by this post.) 

1. He’s a compulsive thief — and not only when he wants something for a specific purpose. His character is constructed around pathological emptiness and longing for esteem (rooted in childhood poverty and neglect). When he steals from the other orphans, it’s not because he has any grand plans for these items—he wants to have these things simply so that they cannot. 

As he gets older, this “magpie-like tendency” evolves into the defining flaw of his Horcrux ambition. Had he chosen simple, unassuming objects, he could have been invincible. But the language used to describe him — “hungry” (CoS) and “vacant” with “empty hands” (DH) — shows that there’s something more to this error than mere stupidity or ego or blind ambition. It’s about the conflict between spiritual/emotional needs and material desire, where he is Rowling’s hollow and grandiose foil to Harry’s prevailing moral goodness. 

2. He is shamelessly parasitic. There are three strong literal cases of this (1) Quirrell; (2) snakes and critters in Albania ; and (3) Harry himself. But then it doesn’t end there. He physically depends on Wormtail to wean him like an infant using the ‘milk’ of a Maledictus to whom he later knowingly consigned a piece of his soul. 

Yes, Dumbledore does say that Tom Riddle is a highly self-sufficient and independent child—this obsession with autonomy, however, is more of a self-delusion than a reality. He is the most dependent character in the series. He rends himself so many times, his soul itself is unstable without reliance on bodies both inanimate and conscience. And he doesn’t mind this because his obsession with self-reliance is about detaching from that which he considers weak—human love and friendship. Coerced servitude and allegiance, on the other hand, are qualities he values immensely. 

3. The child Tom Riddle is not sophisticated. This is actually the only fandom habit that does annoy me personally. Really often kid!Riddle is given this rich and colorful vocabulary and aristocratic bearing. This change completely misrepresents his class origins and is pretty inconsistent with his behavior in HBP. Take his line to Dumbledore for example: “I don’t need you. I’m used to doing things for myself, I go round London on my own all the time.” He does not say: “I don’t require your company. I often walk through the city on my own.” And yet I can promise you, you will encounter a lot of that bloated, hyper-mature dialogue in fics. 



Now sure, if you change his upbringing, this becomes irrelevant. Just note the subtle and powerful difference between a child who, unrefined, has an advanced grasp of manipulation and coercion – and – a child who mysteriously sounds like the Queen even though he’s a poor orphan raised in working-class 1930s London. 

4. He has poor impulse control. I’ve gotten into arguments about this one but hear me out. Riddle is undoubtedly intelligent, strategic, and cautious… However, he is not rational. Dumbledore is rational. He relies on impersonal calculations to plot and ploy. Riddle does not. He acts on desire and satisfaction, and calculates maximum efficiency of these things so that he can achieve his only goal: material immanence and domination. 

It was not rational of him to slaughter his family; it was not rational of him to unleash the Basilisk; it was not rational of him to strike Harry with the Elder Wand. He did these things to satisfy an immediate thrill – to get revenge, to acquire the admiration of his thug gang, to kill Harry. He doesn’t anticipate the consequences of his actions and therefore makes foolish errors that even an ordinary and unexceptional person would be capable of avoiding. 



(Notably, deficient fear conditioning is one of the defining qualities of criminal psychopathy.) 

5. He is kind of funny? Far from being humorless and austere, we can gather from a few moments in the text that Riddle/Voldemort has a subtle and vindictive sense of humor. He tells Wormtail that he’d be used for a task that many of his followers would give their “right hands to perform” (GoF). He mocks the Blacks for having their blood mixed with a werewolf and everyone laughs at them (DH). He also laughs hysterically at his own cruelty at many points, such as during Ginny’s manipulation (CoS). 

Point is, you should feel free to write him however you want. Fandom is about fun and creative expression, so go wild. Still, since we can’t ignore canon entirely, it’s worth reflecting. You can have a Riddle who is liquid gold and charming and flawless. You can also consider that, canonically, Riddle really was creepy, selfish, odd, and brutal. (It’s a big part of Rowling’s commentary on the hypocrisy of Britain’s social class and ethics, but that’s a story for another time…)

[dreaming-of-viola-deactivated20]

“This obsession with autonomy, however, is more of a self-delusion than a reality. He is the most dependent character in the series.”

This is very interesting. I think it plays into something I’ve always read in Voldemort: paranoia.

Though he tries to delude himself, on some level, I think he understands how dependent he truly is and it scares him to the core. He therefore must maintain a vice-like control on his followers not only to feed his own ego but also to prevent any slip of loyalty.

[maxdibert]

Regulus Black used to write self-inserts fanfiction pairing himself with Voldemort and this is canon

[snake-queen7]

Lady V ⚘️

[julysalad]

I don't understand people who think that Tom Riddle was born evil because he was conceived due to sexual abuse and back this opinion up with JKR's words. You know this is the same woman who said Lupin's lycanthropy was a metaphor for HIV, which implies that every person with HIV is dangerous, right? My point is, JKR herself may say whatever she wants, but the implication that a child born due to rape is broken and unnatural and can't love and doesn't have anything good in them is disgusting and horrifying.

[mann-walter]

I think one pop culture villain that should definitely be dissected is Voldemort. As time went by, I found him more and more intriguing, especially his younger years, which Dumbledore, in retrospect, didn’t really do justice. His telling of the story seemed concise and whatnot, but upon further investigation, some things seemed glossed over.

This post is heavily inspired by a series here on Tumblr, discussing Voldemort’s psychology. One part dedicated to his early years opened my eyes to a new perspective on Tom’s childhood supposed indicators of psychological disturbance: that they weren’t proactive but reactive. And also that people in and out of universe give magic too much credit in messing up Tom Riddle. Some of it should’ve gone to his environment instead.

[robinartblog]

[tmvoldemort]

Voldemort never loved anyone- Says Dumbledore. The same man whose infatuated was for the Darkest Wizard of the time. Who, shamefully to himself, didn't love his family enough to pick them. Or do right by them. While flawed, to be sure, I think Dumbledore has a skew view of love to begin with.

He may also have a good grasp on Voldemort mentally. But perhaps Harry- our POV, doesn't understand the full weight of what that simple phrase means.

It could be he doesn't love in the right way. A love not possessive or filled with cruelty. Or love anything enough to do the right thing.

And I think that- to someone unHarrylike is the key.

[capriddle]

Tom Riddle Senior must have been shocked to see Tom, they look so much alike. And he and his parents must have been shocked too. Tom didn't plan to kill them. He didn't even know where their home was. It was an impulsive impulse and anger.

I totally agree with everything, Tom Smr must have been devastated and terrified to see a son he never wanted identical to him and Tom Marvolo was definitely impulsive in killing his father.

[marvohlou]

A lot of you are very resistant to the notion that Tom had his sorely pathetic moments and wasn’t completely in control and powerful at all times. You know who else believed that? Tom. And look where he ended up

[capriddle]

It's a good thing Tom didn't go to work for the Ministry. I can't imagine him as Percy 2.0. And Percy is a pureblood, while Tom would have had a hard time being a half-blood. And everyone would know he was a half-blood.

I don't understand this obsession with Half-Breed Tom, who couldn't do this or that. He literally subjugated the worst racist purebloods and made them his servants. Tom could literally do anything.

[spellwrites]

@tmvoldemort | (cont. from here)

"Charming, as always." "Yet a Dementor would be a suitable match for one so emotionally draining."

"Is that why they always flock to you in droves?"

[tmvoldemort]

"Mmm, usually I would not stand for cheek but I shall let it pass coming from a griving Orphan."