( i swear to god the devil made me do it
it's a shame the bad habits are the hardest ones to break . . . )
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His words are like cigarette smoke on a cloudy night, untruthful promises that are forgotten before you know it, but they are filled with danger and are so intoxicating it isn't hard to tell why everyone is falling left and right over his feet. He speaks big, and he talks well, and it is hard to remember that he isn't one of them when he spits out poison that leaves Rosier feeling comfortable, like he's sitting at home in the parlor listening to Mother and Father after dinner. He's got something about him that makes you respect him, to fear him, but his smiles are warm and his voice like velvet, and just like everyone else Rosier decides to follow him.
There's no doubt about why.
His name is Tom Riddle, and although Rosier first sneared when he heard his name (a muggle name, impure), he usurped everyone in every class in first year until his last, and that's something Rosier can admire. Blood is important, but a genius was rare, and by the end of Rosier's first week at Hogwarts he talks to him adimately like Riddle's his equal.
"Riddle, what do you think about the potion we're making tomorrow?"
Riddle never shows anything but positive emotions, never getting angry nor betraying his calm, and Rosier admires him for that, because he knows how hard it is to be so uncaring to the rest of the world. "The boil-salve? It should be easy. We've been practicing all week on the movements and the types of ingredients, so I doubt we'll have any problems, Rosier."
He inclines his head to him. "You're right, thanks Riddle."
And later he wonders when he first had begun to follow him like a dog, and Rosier starts to think that this was when. Taking potions advice from someone who hadn't even known about his world for less than a month at most- it was a disgrace to the Rosier name. But he knows that Riddle isn't someone normal, that he's far more to the eye then he seems, and he is content to follow him, to see where he goes, because he's going to be big and Rosier knows it.
He wants to see how far he goes, and how far Riddle can take him with him.
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In his third year he takes Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, and Divination, but they're nothing in comparison to Riddle.
Rosier looks at Riddle's timetable with wonder as he sips his juice on the first day of school. "All the electives?" He asks him, with wide eyes at first, but then a smile appears on his face, because that was so Riddle taking every class that Rosier doesn't even know why he was surprised.
"Yes, all of them." Riddle replies. "I doubt they will be too hard to handle."
"Some of them are conflicting." He points out, and Riddle just smiles at him.
"It shouldn't be a problem."
Then he gets up and leaves and Rosier is staring at his back, before everything begins to click just as he disappears from sight.
A time-turner? How impressive. And unlike some who might be jealous, Rosier just looks at him with even more admiration than before, because anyone gifted with one of the newest creations from the Unspeakables was someone who he will always respect.
Riddle just continues to smile when he questions him about it. "Dippet thought I should get one so I didn't have to cut classes."
"That's quite impressive."
"Is it?" He asks dryly.
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In Rosier's fifth year he's tearing his hair out from stress over his eight OWLS, but Riddle is as calm as ever, even with his many extra. Rosier asks him how he does it.
Riddle stares at him through a mirror before giving him a soft smile that melted the hearts over over half the student body, but to Rosier it just makes him slouch over more with a faint feeling of 'oh no here we go again'. "If you let it get to you, you won't do well. It's better to just relax, and take things in stride." he intones. Riddle smiles a few seconds later. "Besides, I've been revising since summer, I should be fine."
Rosier snorts, because that was so Riddle, and Riddle grins at him when he hears it. "Come on Rosier," he tells him. "I'll help you."
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During his seventh year Riddle's collection of followers has grown to accommodate all of Slytherin and most of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, and Rosier can't help the bolt of pride that wells up in him as he watches people practically push each other away to try and get Riddle's attention. Rosier snickers together with Malfoy and Nott as all the Gryffindors alternate between glaring hatefully at Riddle or trying to get as far away from him as possible.
Riddle raises an eyebrow when he hears them laugh for the third time, and Rosier decides to explain it to him. "It's funny, my Lord," Rosier wasn't sure when he started calling Riddle that, but he knows that he's earned the title all the same, and a shiver a fear rolls down Rosier's spine as he holds Riddle's impassive stare. "That they think they can look at you like that."
Riddle's familiar grin is far more cold than before, and Rosier's heart clenches tighter when Riddle looks more feral than kind. "Yes, it is rather funny, isn't it?" He laughs a high laugh that isn't like velvet or honey, and it isn't as much warmth that comforts Rosier when he's near him, Riddle's fire-like power that first drew him in, but instead its a bit of dread that keeps him drawn to the dangerous wizard.
He's still Rosier's friend, Rosier knows this, but Riddle feels different than before- more untouchable, less human, and Rosier doesn't see him as his friend but his Lord. Riddle isn't his partner in potions class anymore, but one of the most dangerous Dark Lords to ever grace the Earth. He brought Rosier to the top, but he's trapped there now with no way out.
He's not sure where to go from here.
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There is no Riddle anymore, only Lord Voldemort, and as he cut down wizard upon wizard, witch upon witch, Rosier remembers his glossy voice feeding him poisonous lies of the excellence of purebloods, the voice that once held warmth instead holds cruel whispers of dark spells.
He wasn't ever Rosier's companion, Riddle sees him as a tool. But Rosier still sees him still as a friend, a horribly poisonous one, and this deadly one-sided friendship of his was going to kill him.
(and it did.)
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using prompts "third person present" (an absolutely lovely challenge, thanks Alina because once I got a hold of it it was actually really fun to try :D although i did originally write this in second person because im the biggest idiot in the world), mirror, and partner. slytherin/slytherin friendship with Riddle/Roiser bc Rosier is great.
Also thanks Cordelia and Sally for being awesome and giving me ideas and links to help with third person research. :D
Rosier doesn't have a character tag but he is known, he's one of the first death eaters who most likely went to school with Riddle, so I used him.
I don't own HP.