House: Slytherin
Year: 3
Category: Drabble
Prompt: [Word] Irreplaceable
Bonus Restriction: [Character] Tom Riddle
Word Count: 260
Irreplaceable.
That's what he wanted to be.
His name was Tom. He was an orphan. He was certainly not incomparable.
He sat on the Hogwarts Express and gazed at the fading outlines of the Hogwarts Castle. He had locked the door of his compartment as an added security so no one would bother him.
He had started off quite precariously this year. He knew he was the best of all those idiots studying at the school. He was destined for great things; otherwise why would the Albus Dumbledore himself come find him in that dreaded orphanage.
However, no one had been ready to acknowledge his uniqueness!
After all, he was just plain Tom in a house full of Sacred 28, pure-blooded heirs. He had no heritage, no history, no fortune, unlike them.
They had all laughed at his ignorance of the Wizarding World, making fun of his second-hand books and his lack of connection to their high society. They had made him feel insignificant. They invited him to their parties on whims. They offered him a place next to them for meals and the next day it was the Montague girl who was invited.
It enraged him to feel so small, so invisible.
He felt it inside of him, the burning flame of ambition and the ice-cold desire for revenge. He kept them close; allowing these thoughts and feeling to feed his dreams for the future. A future where he would be in control of everything; a future where he would be revered, where he would be unique, incomparable, irreplaceable.