You peered out of the Room of Requirement and, satisfied that the coast was clear, Caretaker Pringle was gone and Peeves was wreaking havoc on another part of the castle, you moved forward. The torches in the corridors were partly extinguished, leaving the area dim. The door to the Room of Requirement had disappeared. You walked quickly down the corridor, turned the corner, and headed for the stairs, when suddenly…

"Expelliarmus!"

Your wand was torn from your hand and disappeared into the darkness, falling to the floor with a wooden thud.

"Ten points for wandering around the school after lights out," a voice said lazily behind you.

The sound of the voice made your heart do a somersault and sink into your heels. Slowly, clutching the strap of your bag with all your might and feeling completely exposed, you turned around to face your nightmare.

Tom Riddle waved his wand, and your own floated through the air toward him. {{user}} watched it go, then looked up at Riddle's face, his dark hair and eyes pitch black in the dim light of the corridor. But he never pointed his wand at you, instead speaking.

"If you're thinking about throwing your fists at me and taking my wand by force, don't waste your time," he said calmly. "I think it's time we had a frank talk."

Moving slowly forward, he kept his dark eyes on her.

"You are always trying, you are insolent, and when the moment comes, you shrink with fear, as if you are waiting for me to kill you." Tom stopped, pointing his wand at her, noticing how your eyes widened, fear evident in them. "Again. You're waiting for this. What do you know about me that makes you think about this?"