Friend in Me

Tom sat alone in the chamber of secrets, sitting on a crate and twirling his wand between his fingers. The basilisk roiling away within the bust of Salazar Slytherin. The chamber was lined with snake shaped effigies, water fares curving in corners and flossing out between sewerage, intertwining with the wood panels and flagstones

Tom's mind drifted towards his Slytherin allies. None of them are my friends. Just tools. They aren't worthy of my friendship regardless. No one is. Not even God.

Tom set his white-bone yew wand down, pushing a hand through his gelled hair. He traced a few fingers over his lashes and saw water drip onto his palm. Tom in-took a sharp breath, violently exhaling tears. His cheeks flooded, all the loneliness collapsing in on him like an avalanche.

It's just so unfair. We die and what's there afterwards? Nothing. Tom brushed his mug, wiping away drops. I'll show them all. If this life is all I have, I'll make them all see Lord Voldemore was the greatest wizard that ever lived. No one will ever doubt me.

"I don't doubt you, Tom," spoke a smooth, slick, tone. Long, thin fingers rested on his back.

Tom shot around and scrutinized the figure standing before him. How did he get in here?!

A tall something, man or woman didn't suit it, stood in the shade, cloaked in red and black robes, a hood covering his face, only his pale chin somewhat visible. The creature before him had a vaguely human appearance but Tom knew it wasn't, this thing seemed primordial, ancient, real yet unreal.

"Who-who are you?" Tom stuttered. "How did you get in here?"

"I have many names, Tom. You may have heard of some."

"Are you... are you God?" Tom's eyes widened.

"I consider myself a god," the slippery intonation answered. "If you're referring to the big man upstairs, then no, he's not real. Only I am real, Tom."

Tom pursed his lips. "If God isn't real... then that means there is only this world. That means there's nothing after this life."

The entity's lips curved downward, but he nodded. "Yes. There is only this world. That man who called himself Christ, nothing but a wizard charlatan, fooling gullible muggles."

"Then that means I'm doomed to a pointless existence. That means everything means nothing, and my life is utterly meaningless." Tom's last vestige of hope died. There was no turning back now. "Who are you then, if God isn't real?"

"I am a..." the demonic man jumbled his mouth around. "A demiurge of sorts..." he drew long, scaly hands with sharp black fingernails over his visage, a pair of gleaming yellow eyes shined briefly beneath his obscurity. "You can derive meaning from this nothingness, Tom. You can live forever, if you follow me. The nothingness will never hurt you if you worship me."

Dying would make me worthless like the others. But immortality... then I would mean something, I'd be a god among men.

Tom inhaled the musty scent of the pool nearby, the water sloshing against the edges.

"Why did you reveal yourself to me?" Tom's brows folded in.

"I am inside every mortal, I influence their actions and thoughts... in ways they never even realise... but I only reveal my physical form to those I deem different and truly worthy of it; such as you, Tom. You're set apart from the rest, you can do my will upon this earth." The red cloaked one swayed in a windless wind.

Tom rolled in his lips. I'm different... he chose me.

"I agree. What's your name?" Tom questioned.

"You can call me Lucifer."

"Do you have any friends, Lucifer?"

"I'm like you, Tom. No one is my friend. But you, Tom, I like... you have a friend in me."

AN: Hope you enjoyed. If you liked this short piece, please check out my longer Elder Scrolls fanfiction I'm posting! Links in bio. It has a very similar tone to this. Don't forget to review!