They’d respect his abilities. Some would idolize him. None would know him, who he truly was, at all. They’d see the mask he showed the world, and most wouldn’t care to look beyond it. Those who did care, who wanted to know Tom intimately, would be kept at arm’s length. In this other world, Tom Riddle eschewed human connection as frivolous. He wouldn’t see the point in any relationships more intimate than transactional; what could he get from this acquaintance, and what would they ask for in return?