Disclaimer: I do not own any of the settings in the "Harry Potter" franchise. I do however own some of the major characters in this fiction, mainly Cassandra, John Grinnings and several characters who have not yet been introduced. I do not own Tom Riddle, Dumbledore or Professor Dippet. Please ask before using any of my original characters
Author's Note: Hello! I've decided to write this new Harry Potter fiction now that the Harry Potter craze is back. Just went to see the new movie… it's awesome. Anyway this story has been thought up for about two years now. I originally had a fiction called 'Initial Reactions', which takes the same concept of this. I have decided to completely re-write the story so 'Initial Reactions' is just a skeleton of this. The story is based around the primary opening of the Chamber of Secrets and Tom Riddle's days in school, seen through the perspective of a girl named Cassandra. I hope you enjoy.
Chapter 1- Enigma
'Snake', Cassandra thought, staring at this boy who had been talking so coolly to her. His mouth was opening and closing as though speaking but Cassandra couldn't hear a sound. The boy had a complacent smile on his face. His facial expressions showed confidence in what he was saying, though Cassandra knew, somehow, that he was up to something. He stopped talking, leering at Cassandra, as though she had done something wrong. He moved closer to her threateningly, a malicious hatred planted on his face. She yelled as he pushed her on the floor, though she couldn't hear her own voice.
"Are you okay?" A small blond haired girl asked Cassandra, as she woke with a throbbing head. Slowly she noticed the familiar noises of yells and giggles around her. She was on the Hogwarts Express on her way to Hogwarts for the first time.
"Fine," Cassandra said roughly, her face burning in embarrassment. "I just have a headache."
Though she knew she had been dreaming, the girl couldn't remember what she had been dreaming about. It was all a vague blur. Looking around, Cassandra believed that everyone was staring at her. She fixed herself up and brushed off some drool from her chin. The prideful girl sat up straightly keeping her legs together orderly. The blonde girl was staring curiously so Cassandra shot her a dirty look.
Rather than looking at the carriage of petrified first years, Cassandra decided to look out the window at the passing fields. She had fears of her own, though hers mostly concerned how comfortable the new school would be. She had no time for those concerned about tests or reading up on books before entering the school. As she looked back around the carriage, Cassandra noticed that the small blonde girl was still watching her intently. Her sharp green eyes no longer held curiosity but discomfort.
"What's wrong?" Cassandra asked. "Is there something on my face?" She rubbed her face, feeling for more drool. She looked proudly in her pocket mirror, fixing herself up, though not finding anything unusual.
"It's nothing," the girl muttered meekly. She went back to staring at the sandwiches in her lap.
'What an annoying little girl,' Cassandra thought viciously. 'She probably will be in Hufflepuff. So weak.'
The rest of the journey to Hogwarts was spent in peace for Cassandra. She was in a foul mood after having to make her own way to the train station this morning. Why couldn't magical carpets be flown anymore? They would have been so much comfortable and Cassandra may have been able to have a peaceful journey to her new school. Her mother, caught in a terrible sickness, always talked to Cassandra about the olden days where it was much faster and easier to Hogwarts. She used to thoroughly enjoy the flight to the magical school, with her hair blowing in the wind. The bed-ridden woman could barely do anything anymore and there was no floo powder to take Cassandra to the train station. She, therefore, had to take the muggle underground.
The students filed out of the train one by one. Cassandra fixed up her robes to perfection before leaving the train, making sure there wasn't a crease to be seen. The platform she stepped out to was much smaller and dingier than the station in London. Unimpressed, she started to feel nervous that the school would be that shabby.
"Come this way now," A middle class short woman called from the centre of the crowd. She was drowning in the sea of students but fought hard to make her shrill voice heard. "All first years this way now. I have to take you to the school separately now. Do not get lost now. Come this way now." Said the slightly ridiculous voice.
Cassandra pushed her way past some overly excited students towards the nervous set of first years. Though Cassandra felt a slight nervous jolt, she repressed it quickly. 'Have to be calm, it's nothing,' she told herself.
"We will be heading to Hogwarts in an entirely different route to the other years," the short woman announced once the other years had left the platform, towards a small village. Her voice was a lot calmer than before though her features showed signs of stress. Her half-moon glasses were lop-sided and dirty, her grey hair was tied up in a messy bun. Her drooping grey eyes showed that she hadn't had any sleep in a while. Cassandra, who took great pride in her appearance, couldn't understand why someone would let themselves get to this state.
"All students enter the castle for the first time through the entrance past the black lake now. It is and has been tradition since the opening of Hogwarts." She stopped as the children muttered apprehensively amongst themselves.
Cassandra took time to look around the young witches and wizards. They were all huddled together, nervously speaking. Over on the other side of the woman, however, Cassandra noticed one boy who stood very much apart from the rest of the crowd. He had a dark presence that disturbed Cassandra somewhat. She felt as though she had met him before. It was several minutes before she realised he was the boy in her dream. She still couldn't remember what had happened in the dream, yet she could remember his face clearly. She was now completely ignoring the squat middle-aged woman who had announced herself as Professor Severa, head of Hufflepuff house and teacher of Potions.
The boy was tall, amongst the tallest of the first years and had jet-black hair. His skin was deathly pale and his eyes were cold and calculated. He suddenly turned and looked back at Cassandra staring at him. The look of cold hatred he shot was surprising. She looked away uncomfortably. She decided to ignore this boy's presence, even if it made her nervous.
"Four at most to a boat," Professor Severa called. She had lead the nervous students over to a giant black lake. Cassandra had no doubt that the lake was extremely deep. She couldn't see the other end of the lake due to a thick mist. The sight was perfectly creepy and made many of the other first years shudder, though Cassandra was too busy wondering about the strange boy to care.
She hopped into an empty boat and waited, brushing her fingers through her misshapen hair. Three other girls got into the boat with her and started chatting amongst themselves. Cassandra made absolutely no effort to be friendly towards them. One of them, a squat red haired girl with glasses, smiled at her politely. Cassandra made no response.
"Forward!" Professor Severa commanded to the boats and they instantly started to move slowly onto the lake. The girls in the boat with Cassandra whispered nervously amongst each other. They were speaking of the sorting, one stating, "I'd leave if I was put into Slytherin" to which the other girls answered "yeah".
The castle came into view behind the mist and Cassandra admitted to herself that the building was magnificent. She had never seen a larger castle with so many towers in her life. The girls in her boat were pointing excitedly. Cassandra rolled her eyes, though couldn't help feeling a little excited.
"Watch your step," the once again shrill Professor Severa said as the boats came to dock in a small cave underneath the castle. "Come on, quickly does it now. We need to hurry now. We're running late now."
The excited students all huddled together and followed the now anxious Professor Severa up a winding stone staircase. She led them to a giant metal door, which opened automatically on their arrival. Professor Severa walked briskly through before turning to the students again.
"This is an important day," She stated. "You will be sorted into your various houses today, there are four of which, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryfindor and Slytherin…"
Cassandra decided to busy herself by fixing up her robes. She had no interest in hearing what this daft old woman had to say. She had heard it all before from her mother. She had told her of the four houses and her pride at being in the house of Slytherin. While resting, Cassandra's mother had always told her of her hatred for muggles and everything non-magical. She had told her that she was waiting for someone prominent to come and get rid of muggle-born witches and wizards. Cassandra herself did not share this view. In fact she hated this side of her mother. It was enough to put her off the whole house of Slytherin.
After Professor Severa had finished her lengthy speech, (which only seemed to make the students more nervous) she used her wand to open a large old door. It creaked open to show a large hall. All the other students were already inside, and now peering around to see the new first years enter. There were four rows of seats for the students and a central aisle, which led to a large chair. The teachers sat in highchairs at the back wall, observing all the students keenly. As the first years were led in, Cassandra noticed that the ceiling was enchanted to look like the night sky. She was instantly impressed.
"Please form a single filed row now," Professor Severa said clearly as they reached the top. She stopped suddenly and there was silence around the room. Everyone was staring at a dingy old hat that was placed on the chair in front. A small rip opened on its front and to some first years surprise the hat started to sing.
I wonder where you'd be
If there was no me
For I decide your future
Your ins and outs,
Your up and downs
Everything I see,
To Hufflepuff I'll send you
If you are so kind
Yet to Ravenclaw I would suggest
If your strength is with your pride
There is nothing just so great
As a choice I will make
To Gryfindor
if you have the strength
Or to Slytherin
If your wit is content
From all of these
I must choose
Which house is best
For you
As the hat finished its song everyone clapped politely. Once again Cassandra decided to look around at her terrified piers. They looked as though the hat was going to eat them. The dark haired boy, however, remained calm. He was looking vacantly at the hat, as though the situation was boring him.
"Abran, Lydia," Professor Severa called. The girl stepped forward and placed the hat on her head. "HUFFLEPUFF," it yelled instantly. The table to the far right clapped and cheered as the new girl went to take a seat with them.
The sorting process was long and drawn out. She watched as the girl with the blonde hair who had been staring at her on the train, Holly Horington, was sorted into Hufflepuff. The three that had been on the boat with her, Helen O'Brien, Felicity Brown (the squat girl with the red hair) and Jane Goodmore, were sorted into Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Gryfindor respectively.
Eventually Cassandra's own turn came to be sorted in front of the whole school. As she walked towards the central chair she felt every eye in the school on her. She turned and saw the dark haired boy from her dream watching her with a devious grin on his face. He was staring at her coldly, as though he planned something bad to happen. She approached the chair and got on. The hat came over her eyes, blinding her from the whole hall.
Cassandra was waiting nervously for several minutes. The hat wasn't saying anything. Eventually it spoke.
"You're a tricky one. Why I could nearly sort you into any house," it whispered into her ear. "Where would you like to go? Choose wisely, any one could mean your downfall. What are your best qualities?"
'I don't want to go to Slytherin,' she thought, after thinking for a moment. She knew, somehow, that the hat could hear her thoughts. '…or Hufflepuff,' she added. She wondered why the hat was asking her. After all, it wasn't for her to decide.
"Then I suppose…" the hat started. "Could you succeed? Could you defeat him? I don't know. It had better be RAVENCLAW."
Cassandra had no time to think about what the hat had been saying to her. She took it off, though confused and headed over to her table on the right. She sat down next to an older pupil; slightly embarrassed about the attention she was receiving. It was all gone in a few moments as another pupil was made a Ravenclaw.
"Riddle, Tom," Professor Severa called. As the tall dark boy from her dream stepped forward, Cassandra suddenly felt panicky. She didn't know why at all. After all, it was only a dream. The table on the far left clapped, as Tom Riddle became a Slytherin. He strode over to the table with a sly grin on his face. He had obviously gotten what he had wished for.
Finally, after another few sortings, "Zabini, Blaise" was made a Slytherin. Professor Severa rolled up the scroll of names and put the sorting hat away. Cassandra let out a small sigh of relief as she did so.
"Nervous, were you?" The older pupil beside Cassandra asked. He had blue eyes and sandy coloured hair. He wore large spectacles that looked ridiculous.
"No, not really," Cassandra told the boy bluntly. "I'm just tired from waiting so long."
"Oh really?" The boy asked, though in a less friendly voice. "Did you know you'd be coming to Ravenclaw?"
"No, it didn't matter," she told him. "As long as I was away from Slytherin and Hufflepuff."
"I was going to be put in Hufflepuff," the boy explained. "Though I wished for Ravenclaw so I was put here."
A clap for silence from the teachers' table stopped the conversation between the two. A tall man with a grey beard and a slightly hooked frame was standing in front of them. He scanned the room, his withered eyes focusing on all the four tables for the students.
"Hogwarts students," he announced. "Welcome and welcome back to another magical year of education and loyalty." Students clapped happily. They were transfixed by this old man, as though under a spell. Cassandra didn't see anything great about him. "All new students, I would like to introduce myself as Professor Dippet, headmaster and spokesperson for Hogwarts. Though you may but see me rarely, I will play an important role in the coming years. You, therefore, must learn to respect me and I must respect you." He looked around warningly. "There are certain rules to this college. All of which can be seen outside the hallway to the right. Make sure to pay close attention to them as our caretaker, Luis Dirch, has permission to punish at will if these rules are broken." He looked around again at the pupils.
"There have been two changes in teachers. You all know of Professor Rivera's death last May, a tragic loss to our staff. She amazed students for decades with her abilities in Transfiguration. Professor Dumbledore, a very capable teacher will replace her." Everyone clapped. A tall man with a long auburn beard and half moon spectacles gave the school a wave and a smile at the applause. Professor Dippet called for quiet.
"We also have a new Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher, Professor Jameson," he announced. There was another large round of applause, this time for a small man with a bald head who smiled out at the crowd to the right.
Once there was silence again Professor Dippet finally said, "Now I know you are all very tired and hungry," he looked around, smiling slightly. "Let's eat."
Suddenly large platters of food were swept out on the table magically. Some new students gasped in amazement, including Cassandra to her own surprise. She talked to the older boy, who she found out was a fifth year prefect named John Grinnings, as she ate. The food that had been laid out was delicious. Cassandra picked out so much that she decided not to eat dessert. She examined herself in the mirror as the other children ate.
"Now it's time to get off to bed," Professor Dippet said, as everyone finished their food and the plates vanished before their eyes. "You all need your energy for tomorrow. Lessons aren't as easy as you'd think." He gave a rather forced smile. "Goodnight."
The hall erupted with noises. People talked loudly to one another as they got up and they eventually headed towards the entrance hall. Cassandra noticed that there was a friendly atmosphere between the students in Gryfindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw yet there was a hostile environment in Slytherin. Gryfindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students spoke happily to one another but the Slytherins looked as though they would bite the head off anyone who talked to them.
The prefect John Grinnings rounded all the first year Ravenclaws together. He looked less relaxed before. Anyone could see that he took his prefect position very seriously. He looked like a herdsman trying to round up sheep, as though he was afraid we'd all run away.
"I have to bring you all to our common room," John explained. "That's the place where all Ravenclaw students hang out in their free time… well that is except for when there are activities on… well anyway, it's where you'll spend most of your time. Well, I suppose you'd better follow me."
They all followed John as he weaved in through the castles passageways. It seemed like he was taking a long time on purpose. They passed by a Slytherin prefect who was leading the first years to their common room. Cassandra noticed that Tom slipped out of the group. He slowed down and silently hid behind a wall. Checking to make sure John wasn't looking, Cassandra decided to follow him. Though she was slightly afraid of him, she was drawn to him. There was something special about him.
Curiously Cassandra looked around the wall where Tom had hid. She saw his silhouette walking swiftly, the moonlight from the gigantic windows to the left hitting him.
Cassandra walked slower than him, hugging the wall. She was aware that her shoes made a light clicking noise no matter how slowly she walked. She took them off and walked on the cold stone floor in her tights.
Tom turned another bend and Cassandra hurried to keep up with him. She followed his for several extensive corridors and up two flights of stairs until he finally came to a stop in a long straight corridor. She realised she wouldn't be able to go around the bend onto the corridor because Tom would be able to see her easily. She peered around the bend several times and watched as he examined a door. He seemed to be looking for something on the outside. Eventually, when Cassandra was ready to give up following him he pulled the door open and entered.
She moved quickly around the bend and towards the door. If her heart wasn't pounding so much with fear she was have smirked. Tom Riddle had just entered the girls' bathroom. She was about to bend down to look through the key-hole when the door opened. Looking up, Cassandra's eyes widened in terror. Though he was only a first year boy, Tom Riddle was terrifying face-to-face. He had a murderous look in his eyes, yet he took several minutes to speak.
"What do you want?" He asked coldly. "Why are you following me?"
Cassandra tried to reply, though she found it very difficult. This boy had a very strong presence. He towered over her, even though she was a tall girl herself. He looked crazed, as though he was only waiting to kill Cassandra. His vicious grin of earlier was now replaced by an unforgiving frown. He looked powerful at that moment.
"I just…" Cassandra started. "I just need to go to the bathroom." She looked at the floor while speaking, thinking that he would catch the lying on her face. She didn't dare ask him what he was doing in the girls' toilet.
"I don't need to look at your face to know that you're lying," Tom spat. "Useless, such a pathetic excuse can only come from someone who deserves…"
Tom didn't get to finish his sentence. John, the prefect was running towards them.
"Where have you been?" He yelled at Cassandra. Though he was extremely angry, Cassandra was relieved to see him. "I could lose my prefect badge. That was so selfish… why didn't you just come to the common room?"
"…Sorry," Cassandra stuttered. She felt bad for sneaking off. "I don't know why I did it."
"Yeah well, you'd better watch yourself, Hogwarts isn't very forgiving to those that break the rules," he said, more calmly. "Don't do that again, it's hard enough without people running off."
"I know…" Cassandra replied. "I really just didn't think."
She turned back to Tom, who was still standing staring at her in disbelief. He still looked dangerous. John noticed him after several minutes.
"You'd better clear off to your common room, Slytherin," John said in a cold voice. "Get Professor Giles, your house head, from the staff room if you don't know the password." He took a moment to breath. "You deserve the punishment you get." He looked back at Cassandra, who stuck close to him. "Come on, let's go."
"Waste of space," they heard Tom say as they left the scene. Cassandra looked back once they had reached the end of the corridor and saw that Tom had vanished from sight. She felt uneasy, thinking he might be nearby.
"What were you thinking?" John asked. "Of all people to be with, why were you with a Slytherin? Don't you know that any Slytherin seen sneaking out during the night is dangerous?" Seeing that Cassandra was close to tears he lay off asking her such questions. He continued to advise her to stay away from the Slytherins however.
"John, why are we split up into four different houses?" Cassandra asked. "Doesn't that encourage houses to join together and support each other? Don't the Slytherins join together as an entity to harm others?"
John looked on her with pity. "You need to realise," he began. "Not all Slytherins are planning to harm others. They're cunning and generally unfriendly, though some of them are just there because they're ambitious. None of them are there because they're evil. There have been many evil personalities that have come from other houses too."
"I see," Cassandra replied.
She was busy thinking of what the Sorting Hat had said to her. What did it want her to succeed at? Was there something in store for her at Hogwarts beyond the ordinary? Would she have to defeat someone as the hat had mentioned?
When she thought about this, she realised it may be Tom Riddle who she would have to fight. Yet she knew nothing about him. He was an enigma to her. She was attracted to his mysterious persona. Although he had a frightening presence, Cassandra knew that she would have to see Tom Riddle again. She would be willing to follow him again. Even if he would lead her to her own death.
Author's Note: Okay, that chapter took ages to do. It's so hard to introduce the concept of a fiction. The next few chapters will be more developed and contain more information on each character. Please inform me if there are any technical faults with the story as well as if you disagree with something. Constructive reviews are always welcome and are very motivating, though if you don't like anything about the story look somewhere else. I would appreciate reviews if you want to commend/ advise me on something. I don't want a review telling me the story is crap because I spent ages on it. The story will be updated as regularly as possible. Don't expect there to be a chapter every three days, however, as I have a life to live! I hope to finish the story in 20 chapters and this will definitely be finished due to the fact that I took such a long time preparing it.
The chapter title 'Enigma' refers to the mysterious power Tom Riddle has over Cassandra. Enigma can mean riddle in another context, which I thought was clever.