O u t o f C h a r a c t e r ~ By Maia C. Lark

Disclaimer Thingy ~ Harry Potter and all other characters in this story is copyrighted by JK Rowling, our favorite author. In no way do I claim ownership to these characters, although the plot is mine o.o so don't go copying that, heh.

A/N: Okay, this ficcy is a bit weird. I can't say I was sugar high, no, but I wasn't exactly sane, either. Please tell me what you think, and give me some constructive criticism rather then flames. Thanks!



One ~ Just Call Me Tom

The morning breeze outside on the grounds was quiet and calm, nothing to suggest the evil plot that was about to take place that fateful day. Harry Potter's scar had been throbbing lately, and he felt something was coming up, although he hadn't told his friends Ron and Hermione as of yet. Breakfast this morning was normal enough, with nothing eventful at all except for the Howler that exploded in front of Neville's face that was sent from his Gran, telling him that he had forgotten to come home on the Hogwarts Express that Christmas, and that everyone had been worried, with all the rumors that You-Know-Who was rising into power again. In fact, breakfast was the usual boring routine, but all that changed when Harry, Ron, and Hermione began to rise from their seats to go to their first class.

All of the sudden, the doors to the Great Hall burst open, and who else would be standing there but Voldemort himself and his tag-along playmate, Peter Pettigrew. Everyone in the Hall froze, and fear flooded everyone as they sent thought-messages to their family, telling them that they loved them. Harry's scar burst in pain, but he was too startled to make any sign of it. In fact, Voldemort just sort of stood their in the doorway for a few more minutes, just so that the effect of his grand entrance would wear off and his victims would have enough sense to think. Beside him, Wormtail began to whimper.

"Shut up," he spat.

Just then, Dumbledore stood up and made long strides towards them. "Never," he growled, "In all my time at Hogwarts, has such a conspiracy been made, and I almost admire you for catching us off guard." There was no hint of a smile in his aged face, but there was surely something going on in his head. "But I am afraid you must be stopped, and I will be the one to stop you." Dumbledore looked so angry, that no one made a sound of protest.

Voldemort just sneered. "I can't believe now how I have been fearful of you for all these years." He drew out his wand. "And now I can just eliminate you without any hardship that I had for everyone else that have stood in my way."

But before Voldemort could strike a blow, Harry, whose wand had been in his hand from the moment Dumbledore had gotten up, cried without any warning, "Accio!" and both Voldemort's and Pettigrew's wands went flying in the air towards him, and he caught them smartly.

Voldemort was in such a fury by now that he couldn't talk. But Pettigrew found enough strength in him to pull out a strange contraption from his cloak. It seemed so simple and yet so complex at the same time, with pipes and rods sticking out everywhere, but yet it was so small, with a large funnel at the end. This is what he raised as he began to press a button on the side of it. The Hall stared in a mixture of wonder and horror as Voldemort turned around just in time to see the grinning Pettigrew push the button that would ultimately change his life forever.

The last words that echoed the Great Hall were, "IDIOT! NOOOOOO!!!" and then a ringing silence. There seemed to be no physical change, no bodily harm, and no nothing to anyone at all. Voldemort, Pettigrew, and Dumbledore were still at the doorway, the staff still standing, alert and cautious at the Head Table, and the students still frozen in their seats. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were still standing, just as they were from the moment they decided to head for class. But something seemed different. Everyone first noticed this when Pettigrew gave a loud bellow.

"That's it Tom! I've had it up to here with you! I QUIT!" Then he stormed out of the hall. Everyone was stunned, even Voldemort who looked like he was on the brink of tears. TEARS?

"What's going on?" Dumbledore asked confusedly, eyes blankly looking around.

Then the real shocker came when Voldemort reverted from his disappointment and cheerfully replied, "Well, old chum, I don't really remember, 'cause I don' think I can remember stuff anymore, but I guess this guy here reversed our personalities." Voldemort gave a big smile as if to say, "Don't worry, I can kiss your boo-boo."

That was when everybody noticed it. Something inside them wasn't quite as they remembered it, and as they reached inside for a memory of what happened a day before, they balked in horror as they remembered how they responded to a certain situation. They should have done this instead, or they would have to apologize to that person for how they behaved. Ron was just thinking at how he should ask Malfoy for his forgiveness after he had turned his nose purple the other day. In fact, why didn't he just call him Draco? Honestly, he had to hit himself sometimes at how strange he had acted.

Hermione was thinking about why she had wasted time studying for exams and doing homework cooped up in the Common Room when she could have spent time playing Wizard Chess with Ron outside by the lake.

And Harry was wondering why he had always been so stupid, chasing after Voldemort, this scary wizard, as if there was no tomorrow.

As people began to ponder and mull things over, they slowly filtered out of the hall, forgetting about the two wizards left standing there in the doorway.

"I'm sorry for what I did before. I think I should g-go t-t-to Azkaban," Voldemort was now looking genuinely sorry for himself. "I mean, Peter left me, and now...I...have...no one..." His voice started to break at the mention of his ex-best friend's name. Dumbledore looked at him sympathetically.

"Well, I can be your friend."

Voldemort raised adoring puppy eyes at Dumbledore.

"Just call me Albus," he added.

"You can call me Tom," Tom Riddle said.

And together they walked out of the Great Hall, wondering why they never were friends before.



A/N: Okay, maybe I was just a bit sugar high when I wrote that... Trust me - I write better! x_X Never mind, tell me what you think, but I already know it's not good at all... Oh well, I had fun, and I'm gonna make it better if it's gonna kill me!