Disclaimer: Ha, yea right, like I would steal from the best author in the world.

First Year

She was the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes on. Though he never admitted this out loud, his actions revealed his feelings. He marched right up to her and presented himself.

"Good evening 'Mam," he said in his most mature tone. "My name is Tom Marvolo Riddle, and I have been sorted into Slytherin. May I ask your name?"

She giggled at his attempt to be suave, and his appearance of a young child. They just didn't mix well. "Hello there Tom, my name is Gannii Kaens," she said calmly and smoothly. Her voice was so soothing and mellow. She was smiling, but not over smiling, like a fake smile. He liked that. "I'm a fifth year, a Slytherin, and a Prefect. So watch out." She smiled at him once more, her sheer, lustrous, russet hair swaying as she turned towards the whole muddle of first years. "Now come along all you, to the dungeons!" she snapped, waving her hands in the air.

"Gannii…" he murmured under his breath as he followed his fellow Slytherins into the depths of the dungeons, completely hypnotized by Gannii's yellow-green eyes.

He was fixated with her and couldn't stop watching the back of her head the whole way down. He was determined to force her to take him seriously. He scuttled ahead of the rest of the pack and walked at her pace.

"So? A fifth year? How do you like this place? So far, I don't find it to be anything special," he claimed, making an attempt at conversation.

"You're barmy," she sighed, continuing to stare straight ahead. Tom frowned, and his cheeks flushed a brilliant ruby.

"Well, the only good thing about this place is the Slytherin dungeons. Salazar Slytherin was the only one who ever did anything good for this school," he commented.

"I have to agree with you on that one," she responded with a crooked smile, but still not looking him in the eye. Tom smirked to himself at his successful victory. They walked alongside each other for quite some time until they got to the doors of the common room. "Please step back!" she called out. Tom took a step away from Gannii reluctantly.

Once they were inside the common room, Tom forgot all about the rest of Hogwarts School, and was gaping around at the emerald room.

"You like it?" Gannii said into his ear as she walked by. Tom grinned and followed her to a staircase where she whipped around and said, "Ah, ah, ah." Her finger wavered back and forth in front of his face. "This is the girls' dormitories. And I believe you are a boy. Am I correct?" Tom refused to answer to such a silly and pointless question. Gannii was smiling and giggling. She was having fun taunting this young boy. "Well then, Tom, your dormitory is over there."

"But why can't I come with you?" his voice pleading. Gannii's smile flashed to a frown for an instant, and then resurfaced itself upon her beautiful flesh.

"Uh, Riddle, go meet some of the other students," she suggested.

"I don't want to," he stated bluntly.

"Well, okay. Tom. I'm sorry, but I am four years older than you, and I think it would be best if you made some friends your own age. Look, there are plenty of nice first years," she explained, motioning towards the other Slytherins behind him.

"If I say I don't feel like it, then I don't feel like it," he argued, eyes glaring. Gannii's eyes widened and her mouth stood ajar. She was not used to talking to such a stern eleven-year-old before.

"Listen, you are very mature for your age, I can see that," and that was the truth, "but I really think you should go meet some of the others who will be in classes with you and who can—"

"Don't tell me what I should and shouldn't do," he interrupted. Gannii's body went rigid and her flesh went cold. Tom realized he was scaring her, so he took her hand in his and held it. "I'm sorry for frightening you, Gannii. I truly didn't mean any harm. I just, like you a lot. And I want to be good friends. You understand, don't you?"

Gannii could not breathe. Her mind was circling round and round frantically and she was about to go into hysterics. What made her more anxious was the fact that she was actually afraid of this eleven-year-old kid. She knew it was foolish, but she couldn't help herself.

Gannii merely nodded her head.

"Good, good. Now I will do as you say because you are my friend," and with that, Tom Marvolo Riddle sauntered off towards the mass of students, leaving Gannii as bemused as ever.

Gannii whispered aloud to herself, "Who are you?"