Friendship or Power

by Amethyst2

Told from the point of view of a boy about to attend Hogwarts. Can you guess which character this is before you read the ending?

Hogwarts.
Hogs. Warts. War. Star. Thaw. Rats. Wag. Grow.

Anagrams, I think they're called. It's when you take the letters of a word and rearrange them to spell different words.

I love anagrams. All my life I've annoyed my friends and my mum by taking everything everyone says to me and turning it into a anagram. However, after eleven years, I got to a point where there were no more new words to make. I had used them all up.


Then, I got the letter for Hogwarts. And one of the workers at the orphanage where I lived explained to me that I was a wizards. Suddenly, my horizons expanded. There were more words for me to use than I'd ever imagined. Words like "Hippogriff" and "Veritaserum." Interesting words. New words.

Of course, Anagrams were the last thing on my mind as I prepared to board the great scarlett train known as the Hogwarts Express. My best friend from the orphanage, Lexus Prundell, was also going into Hogwarts.

"What, you mean you're a wizard kid too?" He had been so surprised when I told him about this magical new school I was going to. Apparently, he had been a wizard all along, and had never told me. In fact, his entire family had been nothing but wizards and witches.

But, even though it had been a big shock for both of us, we were thrilled. Ecstatic, even. At least neither of us would have to go to Hogwarts alone. We'd each have a friend already made, who would stick by them through thick and thin.

So now it was September first, and we were getting ready to board the Hogwarts Express together.

"And I'm gonna learn how to transfigure things, and how to fix broken bones, and catch unicorns, and a whole lot of other stuff!" He was telling me.

"The Potions class seems like it'll be fun," I told him, trying to heft my suitcase onto the train. Suddenly, a gruff voice behind me said, "'ere, lemme 'elp ya wit that."

I turned, expecting to see a teacher or a seventh year. All I saw was the belly and waist of a huge person. He must have been six feet tall, and just as wide! I stared open-mouthed at him as he lifted my suitcase onto the train.

"A'right, then?" He asked me. If he hadn't been so big, I'd have assumed he was a first year. His face looked young. But... this couldn't be a student. Could it?

"Are you a student?" Lexus asked, just as curious as I was, though obviously not as repulsed. This- this half-man, this creature couldn't be human! Why was he talking to it? I admit, I was afraid of him- it- whatever it was.

"Yeah," the beast said bashfully. "Me name's Rubeous 'agrid, but most people just call me 'agrid."

"We'd better find a compartment, before they're all full," I told Lexus, tugging his arm.

"Hey! Would you like to sit with us?" Lexus asked Hagrid before I could stop him.

The freak beamed at us. He quickly stopped beaming, however, when I said, "Lexus, we were going to sit alone, remember? I'm sorry," I said to the thing, "but we needed a compartment to ourselves."

"Oh," Hagrid said, looking disheartened and hurt. "Well, a'right, then, I s'pose I'll see ya at the school." He turned and lumbered away, drawing curious looks from everyone around him.

Lexus turned to demand an explanation of me. "What was that all about?"

"I don't want to be sitting with that- that thing!" I told him angrily. "He'd take up the whole bloody compartment!"

"So? He needs a friend! Look at him, he's lonely! Nobody else wants to talk to him."

"And there is probably a good reason why," I said, in a pleading tone. "C'mon, we'll talk to him once we get to the school, alright?" I asked, trying to compromise.

"All right then," Lexus said, but he didn't look too happy.

As we found an empty compartment at the back of the train, I found myself automatically making a anagram of Hagrid's name. "Grid. Had. Hag." I muttered to myself. "Hey, maybe his mother was a hag!"

"That's just cruel," he told me. I laughed at that.

"Well, he's probably half-giant or something!" I argued. "He might be dangerous."

"Let's talk about something else, OK?"

"Fine."

"I've heard that Hogwarts has four houses. Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. They're all supposed to have students with different qualities. Like Ravenclaw, they're really brainy, and Gryffindors are brave and strong."

"Definitely Gryffindor for me then," I said confidently.

"Me too. At least, I hope." He suddenly looked stricken. "What if we're not in the same house?"

"Don't worry about it," I grinned at him. "I'll put up a heck of a row if you aren't in Gryffindor with me."

"What makes you think you'll get into Gryffindor if I don't?" he asked, playfully punching my arm.

"Hey, hey, look!" Lexus suddenly lunged almost on top of me to reach the window. I crawled out from under him, and we both stared out the window.

"What?" I asked, not seeing anything of importance. Just a few students still left boarding the train in the last few minutes.

"Her," Lexus pointed at a tall girl, probably a fourth or fifth year. She had long red hair, perfect white skin that contrasted with her black robes, and a beautiful laugh that floated to our window like perfume on a summer breeze.

"Who is she?" I breathed out, staring as she raised a delicate hand to wave goodbye to her parents, who were about to Apparate away.

"I've seen her before," Lexus said, not taking his eyes of the girl. "Her name is Minerva McGonagall, and she's in Gryffindor."

"I wonder if she has a compartment," I wondered.

We both looked at each other for a split second, then scrambled for the compartment door. I got there first, and had just swung it open, when Lexus tripped over me, sending us both to the floor with a splat. A moment later, Minvera stepped over our gaping heads and into another compartment.

After several minutes of "It's YOUR fault!" we returned to normal conversation.

At least, it was semi-normal. Anything involving Lexus opening his mouth would almost never be normal. I have a feeling he would have said the same thing about me; that just shows you how demented he was.

Once the train had gotten underway, and a suitable amount of time had passed, we decided to go into Minerva's compartment and see if she was lonely. And if she was, of course we would comfort her, which might have included holding her hand or sitting next to her, or both. And, of course, if she did need comfort, I'd boot Lexus out of the room faster than you can say "Puppy love."

However, Minerva wasn't alone when we entered the compartment. There were probably eight other kids in there, including several first years. Minerva was talking to them.

"Oi, Minnie!" Another fifth year called out to her. "When're ya going to learn to speak English properly?"

Minerva blushed. "Ach, I dunna think I'll evah get it. Me muther en' father were both Irish, an' they canna speak anythin' but for 'tis in the brogue." She sighed. "Ach, I'm afraid I'll nevah speak the way ya do." She sighed.

I grinned at Lexus, who was grinning back. I don't think Minerva realized how endearing her accent was; it made her voice sound very motherly and friendly. However, I doubt either Lexus nor I wanted her as a mother, or just a friend.

"I'm so scared," a blond boy said form the seat across from Minerva. "I want to get into Gryffindor so badly, but I don't know how they sort you, so I don't know if I-" He started to cry. "My mum will be so disappointed if I'm not in her old house!"

"Ah, there, don'tcha be crying, now," Minerva reached out and patted him on the knee. "All ya've gotta do is try on t' Sortin' Hat for a wee bit. It can hear your thoughts, and it'll know where ya should go."

"But what if it puts me somewhere else?" The boy sobbed.

"All ya've gotta do is tell it whatcha want most in life!" Minerva said with a cheering smile. "I just concentrated real 'ard on t' thing I wanted most, t' be able t' 'help people lairn, and t' help people with their magick and things."

I listened carefully to all this. So, all you had to do was tell a hat what you wanted most in life! That would be simple enough. Lexus and I exchanged grins again; both of us knew we would be getting into Gryffindor.

We never went back to our own compartment; Minerva made everything so cheery that it was hard to think of leaving. I wondered if I'd ever know her well enough to call her "Minnie."

Minerva. Vain. Mine. Ran. Rain. Main. Mane. Mire.

Waiting in line to try on the Sorting Hat was agonizing for both Lex and me; the two boys in front of us didn't make things any better.

"Crabbe, Olaf!" A teacher's voice rang out.

"Hmm," the one said, turning to look at me. He had silvery-blond hair and mean green eyes. "I'd be careful if I were you. Wouldn't want to end up in Ravenclaw with the other brainy freaks."
"I am not a brainy freak!" I protested.

"Then you'll be in Hufflepuff with the rest of the morons." Nodding in a final manner, as if that settled the matter, he turned to his friend. "Hey, Goyle, whaddaya think about the other one?"

His friend, a huge bear-like child with dull eyes and brownish teeth, turned and glared at Lexus for a moment.

"Hufflepuff," he finally said, the word taking a long time to come out as if he had to concentrate hard to form it.

"I agree," the other said with a sneer.

"Goyle, Gonchar!"

The bear lumbered out, tried on the hat, and was almost immediately put in Slytherin.

"Hey, now, we're both going in Gryffindor!" Lexus said with angry pride. "We're gonna be the bravest, strongest wizards in the world, and rid the world of all dark magic!"

"Longbottom, Denton!"
"GRYFFINDOR!
"Oh really?" The blond raised his eyebrows, looking truly impressed.

Just then, the teacher called "Malfoy, Jarvis!" The blond saluted us, turned, and walked smartly out to the stool. He lifted the hat, and tried it on.

"SLYTHERIN!"

I exchanged a nervous glance with Lex. "Our turns'll be coming up soon."

"Don't worry about it. As long as you aren't in with those two," he waved a thumb over his shoulder at the new Slytherins, "I won't care if you don't get in Gryffindor with me."

"What about that speech about us being the most powerful wizards ever?" That thought appealed to me; power. Magical power. Power over people who didn't have magic, and people who did. And having a friend to share it with.

"And rid the world of Dark Magic," he reminded me.

"Prundell, Lexus!"

He gave me a thumbs-up sign, then walked confidently across the stage. He flashed a brave smile at the rest of the Great Hall before trying on the hat, but I noticed he had his fingers crossed.

I held my breath, as the hat took a moment to decide.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

I applauded loudly as Lexus, a relived grin on his face, removed the hat and jumped off the platform to the Gryffindor table.

"Riddle, Thomas!"

I waited to make sure Lexus was sitting down and ready to watch. I trotted across the stage, feeling very nervous. It seemed to take forever just to walk the ten or so feet to get to that stool. Then, I picked up the old, tattered hat carefully, and slipped in on my head as I sat down.

~Gryffindor, please Gryffindor,~ I thought hard, when I was suddenly startled by a voice in my head.

"Gryffindor? Are you sure?" The voice was the same one that had shouted out the house names before. "I see here that you want friendship and power! You can find the first in Gryffindor, of course, but if you truly want to be powerful, you'll have to be a bit more open-minded."

~Power?~ If I went into Gryffindor, I wouldn't be powerful? But of course, Lexus had just now told me that he wanted us to be the most powerful wizards everywhere. Maybe this was a test, to see if I was truly worthy of being in Gryffindor. ~Yes, I want power! I want to be the most powerful wizard in all of history!~

"Well, then, I suppose you'll be in SLYTHERIN!"

I froze. Slytherin?

I very slowly took the hat off, and saw Lexus' face staring at me in complete shock. And… disappointment.

I wanted to jam the hat back on, and demand that it put me in Gryffindor. I wanted to stutter "B-b-but I can't be in Slytherin!" But something stopped me. Whether it was the applauding Slytherins, Lexus' talk of power, or the looks on all the Gryffindors' faces. It was almost if they knew that I had exchanged bravery, honor, friendship, all for power. Even Minerva was shaking her head sadly at me. Lexus' expression had turned to scorn.

Was power worth losing the only friend I had?


Later that night, in the Slytherin dormitory, I was awake when the rest of my dormmates were fast asleep. Several of them snored.

I was far from sleep, however, Instead of closing my eyes, I stared at a small diary my mother had owned when she was a kid, but had never used. It's one of the only things my mom left me, besides my name.

Something made me pick up an inkpen that I had packed, being uncomfortable with the idea of quills, and take off the cap. I stared for a moment at the point of the pen, and then at the blank white first page of the book.

Finally, I wrote "Tom Marvolo Riddle," on the first page. After a moment, I started to dissect it, and try to find other words inside it.

"Love. Model. Mar." I started chanting the usual words. I had made a anagram of my own name many times. "Lard. D-" I suddenly stopped. A group of words I hadn't noticed before suddenly sprang out at me.

Power. I could have power in Slytherin. That's what the stupid, infernal hat had told me. Power.

"I am," I whispered as I wrote the words down under my name. I scratched out the letters used, and stared at it some more. "Lord. I am Lord-" What was left? "I Am Lord… Voldemort."

I said it several times, trying different pronunciations. "Vole-dah-mort," was the one I decided on. "I am Lord Voldemort."

I felt a premonition at the sound of that sentence. I heard echoes of Lexus' voice. "We'll be the most powerful wizards in the world!"

I Am Lord Voldemort.