Power || Tom Riddle

Chapter One

Cassandra opened her eyes and blinked several times from the bright sunlight streaming into her room. She groaned and turned over, shutting her eyes to try and go back to sleep, but then she remembered. It's September first! Today I'll start my first year at Hogwarts! She jumped out of bed and rushed to get dressed before going downstairs to find her godfather.

"Good morning Cassandra."

Said girl whirled around in the doorway to the kitchen to see her godfather standing behind her.

"Good morning Uncle Aberforth."

Even though Aberforth wasn't really her uncle, Cassandra still called him that. He's the one who took her in after her parents died. She doesn't really remember anything about that night, the nurse at St. Mungo's said she may have self-induced amnesia.

"Are you excited for today?"

Cassandra nodded. "Yes! I can't wait to find out what house I'm in!"

Aberforth chuckled. "I recall feeling similarly when I first went, but I was more nervous than anything. I tended to fall in my brother Albus's shadow, you see, and I worried I wouldn't be put in Gryffindor and disappoint my family. You don't have to worry about that though. I will be proud of you no matter what house you're put in, and I know your parents would be too."

Cassandra got quiet for a minute thinking about her parents. She knew that her father had been a Gryffindor, but her mother was a Ravenclaw. How different would today be if they were the ones taking her to Platform Nine and Three Quarters instead of Uncle Aberforth? Would they really not care what house she was put into? Cassandra was drawn out of her reverie when a plate of eggs was placed in front of her, and she gratefully began to eat.

~

Cassandra gazed awestruck at the scarlet engine before her that was filling the platform with steam. The faces of the people around her were blurred by the fog and they only came into clear view right as she passed them. She pushed through the crowd, Aberforth's hand on her shoulder as he followed her closely. The two reached a door to the train and stopped before Cassandra turned to her godfather.

"I guess this is goodbye?" The girl's statement came out as more of a question than intended. Aberforth chuckled lightly and smiled.

"Yes, this is goodbye for now." he replied.

"I'll miss you." Cassandra said with her voice starting to quaver.

"I'll miss you too. Don't think about me too much and forget to have fun. It will be the Christmas holidays before you know it, and you will see me again."

"Okay. Make sure to take care of yourself for me though."

"I will, don't you worry."

Cassandra's throat felt oddly choked, and tears were threatening to well up in her eyes, but she forced them back. She suddenly wrapped her arms around her godfather, taking him by surprise. He stiffened for a moment, but relaxed and hugged her back gently.

"Alright, get on the train now little tiger, before it leaves without you." he chided softly.

Cassandra nodded her head and smiled at the nickname he'd used for her ever since she was a toddler. He called her tiger because of her dark strawberry blonde hair that was almost red, and her fiery personality. She grabbed her trunk and climbed up the stairs onto the train before turning to wave at Aberforth once more.

The train was full of students running around, trying to find friends. Cassandra was nearly knocked over as she weaved her way through the crowded corridor, attempting to find an empty compartment. Unsuccessful, she reached the end of the train, and opened the door to a compartment where a pale, dark haired boy sat immersed in a book. The boy looked up at her as she entered, and she smiled at him.

"Is it alright if I sit here?"

He nodded before returning to his book. Cassandra stowed her luggage overhead and took a seat across from him.

"I'm Cassandra Griffiths, what's your name?" she asked.

"Tom, Tom Riddle." the boy replied without looking up.

"Nice to meet you Tom." Tom didn't respond, so Cassandra pulled out her own book, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, from her bag and began to read.

~

The train screeched to a halt as it pulled into Hogsmeade Station, and Cassandra reached up to retrieve her luggage from the rack overhead. She tugged on the handle and it began to slide forward, but then it stopped, caught on something. Cassandra yanked once more, and the trunk started hurtling toward her head. She instinctively covered her head with her arms, bracing for impact, but it never came.

Cassandra cautiously opened her eyes to see her trunk floating in midair inches above her head. She looked around and saw Tom with his wand outstretched. Her mouth hung open for a minute in shock, then she quickly closed it.

"T-thank you," Cassandra stuttered, still surprised that Tom has saved her from being crushed by her own trunk.

"We wouldn't want you getting hurt on your first day, now would we?" he asked with a smirk, and lowered her trunk to the ground.

Cassandra shook her head and gave him a small smile before taking hold of her trunk and walking out onto the platform.

"First years this way! First years over here!" a voice called, and Cassandra pushed her way towards it. She finally reached a small crowd of other first years who were standing in front of a tall man in a thick fur coat.

The group was led towards the lake, where they found a small fleet of boats waiting to carry them across to the castle. "Four to a boat, and be careful not to rock them too much, we don't need one of you falling in."

Somehow Cassandra ended up in a boat with Tom and two other boys, one with long platinum blonde hair and a sallow face, the other with dark chin-length curls. The boy with blonde hair sat next to her and introduced himself.

"I'm Abraxas Malfoy." he said, holding his hand out for Cassandra to shake.

"Cassandra Griffiths," She replied, tentatively taking hold of his hand, but instead of shaking it like she had thought he would, he turned it over and kissed the back of it. Unsure how to react to this, Cassandra blinked a couple times and gently withdrew her hand. She looked away and the boats began moving forward. 

She didn't really say anything until the boy with dark curls, who was sitting behind her, began to rock the boat. Turning around to glare at him she asked, "Can you stop please?"

Grinning the boy answered, "Why, are you scared?"

Cassandra gave him a deadpan look. "No."

The boy continued to rock the boat, so much so that some of the water surrounding the craft splashed into the vessel, soaking the bottom of Cassandra's robes. Sighing in annoyance, she turned around once more and slapped the boy smartly across the face. "For goodness sake, stop it!"

The boy just sat there stunned, while both Tom and Abraxas struggled not to burst out laughing. Suddenly they reached the dock on the other side of the lake, and Cassandra turned to stare at the beautiful castle above them.

Hogwarts was brilliantly lit, with light streaming from every window. It looked like something straight out of a fairy tale with the black, star dotted sky behind the soaring towers. Realizing that the others had already climbed out of the boat, Cassandra hastened to follow, and soon found herself at the base of a large stone staircase leading to the entrance hall. 

A tall man in navy blue robes with long auburn hair, and an even longer beard stood at the top. Cassandra recognized him immediately and let out a gasp. Albus Dumbledore. Her godfather's brother. The first years finally reached the man, and he smiled at them.

"Welcome to Hogwarts." he said simply. "In just a minute you will be sorted into your houses. Before then, I would like to tell you that while you are here, your house will be like your family. You will earn points for good behavior, while breaking rules will lose them. Now, follow me!"

Dumbledore turned on his heel, and the doors to the great hall swung open.