Harry Potter vs. Lord Voldemort

             The best-selling Harry Potter series, written by J.K. Rowling, consists of seven books; all of which focus on a constant struggle between two main characters: Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort. The protagonist of the series, Harry Potter, symbolizes innocence and the power of good, whereas the antagonist, Lord Voldemort, represents the evil that can consume those obsessed with gaining power. Due to significant differences in these characters’ beliefs, Harry Potter continually triumphs over Lord Voldemort, efficiently proving that good is superior to evil. Although Harry Potter was victorious in the battle of good versus evil, it hasn’t yet been determined who prevailed in the clash of the most enjoyable character. An assortment of similarities and differences concerning these characters will help to determine which is more entertaining.

            Harry Potter’s parents, James and Lily, were murdered by Lord Voldemort when he was 1-year-old. He was brought up in a home where he wasn’t welcome, wanted, or understood. Harry was raised by his aunt, Petunia, and uncle, Vernon Dursley, who attempted to hide Harry’s true identity as a wizard from the moment they discovered him on their doorstep. Eleven years later, when it was finally revealed to Harry that he was, indeed, a wizard, his uncle Vernon shouted, “I’m not having one in the house, Petunia! Didn’t we swear when we took him in we’d stamp out that dangerous nonsense?” (Rowling 27). Harry receives little attention from his aunt and uncle, which is entirely negative, while they coddle their son, Dudley (HarryPotter.wikia.com). Harry’s bleak backstory is presented to readers at the beginning of each book, which influences a rather uninteresting opinion of Harry’s character.

            Lord Voldemort was born at an orphanage in London. Although his mother, Merope Gaunt, did not survive more than a few minutes after the birth of her son, she subsisted long enough to give him the name of his estranged father, Tom Riddle. He was a devious child, constantly using his power to harm and influence other children in the orphanage. During a visit from Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the young Lord Voldemort eagerly revealed, “I can make bad things happen to people who annoy me. I can make them hurt if I want to” (Rowling 186). The depth of Lord Voldemort’s character is revealed piece by piece in a slow, puzzling process throughout the series.

            At Hogwarts, Harry was involved with making friends, attending classes, and playing seeker for Gryffindor’s quidditch team. He was happy for first time in his life and quickly came to regard Hogwarts as his true home. Harry had two best friends, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, who often helped him through the many struggles he faced. As far as Harry’s scholarly achievements went, he always had the top grades in Defense against the Dark Arts, but otherwise his schoolwork was mediocre.

            When Lord Voldemort arrived at Hogwarts, he was also quick to think of it as a true home; somewhere he belonged. He found making friends to be a difficult task. Instead, he enlisted a group of followers; people who looked up to him because they were less intelligent or handsome. It was revealed later in the series that Voldemort never had true friends; only people who wanted to make use of his power or be protected under his rule. Although it was difficult for Lord Voldemort to make friends, he was brilliant when it came to his studies. He was always at the top of his class in every subject.

            Though Harry Potter is the hero of the series, he is dim in comparison with Lord Voldemort when it comes to evaluating character. Harry Potter is a predictably good person with a bleak past and bright future. Lord Voldemort is a tortured soul who is born into a life of disdain and sorrow. He is constantly on the lookout for any possible way in which to gain power. It is intriguing to readers to be able to delve into Lord Voldemort’s past in order to discover why he became the man he is. The way his story is exposed makes all the difference. Harry Potter’s story is offered to us upfront, which robs us of intrigue. It is obvious that the victor in the battle of the most entertaining character is Lord Voldemort.

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. 1^st ed. New York: Arthur A Levine Books, 2005. Print.

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. 1^st ed. New York: Scholastic Press, 1998. Print.

Harrypotter.wikia.com. ‘Harry Potter Wiki.’ N.P. 2014. Web. 10 Oct. 2014.

A Pretend Memory

Something you had that was stolen:         

Where is it!? I frantically rushed about my bedroom tossing objects in every direction; socks, books, videos, clothes, everything you could possibly imagine to be contained in a 16-year-old-girl’s room. It’s not here. Where could it be?? I sunk onto my bare mattress, disappointment washing over me. I had lost it. My most prized possession. How could I have lost it? The one thing… the one thing that means everything to me: my journal. It was beautifully handcrafted, bound in soft, Italian leather. My mother had given it to me a few days before she died. She told me, her voice quivering with tears not yet exposed, to write down every thought, every feeling, and that it would help me through the days ahead. She said I would have to be strong. She told me to never stop believing, never stop trying to be best person I could possibly be.

            That was five years ago. Memories of my mother had faded into near oblivion, yet my journal was the one thing that remembered her clearly. My journal held every feeling I had after she left me. It contained so many of my most precious memories of her. The fact that I had lost it would haunt me forever. I feel as if I have lost her forever… again. There was a sudden knock on my bedroom door. I arose from the bed and pulled it open to reveal my best friend, standing completely still and pale, staring at me with tears rolling down her face. “I’m so sorry, Abby.”

            “Sorry for…?” I replied, confused. She stared at me.

            “Surely, by now, you know what I’ve done.” She stated, staring at her feet. Realization washed over me. I stared at her, angrier than I had ever been in my life.

            “You took my journal.” The tears poured faster down her cheeks.

            “I’m so sorry, Abby. I was just so mad at you. Rebecca told me that she saw you chatting up John the other day after school. I felt so betrayed. I just wanted to find something to embarrass you… to pay you back… but then I began to read it and…”

            She held out my journal, my life, every memory of my mother. I snatched it out of her hands and slammed the door in her face.

Darling Diana, An Incomplete Story

Write a story that begins with a ransom note:

Darling Diana,

You don’t know me. But I know you. I know exactly how you spend every second of every day. I know your favorite restaurants, what perfume you wear, the position in which you sleep, who you sleep with, how many cups of coffee you drink in the morning, and how many glasses of wine you drink at night… I know you better than you know yourself. Are you afraid yet? You should be. I’ve given you various opportunities to know me, yet you never showed the slightest interest. Why? Why!? I can tell you, there are many things to love about me, just as there are many things I love about you. But you will never know. You will never give me the chance. So I have decided to take action. Like I said, I have given you so many opportunities to know me, to love me, yet you STILL do not even recognize me by name! MY NAME DIANIA! WHAT IS MY NAME, DIANA!? You don’t know, do you? DO YOU!? I have your sister. Bethany, isn’t it? She’s a lovely, young woman… we’ve had some very intriguing chats about you, my darling. She has told me many wonderful things… most of which I already knew, yet the confirmation of their truth was somewhat comforting to me… I’m sure you have deducted, by now, that this is no ordinary ransom letter. How would money help me in my endeavor? For, my endeavor is for you to love me, to be with me… No, money is not what I am after… But… if you were to agree to take your sisters place, that would certainly do. Yes… I demand that you take the place of your dear sister as my… lover. I’ll be in touch.

Yours.

Hands trembling, Diana lowered the paper. Her face immediately turned to the living room window, thrown open; a cool, autumn breeze ruffling the elegant, ivory curtains. What to do? She couldn’t think. She couldn’t breathe. Diana grabbed the telephone, quickly dialing her sister’s home number… no answer. Could this be true? Or was this merely someone’s idea of a clever joke? Obviously, she was desirable. And the fact that she was an exotic dancer exposed her to the sort of people capable of such atrocities. What to do? Diana loved her sister more than anything. Bethany was seven years younger than Diana. A lovely girl. Diana had spent her childhood caring for her younger sister; protecting her. They hadn’t spoken in months. Bethany was in her final year at Columbia University… studying Philosophy. Although Diana’s career choice was an unusual one, it provided more than enough to take care of Bethany’s tuition.

Diana was sitting completely still, staring blankly out of the open window, wondering… should she allow herself to be kidnapped, help captive, and most likely, regularly raped by a man whom she has met, but cannot possibly place at the time being? Could she escape? Or would he kill her? And if it came down to it, could she kill another human-being to save herself?

Diana jumped as the phone rang. Not bothering to check the caller ID, she immediately answered, “Hello?”

“Oh, my darling. Your voice is so lovely.” A deep, slow voice.

“Who is this?”

“You don’t know.” His tone confessed his disappointment.

“How should I? If you know of my career, then obviously you know that I interact with a large number of people on a daily basis. Is this the person who sent me the ransom letter? The letter about my sister?”

“Oh, darling. Your sister will be just fine as long as you agree to meet me at a place of my choosing at a time of my choosing. I will let her go.”

“What are you going to do to me?” Diana’s voice trembled with fear, for she knew what she had to do.

“I’m going to force you to love me.”

“Love can’t be forced, it just happens. I’m sorry I haven’t paid you enough attention in the past, I promise I will give you a chance! We can even go out, how does that sound? Just please let Bethany go.”

“Graham Lumberyard, 8:00 p.m... don’t inform the police… I’ll be watching.” The line went dead. Tears were streaming down her face as the phone fell to the floor. She would have to take her chances… for Bethany’s sake.

Diana arrived at the lumberyard at 7:45 p.m. As she drove through the gate she noticed a black van parked very close to the main building. Her heart was beating furiously as she approached. She stopped the car directly next to the black van and immediately noticed that there appeared to be no one inside. Concealing a small handgun in the top of her thigh-high stockings, beneath a flouncy, black skirt, she slowly opened her door and stepped out of her vehicle. At that moment, a man turned the corner from behind the van and raced toward her. Diana had only a moment to imprint the man’s appearance before he jumped onto her, slamming her to the ground and covering her face with a moist cloth. Short… balding… chubby, yet obviously strong… Where had she seen this man before? Where? Where?

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Diana awoke, abruptly, being shaken vigorously by her younger sister, Bethany. “What? What!?” She exclaimed. “What, Bethany!?”

“Wake up. It’s time to go. I refuse to be late to my own graduation. I know you worked late last night, sis, and I appreciate everything you do for me so much… I hope you know that. But you BETTER get up and get your beautiful ass in the shower so we can GO!”

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Diana was clapping as Bethany crossed the stage. She had never been more proud of her little sister. The crowd began to clear. As Diana was struggling to escape the insane number of guests now exiting the commencement hall, she noticed a man standing completely still next to the restroom area. His hands were in his pockets and he was examining her with great interest. She turned her face from him and continued forward. As her face was exposed to the cool, evening air, someone grabbed her arm from behind and pulled it, hard. Diana stumbled backward into someone considerably solid. She turned to see the same man she had noticed near the restrooms. “Excuse me,” she said politely, then pulled her arm from his grip and began to walk away. 

“Okay, Diana, darling. I see how it is.” A deep voice mumbled near her right ear. She turned, slowly, facing this man who haunted her nightmares. He smiled as her dark eyes met his light ones. “Miss me?”

Interstellar Depression

You are an astronaut. Describe your perfect day:

Floating around in space is cool and all, but it gets very lonely… and terribly depressing. I’ve read all of my books and magazines about 5 times each and although they keep me occupied, they get boring. I was supposed to receive a care package for Christmas but it was postponed until the New Year. I miss my family… I miss my friends. Sometimes I wish for a meteor to hit the station and end it all. What sort of person wishes for something so terrible? My perfect day?? Hmm... I've never really thought about it and I've certainly never had one! I suppose my perfect day would either be the day I get to go home or the day that a meteor does hit and ends all of my misery. Listen to me, I sound like a depressed teenager… has living so long among the magnificence of space done this to me? I suppose I will just have to wait it out. One of my perfect day scenarios is bound to…

-Chandra

DON'T be conceited!! LIKE, really!

Write Facebook status updates for the year 2017:

I decided to go with status updates to be composed by a typical, self-absorbed young woman.

ENJOY!

January 1, 2017: “My number one New Year’s resolution is to LOSE WEIGHT!”

March 2017: “OMG, I can’t believe I gained 5 lbs! AND it’s ALMOST SUMMER! MUST LOSE WEIGHT!”

July 2017: “UGH, I didn’t lose enough weight! I look AWFUL in my bikini… right!?!?”

October 2017: “I am totally the hottest sexy kitten at this party!! J/K… not really… but I am… right??”

December 2017: “UGH, all I want for Christmas is a PERFECT selfie!”

December 31, 2017: “Hello, 2018! I’m looking gorgeous right!?!? Haha, always! J/K… not really…”

-Chandra

All My Fault :(

A houseplant is dying. Tell it why it needs to live.

You bring me such joy! I wouldn't have gotten you if I had known it was going to end this way! I'm so sorry that I forgot to water you; I did the same thing to our poor, beautiful Christmas tree this year... of course, it would have died anyway... but you could live! I don't want another plant, I only want you! Stay with me. I will try harder to take proper care of you, I promise!!

I know it must be boring... sitting in that same corner every day, seeing the same things. But you don't understand how easy you have it! You don't have to worry, you don't have to do anything besides sit there and be beautiful. Please sit there and be beautiful, don't go.

I need you. Isn't that enough? I know you must feel betrayed. I feel as if I betrayed you... you have no idea how truly guilty I feel for letting this happen to you. I understand that you have to go, and I will learn to accept it, but there will never be another plant like you. I want you to know that you have brought me wonderful happiness and you were an essential part of my decor. Our home will never be the same.

Goodbye, planty.

-Chandra

What can happen in a second?

I know it sounds strange, but in a second your life could change. It only took one second for me. I had never thought about having children. I had never seriously thought about being married, having a home and a lawn to mow and bills to pay. I didn’t get the opportunity to feel like a responsible adult before I abruptly became a responsible mother. An accident? A blessing in disguise? A sign that my life needed to change? I have never known exactly what to call it. Being a mother is something else, I can say that much. Being responsible for a tiny, beautiful, ever-changing human-being is so difficult, and so wonderful.

When was this second that changed my life? It was on June 19, 2008: the second I looked into her big, beautiful eyes, and knew that I would never love anything the way I love her. It’s a great and terrible thing: finally knowing how much love you possess, realizing that there is one person that you would do anything for, understanding that this means 18+ years of ups and downs, tears and smiles, hugs and fights… realizations that can change a person entirely… realizations that changed ME entirely… in a second.

Beginning... again...

           Let me begin by revealing a few things about myself: I am a mother. I am a student. I am one-half of a wonderful, romantic relationship. I am many things, but I am only one person. Sometimes I am not like myself at all, other times I am too much like myself. How do I know who I really am? I don’t. Who does? Everything that happens around us is what makes us who we are. Every sound you hear, every move you make, every taste, touch, and smell influences who you are. Who do I want to be? I want to be someone who loves life. I want to be someone who wakes up every day knowing that I am truly happy. Who do you want to be? Do you know? Are you still trying to figure it out?

I searched for this answer for a very long time… only to discover that all I want out of this very short life is happiness. Is happiness enough for you? It is for me. Although there are many aspects of my life that make me extremely happy, there are also things that I need to make better; certain things that I need to improve in order to be truly happy: THIS IS MY GOAL.

            How will blogging help? One thing I need to improve is my CAREER. Currently, I don’t have one, which makes it obvious as to why it needs improvement. I want to be a writer. I have always wanted to be a writer. I will always want to be a writer. Expressing my emotions using the written word is so fulfilling. Creating imaginary worlds filled with impossible dreams is like floating through the starry sky; completely calm, relaxed, and so very excited! That is what happiness feels like to me. What does it feel like to you?

            My brother and sister-in-law got me a fantastic gift for Christmas this year! A journal containing 642 writing prompts. Sometimes it is so much easier to express creativity when you already have something to go on! I also believe that some of these prompts could be great fun to follow… I have decided to share them with you! Each day I will compose a blog entry based on a different prompt. I hope you can enjoy my writing as much as I enjoy composing it for you.

-Chandra