𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 | 𝐡. 𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫

𝟏𝟎𝟎 - 𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠

𝙃𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝘿𝙪𝙢𝙗𝙡𝙚𝙙𝙤𝙧𝙚'𝙨 𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙛𝙚𝙬, to avoid the chances of running into anyone, as he tried chance to think of what Dumbledore could need him for. Though he had a strong feeling it had something to do with the new Potions Master that he went out of his way to employ in this school year, even going as far as to polish and show him off to entice the man to rejoin the faculty.

As he climbed the stairs past the Griffin statue he began to consider what Phee's thoughts would be on this whole interaction - no doubt she would be very impressed and make several sarcastic remarks on Dumbledore's capabilities if he had to enlist a schoolboy to get a grown man a job, he could only begin to imagine all of the comments she would make on that factor in particular.

Nevertheless, he knocked on the door to the office which was cracked open, most likely because Dumbledore was expecting him. As he stepped further inside he found his headmaster sitting at his desk, a troubled expression fell on his ashen face as he turned the ruined blackened pages to Tom Riddle's diary and as Harry stepped closer he realised there was also a golden ring with a black gem that was resting beside the diary - and the pensive was pulled out, Harry eyed it curiously as Dumbledore greeted him. "Good evening, Harry." he said pleasantly, "You got my message, I see, come, come sit."

Harry sat down, as Dumbledore put away the items on his desk including the diary which he set the ring inside. "So, how are you?"

"Fine sir." said Harry plainly, he just wanted to get to the bottom of it, Dumbledore seemed slightly worried about their unsettled relationship so as he was about to press a little further Harry added, "As fine as I can be knowing that my girlfriend is out there somewhere and there's nothing I can do about it but wait for him to slip up again-"

"Harry, you have to understand that though it may seem that I am acting against you with all of my choices but they have all been decisions made in your best interest. What I thought would be better for your overall development, if I were to have known this would have caused you further pain I would've never--"

"It's easy for you to say that after the fact." said Harry sharply, looking at the man before him as he breathed harshly through his nose, "You're not the one waiting for a nightmare that finally tells you where she is, or if she's alright -- so how could you possibly know what would cause me more pain when I'm constantly in it.... just tell me why I'm here so we can get this over with."

"Very well," Dumbledore said pensively, his eyes remained on Harry for a moment with a level of understanding melancholy though Harry didn't have the energy to quite read into it. Lifting his hand, he gestured to the pensive in the corner of his office which was already lifted out and well lit within the basin.

Harry got up from his seat and approached the pensive, looking at the black swirling memory within he thought of what Vivian had told him about Ophelia's breakdown after their split up - he clenched his teeth to think of anything other than the expression on her face when she thought he had betrayed her -- pinching his breath in his throat he waited for the Professor to join him by the pensive as he spoke.

"I'm sure you're wondering why I've summoned you here tonight. The answer lies here," he said, gesturing to the tall almost clerical glass cabinet filled with hundreds of labelled glass cylinders all with a sprawled quick hand, some of them had been written by other people and each one of them contained a glowing almost silvery substance that seemed to flicker a little like a match in the wind. "What you see before you are memories. In this case pertaining to one individual: Voldemort. Or as he was known then... Tom Riddle."

He picked out one of the cylinders and took off the stopper with his blackened hand, Harry noticed that the label was faded and dusty - but the memory wasn't dull, it was still bright and sparkling.