Riding a Nightmare

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The disguised old woman used her strength to pull the old wizard's wrist off her head, effectively slapping the table with Dumbledore's own hand, "Which woman is Petunia?"

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Everything happened so fast that Dumbledore didn't have a chance to get his thoughts in order. No matter how guarded he normally was he reflexively glanced at the sketch. Of course, he very quickly looked away when he realized the small slip he averted his eyes. It was too late ...

Sam snorted as he stretched as he casually sat in a chair, "So you dumped a child with a psycho brown haired witch, who wasn't related to him and frequently abused him."

"Everyone knows Harry Potter's family are muggles." He stated while remaining quite calm ... or, at least, appearing so ...

Loretta flipped her mirror hair tie and took on her real appearance, but kept a strong hold on Dumbledore's wrist, "I'm a muggle. That whiny old man is a muggle." Sam rolled his eyes at her. "This sketch is of a witch, but what would I know? Let's just ask the person who actually knew Petunia."

Dumbledore noticed the old woman looking over and heard two people coming down some stairs. When the steps got closer Loretta let him go. The first thing he tried to do was apparate, but it seems no one was allowed to leave. All the headmaster could do was listen and quietly bide time until he saw an opportunity come up. In fact, he thought his safety was already secured when he turned and saw Severus walking down the steps with someone.

Instead Severus only added to the headmaster's confusion. All the potion master did was pick up the photo of the blonde Petunia. A moment of silence slipped by as Severus looked at the photo. Finally the slender fingers laid it down in front of Dumbledore, but that wasn't all. Severus took the file that was under that photo and opened it so Dumbledore could read it.

The old wizard glanced down and his eyes widened ever so slightly, "What is this?" He asked as his eyes skimmed over the first bits of contents, which was another photo and two death certificates.

The new photo had his old student, Lily Potter, and the blonde woman together enjoying a shopping trip. One of the muggle death certificates had Lily's name, except it was her name before her marriage. The other certificate had Petunia's name, but yet again it was Evans and not her married name, Dursley. What struck Dumbledore as deeply unnerving were the dates on the certificates.

"They're muggle death certificates. What's so strange about that?" While still in a daze looked at the person who spoke, which was the person with Severus. "What? Please don't tell me that you've forgotten me, headmaster." Tom said, letting his sarcasm seep into his tone. However, he was also quite curious as to how the old man would respond.

Dumbledore looked at the red eyed man standing with Severus. Obviously, this man looked like the child illusion Loretta used. Perhaps the illusion was of this man as a child or even a very close relative, but knowing didn't change one thing. The fact that the sense of familiarity that has been clawing at his mind sense meeting the illusion only got stronger was disturbing, but then it clicked.

"Tom Riddle?" Dumbledore asked in disbelief.

This man was without a doubt his old student, but then he was also Voldemort, right? Albus was confused as to how that'd be possible, but he was still trying to figure out why there's a death certificate that says Lily died before even getting married. It was making it difficult to think straight so he couldn't figure out how a perfectly healthy Tom was standing there before him.

Tom's eyes narrowed, "So you are under the impression that I still have a broken soul."

With great skill Tom flared his magic, surging through the air into fluttering lights that each changed into a snake patronus. That alone was something that proved that his soul was healthy. If it wasn't for Loretta snatching Dumbledore's arm firmly the old wizard might've fallen.