The Potter Twins and the Goblet of Fire {4}

29. The Pensieve

"Thanks for the memories, even though they weren't so great" ~ Thnks Fr Th Mmrs, Fall out Boy

The door of the office opens. 

"Hello, Potters," Moody says. "Come in, then." 

I follow Harry inside, suddenly feeling very aware of the Minister's presence. I've been inside here before, of course, although it's safe to say I haven't had any pleasant experiences in here. 

"Harry! Haylee!" Fudge says jovially, moving towards us. "How are you?"

"Fine," I lie. 

"We were just talking about the night when Mr Crouch turned up in the grounds," Fudge says. "It was you who found him, was it not?"

"Yes," Harry replies wearily. 

"I don't see Madam Maxime anywhere, though," I add, feeling like there's no use in pretending we hadn't heard their previous conversation, "and she'd have a right job hiding, wouldn't she?"

Dumbledore smiles at me behind Fudge's back, his eyes twinkling. 

"Yes, well," Fudge says, looking flustered, "we're about to go for a short walk in the grounds if you'll excuse us...perhaps if you just go back to your class - "

"We wanted to talk to you, Professor," Harry says quickly, looking at Dumbledore, who gives us both a swift, searching look. 

"Wait here for me, Harry and Haylee," he says. "Our examination of the grounds will not take long."

They troop out in silence and close the door. And after a minute or so, the sound of Moody's clunking leg disappears. 

"Hello, Fawkes," Harry says, as I take a seat in front of Dumbledore's desk. The beautiful phoenix swishes it's long tail and blinks at us from his perch. I feel somewhat calmer now, somehow being in Dumbledore's office, knowing we'll shortly be telling him everything that happened seems to calm my nerves. "Are you all right?" Harry then asks, sitting down beside me. "I just thought, you know, seeing him use that curse might've set you off, or something?"

"I don't know," I say honestly. "I think I'm feeling moving on from all that. I had my year of feeling sorry for myself."

Harry smiles contently, and silence falls over the office once more. I glance around the room, almost in a nostalgic way; the last two times I was here, I wasn't in the right state to appreciate the little trinkets and such. I recognise the tattered, old Sorting Hat sitting on a shelf. And beside it, in a tall, glass display case, sits the magnificent silver sword, with rubies set into the hilt; the sword of Godric Gryffindor. Gazing at it, I remember how it came to our aid in the Chamber of Secrets when I thought all hope was lost, and then from the corner of my eye I notice a patch of silvery light, shimmering and dancing brightly from within a black cabinet behind us. We turn around, looking for the source of the light; the cabinet door wasn't closed properly. 

I watch as Harry hesitates for a moment, before pulling the door open, revealing a shallow stone basin, with odd carvings around the edge; runes that I have seen before. 

"A Pensieve," I say quietly, joining Harry. He gives me a sideways glance and arches an eyebrow. "I've used it before, last year. It allows you to view memories, Dumbledore, McGonagall and I used it revisit what happened in the Chamber of Secrets."

"Revisit memories?" Harry repeats, stepping closer to the sink. "How d'you - how d'you do it?"

"Stick your head in."

"Together, then?" he asks with a hint of mischief in his voice. 

"And people seem to think that I'm the bad influence in this duo."