Harry Potter and Future's Past

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

June 20th 1996 continued

"Good morning Mr. Potter and Miss Granger," The Headmaster started in his best grandfatherly tone once the two of them were situated in chairs in front of his desk. "It seems we've had quite an exciting last couple of days."

"Yes sir," Harry replied with a tone that left no doubt he wasn't there to engage in small talk.

"Very well," Dumbledore said. He sat back in his chair and waited for a couple of seconds before continuing. "Last night you offered to find the object that Pettigrew was here to recover while yesterday morning you demanded that I tell you how Voldemort survived years ago."

"Yes sir."

"The fact of the matter is that those two things are very much related I do believe," Dumbledore paused again. His hand instinctively reached for the bowl of yellow candies and he took one. "Harry, as I said yesterday morning, I believe through the prophecy you are the single most important person in this struggle so I am left with no choice. This is not a decision I take lightly and hope you understand that what I tell you today must not go further than this office. I suppose if you must, you can tell young Mr. Weasley..."

"No sir, as we told you yesterday our friendship with Ron is over," Harry said. "Neville and Luna Lovegood have proven to be much better friends."

"Surely you wouldn't let a simple misunderstanding threaten your friendship," Dumbledore said. "You're still very young..."

"Sir, please," Harry interrupted the Headmaster. "Please accept that no time in the near future will I try to reconcile with Ron."

"Very well," Dumbledore replied discouragingly. "I hesitate to suggest the same trust with Mr. Longbottom and Miss Lovegood."

"I personally feel they are more trustworthy than Ron," Harry said. "I think they also proved their friendship the night before last."

"I agree," Hermione added. "Neither of them expressed jealousy over Harry's fame or our relationship."

"Let's revisit this afterwards shall we. Once you understand the importance of what I am to tell you, you might reconsider your stance. I feel with the struggles you may face in the future, you'll need the support of your closest friends," Dumbledore didn't want to mention that he wished to keep the Weasleys in Harry's life. He felt they represented the goodness in the Wizarding World that Harry would have to fight and possibly die for.

Harry shrugged as he looked over at Hermione knowing that wasn't possible. He then looked back at Dumbledore and waited.

Again Dumbledore hesitated. It was several seconds before he continued. "I do wish I had my Pensieve. It would allow me to show you several things that I feel are important to the story."

"What story?" Hermione asked. "I thought we were here to find out how Voldemort stayed alive."

"You are of course, but I would prefer for you to understand some things about Tom Riddle so you can better understand what he has done to remain alive."

"What do you mean understand Tom Riddle?" Harry asked. "What's to understand?" Harry really was happy to not have to relive those memories again. "He's a mass murderer who doesn't have the decency to stay dead when he's killed. In the graveyard last year he told me himself he'd gone further than anyone else to achieve immortality. We just want to know what exactly he meant by that. If I am supposed to be the only one who can kill him, I think knowing how he is staying alive is the first step."

"Still I will tell you a little of Riddle's background and then we'll get to his methods," Dumbledore insisted. "Tom, as you know, is a direct descendant of Salazar Slytherin. That came from his mother, a woman named Merope Gaunt," Dumbledore paused as he would in a classroom lecture and after a couple of seconds continued. "By the time she was born, the descendants of Salazar Slytherin had withered to a single poor uneducated bigoted family. But as you also know Riddle was a half blood."