The Key (A Draco Malfoy Love Story)

Chapter 7: Job From Dumbledore

Amelia's P.O.V
I've been at Hogwarts for about a month, and it's been great so far. I'm friends with nearly everyone, well apart from the Slytherins exept Draco that is. I haven't told Harry that I'm friends with him, I don't feel like being on the recieving end of Harry's temper, he had enough to deal with at the moment. To be completely honest with you, I'm starting to have certain feeling towards Draco, I'm basically crushing on him. Hermione knows about it, and I half expected her to start screaming about how stupid I was, but she didn't she was actually really supportive.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and I were slouched into the common room couches after a long day of lessons and a lot of excersize, I swear I must've lost 10lbs running all the way across the castle because we were late. I brought my knees up to my chest and rested my head on top of them, sighing while watching the fire again, I seem to do that a lot, I guess it relaxes me. I glanced over at Harry who still had his nose in that dodgey potions book from Slughorn's office like he has been for hours, I mean, potions can't be that damn interesting. We all sat in an awkward silence, none of us knowing what to say until a small first year walked up to us with a note.
"Harry, Amelia, this is for you." He squeaked, scampering off once we had taken the parchment and thanked him. Harry opened the paper and scanned the neat print quickly before standing up, pulling me with him.
"Dumbledore wants to see us in his office." Harry spoke rather quietly as we left the common room and journeyed to the headmaster's office. We walked in silence, only talking when we reached the large door with the gargoyle guarding it. Harry told it the password and the enchanted stone hopped aside for us to enter, we hopped onto the shadowed staircase as it slowly swivelled upwards until a door came into sight. I rapped lightly on the smooth wood to hear a loud "Come In" errupt from the other side, Harry swung the door open and we stepped inside, the warm, dim candles were the only source of light in action. Dumbledore rose from his seat behind his desk and stood next to us, not looking at all angry so that calmed my mind slightly.
"I guess you are wondering why I have summoned you both here? Yes. So how have your studies been, Professor Slughorn is very proud of both of you." Dumbledore started, taking a metal bowl thing out of one of the cupboards and throwing it in front of us, so it floated in mid-air.
"I think he over estimates my abilities, sir." Harry breathed a laugh, thinking about that book he had grown attached too.
"And you, Amelia?" Dumbledore turned to my, and I shrugged, a small smile plastered to my face.
"I think I'm doing alright, my potions haven't exploded yet so I'm calling it a success." I answered, glancing down at the bowl, wondering what the hell it was.
"What about your activities outside the classroom?" Dumbledore asked Harry, who's face twisted in confusion.
"Sir?"
"I notice you spend a lot of time with Ms. Granger. I can't help but wonder if you..." The headmaster trailed off and I stifled a laugh.
"No, no, she's brilliant, and we're best friends, but no." Harry corrected him quickly and I bit my lip to hide the laugh that was about to burst out of my mouth.
"Do accept my apology, I was merely curious. What about you, Amelia, anyone special yet?" Harry watched my suspiciously which Dumbledore seemed to notice.
"No, Harry doesn't even let me near boys enough to even let them talk to me." I grinned and Dumbledore chuckled.
"I would expect nothing less. But enought chit chat, the reason I brought you both here tonight. The answer lies in the cabinet. What you see before you are memories, but we are focusing on one particular one that consists of one individual. Voldemort. Or as people knew him then, Tom Riddle." Dumbledore explained before picking out one of the many vials of memories stored in the spinning cabinet.
"But this vial contains a certain memory of the day I first met him at his orphanage. I'd like you both to see it." Harry took the chrystal vial from Dumbledore's hand and tipped the contents into the silver bowl, making it swurve around like hundreds of ribbons. My twin bent down and put his face in the water-like substance, not really knowing what to do, I did the same, half expecting my eyes to sting with water as I did so. It felt like I was falling, falling into the memory of Tom Riddle at his orphanage. I landed steadily on my feet out side a glossy black door, beyond it sat a silent Tom Riddle, who was staring as the floor with his hands on his head. I looked behind me to see dull green walls with white trimmings around the edge, the stairs that lead down to the ground floor were also a mundane earthy green with brown handrails that had black metal bars underneath. Through the foggy windows I could see the rain pelting the glass like bullets.
"Tom? You have a visitor, this is Mr Dumbledore." A woman announced next to us. I was about to apologise for being here but Harry shook his head, saying they couldn't hear nor see us. Dumbledore entered the small room and sat on Tom's bed opposite Tom, who hadn't even looked up yet.
"How are you Tom?" Dumbledore asked kindly but he got no proper answer, just a plain "Don't" as Tom stared ahead of him.
"You're a doctor aren't you?" Tom asked bluntly, the frown never leaving his pale face.
"No, I'm a professor. Not a doctor." The younger version on Dumbledore replied.
"I don't believe you. They want me checked, she thinks I'm different." Tom mumbled, not showing any emotion what so ever.
"Well, maybe they're right, in some ways." Dumbledore said quietly and Tom looked rather offended.
"I'm not going mad! I'm not!" The small boy exclaimed but Dumbledore kept completely calm.
"Hogwarts school is no place for mad people. Hogwarts is a school of witchcraft and wizardry. You can do strange things can't you Tom? Things you can't explain, things the others can't do." The older man explained.
"I can make objects move without touching them. I can make animals do what I please without training them. I can make bad things happen to people who bully me. I can cause them pain, if I wish. Who are you?" Tom told him with a monotone voice.
"I'm very similar to you, Tom. I'm different just like you." But Tom just stared strangely at him.
"Prove it." The boy challenged. Within a split second, his wardrobe errupted in a ball of bright orange flames making Tom's eyes widen in surprise. He walked over to the burning furniture when Dumbledore said that something was trying to get out, he pulled a medium sized metal box from the wardrobe, placing all the objects inside onto the bed next to him.
"Thievery is not tolerated at Hogwarts. At the school you will be taught exactly how to use and control the magic that you behold. Understand?" Dumbledore said finally before striding out of the room.
"I can talk to snakes too, they find me, whisper things. Is that normal?" Tom asked curiously and DUmbledore came to an immediate halt, turning sharply on the spot.

However, we didn't get to hear his answer as we were sucked right back up into Dumbledore's office, I lifted my from the bowl and both Harry and I turned to the headmaster.
"Did you know, sir?" Harry asked, reffering to the evil Voldemort.
"Did I know that I just met the future's most dangerous wizard? No, I was unaware of that, if I was I wouldn't have... At Tom's time at Hogwarts, he grew close to one paticular teacher, can you guess who that is?" Dumbledore answered, trailing off a bit.
"You didn't bring Slughorn back simply to teach us potions did you, sir?" I asked, answering his question.
"No I didn't, you're right. But Professor Slughorn has something that I require very dearly, but he will not give in very easily.
"You said that he would try to collect us... Should we let him?" Harry asked for the both of us.
"Yes." Dumbledore said simply before saying Harry could go, but he needed to speak to me.
"I have come to the understanding that you have maintained a friendship with young Mr Malfoy, is this true?" He asked kindly.
"Yes, that is true. But please don't tell Harry, he'll blow his top if he finds out." I pleaded and he chuckled nodding.
"I have a seperate job for you to do, what I want is that you keep an eye on him. Things will be very hard for the lad soon, and I want you to help him through it." Dumbledore desired of me and I ageed.
"Okay, I'll do it. But why will things be hard for him, if you don't mind me asking?" I answered, shuffling a little bit.
"Only time will tell. And you may not want to mention this to Harry, he will, as you say 'blow his top' if he finds out. Now I suggest that you head up to bed, it's been a very busy day." Dumbledore suggested and I bid him goodbye, catching up with Harry who was waiting for me down the corridor.
"What was that about?" He asked, but I couldn't really tell him.
"Dumbledore just wanted to talk about school, thats all." I lied smoothly and Harry seemed to buy it, after a suspicious glance at me.