The Key (A Draco Malfoy Love Story)

Chapter 17: Slughorn's Memories

Amelia's P.O.V
We've been back to school a while now, Ron and Lavender are still together, but I honestly think she's starting to annoy him, or at least I hope so. Everytime Herione see's them together she makes an excuse about going to vomit, I can't blame her though, they are quite... vomit provoking, the constant snogging, the annoying pet names. Harry and I have been invited to Dumbledore's offica again tonight, it's probably for another memory of some sort, one that may help us with Slughorn, possibly.

Knock knock knock

Harry rapped lightly on the door of the headmaster's office, waiting to be called inside to find out why we had been sent here. I mean we had an idea why, but we wanted to know the details of which we were about to find out.

"Enter." Dumbledore's voice rang out from the other side of the door. I pushed the door open and it creaked against the wooden floor, making me cringe a little. We both stepped inside the warm environment of the room and looked towards Dumbledore who was staring at us brightly.

"Tonight, you are going to be looking at yet another one of the memories I store in here. But it's not actually mine, it's one of a good friend Professor Slughorn, and it's vital if we want to succeed in the task I have set you." Dumbledore explained, handing me the tiny chrystal vial that held the certain memory he wished for us to see. I carefully took the top off and poured the contents into the pensieve, the clear substance turning inky black as it met the circular bowl that floated in front of us. Harry and I spared one glance at each other before we plunged our faces inside the water-like liquid. The scene evolved in front of us, every person, every detail creating itself in front of us, until Slughorn's old office appeared.

Start Memory
There was six boys sat around a table, one of which was Tom Riddle. Slughorn was at the head of the table, eating out of a paper bag which seemed to be filled with some sort of yellow stuff. His office back then was considerably smaller than it is now, it had dark green tiles plasteres all over the walls, snakes engraved into every wooden chair, potions and bottles stood on every shelf and surface with only four dim lamps lighting the room.

"Sir?" Tom Riddle started. "Is it true Professor Merrythought is retiring?"

"I couldn't tell you even if I knew, Tom. Oh, and bye the way, thank you for the pineapple. You are right, this is my favourite. But how did you know?" Slughorn replied, taking a bite out of what ever he was eating.

"Intuition." Tom said simply, leaning back in his chair. Slughorn smiled at the young boy, resting both of his arms on the table. Silence filled the room until the clock in the far right corner chimed, making them look towards it to find the time almost past their curfew.

"Goodness gracious, is that the time already? Off you go boys or Professor Dippet will have us all in detention." Slughorn told the boys who all rose from their chairs, collecting their things before headinf back to the common room, leaving only Tom and Professor Slughorn in the office.

"Look sharp, Tom. You don't want to be caught out of bed past curfew." Slughorn said, tapping his hourglass, that chimes once he did so.

"Is there something on your mind?" The professor asked curiously and Tom turned away slightly.

"Yes, sir, there is. I couldn't think of anyone else to talk to.The other professor's might misunderstand my question, but you are not like them." Tom began, walking around the office.

"Go on."

"Well, I was in the library the other day. And I came across something strange about a very rare piece of magic. I thought that you could explain it to me. It's called, as I understand it..." Tom's voice got very muffled at the end, and I didn't understand what on earthe might've said. But whatever it was seemed to anger Slughorn.

"I beg your pardon? I do not know one fact about such things, and if I did, I would not tell you! Now get out of here at once! And don't let me ever hear you mentioning it again!" Slughorn yelled, stomping away from Tom. The image then began fading and smudging, so we could no longer see it.
End Memory

I lifted my head from the bowl and shot Dumbledore a confused look, as did Harry from what I could see. But Dumbledore didn't seem to be phased by our looks, he actually looked like he expected them.

"Confused? I'd be surprised if you weren't." Dumbledore asked, putting th pensive back in it's cupboard.

"I don't understand." Harry stated, his eyeborws forrowed together.

"What happened?" I asked.

"This is probably one of the most important memories I've collected, it's a lie. It's been tampered with, by the same person whose memory it is, Professor Slughorn." Dumbledore explained, but I still didn't get it.

"Why would he change his own memory?" Harry asked, reading my mind.

"I expect he's ashamed of it, of what he did." Dumbledore said, sitting near us.

"Why though?" I spoke up.

"Yes, why indeed? I asked you both to get to know Professor Slughorn, and you have done so. Now I want you to persuade him to give you his true memory, any way you can think of." Dumbledore informed us.

"We don't know him that well, Professor." Harry argued.

"That memory is everything, without it we are blind. Without it we leave the fate of our world to chance. Neither of you have a choice, you can't fail." Dumbledore told us and we were allowed to leave.

"How the hell are we going to get that memory out of him?" I asked as we made our way back to the common room.

"Knowing us, we'll find a way." Harry reasured me before we journeyed up to bed.