thirty four ; histories

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Diana, Dumbledore, and Harry landed in the new memory. At once, her eyes landed on a much younger Horace Slughorn, sitting back in a comfortable, extravagant arm chair. He held a small glass of wine and sipped it idly. Diana peered around wearily, first noticing the location. They were standing in Slughorn's office. A dozen boys sat around a large table next to Slughorn, their chairs lower than his. All were in their teens, and Diana trailed her eyes over the faces.

She thought there had been twelve boys, but her eyes landed on the beautiful, feminine face of Vera Beauregard. She sat between Tom and Horace Slughorn, and she idly tapped her fork with her finger. Tom was the most handsome out of all of the boys, and he looked relaxed and calm. One hand was resting casually on the arm of his chair, and the other, much to Diana's surprise, was intertwined with Vera's. For a fleeting moment, Diana thought it was sweet, but then she remember who she was looking at.

"Sir, is it true that Professor Merrythought is retiring?" Tom asked conversationally. His voice was calm and collected, and he was charming with the way he spoke. Diana could understand how he had gained the trust of so many people.

"Tom, Tom, if I knew, I couldn't tell you," said Slughorn, wagging a reproving finger at Riddle, though he winked. "I must say, I'd like to know where you get your information, boy, more knowledgeable than half the staff, you are. You and Vera are quite the intuitive duo!"

Tom smiled and the other boys laughed and cast him admiring looks. Vera gave a polite smile, though she looked slightly uncomfortable. Diana saw Vera tighten her grip on Tom's hand slightly.

"What, with your uncanny ability to know things you shouldn't, and your careful flattery of the people who matter--thank you for the pineapple, by the way, you're quite right, it is my favorite."

Several of the boys chuckled, but something strange began to happen. The room was suddenly clouded in a thick, white fog so that Diana could only see Dumbledore and Harry. What was happening behind the fog was obscured and muddled, and the only words Diana was then able to understand were said by Slughorn, in a loud, uncharacteristically angry voice:

"You'll go wrong, boy, mark my words!"

As quickly as it had appeared, the smog cleared and the group sat just as they were as if that hadn't happened. None of them alluded to it, and Diana decided that it was a malfunction of the memory itself. The clock on the wall chimed eleven.

"Good gracious, is it that time already?" said Slughorn. "You'd better get going, boys, and lady, or we'll be in trouble. Lestrange, I want your essay by tomorrow or it's detention. Same goes for you, Avery."

Slughorn lugged himself out of his chair, and the boys all filed out of the door obediently. Diana watched Tom stand up alongside Vera, their hands still clasped together, and she watched the two walk around the table toward where Slughorn was standing.

Tom whispered something in Vera's ear, and she nodded once he had pulled back. She kissed him on the cheek lightly and walked out of the office. Tom watched her leave with an expression that rattled Diana severely. He watched her with something similar to awe; It was bizarre seeing such a serene expression on his face, and it made Diana furrow her eyebrows.

"Look sharp, Tom," said Slughorn, who had turned around to find Tom still standing there. "You don't want to be caught out of bed out of hours, and you a prefect..."

"Sir, I wanted to ask you something."

"Ask away, then, m'boy, ask away..."

"Sir, I wondered what you know about...Horcruxes?"

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