Closer to Love | Draco Malfoy [4]

Chapter 18 ~ First Attempt at Getting the Truth

As I was doing my homework in the Gryffindor Common Room, Harry stopped reading that stupid Potions book long enough to tell me that we were supposed to meet with Dumbledore tonight. Fortunately, I was doing some last minute work on my essay for Defense Against the Dark Arts. I stuffed all of my books and homework back in my bag, ran upstairs to throw my stuff in my room, went back downstairs to Harry, and finally headed out with him to go see Dumbledore.

While we were walking to his office, Harry started to make conversation with me. "I wonder what Dumbledore wants us to do this time."

"Me, too," I said. "It probably has something to do with getting what he wants from Slughorn."

"Yeah," he replied. My brother paused for a moment before talking again. "I don't know how to act normal around Ginny."

"You want to act normal around Ginny Weasley?" I asked, raising my eyebrows in shock.

"Yeah. I don't know, I just feel all awkward and shy around her," he explained.

I scoffed. "That's because you are awkward and shy around her. The first thing you need to know about Ginny is that she's wild. It's a good wild, bro, trust me. But she's daring, fearless, someone who is always on the edge at all times. You have to be able to keep up with her."

Harry nodded as we approached where Dumbledore's office was located. We said the password and ascended up to his door. I knocked on the door twice as soft as possible.

"Come in," he said from the other side.

We entered inside his office and found him sitting at his desk. "Ahh, Harry, Max. I'm glad you two made it in time."

"No problem, sir," Harry responded.

"Well, let's get started." Dumbledore led us to the Pensieve like last time. The memory was already there.

I reluctantly stuck my face inside the Pensieve and watched as the memory slowly came alive.

*******

"I'd like to know where you boys get your information. More knowledgeable than half the staff, you are." Slughorn and a bunch of Hogwarts students were sitting at a table, talking and laughing. Tom Riddle was sitting there, thinking about something.

"Sir, is it true that Professor Merrythought is retiring?" he asked.

"Now, Tom. I couldn't tell you if I knew, could I?" Slughorn chuckled, taking a piece of pineapple from a plate and biting into it. "By the way, thank you for the pineapple. You're quite right, it is my favorite. But how did you know?"

Tom just simply shrugged at him. "Intuition, I suppose."

As the clock chimed, Tom didn't take his eyes off of Slughorn. Even when everyone left, he was still there, staring down Slughorn. He was thinking about something. Something that he had to wait to talk about until it was just the two of them.

"Look sharp, Tom. Don't want to be caught out of bed after hours," the man warned him. "Is something on your mind, Tom?"

"Yes, sir," the boy replied. "You see, I couldn't think of anyone else to go to. The other professors...well, they're not like you. They might misunderstand."

"Go on."

"I was in the library the other night, in the Restricted Section, and I read something rather odd about a piece of rare magic. I thought perhaps you could illuminate me. It's called, as I understand it..." His voice was becoming muffled.

Slughorn looked mad. "I don't know anything about such things, and if I did, I wouldn't tell you! Now, get out of here at once, and don't let me ever catch you mentioning it again!"