Seven Devils ★ T.M.R ★

Chapter Twenty-Two

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THE WAND
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MARINA WASN'T SURPRISED when the next day an owl from Dumbledore arrived letting her know that Riddle intended to go for the next Horcrux that very week - what did surprise her was the fact that he'd chosen the Gaunt ring over Hufflepuff's cup. Dumbledore had included in his note an invitation to discuss this with him, and at his request, Marina stepped through into his office at midday on the dot.

"Take a seat, Marina," Dumbledore said without looking up from the scroll of parchment he was bent over.

She did so as Fawkes ruffled his feathers and gave his mournful little cry. Marina brought from her pocket a small bag with a gaudy purple and gold tag that read "Waldo Walper's Phoenix Feasts" in large, shimmering letters, and she extracted one of the sooty black lumps. Fawkes flew over immediately, landing on the back of her chair and snapping up the treat at once.

"A delicacy from your place of employment, I presume?" Dumbledore said with amusement.

"Yeah we got them in just before Christmas," Marina said, picking out a second lump and letting Fawkes take it from her palm. "They're bloody expensive though, not many people have pet phoenixes. I had to use some mad employee discount to get them."

"I do not consider Fawkes my pet," Dumbledore said with a thoughtful smile as he watched Fawkes crane his head towards the bag in Marina's other hand hopefully. "More my companion."

"My bad," Marina said with a lop-sided smile as she gave one last treat to Fawkes before stowing away the bag. "He's very cute though." Fawkes pressed his beak against her face and cawed again.

"He had been in a particularly good mood as of late," Dumbledore mused, "though Tom might disagree with your assessment – only last week Fawkes regurgitated a wad of undigested plant remains into his lap."

Marina laughed out loud – the image of Fawkes throwing up what was effectively a hairball on portentous Riddle was just too good. "Thanks for that, sir," she sniggered, shaking her head. "That's cheered me right up."

"You're very welcome," Dumbledore said, his smile reaching his eyes. "Now, I wish to discuss Tom's upcoming Horcrux recovery."

"Right, yes," Marina said seriously. "The ring, huh? He wants to visit his dad?"

"He does," Dumbledore nodded, "and I must say that I am impressed at his suggestion. Hufflepuff's cup would be more difficult logistically – considering its concealment in the Lestrange vault – but it would be significantly easier emotionally. His determination does not go unnoticed."

"Good," Marina said firmly, feeling a sense of deep satisfaction. It was very gratifying to hear Dumbledore finally acknowledging that Riddle was doing something right.

"However, he has also levied me with... a surprising request," Dumbledore continued slowly. "He has asked that I accompany him to visit his father, rather than yourself."

Marina stared. It was one thing for Riddle to ask McGonagall to go with him to talk to Myrtle, but for him to turn to Dumbledore?

"Oh," she managed to say in a horribly strangled voice.

"You feel as I felt," Dumbledore said gravely. "It is not Tom's typical preference of company."

"No," said Marina. Fawkes gave a concerned wail in her ear, obviously noticing the shift in the mood of the room. She reached up and patted his head absent-mindedly.

"Perhaps once I would have suspected that Tom wished to take advantage of this situation, hence his request," Dumbledore was saying, "but now I believe his motivations are elsewhere. I think that Tom has grown... embarrassed."