Harry gathered his things after a particularly excellent DADA lesson, while the students filed out. When he finished and was ready to go, he realized that dick Randall was still in class.

"Hurry up dick, or you'll be late for transfiguration" said harry

"professor potter, I wanted to ask you something . . . "

"what is it dick?"

"sir, I wondered what you kn ow about . . . about horcruxes?"

harry stared at him, "why would you want to know that?"

"I came across them while reading and didn't fully understand it . . . but you obviously know all about them professor, with your history, I mean, sorry, if you can't tell me, obviously - I just knew if anyone can tell me it would be you"

it is very well done, thought harry, the hesitancy, the casual tone, the careful flattery, none of it overdone. Harry had too much experience wheedling information out of reluctant people to recognize a master at work.

"Dick, I know a lot about horcruxes, and I know you will also find out about it sooner or later. But let me just warn you: there is no such thing as immortality. You can try, I know of someone who tried to make seven of them, and was destroyed in the end. There will always be someone, somewhere who will be able to defeat even the most powerful wizard."

Harry walked out of the classroom so deep in thought that he didn't even realize when he bumped right into severus, the potions master.

"Hello, professor potter," said snape, "you look preoccupied, is anything the matter?"

"oh, hello professor snape, you are just the person I was going to see. What do you think of dick Randall? He is in your house."

Snape looked surprised, "dick? Well you know him. He is a great kid! So sweet and charming . . . why would you ask?"

"well, I guess I was just . . . never mind."

"How is you wife Ginny? I hear she is expecting your 12th child?"

"oh, she's great . . . "

"why don't you go on and be minster of magic? How many owls have you received about it already? Or play quiddich for England like Ron?" said snape

"well, Hermione does bug me all the time to take up the minister post, and Ron bugs me about quiddich, but I like to have a job where I can be with my family more."

The bell rang.

"Well, see you around"

harry walked long the corridors thinking: can this be another aspiering tom riddle? does every tom dick and harry have the power to become a dark lord? Didn't we finish with the slytherin heir? He was so deep in thought that it was not until Ginny yelled in his ear that he realized he was already home. His house was near Hogsmede Village which meant he can drop at home after almost every lesson.

"What's the matter with you harry?'" asked Ginny

"Oh, hi Ginny," Harry sighed and told her what happened.

"So do you think that in 50 years there will be another little boy with a scar?"