"Potter," said the low, but carrying voice of Kingsley Shacklebolt from the door of Harry Potter's office. He knocked on the nameplate on the door that read, "Harry Potter" though it was already slightly ajar.
"Yes, sir, come in," said Harry from his desk, where he was examining a map with colored pins stuck in different countries in correspondence to the final Death Eaters that needed to be rounded up. Though his eighteenth birthday had barely passed a week ago, Harry had risen through the ranks of the Auror office at the Ministry with astounding speed. He supposed the final defeat of Lord Voldemort looked rather impressive on his resume. He tore his attention from the map as the Minister of Magic entered his office, carrying with him a scroll and a basin which Harry quickly recognized as Dumbledore's Pensieve. Though puzzled, Harry decided to hold his questions and allow Kingsley to explain.
"Do you have a moment?" Kingsley asked Harry, who nodded, gesturing for Kingsley to sit in the chair opposite him. Kingsley sat, and put the scroll and the Pensieve on Harry's desk, obscuring the map.
"Yeah, what's up?"
"I need to discuss with you the last will and testament of Severus Snape."
Though it had been nearly a year since the Battle of Hogwarts and more than two since the night Dumbledore died, Harry's stomach plummeted a few feet.
"Wasn't that released a year ago?" said Harry, recalling Hermione once mentioning that the Ministry could only hold wills for a month before they were released to those who were left items.
"Yes," said Kingsley, "but as Severus Snape is, in an understatement, a bit of a sore spot, I opted to hold the will for a little longer—to present to you when you were ready."
"You mean, Snape's left me something?" Harry was surprised. What did Snape own that he would want to give to Harry? And what did Snape own that Harry would want? Kingsley nodded. "Is it a detention?" asked Harry sarcastically, but Kingsley shook his head, remaining quite serious as he unfurled the scroll in his hand and read aloud:
"For Harry James Potter, the Pensieve, because he has earned the right to know the whole story."
Kingsley looked back up at Harry.
"The Pensieve?" Harry repeated. "But…that's not his. This is Dumbledore's."
"Correct," said Kingsley, "this was Dumbledore's. However, Dumbledore left the Pensieve in Snape's possession after his death, so Snape is perfectly entitled to give it to you."
Harry re-read the parchment. He has earned the right to know the whole story…hasn't he seen that story on the night of the Battle, after Snape's murder?
"Oh," Harry replied, unsure of how he felt about this new development. "Er…thanks." Kingsley gave a curt nod and excused himself, leaving Harry alone with the basin and its mysterious, swirly, silvery contents.
"He left you the what?" Ron exclaimed when Harry met him after work in the atrium. Harry had explained the strange visit from Kingsley in line for the Floo fireplaces. Ron, too, had come to work as an Auror at the Ministry, while Hermione was finishing her final year at Hogwarts.
"I know, that's what I thought," Harry told him.
"But…can he do that? Wasn't the Pensieve Dumbledore's?"
"Yeah, but apparently Dumbledore left it to Snape when he died, so it's Snape's now."
"But why would Snape give it to you?" asked Ron. "I mean, it's cool and all, but let's face it, he hated you."
"His will said he wanted me to know the 'whole story,' whatever that is," Harry shrugged.
"That's weird, mate," said Ron as they reached the Floo fireplaces. "If you ask me, that man was completely off his rocker…no
Harry stepped in, holding the Pensieve tightly and feeling the familiar spinning as he flew through the fireplace, landing once again in his apartment in London.
Harry placed the Pensieve on his kitchen table and stared at it. What could the whole story possibly be referring to? He wracked his brains, but no unfinished business between himself and Snape surfaced. Harry waved his wand over the Pensieve, and to his surprise, the ghostly figures of his mother, father, godfather, Lupin, Peter, and two women he didn't know rose out and began to speak to each other in loud voices. Snape was nowhere to be seen. His stomach gave a jolt. If he wasn't very much mistaken, Snape's memories were not the only memories stored at that moment. Perhaps…no, Harry didn't dare believe it…but all the same, was it possible that the Pensieve had once been in the possession of his father?
So, abandoning all speculation, Harry plunged his head into the Pensieve and felt himself slipping into the memories of his father.
A/N: Yeah, this was short—probably the shortest chapter, but anyways, what do you think? Where is Harry going to end up? What is the "whole story?" (come on, guys, that one's easy!) What did you love? What did you hate? What else did you love??
-Dem
