If I Had...
by Amanda (Adami) Rose
Word Count 1243
"did you know sir, then?"
"Did I know I'd just met the most dangerous Dark Wizard of all time? No, if I had..."
Albus Dumbledore could sense the air of evil as he approached the room that housed one Tom Riddle. He shuddered as he crossed the threshold of the small bedroom. "Hello Tom"
The boy sitting by the window didn't turn to look at Albus. "You're a doctor." the boy said, making it clear that this was not a question.
Dumbledore shook his head as he sat onto the small bed. "No Tom, my name is Albus Dumbledore and I am a professor."
The boy spun around in his seat to face Albus. "Liar!" the boy hissed, narrowing his eyes. "you're a doctor. She" he pointed towards the closed door. "She wants me looked at. She thinks I'm crazy." He shook his head. "I'm not crazy."
Albus looked calmly at the boy before him. "I know this Tom. You're different. Like me." he said, gauging the boys reaction. "You're a wizard Tom. You can do magic." he shook his head. "it's not weird or crazy, there are a lot of people like us out there."
Tom narrowed his dark eyes further and glared at the man sitting on his bed. "Prove it." the boy commanded.
Albus could feel the tendrils of Dark magic reach out to his mind. He could all but see the waves of evil flowing off the young boy before him. He knew this energy and had only experienced it once before, though not nearly as strong as he did in this child.
Albus ran his fingers through his hair and sighed, knowing and dreading what he had to do. "Very well." he said, standing and pulling his wand from the sleeve of his jacket.
He pointed it at the cabinet in the corner and it burst into flames. While the boy was distracted by the flaming yet not burning cabinet Albus turned his wand on the child and cast a non-verbal petrificus totalus.
The boy fell to the floor with a thud. Albus knelt down next to the boy, waving his hand in the process and the flames on the cabinet vanished. I am sorry Tom" he whispered into the boy's ear. "But I know what you are and what you would become." he said, smoothing the boy's hair. "I can not allow it." he shook his head and stood. He walked over to the little desk the boy had been sitting at and grabbed a piece of paper. He muttered a spell and a note appeared in Tom's handwriting. He looked over the note and nodding his head he set it down on the desk. "That's a note explaining that you ran away to avoid going to a new school." he said to the boy. "It's time to go now." he levitated and disillusioned the boy.
Albus made his way out of the orphanage with the now invisible boy, stopping only long enough to obliviate the woman who ran the place.
Once outside the building Albus grabbed his invisible charge and apparated to the place in the photo he'd seen in the boy's bedroom, figuring that if he had to do this he may as well let the boy see a place he obviously liked.
Albus entered the cave and set the boy down on the nearest flat surface and looked around. He noticed the large dark crystal formations and the small lake first. Upon brightening the light from his wand he noted a small island in the center of the lake. He nodded to himself and floated his charge to the island and quickly followed.
Once on the island he set Tom back down and proceeded to transfigure some of the medium sized crystals into a green and silver pedestal with a clear casket with silver etching and silk lining and pillow.
Once he was satisfied with his work he turned to the still petrified boy on the ground and knelt before him. "I suppose you would like to know why I'm doing this wouldn't you Tom?" he said softly. "Though I suspect you already know why, at least deep down you do. Don't you Tom"? He patted the boy's face lightly in what he hoped was a comforting manner. "You tom are evil incarnate. If I thought there was any chance to rehabilitate you, I would take it." he explained to the boy, though if anyone had been around to over hear him it would have sounded more like he was trying to convince himself of these facts.
Albus shook his head sadly "As it is though, I know there is nothing I can do to change your nature. The only thing I can do is assure you that it will be quick and painless. You won't feel a thing, I promise." he ran his hand over the boy's head one last time before standing.
"It's for the greater good" he said, more to himself than the boy. "I am so very sorry Tom. I really am." He pointed his wand at the boy and summoned all of his magical reserves to him. "Avada Kedavra"
Two things happened at the same time. The green light enveloped the boy and the petrificus failed. Tom's head lolled to one side and his eyes were devoid of all signs of life.
Albus put his wand away and knelt down and gathered the dead child into his arms and placed him in the casket. He arranged the boy's arms and legs so that he looked as though he were merely sleeping. Albus conjured a small green and silver stuffed snake and set it next to the boy's head on the pillow, letting a single tear drop escape his eye and find it's way to his beard. "I'm sorry Tom." he said, stroking the boy's hair again.
Albus sealed the casket, summoned a large, almost black piece of the crystal that was all over the cave. He pointed his wand at it, and watched as it inscribed itself.
Here lies
Tom Marvolo Riddle
age 11
He died for the Greater Good,
May he rest in peace for all time
After he was satisfied with his work Albus floated the stone to the edge of the lake and placed it so it could be seen from the entrance to the cave. He cast a charm on it that made it glow softly, illuminating the entirety of the small island. He then floated himself across the small lake to observe the work he'd just done.
After making some minor adjustments to the stone and light source he turned and left the cave. Albus placed a number of heavy wards on the area so that the boy would not be disturbed in his eternal sleep.
Once on the rock in the ocean Albus fell to his knees and vomited into the sea, all the while reminding himself that it was for the Greater Good.
Every year after that Albus Dumbledore would disappear on the same day to a place that only he and one dead child knew of. When he returned his customary twinkling eyes always seemed to twinkle a little less brightly and he was a little less cheerful.
A/N: Okies...so this was an idea I had when watching the 6th HP movie. I know it's a bit OOC for Albus, but well...That's to be expected.
Feedback is always appreciated, even flames. I need to roast my bag of marshmallows.