From the Journal of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore
[imported pages from an earlier journal. I believe it all related]
My sources have told me Voldemort remains in his cursed existence since his attempt to capture the Philosopher's Stone, and yet I have the Chamber of Secrets opened, a dead professor, a dead basilisk, and a student in St. Mungo's. The only clue as to what has happened is an old diary, torn apart by a basilisk fang. Once the boy wakes, I must ask him how he managed to destroy what is surely a Horcrux when he was stuck on the other side of a tunnel cave-in. Halloween is never a good-luck holiday, but I would be remiss in my duty to Hogwarts and its students if I didn't uncover what happened this evening.
Per my entry fourteen days ago, I spoke with the student, who is finally awake, and able to speak. It is unfortunate that he remembers nothing of what happened a fortnight ago. Mr. Weasley consented to allow me to take his memories, but the viewing adds another layer of mystery. The pensieve revealed a rather mundane feast, then Mr. Weasley wandered the halls, alone, and came upon the writing on the wall. Lightning flashed in his memory, and I was whirled to a scene of him sliding down the immense slide that leads to the entrance of the Chamber. Lightning flashed again, and everything went black. It is a most curious sensation. Somehow a great many things happened, and the boy is unable to remember almost all of it. Why did he go to the Chamber? Why was Professor Snape with him? He'd shown little liking for the boy; considering our arrangement, he ought to have seen me first before going rogue. Who destroyed the Horcrux? Who pulled Gryffindor's sword out of the sorting hat?
It is my suspicion it is related somehow to Voldemort, but how?
[The events of years ago are now even more shrouded in mystery]
Sirius Black sent me a patronus message tonight, after a little over a year on the run. He immediately offered what I felt was surely a lie — I knew for certain he was Voldemort's man. But the end of the message contained a damnable piece of the puzzle; he had a Horcrux, he said, and wanted to use it to arrange a parlay.
I met him. I used veritaserum, and legilimency to prove him wrong and to call for the Ministry... except both revealed Sirius Black to be an innocent man. He allowed me to take a moment to destroy the locket Horcrux — found in his family home, of all places. Then he questioned me about his godson.
I was unable to offer him any information about a Harry Potter. He was much saddened, nearly a broken man, and his story came out. His best mate, James Potter and his wife had gone into hiding some years ago, and due to the betrayal of them to Voldemort by one of their closest friends. Black didn't know why, said it was a secret he'd not been privy to. I am forced to believe the story, but it seems ludicrous to the point of madness that I did not know why the Potters went into hiding, or why they were attacked. Black was in tears, saying he knew his godson was in trouble, had known it for quite some time. He'd expected him to be famous, but — and I quote — "now it's as though he never existed".
I dealt with Black as gently as I could, helped him perform the Fidelius Charm on his family home. Before I left, I had to ask. My curiosity had to be appeased. I asked him how he left, and why.
He brought out a photograph of the Weasley family. Six children — all boys — stood with their parents in front of a pyramid. None were smiling; it was the most depressing family photograph I've seen, and considering my history, that is saying a lot. Black noted the rat on the youngest Weasley's shoulder. Ronald Weasley, during the summer between his third and fourth years, in fact, the one who had no idea why or how he'd been in the Chamber of Secrets. "That's Pettigrew. That's Peter Pettigrew. I knew him immediately." He smoothed the paper, and frowned. "They all look so sad, don't they?"
"Some families are unhappy," I said, though I didn't need to. The Black family was notorious for hating each other. I myself went almost fifty years without speaking to my brother.
"Ah, I wondered if their girl died recently," Black said. I assured him that the Weasleys had never had a girl, and had not had any recent deaths in the family. Not since Gideon and Fabian Prewitt were murdered by Death Eaters.
Black laughed, then. I left wondering if Black were entirely well, or if he'd left an essential piece of his sanity behind in Azkaban.
