When Harry came back to Dumbledore's office, Dumbledore must have known Harry had the memory, he also knew just how Harry had gotten it; he was rewarded with a hug and one-hundred and fifty points to Gryffindor; not just for collecting the memory and his bravery but also his selflessness in using the potion to get the memory for Dumbledore. Dumbledore had always admired Harry's loyalty a lot more than Harry gave himself credit for. It was when they put the memory in the pensive that Dumbledore realized just how loyal Harry was and just what he was about to put himself through in order to save the wizarding world.
Harry looked into the pensive at the same time as Dumbledore; they went together; they couldn't believe what they were seeing, there was Tom again in Slughorn's office, he tapped the hour glass, the one Harry had seen a few days ago at the Slug-club.
"Sir, I was in the library the other night... in the restricted section and I came across a rather rare piece of magic... I believe it was called a Horcrux. I was wondering how this works."
Harry and Dumbledore watched as Slughorn explained how one can split their soul and conceal it into an object; it was also evident Tom knew about this much of it. He paused for a moment to let Tom speak.
"What if one was to split their soul into seven and make seven horcruxes?" Tom asked.
"Seven? My word, Tom, for one to split their soul once is enough but to split it into seven pieces? This is all hypothetical isn't it, Tom?"
Tom smiled and looked into the fearful eyes of Horace, "of course, professor."
With that the memory faded and Harry found himself in Dumbledore's office with Dumbledore looking rather pale and shocked. "This is nothing to what I expected..."
Harry looked at Dumbledore, "Professor... a Horcrux...? That's how Voldemort's been keeping himself alive all these years, isn't it?"
"I'm afraid so... this is the most important memory, Harry. It is also our key to defeating. Come with me tonight, Harry. We need to find the first Horcrux and I believe I know where it is. You have to remember though, Harry to do everything I say. I will speak to you more, later. You must not mention this to anyone. Not Hermione or Ron. Tell them you're out with me, don't say where. This may just be the key."
"So there are seven horcruxes, sir?"
"Indeed."
Harry swallowed; he and Dumbledore were on a Horcrux hunt. Harry wished he knew just how dangerous it was. He had no idea what he was prepared for but he felt something in his chest that made him tell Dumbledore he had never told him before.
"Sir... I don't care how dangerous it is... I am your man until the end. You know that. We'll fight this together."
Dumbledore's eyes sparkled; a single tear ran down his face. He sat down and looked at Harry.
"Harry, there is something I've been meaning to tell you. It is not wise for a headmaster to tell their students this, but... you deserve to know."
Harry looked at Dumbledore and tilted his head, "sir?"
Dumbledore smiled, "ones gender doesn't make him a man, Harry, nor does it make him who he is."
"Are you gay, professor?" Harry said bluntly. He thought nothing of it. It didn't matter to him.
"Harry. Not gay; gender does not matter to me. Love, Harry. Is what does."
Harry smiled at Dumbledore. He couldn't believe Dumbledore had just told him this; it was nothing to him, he felt it didn't change the man who sat in front of him but something had changed in the way he saw things; something changed his view on gender, he still didn't think of Dumbledore as anything less than the wise and great man he was.
