Happy new year everyone! I hope no one's New Year's Resolution is to stop reading Harry Potter fanfiction. (If it is, I think you're failing at it.)
By mid-afternoon, the rest of the family had arrived at Grimmauld Place and Mrs Weasley's leftovers had been spread over the table in the kitchen like a buffet so everyone could help themselves. There were leftover vegetables and potatoes, turkey sandwiches, slices of gammon, sausage rolls, crisps, sauces and dips, a variety of cheeses and crackers and biscuits to go with them.
"Oh," Mrs Weasley had lamented to Harry as she reached to the plate beside him for some roast potatoes. "Teddy's hair is still brown. I don't know whether he realises how much he looks like his father! And he looks so tired lately. Every time I see him I'm reminded of Remus. Yesterday I nearly asked the poor dear if the full moon had been tough on him!" Harry agreed; at least he wasn't the only one who had noticed the similarity.
The children hurried off to the living room after they had finished their meal to play with their new toys, leaving the adults to clear away the dishes. Harry noticed that Teddy had left as well, which seemed unusual given that Teddy was always the first to offer to help with things like this. He reasoned with himself that it was most likely Lily had cornered him and dragged him off somewhere to show him her new stuffed Hippogriff toy- she had repeatedly told Harry at breakfast that morning that she just knew Teddy would love to see it. But a niggling thought kept reminding him about the events earlier that day. In an effort to silence it, he politely excused himself to check where Teddy was. Harry was still worried about the effect seeing his father in the Pensieve had had on Teddy, and he was even more worried that Ginny would find out- she had explicitly told him to be careful of what he showed to Teddy.
He didn't even bother to check with the other children in the living room- he went straight back up to the library. He peered through the door, and just as he expected, he saw the now-familiar head of sandy brown hair resting against the top of the couch. Although the door was open ajar, Harry still knocked to announce his presence to Teddy. Slowly, he pushed it open further. Teddy, sitting on one of the couches, turned around to see who it was, and when he saw it was Harry, he smiled and stood up- looking very much like he was trying to force the smile to disguise his emotions.
"You're hair seems to like that colour recently." Harry remarked.
Teddy pulled a lock into his eyeline, as if to check the colour, before pushing it back behind his ear. "Yeah, it seems to do whatever it wants right now." He frowned.
Harry watched as Teddy subconsciously walked to the window and stared out at the night sky. The moon was bright, swathing his face in liquid silver. It made his eyes sparkle with a haunting glint Harry had only once seen before; hiding the soul of a tormented werewolf.
It made him feel uncomfortable- Harry was reminded of the night he witnessed Professor Lupin's transformation into a werewolf, so he shifted his gaze. He caught sight of the glass 'Patronus' vial in Teddy's hand.
"The Pensieve is yours to keep, Teddy." Harry said quietly, dragging Teddy from his solitary thoughts. "I've got several other memories I'd like you to see, and I've labelled them all up in these vials-" Harry pointed roughly to the side of the Pensieve, where a small box filled with little glass containers lay. Teddy's eye was drawn to a uniquely pointed one with a funny label hanging from it. "You can watch them whenever you want, then."
"Aren't Pensieves really rare? I mean, I know you were 'the chosen one', and all," Harry pulled a face, "but where did you get it?" Teddy had read a lot about Pensieves. He knew there was one in the Headmistress's study, but anytime he had been there, it never seemed to change, or move. He'd figured she'd probably never used it. And other than that, there seemed to be little knowledge of only about a handful of others in existence.
"Oh, Teddy. That is a thrilling tale, I wish to do it justice."
"You're doing that thing again." Teddy commented.
Harry frowned. What thing?, he wondered.
After seeing Harry's confused face, Teddy continued. "Where you try to sound like Dumbledore. But it doesn't really work, you know. You don't really sound half as wise as I imagine he did." Harry scowled playfully back at him.
Harry wasn't doing it intentionally- at least, he didn't think he was. It was just that with all this talk about the Pensieve and memories, he couldn't help but think about Dumbledore.
He considered for a moment, and walked over to stand by Teddy at the window. Would telling Teddy exactly where the Pensieve came from be the best idea? He looked at Teddy; he'd been having a rough time since finding the mirror. It was hard, especially at Christmas- a holiday for families and getting together and celebrating. It was incredibly kind that the Weasleys' and Harry adopted Teddy into their families as their own, and Harry knew Teddy was glad, but he also understood how Teddy would be feeling. There was one thing Harry knew better than anyone- no matter how many friends you have, no one can replace your parents. Being an orphan can be the loneliest thing in the world. The few moments Teddy had spent in the Pensieve, when he was able to finally see his father after so long, had made him so happy, Harry knew. And there were so many more memories he wanted to share with him. He could risk ruining it all for Teddy if he knew where it was from. Teddy smiled back at Harry, innocence radiating from him. He had no real experience of the kind of Dart Arts some people were capable of.
But then, he owed it to Teddy to be honest.
He sighed. "Just don't think too badly of me once you hear where it came from, Teddy."
Harry began to recount the story to Teddy. After he had taught his lesson on Patronuses at Hogwarts, and after finding Teddy in front of the Mirror, and after ordering Kreacher to follow Teddy, Harry had decided to stay at least a little true to his word to Professor McGonagall that night and visit Professor Dumbledore's portrait.
He began to walk back up the stairs to the gargoyle statue of the third floor, which would lead to the Headmistress's office. Noting the quiet of the castle and the absence of students, he quickened his pace, breaking into a slight run. It had been years since he had run through the corridors of Hogwarts, and he briefly began to experience that all too familiar fluttering feeling in the base of his stomach, as the thrilling threat of being caught at any moment tugged at his mind. His footsteps resonated around the corridor, his heartbeat and ragged breathing boomed around his head. He skidded to a stop in front of the statue, muttered the password- Jelly Babies- and the gargoyle leapt aside, revealing the slowly ascending circular staircase. With a wave of nostalgia, Harry once again stepped on the revolving stairs.
He wasn't sure how much time had passed whilst he was with Teddy so he was apprehensive to visit the Headmistress's study in case she was there, and it would seem rude for him to barge in after she most likely thought he had already spoken with the old Headmaster and had apparated home.
By some very fortunate twist of luck, Professor McGonagall was not in her office. Fearing he might be short on time and that she would return any moment, Harry looked around the room and found both objects he had desired. First, the portrait of Dumbledore, and second, the Pensieve. Harry walked to the portrait on the wall and woke the professor, although Harry seriously doubted that he was asleep.
After polite greetings and recounts of how he had been lately, Harry pressed straight to the point.
"Professor," Harry began. The Professor smiled kindly at Harry over his half-moon spectacles; he knew Harry was here to seek knowledge. "I need to ask you something. About…." He paused.
"Go on." Dumbledore encouraged.
"About the Pensieve. What I need to know mainly," He glanced to the door. "Is where to get them."
"Ahh." Dumbledore replied softly. "Are there memories you wish to relieve, Harry? Or perhaps, forget entirely?"
Harry shifted his weight from one foot to the other. Should he tell Dumbledore? He might try and convince Harry that his idea wasn't a good one. But then, he thought, what was a portrait really going to do?
"I want to show Teddy some memories of his parents."
Dumbledore surprised Harry by offering him a satisfied smile, and Harry guessed Dumbledore somehow knew all along why Harry wanted to know about the Pensieve.
"A Pensieve is an incredibly powerful magical object, and as such- and as I imagine you have probably guessed- they are incredibly rare. However, they are not impossible to get hold of." This was true. Harry had guessed they were extremely rare- never did he think he would be able to pick one up from Diagon Alley.
"The liquid is a relatively simple potion, with just a few key ingredients. I imagine most of them you would have in your own personal stores already, but if not they would indeed be available from Slug & Jiggers Apothecary. I have no doubt in your ability that you would be able to brew up such a potion," Harry flinched; he had never been a very talented Potions maker. He had never possessed the certain 'talent', he hadn't mastered the subtle science and exact art of Potion-making. He hadn't been able to create a potion that could bewitch the mind, ensnare the senses, he never learnt to bottle fame, brew glory- he had put a stopper in death, but that was due to Voldemort's theatrics and what he felt was sheer luck rather than a potion. Dumbledore seemed to notice his reaction. "Certainly, Miss Granger would have no difficulty." Harry smiled at the way Dumbledore spoke of Hermione.
"However," He continued, sighing. "It is the basin in which the potion will be kept that makes it result in the desired effect. You couldn't possible put in in a simple dish. To allow the memories to grow, and formulate, and absorb the viewer as if it were happening around them at that very moment, it must be an item which has seen a great deal of powerful magic. Remember, magic always leaves traces. The stronger the magic engrained in the Pensieve, the more powerful the reproduction of the memory.
The Pensieve here at Hogwarts has been here since the founders started the school. It started its life, I believe, as a simple enchanted water fountain. It has seen a huge number of powerful young witches and wizards walk along these corridors and enter this very office. Therefore it has absorbed some of the magic of which they emanate so freely, and over the years, as it has seen more and more witches and wizards, it has absorbed more and more magic. It is difficult to find an object that has seen such great power."
Harry sighed, downhearted. He had expected it to be difficult to locate a Pensieve, and had imagined it would cost a great price, but he wasn't convinced when Dumbledore said they were not impossible to get hold of- right now, it sounded impossible.
"I can think of only a handful of others that I have ever seen. One I feel you may be familiar with. The basin in which Voldemort hid Salazar Slytherin's locket, I believe, is a Pensieve."
Harry's heart stopped.
Just a quick note; I realise the time line in this chapter is a bit odd, but I didn't want it to be a huge script of Harry's first person retelling of the story to Teddy. If I've confused anyone, Harry's visit to Dumbledore happens right after the end of chapter four. (Feel free to go back and reread the ending of chapter four and then Harry's story in this to gain your bearings!)
Also I hope the Pensieve thing made sense, it definitely did in my head and I hope it translated in writing too.
If anyone is still confused by anything let me know and I would be more than happy to clarify!
