Chapter 14
Apparition and Luck Potions
"Hey Draco, I have a question," Harry said. It was weeks since he first asked Slughorn about the lesson, January turned into February, and in-between the time both he and Draco were very busy with their own personal potions lesson. They were both in the library, working on essays for Snape.
"Yeah, what is it?" Draco asked.
"Remember when we had our first potions lesson? And my reward was that I gave you a blowjob?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, I do," Draco smirked. "Why? Wanna do it again?"
"N-No," Harry blushed. "I'm just thinking… it's supposed to be my reward right? Then why didn't you give me a blowjob?"
"Huh?" Draco asked, looking up from his essay. "Do you want me to give you one now?"
"No, I'm not in the mood for one now," Harry pouted. "It's just that it's supposed to be my reward right? So why did I give you the blowjob?"
"Did you enjoy it?"
"I loved it, but that's not the point," Harry said. "It's just that well, anytime we seem to do anything I'm the one doing things to you."
"Oh… really?" Draco asked.
"Yeah," Harry said. "I'm not complaining or anything, but it would be nice if we're on the same plane when it comes to stuff like that, you know? I know I'm your submissive, and you're my dominant, and believe me I am happy with those roles, but honestly Draco that doesn't mean I'm a girl! I have needs too you know."
"Sorry Harry," Draco said, sounding honestly sorry. "I promise not to treat you like a girl from now on," he finished snickering.
Harry huffed and shook his head. "Anyway, Draco, I was wondering… do you have any idea how we're going to get the memory from Slughorn?"
"We can coerce it out of him," Draco suggested. "But I think it would be better if he gives it willingly, don't you think?"
"Yeah, I think so," Harry nodded. He bit his lip and looked around. "There has to be something we can do. I mean, we know that he's not going to give it willingly, so I think it'll be hard to talk it out of him."
"What we need… is to catch him at the perfect mood," Draco said. "Or give him something that we can trade for the memory."
"Yeah… yeah that could work!" Harry smiled. "We'll wait for him to be in a perfect mood, and then get it!" He looked at his watch and made a weird yelping noise. "The Apparition lessons start in an hour!" he said.
"What?" Draco demanded. He looked at Harry's wrist and made a similar noise. "Well, I guess this is the last time we'll use homework as an excuse to meet up on Saturday mornings."
Harry chuckled and nodded smiling. The two spent their time packing their bags, then stood up. Draco kissed Harry deeply before wrapping his arm around Harry's waist, his hand lightly patting Harry's butt as the Gryffindor leaned against his dominant.
The Apparition lessons took place in the Great Hall. When Harry and Draco arrived in the Hall, they found that the tables had disappeared. Rain lashed against the high windows and the enchanted ceiling swirled darkly about them as they assembled in front of Professors McGonagall, Snape, Flitwick, and Sprout, and a small wizard whom Harry took to be the Apparition instructor from the Ministry. He was oddly colorless, with transparent eyelashes, wispy hair, and an insubstantial air, as though a single gust of wind might blow him away. Harry wondered whether constant disappearance and reappearance had somehow diminished his substance, or whether this frail build was ideal for anyone wishing to vanish.
"Good morning," the Ministry wizard said when all the students had arrived and the Heads of Houses called for quiet. "My name is Wilkie Twycross and I shall be your Ministry Apparition instructor for the next twelve weeks. I hope to be able to prepare you for your Apparition Tests in this time many of you may be ready to take your tests.
"As you may known, it is usually impossible to Apparate or Disapparate within Hogwarts. The headmaster has lifted this enchantment, purely within the Great Hall, for one hour, so as to enable you to practice…"
"Apparition is mainly pointless," Draco whispered in Harry's ear. "If we need to get anywhere, you can simply ride on my back and we'll fly there."
"Right, and there will be countless reports of a boy riding a dragon," Harry whispered back. "Just listen to him, okay? We'll need this."
Fine, I just think my way it better," Draco shrugged, both boys returning their attention back to the Ministry official.
"…I would like each of you to place yourselves now so that you have a clear five feet of space in front of you."
There was a great scrambling and jostling as people separated, banged into each other, and ordered others out of their space. Harry and Draco stayed next to each other as this happened.
"Thank you," Twycross said. "Now then…"
He waved his wand. Old-fashioned wooden hoops instantly appeared on the floor in front of every student.
"The important things to remember when Apparating are the three D's!" Twycross said. "Destination, Determination, Deliberation!
"Step one; Fix your mind firmly upon the desired destination. In this case, the interior of your hoop. Kindly concentrate upon that destination now."
Everybody looked around furtively to check that everyone else was staring into their hoop, then hastily did as they were told. Harry gazed at the circular patch of dusty floor enclosed by his hoop and tried hard to think of nothing else (A very difficult task with his boyfriend standing next to him, radiating a very faint, but very strong, heat and delectable smell).
"Step two," Twycross said, "focus your determination to occupy the visualized space! Let your yearning to enter it flood from your mind to every particle of your body!
"Step three, and only when I give the command… Turn on the spot, feeling your way into nothingness, moving with deliberation! On my command now…one—"
Harry glanced around again; lots of people were looking positively alarmed at being asked to Apparate so quickly.
"—two—"
Harry tried to fix his thoughts on his hoop again; he had already forgotten what the three D's stood for.
"—THREE!"
Harry spun on the spot, lost balance, and nearly fell over. He was not the only one. The whole Hall was suddenly full of staggering people; Neville was flat on his back; Ernie Macmillan, on the other hand, had done a kind of pirouetting leap into his hoop and looked momentarily thrilled, until he caught sight of Dean Thomas roaring with laughter at him. Blaise and Ron almost fell on top of each other (they were next to Neville).
"Never mind, never mind," Twycross said dryly, who did not seemed to have expected anything better. "Adjust your hoops, please, and back to your original positions. …"
The second attempt was no better than the first. The third was just as bad. The fourth had Susan Bone standing in the hoop, missing her left leg and screeching in pain. The Heads of Houses converged on her; there was a great bang and a puff of purple smoke, which cleared to reveal Susan sobbing, reunited with her leg but looking horrified.
"Splinching, or the separation of random body parts," Wilkie Twycross said dispassionately, "occurs when the mind is insufficiently determined. You must concentrate continuously upon your destination, and move, without haste, but with deliberation. … thus."
As he performed an apparition, Draco leaned towards Harry and whispered, "I swear if he tells us about the three D's again, I'll show him my three D's."
"What is it? Draco's Dunderhead of a Dragon?" Harry whispered back.
"Watch it," Draco warned, sending a shiver down Harry's back.
An hour past and still nothing happened, poor Susan Bone's Splinching being the most interesting thing that had happened. Twycross left, telling the students to remember the three D's, which caused Draco to groan annoyingly.
"How did you do?" Ron asked, hurrying towards Harry and Draco. "I think I felt something the last time I tried—a kind of tingling in my feet."
"Aren't you sure the tingling wasn't in your pants Weasley?" Draco sneered, his eyes falling on Blaise and he and Neville came over. "Honestly the way you were acting Zabini, it was so undignified for a Slytherin."
"He kept talking about D's, how else am I supposed to act?" Blaise smirked. Ron gave a soft snicker while Neville's face was as red as Ron's hair.
Harry looked at the three and said, "So um… I take it everything's working out fine with your guys?"
"Yeah…" Ron said, his eyes looking downward. "It's hard but, I'm getting used to it. Neville's got a lot to learn though."
"Yeah, but we'll teach him, won't we Ron?" Blaise smirked.
"Yeah, yeah we will," Ron nodded. "That reminds me, Blaise, I've talked with Fred and George and they said it should be ready in a couple of months."
"That's good," Blaise smiled, "we gave them a very complicated order after all. Neville's going to love it."
"W-Why won't you tell me what it is?" Neville stuttered, his face still beet red.
"Cause it'll ruin the surprise, my precious baby," Blaise said. Neville looked at Ron, who just shook his head and said, "It's all Blaise's idea. And we're not supposed to argue with our Incubus, right Blaise?"
"Yes Ron," Blaise nodded. "You know Neville, you're lucky you have an older mate like Ron to help you out here. You'll never catch up if it's just us."
"I think we should go," Harry whispered in Draco's ear. The dragon just nodded and the two left the triad alone. They were both quiet, which surprised Harry as he thought Draco would be talkative about their first Apparition lesson. He looked at his boyfriend only to see the Slytherin lost in thought. "Draco?" he asked.
"Lucky…" Draco muttered. "Lucky… 'you're lucky…'" He gave a huge sigh and looked at Harry. "Lucky." He said.
"What?"
"We are never going to get the memory Harry," Draco said. "Not through the normal way."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, if we continue trying to get Slughorn's memory though any convenient means, it will not work. Slughorn will either run away, flat out refuse us, or never speak to us ever again. What we need is luck." Draco said.
"And how are we supposed to get this luck?" Harry asked. "Are we just going to—ohh!"
"Now you get it," Draco smiled. "We don't need the whole day; just an hour or two will do, and after all you've done for it—don't you think it's a good use?"
Harry beamed at Draco and grabbed his hand, his grip tight as he pulled the Drogo along. "Come on! We'll grab the bottle from my trunk right now, each take a sip, and go get that memory!"
Their footsteps echoed throughout the Grand Staircase as both boys ran up towards the seventh floor. When they've reached the top of the staircase, Harry pulled Draco to the right and they both made their way down the corridor, passing several students, and towards the Gryffindor Tower. The Fat Lady stood guard in her portrait, talking with her friend Violet, and in his excitement to get the Luck Potion, Harry yelled out the password, causing the Fat Lady and Violet to jump in fright.
"Honestly!" they both huffed as the portrait swung open. Harry and Draco rushed into the Common Room, ignoring the surprised Gryffindors and some outraged ones at the thought of a Slytherin in their Common Room (even though this is his second time being in it and Harry's dorm room for that matter).
When they've reached Harry's bed, Draco sat on it as Harry started rummaging through his trunk, looking for the Luck Potion. "I need to get you some better clothes, love," Draco muttered. "Smaller, more form fitting… matching outfits maybe?" Draco smirked.
"Now's not the time—oh where is it?" Harry groaned as he pulled out robes, pants, shirts, books, extra ink bottles, quills and parchment paper. "Aha!" Harry said as he pulled out a pair of rolled up socks. Draco was confused until Harry pulled out the tiny, gleaming bottle; it's seal still intact and golden liquid splashing happily.
"A sock? I don't know if I should lecture you on proper potion storage, or laugh at your ingenious," Draco smirked.
Harry just gave him a look before breaking the seal. He raised the bottle and took a carefully measured gulp. He handed it to Draco, who took the same amount. When it was returned, there was still a little bit of potion left. Slowly, but surely, an exhilarating sense of infinite opportunity stole through Harry; he felt as though he could have done anything, anything at all …and getting the memory from Slughorn seemed suddenly not only possible, but positively easy.
"Feeling excellent?" Harry asked Draco.
"Yes I do," Draco said, having a similar smile like Harry's. "Come on, let's go to the Forbidden Forest."
"Alright!"
Harry returned everything back quickly and joined Draco on his way out of the sixth year boys dormitory and into the Gryffindor Common room. Harry gave a laugh as Draco swept him from his feet and carried Harry out of the room, showing a sense of ownership to the gawking Gryffindors.
"Harry! There you are, hi Draco, I was wondering where I was going to find you," Hermione said, she was holding a sealed scroll. "Dumbledore gave this to me and—"
"Thanks Hermione, but right now we're going to the Forbidden Forest," Harry said, taking the scroll from Hermione one he was on his feet again.
"But… why?" Hermione asked, confused.
"We drank the Felix Felicis and now we are going to the Forbidden Forest to get Slughorn's memory," Draco said.
"Okay… well good luck. Tell Ron to come back to the common room if you see him? I promised to look over his Transfiguration essay," Hermione said.
"Will do," Harry nodded as Hermione climbed into the portrait hole. He smiled at Draco and said, "Come on!"
The two boys took their time walking through the corridors and down the Grand Staircase, holding each other's hand as they strolled. It was night time as they reached the entrance hall. Harry even hummed a little tune as they've walked, the elation in both boys simply rising with each step they took. Once outside, they've started to make a beeline towards the Forbidden Forest before stopping and deciding that it would be very pleasant to pass the vegetable patch on their walk to the Forbidden Forest. "This way is where I've marked my territory months ago," Draco said.
"You're territory?" Harry asked.
"Yes. I have the Slytherin Dungeons as a human, and my Drogo wanted something for himself. This was before we began dating, when I was an annoying prick," Draco explained.
"Ohh… so it's lonely," Harry suggested, grinning at his boyfriend.
"Oh very. A Drogo's scent can last for years," Draco nodded. "Didn't you know that?"
"No. Why? Should I smell you from everything you touched?" Harry smirked.
"Well, if you aren't, we need to fix this immediately," Draco said. "A dragon knows one way to make sure his mate reeks of his scent."
Harry laughed and hanged onto Draco. They were both pleased, though not altogether surprised to find Professor Slughorn in conversation with Professor Sprout. Harry and Draco lurked behind a low stone wall, feeling at peace with the world and listened to their conversation.
"I do thank you for taking the time, Pomona," Slughorn said courteously, "most authorities agree that they are at their most efficacious if picked at dusk."
"Oh, I quite agree," Professor Sprout said warmly. "That enough for you?"
"Plenty, plenty," Slughorn said, carrying an armful of leafy plants. "This should allow for a few leaves for each of my third years, and some to spare if anybody over-stews them. …Well, good evening to you, and many thanks again!"
Professor Sprout headed off into the gathering darkness in the direction of her greenhouses, and Slughorn directed his steps to the spot where the boys stood.
Harry jumped out of his hiding place and said, "Good evening, Professor."
"Merlin's beard, Harry, you made me jump," Slughorn said, stopping dead in his tracks nad looking wary as Draco stood as well. "How did you two get out of the castle?"
"I think Filch must've forgotten to lock the doors," Harry said cheerfully, and was delighted to see Slughorn scowl.
"I'll be reporting the man, he's more concerned about litter than proper security if you ask me. …But why are you two out here Harry, Draco?"
"Because Professor," Draco said. "We are going to the Forbidden Forest in order to gain very rare ingredients."
"Oh?" Slughorn asked, completely curious. "And what sort of rare ingredients lie in the Forbidden Forest?"
"Drogo scales sir," Harry said. "You know about Drogos right? They're a very rare Dragon whose scales are very powerful in potions. They're practically instinct because they're a creature inheritance, but we know where to find one."
"Oh really? And tell me Harry, how can you get these scales? I am very interested in experimenting with one of the scales. They can make both the best poisons and best healing potions in the world," Slughorn said, his smiling showing the endless possibilities he was imagining.
"That is very simple Professor," Draco said. "I have just to transform. You see, I am the Drogo and Harry, is my mate."
Harry nodded, a proud, joyous feeling rushing through as Draco called him his mate. Slughorn looked between the two of them, his eyes wide with shock. "Really? A Drogo and it's mate! Why it's been ages since a Drogo showed himself. To think of all the things I can do with even one scale! Why, they're said to be stronger than steel."
"They are," Draco nodded. "I can easily shrug off a Killing Curse, or any of the Unforgivable Curses. While they cannot effect me normally, the Killing Curse will simply harm me, causing me pain, while the Cruciatus Curse will simply dull me."
"It is like impenetrable armor," Slughorn whispered.
"Armor that works wonders in any potions they're in," Harry nodded. "Even a chip off of his scales can strengthen any potion." He smiled at Draco, knowing that they were having the same idea with the remainder of the Luck Potion. It was as if the information was just pouring into him from somewhere unknown.
"Strengthen any potion…" Slughorn repeated, completely entranced. He looked at the two boys. "I must admit, it is tempting to have one of these scales. Nevertheless you two are still out of bed."
"True," Harry nodded. "But still, we are doing it for academic reasons. We want to take one of Draco's scales and experiment with it in various healing potions."
"It does not hurt at all to take a scale off, they'll grow back in a day or so afterwards," Draco shrugged. "It's like getting a haircut honestly."
"We were thinking… if the healing potions work," Harry said, "then we can find a way to mass produce them so that we don't suffer as much during our fight against Voldemort."
"If this is successful, maybe we can make potions that can curse curses, fight off disease, regrow missing limbs… the possibilities are endless," Draco said.
"Many people are going to get hurt during the war," Harry said. "We're just trying our part to make it the least number of people possible."
"We can't cure death with my scales, but we can try to make sure not a lot of people die as we figure out a way to defeat the Dark Lord," Draco said confidently.
"Of course, we need every help possible," Harry said. "If Draco's scales can help… then we'll take as much as we can off of him."
Slughorn looked at the two boys, awed and shocked. "To think," he said, "that you two would go to this much for the war… so many possibilities from a Drogo scale, and you use it for healing potions against You-Know-Who."
"Would you like a scale, Professor?" Harry asked. "You can come with us, watch Draco, the first Drogo in a hundred years, transform, and then we'll give you a scale."
"Of course! Any respectable Potions Master would jump at a chance like this! Lead on Mr. Malfoy, Harry, lead on!" Slughorn said, taking their bait perfectly. The boys shared a secret smirk as they walked in front of Professor Slughorn, leading him away from the castle and to the Forbidden Forest.
"We chose the Forbidden Forest because it is private," Harry said. "We don't want anyone to see Draco transforming. They might freak out."
"Yes, yes, I'm sure they would," Slughorn said, practically jumping on his toes at the thought of having a Drogo scale. The three walked silently towards the edge of the Forbidden Forest, their process covered by cold moonlight as a full moon rose high into the air.
"If I was a werewolf, this would be the perfect time of month for mating," Draco whispered to Harry, causing his mate to blush and snicker.
When they've reach a clearing in the edge of the Forbidden Forest, the three stopped. Draco stepped forward and looked around. "Nothing is here," he said. He walked towards a tree and smiled when he saw the burn mark he made all those months back. "Come here Harry, Professor," he said.
Harry took a step towards the burnt tree and frowned at it. "Was this your doing, Draco?" he asked.
"Yes," Draco nodded. "I needed to fly for a bit, so I shifted here, and naturally my Drogo wanted to take over the Forest. I never did, I only did it one day, but this part of the forest is mine for a long time."
"Ohh," Harry nodded.
"Remarkable," Professor Slughorn said. "Fire from a Drogo is said to be able to melt even the strongest material. There is nothing that can resist Drogo's fire."
"That is true," Draco nodded. "Although when I've tried to burn the Dark Lord he was able to block it somehow."
"Do you think it might be because of the Horcruxes?" Harry wondered out loud.
"It might be," Draco nodded, both boys ignoring Slughorn turning tense. "Anyway, it is time for my scales right? Harry, Professor, step back."
Harry did, tugging Slughorn lightly as the man was still in a state of tenseness. With enough room, Draco focused and started to shift. Harry turned to see a look of amazement on Slughorn's face as silver fire started to circle around Draco, his dominant boyfriend turning from human to Dragon. Harry couldn't help but smirking at Slughorn's total look of concentration and wonderment at Draco, as if the old man was hypnotized by Draco's silver fire and morphing body. With a familiar rush of heat the fire disappeared and in place of his strong, muscular boyfriend stood a dominant, confident Drogo that simply stared at Slughorn and Harry.
Slughorn stood, his mouth hung open as he stared at Draco, taking in his silver, armor-like scales, the small wisps of silver fire floating in the air as the Drogo took a step towards the two humans. Slughorn made a yelp and jumped backwards as Harry stood his ground, finding himself again entranced by his mate's beauty, a strong need to touch him. The dragon chuckled deeply as he stood next to Harry and rubbed his head next to Harry's. "Keep calm mate, we are not alone here," Draco growled out.
"He can talk!" Slughorn gasped.
"Yes, I can talk," Draco said. He turned his head towards Slughorn and expanded his wings, stretching them fully in a show of power. Slughorn's eyes moved from wing tip to wing tip before falling on Draco's scales. Each scale formed together like chainmail, forming a sturdy skin for Draco.
"Incredible… how do we take them off?" Slughorn asked, a hand beginning to rummage in his robe pockets looking for a phial.
"Don't touch them," Harry warned. "Only I can touch his scales. If anyone else touches them, they'll burn." Draco nodded in agreement and nuzzled against his mate again as Harry patted his body to prove his point.
Slughorn's hands immediately slammed to his sides, his enormous belly jigging from the force. Harry couldn't help but laugh lightly at the sight and turned to Draco. "Should we tell him the price now?" he whispered.
"Get the scale mate," Draco said. "Rub your hand along my body until you feel a loose one. I'm sure there's one somewhere."
Harry nodded and obeyed. He rubbed his hands gently across Draco's body, trying to keep it as un-erotic as he could, searching for a loose scale. Draco gave a small groan and huffed silver fire through his snout, which only served to both scare and amaze Slughorn at once. Harry's hand glided across Draco's body, the metallic scales smooth under his touch as he moved from Draco's head towards his tail, making sure to keep it as far away from any sensitive or erogenous zones. It was hard since he didn't know the Drogo's erogenous zones, but he made the guess that the farther away from Draco's sheathed dick, the better.
When he reached Draco's tail, he finally found a couple of loose scales near the spikes. "Professor, come here, and don't worry about the spikes. Draco, stay still," Harry said.
Draco nodded and rested his tail on the ground, Harry crouching as he held it. Up close to Draco's tail, Harry realized that he could barely wrap his arms around Draco's tail. Slughorn cautiously made his way towards Harry, making an effort to keep a distance from him and the dragon.
"As soon as it's off of my body, it is safe for anyone to touch," Draco said. "It's heat comes from me."
Slughorn nodded and said, "Thank you for the warning, Mr. Malfoy. Uh Harry, the scale if you would?"
"Right," Harry said. He took hold of the scale and pulled. Like Draco said, he seemed to have felt nothing as Harry pulled it out. The individual scale was about the size of Harry's palm, it's silvery color shining against the moonlight as it cooled. He stood up and faced Slughorn. "We told you that we were going to use these scales for healing potions," Harry began, "that we were going to use this for our war effort. But there is something else we need to win the war. A way defeat Voldemort."
"Here comes the price," Slughorn frowned. "All this time, and all of this is for the memory."
"We are willing to give you the scale, we really are," Harry said. "But we need that memory Professor. The potions could only help so much, we need a way to fully defeat Voldemort, and the only way to do this is to fully understand what Horcruxes are."
"You said it yourself," Draco said, whipping his body around to face the professor. "My fire can melt anything. Whatever these Horcruxes are, I know I can destroy them."
"It is more complicated than that," Slughorn said. "I am not proud… I am ashamed of what—of what that memory shows. …I think I may have done great damage that day. …"
"You'd cancel out anything you did by giving us that memory," Harry said. "It would be a very brave and noble thing to do. …You would be helping me defeat the monster that killed my mother."
Slughorn and Harry stared at each other. There was a long, long silence, but the potion told Harry not to break it, to wait. Then, very slowly, Slughorn put his hand in his pocket and pulled out his wand. He put his other hand inside his cloak and took out a small, empty bottle. Still looking into Harry's eyes, Slughorn touched the tip of his wand to his temple and withdrew it, so that a long, silver thread of memory came away too, clinging to the wand tip. Longer and longer, the memory stretched until it broke and swung, silvery bright, from the wand. Slughorn lowerd it into the bottle where it coiled, then spread, swirling like gas. He corked the bottle with a trembling hand and then passed it to Harry.
"Thank you very much, Professor," Harry said.
"You're a good boy," Professor Slughorn said, tears trickling down his fat cheeks into his walrus mustache as Harry gave him the scale. "And you have her eyes. …Just don't think too badly of me once you've seen it. …"
Harry nodded and turned to Draco. He climbed on top of Draco's back and shimmied towards his head. "You said you wanted me to ride you," he whispered. "Come on, let's go to Dumbledore."
Draco stretched out his wings, and with a great beating of his wings, ascended into the air through the trees and into the open night sky. Hogwarts seemed like a flickering castle as the two flew around, Draco gaining more and more altitude as he made his way towards the castle, looking for the Headmaster's tower. Harry pointed it out, holding the memory tightly in one hand as Draco turned towards the tower, making for the balcony. Harry felt the Felix Felicis starting to worn off inside him, and he gave a shout of fear as Draco dove towards the balcony, silver fire surrounding them. He's shifting now!?
The balcony was coming closer and closer, but soon Harry could only see silver fire as arms started to wrap themselves around him. Harry found himself hugged against Draco's body and he looked to see that Draco kept his wings as he held Harry to him, carrying him bridal style as they gently landed on the balcony. With a burst of flames, Draco's wings disappeared and he smirked at Harry. "What? We needed to get to Dumbledore's right?" he smirked.
"You sexy jerk," Harry sneered, kissing Draco's cheek as he stood up. Draco just chuckled as he placed a protective hand on the small of Harry's back and the two walked into Dumbledore's office.
Professor Dumbledore was waiting by his desk. "Ahh, I have been expecting both of you. Though I must admit, most of my visitors tend to use my office door," he said as the boys walked from the balcony entrance and towards Dumbledore's desk.
"We have it Professor, the memory," Harry said, smiling in his excitement as he showed Dumbledore the bottle.
"Excellent Harry," Dumbledore said. "And you too Draco. I knew you both could do it!"
Dumbledore hurried around his desk, took the bottle with Slughorn's memory in his uninjured hand, and strode over to the cabinet where he kept the Pensieve.
"And now," Dumbledore said, placing the stone basin upon his desk and emptying the contents of the bottle into it. "Now, at last we shall see. Harry, Draco, quickly. …"
Harry bowed obediently over the Pensieve and felt his feet leave the office floor. …Once again he fell through darkness and landed in Horace Slughorn's office many years before.
A/N: Sorry for the delay. School was busy, but I'm on break now. So consider this a pre-holiday gift before my real holiday gift! (Which will be updated on Christmas Day! Can you guess was it is?)