AR/DM: I'm in a writing mood tonight and since being able to type on my dad's laptop is really fun (I know, I need to get out more often) I think I should update this story more. Well, read, review, and enjoy!
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I sat in my office reading a praise letter, when there came a soft knock on my door. It was early on a Saturday morning and I didn't expect any of the students to be up this early.
"Come in," I called and set down the letter. To my surprise, the door was opened by Alice Riddle. She was shaking and she didn't look like she'd slept in days.
"What can I help you with?" I asked with concern.
She slid into the seat trembling, "Professor Dumbledore, I would like to transfer to another school."
"Why?" I was shocked and concerned, "It's not yet Christmas and yet you wand to leave here so badly."
Alice looked at the floor, "Someone told me something...about my father."
I was afraid something like this would happen, "What did they tell you?"
At this Alice broke down and began crying, "They said m-m-my name spelled 'I-I alone and T-Tom Riddle's ch-ch-child'." She sobbed into her hands.
"Do you believe the person that told you this?"
Alice nodded, "I-I don't s-see hot they c-could be wrong."
"Who told you?"
Alice looked at me in fear and then once again looked at the floor. She didn't answer.
I looked at her sternly. I was almost sure of who her inform could be, but I didn't like my conclusion.
"Alice?" I pressed.
"If you please, Professor. I'd rather not say," she whispered meekly.
I nodded, "Very well, Alice. You do not have to tell me. But I must insist that you not listen to the person who told you this or do anything they say. If you do, it could have horrible consequences for everyone. Understood?"
Alice nodded.
"Very well. You may leave. But remember, none of the students must know. Not even young Harry, Ron, or Hermione."
"Of course, Professor," she smiled slightly and then left.
I sighed. I now knew that Voldemort was still in contact with his only daughter. My only hope was that Alice would not listen to him again.
* * * * *
I went looking for Alice when I couldn't find her in the common room. She had been avoiding me for the past few days, and I wanted to know why. She was my friend and I was worried about her. Hermione didn't know what was bothering her. The most she knew was that, about three days ago, Alice had appeared very stressed about something but she wouldn't say what. Ron didn't know anything about Alice. She didn't like to share personal information with him.
"Alice!" I yelled in surprise when I saw her walk out of the passageway to Dumbledore's office.
She spun. I was surprised to see that she had been crying.
"Alice what's wrong?" I asked her in shock.
She wiped her eyes, getting rid of a few last tears,
"I'm fine. I was just speaking with Dumbledore."
I was even more shocked at that. Dumbledore had always seemed so kind. I had never known him to make somebody cry.
"Are you being transferred?" I asked, trying to keep the worry out of my voice.
Alice laughed softly, "Of course not," she smiled at me in a way I couldn't quite understand, "But I'm glad that you were so worried about me."
I blushed and she began to walk away.
"Wait, Alice," I called, "What did you talk to Dumbledore about?"
Alice paused for a second, as if searching for an answer, "My family," she said after a moment.
"What about them?"
Alice shrugged, "Oh, nothing really. Dumbledore just new my parents and was telling me about them. That's all."
I was reminded of my first year, "Yah, I can understand why that would make you want to cry."
"Yes, it did," Alice nodded, "As you can see, I was more than a little teary eyed." She chuckled at her own joke and I smiled.
"Well, if you ever need to talk to someone, I'm right here," I said.
"Thanks, Harry. It's good to know I have someone here to talk to," Alice smiled sweetly at me and then walked away. This time I let her go. But, after the conversation, Alice was always a lot nicer to me.
* * * * *
* * * * *
I sat in my office reading a praise letter, when there came a soft knock on my door. It was early on a Saturday morning and I didn't expect any of the students to be up this early.
"Come in," I called and set down the letter. To my surprise, the door was opened by Alice Riddle. She was shaking and she didn't look like she'd slept in days.
"What can I help you with?" I asked with concern.
She slid into the seat trembling, "Professor Dumbledore, I would like to transfer to another school."
"Why?" I was shocked and concerned, "It's not yet Christmas and yet you wand to leave here so badly."
Alice looked at the floor, "Someone told me something...about my father."
I was afraid something like this would happen, "What did they tell you?"
At this Alice broke down and began crying, "They said m-m-my name spelled 'I-I alone and T-Tom Riddle's ch-ch-child'." She sobbed into her hands.
"Do you believe the person that told you this?"
Alice nodded, "I-I don't s-see hot they c-could be wrong."
"Who told you?"
Alice looked at me in fear and then once again looked at the floor. She didn't answer.
I looked at her sternly. I was almost sure of who her inform could be, but I didn't like my conclusion.
"Alice?" I pressed.
"If you please, Professor. I'd rather not say," she whispered meekly.
I nodded, "Very well, Alice. You do not have to tell me. But I must insist that you not listen to the person who told you this or do anything they say. If you do, it could have horrible consequences for everyone. Understood?"
Alice nodded.
"Very well. You may leave. But remember, none of the students must know. Not even young Harry, Ron, or Hermione."
"Of course, Professor," she smiled slightly and then left.
I sighed. I now knew that Voldemort was still in contact with his only daughter. My only hope was that Alice would not listen to him again.
* * * * *
I went looking for Alice when I couldn't find her in the common room. She had been avoiding me for the past few days, and I wanted to know why. She was my friend and I was worried about her. Hermione didn't know what was bothering her. The most she knew was that, about three days ago, Alice had appeared very stressed about something but she wouldn't say what. Ron didn't know anything about Alice. She didn't like to share personal information with him.
"Alice!" I yelled in surprise when I saw her walk out of the passageway to Dumbledore's office.
She spun. I was surprised to see that she had been crying.
"Alice what's wrong?" I asked her in shock.
She wiped her eyes, getting rid of a few last tears,
"I'm fine. I was just speaking with Dumbledore."
I was even more shocked at that. Dumbledore had always seemed so kind. I had never known him to make somebody cry.
"Are you being transferred?" I asked, trying to keep the worry out of my voice.
Alice laughed softly, "Of course not," she smiled at me in a way I couldn't quite understand, "But I'm glad that you were so worried about me."
I blushed and she began to walk away.
"Wait, Alice," I called, "What did you talk to Dumbledore about?"
Alice paused for a second, as if searching for an answer, "My family," she said after a moment.
"What about them?"
Alice shrugged, "Oh, nothing really. Dumbledore just new my parents and was telling me about them. That's all."
I was reminded of my first year, "Yah, I can understand why that would make you want to cry."
"Yes, it did," Alice nodded, "As you can see, I was more than a little teary eyed." She chuckled at her own joke and I smiled.
"Well, if you ever need to talk to someone, I'm right here," I said.
"Thanks, Harry. It's good to know I have someone here to talk to," Alice smiled sweetly at me and then walked away. This time I let her go. But, after the conversation, Alice was always a lot nicer to me.
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