a/n: (furious dancing ensues) Yes, I have started school again. BUT! I have also updated…again. Laugh with me now, I'm happy. Oh, and thank the king-size Kit-Kat bar I've just consumed for the inspiration for this chapter : )

Elleyne sat at the mahogany desk in her basement, pulling Automatic Update reference books of the modern wizarding world (AURBMWW, the abbreviation could kill you) out of a nearby shelf.

Lockhart, Lockhart, Lockhart…there were certainly a lot of references to Gilderoy himself. She looked at all of them, but most only said things about his books, his deepest desire (peace between wizards and other creatures, she doubted that had been it), and some abstract and thoroughly petty things like his favorite color. Never did it mention any people relations.

Giving up on the reference books, Elleyne took a break for some kippers and toast, and in a last desperate thought, began to flip through her copy of the Floo Network listings for the area. There were 9 Lockharts. Not as bad as it could be…but gods, you'd think if someone was related to Gilderoy, they would've come forward and said so, tried to get in on the money. She was beginning to think that there was a freak chance that Gilderoy had no living relatives.

Elleyne looked at the names of the 9 Lockharts…there was just no way of telling. Gilderoy himself was (albeit rather obviously) unlisted. Giving a great groan of frustration, Elleyne rubbed her eyes. It was 11 o' clock in the morning, she couldn't be expected to think clearly. For someone who was formerly one of the most famous wizards the world over, Gilderoy's former life was quite a mystery. He didn't even say much about it in his autobiography, Magical Me, which Elleyne had bought, only to wonder after skimming it why she was doing this. Gilderoy hinted that his life had been a rags to riches story. Not likely. The man had clearly not labored a day in his life, she could tell by looking at Roy.

After looking through many of Gilderoy's works, there came to be two Lockharts residing in Elleyne's mind. The insufferable, vain one from whom she had to seed out the almost nonexistent truth he may have uttered, that was Gilderoy. Then there was Roy, the childish man with the identification crisis and the light blue eyes and smile that were constantly grinning.

Then there was the lurking worry that the latter would become the former.

Elleyne flipped through her contacts, looking for something, anyone who would know anything. Her hand paused on the paper with Poppy Pomfrey's address on it. Poppy wouldn't be home right now, by now she would be back at Hogwarts where she served as nurse. She doubted Poppy would know anything about Roy's past, but was it possible that Albus Dumbledore would? Even if he did, she would feel out of place just coming through

Hogsmeade and up the path to Hogwarts uninvited, inquiring about something like that. But she might just have to.

"Miss Anderson, it's been a long time," Albus Dumbledore smiled at her, his light blue eyes twinkling behind his half-moon spectacles.

Once she saw the man, Elleyne's fears of seeming out of place here were completely vanished. It was as if she were still the plodding yet mischievous young girl she had been about…well, it was only eight years ago that she had attended here. It had seemed like so much longer, but now…now it seemed like only last week.

"And to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" Dumbledore inquired. They were sitting in his office, a plate of lemon tarts and fudge between them, courtesy of the house elves. Elleyne had been in this office on a couple of occasions during her stay at Hogwarts, none of them serious offences, and none of which Dumbledore had treated very seriously either. Maybe because she was in Gryffindor…Dumbledore always seemed to favor that house

"Well, as you may know sir, I've become a Healer at St. Mungo's Hospital, and I'm here on account of one of my patients."

"Ah," Dumbledore said. "Gilderoy Lockhart, by any chance?"

"H-how did you know?" Elleyne sputtered, sounding like a first class idiot. She stuffed a lemon tart into her mouth to plug it up.

"Lucky guess. Several of your patients may have been students here, but he is the only one who has taught here. How have you been keeping yourself?"

The question caught Elleyne unawares. She quickly swallowed her tart.

"How am I? I'm just fine…why?"

Dumbledore just smiled, and hummed something briefly under his breath. She felt slightly annoyed for some vague reason.

"What would you like to know about Gilderoy?"

"It's actually about—his past. Before Hogwarts, or during, or whatever. When he was a student. Who were his parents?"

"Parent. His mother did not bring him up."

"Oh. How did she die?"

A pause.

"They said she fell down the stairs."

Elleyne's mind flashed to the news a couple of days ago, the news of a girl dying…from falling down the stairs at the front of her house. Inwardly, she felt chilled.

"You don't believe that, sir?"

This time, there was only a bit of a pause before Dumbledore answered, "No. I don't."

There was a long silence before he said "No, it was Gilderoy's father, Nerolinus Lockhart, who raised him. I confess to not knowing much else about his childhood. When Gilderoy came to this school, he was a rather insecure, quiet boy. A couple of times, he was the victim of bullying from older students, but I don't believe he was a regular target."

"Do you happen to know who any of his friends were?"

Dumbledore looked thoughtful for a second, then said, "Would you forgive me if I said I didn't remember?"

"No, that's okay. But…the thing is, Gilderoy has been getting his memory back by way of dreams."

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows. "That is interesting."

"I thought so. But they're only flashbulb memories, and they may be scattered. He remembers certain things happening, but doesn't remember the reason for them, the stories behind events in his life."

"So what he needs is a trigger of some kind."

"Right. I'm hoping that if I find out enough…personal information, he will remember the rest."

"That may be a high order."

Elleyne sighed. "Don't I know it."

Dumbledore peered at her closely. "I doubt whether you're supposed to be doing it either."

Elleyne had no answer for that.

"Do you know where his father lives?" she asked, after a time.

"That I can tell you, though he has tried to stay hidden rather well, ever since the fame of his son hit the world."

She didn't have much time to think about this, before Dumbledore had given her the needed information. She turned to go, and looked back at him on the way.

"Thank you, sir," she said, thinking that there was more she could say, but not saying it.

Dumbledore just gave her another intense, sparkling look over the top of his spectacles. When she had turned again and started through the door, he spoke.

"Good luck, Miss Anderson. I hope you get what you're looking for."