"Hello Severus," a voice floated from across the room, "my sources tell me you've come into possession of something quite valuable."
"I don't know what you mean, Albus," replied Snape, lifting his eyes to the small, simple portrait frame lying face down on the mantelpiece, before crossing the room and righting it.
"Thank you, Severus, that was an exceedingly boring view," said Dumbledore airily. "This is much better."
"What is it you think I have, Albus?"
"Mundungus Fletcher tells me that in June, you purchased a rather valuable locket from him," replied Dumbledore, blue eyes twinkling.
"Oh, yes, the locket," replied Snape, somewhat reluctantly.
"Tell me, Severus, how did you know?"
"Know what?"
"Don't be sheepish, Severus. You know what I'm referring to."
Snape sighed, before walking over to a box on his desk. Removing a false bottom with a spell, he lifted out a large silver pendant.
"The silent portrait of Salazar Slytherin in our common room," Snape replied. "I often studied it, since I was a student, even. I find him....fascinating. I recognised the pendant at once as Slytherin's. Mundungus the fool had no idea, of course, so I got it for a fraction of its true value."
Dumbledore's expression didn't change, though a careful observer might have noticed a touch of relief grace his eyes.
"I trust Tom knows nothing of this?" enquired Dumbledore, looking over his half-moon spectacles from the portrait frame.
"Tell him? Just so he could take it from me?" Snape sneered, gazing through the small window of his bedroom. "I know how much it would mean to him. I rather like knowing that I have something he desires so much."
"Well unfortunately, Severus, I'm afraid you won't be able to keep it much longer. That locket is rather more important than you realise."
Snape simply let his gaze linger on the dim sky outside.
"Of course, Albus, as soon as I come into possession of something I so value, it must be taken from me," sighed Snape. "Such is your genius, and my luck. Why, may I ask?"
"I cannot tell you," replied Dumbledore, predictably. Snape was used to being kept in the dark. "In fact, I would have much preferred it had you never come across it in the first place. If Tom ever were to find out we had this conversation, the results would be disastrous. You must simply believe me when I say that Tom needs this locket far more than you could ever imagine, and you will be spiting him more by placing it in the care of the Order than you ever could by merely coveting it."
"Yes, Albus, of course," replied Snape, his eyes downcast. "You're going to destroy it, aren't you? It's a shame, a terrible waste."
"It will probably be irreversibly damaged, yes," replied the portrait honestly. Snape merely nodded.
"On a brighter note, how is our little project coming along?" Dumbledore's figure leant forward in his armchair, expectant.
"It is not yet ready, though it is close. Perhaps another week, most of my work is done, it simply needs to brew. It is difficult," Snape admitted, though he also seemed pleased with himself. "The Dark Lord has promoted me, and has been rather demanding of my time since my... ah, achievement."
"Very well, Severus, I trust you are going as fast as you can. How much did you say you were preparing?"
"I decided upon a full cauldron, in the end. One drop of mandrake essence is enough for a full cauldron when other ingredients are combined, according to the proportions you provided. I didn't dare try to use a smaller amount; even the smallest error in measurement would represent a very large change in the proportions at such as small volume. That is also why it is taking so long. I need only add the Dittany of Crete and asphodel tomorrow afternoon, before it will be ready to sit."
"Very well. Thank you, Severus, you are doing a wonderful job. As soon as it is ready, let me know."
"Of course." Snape inclined his head.
"One more thing, Severus," added Dumbledore. "I must ask you how young Mr. Malfoy has been faring?"
"He is...." Snape's eyes were lowered, he shuffled his feet. "The Dark Lord and Bellatrix tortured and killed Lucius and Narcissa in front of Draco, as a lesson. He is damaged, as you can imagine. He will either fully submit to the Dark Lord's will, or else he will attempt to break away once he has had time to recover. Either way I do not see it ending well for the boy. In the mean time, he is.... shell-like. But alive."
"Very well, Severus," answered the portrait, sadness colouring his voice. "He is not yet beyond rescue, though his experience will have affected him greatly. I can only hope he starts making better choices for himself. Can I ask you, Severus, to please do all you can to push him away from the Death Eaters?"
"But Albus, if I am seen to be undermi-"
"Not like that, Severus," said the portrait, raising a hand. "Taunt him. Bully him. Make him despise you, Tom, the Death Eaters, and everything they stand for. I happen to know you have a talent for that."
"Albus, I do n-"
"Please, Severus, you do. It is who you are, and we accept it. Now use it. If he can be convinced to flee, the Order may be able to step in, win his trust."
"You always were an accepting one, weren't you, Albus?" commented Snape drily. "Very well, I will see what I can do. If he flees, I will alert you. We can only hope."
"Thank you, Severus. I know you will do your best."
Harry, Ron and Hermione had been poring over Dumbledore's memories of Riddle in the Pensieve for almost a week, but were having little luck. They suspected Hufflepuff's Cup, as had Dumbledore, but had no definitive evidence, nor any clue where it could be hidden. They had found a memory in which Riddle was seen admiring, almost trancelike, a statue of Hufflepuff holding her Cup, but that was the only success they had had so far. Dumbledore's portrait offered assistance and suggestions, but as these were Dumbledore's own memories of his explorations of Tom's past, and they were looking for details overlooked rather than the obvious, it was still a very slow process.
"Perhaps we're not looking in the right places," offered Ron. "If Dumbledore's portrait can't think of anything, maybe we should explore some of the places ourselves. Like Dumbledore did."
"Perhaps a wise suggestion," chimed in the portrait, who had only that moment returned from the Ministry. "But first, I have news. Voldemort's infiltration of the Ministry seems not to have progressed much further, or else he's being very quiet about it. Scrimgeour is acting rather normally, and there have been few indications anybody else has fallen under the Imperius curse, or are Death Eaters themselves. This is fantastic news: it suggests that there is an organised resistance within the Ministry, thwarting, for the moment, Tom's plans, or at least forcing him to be cautious. Scrimgeour is still Imperiused, however, and that remains as significant as ever."
The trio didn't really know whether to take this as good news or bad. They were glad to be informed, however.
"Secondly, Harry, that birthday present I mentioned earlier. It will be ready in three days. Professor McGonagall will deliver it to you. Now, I must pop off. Many things to do. I must say, I'm far more busy as a portrait than I ever was as a Headmaster. Do keep at it!" And with that, Dumbledore vanished from the frame, before Harry could begin to ask the question that had been formulating as Dumbledore spoke. Instead, he asked Ron and Hermione.
"Birthday present? Nice, I'd forgotten about that. What do you reckon it is?"
"Beats me," said Ron, grinning. "You should just be glad you're getting another bloody one."
Hermione simply looked at the pair as if they were stupid. "Can't you two see that this will be more than a simple present. Didn't you see how quickly Dumbledore left after he mentioned it? He really did not want to discuss it. This will be something important, I know it. Something to do with defeating V-Voldemort."
Hermione stammered at the name, though she was getting used to saying it. Ron still cringed, but he too was using the name.
"In fact, I'd be willing to bet it will be Slytherin's locket," continued Hermione. "You both saw how odd he acted when he heard Snape had bought it, as if he didn't believe it, especially when I said it happened before Snape betrayed him. He knows something."
"That's all very well, Hermione," said Harry, "and it might be important, but I wouldn't get your hopes up that it's the locket. Dumbledore mentioned the birthday present when I first spoke to him, the day after Bill's wedding. He didn't even know whether we'd found the locket at that point. On my birthday, he said it wasn't ready yet. You don't have to prepare a locket."
"Oh," said Hermione, disappointed. It wasn't often she was wrong about these things. "Well, we'll see. In any case, back to your suggestion Ron. Where do you think we should look?"
"I think we should check out the orphanage," he said. "Start at the beginning."
"But Dumbledore has already been there," said Harry, annoyed at their lack of progress.
"We checked out his memories, it's not there any more, it's a bed and breakfast for Merlin's sake!"
"Well, we should check it again," said Ron, unusually confident. "I want to check his room. Dumbledore didn't really look properly, did he? Not to knock the old man, but he only asked for information, and left when he found out where that Mrs Cole's daughter was living. I'll bet going back to check it properly would have been one of the first things on his list after the cave trip."
"I suppose he did get side-tracked," said Harry thoughtfully, remembering the chain of memories they had reviewed taking Dumbledore to the ring. "It would be good to get away from this Pensieve and do something else, for a change. Feel like we're achieving something."
"Then it's settled," said Ron, standing up. "Let's go."
Both Harry and Hermione were rather taken aback by Ron's sudden decisiveness. Hermione was looking at Ron with a look that was very hard to place, a mixture of confusion, pride and.... Harry thought Hermione might have been admiring Ron as well.
"Great," said Hermione. "Lead the way, Ron." Ron's ears went redder than his hair.
They found the orphanage by reviewing Dumbledore's more recent memory of the orphanage, which came from only about 4 years ago. Hermione, after some careful study, recognised a brief flash of Vauxhall station just off the road upon which Dumbledore strode towards the old orphanage.
"I know that station! The orphanage is in Battersea," cried Hermione triumphantly, before they left the memory. Once they had surfaced, the continued, "Or Nine Elms. It's on Nine Elms Lane. There's a restaurant near there that my parents simply love. I know just where to go."
They reviewed Dumbledore's original memory of meeting Riddle, memorising exactly which room had been Tom's. They Apparated to Hermione's house, to look up the number of the bed and breakfast, and Hermione phoned to see if the room was occupied.
".....Second landing, first door you see. Of course it isn't? Haunted?" At this, Hermione shot Harry and Ron a meaningful glance. "Well of course, that's why we want to see it. Yes, yes, quite sure. A school project, that's all. Would we be able to come tonight? That's perfect, thank you!"
As neither Ron nor Harry had any clue where Battersea was, and Apparating to a place you'd never been before was very tricky business, especially for the inexperienced, they decided it was best to take Muggle transport.
The trio made sure to dress as casually as possible for the Muggle world (there would be no dragon hide boots or gloves for Harry this time, though he did wear his graphorn hide undershirt and the Weasley travelling coat to deflect attention), before setting off. They Apparated with a pop, arriving at the one Muggle train station they all knew: Kings Cross.
Hermione led them to the Tube lines, leading a baffled Harry and Ron, who had only ever experienced the overground platforms at Kings Cross.
"OK, we want the Victoria Line," instructed Hermione, "Southbound. Ah, here, follow me," she said, finding a sign directing them to the right platform.
"Now, we want Vauxhall station, so make sure it's going that far at least," she continued once they'd arrived at their platform. "Yes, Brixton, 1 minute. Perfect."
Before long they were on the train, Ron trying hard not to comment on the newspapers and ads with images that would stay stubbornly still no matter how long he looked, the slender electronic display revealing which station was next, or the annoyingly obvious lack of a food trolley.
"The Hogwarts Express is the only train I've ever been on, you know," he confided to Harry as quietly as possible. "Whenever I've been on a train, I've had chocolate frogs and stuff. It's making me hungry!"
"Oh, quiet, Ron, stop complaining," whispered Hermione. "Besides, you hardly need an excuse to be hungry."
At this Harry sniggered, and Ron punched him not-so-gently in the arm.
Eventually, it was announced that they'd arrived at Vauxhall station. Hermione once again led the way, and they exited the station, opening out onto a wide street.
"This way, come on," led Hermione, beckoning Ron and Harry.
"How far is it?" complained Ron as they walked, not used to spending so much time on transport.
"Shut it, Ron," replied Hermione irritably. "Would you prefer to get splinched? Or end up in the Thames? Besides, it will be 5 minutes."
It turned out to be more like 10 minutes, but this didn't worry Hermione. Eventually they found the place. By this time, the sun had begun to set, lending the place a rather spooky atmosphere.
They were ushered up the stairs, the wide-eyed middle-aged receptionist chatting nervously about how anybody who was given the room always asked to be moved the next day.
"It's just gives 'em the creeps, you see," she said. "I feel it too, just cleaning it up makes me hairs stand on end. Nothing about it I can place, but everyone's the same. Well, here it is."
They had arrived on the second landing, and there was the long corridor from Dumbledore's memory, and there was the door to Tom Riddle's old room.
"I'll leave you three to it," the receptionist said as she opened the door. "I try to avoid going in there when I can."
The trio entered, and immediately, they knew what she'd meant. But to them, it wasn't creepy. It just felt like one of those places that had known magic. Lots of it. They got excited.
"Are you getting the same feeling I am?" asked Harry, gazing around at the walls, the window, the bed. Ron murmured "yep", while Hermione nodded.
The room was almost unrecognisable from the one in Dumbledore's memory. The walls had stayed where they were, and that was about it. The bed was different, and moved, the cupboard which Dumbledore had set alight was no longer there, and the carpet was completely different. Well, it had been some time since it was last an ophanage.
"So, uh, what are we looking for again?" asked Harry, after a brief circuit of the room.
"I dunno," replied Ron, "but there's definitely something here."
"But how do we find it?" wondered Hermione. She tapped on the floorboards with her fingers, testing for hollowness.
"He'll hardly have hidden something under the floorboards," Ron said, his annoyance audible. "He's only the greatest Dark Wizard of all time."
"I was just trying!"
"Yeah, well, it was stupid."
"Well sorry, Ronald oh wise one, what's your plan?"
"I dunno," said Ron after a stumped pause. "We'll keep looking, I guess. Just.... use your head."
Hermione shot Ron a look that could have melted steel. Harry grinned to himself. He hadn't walked in on the pair since the morning of their trip into Diagon Alley, but the signs were still popping up. Even when they were bickering, there was a.... closeness to it, something extra. They were comfortable with each other.
After a fruitless search effort, examining the walls and floors for serpent figures, etchings, anything at all, the trio were forced to call it a night. They thanked the receptionist on their way down, walked a short distance before they found a nice gap between two buildings, slipped out of view and Apparated back to Headquarters.