Note : Sorry for the delay ! This has been a hell of a chapter write because it is a) very long b) supposed to be the key part of this story, according to my initial plan. The next chapter is almost finished and I'm on holidays, so it should be published soon, hopefully.
Caspian arrives in chapter five, I promise !
At thirteen, Edmund knows almost everything there is know about the castle and his surroundings- especially when it comes to his own house. He's never happier that when he discovers a new hidden pathway or when the Bloody Baron tells him another story about Salazar Slytherin. The ghost seems to like him- at least, as much as much as he can like anyone- and Edmund finds more pleasant to spend his free time with him or bunch of old books than with the other boys.
To anybody outside their house he might seem lonely, but he doesn't act this way because he's shunned away by his fellows Slytherin or anything, and rather because the main occupations of his mates and the daily struggle to stay at the top of hierarchy don't amuse him as much as it used to. There's also the fact that, unlike most of them, he doesn't entertain the idea of joining the Quidditch team and doesn't need to study much to succeed, which mean he's left with many free hours during which he can practice his new found hobby-Hogwarts' exploration.
That's why somewhere during march, he ends up in the requirement room, searching for one particular item in the cluttered shelves- Tom Riddle's pensieve.
He's very proud of this last discovery. He learned the existence both of the room and of the artifact at the annual Halloween ghost's diner. The Bloody Baron was the one to invite him, obviously. It was where he met the Grey Lady for the first time-Rovena Rawenclaw's unique daughter. She stared at him with a frightened look when he entered the room, and Edmund knew right away there was something interesting to dig there. So he sat next to her at the large table, waiting for her to unravel. It took her only forty minutes to admit he made her think of someone else-another young, dark-haired guy who knew all the hidden corners of the castle, with clever eyes and a slytherin scarf. Edmund didn't need to be a genius to figure out who she was referring to. It was a golden occasion to learn more about Riddle's youth and Edmund gladly took it.
With a great deal of persuasion and sweet talking, he eventually discovered that she had known him quite well and made him numerous confidence- among which the existence of the Room of Requirement. Edmund had already heard about this particular room, of course, but for the first time, he had the precise location of the place, and that only was worth his presence to the ghost's feast. But the best was yet to come, because at one point in the evening, she whispered to him "I think he found the old pensieve there. The one he talked to me about. He was fourteen at the time, barely older than you are now. I think he wasn't quite sure of how to use it."
Edmund immediately pressed her to learn more about this mysterious pensieve, but that was all she was able to tell him about it. Maybe Tom Riddle discarded it, or, more probably, eventually learned to use it the way he wanted to and didn't deem it useful to inform the Grey Lady. Edmund's pretty sure he only revealed carefully chosen facts and his confidences had a clear purpose. He was too manipulative to do otherwise and Edmund has no doubt every single of his interactions with the Grey Lady, or anyone else for that matter, had a precise goal.
Anyway, one thing was sure- Riddle had discovered the existence of a requirement room and found out a pensieve there and had probably decided to use it for himself. How? Why?
When he eventually finds out the pensieve- well, more exactly, when he finds one pensieve, there can't be that many in the Requirement Room,- he's the proudest he has ever been in his entire life. He has discovered an artifact nobody knew the existence of, in a room almost nobody has never heard of, and this could lead him to an extensive knowledge of the greatest dark wizard in the history of Great Britain. For one fleeting second, he considers handing it to an older, more experimented wizard who could use it more efficiently- and by that he means Dumbledore, because unlike most of his Slytherin fellows, he recognizes the intelligence and the talent of their school headmaster-, but he dismisses it pretty quickly. He has discovered it by himself- he deserves to explore it alone.
The memories of Tom Riddle- Edmund discovered the actual name earlier this year- are not exactly what he expected them to be. Not that he had a precise idea, obviously, but he made some hypothesizes. He knew the pensieve was a way to empty one's too full head and he imagined the memories to be very idle one, which didn't have to be kept in mind. Or on the opposite, complex and intricate one-and so important one-which had to to be withdrawn to be examined carefully and clear-headed. At least that's how Edmund would use it.
But Riddle's memories are nothing of the sort. They're almost all about him only-he's usually sat on his bed, staring at empty spaces in front of him, and talking. Oh yes, he does a great deal of talking. About him, a bit- not his personality, but some of his ambitions and great plans for the future- but foremost about his vision of the wizards' world. His hate of smuggle and mudbloods, the necessity to improve wizardry's skills and to boost magic's potential. Edmund can sense the future You-Know-Who or The Dark Lord, depending on which side you're are, right there. Still, they feel weird, unusual- almost as if they were artificial memories, neatly constructed by Riddle himself- Edmund is beginning to think this is indeed the case.
The only one which feels normal is a short piece of his first encounter with Dumbledore, where the Headmaster sets an old wardrobe on fire and Riddle screams. It only lasts thirty seconds or so- the beginning as well as the end of the meeting have been left out, but Edmund guesses the circumstances both from Riddle's age and their surroundings, rather miserable looking, which fits with the description of the orphanage where he's supposed to have spent his childhood- he knew this from previous researches. He certainly understands why this is a memory the young Riddle would have liked to get rid of- it is a humiliating one and Dumbledore's superiority on him at the time is painfully obvious- and so the only one he can make sense of.
The other few Edmund has been able to see all feel as if they were imagined and constructed to be shown to an audience. He wonders if it is possible to modify one's own memories- he's pretty sure it is. He wonders too if this has to do with the fact that Tom Riddle decided, probably on purpose, to abandon the pensieve in this very room. Even if the Requirement Room is a very confidential place, he should have deduced from the clutter that many students were bound to land there accidentally. So maybe he planned that it would be discovered at one moment or another and decided to use I as a tool to convey his opinions- a wild guess, but it was the best Edmund could come up with.
But even if these memories sound fake, they're still interesting to visit. Riddle was already fascinating at fourteen, the way a venomous snake is fascinating-beautiful, but deadly. Edmund knows most of his thesis- they haven't changed much-, but hearing them in his own voice has a particular appeal he can't draw himself from, even if he's not particularly convinced by them in the first place. He can't help but listening over and over the same memories. He tries to convince himself he does it because he wants to catalog his expressions, his gestures and slowly unravel his hidden personality, but he always ends up sitting in front of him, staring at his face and drinking to his every words. At one point, Edmund's tired of having to go to the Requirement Room every time, and he moves the pensieve in his dorm. He tries very hard not think about what this means about him.
Dumbledore eventually learns up the existence of the pensieve. Edmund doesn't exactly why or how-maybe one of his Slytherin fellows noticed his little habit and decided to report to the Head of their house, who deemed the problem serious inform to information the headmaster. It might be Miraz-he and Edmund got into a fight not two weeks ago.
Anyway, Dumbledore knows, and that's why he's currently sitting in his office, worrying about his likely expelling. What is the sentence for this anyway? How is it even supposed to work? At this point, Edmund has no doubt the headmaster has discovered the specificity of this particular pensieve. It would indeed be very naive to think otherwise. His head is spinning as he ponders his current situation. Across the room, the scarlet phoenix is staring at him- as much as a phoenix is able to stare anyway- and he can't help but decipher contempt in that look. Behind his back, Dumbledore is shuffling in his shelves, as if to stress him furthermore by making him wait. After five excruciatingly quiet minutes, the headmaster eventually sits behind his desk. Edmund looks for the familiar malice in his expression and finds none.
"I'm going to ask you a few questions." he tells him in a deep voice. "I would like you to answer honestly to all of them, even when it bothers you. Otherwise, I would have to resort to Veritaserum, no matter how much it pains me. Do you understand?"
Edmund nods promptly and notices with horror his hands are shaking under the table. He immediately clutches them into fists.
"Very well." Dumbledore answers quietly. "First, could you tell me who helped you to find this pensieve?"
"No one." replies swiftly Edmund- which isn't technically a lie since he found the damn thing in the Requirement Room all by himself-, but it doesn't seem to be the answer the headmaster is expecting if his frown is anything to go by.
"Am I supposed to believe you fell on it by pure chance?" he asks with disapproving eyes, and Edmund blurts out part of the truth without thinking.
"No, I didn't. I found it because I was searching for it. The Grey Lady told me about it."
"Right." Dumbledore nods. "He doesn't push further- he doesn't even ask where he found it exactly-, which is a relief since Edmund hopes to keep the existence of the Requirement Room as confidential as possible. "For how long have been keeping it in your dorm?"
"It has been in my room for almost two weeks now."
"Do you think you explored its whole content?"
Edmund can't help but scratch his head at this- this particular question has been on his own mind for ages now. "I can't say for sure. I think I did, but I don't know how a pensieve is supposed to work exactly. I'm pretty sure I handled it badly to be honest."
"My opinion is that it contains seven memories." cuts Dumbledore gravely. "Do you agree with this figure?"
Edmund has to counts on his finger, to his great shame. It seems to be the right number, but they all jumble in his head when he tries to consider them separately.
"I do, but once again, I'm not sure. It's hard to distinguish them, they all look very alike.
"Exactly." interrupts brusquely the headmaster, and for the first time in their exchange, he seems less angry than curious. "They all look alike, and I think that's exactly what makes them so interesting."
"Almost as if they were try." mumbles Edmund, thinking out loud. To his surprise, Dumbledore jumps on the idea.
"My thoughts precisely. As if they were failed try. As if he wanted to do something bigger, greater, and made a mistake in the process." The headmaster stays quiet a moment after this, buried in h his own mind, and Edmund can't help but ask him cautiously.
"What make you think he failed, sir?"
"Well, it's rather obvious, isn't it?" Dumbledore answers calmly. "If he had succeeded, he wouldn't have left it there- this sort of thing is rather precious, you see. It feels like an abandon to me. I could be wrong, of course.", he adds after a beat.
"What did he want to achieve, in your opinion?" Edmund asks again, pressing on his luck-,his curiosity getting the better of him.
"That is a question even I wouldn't dare to answer definitely." replies the headmaster thoughtfully. "I wouldn't want to risk being awfully wrong. But that is not the reason I summoned you here, M. Pevensie."
With this unique sentence, Edmund is brought back to his current situation- a guilty student, waiting for a punishment he doesn't think he deserve. What is he even accused of?
"The problem with Lord Voldemort" declares Dumbledore quietly, taking him aback, "is that he does not only tempt fools and weak-minded. It would be too easy otherwise. Clever one, such as yourself, can be appealed too. They may fall under his influence, willingly or not. And I'm not talking about Imperio. I'm talking about sweet talking, sly persuasion and fake empathy, improbable offers presented with easy manners and a charming smile. I've seen use these particular powers many time, and I can assure you he was good, even as a teenager. Do you realize the influence he already had on you ? You must have listened to him for hours, heard him pronounce the same sentences over and over- and he was only a figment in a pensieve. Can you imagine his real power?"
"I think I know what I was looking for in this pensieve, sir." cuts Edmund, feeling suddenly frustrated. The way Dumbledore describes his behavior is making him look stupid, and he hates it. "I was only curious. I wanted to learn more about him. That's why I kept listening him, again and again-I was searching for answers which seemed to escape me."
"And that precisely where rests the illusion." the headmaster declares with a tired smile. "You thought you were able to decipher Lord Voldemort, as many did before you, even among his followers. They all failed, as you were bound to.
"You might be right." admits Edmund brusquely, to his great surprise. The headmaster's words hit him hard- he can't just dismiss them because he wants to. There's a part of truth in what he has just been told, something that has been nagging his mind but he has always been unable to translate into words.
"I'm glad we agree." Dumbledore answers, and Edmund stares at him- his eyes are twinkling behind his half moon's glasses.
"How are you going to punish me?" he blurts out suddenly-this has been torturing him since the beginning of their interview. Dumbledore shakes slowly his head, as if he was disappointed by Edmund's question.
"I can't actually. You made several mistakes, which were serious one- for instance, you should have come to see me the minute you discovered the pensieve- but I'm unable to think of a punishment which would fit your excess of curiosity and your recklessness. A light one would be useless, whereas a too severe would be unadapted. Of course, I could always remove points from your House..." he says casually-Edmund breathes sharply. "...but I don't think it would settle the matter correctly. And there's the annoying fact that you could be considered as a victim as well as a culprit in this business. No, I think the only think I can do is giving you advice. Don't ever overestimate yourself, Mr Pevensie. As lame as it may sound, you have to try and foresee the likely consequences of any important choice you may make in the near future."
Edmund nods solemnly- it's not exactly life-changing revelation, but he's not sure what he was expecting anyway. For now, he's just relieved he hasn't been expelled for his stupidity. But their interview is probably going to end any minute now- Dumbledore is already standing-and there's at least one more thing he would like to ask.
"Do you meant it, sir? When you said I was clever, I mean."
"Of course I meant it." answered the headmaster in a surprised tone. "After all, you're a thirteen year old boy who managed to discover a precious artifact nobody had even heard of. Do you doubt your cleverness, Mr Pevensie?"
"Not exactly," Edmund replies earnestly-because no, he doesn't-before adding. "It's just that wizards from my house are rarely praised for their intelligence, sir. It looks like we're only supposed to get things by ruse."
"Which is often associated to cleverness, I assure you. After all, the great Merlin himself was a Slytherin- nobody would dare to say Ravenclaw has the monopoly on intelligence."
"Merlin ended up imprisoned because he was too much of a fool in front of Lady of the Lake." Edmund answers without thinking. Dumbledore chuckles.
"Slyherin can act foolishly when it comes to love..and Gryffondor can be blinded by their thirst of ambition. Don't presume too much on people's house."
The headmaster seems thoughtful saying these words, and, as he's accomagnied back to the door, Edmund can't help but wonder what's on his mind- it frustates him a great deal.
"I do not doubt you'll eventually become a great wizard, Mr Pevensie." declares solemnly Dumbledore. "Try to become a good one as well." Before Edmund can think of anything to say, he adds with a smile."I think your siblings may be waiting for you outside."
Edmund freezes instantly. He rembembers his daily fight with Peter these last months, Susan's contempt when it comes to him- they're gonna hate him more than ever. They wont want to consider him as part of the family anymore. Being sorted in Slytherin was bad enough for them, but this...
"Did you tell them ?" he asks Dumbledore in a hesitant tone.
"Not all of it, obvioulsy- I merely explained you had a difficult encounter with dark forces. I didn't consider it was useful to give all the detail. For that matter, Mr Pevensie, I think it would best to avoid talking about your little experience. I would like to keep it as confidential as possible. This item could arouse many desires. I'm not even sure if it's best to destroy or to hide it."
Edmund nods, salutes the headmaster, and eventually steps out of the office. As soon as he's in the corridor, he's taken in a tight embrace. It's Peter, and he's babbling, saying things like "We were so worried about you," "What happened for god's sake, what did you get into ?", and Susan is standing right next to them, and she looks like she has been crying.
And it's at this precise moment, as his ribs are being crush and he's listening to his older brother's voice in his ear, that Edmund makes the promise he's going to listen to Dumbledore advice- he's going to try and become someone good.
Note : I borrowed the pensieve idea from Tracing the Linear Pattern, a Riddle/Hermione story published on AO3 I highly recommend you, if you're into this sort of thing.