AN: Hey everyone, I hope you are all well. I'm honored so many people have added this story to their alerts. Would you are to do one more thing? REVIEW! Tell me what you like and what you don't like. The more feedback you give me the better the story will be! And of course all things owned by WB and the wonderful JK. Going back and looking I realized I missed the events of Chamber of Secret. I beg your pardon and hope you don't mind me going back and including it in a memory.

Chapter 21: Troubled Student

Standing before the class I let myself have a small smile on my lips. It was always fun to show students some magic out of the ordinary. Looking to my left I saw an exact replica of myself who was also smiling and looking at the class. With a wave of the wand the other Dumbledore turned back into the chalk board. "Now class, I do not expect you to be able to do this my Monday afternoon, instead, practice with a smaller item of your choosing as well as a six paragraph essay on how duplication spell could come in handy in emergency situations. Pip pip!" With slight bow of my head I let the class know they were dismissed. My eyes lingered on the last person out of the class. He was tall, dark haired and handsome. He was at the top of his class in this class and all others. To some he would seem like the perfect student. However, I was not so sure. The events of the past few years on top of the first meeting I had with him had always raised suspicion in my mind. Following Tom Riddle out of my room and into the hall my eyes followed young Riddle as he fell into the mass of students and teachers clogging the hall way. Coming toward me down the hall was Hagrid. When they passed each other Riddle and Hagrid gave each other a look of loathing and went on.

Going into my office I sat down behind the desk and allowing myself to sigh I closed my eyes. I allowed my mind to wander to and fro. It had been four months since I defeated Gellert…four months since…trying to push that very sore subject from my mind. My mind drifted to the young dark man who sat in the third row of my Transfiguration class. It had been two years today since poor Myrtle Ackerley was founded dead in the girls wash room.

It was a rainy, windswept night. The attacks had been going on for over two months. I had been pouring over letters when there was a banging upon my door. Without giving me the chance to tell them to enter the door was flung open and there stood before me a pale white and very pained Horace Slughorn. Spluttering and incoherent all I understood of Horace's words were "Albus…come quickly…there…body…" The last word leapt out at me…body…Without another word I jumped up and followed as Slughorn lead the way. He had said body…it could only mean whatever had been launching the attacks on the school and finally claimed a victim. Who was it? My mind wheeled through the names of all the students at Hogwarts…which one had had their light snuffed out so short after it had flickered into existence? There was already a few teachers outside the bathroom as we arrived, a couple were crying. Horace motioned for me to enter and walking in I discovered Headmaster Dippet kneeling beside a stall. A white arm and the black sleeve of a cloak was sticking out of the stall. Coming behind the Headmaster I saw her. Myrtle Ackerly of Ravenclaw, her body was whiter then a ghost, her eyes wide open in a look of surprise, and yet seeing nothing…her eyes a black pit of nothingness. Her mouth was slack and yet she looked as if she was still about to scream out…

I placed my hand on the back of the Headmaster and looked him in the eyes. They were watery, I could see the tracks his tears had made. Looking at me and in his frail and feeble voice he spoke in barley above a whisper. "We will have to close the school if something does not happen soon. We can't allow our students…" but his sentence was cut off by renewed sobs. Hearing people moving behind us I gently pulled Armando out of the way as some of the other teachers brought a stretcher in. As they gently moved Myrtle's body onto the stretcher I reached out and straightened the poor girls glasses. It was the last small thing I could do for the poor child. Leading Armando out of the bathroom we followed the sad procession. It was in its own twisted way beautiful. The shadows cast by the torches as the sheet draped body of Myrtle was carried…not floated…carried down the hallway. The sad procession of teachers and staff behind…I felt a few tears finally break and roll down my cheeks into my beard. In the corner of my eye I noticed a young man…his dark hair and green trimmed robes…staring at the sad procession. "Riddle." I called out sharply. Riddle slowly turned his head away from the retreating figured and simply acknowledging me, "Professor Dumbledore." Looking directly into his eyes and giving a look of worry, "It's not wise to be wandering around this late, Tom." Riddle nodded sadly, "Yes, Professor. I suppose I-I just had to see for myself if... the rumors were true." Nodding slowly I confirmed what he already knew, "I'm afraid they are, Tom." "About the school, as well? They wouldn't really close Hogwarts, would they, Professor?" Was this what he was really worried about? Not the death of a fellow student but more about Hogwarts. Hesitating and speaking softly I answered his query "Headmaster Dippet may have no choice, I fear." Speaking rapidly and as if he were being timed, a look of hope came across his face, "Sir? If it all stopped. If the person responsible was caugh-" I cut him off before he could finish his sentence…the way he said it made my heart quicken "Is there something you wish to tell me, Tom? " There was a few moments of silence as if he was trying to decide something before at long last he shook his head , "No, sir. Nothing." I looked at him for a long moment…my mind probing his. He was attempting to block me…he had expected this. All I could tell was he knew something…he was holding something back, something big he did not want me to know. After a few moments I nodded slowly and motioned for him to leave. "Very well, then. Hurry along." As he turned around he said in a voice that was dead and yet had an underline of emotion he muttered "Goodnight, sir." I watched as his tore off for the opposite corridor.

Opening my eyes I sighed. Looking at my paper filled desk and sighed. So much to do. Flicking my wand a little too powerfully my ink bottle toppled and splattered on my desk and on my robes. Reaching to set the bottle of ink I instead hit a small vile of dragon's blood I had been experimenting with last night, knocking it over as well. A small amount made its way onto my sleeve where the ink and splattered on with a sighed I stood up and went closer to the light…this was not my day. As I looked down again at my sleeve I noticed something…the ink spots were gone where the dragon blood was…going back to my desk I put my finger in the dragons blood and placed it on some more of the ink spots. Before my eyes they disappeared. Smiling I flicked my wand and a sheet of parchment came flying at me. Grabbing a quill I went down to the bottom of the list and wrote,

12) Spot remover