Animal I've Become
Chapter 13
Retrieving A Memory & Return of A Friend
A/N: I apologize for the very long update. I've been experiencing some Writer's Block and had to take a break. It also doesn't help that I'm getting Carpal Tunnel in my hands. I promise to update as regularly as I can. As it stands right now at least in my mind, Animal I've Become has about 4-6 more chapters before it ends. This of course can change so just giving everyone a heads up. Also thank you so much for those who have actually taken time to read this story.
Harry sat in his chair in front of Dumbledore's desk, confusion written on his face. The stone pensieve sitting between him and Dumbledore. They had just finished looking at a memory that Dumbledore had acquired from Horace Slughorn, the old potions master that Dumbledore had been able to convince to come back that school year.
"Sir what exactly was that?" Harry asked, in his mind he could still see the thick billowing smoke and Slughorn yelling at a sixteen year old Voldemort to never ask him again about horcruxes.
"That Harry is THE key to unlocking Voldemort's secret. However as you saw it's been tampered with by its owner.
"But why would Professor Slughorn tamper with his own memory?" Harry asked.
"Most likely because he feels ashamed of what he told Voldemort, If we are to figure this out, We need the real memory Harry. This is what I ask of you, to try and convince Horace to give you the real one".
That conversation was over a month previously and so far Harry had not had success in his quest to wrangle the real memory out of Slughorn. Whenever Harry had tried to approach Slughorn and strike up a conversation about the memory, the Professor would find himself too busy to talk to Harry.
Harry of course was not going to let this stop him and he would figure out a way to get the memory from Slughorn. After the third attempt, Harry headed up to the library where some of his friends were working on various degrees of homework.
"No such luck eh Harry?" Hermione asked looking up from her ancient runes essay.
"Nope, he seems to always be surrounded by students or some variation" Harry said sitting down across from Hermione and next to Daphne. He knew that it was important that he get the memory, but after three attempts of trying to even talk to Slughorn, he was ready to give up. However, he knew that he couldn't do that.
Closing his eyes, Harry leaned back in his chair, knowing that he had homework three essays to do for Defense Against The Dark Arts, Transfiguration, and Herbology that were due on Friday but with all the hassle of attempting to get close to Slughorn, he just wasn't in the mood to work on them at the moment.
Daphne, who was sitting beside Harry and working on her potions essay looked up when she heard someone clearing their throat. As she did, her sapphire eyes met with Ron's own blue ones. Seeing him, a slight gasp escaped her lips, as she nor Harry and Hermione had seen Ron ever since term had began.
"Can I uh sit here with you guys?" Ron asked biting his bottom lip as both Hermione and Harry snapped their heads up to look at their former friend.
When neither Harry, nor Hermione said anything when Ron made his presence known, He continued on.
"I uh, I know I haven't exactly been the best mate like I should've been when term started. I let my anger and resentment towards Daphne becoming friends with Harry, all because of my distrust of Slytherin house and all they've done to us over the past five years. However, I've kind of been watching these last few months, and I realized that I had been a complete and total git when Daphne had come over for Harry's birthday, and for that I'm sorry and I hope we can be friends again".
Standing up, Harry faced Ron and clasped his arm. "It took you long enough mate" Harry said before embracing Ron. Feeling Harry embrace him, after everything that had happened between them, made Ron feel loads better. Turning to Daphne, Ron gave a slight bow before extending his hand to her. "Friends?" he asked.
Daphne glanced at the outstretched hand, before taking it and shaking it. Now that it was all under the bridge, Ron sat down next to Hermione and looked across to Harry. "So what's been happening?"
"Well I'm trying to figure out how the hell I can get Slughorn to give me the real memory of him talking with Voldemort when he was sixteen" Harry said.
As confusion flashed in Ron's face, Harry quickly explained how Dumbledore was showing him memories about Voldemort's past and how the memory that he had acquired from Slughorn had been tampered with by Slughorn himself and that in order to get to the bottom of the mystery of what he told Voldemort, He and Dumbledore needed the real untampered memory.
"Harry why don't you use that Felix Felicis potion you won during the first Potion's class of term" Ron said.
Ron's statement made Harry's eyes widened. He had completely forgot about that small vial of luck potion that he had won.
~Flashback~
It was the first day of term and Harry was leaning back in the corridor that led from the Transfiguration classroom to the courtyard where first years would be having their flying lessons. A small smirk was adorned on his lips as he watched the young students attempting to find their way to their respective classrooms. Hearing his name being called, He looked up to see McGonagall making her way over to him.
"Potter why are you not in potions? Or do you no longer wish to become an Auror?"
"Oh, no Professor, I still want to be an Auror but I was told that in order to continue taking Potions this year, I'd have to get an Outstanding on my Potions O.W.L. but I got an Exceeds Expectations".
"Normally that would be true, however with Professor Snape taking time off and being replaced by Horace Slughorn, you are still eligible to continue taking Potions with Professor Slughorn because he happily excepts Exceeds Expectations into his N.E.W.T. Classes" McGonagall said.
"Brilliant, I'll head there now" Harry said before departing for the Dungeons.
He arrived just as Slughorn was telling the other students what kind of potions they could expect to be making this year. Hearing the door open, Slughorn turned to Harry and said "Ah welcome Mr. Potter, I thought you had forgotten about us".
"No sir, I just didn't know if I could still take the class because of what I got on my O.W.L., Professor McGonagall just informed me that I could" Harry explained.
"Wonderful, wonderful; there are a few old copies of the textbook in the cabinet over there. One of them should suffice until you can owl Flourish and Blotts for a new copy," Slughorn instructed before turning back to the other members of the class.
"Today we will be making the draught of living death, and as an extra incentive to do well, the person who is able to make the best draught of living death today, will win this". Reaching into the pocket of his robes, Slughorn produced a small vial filled with golden potion.
"Any idea what this little potion is?" Slughorn asked.
When no one replied or even ventured a guess as to what it was, Slughorn explained that it's called Felix Felicis which is often referred to as liquid luck. This is what I offer to the person who can make the best draught of living death. After announcing that, there was a scramble for the ingredient pantry to acquire the proper ingredients.
Once he had his own ingredients, Harry sat next to Hermione and began to prepare his cauldron. As he did, he flipped open his battered potion's book to the correct page with the recipe. Being extra careful as to follow the recipe exactly as it was listed, he set to work. At the end of the remaining hour, Slughorn called for everyone to pack up. After everyone was packed up, Slughorn judged their work and awarded the potion to Harry who somehow had managed to do better than Hermione.
~End Flashback~
"Holy crap, I totally forgot about that, thanks for reminding me Ron. I'm going to go try it out and hopefully with a little "luck" it will work" Harry said before scrambling out of his seat and out of the library.
Getting to the Gryffindor common room, Harry bid hello to some fellow Gryffindors before heading up to the sixth year boy's dormitory so he could grab the small vial of luck potion that he had put in his trunk cushioned between a pair of socks. Retrieving the small vial, Harry sat down on his bed and uncorked it quickly. Interestingly enough, instead of smelling vulgar and disgusting, the little vial of luck potion smelled like honey. Placing the vial to his lips, Harry threw his head back and drunk about half of the potion before replacing the cork. Standing up, Harry swayed slightly before he got his bearings and left the dormitory, keen on finally finding Slughorn and getting the memory.
Harry didn't have to search for long, as he was walking down past the Herbology greenhouses he saw Slughorn who had his head poked in through one of the windows and was too busy collecting some venomous tentacula pods to even notice him. Tilting his head to the side, Harry walked up and lightly tapped Slughorn on the shoulder, which caused Slughorn to jump back in surprise.
"My word Harry, you almost gave me a heart attack, and what are you doing out of the castle at this time of day?" Slughorn said.
"Sorry Professor, but I just wanted to pay a visit to my friend Hagrid before the day was up. You're more than welcome to accompany me if you'd like."
Slughorn agreed and followed Harry down to Hagrid's hut. Upon arrival, they saw that Hagrid was busy digging a grave about three feet from his front door, a very large carcass of an acromantula laying a few feet away that Harry instantly recognized as Aragog.
Noticing he had an audience, Hagrid turned to both Harry and Slughorn, his voice somber as he said "Aragog died last night, he became ill during the summer, and I did my best to help him get better, but it was no use." Tears leaking down into his big bushy beard.
Slughorn was beside himself as he looked from the carcass of Aragog to Hagrid. "My dear Hagrid, is that an acromantula?" His voice full of surprise and wonder.
When Hagrid grunted in response, Slughorn produced a couple vials from inside his robes and sat to work acquiring some samples of the highly sought after venom. When he was done, Slughorn stood next to Hagrid and gave a eulogy.
"Farewell, Aragog, king of arachnids, whose long and faithful friendship to those who knew you won't be forgotten. Though your body will decay, your spirit lingers on in the quiet, web-spun places of your forest home. May your many-eyed descendants ever flourish and your human friends find solace for the loss that they have sustained".
After the eulogy was given, Hagrid finished digging the grave before burying his oldest friend. Once the funeral was over, Harry, Slughorn, and Hagrid returned to the hut where Slughorn and Hagrid indulged in several bottles of wine. In order to keep things going, Harry kept the wine coming with a refilling charm. Once Hagrid had passed out Harry used this opportunity to talk to Slughorn about the memory.
"Professor Slughorn sir, Professor Dumbledore brought you back here for a reason and that reason is that we need that memory, the real memory because it will bring us one step closer to defeating him. We need to know what you told him all those years ago".
"You had no idea what he was like, even back then" Slughorn said, his eyes somber as he looked at Harry.
"Be brave, Professor. Be brave like my mother because otherwise you disgrace her, and she died for nothing. Otherwise Francis's bowl will remain empty…forever."
"Just don't think bad of me when you see it." Slughorn says as he places the tip of his wand to his head. Pulling it back, Harry saw a long thin silvery-white memory clinging to it. Reaching into the pockets of his robes, Slughorn produced another empty potion vial and lightly tapped the tip of his wand against the opening, the memory detaching from his wand and falling inside. Reaching over, Slughorn pressed the vial into Harry's hand.
A/N: End of Chapter 13. Again I apologize for the long update. I will be starting the next chapter shortly. Please Read and Please Review. Reviews make me happy. (No Flames please)