In his office, Jane and Neville met Professor Dumbledore. "Jane, I have a question for you. When and how did you find out Salazar Slytherin could talk to snakes?"

"The year before I entered Hogwarts, during Neville's first year. It was in a Hogwarts history book I had borrowed from Mrs. Longbottom. I was really upset about it."

"I bet you were."

He then told them some more about Matomorvool Riddle. "He was placed in Slytherin House almost the moment the Sorting Hat touched his head," he explained. "How soon Riddle learned that the famous founder of the house could talk to snakes, I do not know – perhaps that very evening. The knowledge could only have excited him and increased his sense of self-importance.

"However if he was frightening or impressing fellow Slytherins with displays of parseltongue in the common room, no hint of it reached the staff. He showed no signs of outward arrogance or aggression at all." Apparently, most of the staff liked him, as he acted polite and thirsty for knowledge, but he never tried to charm Professor Dumbledore the way he did the others.

He gathered a click of peers to lead, some of whom went on to become the first death eaters. During their years at Hogwarts, there were a number of nasty incidents of which they were never proven guilty. "The most series, of course, was the opening of the chamber of secrets, which resulted in the death of a girl. As you know, Hagrid was wrongly accused of that crime."

"Wait," Jane said, "did opening the chamber really result in the girl's death? In my first year, I managed to talk to the basilisk once. I told him never to hurt anybody ever again, and he said he only took commands from his master. When I pointed out that I might also be an heir of Slytherin, he said that didn't matter because he only took commands from his master, who had no heirs. When I pointed out that Salazar Slytherin put him in the chamber, he said that wasn't true. His master put him in the chamber, after getting the idea from a legend. I wouldn't be surprised if his master was Voldemort."

"Well, there's some interesting information I wish I knew before now. It makes a lot of sense though."

"Sorry sir," Neville said. "We didn't really think to tell you."

Professor Dumbledore soon continued talking about Matomorvool Riddle. The few people he could find who would talk to him about Matomorvool said he was obsessed with his parentage. He searched in vain for the name Tom Riddle, on trophies and old-school records. He then tried his mother's family. The only thing he had to go on was that his first name was her brother's name. After a lot of research through wizarding family records, he found a family with a Matomorvool, although the records claimed he died as a small child. The summer Matomorvool Riddle was sixteen, he went to find his Gaunt relatives.

Professor Dumbledore pulled out a small crystal bottle. "I was very lucky to collect this," he said, getting the pensive ready.

They ended up at the Gaunt's house again, and it was even more filthy than before. The only light came from a candle, placed by the feet of a sleeping man with an overgrown beard and hair. A knock came from the door, and the man jerked awake, holding a wand in one hand and a knife in the other.

The door creaked open, revealing teenage Voldemort Holding out an old-fashioned lamp, Voldemort looked around until his eyes found the man.

The man got up. "You!" he yelled, "you!" He hurried toward Voldemort.

"Stop," Voldemort commanded.

The man skidded into a table. He then stared at Voldemort, before finally speaking. "You speak it?"

"Yes, I speak it," he said. He moved forward, into the room, allowing the door to shut. "Are you Marvolo?"

"Died years ago, didn't he?"

"Are you Morfin?"

"Yes. I thought you was that muggle," Morfin whispered. "You look mighty like that muggle."

"What muggle?"

"That muggle what my sister took a fancy to, that muggle what lives in the big house over the way," said Morfin, who then spat on the floor. "You look right like him. Riddle. But he's older now, in 'e. He's older'n you, now I think on it… He come back, see."

Voldemort moved closer. "Riddle came back?" he said.

"Ar, he left her, and serve her right, marrying filth!" He spat on the floor again. Robbed us, mind, before she ran off! Where the locket, eh, where's Slytherin's locket." He brandished his knife. "Dishonour us, she did, that little slut! And who're you, coming here and asking questions about all that. It's over, innit… It's over."

Voldemort moved forward, and everything went dark.

"And now we have to go back," said Professor Dumbledore.

"Why did it go dark?" Neville asked, once they were back.

"Because Morfin could not remember anything from that point onward. When he awoke the next morning, he was lying on the floor. Marvolo's ring had gone."

Professor Dumbledore continued explaining. The Riddle's maid found Tom Riddle, and both of his parents dead. The muggle authorities couldn't figure out how they died, but the Ministry knew at once that it was done by a wizard. They also knew that a muggle-hater, who had once been imprisoned for attacking one of the murder victims, lived nearby.

Neville had been watching Jane, who had just started trembling and rocking back and forth. Neville carefully took her hand in his, and then she leaned into him. She had remained relatively calm until now. Maybe this meant that she believed that it didn't matter who she was related to.

Professor Dumbledore continued explaining. The Ministry called upon Morfin, and he admitted to the murder, giving details only the murderer could have known. He handed over his wand, which was proved at once to have been used to kill the Riddles. He then permitted himself to be brought to Azkaban.

"All that disturbed him was the fact that his father's ring had disappeared. 'He'll kill me for losing it,' he told his captors, over and over again. 'He'll kill me for losing his ring.' And that was all he ever said again."

It was unclear what exactly happened, but it seemed most likely that Voldemort stupefied Morfin, took his wand, and used it to go and murder the Riddle's. He then came back, implanted the memory into Morfin's head, laid the wand beside him, stole the ring, and left.

"But, how did you get that real memory, sir?" Neville asked.

Professor Dumbledore went on to explain how he had visited Morfin in Azkaban, while trying to find out information about Voldemort, and had managed to extract the memory. He had tried to have him cleared, but he died shortly after.

"What about the trance?" Jane asked. "Even if they didn't know who it was, they would know that somebody underage was at least there."

Neville's grandmother had taught him and Jane that they could only do magic in her house, because of the trace. The only other places where they had been allowed to do magic were Hogwarts, the Hogwarts Express, and Sirius's house.

"I think, once Morfin confessed, they were quick to point the finger and forget about it."

"Um... did Tom live with his parents for the rest of his life, and never get remarried?" Jane asked.

"It sure seems like it," Dumbledore said.

"Was that how he wanted it, or was that because he was so upset about what Merope did to him?"

"Good question."

Soon, they were back in the pensive, watching another memory.

There was a much younger Professor Slughorn, who had hair. He was surrounded by a bunch of teenage boys, in his office. One of the boys was Voldemort, and he was wearing Marvolo's ring.

"Is it true that Professor Marrythought is retiring?" Voldemort asked.

"I'd like to know where you get your information boy. More knowledgable than half the staff you are."

The whole room soon filled with smoke. "You'll go wrong boy, mark my words," Professor Slughorns voice yelled. The fog cleared and they were back at the Slugclub meeting, and nobody looked as though anything unusual happened.

The clock chimed eleven, and Professor Slughorn told everyone to get back to their common rooms. All the boys left, except Voldemort

"Sir, I wanted to ask you something."

"Ask away, then, my boy, ask away."

"Sir, I wonder what you know about … about Horcruxes?'

The fog came again. "I don't know anything about Horcruxes, and I wouldn't tell you if I did. Now get out of here, and don't let me hear you mention them again!"

Professor Dumbledore brought them back and told them that Professor Slughorn had tampered with the memory.

"Neville," he said, "it will be your job to persuade Professor Slughorn to divulge the real memory, which will undoubtedly be our most crucial piece of information of all."

Neville and Jane stared at him in shock.

"But, can't you just use Legilimency?" Neville asked.

"He is much more accomplished at Occlumency than I and will be expecting it. You might want to take Hermione with you. Good luck and good night."

Jane turned to him. "I think you can do it," she said, although she was not sure of that.

"Oh, I don't think I can. Can I get a hug?"

Jane hugged him.