Disclaimers: See Chapter 1 for more info.
At the end of the Christmas holidays, Frodo and Aria made their way to Brandy Hall's entrance hallway. Frodo looked back to find Esmeralda embracing him. Saradoc was right behind her, looking as temperamental as ever.
"Good luck." Esmeralda said upon release.
"I'll be fine." Frodo said, smiling.
"Remember, it is anyone's guess what Malfoy is up to. I'm sure Lotho and Snape were doing the right thing." Saradoc mentioned to he and Aria.
Frodo nodded. "I will remember. Thank you." He shook his uncle's hand. For a moment, he stood there, unmoving. To his surprise, Saradoc pulled him in and hugged him. "Um… Saradoc?"
"Just be careful." Saradoc released him as quickly as possible. "Do good."
"I will." He nodded again.
"Ready?" Esmeralda asked him and Aria. They nodded. She rang the doorbell. "You'll find your way to the entrance hall. Good luck."
The door was opened. The way to the entrance hall at Hogwarts stood on the other side of the door. Frodo wasted no time. He stepped over the threshold and entered the castle. Aria followed him, bumping into him along the way. Frodo looked back at the doorway, right as Saradoc closed the door.
He and Aria were back at Hogwarts.
It wasn't long before they returned to the Ravenclaw common room. There was a notice about Apparition lessons for those who were seventeen before August 31st. Hobbits and Authors were allowed to enter. Frodo had never seen Aria more excited and nervous. Hadn't she ever done anything like this before? He remembered she was just beginning to get the hang of magic.
"And I thought this year wasn't already tough." Frodo admitted. "At least, this will be your start into learning advanced magic."
"I'm not ready." Aria said, glancing up at him. "I'm not ready for Apparition lessons. I've only just begun learning the basics."
"I'll help you." Frodo said, smiling at her.
"I know you will." Aria said, frightened. "I'm just… worried I'll fail."
"There's nothing to worry about. I'll help you." He repeated. He took her hand, leading her over to a couch. "Here. We can sit down and talk until I meet with Dumbledore." He wrapped an arm around her. Somehow, he just wanted to sleep. In the end, he enjoyed one conversation after another with his girlfriend until they both dozed off on the couch.
.
Eight o' clock arrived. Frodo had made his way to Dumbledore's office. He met up with Harry along the way, walking with him down the corridor. They arrived at the office in time, enough for Dumbledore to start talking with them.
"Good evening Harry, Frodo." Dumbledore greeted them. He moved down to the table, where the glass orb sat. He turned to Frodo. "Here I present to you two memories. The first is where we learn about Sauron's time with Morgoth. You see, Sauron had grown to be an exceptional student, but there was one thing Morgoth feared would happen. His fate and for that, he needed Sauron's help to keep the peace."
"Only Sauron had other plans." Dumbledore said, passing the orb to him. "Now, take a good hard look at the memory."
Frodo did. As he looked, he was pulled into the orb's light, right in the middle of a dark throne room. In the middle of the room was a large stone throne, fitted together with iron spikes. And there was a face. A dangerous dark face wearing armor and a helmet. A pair of red eyes shown in between the helmet's slits.
It did not take him long to guess who it was, especially with Sauron entering the throne room and bowing before the armored man. Frodo couldn't bear to watch this scene. He had no choice. He was caught in the memory.
"Sauron, my apprentice." The armored man smiled beneath the helmet.
"Morgoth." Sauron kissed his hand. "I have done what you asked. I am at Hogwarts and am doing well in school."
"Excellent news." Morgoth said. "But I'm afraid your work is not done yet."
"What more do I have to do?" Sauron asked, concerned.
"I want you to find out everything that Professor Dippet is up to. Even see if you can find something in the restricted section of the library to help me." Morgoth suggested.
"And if I were to succeed, should I give the item in question to you?" Sauron asked, concerned. "I mean you no harm, my lord."
"But you do mean to betray me. Know that if you do, you will be severely punished!" Morgoth hissed. "Now go! And don't return until you've found that item."
The light reverberated around Frodo. He was pulled back, out of the light and into Dumbledore's office. Oh, what did he just see?
"Morgoth wanted something!" Frodo asked, stunned.
"Yes. If only we knew what that something was." Dumbledore admitted.
"I don't understand. Who gave this memory?" Frodo asked, curious.
"I'm afraid it is one of many memories that Sauron has." Dumbledore answered. "There is another memory I wanted to show you. It involves you and Harry, Frodo. The memory we are about to see shows Tom Riddle and Mairon meeting up with Professor Slughorn. What they found out, we must discover for ourselves. Now please, look into the Pensieve. The Orb of Truth is done, for the time being."
Frodo set the orb back on his frame. There was no point in looking at it further. But it made no sense. Was that it? The Orb of Truth's usefulness was to look into memories of the past. Maybe it was always that way.
He approached the Pensieve and dipped his head into the basin. The memory was strong, the light changing. He was dragged through the basin and into the scene. No way! He was in Professor Slughorn's office. Everything was green and the fireplace was lit. There was Mairon, looking well into his youthfulness. And there was Tom Riddle in his teen years. Both were keenly interested in speaking with Slughorn.
"Look sharp, Tom, Mairon!" Slughorn told them, smiling. "What is it you wish to ask me?"
"Mairon and I found something very interesting about a rare piece of magic." Tom said, curious. "It is called a horcrux."
"I don't know anything about such things. Now get out of my office and don't speak about it again!" Slughorn fired at the two.
Frodo was pulled back, back through the basin and into Dumbledore's office. The memory. Was there more of it?
"What was going on there?" Frodo asked Dumbledore, confused.
"This memory has been tampered with by Slughorn himself." Dumbledore inquired. "And I need you and Harry to divulge his true memory. It is there. We just need Slughorn to give it to us. We can't have him leaving Hogwarts. We need that memory."
"I think I can do it." Frodo nodded.
"But sir!" Harry spoke as respectful as possible. "Surely you can do it for us. You're capable of doing that…"
"Good night to you both." Dumbledore told them, nodding.
"Good night sir." Frodo and Harry said in unison.
Frodo left the office in a bad state. Just how was he to do it? Divulge Slughorn for his true memory? His Potions' professor wouldn't give up his memory so easily. But then, he had Harry to help him out with Slughorn. It was only a matter of time before their Potions' professor gave them the true memory. Until then, they needed a bit of luck on their side, in order to achieve this most difficult task yet.
Thanks for reading. :)