PART 13

Harry's strides were long and hurried - his haunting green eyes fixated towards the corridor ahead as he traversed through , the flames of the torches hanging overhead casting shadows onto the ceramic walls.

His steps conveyed urgency , yet held a sort of familiarity to them as he rounded upon a stone gargoyle clawing onto the flat base of a cylindrical pillar - it's wings spread and a thousand stone feathers in full display.

"Lemon drops", He whispered - and the sculpture moved aside with a low rumble to reveal a hidden , rickety spiral of stairs.

Professor Dumbledore's office was just the same as the first time he had visited it - the same mess of alchemy equipment strewn atop a mahogany desk at the front , the dim flames of the candle light dancing in the dead of night , trinkets littered here and there , portraits glaring from above or talking in hushed tunes - and of course , the dusty Sorting Hat in a corner and a bowl of the signature lemon drops adorned the table top.

Harry's fingers found comfort in the torn piece of parchment that rested inside his robe pocket. He counted the number of times he rubbed the pad of his finger against rounded corner - a message scrawled onto it that read ,

"Harry ,

              Please meet me in the office when you are sure no one else will be awake. This matter concerns the fifth champion.

 - Albus Dumbledore."

It was a short , simple letter - but his heartbeat had quickened upon realising that the topic of their conversation was to be 'Evanna Frey.'

And despite racking his brains , he could not understand why the girl was to be discussed. Yes , she was the other underage champion besides him - but she did not put her name in. That bit was for sure.

Flames from the hearth cast off shadows into the walls , the dark reflections of furniture dancing all around as ornate pillars held together the circular room. Scarlet protruded through the darkness , and the squawk of a phoenix perched upon a bar sounded somewhere in the darkness. 

He was alone , except for an aged wizard dressed in bright robes , who stood with his back turned , head bent over what seemed to be a basin carved out of stone the colour of pure obsidian.

"Professor ?", Harry softly called out. The old wizard turned to face the fourteen year old - azure eyes twinkling behind half-moon spectacles.

"Ah , Harry", He spoke softly , as Harry walked forward - stopping a feet from where he stood.

"Good evening , Professor. Why did you , hu , ask me to come ?", He asked . Dumbledore remained silent , walking forward towards an old wooden cupboard that stood forlorn in a corner. Opening it's doors , he revealed several neatly arranged vials of liquid.

His fingers traced them , before stopping at one which emitted a slight , silver glow. Curling his fingers on the particular vial , he came towards Harry. Unfurling his fisted palm , he said ," This , Harry , is a vial that contains a memory."

"A memory ?", Harry asked , confused. Half the time , he didn't understand the old wizard's motives , or his spontaneous nature. Dumbledore nodded in response.

"Yes. This particular one is very special', Dumbledore said , making his way back towards the stone basin. He uncapped the glass vial , pouring it's contents into the metal bowl below - it's mercury waters shimmering , like a sheet of ice. The liquid unleashed it's inky tendrils into the grey waters - and Dumbledore tilted his head towards Harry , and said ,"Do you wish to see why is it so special ?"

Nodding weakly , Harry walked ahead - stopping to gaze at the metallic bowl below.

"Dip your head in , Harry. Take a look."

Harry obeyed , dipping his head into the bowl , the icy water prickling at his skin. Almost immediately , he found himself getting whisked into another reality - as though , he were getting sucked into the basin. His feet gave away , and he tumbled down into the abyss , no scream lurching out of his throat even upon trial.

He landed on his feet behind an ornate marble pillar , adorned with pristine swirls of obsidian. The Hogwarts corridor had the same touch of grandeur and Harry had no trouble at all recognising the place he was in.

He recognised the familiar first years huddled together , awaiting the sorting ceremony. Amongst the throng of nervous children he pinpointed himself , nervous and pressed against a tall , lanky redhead - Ron. He watched as a pale-faced , platinum blonde boy came up to them - but instead of revisiting the basis of his petty feud and rivalry with the to-be Slytherin , his verdant irises found a quiet , isolated girl. At first look , she appeared angelic - a flawless effigy radiating an aura of dominance. She stood off from the rest of the lot , sapphire eyes calculating as they bore into each first year's form one by one.

A shudder passed through him when the girl caught his stare - the corner of her lips twitching upwards - before looking away again.

Her chestnut hair was left open , cascading down her shoulders like a waterfall of caramel. Her frame was casual , radiating confidence as she leaned against a column across from the students.

Evanna Frey.

He watched as Professor McGonagall came - ushering the students into the Great Hall through the arching doors , gilded in gold. Following them  , a smile tugged at his lips as Harry saw his past self gape at the transparent ceiling that opened up the doors to the starry heavens above.

Various names were called and sorted - but Harry could not find it in himself to pay attention until Evanna's name was called out.

Little Evanna walked confidently up to the front , the old witch draped in velvet robes dropping the dusty hat atop Evanna's head. He did not know how he hadn't noticed earlier , but he observed Evanna mumbling something to the Hat. He did not know what.

After four minutes , when the Hat announced ,"Ravenclaw !" , Evanna walked away with a triumphant smile. However , a tiny detail Harry noticed was that Evanna - seated at the table of the eagles - tried to catch someone's eye at the Slytherin table. Her eyes found Draco's , but as she waved slightly to him - he didn't wave back. Malfoy's lips had twisted into something ugly , a scowl etching across his pale face - but his eyes conveying a different emotion altogether.

Harry could only guess they had been friends previously.

Evanna sighed , and looked away. The memory changed , and in the blink of an eye - Harry stood under the arching columns of the grand corridors of the castle , illuminated by the flaming torches that hung above. Harry watched as Evanna walked alone. It wasn't that she could not make friends , people were rather eager to be associated with her , but that she preferred solitude over companionship.

She kept to herself , observing from behind as she blended cleverly into the bleak background. But at the end of the year , she captured the spotlight by beating Hermione Granger for first place in their examinations.

That was her beginning point. From there on , she became even more quiet - keeping her circle low - but somehow growing even popular. Anyone with senses could feel her drive and ambition , her creativity and wit. Her intelligence knew no bounds , and her beauty flourished like that of a blooming rose in early winter.

They began speaking of her natural charm , her impeccable manners and the fact that she was the daughter of Lyra Frey , an ex-auror and foreign delegate of the Wizengamot. Teachers whispered of her talent , saying she excelled her mother even - while students became silent admirers.

He didn't know how he had been so blind to it earlier , that other than him and his friends - there were others that had the school wrapped around their fingers. One of them being Evanna Frey. The way she walked to the way she conducted herself always upheld a sort of dominance to it. Charming and kind , people liked her easily.

And yet at times , none could deny her unnerving smiles or the fact that somehow - she was aware of everything going in and around Hogwarts.

Again , he felt the sucking motion jolt him , and he was soon standing at the end of a room full of students - Slytherins and Ravenclaws. Harry saw the students standing in line , awaiting their turn , in front of a wooden cupboard that shook violently. Professor Lupin stood beside it , white scars fresh upon his face , sandy hair reaching his stormy eyes. He reached forward towards the gramophone , putting on upbeat music as he beckoned the third years forward.

Harry watched , in the shadows , as Evanna Frey stepped forward for her turn. Her face was solemn , hair up in a messy bun as few strands escaped to frame her face. Her wand was clutched tightly in her hand , and the previous boggart began transitioning.

It all happened in he blink of an eye. Before Evanna's fear could take a shape - she had her wand pulled out , the incantation escaping her lips.

"Riddikulus !"

Whatever her unfathomable fear had been , transformed into a feather. Heaving a sigh , she walked away towards the crowd huddled at the back. Harry hadn't been able to understand what her fear was , and judging by the dejected sighs that filled the air - others hadn't been able to either.

What went amiss was the worried expression knitted upon Draco Malfoy's features , grey eyes following Evanna's form until she mixed into the sea of green and blue.

Harry was suddenly greeted by obsidian darkness , pitch black suddenly clouding his vision before he felt himself materialise back , his feet finding ground upon the firm floor of the dimly lit circular room he had previously been in.

Lifting his head from the metal bowl , panting slightly , Harry turned to face the Headmaster.

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow , and asked ,"Well , what did you see Harry ?"

"A lot , sir. What is this ?", Harry said , eyeing the basin uncertainly.

"This is a Pensieve. It allows you to view extracted memories once. What you just saw , Harry , were the memories of Professor McGonagall and Professor Lupin , regarding Miss Frey."

"Does she remind you of anyone , Harry ?", He asked after a moment of silence , sitting at his desk. 

Harry pondered over this for a while. Her calm demeanor , calculating eyes , selective friends - reminded him eerily of someone Harry did not wish to reminisce. Sweet Evanna , couldn't possibly be like - like him , right ? But Harry couldn't shake the feeling that at times , Evanna did seem - odd , and enigmatic. Just like she somehow discovered the truth of the Marauder's Map , despite it being a secret.

"Don't be afraid , Harry. Don't be afraid of saying his true name", Dumbledore urged softly , as though sensing what name Harry was about to utter.

"Tom Riddle."

"Ah , Tom", Dumbledore said. "One of my brightest students , and the most brilliant of wizards Hogwarts has ever produced. But his pride and arrogance led to his downfall."

"Sir , what are you trying to insinuate ?", Harry asked cautiously - gulping slightly.

"That Tom Riddle may have had the heart to love someone , despite being under amortentia."

                                                   ____________________________

Taking slow , deep breaths , Harry's fingers curled around the banister of the staircase leading up to the Gryffindor Tower - steadying his wobbling frame.

Two doors of truth had been opened up to him - one , which was easily believable , that Karkaroff was a Death Eater. ; and the other regarding Evanna.

Evanna Frey.

Harry let out a bitter chuckle. He could not differentiate the truth from the lies anymore , everything seemed to have .....clouded together. If so much had been concealed so very cleverly - how much more could have been hiding under that angelic face ?

If he had learnt anything at all - it was that , looks could hide a lot. Both Tom Riddle and Evanna Frey had otherwordly appearances - masking their vicious monsters and inner demons that hid underneath. And the worst part ? He couldn't reveal this discovery to Hermione , Ron or anyone for that matter. He couldn't draw away the curtains that hid the true monster of Evanna , waiting to be uncoiled from it's binds.

"Whatever be the side she is working for , Miss Frey has an equal right to education , equal opportunities to shape her as a person."

That was what Dumbledore had said. And so , he could not harm her yet.

Oh , the irony. The person responsible for the death of his parents , his flesh and blood was roaming the castle grounds without a single scratch on her body. And now that he thought about it , maybe she could have entered her own name into the Goblet of Fire too.

His head spun , and his heart hurt. His stomach lurched forward with every step he took , and his knees gave away as he kneeled upon the steps - a single tear slipping from his eye. A few minutes passed , before he gathered himself back up.

Just as he turned the corner towards the Gryffindor Common Room , a wand pressed to his side - a rough hand securing his wrists behind his back. Writhing against the strong grasp , Harry could hardly react before the wand was pressed against his temple.

A low , gruff voice said ,"Obliviate."

And before long , all Harry would remember would be the gleam of an artificial blue eye in the darkness , and the phrase from his conversation with Dumbledore -

"Extremely similar to Tom Riddle."

A phrase which would keep him awake for nights to come.