[Harry watches a faked memory of Tom Riddle at a Slug Club dinner party.] [To Tom]
I'd like to know where you get your information. More knowledgeable than half the staff, you are. [Someone in Tom's gang laughs]
TR Tom Riddle - Age 16
Sir, is it true that Professor Merrythought is retiring?
Now, Tom, I couldn't tell you if I knew, could I? By the way, thank you for the pineapple. You're quite right, it is my favorite. But how did you know?
TR Tom Riddle - Age 16
Intuition.
Good gracious, is it that time, already? Off you go, boys, or Professor Dippet will have us all in detention. [Everyone but Tom leaves. Tom taps the hourglass, and Slughorn notices Tom is still there] Look sharp, Tom. Don't want to be caught out of bed after hours. Is something on your mind, Tom?
TR Tom Riddle - Age 16
Yes, sir. You see, I couldn't think of anyone else to go to. The other professors, well, they're not like you. They might misunderstand.
TR Tom Riddle - Age 16
I was in the library the other night, in the Restricted Section, and I read something rather odd about a bit of rare magic, and I thought, perhaps, you could illuminate me. It's called, as I understand it... [He makes an unintelligible sound and Slughorn stares in bewilderment.]
I beg your pardon? I don't know anything about such things and if I did, I wouldn't tell you! Now get out of here at once AND DON'T EVER LET ME CATCH YOU MENTIONING IT AGAIN! [The memory becomes cloudy and ends]
TR Tom Riddle - Age 16
[Harry watches Slughorn's real memory, which starts with Tom tapping the hourglass] [approaching Slughorn]
I was in the library the other night, in the Restricted Section, and I read something rather odd about a bit of rare magic. It's called, as I understand it... a Horcrux.
TR Tom Riddle - Age 16
A Horcrux. I came across the term while reading and I didn't fully understand it.
I'm not sure what you were reading, Tom, but this is very dark stuff. Very dark indeed.
TR Tom Riddle - Age 16
Which is why I came to you.
[Stares at Tom for a second]
A Horcrux is an object in which a person has concealed part of their soul.
TR Tom Riddle - Age 16
But I don't understand how that works, sir.
One splits ones soul and hides part of it in an object. By doing so, you are protected, should you be attacked and your body destroyed.
TR Tom Riddle - Age 16
Protected?
That part of your soul that is hidden lives on. In other words, you cannot die.
TR Tom Riddle - Age 16
[Looks into the fireplace]
And how does one split his soul, sir?
I think you already know the answer to that, Tom.
TR Tom Riddle - Age 16
Murder.
Yes. Killing rips the soul apart. It's a violation against nature.
TR Tom Riddle - Age 16
[Adjusting ring on his finger, the same one in present day Dumbledore's office]
Can you only split the soul once? For instance, isn't seven...
Seven? Merlin's beard, Tom! Isn't it bad enough to consider killing one person? To rip the soul into seven pieces... This is all hypothetical, isn't it, Tom? All academic?
TR Tom Riddle - Age 16
[Smiling]
Of course, sir. It'll be our little secret.
[Memory goes cloudy and ends]
TR Tom Riddle - Age 16
[Dumbledore tips Slughorn's memory into the pensieve.] [approaching Slughorn]
I was in the library the other night, in the Restricted Section, and I read something rather odd about a bit of rare magic. It's called, as I understand it, a Horcrux.
TR Tom Riddle - Age 16
A Horcrux. I came across the term while reading and I didn't fully understand it.
I'm not sure what you were reading, Tom, but this is very dark stuff. Very dark indeed.
TR Tom Riddle - Age 16
Which is why I came to you.
[stares at Tom for a second]
A Horcrux is an object in which a person has concealed part of their soul.
TR Tom Riddle - Age 16
But I don't understand how that works, sir.
One splits one's soul and hides part of it in an object. By doing so, you are protected, should you be attacked and your body destroyed.
TR Tom Riddle - Age 16
Protected?
That part of your soul that is hidden lives on. In other words, you cannot die.
TR Tom Riddle - Age 16
[Tom Riddle glances at the fireplace.] [looks into the fireplace]
And how does one split his soul, sir?
I think you already know the answer to that, Tom.
TR Tom Riddle - Age 16
Murder.
Yes. Killing rips the soul apart, it is a violation against nature.
TR Tom Riddle - Age 16
[The voice whispers in the ring.] [adjusting ring on his finger, the same one in present day Dumbledore's office]
Can you only split the soul once? For instance, isn't seven...?
Seven? Merlin's beard, Tom! Isn't it bad enough to consider killing one person? To rip the soul into seven pieces. This is all hypothetical, isn't it, Tom? All academic?
TR Tom Riddle - Age 16
[Tom Riddle turns around.] [Smiling]
Of course, sir. It'll be our little secret.
[Memory goes cloudy and ends. We transport up into Dumbledore's office.]
Sir.
This is beyond anything I imagined.
You mean to say he succeeded, sir, in making a Horcrux?
Oh, yes, he succeeded all right. And not just once.
Could be anything. Most commonplace of objects.
[Dumbledore walks to his desk. Harry follows him.]
A ring, for example. Or a book.
It's a Horcrux, yes. Four years ago, when you saved Ginny Weasley from the Chamber of Secrets you brought me this. I knew then this was a different kind of magic. Very dark, very powerful. But until tonight I had no idea just how powerful.
Belonged to Voldemort's mother. Difficult to find. Even more difficult to destroy.
But if you could find them all, if you did destroy each Horcrux--
But how do you find them? They could be hidden anywhere, couldn't they?
True. But magic, especially dark magic--
[Harry touches the ring and we see memories. It spins and lands flat. Harry and Dumbledore look up.]
Leaves traces.
[Dumbledore leaves his desk.]
That's where you've been going, isn't there, sir? When you leave school?
Yes. And I think perhaps I may have found another. But this time, I cannot hope to destroy it alone. Once again, I must ask too much of you, Harry.
