"We?" Slughorn hesitated, his eyes flicking uncertainly between Dumbledore and Snape. "Does Severus have to see it too?"
"I think it's quite all right, Horace," Dumbledore said gently, nodding. "After all, it's because of him that we're here in the first place. Don't you think?"
"Oh, well... yes, I suppose..." Slughorn muttered under his breath. "Since this all started because of him, I suppose it's only right that he learn something from it..."
Slowly, very slowly, he reached into his pocket, drew out his wand, pressed the tip against his temple, and then pulled it away.
A long, silvery thread of memory followed the motion of his wand, stretching longer and longer until it finally broke free, shimmering as it floated at the wand's tip, swirling like a ribbon of glowing gas...
It was impossible to tell how long it lasted before they were once again seized by an invisible force that lifted them off the ground. Weightless, they drifted upward through darkness, higher and higher, through a void, until at last they landed softly on the carpet before Dumbledore's desk, the Pensieve glowing faintly in front of them.
Outside the window, the night was still deep.
"I believe you saw it too, Severus," Slughorn said, steadying himself and turning toward Snape. "And forgive me for repeating myself, but as I've told you before, Tom disappeared not long after graduation. No one knows what became of him after that.
"I don't want you ending up the same way. You still have a bright future ahead of you.
"You must understand, the soul must remain whole. To split it is a violation, a defiance of nature itself. You must stay far away from such things. They are evil, and far too dangerous..."
"Thank you, sir." Snape took a step forward and gave Slughorn a deep bow. "I will remember your warning."
Though he already knew this memory well, Snape felt genuine respect for Slughorn's willingness to show him his own shameful past, hoping to turn it into a lesson.
Beneath the old slug's worldly and smooth exterior, there lay true conscience, courage, and a certain nobility.
"Albus..." Slughorn said wearily, "I truly am old... Let Severus take you to see that Horcrux in the castle.
"As for that resignation letter from before... if it's not too much trouble, perhaps you could grant me another chance..."
"Sir, it would be best if you didn't leave Hogwarts," Snape said quickly, picking up the bottle of mead from the desk and pouring Slughorn another small glass. "You're safer here."
"Why..." Slughorn took the glass, his voice so faint now he could barely be heard. "What good is keeping an old man like me... I could leave the country..."
Snape thought for a moment, then slowly pulled his wand from his pocket.
He gave a light twist of his wrist, and glowing letters appeared in the air:
汤姆·马沃罗·里德尔 (Tom Marvolo Riddle)
Then, with another flick, the letters rearranged themselves into:
我是伏地魔 (I am Lord Voldemort)
"This is for your own good, sir," Snape said softly.
Slughorn's face turned even paler. Sweat covered his forehead in countless tiny beads.
He didn't speak, but his expression was filled with horror.
At that moment, he finally made the connection, linking Voldemort to that clever, handsome young man who had once served as Head Boy at Hogwarts.
Slughorn raised a trembling hand and pressed a fat finger to his lips, looking for all the world like a huge, helpless infant.
"I, I-" Slughorn shuddered violently, unable to tear his terrified gaze away from the glowing words.
"I, I gave his secret to you..." Slughorn murmured weakly through his fingers, his face frozen in fear. "What should I do now..."
"You need rest, Horace," Dumbledore said gently. "You're exhausted. You'll feel much better after a good sleep.
"And you needn't worry, everyone here will keep this secret. Isn't that right, Severus?"
Snape met Slughorn's eyes and nodded solemnly. "If you're still uneasy, I can make an Unbreakable Vow. Professor Dumbledore can serve as our witness."
"No, no need," Slughorn said weakly, waving a hand and letting out a heavy sigh. "That's unnecessary... I just, I just shouldn't have to bear so much..."
"I'll take you back, Horace," Dumbledore said, pulling on his cloak before turning to Snape. "Wait here for me a moment, Severus. I'll be right back."
With a flick of his wand, the bottle and three glasses vanished from the desk.
The two of them left the room, the door closing softly behind them.
A minute later, Snape heard the gargoyle outside jump aside and then back into place.
Bored, he began to glance around the office.
Though the portraits of old headmasters were softly snoring in their frames, Snape was certain a few of them were only pretending.
"Hello, Fawkes," Snape said, raising his eyes to the phoenix perched on the golden branch by the door.
Professor Dumbledore's phoenix, Fawkes, watched him steadily with two bright black eyes.
"If I'm ever in danger in the castle and I shout Dumbledore's name, will you come to save me, Fawkes?" Snape asked, pointing toward the battered, wrinkled wizard's hat resting on a nearby shelf. "Preferably bringing that thing along, too."
Next to the Sorting Hat, inside a glass case, lay a gleaming silver sword, its hilt set with large rubies.
Snape looked at the Sorting Hat without the slightest desire to put it on. Who knew what the ancient thing might read from his mind, something it wasn't supposed to. And if that happened, he'd probably have to destroy it.
Though, come to think of it, that might not be such a bad thing. Maybe then Hogwarts would finally achieve true inter-house unity.
Thinking this, Snape circled around the desk and picked up the Sorting Hat from the shelf.
He stared at the Sword of Gryffindor inside the case, then reached his hand into the hat, groping around to see if he could feel a sword hilt. But after searching for quite a while, he found nothing at all.
What the hell? he thought, annoyed. Am I not brave enough? This old relic's favoritism runs deep.
"Hey, can't you give me a little credit?" Snape said, holding the hat up in front of him. "Even if you once belonged to Godric Gryffindor, that's no excuse for bias."
"What are you doing, Severus?"
Dumbledore's voice came suddenly from behind him.