A Sluggish Memory
Harry, Ron, and Ginny return to Hogwarts via the Floo Network after Christmas. Hermione tells them the new password for Gryffindor Tower: Abstinence. Evidently, the Fat Lady enjoyed too much wine over Christmas. Hermione hands Harry a note from Dumbledore; the next lesson is scheduled for the following night.
In the Common room, Ron is immediately enfolded by Lavender, while Ginny says she promised to meet Dean, though Harry senses she is rather unenthusiastic. Harry and Hermione, who is ignoring Ron, find a quiet corner, and he shares what happened during Christmas break, including the conversation with Rufus Scrimgeour. As expected, Hermione concurs with Mr. Weasley and Lupin, that Snape was attempting to discover what Malfoy's mission is. She reminds Harry that it was Fenrir Greyback's name that Malfoy threatened Borgin with.
The following morning, a notice on the bulletin board announces Apparation training for students turning 17 before 31st August, which includes everyone in the Sixth Year class. Students are excited, and when Harry admits that he has traveled by side-along Apparation, they ask about it. Harry says the sensation is unpleasant, but none seem put off by this.
Harry arrives for his lesson with Dumbledore and relates what happened over Christmas, including Rufus Scrimgeour's visit. Dumbledore says he has argued with both Rufus and Fudge over involving Harry in the Ministry's public relations efforts. Dumbledore displays a rare emotional flicker when Harry reveals his strong agreement to Scrimgeour dubbing him, "Dumbledore's man through and through". When Harry recounts Snape and Draco's conversation, Dumbledore thanks Harry for bringing this to his attention, but Harry should not concern himself further. In response to Harry's angry outburst, Dumbledore says he does understand and reaffirms that he trusts Snape, and nothing Harry has said changes that.
But now, they must go into the memories. Dumbledore recaps: Riddle was admitted to Hogwarts and sorted into Slytherin house, where he learned about Salazar Slytherin's ability to converse with snakes. The staff expected little from Riddle. He was a polite, good-looking, and ambitious orphan, so many took pity on him. Dumbledore tells Harry that he never revealed his opinions about Tom to the staff. If Tom was turning over a new leaf, Dumbledore was going to allow him to do so. Dumbledore describes how Death Eater forerunners gravitated around Riddle but admits difficulty in obtaining memories of him during his time at Hogwarts. Riddle also became obsessed with his parentage.
The first new memory belongs to Riddle's Uncle Morfin. In it, Riddle arrives at the Gaunts' and converses with Morfin in Parseltongue. Morfin tells Tom about his father, Tom Riddle, Sr., and his mother, Merope, and shows him the Peverell ring, saying that Merope had taken Slytherin's locket. The memory abruptly ends. Morfin remembered nothing until after he awoke the next day and the ring was gone. Dumbledore says when Riddle Sr. and his parents were found murdered, the Ministry fingered Morfin, who readily confessed. Dumbledore speculates that Riddle Stunned his uncle, performed the murders, and then implanted false memories into Morfin's mind.
The second memory is Slughorn's. He and the Slug Club during Riddle's era are chatting. Twice the memory inexplicably turns foggy and only Slughorn's voice is heard, notably when Riddle asks him about Horcruxes. In the memory, Slughorn seems to respond that he knows nothing about them. Dumbledore explains that Slughorn's memory has been tampered with and tasks Harry with obtaining the true memory from Slughorn.
Note is made here that the Floo network had been extended to Hogwarts specifically to allow the students to return after Christmas. This seems something of a contradiction, as Dumbledore had returned to his own office by means of the Floo network in the previous book, Sirius Black's head had appeared on a number of occasions in the Gryffindor common room fireplace, Snape had summoned Professor Lupin using a very similar technique in an earlier book, and Professor Umbridge had mentioned that all the fireplaces were monitored. There is no explanation for this apparent contradiction, but we can make some guesses. It is possible that, in order to prevent students from slipping away without permission, the vast majority of the fireplaces at Hogwarts were connected to the Floo network by a very small portal, enough to admit a head and no more. Why even this connection would be made is uncertain, unless it is intended to serve as an emergency exit from the common room; a head-sized attachment may be sufficient to keep the grate attached to the Network, but not present a threat of unwanted incursions or excursions, and the charm could be set to expand the connection to full size in case of emergency. It is possible that the limitations are removed from the House Heads' and the Headmaster's fireplaces, or of all teachers at the School, on the grounds that they are responsible enough to use them. In this case, the restriction against using the Floo network is not actually one of the school not being connected, but of the House Heads restricting the parade of people through their fireplaces.
In the Common room, Ron is immediately enfolded by Lavender, while Ginny says she promised to meet Dean, though Harry senses she is rather unenthusiastic. Harry and Hermione, who is ignoring Ron, find a quiet corner, and he shares what happened during Christmas break, including the conversation with Rufus Scrimgeour. As expected, Hermione concurs with Mr. Weasley and Lupin, that Snape was attempting to discover what Malfoy's mission is. She reminds Harry that it was Fenrir Greyback's name that Malfoy threatened Borgin with.
The following morning, a notice on the bulletin board announces Apparation training for students turning 17 before 31st August, which includes everyone in the Sixth Year class. Students are excited, and when Harry admits that he has traveled by side-along Apparation, they ask about it. Harry says the sensation is unpleasant, but none seem put off by this.
Harry arrives for his lesson with Dumbledore and relates what happened over Christmas, including Rufus Scrimgeour's visit. Dumbledore says he has argued with both Rufus and Fudge over involving Harry in the Ministry's public relations efforts. Dumbledore displays a rare emotional flicker when Harry reveals his strong agreement to Scrimgeour dubbing him, "Dumbledore's man through and through". When Harry recounts Snape and Draco's conversation, Dumbledore thanks Harry for bringing this to his attention, but Harry should not concern himself further. In response to Harry's angry outburst, Dumbledore says he does understand and reaffirms that he trusts Snape, and nothing Harry has said changes that.
But now, they must go into the memories. Dumbledore recaps: Riddle was admitted to Hogwarts and sorted into Slytherin house, where he learned about Salazar Slytherin's ability to converse with snakes. The staff expected little from Riddle. He was a polite, good-looking, and ambitious orphan, so many took pity on him. Dumbledore tells Harry that he never revealed his opinions about Tom to the staff. If Tom was turning over a new leaf, Dumbledore was going to allow him to do so. Dumbledore describes how Death Eater forerunners gravitated around Riddle but admits difficulty in obtaining memories of him during his time at Hogwarts. Riddle also became obsessed with his parentage.
The first new memory belongs to Riddle's Uncle Morfin. In it, Riddle arrives at the Gaunts' and converses with Morfin in Parseltongue. Morfin tells Tom about his father, Tom Riddle, Sr., and his mother, Merope, and shows him the Peverell ring, saying that Merope had taken Slytherin's locket. The memory abruptly ends. Morfin remembered nothing until after he awoke the next day and the ring was gone. Dumbledore says when Riddle Sr. and his parents were found murdered, the Ministry fingered Morfin, who readily confessed. Dumbledore speculates that Riddle Stunned his uncle, performed the murders, and then implanted false memories into Morfin's mind.
The second memory is Slughorn's. He and the Slug Club during Riddle's era are chatting. Twice the memory inexplicably turns foggy and only Slughorn's voice is heard, notably when Riddle asks him about Horcruxes. In the memory, Slughorn seems to respond that he knows nothing about them. Dumbledore explains that Slughorn's memory has been tampered with and tasks Harry with obtaining the true memory from Slughorn.
Note is made here that the Floo network had been extended to Hogwarts specifically to allow the students to return after Christmas. This seems something of a contradiction, as Dumbledore had returned to his own office by means of the Floo network in the previous book, Sirius Black's head had appeared on a number of occasions in the Gryffindor common room fireplace, Snape had summoned Professor Lupin using a very similar technique in an earlier book, and Professor Umbridge had mentioned that all the fireplaces were monitored. There is no explanation for this apparent contradiction, but we can make some guesses. It is possible that, in order to prevent students from slipping away without permission, the vast majority of the fireplaces at Hogwarts were connected to the Floo network by a very small portal, enough to admit a head and no more. Why even this connection would be made is uncertain, unless it is intended to serve as an emergency exit from the common room; a head-sized attachment may be sufficient to keep the grate attached to the Network, but not present a threat of unwanted incursions or excursions, and the charm could be set to expand the connection to full size in case of emergency. It is possible that the limitations are removed from the House Heads' and the Headmaster's fireplaces, or of all teachers at the School, on the grounds that they are responsible enough to use them. In this case, the restriction against using the Floo network is not actually one of the school not being connected, but of the House Heads restricting the parade of people through their fireplaces.
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