All the Wrong Choices
Arrogant
1997
“We moved back to England in 1955,” I told the two students sitting before me, “After ten years of living in Albania. I don’t know why. Tom had a great job at ISI. I had adjusted to life in Albania after a few years. But he claimed that he had some unfinished business to take care of.”
“Unfinished business?” Harry asked. “What do you mean?”
I exhaled deeply, shrugging. “I don’t want to disappoint you both but I truly don’t know that much. Tom was certainly good at keeping me in the shadows. I believe he wanted to reapply for the Defense Against the Dark Arts position knowing that he would get it – to spite Dippet. At least, that’s what he told me. As soon as we arrived back in England that was the first thing he did, but Dumbledore had stepped up as headmaster by this time. Tom put in an application anyways but, well, Dumbledore was never too fond of Tom as I’m sure you both know.”
“Professor,” Hermione spoke, slowly sitting forward in her seat, “I know that this is a very intricate detail I’m asking you to remember about all of those years ago, but did any of the horcruxes go missing after Tom’s trip to Hogwarts?”
“Missing?” I asked. And then I shrugged. I was utterly useless.
“The diadem in particular,” Harry added.
“The diadem? Do you mean the crown?” I asked. The two students nodded eagerly. “I truly only saw that dreadful looking thing one time. The day before we left for England was the only time I’d seen it. Never again after that.”
“It’s somewhere in Hogwarts.” Hermione concluded.
“Oh, I don’t know about that, Hermione. Tom had a lot of guts but I don’t think he would have hidden one of his horcruxes in Hogwarts. It would be too risky, wouldn’t you think? Unless Tom was arrogant enough to believe that no one would be smart enough to think of that,” I paused, glancing down at my hands, “Which he certainly was.”
“We’re making progress,” Hermione nodded confidently. “This is good. We’ve got a potential lead on the diadem. We’ll head to Godric’s Hollow tomorrow and hopefully recover the sword. For now, we should rest up.”