Dumbledore poured the fresh memories into the Pensieve and began swirling the stone basin between his long-fingered hands.
“But he only gave her ten Galleons?!” said Harry indignantly.
“Caractacus Burke was not famed for his generosity,” said Dumbledore. “So we know that, near the end of her pregnancy, Merope was alone in London and in desperate need of gold, desperate enough to sell her one and only valuable possession, the locket that was one of Marvolo’s treasured family heirlooms.”
“I don’t understand. Merope was a witch. She could have got food and everything for herself by magic, couldn’t she? She wouldn’t have needed gold. Magic alone could have solved the problem.”
“Ah,” said Dumbledore, “no one can figure this out. We can only guess now. Perhaps she could. But it is my belief — I am guessing again, but I am sure I am right — that when her husband abandoned her, Merope stopped using magic. She was emotionally hurt. She thought that she was abandoned by her Muggle husband because she was a witch. Perhaps she didn’t want to be a witch any longer. Of course, it is also possible that her unrequited love and the attendant despair sapped her of her powers; that can happen. Intense emotional turmoil can affect one’s magic. In any case, as you are about to see, Merope refused to raise her wand even to save her own life.”
“Maybe she had already decided to die after Riddle left her,” Evan guessed.
“Perhaps…” said Dumbledore.
“She wouldn’t even stay alive for her son?” Harry asked.
His words made Dumbledore raise his eyebrows, “Could you possibly be feeling sorry for Lord Voldemort?”
“No,” said Harry quickly, “but Merope had a choice, didn’t she, not like my mother —”
“Your mother had a choice too,” said Dumbledore gently. “Yes, Merope Riddle chose death in spite of a son who needed her, but do not judge her too harshly, Harry. She was greatly weakened by long suffering and she never had your mother’s courage!”
No matter what, Merope had persisted long enough to give birth to Voldemort.
Her life had been so tragic, but if she had given up completely the moment Riddle left, then everything that followed would never have happened.
“Now, we are going to enter my memory, a very important memory as well.”
Dumbledore motioned for Evan and Harry to stand up, and they entered the Pensieve.
Falling through darkness again, a few seconds later, when his feet hit firm ground, Evan opened his eyes and found that he, Dumbledore and Harry were standing in a bustling, old-fashioned London street.
“There I am,” said Dumbledore brightly, pointing ahead of them to a tall figure crossing the road in front of a horse-drawn milk cart.
This younger Albus Dumbledore’s long hair and beard were auburn. Having reached their side of the street, he strode off along the pavement, drawing many curious glances due to the flamboyantly cut suit of plum velvet that he was wearing.
There was no denying that the young Dumbledore was strikingly handsome, possessing a unique charisma.
It was a different aura from the one the present Dumbledore carried, but just as unmistakably magnetic — an aura that made him stand out instantly in any crowd.
And it was hard to ignore the young Dumbledore on such a street! His exquisite Muggle suit was stylish even by today’s standards. Only the big names in the entertainment industry would wear it. He looked nothing like the usual awkward or overly slick attempts of wizards trying to pass as Muggles…
“Nice suit, sir,” Harry said without thinking.
“Very fitting. I’d say plenty of girls must have liked you, sir,” Evan agreed.
Dumbledore did not answer, he merely chuckled.
Evan suddenly felt that he might have said the wrong thing. After all, Dumbledore had never married, and there had never even been rumors about him being involved with any woman.
In other words, what was the point of him being so handsome and dressing so trendy?
Perhaps, long ago, many girls had admired him, but he had never returned their affections.
They were here to learn about Voldemort’s past, but Evan found himself unexpectedly gaining a deeper understanding of Dumbledore’s as well…
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