The Pensieve

The Pensieve was a small brass basin, with silvery smoke swirling around. Harry was frozen in his spot, with the shock of this Pensieve, being on his bed. After wondering where Dumbledore kept it... And Harry must have seen every nook and cranny in his past six years... so he must have seen it somewhere... But no, how could he, Harry, know the school like the back of his hand, when Dumbledore would find new rooms every other day. Hermione and Ron entered the dormitory, lost in their own world. They seemed to be holding hands, but tore apart as soon as they saw Harry gaping at them.

"What's going on?" asked Harry, confused, now looking at Ron who was redder than his hair.

"Oh, nothing--except Ron and I have been going out. In fact the day I asked him out was the sixth of May," said Hermione, surprisingly sure of herself.

"You--asked--him--out??" said Harry, amazed that Hermione could do such a thing.

"Yeah, she did," said Ron, calming on the redness, but still avoiding Harry's (and Hermione's for that matter) eyes.

"Well, congrats, Ron! You two seem happy for each other. Has the, er, bickering stopped?" Harry asked.

"Mh-hmm!" Exclaimed Hermione. Ron leaned in towards Harry.

"No, it hasn't," he whispered. Harry and Ron both started cracking up.

"What is so funny??" said Hermione, surprisingly ladylike.

"Oh nothing," said Ron. "Hey--why don't we check out the Pensieve?"

"Yes, er, honey... good idea," said Hermione, not so sure of herself. Harry let her pass in front, and then mouthed the word "honey??". They chuckled. Hermione took out her wand, and swirled it around the smoke.

"Hermione, why don't we take this to the commons? That way there is more room and a steady surface," said Harry. Hermione must have that this was a good idea, because she carried the Pensieve down the stairs. Ron held back a bit, blocking Harry, so that Hermione was far away.

"Harry, I need to tell you something about Hermione and me," said Ron, worriedly.

"Yeah?"

"Well, last night, Hermione and I were, ummm, expressing our love to each other... in the same bed."

"Yeah, so?"

"Well, I was wondering if this relationship bothered you."

"Why would it bother me?"

"I don't know--ever since you left for St. Mungo's, there was this rumor about you crushing on Hermione, because it seemed like you took her picture and no one else's."

"I took plenty of pictures! It's just that I had forgotten to pack Hermione's so I had to carry it," Harry lied. Indeed, he did love Hermione, and hers was the only picture he packed. But the couple looked so happy together, that he decided to sacrifice his love for the girl at that very moment. Hermione reentered the dormitory empty-handed.

"BOYS! Get downstairs. NOW," she yelled. The two of them walked downstairs, Harry's heart pounding like never before--he was basically walking into Lily Potter's memory. But was that why his heart had been pounding? Or was it because he had never been so close to Hermione since the day he realized how much he loved her?

The entered the common room to find scattered people studying, reading, and just sitting, basking in the depression that was sweeping over the castle. Hermione set the Pensieve on the table and looked around the common room.

"Look, everybody. Harry received his mother's Pensieve from Dumbledore before he died. Please try not to be obnoxious. And if it seems like we have been spending too much time, please just shake us and we will come back to the present time. Thanks," said Hermione. Ginny nodded. Seamus Finnigan looked confused. Dean Thomas looked sympathetic. He may have been the only one who knew what a Pensieve was.

"Okay, let's go," said Harry. His stomach lurched. Into the Pensieve of Lily Potter. He dipped his head into the silvery smoke and found he, Hermione, and Ron in Professor Dumbledore's office and inside was a younger Dumbledore sitting at his desk facing a young man and a young woman--James Potter and Lily Evans... Harry found himself tearing at the sight of his parents...