Marauder's Daughter (Eventual Tom Riddle X OC)

Chapter 30: Secrets Revealed

"Yes, I felt you and I needed to have another chat." Dumbledore says kindly, indicating for me to sit down.

"Of course, sir, what about?" I ask innocently, keeping my expression blank.

"The Chamber of Secrets, I think for starters." He replies with a knowing look. "And how you managed to open it."

"Now what would give you that idea, sir?" I tilt my head in a subtly challenging way.

"Not much happens in this school without my knowledge, Ms. Black." He replies smugly.

"Of course not, you certainly wouldn't let Voldemort in here, or an unqualified fraud teach courses." I counter back sweetly, and he sighs lightly.

"What was inside the Chamber, Ms. Black?" He asks again. 

Instead of answering, I stand and walk over to Fawkes, petting him softly as I collect my thoughts on how to answer the old man. I then spot the sorting hat sitting on a nearby shelf and walk over to it. I debate for a second and lift it up and turn it around to look inside of it, silently asking the hat for the magic sword. 

For me though, there was no sword inside of him at all.

"Did you know about the Sword of Gryffindor and this hat?" I ask Dumbledore instead of answering his question, holding the hat aloft to indicate towards it. The hat comes to life, but he stays quiet, likely knowing what's on my mind right now.

"Yes, you are referring to the legend that only a true Gryffindor may pull the sword of Godric from the hat in times of need." He replies with a light tone, amusement in his tone.

"I am not a true Gryffindor, I know that, but it would have been cool to use the sword to slay the Basilisk down in the Chamber. Very cool indeed." I answer his original question casually, returning the hat to its stand with a subtle wink to it.

"You do not think yourself a true Gryffindor? Why?" He asks, skipping over the 'giant dangerous beast hidden under the school' part of the story.

"I know myself well enough to know I'm a Slytherin. However, I could do more good in Gryffindor, so that's why I'm there." I answer honestly.

"A Basilisk... that explains the roosters at least, but not how you knew it was there, or how to get to it. Would you care to enlighten me?" He asks delicately.

"No, I don't think I will." I smirk at him, and feel the tug again on my mind of him trying to read my thoughts. "Ah, always so eager to enter my mind, sir. Would you like to see Konoha?" I ask him smugly. "You have tried so often to get there, and I can't blame you, it's a lovely place."

"I admit I am intrigued. Please, show me." He asks airily. 

I allow him access to Konoha, and enter in after him. He looks around in wonder at it. 

"Remarkable. Sights, scents, sounds, you even have it a comfortable temperature. A true oasis." Dumbledore says, now standing in front of me in my forest realm.

I conjure up some candy in a dish and offer it to him. "It has tastes here, too." He grabs a sweet and eats it happily.

"Truly well done." He compliments. "Though it does beg the question of why? Why spend the time to craft this realm so well?"

"Ah, 'why', a question you will ask me often, I'm sure." I say confidently. "My reasons are my own, though I will say, my intentions are not bad."

"You just slayed a terrifying beast on your own, under the guise of a delightful prank. You go through great lengths and even dangers, yet seek no credit for some of your exploits. I must admit, you are difficult to predict." He says jovially and I smirk at him again. "Shall we return to the real world?"