Lockhart. He turned and saw that Lockhart was standing in a corner of the room, still wearing his vague smile. When Dumbledore addressed him, Lockhart looked over his shoulder to see who he was talking to.

'Professor Dumbledore,' Ron said quickly, 'there was an accident down in the Chamber of Secrets. Professor Lockhart –'

'Am I a Professor?' said Lockhart in mild surprise. 'Goodness. I expect I was hopeless, was I?'

'He tried to do a Memory Charm and the wand backfired,' Ron explained quietly to Dumbledore.

'Dear me,' said Dumbledore, shaking his head, his long silver moustache quivering. 'Impaled upon your own sword, Gilderoy!'

'Sword?' said Lockhart dimly. 'Haven't got a sword. That boy has, though.' He pointed at Harry. 'He'll lend you one.'

'Would you mind taking Professor Lockhart up to the hospital wing, too?' Dumbledore said to Ron. 'I'd like a few more words with Harry ...'

Lockhart ambled out. Ron cast a curious look back at Dumbledore and Harry as he closed the door. Amelia, knowing when she was wanted, left the room with one last glance back at Harry.

Dumbledore crossed to one of the chairs by the fire.

'Sit down, Harry,' he said, and Harry sat, feeling unaccountably nervous.

'First of all, Harry, I want to thank you,' said Dumbledore, eyes twinkling again. 'You must have shown me real loyalty down in the Chamber. Nothing but that could have called Fawkes to you.'

He stroked the phoenix, which had fluttered down onto his knee. Harry grinned awkwardly as Dumbledore watched him.

'And so you met Tom Riddle,' said Dumbledore thoughtfully. 'I imagine he was most interested in you ...'

Suddenly, something that was nagging at Harry came tumbling out of his mouth.

'Professor Dumbledore ... Riddle said I'm like him. Strange like- nesses, he said ...'

'Did he, now?' said Dumbledore, looking thoughtfully under his thick silver eyebrows at Harry. And what do you think, Harry?'

'I don't think I'm like him!' said Harry, more loudly than he'd intended. 'I mean, I'm – I'm in Gryffindor, I'm ...'

But he fell silent, a lurking doubt resurfacing in his mind. 'Professor,' he started again after a moment, 'the Sorting Hat