Harry couldn't help but think of the visit which took place not long ago. The pain in Andromeda's eyes when she talked about aunt Dorea. Ted Tonks' excitement on the topic of Harry and his daughter dating(which was not happening). How Dora got embarrassed at the mention of her having a thing for Harry. Well, everyone knew that they were only joking around, or are they? No time for love problems, there are more serious businesses to worry about.

Flashback: a few days ago

"Excuse me, are you Harry Potter?" a third-year Ravenclaw was holding a piece of parchment, "Dumbledore asked me to give you this."

He accepted with a "thank you" and read the words. Good news, Dumbledore planned another meeting with him that evening, it must be about Voldemort's childhood again. In their first lesson, they went into a Pensieve, saw the Gaunt House and Voldemort's family, and professor  Dumbledore explained Voldemort's birth circumstances. Last time, they met 12-year-old Riddle in the same Pensieve and discuss his personality. He wondered what he will learn on his third meeting with Dumbledore.

The evening came much sooner than he expected, "Ahh, there you are Harry. I am just about to begin, please see this."

They watched Morfin tell Voldemort about his family, and of course, Merope Gaunt. Both physically and emotionally abused by her father and brother, she later found a nice-looking muggle man or the father of the Dark Lord. How they got together doesn't need to be described, love potions are involved in some way. One day Merope stopped giving him potions, Tom Riddle Sr. left her and the unborn baby.

After he was born, his mother died very soon as he was put in an orphanage. The young boy, too different from other kids, managed to not make any friends and even stole from children. The story doesn't end here...

Young Tom Riddle got sorted into Slytherin House. The hat thought of putting him in other houses considering that he has different traits, but decided Slytherin was best for the innocent child at last.

His headmaster trusted him greatly while professor Dumbledore always looked out for him. Had they realized he will become one of the most feared Dark wizards in history... 

As a student with perfect grades, he was invited to the Slug Club. Once, they were having a meeting, "Professor Slughorn, do you know what a Horcrux is?"

"How did you hear this and why are you asking me?"

"The others won't understand. I read it in the library a few days earlier, I'm not sure what it means. So I think maybe you can give me the answer."

"No, absolutely not! Now go or you'll be late!"

He slammed the door shut, Tom Riddle had no choice but to leave the room. That made Harry curious, could Slughorn have helped Voldemort in any way? Luckily, Dumbledore was just there to explain Harry's question.

"You see, the memory was altered. Nothing(truth potions and mind-reading) works in hope of professor Slughorn to tell us. There's a task I'd like to give you," the headmaster paused for a while.

"What is it?"

"Please try to be given of the true memory. Now that's all for today, you may go back and meet your friends. Your task can be shared with them, including miss. Tonks. Good night Harry." 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hermione, what do you think of Tonks?" the boy-who-lived was chatting with Ron and Hermione.

She put her books away and shrugged, "Why? She was always there to help us. As a policewoman from muggles' point of view, she has done a lot for the order the past year. I'd say she is a wonderful Auror and friend-"

"Girlfriend." 

"What are you talking about Ron?" Hermione frowned, apparently confused.

"I think Tonks is a good choice for Harry, ever thought of her being his girlfriend?" 

None of them believed what Ron had said. Looking back, why should they? Nymphadora was the funny and sweet Auror, nothing more, nothing less. He sighed, "Ron, it's not like what you are thinking. She is my friend, not someone for me to end up with."

"Harry's right, "Hermione added, "How old is she? 7 years old than him if I remembered correctly! You expect them to work? We found out that Tonks likes professor Lupin, they look so nice together. In the muggle world, it's like a high school student dating a policewoman according to you. Harry even has a girlfriend for Merlin's sake!"

"It's just a thought, 'Mione."

"What was that? You are supposed to call me Hermione not 'Mione!"

"Sorry," said Ron forming a bit of awkwardness.

Mr. Harry Potter, however, used this as the best chance to tease Ronald Weasley. "I have a random question for you Ron, if you must choose between Hermione and Chicken, which one will you pick?"

"Hermione for sure!" Replied Ron within a millisecond.

"Haha I knew it, "Harry smiled evilly, which did scare his best friends a bit, "You love Hermione more than anything in the world!"

"Shut it!" Ron and Hermione shouted at the same time but secretly were both blushing. 

"I'm speaking the truth."

"Well you won't be ranting about us after hearing this, " said Hermione paying full attention to them, "Once I was playing truth or dare with Parvati Patil, I asked her if she was to go out with a boy(or girl), who was her first choice?"

"And what did she say?" 

"Let me use her own words, 'I'd definitely go out with Harry Potter, he's brave, humble, and loyal. I started liking him in our 4th year, things didn't go well at the yule ball but I can't blame him. Every boy would react like that if their crush was going with someone else. I couldn't tell him I like her because Cho is such a nice girl. I waited for so long, and then he is dating Suzie, my childhood friend who is sweet and kind! Yes, I fancy Harry Potter, but we'll never have a chance together so why shall I force him?' Can you believe it?" 

Harry was sucked into the story, "Are you sure of the fact that Parvati likes me?"

"100 percent. She wouldn't lie in a truth or dare game, or magic will tell. "

"I'm glad she didn't do anything, thanks Parvati, wherever you are. Can I make this better by saying I'm not really dating Susan?" 

Hermione gasped, "You mean, you two broke up? "

"No, we weren't into each other romantically in the first place. " said Harry, insisting Ron and Hermione sit down and listen to his explanation, "Remember the day at the Chamber of the Secrets?"

They nodded.

"You guys left first, Susan told me about her aunt and Sirius engaged, that makes us almost half-siblings. "

"So cool, I didn't know that Sirius had got a girl!" Ron exclaimed.

"Yeah, but I'm not finished yet. A few minutes later, we found words written on the Basilisks' skin. It said 'Leave Nymphadora Tonks alone.' "

"But, why would anyone do that? Couldn't they see Tonks is your very good friend, nothing more? What was the threat for?" questioned Hermione worriedly.

"I don't know, probably someone who either likes or hates Dora. Or they shouldn't even think of writing it. So Susan came up with a plan, if we started dating, then the person would feel that I already have a girlfriend and she is not Tonks. Maybe they'd stop what they were doing."

"Did it work?"

"Sort of yes, I haven't received any threats lately. This is the full story of Susan and me, we talked about stopping fake dating and announce an official breakup. We never are in a relationship anyway." He finished, glancing at Ron and Hermione.

"Oh Harry, you should have told us what went on, I'm sorry you have to go through it." said Hermione, "Next time, be more careful and please let us know."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Look, we've got Potion's again!"

Perfect, he thought. Finally, could he ask professor Slughorn to give him the memory. With that, he walked faster towards the classroom.

"Harry, m'boy, you're here!" the Potions master greeted. The lesson was fine, he managed to brew perfect potions with the Half-Blood Prince book. He couldn't help but wonder who did this book belong to? They must be a genius inventing spells and ways to make potions better.

It ended after getting a perfect score. All students went out of the room, Harry stayed behind. He had to find the memory Dumbledore wanted him to have. "Sir, I wondered if I wanted to ask you something."

"Ask away, dear boy. Ask away."

"The other day, I was in the library in the restricted section, " Harry began, copying to be like Tom Riddle, "and I came across something rather odd about a very rare piece of magic."

"What was this rare piece of magic?" 

"I can't remember the name exactly." He admitted, exactly like Tom, " But it just got me wondering, are there some kinds of magic you're not allowed to teach us?"

"I'm Potions Master, Harry, I think your question better be posed to Professor Snape," said Slughorn.

"He and I don't exactly see eye-to-eye, sir. What I mean to say is... Well, he's not like you. He might misunderstand."

"It would be no light without the dark. And so it is with magic, myself I always strive to live within the light. I suggest you do the same." came the reply.

Harry didn't give up, "Is that what you told Tom Riddle, sir when he came asking questions?"

"Dumbledore put you up to this, didn't he? Didn't he? Yes? Oh, it's you, Potter. I-I'm sorry, I'm busy at the moment."

Failed attempt.

A/N: The next chapter is ready, I hope you enjoyed it(some lines are from the Half-Blood Prince script)! I want to know, if you're reading this, do you long or short chapters? How many words in one chapter do you think is the best? Vote and comment please, thank you everyone for supporting my book!

Recommendation: The Little Girl by Littlewriter2008, not fanfiction but trust me, it's 100% worth reading.