The Four Swords of Hogwarts

Chapter 14: A Truth at the Core

"You can't be serious," Harry said, aghast, finally breaking the suffocating silence that had fallen over them. "Are you serious? Do you actually expect us to believe any of that?"

Riddle sighed quietly. "No, I do not expect you to, but I hope you will."

"It's insane. You want me to believe that Dumbledore did everything, all the things I've gone through? That it was him that killed everyone, killed my parents?" Harry said, angry at the horrible accusations. "Why? Why would he do it? If my parents were loyal to him, why would he kill them?"

"Despite what he portrays to the world, Dumbledore does not care about anyone. He only cares about how they fit into and play the game," Riddle said. "Your parents were a sacrifice he was willing to make in order to continue the game and create you, his hero."

Harry scrunched up his face in confusion. "But, it still doesn't make sense. You gave me the scar. What about our connection? The visions, the pain in the graveyard, the possession at the Ministry? What about your resurrection? You can't tell me those things didn't happen. I saw them, I felt them!"

"I can explain all of that," Riddle said almost gently, as though hoping to keep Harry calm. "You're right. They did happen, just not how you know."

Harry glared, but stayed quiet, waiting for the explanation.

"I was in Godric's Hollow the night your parents died. I went to protect you, but Dumbledore got there first. He gave you that scar and infused it with his magic. It is a link, but between you and Dumbledore, and it is only one-sided. Through it, he can control your thoughts, tamper with memories, implant dreams, and cause pain. Any visions you've had were created and implanted by him. He used it at the Ministry to simulate possession. I was at the Ministry, again, to try and protect you. He used one of my horcruxes that day. He temporarily melded it with your magic and it caused you to feel possessed. However, you broke the connection and, in doing so, destroyed the horcrux," Riddle explained.

"But the graveyard," Harry argued.

"He used your scar to cause the pain you felt. As for my resurrection, it did not happen. I was never without form. He severely injured me that Halloween, made worse by the fact that he stole all my horcruxes. Without them and with my injuries, it took me years to recover. What you saw in the graveyard was Pettigrew, working for Dumbledore, casting an extremely dark spell on a horcrux, allowing it to take a physical form. Through it, he fought you, but it appeared to be me."

"But all the Death Eaters..." Harry said, frowning as he remembered the graveyard.

"Projections created by Dumbledore," Riddle said. "Death Eaters have never existed."

Harry shot a look at Snape who was also frowning. Snape touched his arm where, under the sleeve, Harry knew the Dark Mark lay.

"Your mark is not mine, Severus," Riddle said, knowing exactly what they were thinking about. "It is Dumbledore's brand on you and it works similar to Harry's scar. Any meetings we've had did happen, but you were not serving me, I was not torturing you, and no one else was there. They were us working together to stop Dumbledore as we broke the magic over us. Unfortunately, Dumbledore is adept at knowing when his players are breaking the rules, and he used your mark and the Mind Magic to give you the memories you have."

"What about Quirrell?" Harry asked, remembering the terrifying image of the face on the back of the man's head.

"Dumbledore cursed him," Riddle said simply. "I was still recovering and in hiding at that time."

Harry blanched. "So...I killed an actual person?"

Riddle shook his head. "No, Dumbledore killed him, but made it look like you did."