don't.
you're the doctor, aren't you?
i don't believe you. i hear mrs. cole talking, her and the rest of the staff. they want me looked at. they think i'm different.
i'm not mad.
yes.
i can make things move -- without touching them. i can make animals do what i want without training them. i can make bad things happen to people who are mean to me. i can make them hurt.  if i want.
who are you?
prove it.
i like having things that belonged to other people. it makes me feel .  close to them.
i can speak to snakes too.
they find me. whisper things. is that normal. for someone like me?
sir, is it true that professor merrythought is retiring? slughorn chuckles, wags a sugar-encrusted finger at riddle.
intuition.
i know a secret shortcut or two.
yes, sir. i couldn't think of anyone else to go to. the other professors, well, they're not like you. they might.  misunderstand.
i was in the library the other night, in the restricted section, and i read something rather odd, about a bit of rare magic, and i thought perhaps you could illuminate me.
sir, is it true that professor merrythought is retiring?
intuition.
i know a secret shortcut or two.
yes, sir. i couldn't think of anyone else to go to. the other professors, well, they're not like you. they might.  misunderstand.
i was in the library the other night, in the restricted section, and i read something rather odd, about a bit of rare magic and i thought perhaps you could illuminate me. it's called, as i understand it.  a horcrux.
horcrux. i came across the term while reading and i didn't fully understand it.
yes, sir. which is why i came to you. i mean no disrespect to the rest of the staff, but i thought if anyone could tell me.  it would be you.
yes, i thought it might be something like that. but i don't understand how that works, sir.
protected?
how does one split his soul, sir?
murder.
out of curiosity, sir -- can you only split your soul once? for instance, isn't seven the most powerfully magical number --
of course, sir. and i promise i'll not speak of our conversation. it'll be our little secret.