Dumbledore swirled the contents of the Pensieve as if panning for gold, and amid the constantly spinning silvery-white substance, a burning old wardrobe emerged.
A handsome boy sprang up from beside the bed. He let out a terrified, furious roar, as though all his possessions were inside that wardrobe.
"What's in there?" Pomona asked.
"Things that were worthless to him, yet treasures to others." Dumbledore swirled the Pensieve again. The fire in the wardrobe had gone out, leaving only a pile of ordinary trinkets: a yo-yo, a silver thimble, and a tarnished harmonica.
"What did he want those for?" Pomona asked curiously.
Dumbledore released the Pensieve and touched his crooked nose, as if it itched.
"After seeing magic, Tom wanted a wand as well." Dumbledore lowered his hand to his long white beard. "I told him everyone would have one. He soon lost interest in the things inside the wardrobe."
"Did he return them?" Pomona asked.
"I think he quickly realized those stolen goods were worthless. What he needed was money." Dumbledore's face remained expressionless. "I gave him a bag of gold coins."
"So you don't know whether he returned them?" Pomona asked.
"He showed greed when he looked at the wand, but not when he saw the Galleons." Dumbledore went on as if speaking to himself. "Nor did he need help all that badly... except that he wanted to escape that place, the place that made him feel ordinary."
Dumbledore swirled the Pensieve again. Tom Riddle appeared inside, dressed in Hogwarts robes and seemingly pleading for something.
"What's wrong with him?" Pomona asked with some sympathy.
"Staying at school," Dumbledore said. "It's summer break. He doesn't want to go back to the orphanage."
"But students can't stay at Hogwarts over the summer..."
Before Pomona could finish, Dumbledore turned to