Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Not Worth It
Chapter 1
Freedom
Marvolo's hands were around his daughter's throat. He was shaking her and calling her a blood traitor. Merope tried in vain to pry his hands away.
"Relashio!" Ogden cried and Marvolo was thrown backward.
Before Merope could utter a thank you to the Ministry wizard, Morfin screamed and chased him out of the house.
Merope stared at the door in shock. Why didn't Ogden take her with him? He could get her out of this place. The man was from the ministry He just abandoned her with two insane and dangerous men?Coughing, she got to her feet and went to the doorway. She couldn't see Ogden and Morfin was coming back to the house.
"Where is he?" Merope asked him.
"He's gone!" hissed Morfin, crossing the threshold.
"Disaparated, I suppose," said Marvolo, pushing himself off the floor.
"You shouldn't have gone after him," Merope told her brother. "The Ministry might send us all to Azkaban now!"
"I don't give a bloody damn what the ministry will do!" growled Marvolo. "He's probably not even a pureblood. What does he know about being a wizard? The real problem here is you hankering for a muggle!"
"But I'm not!" Merope insisted.
"You've been hanging out of the window so you can look at him for months," her brother jeered. "Saw you once trying to talk to that muggle."
"Talk to him?" echoed Marvolo. "What exactly would you have to say to him?"
"Nothing!" Merope said. "I just…don't know anybody here. We never talk to anyone. I didn't know he was a muggle."
"Filthy squib—you can't even tell a wizard from a muggle?" Marvolo snarled.
"I won't look at him anymore," Merope said. "I promise. I'm sorry, Papa, don't be mad."
"What am I going to do with you?" said Marvolo. "
"Maybe we should leave," Merope suggested.
"There is no place for us to go!" Marvolo snarled, slapping her.
There was an explosion at the front of the house and the door blasted open. The Gaunts gasped and coughed as the smoke cleared. Ogden had returned with seven other officials from the ministry. Merope felt excitement and relief stir inside her bosom. Ogden hadn't abandoned her. He had only left to get help.
"Marvolo and Morfin Gaunt, we are here to take you into custody," he said.
"First you claim to take my son, and now me?" Marvolo demanded. "Under what circumstances?"
"Your actions and attitude from my previous visit," Ogden said. "Including the abuse you inflicted on your daughter."
"Come quietly, or we will have to use force," said a witch behind Ogden as she withdrew her wand from her robes.
"I don't take orders from you, woman!" hissed Marvolo.
"Leave her to me, Father," Morfin said licking his lips. "She looks like fun."
"Just listen to them, Papa," pleaded Merope. "Do what they say."
"It's your infatuation with dirty muggles that got us into this, you useless squib!" Marvolo pushed his daughter to the ground.
"That's enough!" Ogden shouted and the small room became a battlefield.
Screams. Booms. Hexes. Curses. Merope ducked behind a counter to get out of the crossfire. She peeked over the counter to keep an eye on the battle. She didn't want to get hurt, but she couldn't stop herself from watching either. She wanted to see magic in action. She wanted to witness the punishment of the two most dangerous men in her life. The Ministry used spells she had never seen or read about before. Their skill was elegant and precise, unlike the messy curses that Marvolo and Morfin used. It was real magic. Magic she could only dream of using.
Then the battle turned. Marvolo removed the fingers from his opponent, causing him to lose his wand. Morfin brought down two others. One of them was Ogden. Morfin cackled, his knife at Ogden's throat.
"Stop!" Merope exclaimed, rising to her feet.
The pot that Merope had dropped and broke that Ogden mended for her, flew from the shelf and hit Morfin in head. Marvolo took his attention off his opponents to shout at his daughter.
"Stupid girl! That had better been an accident!"
The officials seized the moment to tie up Marvolo as he was spouting on about the shame Merope brought on the family.
"Oh be quiet!" Shouted the female official and she stunned him. With the fight over, the remaining officials checked on their comrades.
Merope stumbled into the room, speechless.
"Are you all right?" Ogden asked her.
Merope nodded.
"Fine use of magic there," said Ogden. "Thank you."
"My family has done bad things. Are you going to send us to prison?"
"Your father and brother are the only perpetrators here, young lady," said the witch among them.
"Merope, we'd like you to testify," said Ogden. "About Marvolo and Morfin's behavior. You knew them best. Can you do that?"
"Yes," she said. "I can. What do I need to do?"
"Just come to the Ministry of Magic," explained the witch.
"I don't know where that is."
"Can you apparate?" he inquired.
"No," she answered.
He looked at her fireplace. "I don't suppose your fireplace is connected to the floo network?"
Merope shook her head. She'd never even heard of the floo network. How much of the wizarding world didn't his father tell her? How could they call themselves wizards—pureblood wizards—when they were so out of touch with how the wizarding world worked?
"There's the Knight bus," the witch recommended.
"You know what a ride on the Knight Bus is like," Ogden told her. "Don't worry, Miss Gaunt. I can connect your fireplace to the floo network and send you an OWL with more information."
"Assuming she can even read," muttered a rookie and the witch glared at him.
"Yes, I can read," Merope said.
She thanked the wizards for their help and they left the shack. She stood in the doorway for some time after they had gone. "Can you take my brother down?"
Merope looked down at her feet to see the snake Morfin had been handling and crooning over. It looked at the dead snake nailed to the door.
Merope didn't speak to snakes as often as her father or brother. The snakes could sense her being a Parselmouth and they gave her messages and greetings. She would greet back and sometimes did them favors but she didn't play with them, especially not in the manner as Morfin. It was cruel how he would pretend to be the snake's friend, and then nail them to the front door. She didn't know if he did this as a game, or if it was a warning to the other snakes.
"Of course I can," said Merope, turning to the snake on the door. She gritted her teeth and pulled the nailed from its head.
"I'll bury him in the garden," she announced, carrying the dead snake to the corner in the garden. She reached for a spade and prepared to dig a hole.
"Can't you use magic?" inquired the snake.
"Not well," replied Merope. "I don't know the spell to dig a hole. There's so much I don't know. My father didn't teach me. He didn't help me learn."
"Now that he's gone," said the snake. "You can teach yourself. You don't need your father or brother. You don't need them. You're free."
"Yes," agreed Merope. "Like you."
She finished the hole and buried the snake's dead brother. The snake thanked her and slithered away. Merope returned to the shack, picked up her broom and went to sweeping. She hoped this was the last mess she had to clean up after Marvolo and Morfin, perhaps the most disgusting and lazy men on Earth. Now Tom Riddle, there was a man she wouldn't mind cleaning up after. She could care to his needs for the rest of her days.
A few days later, Merope received a parcel containing a pound of floo powder and instructions of what to do. She was prepared to look her best for the Ministry, her only dress washed and her hair brushed. It was all she could do. After examining herself in the cracked mirror, she sighed and approached her fire place.
"Ministry of Magic," she said.
She saw the gray walls of her home disappear behind green flames and then she was floating through fire, passing man fire places until she found herself in a long hallway with a dozen fire places. She straightened herself up and approached the receptionist. She was a very beautiful woman that was filing her fingernails. She didn't even notice Merope approach.
"Hello, I'm Merope Gaunt," Merope stated. "I'm here for the hearing for my father and brother."
The receptionist dropped her nail file and widened her eyes. "Those two? Marvolo and Morfin Guant?"
"Yes," said Merope.
"I hope they go to Azkaban for life," she said firmly. "Half the men Mr. Ogden brought with him were injured, including my father. Gaunt removed all his fingers!"
"I'm sorry," said Merope. "I remember…"
"And you did nothing to help?" the receptionist demanded.
"I helped Mr. Ogden…"
"Ogden? That old coot? But no one else?" The receptionist groaned and leaned back. "Ah, didn't want to get involved? Did you just sit back and watched as your pathetic excuse for a family almost killed seven people from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement?"
"No, I…" Merope murmured.
"Tch, Courtroom four," said the receptionist. "I hope you go to Azkaban with them."
Merope wanted to say something in her defense but she didn't want to admit herself being a squib. She turned away and approached the doors to courtroom four. There was a man standing outside the door with a clipboard. "Name please?"
"Merope Gaunt."
"Very well, follow me."
"Merope Gaunt ready to testify."
The room of courtroom four was circular with a seat in the middle where Morfin was seated with his arms chained. He was muttering in parseltongue. There were high benches on the end where the Wizengamot sat. She recognized Ogden in the crowd.
"Thank your for coming, Miss Gaunt. Have a seat."
Ogden waved his wand and conjured a comfortable chair for her to sit on, with a reasonable distance from her brother.
"I am Hector Fawley," said a man seated in the benches. "Minister of Magic. After interrogating your brother and father, we will speak with you."
Merope nodded.
"Morfin Gaunt, tell us the event that occurred in Little Hangleton on the evening of September seventh," said Hector.
Morfin hissed and spat but uttered no coherent words.
"He was like that when I came to fetch him, Minister," Ogden said. "Must be insane."
A woman on the far end laughed. "Can't you tell? He's speaking in Parseltongue.
"Parseltongue!"
Everyone in the Wizegamont began whispering and muttering.
"Morfin, I demand that you cease speaking in Parseltongue and answer our questions in English!" shouted Hector shouted.
Morfin did not comply yet said derisive comments in Parseltongue.
"Morfin, stop it," said Merope. "Don't say that about the Minister of Magic."
"You understood him?" Inquired Hector. "What did he say?"
"He called you a mudblood, sir," Merope said with a frown.
Hector narrowed his eyes at Morfin. "Coward, if you wished to call me names you should do it in a language I can understand. Nevertheless, you are far from the truth. Neither one of my parents are muggles. Miss Gaunt!"
"Yes, sir," Merope said.
"Seeing that you can understand him," said Hector, "then you must be a Parselmouth too?"
"It's not something I am proud of," Merope murmured, lowering her head.
"Can you interpret your brother's words for us?" Hector inquired.
She nodded but then other Wizegamont members began talking.
"Minister, are you sure you can trust her, being a parselmouth too?"
"If you know a better way to know what that lunatic is saying, I'd like to hear it!" said Hector. "Miss Gaunt, what say you?"
"I'll do it," Merope said.
"Now Morfin Gaunt, is it true that you hexed a muggle on the twenty-first of May?"
Morfin hissed and Merope confirmed it. "Yes."
"Why did you hex him?"
Morfin grinned and looked at his sister. "Because my sister is a muggle lover!"
Merope gasped and shook her head.
"Miss Gaunt, we are waiting," said the minister
"Because, the muggle came a little too close too our home," Merope lied. "And Morfin hates muggles."
Merope glared at his sister and attempted to free himself from the chair.
"There you have it, Minister," said Ogden. "He was quick to hex anything anyone that bothered to come by his house."
He tapped his nose.
"I see," said Minister. "I'm tired of looking at Morfin, get him out of my sight. Move onto Marvolo."
The chair that Morfin was sitting on sank down into he ground and up came Marvolo, chained jst s tightly as his son. When he saw his daughter he glared at her and spat at her.
"Damn muggle lover!" he shouted. "It's your fault we're in this mess."
"Finally, a Gaunt that speaks in English for once," said Hector. "Mr. Gaunt, we are aware that your son hexed a muggle while passing by your home. Were you involved?"
"I didn't hex the muggle if that is what you're implying," said Marvolo, "but I told Morfin to keep watch for muggles, busy-bodies and filth. I don't want such people coming near my home."
"When I came to get your son," said Ogden, "you were abusive both vocally and physically upon your daughter here. I wit—"
"So what if I was?" Marvolo demanded. "Is it against the law how I raise my daughter?"
"The way you raise her, yes," said Ogden. "You would have choked her to death had I not intervened."
"Useless muggle-loving squib had it coming!" Marvolo growled. "I don't tolerate her behavior. She'd never been good at anything with magic and she just stares at muggles all day. If you want to arrest someone, arrest her! She's the reason she's here. How dare you hanker toward muggles when it was muggles that took your mother?"
"Muggle watching is not against wizarding law," Hector told him. "Hexing them is. In accordance to the abuse to your daughter, you have injured seven members of the department of Law Enforcement."
"I was defending myself!"
"If you had just come quietly we wouldn't have had to use force," said Ogden. "Any more questions?"
"I have enough," said Hector. "Send him to his cell until we reach a verdict."
"If I go to Azkaban it's your fault!" Marvolo shouted at Merope as he went down the hole. The chair came back once more but the chains were removed.
"You may sit down," said Hector.
Merope paused before sitting down. She tapped the arms. The Minister laughed.
"Don't be nervous," he said. "The chains are only used for dangerous criminals."
Merope sighed and sat on the chair.
"Merope, can you explain the incident with the muggle and your brother? The one he hexed three weeks ago?"
"As we told you sir, my brother and father hate muggles," she answered. "It was just a random attack. Tom—the muggle—was riding pass our home and Morfin hexed him."
"Has Morfin ever tried to hex this Muggle before?" Hector inquired.
"Yes he has," said Merope. "He would brag about each attempt and go on about all the hexes he wanted to use on him. Not just Tom Riddle, but others. The milkman, the postman, the barmaid…"
"I find this all very hard to believe," said the witch on the end. "Your father said something about you being a muggle lover. You don't think this isn't some kind of arrangement so that you can be with the muggle?"
"Hesper, I don't see what this has to do with anything," said Ogden.
"Does not the Ministry of Magic exist so as to keep the muggles from knowing about us?" Hesper went on. "By this woman trying to get with this muggle, she has caused her brother and father to get in trouble. Quite sneaky, I must say. When your father and brother are gone, you are going to try and marry this muggle, aren't you?"
"You think I planned this?" Merope demanded. "I saw the letters from the Ministry. I told my papa he should open them. I knew they were important but he doesn't open letters."
"I think if anyone is at fault here, you are," Hesper went on. "You are breaking the number one wizarding law by fraternizing with the muggle. You should go to Azkban. Minister, don't you agree?"
"Using magic on muggles and exposing one self as a witch or wizard is the crime," Hector said. "Although I must ask, Merope, have you ever used magic on or in front of the muggle in question?"
"No, of course not," Merope said. She had wanted to use the countercurse on Tom Riddle and restore his gorgeous face. Her mother had used it a few times after her brother had hexed her as a child. But even though she knew he words and the wand movements, there was no way she could have done it. Magic just didn't come as easily to her as it did to Morfin.
"Or any muggle for that matter?" the minister added.
"Ever admit to anyone that you are a witch?"
"No," said Merope.
"Well obviously if she is a squib, she can't," said Hesper. "Is that true, Miss Gaunt? Can you do no magic at all? Do you own a wand even? I see no record of you being in Hogwarts."
"Quit badgering her, Hesper," said Ogden. "It doesn't matter if she is a squib."
"But I think we all should know," said Hesper.
"I own a wand," said Merope, squeezing the front of her dress. "I just…need more training."
"Ah, I see," said Hesper and she made a note on a piece of parchment.
"I do wonder, sir," said a wizard near the Minister. "Given the Gaunts' history, if the public would be safe if we send her back home. Perhaps we should consider sending her-"
"Please don't send me to Azkaban!" Merope wailed. "I didn't hurt anybody!"
The minister frowned at the person next to him and the wizard gasped.
"I wasn't going to suggest Azkaban!" he said. "Perhaps St. Mungos, or some place away from other people."
"We're not going to send you to Azkaban, Miss Gaunt," said the Minister of Magic. "Although it is true, violence has been in your family for generations. I know very well of your reputation. Many of your family members have been brought in here for accounts of violence. You are the first to be brought in here to serve as only a witness. I am pleased that you do not share your father's attitude and behavior. We are going to dismiss for a while so we can decide how long your father and brother should be in Azkaban."
"So…they're going?"
"Oh yes, there is no doubt about that," said Hector. "But we do not know for how long. If you wish to be with us for the final hearing, you may come back. Or if you prefer, we can send you an owl."
Merope paused. She didn't know if she ought to witness the outcome or wait until later. However, she also felt that she had to see it to believe it. Seeing it on paper might seem like a joke. Somewhere deep inside her, she wanted to see the looks on their faces when they heard their sentence.
"I'll stay," said Merope.
"Very well," said the minister of Magic. "This should take only thirty minutes."
"Oh thank you," said Merope. She exited the courtroom slowly.
"Wait, Miss Gaunt."
Merope turned around. Ogden was bouncing toward her with an outstretched hand. "There's an eatery on the third floor. Get yourself something to eat."
Ogden disappeared behind the doors before Merope could thank him or protest. She sighed and went to the eatery he spoke of. When people noticed her hey kept glancing about the room. Others left immediately, even though they had just gotten a tray of food.
Merope approached the line and got a bowl of stew and a glass of pumpkin juice. As she ate, her mouth went into ecstasy. It was just a simple stew yet it was better than anything she had ever tasted. If only her cooking was this delicious.
After taking time to enjoy her meal, she went back to courtroom four. She waited outside and looked at the clock. There was ten more minutes. She tried to listen in on what they were saying, but the massive door block out all sound. Finally, the door opened. It was Ogden.
"Ah, there you are, Miss Gaunt," he said. "Did you have a nice lunch?"
"I did," said Merope.
"We are ready now."
"Bring the accused," said the Minister of Magic.
Instead of coming up the hole chained to a chair, her brother and father were roughly brought in from a small room with tall and strong wizards. Marvolo Gaunt looked furious as ever and Morfin's face was unreadable.
"Morfin Gaunt, for the crimes upon the muggle and failure to cooroperate," said Hector. "You are hereby sentenced to Azkaban for three years."
"You can't!" Marvolo growled as Morfin began screaming in Parseltongue.
Merope felt her heart leap for joy. Three years? Tha would give her plenty of time to make Tom Riddle hers! They would be married and have a child by that time. Freedom, sweet freedom.
Hector ignored him and continued, raisign his voice. "As for you, Marvolo Gaunt, you are herby sentenced to Azkaban for six months."
Merope gasped. No, six months. That wasn't long enough. Marvolo glared at his daughter. "Enjoy your freedom while it lasts, girl. When I get back you'll get the beating of a lifetime!"
The wizards pulled Marvolo and Morfin Gaunt away. She couldn't hear anything that went on. She had six months to make Tom Riddle forget his muggle lover so he could fall in love with Merope. What was she to do?
"Thank you for your help, Miss Gaunt," said Ogden.
Merope nodded. She was too distracted to say anything.
"Please do not hesitate to write or come by my office if you need anything," he handed her a card and she got to her feet.
She didn't know what else to do so she went back home. Merope continued about her daily chores as if her father and brother were still present. There were sill weeds that needed to be pulled, dishes to be done and meals to be prepared. Merope was so stuck in her routine she didn't know what to do. She had the house to herself for six months. She could go for a walk around the village like she always wanted to. She could visit the wizarding places of London. Purchase some books and work on her magic skills—if only she had the money. She was finally free yet she was not content. In six months her father would be back and things would go back as they were. She had no choice. She had to find a way to get out of this place. But what can she do? How was she to do it?
If only her mother was still around. She would know what to do. Merope reached into her pocket and pulled out her wand. It wasn't always hers, but her mother's wand. From what her father had told her, her mother had been killed by a gang of Muggles while she was picking herbs in the woods. Merope was left with her wand since she was too poor to afford her own. Merope's mother was a talented witch and she always thought it would give make her skills a boost with her mother's wand. Yet it made no difference. It wasn't the wand but the witch. No matter what wand Merope used, her magical skills would still be pathetic. There was no way she charm Tom Riddle in running away with her. She had to use something else.
Merope thought hard. What in the world of magic could she use? She searched her home for anything that could be of use and then she came across an old potion book. That too had belonged to her mother. Merope remembered she used to read it to her, for it was one of the few books that the Gaunt family owned. Merope had fond memories of helping her mother make potions with her. But then after her mother died, the potion book was hardly used. Ogden didn't like wasting the garden's plants for potions when they could be used in food.
Merope flipped through the pages until she fell on section listing various love potions. It was perfect. This was something she could do. Though she had never made a love potion, she knew she could pick it up. All she had to do was get the ingredients. Depending on the type of love potion, it should be easy enough to acquire the ingredients. They lived on the edge of the woods and the woods were full of herbs and animals that she could use. She had gone with her mother to pick herbs a few times as a girl. But after the death of her mother, her father had forbidden her from going into the woods. Now, she thought smiling, it didn't matter. She could go into the woods whenever she wanted too. Other items, like the powdered moonstone and frozen ashwinder eggs, she may have to get at Diagon Alley. Perhaps there was some way to scrape up the money.
Merope would find a way. Her future, her love and her life depended on it.
To Be Continued