Written for The NaNoWriMo Green Room Competition (RLt)
Length: 1999 words, excluding A/Ns
DISCLAIMER:
No matter how much I wish, I shall never be J. K. Rowling.
No matter how much I beg, I shall never own Harry Potter
Task: Pre-series story about the creation of the Horcruxes: how Voldy chose the objects, the murders, etc. (Voldy-centric)
The question was no longer how, it was now what. What should he make his next Horcrux? The diary had already been used. It had been powerful, very powerful for something made of nothing but paper and leather.
But, his next object would need to be even more powerful. Or something that showed power… The diary had been easy. All he had had to do was ask the Basilisk, the Myrtle girl. After that, making the Horcrux had been simple for he had studied the method countless times.
But, what to use next? Something that showed power…the diadem possible, or an heirloom…he remembered reading about a Marvalo Gaunt in one of the papers. Maybe he would find something there…an heirloom…
He waited, not so patiently, for the next Hogsmeade trip. When it did arrive, he apparated straight to Little Hangleton. He appeared near a run down cottage. His wand out, he entered the cottage slowly, sitting in the corner of the cottage was a man.
"YOU!" the man bellowed. "YOU!"
"Stop." he said in Parseltounge.
The man skidded into the table. He stared at him. "You speak it?"
"Yes, I speak it," he said, moving into the room. "Where is Marvolo?" he asked.
Dead," said the man. "Died years ago, didn't he?" He frowned, then who was this man?
Who are you, then?"
"I'm Morfin, ain't I?"
"Marvolo's son?" he asked. This was his uncle?
"'Course I am, then…" Morfin pushed the hair out of his dirty face. On his right hand was an engraved stone-black ring. He instantly longed for it, it would be his Horcrux. It was perfect…
"I thought you was that Muggle," whispered Morfin. "You look mighty like that Muggle."
"What Muggle?" he asked sharply, this was his chance to find out more about his family and he was not going to let it slip easily.
"That Muggle that my sister took a fancy to, that Muggle what lives in the big house over the way," said Morfin, and he spat upon the floor between them. "You look right like him. Riddle. But he's older now, in 'e? He's older'n you, now I think on it. …"
Morfin looked slightly dazed and swayed a little, still clutching the edge of the table for support. "He come back, see," he added stupidly.
He moved a little closer and said: "Riddle came back?"
"Ar, he left her, and serve her right, marrying filth!" said Morfin. "Robbed us, mind, before she ran off. Where's the locket, eh, where's Slytherin's locket?"
He did not answer. Morfin was working himself into a rage again; he brandished his knife and shouted, "Dishonored us, she did, that little slut! And who're you, coming here and asking questions about all that? It's over, innit… It's over. …"
Morfin looked away, staggering slightly, and he moved forward. It was easy, too easy. He had the object, and knew who to kill. A small wave of his wand and all the lights went out.
"Wh- what's…"
"Stupefy," he hissed. The man fell on the floor. "Obliviate," he continued a few seconds later. The man shook a bit and then, silence.
He bent down and slipped the ring off Morffin's finger. His next Horcrux was on its way…
He turned the ring in his hand. He had performed the spell, made a second Horcrux. It had hurt this time, more than it had the first time…but he was now closer to immortality than anybody had ever been before.
He left Hogwarts with the thought that he would join Borgin and Burke's in order to acquire some more artifacts, probably belonging to the founders of Hogwarts…yes, that would show power.
Morfin had said something about Slytherin's Locket, proving that he was indeed a descendent of Slytherin. The locket was exactly what he needed for his next Horcrux.
He walked through the front door, and was soon greeted by Hokey. "This way," the elf said leading him to the side room.
He stopped in front of Hepzibah. "I brought you flowers," he said quietly, producing a bunch of roses.
"You naughty boy, you shouldn't have!" squealed Hepzibah. You do spoil this old lady, Tom. … Sit down, sit down… . Where's Hokey? Ah …"
The house-elf had come dashing back into the room carrying a tray of little cakes, which she set at her mistress's elbow.
"Help yourself, Tom," said Hepzibah, "I know how you love my cakes. Now, how are you? You look pale. They overwork you at that shop, I've said it a hundred times. …"
He smiled mechanically and Hepzibah simpered. What an easy target she was…
"Well, what's your excuse for visiting this time?" she asked.
"Mr. Burke would like to make an improved offer for the goblin-made armor," he said. "Five hundred Galleons, he feels it is a more than fair —"
"Now, now, not so fast, or I'll think you're only here for my trinkets!" pouted Hepzibah.
"I am ordered here because of them," he said quietly, choosing his words with great care. "I am only a poor assistant, madam, who must do as he is told. Mr. Burke wishes me to inquire —"
"Oh, Mr. Burke, phooey!" said Hepzibah, waving her hand. "I've something to show you that I've never shown Mr. Burke! Can you keep a secret, Tom? Will you promise you won't tell Mr. Burke I've got it? He'd never let me rest if he knew I'd shown it to you, and I'm not selling, not to Burke, not to anyone! But you, Tom, you'll appreciate it for its history, not how many Galleons you can get for it."
"I'd be glad to see anything Miss Hepzibah shows me," he said quietly, and Hepzibah gave another girlish giggle. An easy target.
"I had Hokey bring it out for me … Hokey, where are you? I want to show Mr. Riddle our finest treasure. … In fact, bring both, while you're at it. …"
"Here, madam," squeaked the house-elf, bringing in two leather boxes, one on top of the other.
"Now," said Hepzibah happily, taking the boxes from the elf, laying them in her lap, and preparing to open the topmost one, "I think you'll like this, Tom… . Oh, if my family knew I was showing you… . They can't wait to get their hands on this!" She opened the lid. He edged forward a little to get a better view and saw what looked like a small golden cup with two finely wrought handles.
"I wonder whether you know what it is, Tom? Pick it up, have a good look!" whispered Hepzibah. He stretched out a fingerer and lifted the cup by one handle out of its snug silken wrappings. He fingered it, it was beautiful…perfect for another Horcrux…
"A badger," he murmured. "Then this was … ?" It couldn't be…
"Helga Hufflepuff's, as you very well know, you clever boy!" said Hepzibah, leaning forward. "Didn't I tell you I was distantly descended? This has been handed down in the family for years and years. Lovely, isn't it? And all sorts of powers it's supposed to possess too, but I haven't tested them thoroughly, I just keep it nice and safe in here… ." She hooked the cup back off his long forefinger and restored it gently to its box.
He did not take his eyes away from it. All he had to do was kill her and then he could acquire it, but he had to be patient. Doing it just then would make it obvious that he had killed her...
"Now then," said Hepzibah happily, "where's Hokey? Oh yes, there you are — take that away now, Hokey." The elf obediently took the boxed cup, and Hepzibah turned her attention to the much flatter box in her lap.
"I think you'll like this even more, Tom," she whispered. "Lean in a little, dear boy, so you can see… . Of course, Burke knows I've got this one, I bought it from him, and I daresay he'd love to get it back when I'm gone. …"
She slid back the fine clasp and flipped open the box. There upon the smooth crimson velvet lay a heavy golden locket.
He reached out his hand, without invitation this time, and held it up to the light, staring at it. "Slytherin's mark," he said quietly, as the light played upon an ornate, serpentine S.
"That's right!" said Hepzibah, delighted. "I had to pay an arm and a leg for it, but I couldn't let it pass, not a real treasure like that, had to have it for my collection. Burke bought it, apparently, from a ragged-looking woman who seemed to have stolen it, but had no idea of its true value —"
A ragged old woman…his mother, possible…she had sold the locket…why? He gripped the chain tighter, so hard that his knuckles whitened. "— I daresay Burke paid her a pittance but there you are… . Pretty, isn't it? And again, all kinds of powers attributed to it, though I just keep it nice and safe… ."
She reached out to take the locket back. Don't let her have it, his mind raged. But it would be too obvious…reluctantly, he let its slip from his hands. "So there you are, Tom, clear, and I hope you enjoyed that!" She looked him full in the face and for the first time, her foolish smile faltered. "Are you all right, dear?"
"Oh yes," he said quietly. "Yes, I'm very well. …"
"I thought — but a trick of the light, I suppose —" said Hepzibah, looking unnerved, had his eyes flashed scarlet? They may have…he had been angry. He would have to control his feelings better in the future…
"Here, Hokey, take these away and lock them up again. … The usual enchantments…"
"Well, I must being going Miss Smith," he said. "Mr Burke will be expecting me to be back sometimes now…"
"Yes, yes," she replied. "I hope to see you soon Tom."
He had killed her two days later…poisoned her tea actually. And once again performed a memory charm which he was becoming quiet good at by now. The house-elf had been blamed this time. A stupid, worthless house-elf. He had also killed a common tramp for the locket…he would have killed someone else, but the longing for a fourth horcrux had been too great…
His fifth Horcrux, he had already decided, would be Ravenclaw's diadem, the location of which he had been told by Helena Ravenclaw.
He left his job at Borgin and Burkes a few weeks after the death of Hepzibah and headed off to Albania.
The Diadem had not been easy to find, but he had succeeded in the end! It was hidden in a hollow tree near the heart of the forest. The longing for another Horcrux had increased again, he had killed the first person he had seen, a local and made his sixth Horcrux. One more to go, he chanted as he Apparated to Hogsmede hoping to be able to hide the diadem at the school and get his long promissed job.
It was Professor Dumbledore who greeted him in the headmasters office, not Dippet. The old man did not let him have the job, but his visit to the castle gave him enough time to hide Ravenclaw's Diadem in the Room of Come and Go. It was fuller, compared to last time, but still…it would be well hidden there.
All he needed to do now was inform his nights about his return to power, and how this time they would not only terrorize Hogwarts, but the World, and of course hide his remaining Horcruxes...
Let me know what you thought about it :)