The Life and Death of Merope Gaunt
My name is Merope Gaunt, daughter of Marvolo Gaunt and sister of Morfin Gaunt. I am the last descendent of the noble Salazar Slytherin and also the Peverell family. This is the truth that has been beaten into me by my father. This however is the truth as I know it.
Despite the family's noble beginnings, a penchant for excess and debauchery soon dilapidated the family fortune. All that was left was a ring with the Peverall family crest on it and Slytherin's locket. My father felt more for these two items then he felt for me my entire life.
My father had the meanest temper of anyone I knew. For as long as I can remember my dad has always called me a squib, or a dirty squib or filthy squib. In the end he had managed to squash the majority of my magic out of me. I could do little bits, but nothing to show my father he was wrong and not enough to gain entry to the house of my ancestor, Hogwarts.
I can still remember the day the ministry came to take my brother to Azkaban for attacking a muggle. It was also the day my father found out about me being in love with Tom Riddle. My father would naturally disapprove as Tom was a muggle and not worthy of our families heritage. My father lost his temper and attacked the ministry official who came to see Morfin. I still feel guilty about that being what sent my father over the edge and earned him a cell in Azkaban with Morfin. However now Morfin and he are gone it was my time to shine.
My plan was thought out for months; I would spook his horse as he rides past, run out to assist him, clean him up and offer him a drink. The potion is already made, Amortentia pure and simple liquid love. I thought he would adore me, he just needed a push to realise it.
The first part of my plan went perfectly, I let off a bang with my wand and his horse spooked and threw him. I rushed out saying that I saw the accident from the window and wanted to check he was alright. I offered him a drink mixed with Amortentia and from the fist sip he was smitten.
I soon realised that I had caused some problems with his family, they had disowned him for running off with me, as he was the son of a rich squire and as far as his family knew, I was nothing but a tramp what lived at the edge of their estate, but I was so happy I did not care. We were married within the week and by the end of the month I was pregnant. Tom was so happy, I thought nothing could tear us apart but I kept feeding him the potion just in case. I could not cope with the thought that he would not want me. However to my dismay, the pregnancy weakened me and after two months I could no longer keep brewing the potion. My body was an exhausted mess; I could barely get up in the morning, let alone stand over a cauldron for hours at a time.
I knew I had two weeks grace after his last dose before I wore off. I was counting the days before he realised what happened. He was always so attentive he knew straight away that something was wrong, but out of fear instead of owning up, I just told him that I was tired from the pregnancy.
I didn't have to wait long, two days before the two weeks were up I heard him go storming up the stairs. He came down and into the kitchen with his bags asking me to explain everything. I tried but all I could do was fall at his feet in tears and through the tears try to keep him there for the baby. His final words were what stung the most:
"Why would I want to be with a filthy, cheating whore like you? Or have anything to do with the bastard child growing inside you? Kill it for all I care."
With those words he left.
I knew I couldn't stay in the village after that as his family owned the majority of it. So I gathered up what little I had, the food left in the house and Slytherin's locket and apparated to London. (I am so grateful that I learnt to do it after my father left). That would be the last piece of magic I would ever perform.
My first thing was to sell Slytherin's locket. I was so pleased when Mr. Burke gave me ten galleons for it. It gave me the strength to make my first real meal for days as I hadn't been eating with worry of what would happen when Tom found out.
Out of sheer luck I managed to make the money last six months by only eating a couple of times a week and drinking water that was gathering in water butts. I spent the next two weeks begging on Knockturn Alley, until I got escorted back through to Muggle London by magical Law Enforcers.
It was New Year's eve and bitterly cold. I soon realised that I had gone into labour. I looked up and saw a sign for an orphanage so I struggled through the blizzard keeping an eye on the sign like it was a beacon and collapsed at the top of the steps with barely enough strength left to knock.
I think it was by sheer luck that someone inside heard my faint taps on the door and helped me inside.
After half an hour I was almost unconscious with the pain but managed to whisper that I hoped he looked like his daddy.
After fifty minutes there I was with my son in my arms and when asked what his name was to be I replied "Tom after his father, Marvolo after mine and his surname is to be Riddle". Then the world went black.
When I awoke I saw that I was looking down on my son. I soon realised that I was dead. I watched him grow, I saw him start Hogwarts and I saw what he became and cringed with every death but he was still my son. I was shocked when he killed his father and grandparents, I could feel all of the rage he had built up inside of him for them. I think what shocked me more however was when he went back to Morfin and changed his memory to think that he had done it and to return his wand. The only sign he had been there was to take Peverell's ring. However at the moment he tried to kill that little baby I turned my back on him. No son of mine could do that.
I only turned back when I realised that the little baby had grown into a man and was going to face down my son. I was worried when I saw him enter the forest, but I saw four spirits appear around him I knew he was well taken care of. I had tears in my eyes when that brave boy stood in front of my Tom and swore he would not fight him, but let him do what he had to do.
I quickly realised that the boy had not appeared with me and so must not be dead for his family had reappeared and were watching with me. I could not turn away; I had to see what happened.
When he revealed himself in the great hall I was so shocked I tried begging to his parents to stop it from happening, they had to save him again. The only woman in the group who I took to be his mother, turned to me and said; "my Harry has not run from a fight in his life, he will not start now." I have to admit that I gave him a little help; I did not trust the power of the wands as he did, or that he would be successful. I do not know if what I did actually helped, but I tried to force the wands to fight against each other.
I saw my son die that night and when I turned away for the final time he was stood behind me. Once again I turned my back on him, but this time I walked away. He was no son of mine and I would not greet him as so.