TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE
CHAPTER 10
"I absolutely can't believe it Albus!" Slughorn said to Albus Dumbledore. "Having taught him all those years, I never that he'd sink THIS low!"
"Perhaps he only needs a little while to work in a smaller realm Horace," Dumbledore explained. "I'm sure that soon you'll see your favorite student becoming the youngest Minister of Magic."
"Right, right," Slughorn alleged. "But still, he's working at Borgin and Burkes!"
Indeed, Tom Riddle (or Voldemort as he should still be referred to as) was working in the small shop in Knockturn alley, with only two other people there…and that was his two elderly bosses, Mr. Borgin and Mr. Burke.
"I grow sick and tired of that old hoarder keeping that item," Borgin complained as Voldemort put up the 'Closed' sign.
"Perhaps she truly just does not wish to let go of any of her collectables," Voldemort decided. "After all, as you said, she is an items hoarder."
"Ah," Borgin said, grinning. "But she knows YOU very well young Tom. She has a liking for you. You've managed to get OTHER people to hand over precious heirlooms, so how about you try your…uh…charm on her?"
Voldemort smirked.
"Anything for you Mr. Borgin," he agreed.
Borgin smiled again and walked back into his miniature office.
…
Voldemort was irked that he was once again working an errand for those useless old men. If only Dippet had given him the teaching job for DADA as Merrythought's successor, Professor Asbury, had left so that she could marry her love, Daniel Potter. Professor Dippet had told Voldemort that, as much as he wanted him for the job, he felt that he was too young and that he could try again as he grew older.
And so, here he was, going to the house of a witch who was a collector. He knew that he had a good charm, but Voldemort somehow doubted that he would be able to make her give him the goblin made metal.
Voldemort walked to the small front door and rang the tinkling doorbell.
The door was opened by the small house elf, Hokey, and Voldemort entered Hepzibah Smith's household, a house of many boxes that were sitting everywhere.
Voldemort smiled as he approached her and kissed her hand, bowing low.
Hepzibah giggled and looked even more joyful as he handed her the large gift he had brought.
"I brought you flowers," he told.
"You naughty boy, you shouldn't have!" the old hoarder squealed happily. "You do spoil this old lady, Tom….Sit down, sit down…. Where's Hokey? Ah…,"
The tiny, little house elf came and handed the elderly, plumb lady a small plate of cakes.
"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….,"
She smiled again and then asked
"Well, what's your excuse for visiting this time?"
"Mr. Burke," he started, speaking of his other boss who had instructed Borgin to send Voldemort out. "-would like to make an improved offer for goblin-made armor. Five hundred Galleons, he feels it is more than fair-,"
"Now, now, not so fast, or I'll think you're only here for my trinkets!"
"I am ordered here because of them. I am only a poor assistant, madam, who must do as he is told. Mr. Burke wishes me to inquire-,"
"Oh, Mr. Burke, phooey!" she said, waving her hand. "I've got 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 giggled, girlishly.
"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," the elf squeaked, handing Hepzibah the two boxes.
"Now," said Hepzibah cheerfully, taking the boxes from her elf. "I think you'd 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 and Voldemort leaned in as she pulled out a small golden cup with two wrought handles.
"I wonder whether you know what it is, Tom? Pick it up, have a good look!"
He did so and looked closely at the beautiful piece.
Then, he saw something carved in on the front…a symbol.
"A badger," he murmured, examining the cup's engraving. "Then this was…?"
"Helga Hufflepuff's cup," Hepzibah finished, nodding her head. "-as you very well know, you cleaver boy!"
She leaned forward and pinched his cheek.
"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?"
She continued to speak fondly of the cup as Voldemort, pretending to listen, thought about how HE was the heir of Slytherin, how Hepzibah was the heir of Hufflepuff, and how the grey lady was the undead heir of Ravenclaw. He wondered whether or not he would ever encounter the heir of Gryffindor.
She took back the cup and placed it carefully back in the box.
"Now then," she began. "-where's Hokey? Oh yes, there you are- take that away now, Hokey."
The house elf obeyed.
"I think you'll like this even more, Tom. 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 slowly opened the decorated box and revealed the perfect item to grab Voldemort's attention. It was a gleaming, golden locket with a matching chain that Hepzibah pulled out with.
She allowed him to take it in his hands and hold it up to the light where he could see that there was a snake incrusted.
"Slytherin's mark," he said, quite quietly.
"That's right!" she agreed, 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 the value-,"
Voldemort became alert. Morfin had said that Voldemort's mother, a ragged looking lady, had stolen the locket of Slytherin from them. Now he knew why she hadn't passed it down to him. She had sold it to Burke.
"-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 it back. Voldemort wondered if he should hand it back at all, but in the end, just let it go.
"So there you are, Tom, dear, and I hope you enjoyed that!"
Voldemort's eyes suddenly, for the smallest second, flashed red.
Hepzibah's smile faltered for the first time.
"Are you alright, dear?" she inquired.
"Oh yes," Voldemort replied in a whisper. "Yes, I'm very well….,"
"I thought-but a trick of the light, I suppose. Here, Hokey, take these away and lock them up again…. The usual enchantments…,"
As Hokey turned to leave, Voldemort stood and began to walk towards the door.
"Wait, Tom," the disappointed lady called. "Um…what about the Goblin made metal?"
"It is quite alright," he told. "I shall inform Mr. Burke that you do not wish to give away the metal. Goodbye, milady."
….
The door hardly creaked as Voldemort stepped back inside Hepzibah's household, late into the night, a day after his last visit.
Hepzibah was snoozing in her chair behind the desk and there was a small light on in the kitchen.
Voldemort made his way through the clutter of old items the hoarder wouldn't let go of and finally, reached the kitchen.
The house elf sat there, her back to Voldemort. He walked closer to her before….
He grabbed the elf and put his hand on her mouth. He leaned in and whispered
"Hello there Hokey pokey."
The house elf shook with fear as he took out his wand and cast a silencing charm before he quietly stunned her.
He then took a look at the cup of tea Hokey was making for Hepzibah.
He removed a small container of what looked like sugar and emptied part of the contents into the cup.
He then removed a false memory of the elf accidently putting the poison in the cup, thinking it was sugar, from his bottle into the elf's temple.
Voldemort turned and walked to the large safe with the protective enchantments placed upon it.
Muttering to himself, he managed to break all of the spells and smiled as the small safe door swung open.
He gazed at the boxes before removing the lids and taking out the goblet and the locket.
"Excellent," he said.
He looked back at the sleeping woman.
"Enjoy your tea miss," he whispered.
Then, he turned to leave one final time.