A/N Happy Friday to those of you who still know what day it is! I'm giving you an update a bit early. I'd really love to hear what you think of the story so far. A million thank yous to those of you that review. It really helps me shape the story. As always, stay safe and all of that stuff. Still don't own this world. -Lark
Objects of Beauty Chapter 12
Winter 1949
Draco kept his expression clear and occluded his mind as the Muggles Studies teacher was consumed by a large snake on his dining room table. Voldemort was accepting an enthusiastic applause for terminating a known Mudblood and muggle lover. Theo Nott sat next to him cheering loudly.
It occurred to Draco, and not for the first time, that there was something very wrong with this way of things. Charity Burbage was... had been, a kindly witch. She had been a powerful dueler and was always the first to help tutor the younger pupils. Draco himself wasn't sure he would have passed astronomy had she not stepped in to help his first year. Now she was no more than a large bump in the snake's long body. He swallowed a wave of nausea.
His gaze turned to Snape who had joined the inner circle only a few short months ago. His sallow face was reflected in the table's smooth mahogany surface. What was his godfather thinking? Draco never knew.
Voldemort held up his hands and the room immediately fell into silence. A greenish light lit him from underneath making him appear more monstrous. "And now we come to more serious matters. But before we do let me ask you. Have I not kept my promises? Are you not wealthier than you've ever been?" A roar of approval sounded. "And have I not taken large steps toward securing the future of our magical world?" More shouts of glee. "And are we not seeing every day the lessening of power of the Mudbloods? Those wretched beings who steal the magic from our own? Those vile creatures who flourish while we hide our squibs in shame!" Fists were pounded on the table. "And yet..." Voldemort's red gaze swept the room and landed on Lucius.
Draco felt his father freeze. He wondered if they really believed that rot about Mudbloods and squibs. Squibs had been a fact of life as long as magic had. Draco researched it extensively. He had of course, kept these findings to himself. He did not argue that muggleborns were common and of lower birth. Only that they were, just as he had been, born with magic. The thought that they could be more powerful magically was ludicrious. This thought would get him killed.
"Lucius, my slippery friend, why is it that I give you the most simple of tasks and you fail so spectacularly?" Voldemort hissed.
"My Lord." Lucius began, "The prophecy can only be taken by the person or persons about whom they are made."
"No more excuses!" Voldemort shouted. "If you cannot touch it find a way to get a copy. Enough!" He glanced slyly around the room. "It occurs to me that you must be punished for not thinking of this yourself."
"Yesssss." The bloodthirsty cry went round the room. Really, Draco wondered why they were so ready to turn on one another. Once, in transfiguration class, he had seen an overcrowded cage of rats attack one another. This room was like that. Everyone willing to tear the throat open of the person opposite in hopes of getting ahead. There wasn't a true friend among them. Sweat trickled down his back. The dark robes he wore felt suffocating.
Nonsensically he thought back to the World Cup the summer before. The Weasley's had been running around their camp laughing, joking and dressed in comfortable clothes fit for camping. And then Smith was there in that damned white summer dress. He'd thought about her more than once since then and he hated himself for it. Still, the spray of minuscule sun kissed freckles across her nose haunted him. Not for the first time he shook himself. Common, she was common, even if Voldemort had not risen she could not be anything more to him than a diversion. He burned with shame over desiring something so dirty. Telling himself that he just wanted her for his more base needs he occluded his mind once more.
"Draco!" Voldemort bellowed. "Come here!" Shaking, Draco did as he was bid. His Aunt Bellatrix who sat at Voldemort's side cackled with glee. It was often said that Voldemort had taken her as his consort despite her being already wed. She was his mother's much younger sister by over a decade. With her long curling hair and wide dark eyes Bellatrix was a beauty undisputed. Her magical power was still remarked on at Hogwart's. She was also absolutely out of her mind. Her bloodlust frightened him.
Arriving at the snake's side he kneeled. "Yes my lord?"
"I've been thinking dear boy. Our agenda is under a threat as long as that Muggle loving fool up at Hogwart's is still alive. To make up for your father's failure you will find a way to grant my Deatheater's passage into the castle and you will murder Dumbledore."
"Kill Dumbledore?" Draco was aghast. Not only did he have nothing against the man, he was the wizard who had defeated Grindlewald. There wasn't a chance he would be able to defeat a power like that at his age.
"No!" Narcissa's cold voice rang out. "He's only a boy. He isn't even of age yet." She implored Voldemort.
"So, I've made your family even richer. I've arranged steps for your dear husband to play rigged political games to his heart's content and you cannot even do this small thing for me?" He made a gesture with his hand and Narcissa flew from her seat and came to an ungraceful stop next to her son. "I'm so sorry but I'll have to teach you a lesson. This hurts me as much as it will you. Crucio! Oh! But this is delightful. Bella, come and help." Together they took turns as both mother and son screamed in agony. The collected wizards cheered and threw insults. By the end Draco's arm had been marked with the Dark Mark and he had agreed to attempt to murder one of the most powerful wizards in the world. It could not have been more hopeless.
...
"My dear! You must make yourself scarce! My gentleman caller is coming today. He mustn't know I've got a daughter your age!" Hepzibah giggled girlishly and patted her curls. "A new beaux for the new year. Hokey! Bring my face powder!" Hepzibah was seated at her vanity in her pink bedroom. Lace was very much a favorite in her last years. Indeed, Hermione could not see a single surface that was not adorned with doilies or tablecloths.
She looked on with concern. Hepzibah's mind was slipping rapidly away from her. She knew the trio of house elves took care of her but it did not stop her own sorrow at having to leave the dear witch for school.
She watched as Hepzibah applied a heavy layer of rouge to her sagging cheeks. Her heart clenched at remembering the vibrant woman she had been only a year ago. "I'm going to show him something special. Going to really get his attention." Hepzibah was murmuring. She caught Hermione watching in the mirror. Whirling around she crooked a coquettish finger at her. "Come here, let me show you something."
Hepzibah lifted the lid on a wooden box. She pulled out a intricately wrought golden cup. A badger snarled from the side. "Here is Hufflepuff's cup. It's priceless. Been in the family for generations." She pulled out a rather ugly locket on a heavy gold chain next. A line of emeralds formed the letter "S". "And this, is Slytherin's locket. Got it for a song from Borgin and Burke's years ago. I suspect that's why old Borgin is sending that delicious young man to me. But I will not sell it." She giggled again.
"You say this young man works at Borgin and Burke's?" Hermione demanded. As far as she knew Hepzibah had chosen not to work with them years ago because of their shady dealings.
"Yes and he's positively dreamy!" Hepzibah crooned.
Suspicion danced up her spine. She would stay scarce as Hepzibah requested but she would damn sure stick around to see who the "delicious young man" was.
The next day, under a concealment charm she stood with Harry outside the parlor where Hepzibah was planning to receive her gentleman caller. She had called Harry in as back up should they need to expel said caller from the premises.
"Did I tell you that Sirius has had to go into hiding?" Harry murmured?
"What? Is he keeping to Grimmauld then? What happened?" Hermione shifted and peered around at the parlor. Hepzibah sat preening in her lavender gown overlaid with lace. Her grey curls bounced with anticipation.
"He angered one too many DeathEaters that's what. He's been too brash, takes too many chances. Moony's always telling him. I'm worried he'll go too far." Harry moved nearer to the wall covered in green flocked wall paper. His body could barely be made out against the busy pattern. It was a shame his invisibility cloak wouldn't reliably cover them both.
"I'm so sorry Harry." Hermione knew just why he was worried. Sirius had indeed taken Harry under his wing and the two had formed a close bond. Harry loved hearing stories about his parents and the adventures of the marauders. However, years of incarceration had left the wizard slightly unhinged and craving revenge on his friend's murderers.
"Shhh." Harry whispered. The sound of the doorbell echoed through the house. He crept close to his cousin so they could whisper if need be.
"Hokey! The door!" Hepzibah called.
They could hear Hokey leading someone through the house. Hermione covered her mouth in horror, a tall, handsome man walked into the parlor from the opposite door. Harry, feeling her stiffen, placed a hand on her back. She leaned in until she could whisper into his ear. "It's Tom Riddle." Harry stilled.
No one had been able to find out where Tom Riddle was. Moody had his aurors combing the streets and searching private residences. A guard had been sent to spy on the Riddle house but the owner was never in residence. It seemed that he had been hiding in plain sight all along. It was said that Riddle appeared as a Snakelike man to his followers. Only his most avid supporters knew that he was a mere boy a few years out of school.
They watched the scene play out. Poor Hepzibah fawning and flirting while Tom looked at the objects she showed him with open greed. When he finally took his leave Hermione turned to Harry. "Right, we've got to get to the Order right now. I'm going back to school tomorrow." They headed to the floo.
...
"But why can't we simply catch the little shit unawares!" Sirius pounded the table. The Order were assembled at Grimmauld Place.
"To do so would blow his cover of anonymity. He is comfortable in the belief that few know of his dual identities. This way we can track his movements." Dumbledore soothed.
"He murdered my mother and father!" Harry yelled. "You're just going to let him walk free?" He was shaking with rage.
"So like a Gryffindor." Hissed Snape. "Need I remind you boy, that he is for all intents and purposes immortal at the moment. This coupled with his incredible poitical ties would make him impossible to hold. We need to be able to watch him. This is a great chance for us."
Harry's eyes narrowed behind his glasses. He still had no reason to trust the hook nosed wizard. He and Hermione went back and forth about it often.
"What about Hepzibah?" Hermione asked. "How will she be protected in all of this?"
"We'll place guards around her. My guess is that all he wants are those objects. Try to get her to return them to the vaults." Moody opined. "Her place is warded pretty good. I'd not worry overmuch."
"But she might just let him in. You know her mind is deteriorating." Hermione argued.
After much back and forth it was determined that Hepzibah would be moved to the Tonks household in a few weeks time. Ted Tonks was a healer and knew how to help her best.
Hermione rushed home to prepare the house elves on Hepzibah's move. She was about to return to school and despite the plan felt weighted down by dread.
...
A week later Hermione stood in Madam Maxine's office. The body of her guardian and person who loved her most in the world had been found poisoned in her home. Hokey had confessed to the crime and had been imprisoned. She was to go back to England to arrange her funeral and perform the last magical rights.
Madame Maxine sighed and shook her head. Over the past year she had worked with Hermione and group of French witches and wizards. They had set up a series of safe houses to take in Muggleborns should the need arise. Portkeys that could be activated with a simple incantation were distributed to families at the highest risk.
"I think Dumbly-dore will want you to attend Ogwart's after zees." She said. "I ad oped zat you would be here through your NEWTS." She shrugged. "You will finish the year here I should think. We will miss you but I think it right. Go be with your family now. I'm here if ever you need."
And just like that Hermione's time at Beauxbatons was coming to an end sooner than she had anticipated. In one week she had lost her guardian and her school. She knew that Tom Riddle was behind this. First she would find a way to free Hokey, then she would destroy the wizard whose cruelty knew no bounds.
She already knew Smith family would be awaiting her in England. They were more than ready to shove her from the family home and fall upon Hepzibah's beautiful collection like jackals. Hepzibah had made arrangements for Hermione when she first knew she was ill. At least Harry and Ron would be at Hogwart's. That was something.
Straightening her shoulders and holding her head high she walked up to her rooms to pack up her clothes. She did not cry. To all the world she appeared beautiful, serene and capable. Hepzibah would have wanted it that way.