Heir
Unapparent: Chapter 13 - Rita Skeeter's
Scoop
On
a windy day in March, Rita Skeeter returned to the Riddle House. She looked as smug as a wire-haired terrier
that'd just filched a t-bone from the countertop. Voldemort stifled a sigh of disgust as he looked at her. At this point, her services were useful to
him; he smiled inwardly at the idea that, when they were not, he would take
great pleasure exterminating her.
"I
trust you have not come to wish me health in the new year?" he drawled.
Rita
Skeeter laughed and fit a cigarette into a long ebony holder. She took a deep puff and smiled. "I believe I will make the new year a
happy one for you, my lord."
"Yes? Have you news, then?" He wrinkled his face in disgust as she blew
a quantity of smoke through her nose, not unlike a dragon.
"There
is indeed a child. She yet lives."
Voldemort
fingered the gnarled walking stick of Frank Bryce. He took great pleasure in this trophy; it was tangible evidence
of his future victory. How ironic that
the gardener's daughter should prove to be such a pivotal part of his success!
"And?"
"Alas,
she is not magical."
Voldemort
hissed, tightening his fingers on the walking stick. Mentally, he began to revise his strategy of acquiring little Cho
Chang, with or without Snape's assistance. Rita Skeeter interrupted his thoughts. "This child of yours did produce a daughter, however. And quite a daughter she is, my
lord. Not only magical, but clever -
smart as a whip…"
"Yes?" Voldemort leaned forward eagerly. "The name. Tell me her name!"
Meanwhile,
many miles from the Riddle House, an important council was taking place in the
office of Albus Dumbledore. Arthur
Weasley had convinced Alastor Moody to leave his residence, in which he had
blockaded himself after his long imprisonment by Barty Crouch Junior. He now sat so close to the hearth that
Arthur was concerned his wooden-clawed leg may catch fire. Also present were the Longbottoms, who
looked far better than they had in many years. Albus Dumbledore said so.
"We
have your Professor Snape to thank for that," said Amadahlia, smiling at
Snape, who sat beside Minerva before the fireplace.
"A
pleasure," replied Snape simply.
Roderick
shook his head. "Lucius knew we
were close to uncovering the secrets, cracking the code, as it were, to the
arcane magic with which Voldemort had surrounded himself. I believe that is why he made sure we were
kept as… zombies."
"Constant
vigilance!" roared Moody, stomping his wooden foot. "That's what we Aurors must have in
these dark times!"
"Malfoy
must be having fits now," smiled Arthur, glad to think of the evil Malfoy
pulling his wheat blond hair into agitated tufts.
"Yes,
there was an investigation at St. Mungos, but the superintendent could find no
evidence of foul play."
"Except
from Malfoy…" growled Moody.
"Leaving
that aside," said Dumbledore firmly. "Let us review our facts, for I fear our time of respite is drawing
to a close. The centaurs have been
reporting to Hagrid on a regular basis, and I do not care for the tone of their
latest revelation."
"Which
is?" asked Snape, who did not put much stock in the celestial observances
of the centaurs.
"They
say that Mercury is rising in Gemini. They believe a powerful being is to take its place in history. Before the sun has set on the spring
solstice."
Roderick
nodded. "That could mean that
Voldemort will come into full power…"
"Or
someone else shall rise," said Dumbledore.
"You
have assembled the elementals?" asked Moody roughly.
Dumbledore
nodded. "Yes, the creatures are
here, save the Ki-lin. Bill Weasley is
sending him; he has been working with Sirius Black and Remus Lupin in Asia. I believe it is your Charlie, Arthur, to
whom we owe gratitude for securing him."
Arthur
smiled. "Charlie does have a way
with animals. But you mentioned the
four elements in your report, Alastor. What of the other three?"
Dumbledore
counted on his long fingers. "We
have the Pi-his, under Hagrid's care. As for the Lung, the O-Gon-Cho in our lake is one such creature. The final element, the Chinese Phoenix, is
the most elusive of all. He appears at
times of unique destiny; we cannot control his movements."
"Nevertheless,
all elements must be present to ultimately defeat the dark lord," said
Moody stubbornly.
Dumbledore
shook his head. "Only under the
benevolent command of Voldemort's heir, Alastor. Recall the unnatural curses, older than the earth itself, that he
has woven about him as a shield."
"But
his heir can reverse those curses!" said Amadahlia.
"Or
die at Voldemort's hand and ensure him the immortality he has always
craved," said Snape grimly.
"We
need to discuss your research, Roderick," said Dumbledore. "Perhaps your work may shed light on
how to proceed."
"You've
read Lily's report, then, about the orphanage near Godric's Hollow?"
"Yes. Might we then assume…"
"That's
where the baby was sent."
"Baby? What baby?" asked Minerva.
"Why,
that poor girl from Little Hangleton - I thought you knew…"
Dumbledore
nodded. "I feared as much. Please, go on, Amadahlia."
"It
was Lily who found the clue, in her research about the details surrounding the
murders at the Riddle House. There was
a second, quieter tragedy as a result of that horrible night. Frank Bryce's daughter disappeared that very
evening."
Arthur
Weasley looked perplexed. "Frank
who?"
"Frank
Bryce, Arthur. The Riddle's Muggle
gardener. He had a young daughter, no
more than sixteen at the time."
Moody's
face looked more formidable than usual, which was something indeed. "Murdered her, too, did he?"
Roderick
shook his head. "Not directly,
Alastor, although you could say ultimately. You see, Sarah Bryce died in childbirth, nine months later, in the
hospital in Lewes."
"That
bastard!" hissed Minerva McGonagall.
"But
what news, Roderick, of the baby? Did
it survive?"
Roderick
sighed. "We know the baby - a girl
- was placed in St. Bertols' orphanage, not far from Lewes. Just outside of Godric's Hollow. Whether she
was later adopted, not to mention magical, we were unable to discover…" He
winced. The memories of Barty Crouch
Junior would always be grim ones.
Albus Dumbledore stood and started to pace
thoughtfully. "If the child lived,
and if she was magical, she would now be fifty years old. We would have a record, indeed, probably
taught her at Hogwarts."
Snape
spoke. "And if the child was not
magical?"
"Then
she would be of no interest to Voldemort. And he could still proceed with his plan to sire an heir."
Arthur
Weasley shook his head. "What
difference if he already has an heir or if he acquires a new one?"
Alastor
Moody spoke in a deep, rusty voice. "It makes all the difference, Arthur. If he already has an heir, his current
efforts would prove futile. The curse
can be broken, only if his eldest magical heir is strong enough to defeat
him. If such a person already
exists…"
"Then
we may hold the trump card, my friends…" said Albus Dumbledore. He turned to Arthur. "Your knowledge of Muggle affairs will
prove most useful now, Arthur. Could
you…"
Arthur
Weasley stepped up to the fireplace. "I'll go to the office and see what Percy and I can find about St.
Bertols…" So saying, he vanished through the flames.
A
tense hour passed as the assembly debated their future course of action. Suddenly, there was a small pop and Arthur Weasley's face appeared
in the green flames of the fireplace.
"I
have the information, Albus. The child, Hannah, was adopted by the Gould family
of Cotswold."
"Now
you may check the records, Minerva," said Snape.
Dumbledore
paled and picked up a file from his desk. "She already has, Severus. Hermione Granger's mother is Hannah Gould."
To
be continued…