Who Is the Rightful Heir?
Chapter 11
Salazar's POV
It was a Tuesday. I remember this because I had gone to one of Father's monthly meetings yesterday and his meetings were now always on Mondays. We had just finished training. I was learning how to transfigure useful muggle weapons from simple things like sticks and rocks. I also was learning how to make the weapons hurt more than if they were always a weapon.
Before I could leave, Father fished a potion out of his pocket and handed it to me. I looked at him with a smile. It was the day I would finally see Meredith Grakshaw again. The thought made my body tingle. I would give her the potion, forcing her if I had to. Then, Father and I would question her until we got the answers we needed to figure out the actual truth, not the muddled kind that we had.
"Don't do anything stupid." It was all Father had said before he unlocked the door and we both walked inside the small room.
"Hello, Salazar." They were the first words that had left Meredith Grakshaw's mouth. "I suspect you are both here to question me."
I scowled at the pale girl. Here she was sitting on a dirty white sheet that was on the floor and she was speaking like she owned it all. The girl was trying her hardest to keep her power, her rank I now possessed. She wasn't going to get it back. I had it and was determined to keep it.
"My son would like to hear your story, Meredith." Father told her after conjuring himself a chair. I leaned against one of the cement walls; it was more of my style.
With a small sigh, she started her life story. It started with her being born in her home in England. It was only her, her mother, and her father, until she was three. Then, on her birthday, her father jumped off a cliff because she started showing magical abilities. The next week she and her mother, Veronica Grakshaw, moved to America for a better life, but a year later Veronica had developed cancer. They tried different things, but she lost the fight only a year and a half later. Meredith was put into foster care until she was sixteen. Then she ran away back to Europe and lived in a ratty part of London until she heard of the Death Eaters. Being so poor and helpless, and hearing of a place to stay and eat made her desperate. She instantly joined and here she was now.
"How'd you hear about your past? If your father died when you were three then how did you know Morfin Gaunt was your grandfather?" I asked her.
"I didn't." She said simply. But, while walking down the halls of Riddle Mansion when I was stationed there at one point, I passed a portrait of Merope Gaunt. She looked exactly like me, but why? There had to be an explanation. Coincidence couldn't be the reason, the resemblance was too much. So I went to a man who specialized in heritage. He could search your line all the way back to its beginning. That's when I found out everything."
Father's face was blank. There was no remorse or feeling in it anywhere. I just plain didn't believe her, and I was pretty sure the feeling showed on my face. Her story was too much.
"Salazar." Father said. I knew what it meant.
"Open wide, Meredith. Father needs you to drink something." I told her as I walked forward with the bottle in my hand. A smirk covered my face. She looked at me with sad eyes. I think she wanted me to feel sorry for her and not make her drink it, but I wasn't easy. Instead, I took off the top and forced her to open her mouth before pouring the liquid down her throat. A tear fell from her closed eye down her cheek before she opened them and looked straight at my father.
"Of what you just told us before, was any of it true?" I asked.
"No." The girl whispered.
Voldemort's POV
Her answer was something I was afraid of. I had a thought of who she really was. It made sense, but I didn't want it. The thought was too much.
"Then who are you?" Salazar asked. He was eager to ask questions.
"My name is Merope Gaunt. Tom Marvolo Riddle Jr. is my son."
My hands gripped the chair's armrests as she looked at me with dark, sad eyes. Salazar just stood there, too shocked to say anything. But the glass bottle that had held the truth potion he had gave her dropped from his hand. Its crash was the only sound in the room.
"You were supposed to be dead. The orphanage told me you were dead." I told her defensively.
"I told them to say that. I told them that you should never know the truth, that I couldn't keep you."
"But, Father, you showed me her grave." Salazar protested.
"There's no body in that grave. I tried finding it, but I never found it. Instead I just had a headstone made." I hung my head, ashamed. Then I looked back up. "Why did you decide to come back now? Why couldn't you have come back while I was in school?"
"I thought it was best that you never meet me. I was afraid you would turn out like my brother or my father. I didn't need you to be a Gaunt."
"That's why you named him after his father." Salazar commented. "You didn't want him to find out about you or your family."
"But I did anyways. Dumbledore and his Pensieve told me enough." I said. "And now you're here, for reasons I don't know."
"Why are you here?" Salazar asked.
"Because of you." This time she was speaking to my son. "I had always wanted a grandson and always hoped you would find someone." She referred to me. "Then, a few years back, about twelve, I heard of a boy gone missing. His name was Harry Potter and his apparent kidnapper went by the name of Lord Voldemort. With a little bit of research I found out his real name: Tom Marvolo Riddle."
"But how did you find out he was my father?" Salazar asked.
"I knew it automatically. A Gaunt never did anything wrong unless they thought it hurt the family in some way. We're a protective bunch and it ran in the blood. Tom wouldn't have done such a thing unless it was protecting a part of the family."
"Then why'd you try to frame me when you stab yourself with a knife?" Salazar asked. I knew the answer to this one.
"Protecting the family. Don't forget that I'm a Gaunt too." Merope explained.
"In the beginning she was testing you, Salazar. Of course her magic's better than yours."
"But, I thought she was a squib."
"Everyone thought I was a squib." Merope said. "Even my father and son thought I was a squib, but instead I was just a little late. I didn't show any ability till I was about six, old enough to know I should never reveal my magic to my brother or father. I also can speak Parseltounge. When you spoke to me, Salazar, I was only pretending not to understand. The language is my first language. I learned it long before English because that was all father would speak to me and my brother in until we both passed the age of five."
"So, all of your actions was to see if I was good enough?" Salazar asked.
Merope smiled. "I couldn't let you be the heir if you didn't fit expectations."
A/N: There's the eleventh chapter...finally...I'm so sorry it's been about three months...maybe even a little more than that...I feel terrible because of it...but please...do please...review for this...and if you're reading this you're in luck...I have also updated the next and final chapter. By the way, the third part of this story has already been started. It is named A Life Unspoken and the first chapter should already be up by the time you read this. Thanks for staying with me!
Kamorie: Thanks for reviewing so much! I appreciate the input and am glad you like my story...you like it right? And, I'm actually sorry for making Salazar think so little of himself. While I write it, I feel bad for him myself. I think I could be considered a mean person just for doing it to him. Haha, but please continue reading the next part. It's when Salazar's an adult.
TuxedoKamenLuver: I guess this wasn't really a 'showdown' with Meredith...or should I say Merope(I had no intention whatsoever with the similar beginning in the name...I actually just noticed it right now). As you also know, Salazar has gotten over his depression(I guess you could call it that). And now, after the next chapter of course, you can start reading the third part when Salazar's an adult. And before I forget, thanks for reviewing my story! It means a lot!
power214063: I realize now what you were talking about, but that was sort of supposed to tell you that something wasn't right. Maybe you were just the only one to see it, so congrats for that! But, hopefully this chapter has cleared up anything you didn't understand with Meredith and her fake past. I don't know. Thanks for reviewing and be sure to read the next chapter of this story and the next part as well!