I make my way through the crowded streets of Diagon Alley, cursing the hot weather under my breath. I had placed a cooling charm upon my person before I left my apartment this morning, but it is a flimsy defense against the unrelenting heat now.
I am on my way to make a delivery for Borgin to Hepzibah Smith's house, a rich friend of his that had bought an expensive heirloom from him, a pair of dangerous golden earrings that rendered the wearer deaf. It hadn't been my idea to deliver the earrings, especially in this dismal heat, but Borgin, in an unusually chipper mood, had insisted upon it. I know Hepzibah because she frequently traverses Borgin & Burkes, hunting for priceless treasures to add to her collection.
I normally would have been quite happy to talk with Hepzibah and continue gaining her trust, but I was in a foul mood today. There had been another explosion, this time on the outskirts of Diagon Alley which had completely obliterated a bookshop, one of the ones that I frequented often because it held unusual and rare books, books that whispered seductive tales of arcane magic and rituals. The filthy mudbloods seem to deliberately be targeting Diagon Alley, which seems a little ridiculous since they are woefully ignorant of such a magical community existing in the heart of London.
I exit Diagon Alley and make my way to the apparation point. I withdraw my wand from my pocket and swish it through the air, envisioning my destination in my mind's eye. With a soft pop I reappear on the lawn of an opulent mansion. I look distastefully at the gaudy ornaments that adorn the lawn; it is such a waste of wealth.
I make my way up the path of the mansion, mentally steeling myself to the nauseatingly sugary words of Hepzibah. I stand before the entrance and school my face into a mask of politeness with just a hint of charm.
I ring the doorbell and wait patiently for the elderly house elf to open it, instead I'm a little perplexed to discover a red-headed waif staring up at me with doe brown eyes, looking like a startled deer. The door opens fully and I see that she is dressed in threadbare clothing, obviously a servant of some sort; my mouth curls distastefully at that thought. The girl continues to gape at me with a baffled expression, like she can't fathom the reason I'm here.
"I'm here to see Ms. Smith," I pointedly tell her, willing her to close her gaping maw; I'd rather not be subjected to the sight of her molars.
She continues staring up at me without seeming to comprehend my words; perhaps she's dumb and cannot speak.
Deciding that I cannot stand outside all day while the incompetent wench in front of me gapes uselessly, I move towards the door, intending to brush past her. Instantly, she flinches back violently, crashing into the door frame, her eyes wide with terror. I turn my head and stare down at her with suspicious eyes, perplexed by her strange reaction, though I am gratified to see the fear in her eyes.
Before I can comment on her strange behavior, Hepzibiah trundles into the entryway dressed in a garish robe that makes her look like a lump of melted cake.
"Who's at the-" she cuts off her sentence as she catches sight of me, her tone changing from a snarl to a syrupy sweet voice. "Oh, it's you Tom!"
"Hello Ms. Smith," I charmingly say, bending at the waist and giving her a bow before conjuring scarlet roses behind my back.
"For you, my lady," I say, gazing at her beneath lowered eyelashes as I present the flowers to her, expertly pantomiming the expression of a love struck fool.
"Oh, Tom!" she exclaims happily, clapping her chubby hands together in glee before accepting the roses. "They smell simply divine!"
I smile haplessly at her, all the while wishing that I could wrap my fingers around her chubby throat and finish her off before she says some other sickeningly sweet words in her annoyingly high-pitched voice.
"Oh, I am being so rude. Come in, let Ginny take your robes," she says magnanimously, gesturing to the wide-eyed idiot behind me.
I smile at Hepzibah as I shrug off my outer layer of robes, at least grateful that Hepzibah's house is sufficiently equipped with cooling charms that beat back the unrelenting heat outside.
The girl, Ginny, comes up behind me and waits for me to hand my robes to her, looking like the epitome of a subservient servant, her head bowed and her hands clasped in front of her body.
I step forward and give my robes to her, watching impassively as she flinches almost imperceptibly as I come closer to her.
With a cruel smile meant only for her, I step closer to her and hand her my robes, making sure to purposely brush my hands against hers. She quickly snatches her hand back, her eyes snapping up to mine in horror, her mouth making a small O. I watch her eyes in fascination as they reflect back undiluted terror, mixed with a streak of hate and most unexpectedly, regret.
"Ginny, take Tom's robes!" Hepzibah spits irritatedly at Ginny from her position behind me, snapping her ring-clad fingers in order.
Ginny quickly snatches the robes away from me, making sure to not touch my fingers and hurries away to the coat room, half walking, half sprinting away from me.
"I don't know what's wrong with her, usually she doesn't act like such an imbecile," Hepzibah tuts impatiently.
"Is she a new servant?" I ask questioningly, my eyes still staring after, my mind whirring away, trying to understand what just happened.
"Yes, she was desperate for a job and I hired her out of the goodness of my heart," Hepzibah tells me in a smug voice.
"I see," I say, turning back to look at Hepzibah and offering her a smile.
"Shall we?" I offer my arm to her.
"Oh, you're such a gentleman Tom!" Hepzibah giggles into her hand, looking at me with adoring eyes before looping her arms around mine and dragging me into the sitting room.
"So Tom, what are your plans now that you've graduated Hogwarts?" Hepzibah asks me, delicately sipping her tea, her triple chins jiggling from the motion.
"Well, currently I'm working at Borgin & Burkes as you know," I tell her, "After that, I don't quite know. Perhaps I'll travel the world."
"Have you given any thought to my offer?" Hepziah questions, looking exceptionally dismayed at the thought of me leaving England.
"Yes," I admit falsely, pretending to look chagrined, while internally grinning at the expression on her face; I have her wrapped around my finger and just the thought of the sheer power gives me a delicious feeling.
"So, would you like me to set up a interview for you in the Department of Mysteries?" Hepzibah inquires with a happy smile.
"While I appreciate the thought, unfortunately, I will have to decline," I say with a false expression of regret, "I am just working at Borgin & Burkes until I'm able to gather sufficient funds to travel."
"I could lend the money to you," Hepzibah immediately says.
I pause at that. I hadn't thought of asking Hepzibah for money, but perhaps it would be beneficial to do so.
"I could lend you the money, provided that you come back to England periodically to visit me," Hepzibah continues on, smiling coyly.
My smile freezes on my face while I internally snarl at the smug expression on her face. Who does she think she is? I will not be attached to an ugly bint like Hepzibah and depend on her for money.
"Thank you for your generosity, but I fear I would be asking too much of you if I accepted yourkind donation," I murmur quietly, the picture of sadness.
"No Tom, it wouldn't be a bother at all!" Hepzibah cries out in distress, setting her cup down forcefully, her tea spilling on the table.
She leans forward and forcefully takes my hands into hers, "I understand how hard it must be for you to accept charity, but it is for the best."
Still gripping my fingers in her hands, she nods her head empathetically. It takes all of my self-control not to wrench my hands from her grasp and kill her on the spot.
"Ms. Smith, while I appreciate the offer, I really must decline." I coolly say, expertly sliding my hands away from her tight grasp. "It wouldn't be appropriate for me to do so. After all, what would people think?"
Hepzibah freezes, looking a little lost before opening her mouth again, "Perhaps we can make it appropriate."
Before I can berate the silly woman for her foolishness, I'm interrupted by a tiny wizened house-elf who skitters into the room, carrying a tray of crumpets and other refreshments.
The red-headed girl follows the elf in, holding in her arms another tray of delicacies.
I close my mouth and watch silently as the girl steps into the room, her eyes lowered, her shoulders hunched. I notice her hands shaking ever so slightly as she lowers the tray in front of me, still not looking at me. I have a sudden urge to grab her wrists and force her to look at me, but I restrain myself, knowing that Hepzibah's beady eyes are closely monitoring my every move.
"Hurry up Ginny, we were discussing something of importance." Hepzibah snaps impatiently at Ginny.
"Yes, ma'am," a small voice answers her, moving to put the tray down before me.
"Would you like some crumpets, sir?" Ginny asks me, her eyes flitting up to meet mine, before flitting down again to look at her shoes.
"Yes, please," I answer, wanting her to stay a little longer in the room. I'm rather curious about her, especially her reaction to me when she saw me.
Ginny acquiesces her head and delicately puts two crumpets on a plate and hands it to me.
As she moves away, I quickly stop her, "Wait! I would like some more tea." I look pointedly at my half-empty teacup.
She nods her head again, looking every bit the obedient servant, but I'm satisfied to see the tightness in her jaw, a tell-tale sign of her waning patience.
She pours the tea with a steady hand and carefully hands me the teacup and saucer. I reach for it carelessly and in the blink of an eye, purposefully tip the cup and its contents onto her threadbare robes. I watch in slow motion as Ginny's eyes widen in horror, her hands fluttering uselessly in front of her body as the scalding hot tea seeps into her unprotected skin. I purposely catch her wrist in a firm grip, forcing her to look at me. As soon as her eyes meet mine, I flash her a fleeting smirk, full of malicious intent.
I watch in amusement as her eyes narrow in anger, her pink lips providing a pretty contrast against the mosaic of her angry face. Within a second, she snatches her hands away from my tight grip and before I know what's happening, I'm wearing the rest of the tea on my once immaculate person.
"Ginny!" Hepzibiah yells in shocked anger as I jump out of my seat, my hands clenching as I yell obscenities inside my mind. The tea truly is scalding, and I fear that I will suffer pink scarring on my abdomen from the burns.
I glare ferociously at Ginny as she stares back at me, both of us covered in tea. My hands twitch uselessly at my side as I try to quell the raging storm that is forming in my mind. I have the unquenchable urge to reach for the wand in my robes and use it to torture both Ginny and her Mistress until they scream in agony. I am brought out of my murderous thoughts by the sound of a tight slap.
I watch in burgeoning amusement as an enraged Hepzibah strikes Ginny across her face, leaving behind a bright red mark against the contrast of her pale skin. Hepzibah's considerable bosom heaves in dramatic anger as she yells at Ginny, but I am not listening to the babble that is coming out of the foolish woman's mouth, I'm watching Ginny's face. Her jaw is clenched tightly, but her face is blank, all expression smoothed away as she listens to Hepzibah ranting in front of her.
I finally turn my eyes away from the fascinating creature that is Ginny and turn to Hepzibah, stopping her in her tracks.
"I'm sorry for the disturbance I have caused in your home, Ms. Smith, but I shall be leaving now."
Hepzibah's mouth hangs open in befuddlement as she stops to process my statement. "But Tom, you must stay a little longer. At least let me get you out from those dirty robes." Her eyes lasciviously rake my body as she says the last statement.
I stop myself from shivering in disgust and coolly respond, "I must apologize, but I really must leave. As for my robes, it is nothing a little scourgify can't fix." To demonstrate my point, I elegantly withdraw my wand from my robes and wave it over my body, exhaling in silent relief as my robes are left dry and stainless.
I walk over to Hepzibah and take her hand in my mine, bending over to kiss her liver spotted knuckles and giving her a teasing smile, "Goodbye, Hepzibah," I stress her name and watch in revulsion as she gives a delighted shiver.
I quickly withdraw my hand from hers and look over to Ginny, "Goodbye Ginny."
The red-headed servant looks at me with loathing in her eyes as she spits out her own goodbye, "Good riddanceTom."
I smile a predatory smile at her as Hepzibah gasps in dismay and starts tearing into Ginny about manners and threatening her with menial work. Ginny's eyes never leave mine as I give her a predacious wink and walk out of the parlor, making sure to grab my cloak on the way out, and through the front door of the house.
I will be seeing Ginny again and I will delightfully pry apart every secret of hers from her scarlet red lips. Until next time love.
A/N: I think this is my favorite chapter, I love the interaction between Ginny and Tom! Please remember to review, it is my inspiration to keep writing. Until next time! :)