Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Not Worth It
Chapter 2
An Unfortunate Fortune
Merope gathered the herbs she needed for Essence of Romance, the dimpliest love potion found in her mother's potion book. She hoped it would be enough to win the heart of Tom Riddle. As with all love potions, they get stronger the longer they are held, so she planned to wait a month or two before actually giving the potion to Tom Riddle.
She plucked nine sprigs of peppermint from her peppermint outside and then searched the woods for wild roses. She managed to find a rose bush of deep read roses. As she reached to cut the thorns she paused to sniff the roses. The roses smelled wonderful, sweet but not too strong. Merope decided to cut some roses from the bush so she could make a bouquet. The roses would pretty up the dingy shack she lived in.
She had just managed to cut nine roses when a snake slithered to her. It was the sister of the snake her brother Morfin had nailed to the door.
"Muggles coming!" she hissed.
Though Merope wasn't afraid of Muggles or hated them like her brother and father had, she didn't want to be seen. She had no time to return to her shack so she jumped behind a tree to hide. There was the object of her affection, Tom Riddle with his muggle woman. Cecilia. Merope looked at her and then brought a hand to her own face.
Merope could not dare compare to the woman's beauty. Merope's body was petite and all too skinny where as Cecilia was tall, curvy. Her breasts were twice the size of Merope's. She walked with elegance and poise, where Merope just stumbled around. Cecilia had a melodious voice and Merope's voice was a raspy drawl. The blue dress she wore was made of fine silk and Merope's dress was itchy linen. Merope's lank dark brown hair that hung past her shoulders looked like a dirty sheet compared to Cecelia's golden locks. The small, pointed face of Cecilia was a hundred times better to look at the heavy, round, brick like face of Merope Gaunt. Lastly the eyes, oh Merope's dark eyes that stared in different directions couldn't rival the glistening sapphire blues the muggle owned.
"Oh my goodness, roses!" Cecilia exclaimed.
The couple paused at the rose bush. Cecilia reached for a rose and Tom stopped her.
"Please, allow me, darling," he said. "You don't want to cut your beautiful hand."
Cecilia beamed at him as he plucked a rose off the bush and handed it to her. Merope felt her heart crack in two when Tom grasped Cecilia's chin and leaned down to kiss her fully on the mouth.
"I think it is time to return to the manor house," said Tom. "Lunch will be ready soon."
"I do hope the cook gets my soup right this time," Cecilia complained.
"Well if she doesn't," said Tom. "We can always fire her and get a new one."
Cecilia laughed as Tom mounted his horse. He then reached for her and helped her sit behind him. They rode off and Merope's snake friend went to her.
"Now clear," she told her. "Why do you look sad?"
"I'm not pretty," said Merope. "Not like her."
"Don't compare yourself to a muggle," said the snake. "You can do things she can't."
"But she's the one Tom wants to be with," Merope whispered to her. She stood up and wiped her eyes. "That's why I need to make a love potion. If I can convince him to have a taste, he will be mine."
"Why pick a muggle? You can have a wizard."
"I loved Tom for years," said Merope. "He's the only one I want to be with."
"Very well," said the snake.
"What is your name?" Merope inquired.
"We do not have names," said the snake. "But you can name me."
"Marada," said Merope. "My mother's name."
"Then you may call me Marada," Marada answered.
"You can follow me home, Marada," said Merope.
"I was hoping I could," hissed Marada.
Marada stayed by Merope's heels as Merope walked back home. She had to get started on the potion before it was too late. She had no idea when or if Tom would propose to the muggle beauty. Merope smirked. Though if she could find a way to become the new cook in the manor house, she could poison Cecilia and put the love potion in Tom's dinner. It could work. The muggle would be dead and Merope would live in the manor house as his wife. It was so exciting. So glorious. So easy. So…wrong.
Merope couldn't do something like that. Using magic to harm another human being. Merope didn't even like to kill animals for their useful parts in potion making, or for cooking. Merope's mother seemed to understand her hesitance to kill the animals so she always did it. Merope preferred to gather plants. Hoever, now that Merope's mother was gone, Merope would have to do it.
Many of her ancestors have died in Azkaban because the harm the brought upon others, muggles and wizards alike. Her uncle, God rest his soul, was the last to die in Azkaban before brother and father were admitted into the prison. She'd hate for them to die in there but what would they be like once they got out? Would they have turned over a new leaf or would they be worse? She didn't wish them dead. No. She just wanted to get away from them. After all, they were still her family. As cruel as they were to her, they were still her family. They shared the blood of Salazar Slytherin and nothing could change that.
Merope shook her head, hoping it would rid the nasty thought of poisoning Cecilia. After all, Cecilia was such a beautiful person. It would be a shame for her to die in such a manner. Merope might get caught and get kicked out of the manor house, or even killed. Perhaps Merope could learn from the muggle girl. She was a true lady. Merope straightened up and tried to mimic the way she walked.
No need for poisoning the muggle girl. All she needed was a love potion and it would do the rest.
She picked a few stalks of the herb shepherd's purse. She found the heart-shaped seed pods of the herb to be romantic. With her basket full of roses and herbs, she returned to her shack. When she opened the door and stepped inside, a fat rat scurried across the floor. She backed up and screamed. In an instant, Marada was on the rat and swallowed it whole. Heart beating rapidly, Merope looked at her new pet.
"Thank you, Marada," she whispered. "You mind searching the rest of the house for any more?"
"Not at all, mistress," said Marada and she slithered off to hunt down the rodents.
Merope trimmed the thorns from the roses and dropped them into a mortar. She filled a vase of water, dropped the roses in the vase and sat in down on the table. With a little of color in the shabby house, it lifted her spirits and Merope did something she hasn't done in years. Sing.
Merope would sing and hum with her mother when they cleaned and made potions. Sometimes Merope was off key but she did not let that bother her. She sang songs she remembered singing as a child. She sang the process of her potion making. It sometimes made her remember which steps to take.
"Tying the herbs and hanging them upside down to dry," she sang. She looked at the next step in her book. She needed to wait a day or two for the herbs to dry so they would be easier to crush. While they dried, she could get the other two essential ingredients: frozen ashwinder eggs and powdered moonstone. She frowned. She didn't know where she could find such items in the muggle world. She knew ashwinders were snakes but she had never seen them, even being a parseltongue. Even if she had an egg, she would have to freeze it and she didn't know a freezing spell. She found different stones in the woods and in the rivers but no moonstones, and crushing them to a powder was no easy feat. She would have to buy these from Diagon Alley and she had no idea how much they would cost. The Gaunts were poor, but they did have some money. Marvolo was unaware that Merope knew where he hid the stash: inside his pillow case. She had found it one day while cleaning. She never took from it but she made a mental note of it, incase a day such of this ever came.
Merope went to her father's room and dumped the contents of his pillow case. She counted out two Galleons, fifteen Sickles and twenty-three Knuts. She remembered she had some money left over that Bob Ogden gave her so she could have a lunch. It was still in her pocket. She reached in it to pull out three Sickles and five Knuts. Hoping this would suffice, she placed all the money into her pocket and picked up her basket. She looked in the small pot above the mantle. She had enough for a journey to Diagon Alley.
"Marada, I'm going out to do some shopping," she announced. "Please watch the house for me."
"Very well."
Merope smiled. She enjoyed having someone in the house that didn't yell at her all the time, even if that someone was a snake. She liked her gift of Parseltongue. The snakes helped her find herbs she needed for her potions and they seemed to favor her more than her father or brother. It made Merope cry every time Morfin tortured a snake.
Merope cleared her throat; cried Diagon Alley and she disappeared behind green flames.
Merope went through the fiery tunnel for nearly ten seconds until she slid out of the fireplace of The Leaky Cauldron. A man with brown hair approached her and helped her to her feet.
"Welcome to the Leaky Cauldron," he said. "I'm Tom. I don't think I've seen you here before."
"Tom," she mumbled and thought of Tom Riddle. She cleared her throat. "Yes. I'm new in Diagon Alley. I'm here to visit the apothecary."
"Oh, it's right through here," he said, leading her to door that opened to a brick wall. He tapped the right brick, three up and two across, the bricks moved away and created an opening for her. "There you go. Apothecary is just on your right."
"Thank you…Tom."
She could smell the odor as she approached the door. It was overwhelming as she stepped inside. There were reagents of all sorts on the shelves.
"Welcome to All About Potions!" exclaimed an older witch at the counter. Her name tag read Rebecca. "Can I help you look for something?"
"Powdered moonstone and frozen ashwinder eggs," Merope said, still looking at the shelves. She could have a hay day in here.
The witch grinned. "Ah, making a love potion, are we?"
Merope nodded.
"I made my fair share of love potions in my day," the older witch said reminiscently. "Well, you are in luck. I get many people bringing in ashwinder eggs that they froze themselves. To prevent their house from burning down, you see. So I'm selling them at a very good price. Three eggs for one Knut."
"I'll have nine," said Merope.
"Of course you will," said Rebecca with a smile.
"The moonstone I'm afraid isn't as easy to come by," Rebecca answered. "An ounce is five sickles."
Merope reached in her pocket and dropped all the money she had on the counter. With the two Galleons and the fifteen sickles she had just enough nine ounces of powdered moonstone.
"I'll throw in a free bottle," said Rebecca, picking up a bottle with a top shaped like a heart. "Good luck. Though you know bottled love isn't the same as real love, right?" She giggled.
Merope didn't reply. She didn't care as long as Tom was hers. She walked out of the apothecary and saw a line of people standing outside a nearby shop that she didn't notice earlier. Curious, she went to back of the line and tapped the shoulder of the person in front of her.
"Excuse me, what's going on?"
An anxious looking wizard turned around, mopping his forehead with a handkerchief. "Cassandra Trelawney is giving free readings to the first seventy-five people," he explained. "It's her seventy-fifth birthday. I suggest you get one while you can. She's the best seer of England; possibly the world." He looked at his pocket watch. "I just hope it doesn't take too long. Got to get to work. Need to know if…" he muttered to himself incoherently about his woes.
A reading? From the best seer in the world? And it's free? Merope didn't know much about divination. Her parents didn't tell her about that kind of magic. The magic she knew about was potions and simple spells—spells she couldn't do. Divination was a special kind of magic that only certain wizards and witches could do. Cassandra could tell her what her life with Tom will be like. What the heck? What was the harm?
Merope decided to go ahead and wait in line. She was glad she did because more people flocked to the store and pretty soon there was already more than seventy-five people waiting. People were talking about what they were going to ask the great Cassandra Trelawney.
"Maybe she can tell me who I'll marry."
"I hope I get to keep my job."
"You think she can tell me if this is dragon pox or just pimples?"
The line shifted into the shop as previous customers walked out. Some looked content, others more anxious than they were before. Apparently she didn't give good news to everyone. The shop was small with a few books on divination and other divination aids. The shop smelled highly perfumed. A young man was walking down the line handing everyone a clipboard and a quill.
"Fill it out," he said lazily. "Hand it to Emily Snow when you get into the reading room."
"Emily?" said a witch in line.
"My mother's apprentice," groaned the young wizard.
"So good of your mother to be doing this, Cyrus," said the witch.
"Yes, we'll see if she can get through seventy-five readings for free in a row," Cyrus groaned again.
As Cyrus came closer, Merope got a better look at him. He was tall. He had neatly cut blond hair, pale skin and he wore spectacles. He wasn't nearly as good looking as Tom Riddle of course, but Merope couldn't help but feel somewhat attracted to him. She found herself staring at his deep blue eyes.
"Fill out the form," he said, shaking the clipboard at her. "Hey!"
Merope blinked. "Oh, yes, sorry."
He grumbled as she took the clipboard. He handed the last of his clipboards to the person behind her.
"Do you think your mother can tell us who my daughter here will marry?" the person asked.
Merope flinched. She recognized the voice as the witch at her brother and father's hearing. It was Hesper.
"I don't know, Madam Black," said Cyrus.
"Perhaps you'd be interested?" said Hesper and Hesper's daughter gasped. "You are pureblood, aren't you?"
"I'm already married!" Cyrus exclaimed, showing Hesper his wedding ring.
Grumbling, he went back to counter to place out more divination trinkets. A man came out of the back room and Cyrus said, quite gloomily, "thank you for allowing my mother see your future. Can I interest you in a scrying stone?"
"It's all right, Lycoris dear," Mrs. Black told her daughter fondly. "We'll find you a husband."
Lycoris sighed. "Yes, Mother."
Merope brought her clipboard up close, hoping Mrs. Black wouldn't recognize her. She looked at the form. It asked for her name and there were checkmarks for her to indicate her needs: General, money, love, family, job, friendship, other. Merope thought a moment. She wanted to be away from her father and brother, but that had been taken care of. They were in Azkaban and she already had plans to give Tom Riddle potion. She didn't have something specific in mind, so she wrote down general reading. It helped to have an open mind. Perhaps Madame Trelawney would tell her something she hadn't even thought about.
The anxious looking wizard went in for his turn. When he came out, he looked very relaxed.
"Whew, I was worried," he said, shaking Cyrus' hand. "Thank you."
Merope smiled. Whatever the man's woes were, they were certainly put to rest now.
"Next person, please," said Cyrus, gesturing to the curtain leading to the backroom.
Merope thanked him and pulled the curtain back so she could walk inside. It was fairly dark save for a few candles and a large, open fireplace that looked like a blacksmith's forge. There was a table with cards, a crystal ball and a plaque with writing on it. Madame Trelawney was seated in the center of the room wearing a purple shawl over her head. She wore black robes with a purple half apron.
A young woman sat in a chair next to the door. She was most likely Emily Snow, Madame Trelawney's apprentice.
"Your form please," she said.
Merope handed the form to Emily. She was dressed similar to Madame Trelwey.
"I take notes during the reading," Emily said. "Please have a seat across from Madame Trelawney and we'll get started."
Merope knelt down across from Madaem Trelwney. Her dark eyes bore into Merope's for a long moment. It made Merope uneasy.
"This is Merope Gaunt and she'd like a gen-," Emily said.
"Yes, I know," said Madame Trelawney. "But I feel a general reading will not be enough for her."
"I don't understand," said Merope.
"You intend to do something that might change the fate of the world, my dear," said Madame Trelawney.
"The fate of the world?"
"Emily," said Madame Trelawney. "The basket of bones, if you please."
"Oh, right!" Emily hurried over with a basket containing different sizes of bones. "Just pick one and put it on the fire. Madame Trelawney will read the cracks and tell you your fortune."
Merope hesitated, staring at the bones. "Are these…human bones?"
Emily chuckled. "No, they're livestock bones. Sheep, horses, goats…"
Merope sighed in relief and picked out a small shin bone. . Merope approached the fireplace with Madame Trelawney. Trelawney nodded for her to toss it in. Emily sat down the basket of bones and grabbed the clipboard.
"Hmm, it usually doesn't take this long for the cracks to start," said Emily.
"Should I get another bone?" said Merope.
"Wait, the cracking has started," said Trelawney. "Oh yes, there is a man you want to be with."
"Tom," said Merope. "A muggle man from my village."
Merope heard the scratching of quill on paper as Trelawney spoke.
"In three months time he shall be yours," Trelawney continued. "But the love he has for you…isn't true love. It has become…tainted somehow."
Merope bit her lip and looked at her basket of love potion ingredients.
"Only a year shall your union last, but not until you become pregnant with his child. Your health wanes as your unborn child grows. You will die the day your child is born."
"What?" Merope gasped. "No, that can't be!"
"That is all," Trelawney said. "Emily, your consultation statement."
Trelwaney began to walk away as Emily approached Merope.
"Right, well there wasn't much in the reading to go on," said Emily, "but it seems this man you want to be with will leave you if you decide to pursue him. I suggest…"
Emily stopped midsentence and looked at the fire. The bone that Merope had thrown into the fire began cracking again, faster than it had before.
"What in the world?" she said. "Um, Madame Trelawney. You have to see this."
Madame Trelawney was about to sit down in a comfy armchair. She sighed and returned to the fire. "What is it…oh my! Incredible!"
"What's it mean?" Merope questioned. "Will Tom return to me?"
"No, this isn't about you or the man," said Trelawney, glancing at Merope. "I'm seeing the child you die giving birth to. He will be named after his father, and yours. The first eleven years shall he be surrounded by people unlike him. He becomes aware of his magical abilities, and he uses them to scare others. Then as receives training, he unleashes an evil upon those unworthy to learn magic. One child shall die." As the cracks continued, she talked faster, as if she was trying to keep up with the crackling bone. Emily was writing frantically on the parchment. "Your son will seek out his heritage and meets a man that shares your eyes. When he learns that your husband had left you—oh my—he shall use the man's wand to kill his father and grandparents in cold blood!"
"Despicable!" exclaimed Emily, lowering her clipboard for a moment. "That's out-," but the crackling kept going and so must her note taking.
"This child only gets worse. He change so much that he no longer looks human. He seeks immortality and sees love and death as shameful. He shall damage his soul to protect his body. Hundreds will fall before him. He will attempt to kill a baby, who he shall mark as his equal
Again, Emily spoke up on the injustice. "A baby? This man's a monster!"
"But this baby is protected by its mother's love and the dark wizard will be separated from his body. In thirteen years, he will gain a new body by using the bone of his father, the flesh of a servant and the blood of an enemy—the child's blood-and seeks to kill the child again."
"What kind of sick-" Emily tried to say, but the bone kept cracking. Her face twisted up in anger as she tried to finish up her notes.
"It will be a dark time. A war between muggles and wizards. Your son will try several times to kill this special child, but this child will be the death of him. Your son will become the darkest wizard out of all history. It's horrible! Most horrible!"
The bone incinerated into ash and the flames rose up. All three women screamed, jumping back. Merope's sleeve caught fire. Merope stared at it in shock. Emily dropped the clipboard, pointed her wand at Merope's arm and stammered, "Agua-Aguamenti!"
Smoke rose high to the ceiling, swirling into a large sphere. Madame Trelawney tilted her head, gazing at it.
"It's taking shape," she murmured. "Do you see it? Do you see it?"
Emily looked at the smoke. "Yes. It's a skull."
Merope chanced a glance at what the two seers were looking at. Indeed, the smoke was taking shape of a skull, with a long protrusion coming from its mouth.
"A snake," Merope said.
"You see it too?" Emily said, bewildered. "Do you also have an inner eye?"
Merope shrugged and gestured at the skull and snake out of smoke. "I can…just tell."
"Heed my warning, child," said Madame Trelawney, grabbing Merope by the shoulders. "You must not pursue this man. Not only will he be the death of you, but your union will bring calamity to all!"
Merope gaped at the woman. She seemed frantic. She wasn't making sense. This couldn't be true.
"Your child will be a dark child," she continued, shaking her. "It must not happen. Stay away from this man. It is not worth it. Do you understand? I beg of you, don't do this!"
"Madame Trelawney, please," Emily said firmly. "You must calm yourself."
"What a horrible future! Such a horrible…" Madame Trelawney's eyes rolled back to her skull and she hit the floor with a thud.
"Oh no!" gasped Merope. "Is she…?"
Emily bent down, searching for her breath and her pulse. "Oh she fainted."
Emily rushed to the front. "Cyrus, we need you! Your mother fainted!"
Merope heard people speaking up front and Cyrus shouted, "Damn, I warned her!"
Cyrus ran into the room, his wand out stretched. "Ennervate!" he cried. Emily returned behind him.
Madame Trelawney blinked and Cyrus conjured a glass of water and aided his mother in drinking it.
"I saw the worst future, son," said Madame Trelawney.
"Don't talk about it," he said. "Just relax. I told you too many readings will take a toll on you. I think you've done enough today."
"But I still have sixty-two people to see," she protested.
"You need your rest Mother," said Cyrus, helping to her luxurious arm chair.
"Oh she should be all right in an hour," Emily told him. "That was a very intense reading."
Madame Trelawney sat in her chair and Cyrus turned to Merope.
"Well, you satisfied now?" he demanded. "I hope my mother saw a golden road in your future."
"Oh it was horrible, Cyrus," said Emily. "This poor dear would die giving birth to the darkest wizard in history."
Cyrus smirked. "No wonder it took so much out of her. Emily, go watch the front. Tell the customers to come back tomorrow."
"I can take over for her," Emily volunteered.
Cyrus shook his head. "Emily, these people came to see my mother. Not her apprentice."
Emily frowned. "Oh all right."
"It can't be true," said Merope. "It's a lie."
"A lie?" Cyrus glared at Merope. "You dare call my mother a liar?" He marched at Merope, pointing at his mother dozing off in her arm chair. "Look what your fortune has done to her! You think she does this to make the readings more interesting?"
"Perhaps she's just mistaken," Merope suggested.
"My mother's readings are never wrong," Cyrus hissed. "If she saw your husband leave you, it will happen! You're just like the others. Only believing my mother when she foretells something good but when she foretells something bad, no one believes it!"
"I can change it," said Merope, edging away from Cyrus. "I'll make the potion stronger. I'll keep Tom."
"Potion?" said Cyrus. "You'd give a love potion to an unsuspecting bloke, and when the effect wars off, you'd think he'd stay with you?"
"I won't stop giving the potion to him," Merope said desperately. "I'll do what I must."
"That won't change anything!" Cyrus roared. "Don't think I don't know who you are. You're Merope Gaunt. I know about your family. Do us all a favor and don't breed. Don't have a child with anyone."
Cyrus stepped back and sneered. "Of course, given your plainness, that shouldn't be a problem. No man in his right mind would want to have a child with you. Now get out of here. My mother needs her rest."
Merope flinched. Cyrus reminded her slightly of her father. Suddenly the handsome man didn't look so handsome anymore. She felt a little pity for the woman he was married to.
Merope inwardly walked to her basket, picked it up and exited the room. She overheard Emily trying to calm the customers down. When she left the shop, she couldn't stop the tears from coming. She backed up against the wall of Flourish and Blots and sobbed. Some people gawked at her and others passed on by. No one bothered to ask her what was the matter.
"Merope!" called a voice in the crowd. It was Emily.
Emily hurried over. "Oh goodness, I thought you had left. Over the excitement, I forgot to consult you with your fortune."
Merope rose her tearstained face. "My what?"
Emiy gasped. "Good gracious. You look like you need a sundae. Come on, I'll take you to Fortescue's. I could use one myself."
Emily reached for her hand had helped her to her feet. Merope continued to sob.
"Don't worry," said Emily, patting her back. "After some ice cream and the consultation, I'm sure you'll feel better."
"Consultation?"
"That's my part of the process," said Emily. "I go over the reading with the customers. You see, sometimes the reading Madame Trelawney is vague. She speaks in divination terms that no one quiets understands. I keep notes; translate the readings so the customer understands."
"She already said what would happen," Merope said through her sobs. "Tom would leave me and…my—my son. "
They reached Fortescue's. When Florean saw Merope's sad condition he frowned and asked what was the matter.
"Poor dear had a difficult reading," answered Emily. "I'm sure a triple scooped ice cream sundae ought to cheer her up."
"Well to be sure," said Fortescue, "I'll add an extra scoop for free."
"Why thank you!" said Emily. "Merope, what'd you like?"
Merope approached the counter. There were so many different flavors she couldn't' decide. She'd hate to waste their time.
"I don't know," she said.
"Well you must have chocolate," said Emily, holding up a finger. "Nothing beats chocolate when you're feeling down. Vanilla's pretty plain, but it's not too bad. If you like fruit, the raspberry and strawberry's good. Oh the cherry is too. Can't go wrong with anything that has nuts in it—but that's just my opinion."
"All right," said Merope, pointing at each flavor. "Two scoops of chocolate, one cherry and one mint."
"Mint, oh I forgot about mint!" exclaimed Emily, bringing her hand to her forehead.
"And for you, dear?" asked Fortescue once he had finished topping Merope's sundae with nuts, whipped cream and a cherry.
"Pistachio, chocolate and almond please," answered Emily.
"That'll be six Knuts," Fortescue said.
Merope reached into her pocket and Emily told her she'd pay for it. "I insist," Emily said, noticing that Merope was about to protest.
"You girls enjoy," said Fortescue and the girls took a table right outside the parlor. Merope sat down and took a bite of her sundae. Emily was right. She was in need of a sundae.
"Madame Trelawney, will she be all right?" asked Merope.
"Oh, she'll be fine," answered Emily. "She'll resume the readings tomorrow."
Emily took the scarf from her head and shook out her long red hair. "I hate dressing this way," she admitted. "But Madame Trelawney insists that I look the part. I don't see why though. It doesn't increase my seer abilites in anyway."
With the sun shining on Emily, Merope could get a better look at her. She was short and plump with brown eyes. Emily sat down across Merope and took a spoonful. "Oh yes, that hits the spot."
She looked down at her notes and frowned. "Gosh, I wrote too quickly. Hope I can make sense of this. Madame Trelawney said that the love the man has for you is tainted. That must mean he was coerced or…"
"I plan to give him a love potion," Merope admitted.
"Ah, yes that does make sense," said Emily. "You will be together one year before he leaves you. That must be when you stop giving him the potion."
"I won't stop then," said Merope.
"Merope, do you know how many muggle men have walked out on their wives because the witch used a love potion?" Emily asked her. "Love potions may imitate love and create an obsession but it's not real. A love potion is not a good way to get a man to fall in love with you. I don't think love potions should be used to get someone you love to love you back. I think they should be used for people that already love each other but are too shy to do anyting. People that have been in love a long time but the romance has sizzled…or as a joke."
Merope looked down and took another bite of her sundae. Emily followed suit before continuing. "Now, Madame Trelawney mentioned your baby being surrounded by people unlike him so I think he'll grow up in a muggle orphanage. Hmm, I think she means the evil he unleashes is the legendary Slytherin monster."
"Slytherin monster?"
"Yeah, you know that Slytherin was one of the four founders, right? He claimed that only witches and wizards of wizarding families were worthy to learn magic so he created the Chamber of Secrets with some monster inside. Only his true heir would have the power to control the monster. I guess this means that your son would be the Heir of Slytherin." She said, glancing to her notes and then her head shot up after realizing what she had said. "Merlin's pants! The Heir of Slytherin. Your child would be the Heir of Slytherin!" A few people passing by gawked at her outburst. Emily cleared her throat, lowered her voice and leaned forward. "Not only would he kill one of the muggle borns at the school, but his killing spree will continue to adulthood. Even the muggle man you fall in love with becomes his victim." She looked down at her notes and scratched her head. "Now I have know idea who this mysterious man with your eyes can be. The man your child speaks to. A family member, maybe."
There was only one person that had the same kind of eyes as Merope.
"Morfin," she mumbled.
"Morfin?"
"My brother," said Merope.
"I'm afraid your brother would be framed with these murders," said Emily. "Then your child would become this dark wizard everyone fears. Then another child, his 'equal' will be the one to stop him."
"What do you mean by equal?" Merope inquired.
"I'm not really sure," frowned Emily. "I suppose he'll have some similarities as your son."
Emily set down her consultation and ate some more ice cream. "That was the most intense prediction I've ever witnessed."
"Can you tell me what the skull and snake meant? The form the smoke took?" Merope asked.
"Well a skull represents death, power, immortality. The snake…" she glanced her notes. "It can be either good or bad. However, since your son becomes a dark wizard, the snake would mean vengeance."
"I'm a parselmouth," Merope whispered. "Could that be something to do about it?"
"Yes that is possible," Emily answered. "In history, there were some dark wizards that used a sign. Herpo the Foul also used a snake. I think this snake and skull would be your son's."
"Maybe it's all meant to be," said Merope. "At least I'll have Tom for a little while."
"Have you lost your mind?" Emily demanded. "Meant to be? Are you kidding me? You're really willing to go through with it, knowing what would happen to you, to the world?"
"My father was always cruel to me," said Merope. "It only got worse when my mother died. He calls me squib because I can't do much magic at all. I have trouble even with a summoning charm. My brother is just as bad. I have six months to find away to leave before he gets back. I've got no choice. I've already got the ingredients together. I have to do this."
"Okay, here's some advice," Emily leaned forward. "Go ahead and make the potion but don't give it to him yet."
"I wasn't going to," said Merope. "Love potions get stronger over time."
"Really? I didn't know that," said Emly. "I wasn't very good at potions. Anyway, after you make the potion, put it on the shelf and forget about it. I'm guessing you don't know much about this muggle, do you?"
Merope shook his head. "He is just…the most handsome person I've ever saw. He lives in a big house in the village."
"I thought so. Find out as much as you can about him. See if you can become his friend and if he doesn't fall in love with you naturally and you still think he is worth it, you can give him the potion as a last resort."
"I don't know," murmured Merope. "That house is full of filth and bad memories. I think it's cursed. I need to get away." She sighed and ate the remnants of her sundae.
Emily knew that the moment Merope got home was create the potion. Trelawney's prediction said that in three months she would be hers. Emily had to try and convince her to wait after three months to give this muggle the love potion. She had to do everything possible stop Merope from doing this.
"What if I taught you some magic?" Emily inquired. "I wasn't the best student at Hogwarts, but I know my fair share in Charms and Transfiguration."
"Really?" Merope asked.
"Yes, I'd be happy to," Emily insisted. "We can do a trade. You can show bit of potions. We'll start with the love potion."
"You want me to show you how to make a love potion?" Merope inquired. "Are you in love with someone too?"
"Not at all," Emily said with a shrug. "I want to teach this bigoted pureblood I went to school with a lesson. I don't need much. A teaspoon of the potion should be enough. I want to make him look stupid, not me."
Merope thought about it. This girl was willing to help her learn some spells and all she wanted in return was a portion of the love potion. She certainly could use the help. She had to try to clean the house before she showed up. She didn't want to embarrass herself even more than she had.
"All right," said Merope. "You can some by in two days."
"Lovely," said Emily. "It's going to be loads of fun. You won't regret it."
Fortescue came outside to check on the two witches. "You ladies all right?"
"We're doing much better now, thanks," said Emily.
"Yes, thank you," said Merope. She'll make the potion with Emily and follow her advice. Perhaps she could get Tom to fall in love with her for real, and if that didn't work, she would still have the potion.
TO BE CONTINUED