Book Summary:

In hindsight, Merope Riddle thought, as she watch a bit nervously from the back of the drawing room as Mrs. Riddle quizzed Mr. Black on everything to do with the wizardry world, I really should have bewitched a gardener's son or some other handsome strapping young man. Her mother-in-law was quite terrifying.

Or Mary Riddle in grief of losing her son and husband to an automobile accident goes to find in hope her maybe grandchild to raise and stumbles across Myrtle a few months before she is due. Thankfully she had a detective to help her out.

In which Mary Riddle raises her grandson, and brings her daughter-in-law up to speed on what nobility is really like and organized the outcasts squibs to do something with their lives.

Or the wizardry world won't know what hit them since Mrs. Riddle was a force of nature. If she was sorted she would have been a Hufflepuff with Slytherin underneath.

After all you get more flies with honey then with vinegar. Tom becoming the PM was just a bonus.

Chapter 1

On the last night of August in the year 1926, 43-year-old Mary Riddle was rudely woken up by a insistent banging on her front door of her manor house. She let her butler, Bert Black, get the door since he was there for that very reason and went back to sleep.

She was rudely awaken ten minutes later by Rose, her lady's maid who had a telegram in her shaking hands. Ignoring the tear stained face of Rose, Mary Riddle glared at her for interrupting her sleep, ripping the envelope open. The telegram that explained that her precious son was dead and her husband in critical condition fell from her slacked hands. Now she understood Rose's tear stained face. Her stern glace softened a bit as she directed Rose to pack for London post haste.

"But it's the middle of the night, Madam! Who knows what kind of people are running about at that time of night."

Rose's mouth fasten shut on the arched look Mrs. Riddle gave her. Instead Rose gave a quick nod and hurried to do her mistress's bidding. Her long braided white blonde hair swung behind her as she gathered the trunk and items that Mrs. Riddle usually brought when she went into town, adding mourning clothes.

Mrs. Riddle, no Mary smiled at her butler, Bert Black, he came with her when she was newlywed, it was one of the conditions that Mary insisted on when Thomas proposed to her. Rose Malfox, still a young girl, but an excellent lady's maid already was another.

Bert held open the door to the garage, his hand shaking as he did so. His black hair was streaked with gray, but he stood tall as Rose with the help of the kitchen maid, Sonia put the traveling trunk in the boot of the car.

When Bert moved to take the car keys from his employer, Mary held them back towards herself. "No you will stay here and take care of the house while I'm away. It's a pity that I let the driver go, but I will pick up a new one in the city. I feel the urge to drive there myself."

Bert nodded, wisely keeping his thoughts to himself, Mary Riddle was a bit scary behind the wheel of a car or even a carriage. She liked to go quite fast when she was younger. It was one of the reasons Mr. Riddle fell in love with her.

"Keep an eye on the new gardener, he seems alright, but my husband was the one to hire him. Not me. Also"

Here Mary's eyes narrowed, "Keep a close eye on that disgusting little shack near our property. If any of those people come near here, shoot them dead. I don't care for their sort and after"

Mary's voice trailed off from the bitter tone of her voice. Her voice came out pinched as she had eaten a sour lemon.

"When I get to London I need the best detective available as soon as possible. Also I need to see all the estate records, business and otherwise after I make the funeral arrangements."

Mary tilted her head in thought, her sharp blue eyes, the mirror of her sons' staring out into the distance.

"If, and only if what Tom told us was true, there might be an heir to our line. Even if it pains me to admit. If he was not truly married, that's one thing, but if he was," Mary shook her head. "We'll see."

With that she was off to London with Rose with Bert wonder if he hear Mrs. Riddle's muttered of "I let him get away with it, I should have known better." after she smiled at him. Her thoughts were grim at the death of her only child. She loved Tom dearly but her husband spoiled him terribly in manners and money. Mary loved her husband so she was silent on the treatment. She vowed to do better with her grandchild. 'The child will grow up my way. Not how I let Tom ruined our son his way.'

Merope Gaunt Riddle was completely broke, save for her family heirloom locket. Merope wished she could have taken the family ring as well. She shivered despite the warm almost barmy air a few weeks into October. She had spent the last of money yesterday morning on some bread with jam. In hindsight, it was a horrible idea since it turned out she was hoodwinked from the laughter behind her as she went out of the restaurant door.

Now she stood mere feet from the entrance of the Leaky Cauldron willing her bruised, dirty feet to move. If she sold her family heirloom then it would mean cutting all ties to her horrible family. But the face of her mother, the only bright light in her darkness of home made her pause. How she sang so softly but so beautifully cut past the pain of her bruises as her mom cleaned her up. If she gave up the locket, she'll give up her mother who died when she was barely six, taking her little brother or sister with her. A voice behind Merope making herself jump, her unborn baby jumping with her. She turned in alarm, her hand protecting her unborn child.

"Oh my goodness, she wasn't kidding on how ugly you are. But your looks are not my problem. Now I want to know where exactly you got married to Thomas aka Tom Riddle at. There are more then one courthouse in town you know." The bluntness of the man was startling.

The large set but strong looking man in a trench coat kept talking but Merope didn't hear anything else because she felt dizzy and wondered why the pavement rose to greet her.

Mr. Splat, the detective that Mrs. Riddle hired back in August barely caught the pregnant woman before she hit the ground. He yelled to some construction workers to help him carry the woman to his car, fishing out his badge to ward off any trouble. He smiled grimly taking in the dirty feet and worn out clothing. It was a good thing he worked fast. He went to the nearest hospital to drop off his case and call Mrs. Riddle with the news.

Mrs. Riddle face was set as she studied her ugly daughter-in-law who still laid unconscious on the hospital bed in a private room. The chit thankfully had her worn marriage licence on her along with a gem set locket. She was legally an adult, but evidently was a child in maturely if Tom's rants held any water. Mary aimed to find out.

While last time Mary was in the London, she saw to her son's burial and her husband's care. Sadly, her husband Thomas didn't last long after the accident. A few weeks at most. She found herself weeping at the closed casket funeral of both of her loves. She keenly noticed nobody from Little Hangleton village came to pay their respects, if they did, they were silent. There was no one from her side of the family since they all past on just after she got married.

Her face was calm, but inside she raged at what she had become by being Mrs. Riddle. Her family originally came from the mercantile class and she knew how hard or at least she did, the lower classes worked for what they needed and at times wanted.

She let Thomas Riddle's good looks, manners and money, not to mention his skills in his wooing of her in and out of the bedroom, ignore where she had come from. She gripped the bed frame tight in remembrance of how exactly the Riddles got their money. Oh they did have old money, but the men kept gambling most of it away. There was a reason why her son and his father loved horses as much as they did. The horse track was quite appealing.

Thankfully the women of the last generation were smarter then the men. They squirreled away money like it was going out of season, a little bit here and there while they went shopping. Mary did the same as her mother-in-law instructed. In fact, thanks to the Riddle women the family was better off. Stocks were wonderful things if the wind blew in the right direction. She noted to keep an eye on the stock market, it wouldn't do if it went belly up before her grandchild came of age or even afterwards.

A cough made her look up at the doctor who startled her out of her wandering thoughts. She'll deal with the village later.

"So?" Mrs. Riddle commanded as the doctor waited with results.

"The baby is healthy. More healthy then the mother at this stage. The mother needs to survive to give birth and nurse the baby she'll need more muscle mass and tone. She clearly has been abused in many ways. Physically she'll recover, but mentally I'm not sure. She's been taken advantage since at least three years old. Oddly enough she's not be raped at all. It's usual to do so in this kind of abuse that is if what you told about the Gaunts is true." The private doctor eyed the girl on the bed in thinly veil disgust at the treatment of the girl and her looks. Privately he wondered if she was the product of inbreeding it would explain some of it.

"On a hopeful note there is a treatment that's coming available to correct the girl's eyesight so she'll at least look a little more normal. As for the rest no idea."

Mrs. Riddle nodded at the doctor's frankness of the case and waved him away thinking. He respectfully stepped back a few paces. She raised her voice slightly at a passing nurse outside of the room.

"Nurse. Get me my lady's maid." Mrs. Riddle's commanded at the silent nurse who came to the door. "Doctor I want any treatment available for my" Mentally Mary gulped still horrified at what she will say out loud. "daughter-in-law's care. She must have the best. Let me know when she's strong enough for the eye treatments."

Rose came into the hospital room where Mrs. Riddle's daughter-in-law was still unresponsive. She came as soon as she heard her mistress needed her. Honestly it was a bit boring stuck in the town house all day long. The city staff was uppity towards her. She was glad to come.

"Yes madam?"

She bobbed her head in respect. Mrs. Riddle's original family was kind but firm in their handling of the staff as they slowly but wisely made their fortune. She was happy to go with Mary when she was ordered to when Mary got married to Thomas Riddle. Then not so much. Bert was a kindred spirit as they suffered in silence from the other staff. But they stayed out of loyalty to Mary and her original family. Besides it was good money and they didn't have any other place to go.

Her mouth fell open when Mrs. Riddle tossed a unseemly looking locket at her. "Appraise this please. It looks like it has real gems in the gold. At least I think it might be real gold. Don't you dare run off with this if it's real."

Rose blurted out as she stared at the S made out of the gems. "Oh it's real alright. I never thought I would ever see," Rose flushed and her voice trailed off into a whisper that Mary could barely make out. "this locket."

"Whose locket my dear? And how do you know exactly whose locket it is? Not the Gaunts I hope. Did they steal it? Wouldn't "

"Er. Um, Slytherin?" Rose said, kicking herself for her slip. Despite being from a squib line, ugh she still felt the need to keep her heritage secret.

"And who is." Mary Riddle got up suddenly and shut the still cracked open door of the room. Then she locked it.

"Sit." Mary nodded her chin towards the chair she just evacuated. "Explain what you know of her and this locket. Now."

Rose trembled in fright. Mary Riddle once she set her mind to something was nothing sort of terrifying. In fact if she had magical talent at all she would have been sorted into Slytherin or maybe Hufflepuff.

"I, I can't. It's a secret. I'll be banned." Rose stammering as her mistress stared at her. Then she realized what she just said. Banned. She was already banned from her family for lack of talent. Or at least her great-great grandmother was. If the child was magical, Mary Riddle would need as much help as she possible could get. The Riddle family on both sides were pure muggles.

She lifted her chin proudly saying, "My name is Rose Malfoy or would have been, as my great-great grandmother was until she got kicked out of the family for the lack of magic. I go by Malfox now.

My family is considered squibs, that is people without magical talent. From what my grandmother has told me, if you don't show any magical talent in the first 11 years of your life you're cast out because you're worthless if you don't get your Hogwarts letter. The magical school for all of England and Scotland. There are two other schools in the surrounding areas as well. At least my family doesn't kill the squibs on their 11th birthday like the Blacks do. That is from what I heard from Bert. He somehow knew he was going to die so he left before his 11th birthday, faking his death. Or at least that's what he told me."

Mary Riddle frowned as her lady's maid told her all of this. "Malfoy you said?" Rose nodded. "I would consider you a liar but my family had dealings with some Malfoys back in the past. They almost cheated us out of our family lands or at least they think they got our lands. That is from my mother's side of the family. Prats. There's a reason why my family is as business sharp as we are. My ancestors learned their lesson the hard way and passed the advice on to their descendants. I'll send word to Bert to dig into any and every little scrap of my family history dealing with his family and yours to see if you aren't truly a liar. Now what about this locket? What's so great about it?"

Mary Riddle sat stone faced as Rose continued her explanation of the magical world or at least as much as Rose knew which from what she and Bert talked about. Mostly about how there was 28 great houses and how the muggleborns or mud-bloods were lesser to the ones that had pure magic running in their veins.

Mary learned more of the great school of Hogwarts, and the four houses and the every ending rivalry between the Gryffindor and the Slytherin houses. Mentally she groaned at Rose's lack of singing voice as Rose sang in a slightly off key tone of voice a sorting song which Bert's ancestor brought with him out of spite towards his family. His older brother liked it so much that he made his younger brother memorize it before he ran away.

A weak voice interrupted Rose's horrible singing. "That's the Hogwarts sorting song isn't it? It's too bad that your voice is horrible. My mum could have sang it better if she could of gone."

Mary Riddle turned at the sound of the heartbroken teary voice. Merope was awake. "Rose, go and do what I have asked. Along with the other things we discussed."

Rose nodded and took off at a jog. She was thankful that Mrs. Riddle wouldn't put her out on her ear. Bert on the other hand would be very displeased at what she did. But he'll calm down once she'll explain why.

Merope woke up slowly, feeling like she was laying down on a soft cloud. Her hair felt soft and impossibly clean. Her body still ached, but it was a different ache then what she had been going through.

Suddenly a strange woman started talking, asking her all sorts of things, like how do you feel, is the baby moving? Etc. Try and look this way and that way. It was very bewildering.

Merope turned her head once the woman Lila, no, the nurse left and felt her face drain of any color that came back from her sitting up in the hospital bed. Tom's mother was staring at her like she was an insect.

Merope bit her lip to stop from crying at the pure rage and disgust on her mother-in-laws face. Merope heard the rumors after she and Tom left the village. So instead she blurted out the first thing on her mind something she kept close to herself even after marrying Tom. "I didn't want to marry my brother."

"So you are the product of inbreeding and so to escape that fate, you hoodwinked my son instead?" Mary Riddle hissed, noticing that Merope flinched back at the hiss and tried to make herself smaller in the bed. The shaking was notable even to someone like Mary who grew up loved.

If this was the height of the English magical world then her grandson was doomed. But since the girl was somewhat smart enough to try and get out of her upbringing, there might be some hope left. Dimly Mary remembered that the Gaunts didn't associate with anyone, which probably caused their downfall into this.

So to get her answers, Mary Riddle pulled out her mothering side, her posture and voice softening to a gentle purr, putting a smile that reached her eyes on her face. "You can call me Mary since you are legally my new daughter-in-law. Now Merope, did you run away with my son out of love of him or to get away from your family?"

Merope found herself answering honestly. "B, both, that is if I can guess what inbreeding is. I couldn't stand anymore of my house and I do love Tom. So much. So much I stop." Merope clammed her mouth shut. Mrs. Riddle was still a muggle.

"Stopped your magic?" Mary Riddle said slowly with gentleness even if she wanted to slap the girl silly for her lack of tactics and horror at what she did to her only child.

Merope's eyes widened. Mary smirked to herself, yep, so far what Rose told her seemed to check out. The Gaunts were magic. Merope would be horrible at poker.

"Now when can I meet your mother? After all we are now kin." Mary nodded towards Merope's belly.

Merope's face shuttered into a blank look that to Mary seemed to be her every day mask. "Mum died when I was eight. That is I think I was eight. We didn't do any birthdays."

"I am sorry for your loss. I know the pain of losing a beloved parent. Tell me can you describe how you feel when Tom is around you? How he makes you feel? I know when I am around my Thomas, his love for me is so strong." Mary gave a little sly wink, with a twinkle in her eyes making Merope blush a horrible red.

Somehow Merope found herself telling her mother-in-law Mary how she fell in love with her son as well as how her father treated her vs her brother. As Merope describe a feeling that was purely lust and fixation for Tom, Mary found her feelings of hatred and rage turn somewhat to sadness and pity for the pitiful creature in the bed. It seemed that her family wasted their children in not cultivating their talents.

The words, "love potion" made Mary listen more closely. "Once my father and brother was taken to Azakaban for hurting my Tom, I made a love potion and gave it to him in a glass of water and that was that. I thought he really loved me so I stopped giving it to him, but he took off even if I carried his child." Merope said sadly, tears in her eyes.

Mary Riddle was silent as a nurse brought Merope her evening meal and told the young woman her options for her eyes in terms of treatment. Mary noticed that Merope was bewildered as if she stepped into a dream and couldn't respond to the options.

She had some manners, but they were unrefined, and she ate like her food would be taken away from her at any moment. She was amazed at the clean clothes and the bright light from the windows. The purple violets that Rose brought to cheer up the room were carefully looked at, but wasn't touched. The yearning to touch them was plain to see.

Clearly the so-called Great House of Gaunt completely failed at their duties. Even if Mary came from almost nothing, her parents at least brought her up with honor, cleanliness, pride and other good qualities. Things that Merope didn't have. But if Merope's child was born healthy and well then Merope needed to be brought up to speed on everything. Including the magical world.

A firm, but soft knock on the door brought Mary out of her thoughts. She smiled at Rose as she came forward. The nurse and doctor just left, explaining that Merope needed rest but could get around in a few weeks on her own. Merope could leave in the morning. Mrs. Riddle was pleased, it would be easier to deal with Merope at her townhouse before she was moved back to Little Hangleton.

She was drawn out of her thoughts at a wavering voice. "No you don't understand, I am a squib, just like my mother. I'm worthless. I can't really use any magic at all. I'm ugly as I am inside and out."

Merope cried, not caring that her new mother-in-law and the maid Rose who introduced herself as Rose Malfoy, from a line of squibs that is after being caught staring at the maids hair. Merope brightened and said she was squib too. She didn't realize she had fallen asleep a few minutes later.

"Well Rose I see we clearly have our work cut out for us. In more ways then one. Squib indeed. If she had no magic then my son wouldn't have been feed that love potion." Mary Riddle was shaking, her eyes set. She still despised what Merope did to her son, but also she couldn't stand to see someone brought so low. "I don't know when magic first appears in children, but have you given thought as well as Bert on how to proceed in this?" Referring to what they discussed earlier while Merope was out.

Mary Riddle was wise, she knew she was out of her depth so she asked for help. It showed how she trusted her lady's maid and butler to do the right thing.

Rose nodded. "I have madam and scouted out people I believe would work for our household as you well know that the Riddles employed their own people in town and at Riddle Manor. According to Bert some of the strain between the Riddles and the town was how the staff behaved when they had time off. They are quite uppity, but for myself and Bert.

He had, as you well know, has gone through the books with you and reviewed the staff, firing ones that didn't go well with what we have planned for the new Mrs. Riddle and the child. Magic is tricky for muggles.

Bert and I might have found a few good people to replace the ones at the townhouse and the manor. I have brought the files for your review. Bert hunted down people who might be cast off squibs who would want to work in your household.

As for the changes you slowly set in place for the town the money allowance and the repairs are going slow. They still don't believe you have changed Madam. It'll take time."

Mary nodded at her lady's maid. "Good job. I'll review later this evening for the staff changes and send the ones I let go with a good reference and a months pay. Now since Merope is asleep, please measure her for new clothes. All new clothes. Ones that bring out her good traits, eye color and all.

Perhaps something with the Slytherin green as well. House colors and all that after all, the magical world is so in love with their only school. As for potions if you go to this Diagon Ally for supplies, see if there is anything useful about them that we can use.

Maybe for profit under a different name. Also clothes for myself, you, Merope once she's up to speed and Bert reflecting our station in life. Not that I look down at the working class, but if the Riddles are going to be taken seriously we need to dress the part. After all, Merope is the last, hopefully of her family. My grandchild aside. If you can look into the records of their family's everything that will be good as well."

Rose looked a bit shocked and uneasy at the thought of going to Diagon Ally by herself. She clearly didn't stress on how much squibs were looked down upon in the magical world. Not to mention the money part.

Mary Riddle wondered at the look on her lady's maid's face, but decided to instruct her to wait until Merope and herself could go with her. A person of magical sort would work better at least. "At least get the items you can here in London for regular people first, we can deal with the magical side later."

Rose sighed in relief, nodded and left to do her madam's bidding after she finished taking Merope's measurement as best as she could.

Two weeks later.

Mary Riddle wanted to scream out her frustration at the still clueless look on Merope's face as her eyes took in the dining room at the townhouse for the tenth time. Or Mary corrected herself, the table setting. The girl still kept looking down at her dress in amazement and everything.

Mary instead sighed deeply and picked up her fork, noticing with approval when Merope did the same. She at first, ate slowly to watching her daughter-in-law like a hawk but turned her attention to eating her breakfast. Despite herself, Mary was grudging pleased with the progress that her daughter-in-law had come in the past few weeks.

The girl wanted approval and love so badly. It was like taming an abused puppy. It was a slow going work. Merope was happy with a warm bath, and some clean clothes. To have help dressed, and to go to school? The girl was putty in her hands.

At leas the girl's new haircut helped frame her face. The bob cut with the bangs, and the beaded feather headband, her clothes all in black for grieving, made her paleness not as ugly. If Merope got out into the sun more, she'll not be so bland.

She would never ever win any beauty contests, but if Mary had any say in it, Merope would be presentable to their class and beyond. The manner or the lack of was one of the hardest things to overcome, not to mention the girl's jumpiness of loud voices, and other things that Mary suspected that came from her upbringing.

Luckily her grandchild was growing well. Mary was thankful for that.

Once Merope was done with breakfast she was to go to her schooling. Ironically or not, Merope seemed to be fond of the sciences, but her handwriting was the worst of the lot so it took up more of her time then anything else. The girl was amazed at what humans have done with technology.

Mary did note for the future to avoid any and all lead projects as she thought back in pride at Merope's shaky stand. Merope had softly explained why she didn't like the idea of any sort of lead based paint or products for when they were getting the nursery for the young boy. For once the girl had a somewhat of a backbone once Mary had gloated it out of her. Apparently long term lead expose was bad for your health.

The girl's eye treatments would start the next day, not that Merope knew anything of it. She was still taking in all her duties.

But then they'll go to the wizarding world. Merope would just have to step up or she'll be crushed. If she did well, perhaps ice cream would be in order. Her daughter-in-law liked sweets.