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 2

Merope was shaking in terror, enough so that her feathered headband wiggled in time to her movements. Mary Riddle her mother-in-law just raised an eyebrow, piercing her with the blue eyes that Merope fell in love with. Merope gulped and opened her mouth and then shut it.

Mary sighed in frustration. It has been over two months since she found the chit who hoodwinked her son. At first Merope was doing well. She surprisingly enough had a decent singing voice and a quick mind.

The idea of having a lady's maid, which Rose was filling in for her replacement since Merope's idea of being a squib still persisted, help ease her into the upper-class society or at least as far as Squire could go. Merope broke down into tears once Rose explained why she was there the first time at the townhouse.

Merope vowed right then and there to do whatever it would take for her son to succeed in life. So when she was presented with muggle schooling she held back her bewilderment on many of the subjects, but chemistry seemed to come easier to her then the rest. Her hand still was cramped from all the handwriting exercises she had to do. The dressmaker thankfully was quick at her job and Merope didn't feel so awkward standing on the stool as she thought she did when her clothes got tighter as little Tom got larger.

Merope held in a smile of triumph as she told off her mother-in-law about lead and even had muggle scientists to back up what her mother always expected that help the downfall of the House of Gaunts.

But this, this she couldn't do. She wanted to stay in the townhouse were she had been the past two months. She didn't want to go to the Riddle house in Little Hangleton. The thought of her brother and father finding her filled her with terror. She didn't want to risk her little one, her little Tom.

"No, nnoo, no! I won't!. I have done what you asked, I have better manners and schooling and clothes because of it. I won't go back to there." Merope was proud of that statement, until her mother-in-law Mary spoke dryly.

"So falls the house of Gaunt. Do you think I would of suggested it if it wasn't safe to go back to? Honestly do you think I haven't kept an eye out on that disgusting little shack that you called home? Bert Black has done wonders for Little Hangleton while we have been away. There are many in town who, I admit was wary of spying for us or at least keeping an eye out, but money does wonders in that department. Also getting the village up to speed on technology. We might even bypass Greater Hangleton sooner then later. It's lovely what people can do if you are willing to work for and with them."

Mary didn't tell Merope, who had wide eyes at this speech, that most of the improvement of the town honestly was a long time coming and should have been done years ago. But her husband and son were lazy snobs who just cared about how much money came in so they could do their horse things. Mary tried once or twice to get her son to realize that a happy town meant more money and contentment for them. It failed. Perhaps she should have started off smaller then a leaky roof. Tom was so disgusted by the work he never came back and hired a terrible person to do the job for him. Cheapskate.

The town folk were amazed at what Lady Mary of the Riddle House was doing for them. At first it seemed like a scam for money from them, but after the honest, hardworking workmen that Lady Mary hired to repair many of the houses that desperately needed repair without charging the town, they had slowly warmed up to the new way of doing business in Little Hangleton. There was even talk of putting in a proper football field and movie theater!

The new additions to the townsfolk who clearly seemed to be family of the Riddle's housemaid and butler were strange, but were the helpful sort. The baker laughed remember how the little Flora Malfox was amazed how good the 'muggle' biscuits were. He was offended at first because muggle was not a word he would use in his baking but little Flora came back with some home recipes that now a hit even beyond Little Hangleton.

The town had a new sense of pride in their little village.

"We are going back to the Riddle House. There are many squibs living and working in Little Hangleton now. In fact I'm sad to report that your father is dead. From what I can gather your father died while your brother was in prison, just a few weeks after you left. Bert personally supervised the burial. He gathered anything of value from your old house. As for your brother we'll deal with him later."

Mary held Merope when she suddenly started to cry. Merope didn't know why she was crying. She felt relieved as if a heavy weight came off of her chest, but at the same time she was sad, and angry and so many emotions.

Mary kept her anger at Merope's brother inside while she awkwardly patted the exhausted girl's back. At least one of the horrible family was dead. She had a sudden thought of wanting to meet Merope's dead mother. She seemed to be a somewhat decent sort, pity that she had to marry that thing. Ugh.

"Now from what I gathered from Bert and the other squibs, the wizarding world holds bloodlines in high esteem. If you are willing to testify against your brother I believe it's possible to have the family seat and such switched to you and little Tom Jr." Mary at first was not happy at having a junior. Tom was her baby, horrible personality and all. But in time she warmed up to the idea of having another little Tom around. She still was horrified at the middle name that Merope requested. Mary held in her shudder of disgust as Merope backed up a few paces.

"What?! We are broke, I'm useless and." Merope stopped at the unladylike snort Mary gave.

"One, I've been surprised at your quick mind so no you are not useless. Two, your mother seemed to be the sharp one in the family. She did teach you how to brew potions, didn't she?" Mary's smirk of intent made Merope back up more.

"Well I was surprised to find out my old favorite pick me up tonic was a potion that your mother used to make. She squirreled away quite a nest egg under your father's nose according to Bert. The pharmacy owner was over the moon when I informed him that you can make that potion or tonic as he knows it by. We need to go to Diagon Alley to get potions supplies," Mary Riddle was not happy at Merope doing potions or tonics again, but it would be a waste of the girl's talent not to. Besides Mary wanted to see if there was any legal law to ban love potions or anything of the sort. If there wasn't by the time Tom Jr. went to Hogwarts it will be on the books.

Merope was still unconvinced or just dumbstruck by her mother's wits. But what Mary said next got her hook, line and sinker to go to Diagon Alley, shot nerves be danged.

"We are going to get you a wand and tutor who would be willing to come to the house. Maybe we can even get you sorted at Hogwarts, just because. We can't have little Tom growing up without knowing what a wand is."

Mary kept her hearty crackle of amusement to herself until Merope was at her eye correcting appointment a few hours later.

The wizarding world will see the Riddles and the other muggles as equals magic or no magic.