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I know it's been around a week since my last upload, so I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 11 – Memory Lane

The morning sunlight bathed the cottage in a warm glow as Draco and Hermione, their minds focused on the gravity of their mission, convened around the kitchen table. The tangible evidence of their relentless research sprawled across the surface in the form of parchments, maps, and notes, painting a vivid picture of their progress.

"Now that we have the information about Tom Riddle's birth, we need to delve deeper into his early life," Hermione declared, her gaze fixed on the intricately detailed map of London before her.

Draco nodded in agreement. "We need to find out more about Merope Gaunt and Tom Riddle Sr, and how she ended up giving birth at Wool's orphanage. There might be hidden details that can lead us to the Horcruxes."

"Horcruxes…" Hermione pondered aloud. "You know, I spent almost all of last night thinking, and I keep coming back to the same conclusion. I believe the diary that Harry destroyed in the second year must have been a Horcrux. It contained the essence of Tom Riddle, and Harry even spoke and saw the boy through it!"

A grim expression crossed Draco's face. "It has to be. Which means my father deliberately endangered 11-year-old Ginny Weasley by giving her such a dark and dangerous artifact. It could have killed her, or Potter, or Weasley, or even…"

"Draco," Hermione hushed him, her hand resting comfortingly on his arm. "I find no joy in defending Lucius Malfoy, but I don't think he knew that the diary was a Horcrux. I doubt anyone knows, besides maybe Dumbledore. Your father probably just wanted to rid himself of it."

"That he did," Draco added, his eyes dark with anger. "He wanted to humiliate Arthur Weasley and get him sacked from his position in the Ministry. If Father put that much effort into distancing himself from Death Eaters and protecting his family…I wouldn't-"

Hermione interrupted him again, her touch on his arm a reassurance. "No use dwelling on it, Draco. Your father is by no means a model citizen, and he is paying for his misdeeds as we speak in his cell in Azkaban. Let's focus on our task at hand."

With a heavy sigh, Draco nodded. "Yes. So, if the diary was a Horcrux, that means there are definitely others, considering he still lives. And these Horcruxes are most likely objects of personal significance to the Dark Lord. We need to understand the emotional weight these objects carry to uncover his other Horcruxes."

"Yes, which is why we need to delve into Merope and Riddle Sr.'s story," Hermione continued. She reached for a phone book she had acquired from the British Library the day prior. "This is a phone book. It contains all the telephone numbers of people in the UK. I thought maybe the Riddle family still had some relatives we can talk to."

Draco, struck by her brilliance, gaped at her in awe. "Your intellect will never cease to amaze me."

Blushing at the compliment, Hermione pressed on. "I thought we could look through it for any remaining Riddles. However, we will need access to a telephone if we do find something in here." She opened the white book in front of her, flipping to the "R" section and scanning the pages. "Riddle, Riddle, Riddle…HERE!" she exclaimed, pointing at a name on the page. "Riddle, Margaret."

Draco leaned over to get a better look, and Hermione continued, "Margaret Riddle…we need to know if she is related to the Riddle family we're looking for. We need to call her. We need to purchase a cellphone. Are there any Muggle towns close to here, Draco?"

He nodded. "There is one not too far from here, 'Bistrița.' I can venture there now to get us what we need."

Hermione began standing up. "I'll come with you-"

"No, there is no need. You stay here and research some more. I will go," Draco said firmly, placing a hand on her shoulder to gently guide her back into her seat. "You can just explain to me exactly what you need, and I will purchase it for us."

Hermione wanted to argue, her instincts urging her to be part of every step in their quest. However, she recognized the practicality of Draco's suggestion. It was a quick errand, not worth a conflict between the two. "Fine," she huffed, explaining to him in detail what to get.

As Draco made his way towards the muggle town of Bistrița, he marveled at the stark contrast between the magical and non-magical worlds. The streets of the quaint town buzzed with activity, and the architecture was a blend of modernity and tradition. The unfamiliarity of the Muggle environment didn't faze him; in fact, it added a layer of intrigue to the mission at hand.

Entering a small electronics store, Draco navigated through shelves of muggle devices, searching for the specific item Hermione had described. A friendly shopkeeper approached, offering assistance. Draco, hesitant but determined, explained his need for a cellphone.

The shopkeeper, sensing Draco's unfamiliarity with muggle technology, patiently guided him through the options. After a brief tutorial on how to use the device, Draco settled on a Motorola StarTAC, what the employee called "a flip phone", apparently the first of its kind, yet it also seemed to meet Hermione's specifications. He also purchased an international cellphone line to call the UK from.

As he made his way back to the cottage with the newly acquired cellphone, Draco couldn't shake the feeling that this simple muggle device held the potential to unlock the mysteries they were seeking. The blending of magical and non-magical worlds in their quest brought a realization—sometimes, solutions to complex magical problems could be found in the ingenuity of the muggle realm.

Upon returning to the cottage, Draco found Hermione engrossed in her research. Her eyes, brimming with a mixture of determination and curiosity, met his as he entered. "You got it?" she inquired, gesturing towards the cellphone.

Draco nodded, holding up the device. "I believe this will serve our purpose. Now, let's contact Margaret Riddle and see if she holds the key to unlocking the secrets of Tom Riddle's past."

Hermione took the cellphone from Draco, her fingers deftly navigating the buttons. She found Margaret Riddle's number in the phone book and dialed it, anxiously waiting for a response on the other end.

After a few rings, a frail voice answered, "Hello?"

Hermione, with a tone both polite and urgent, introduced herself "Hello, is this Margaret Riddle?"

"Yes, this is she. How may I help you?" the voice answered back, its shakiness now a definitive indication that the woman must be quite elderly.

"My name is Elizabeth, my grandfather is an old friend of a man called Tom Riddle from Little Hangelton, I was wondering if you knew him?"

Margaret Riddle strained to hear Hermione's voice over the crackling connection. After a moment of hesitation, she replied, her weak voice carrying the weight of years. "Yes, I knew Tom Riddle from Little Hangleton. It's been a very long time. Who did you say you are again?"

Hermione, maintaining the alias, Elizabeth, responded, "I'm Elizabeth. My grandfather spoke fondly of Tom and mentioned that you might have some insights into his past. We're trying to piece together what happened to him, and we were hoping you could help."

There was a pause on the other end, a moment where Margaret seemed to be lost in memories. Finally, she spoke, "Tom Riddle... I haven't thought about him in years. What would you like to know?"

Hermione exchanged a quick glance with Draco, signaling that they were on the right track. She continued the conversation, "We're particularly interested in his young adult life, his family, and any details you might remember. It would mean a lot to my grandfather to reconnect with those memories."

Margaret hesitated, and then, with a sigh, she said, "I'm afraid my memory isn't what it used to be, but I do have some old photographs and letters. If you're truly interested, why don't you come over? It's better than trying to recall everything over the phone."

Hermione agreed, gratitude evident in her voice. "Thank you, Margaret. We appreciate your willingness to help. Could you provide us with your address? We'll come visit at your convenience."

Margaret provided her address, and Hermione assured her they would arrive tomorrow. Ending the call, she turned to Draco, a mix of excitement and anticipation in her eyes. "This is it, Draco. We might get a step closer to understanding Tom Riddle and finding the Horcruxes."

Draco nodded, his gaze reflecting a blend of determination and curiosity. "Let's not waste any time. We need to discuss the details for tomorrow."

As they arrived to Margaret Riddle's residence the next morning, fully glamoured and in disguise, they were met by a large, charming, slightly weathered two-story house with a well-tended garden.

Margaret greeted them at the door, a cane in her hand. She had silver white hair primly held in a bun and wore a blue and white checkered tweed ensemble, with a knit shall on top of her hunched shoulders. She welcomed them inside, leading them to a cozy sitting room filled with the nostalgia of days long past. Photographs adorned the walls, capturing moments frozen in time.

Seated on a comfortable looking couch, Margaret began to share fragments of her memories as Riddle Sr.'s first cousin. She spoke of a young man, charismatic and slightly arrogant, whose presence had left an indelible mark on Little Hangleton. As she spoke, she sifted through old letters and photographs, revealing a narrative of wealth, privilege, love, infatuation and betrayal.

"Tom shocked the town, and the family quite frankly, when he decided to end his courtship with Cecilia Brooke. She was such a beautiful girl, and from a very wealthy family, which was the natural pick for a young lad like Tom from an affluent family himself. My poor aunt Mary fainted when Tom informed her and uncle Thomas that he was in love with another woman, and with that Gaunt girl no less."

Hermione leaned forward, her curiosity piqued. "The Gaunt girl? Merope Gaunt?"

Margaret nodded, her gaze distant as she continued the tale. "Yes, that was her name. Merope Gaunt. A girl so aptly named, what with her bony figure and ashen complexion. With her father and brother they made a rather mysterious family, living on the outskirts of Little Hangleton in a rundown shack. They were known for their peculiar ways and odd practices. Tom was suddenly drawn to her, almost enchanted even. It was very abrupt and unexpected. Cecilia was heartbroken over the whole thing."

Draco interjected, "But why would he choose her over someone like Cecilia Brooke? What was so special about Merope Gaunt?"

Margaret sighed, her eyes clouded with a mix of nostalgia and sadness. "Infatuation, my dear. It seems that love can be a peculiar thing, if we can even call it that. It doesn't always follow logic or societal expectations. Tom was captivated by Merope in a way that defied reason, enough to eventually marry the girl! He saw something in her that others didn't perhaps."

Hermione and Draco exchanged a puzzled glance. The revelation about Tom Riddle's sudden infatuation with Merope Gaunt and their subsequent marriage raised more questions than answers.

As Margaret continued her narrative, she described the whirlwind romance between Tom Riddle and Merope Gaunt, detailing the clandestine meetings and the eventual elopement that scandalized Little Hangleton.

"During their marriage, Tom and Merope lived in that old Gaunt shack for a while, what with her ghastly father and brother being in jail at the time for God knows what. It was a strange sight, seeing Tom Riddle, a man of enormous privilege, in such humble surroundings. The Gaunts were destitute after all, with nothing in terms of material wealth, except a fancy looking emerald locket that the girl wore around her neck, an heirloom of sorts. But anyway, he seemed bewitched by Merope. However, as time went on, his infatuation with her seemed to wear off. Tom became distant, claiming he had been misled by Merope's charms, and left the marriage."

Draco and Hermione looked at each other, as if keeping a mental note of the locket. Draco then leaned forward, his eyes narrowing in contemplation. "Did he ever mention why he felt misled? What went wrong in their marriage?"

Margaret shook her head "We never quite understood what happened, only that he was 'hoodwinked', as he so often said when asked about it. Tom became quite defensive when it came to that subject, never wanting to speak of it again."

"And what happened to Merope?" Hermione asked

"No one knows for sure. She disappeared not long after Tom ended the marriage. Some have speculated that she fled the town, others that she committed suicide, and there were even a select few that were adamant on saying that she was pregnant, my late brother mostly."

Hermione and Draco exchanged a glance, absorbing the new information, the mention of Merope Gaunt pregnancy peaking their interest even further, and Draco repeated "Your late brother?"

"My late brother, Eugene, was convinced that Merope was pregnant with Tom's child when he left her. Eugene was a bit... troubled, you see. He struggled with his mental health, diagnosed with schizophrenia. He used to say that he heard whispers about the Gaunt family being wizards, and that they practiced dark magic. All nonesense of course."

"But why did he believe she was pregnant?" Hermione pressed.

Margaret let out a sad sigh, the memory of her troubled late sibling visibly weighing on her "Eugene always visited Tom, claiming only he understood him. My cousin was always very kind to my brother you see, despite his ailment. Once, more than a decade if not longer after the Gaunt girl's disappearance, Eugene swears that as he was leaving the Riddle estate, he saw an adolescent boy that was the spitting image of Tom enter the house. He would not shut up about it for weeks after. I think he was just distraught, considering that…on that same day, the Riddles were all murdered in their home."

Hermione and Draco exchanged a solemn yet determined look. The mention of an adolescent boy resembling Tom Riddle entering the Riddle estate on the day of their murder added another layer of mystery to the already intricate puzzle. The connection between Merope Gaunt's disappearance, Eugene's claim, and the tragic fate of the Riddle family hinted at a deeper, more sinister plot.

"Eugene believed he saw a boy resembling Tom on the day of the Riddle family's murder?" Draco asked, his brow furrowed in thought.

Margaret nodded, her expression troubled. "Yes, he was adamant about it. He claimed the boy had the same piercing eyes as Tom, the same hair, all the same features really. But it was probably another one of his hallucinations, considering what happened that day."

Hermione, always the logical thinker, interjected, "The murder of the Riddle family... it's still a mystery, isn't it? Was anyone ever convicted?"

Margaret sighed, her eyes reflecting the weight of years of unanswered questions. "Little Hangleton was never the same after that night. The town was haunted by the unsolved murder, and rumors circulated about it. But nobody could ever connect the dots as to what exactly happened. The gardener, Frank Bryce was arrested at the time, but was soon after released for lack of evidence. Eugene, bless his soul, insisted that the Riddles were killed by Tom's lookalike, but like I said, my brother had many halluncinatory episodes, and this was nothing more than another, fueled by his grief."

Hermione looked at the elderly woman with a sad look on her face. She knew it was a harrowing experience for one to remember the murder of a family member. "Do you know what happened to the Gaunts?"

Margaret shook her head "No. The father was long dead I believe, but the brother had all but disappeared after the Riddles' untimely demise."

Draco looked at the old woman and nodded as he stood "We don't want to impose any further, Miss Riddle. Thank you for your hospitality and for indulging us."

"Yes" Hermione added with a sad smile "My grandfather will appreciate knowing what happened to his old friend, even though it was tragic."

Margaret smiled at them "You're welcome. I hope you have a pleasant rest of your day" she said as she walked them to the door.

"Likewise" Hermione said, but before she could stop him, Draco pointed his wand at the elderly woman and whispered "Obliviate."

As they walked away from Margaret Riddle's residence, the weight of the information they had gathered settled on Draco and Hermione's shoulders. The mysterious connection between Tom Riddle, Merope Gaunt, and the unsolved murder of the Riddle family hung in the air, like an intricate puzzle waiting to be solved.

Hermione couldn't shake off the sadness that lingered in Margaret's eyes as she spoke about the past. The elderly woman's memories were fragile, and the pain of the tragic events she had witnessed still echoed in her frail voice. Draco, too, felt a mixture of determination and unease. The story they uncovered hinted at a dark and complex history, one that reached far beyond the confines of Little Hangleton.

Once they were a sufficient distance away, Draco turned to Hermione. "Erasing her memory was necessary. We can't risk anyone knowing we're digging into Voldemort's past. It's too dangerous."

Hermione reluctantly nodded, understanding the importance of keeping their mission discreet. "I just hope she won't be too affected by it. She seemed genuinely willing to help."

Draco placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "It's for her own protection as well. Let's focus on the task at hand. We have more leads now. The Gaunt family, the mysterious disappearance of Merope, and the adolescent showing up at the Riddle residence on the day of their murder, that was definitely him."

Hermione nodded "Yes, and he most likely created a horcrux on that day. The act of killing his own kin has to be a strong trigger to splitting his soul."

Draco added "And that locket Margaret mentioned, for some reason I think it has some deeper significance. Maybe it could even have become a horcrux."

"I agree." Hermione said "We should head back to the cottage to discuss our findings."

And to that, Draco did not delay in taking her arm and apparating them back to Transylvania.

That's it for chapter 11 dear readers! I hope you enjoyed it. What do you think of Draco and Hermione's collaboration? Let me know by leaving a review!

Until next time!

Cleo26