Frank Bryce still tended the old Riddle House alone throughout his years even though he was hated by the whole town of Hangleton because he supposedly killed the Riddles, who he used to work for. The town had their reasons for thinking so from some of the evidence pointed at him to his wicked temper. However, he was cleared of all charges when the repot on how all the Riddles died came back. But that didn't stop some of the townsfolk to still think he was a guilty man.
Soon the house was own by a wealthy man but he never lived there nor put it to any use and he continued to pay Frank to care for the gardening and to stop those pestering boys, who (like their parents and grandparents) thought Frank as a murderer and wanted to torment him by ruining the house or garden. Some even tried to break into the house on a dare.
So it wasn't odd for Frank, who was refilling a kettle to make himself a cup of tea for his bad knee one night in August, to think the same thing when he saw lights glistening through the old house. Not trusting the police or the people of town, Frank hurried out of his house and towards the Riddle's home to put a stop to whatever teenager foolishness those brats were up to. He scurried up inside the creaky, old house to the second landing where the light had been coming from. He could see through a door that was slightly opened the fire gleaming across the floor, but couldn't exactly see who's in it... but he could hear voices.
"There is a little more in the bottle, My Lord, if you are still hungry," a timid voice asked.
"Later," another voice (high-pitched) spoke, "Move me closer to the fire, Wormtail,"
There was a pause as the sound of a chair being pushed around echoed in Frank's ear.
"Where's Nagini?" the cold voice spoke.
"I-- I'm not sure My Lord-- She set out to explore the house, I think..." Wormtail stated to him, "My Lord, may I ask how long we are going to stay here?"
"A week... perhaps longer. We cannot proceed yet, it would be foolish to act before the Quidditch World Cup is over."
"The-- the Quidditch World Cup, My Lord? Forgive me, but-- I do not understand..."
"Because, fool! At this very moment wizards are pouring into the country from all over the world, every meddler from the Ministry of Magic will be on duty, searching for any unusual signs... they will be obsessed with security, let the Muggles notice anything. So we wait..."
"Then you are still determined?"
"YES! I certainly am determined."
"But it could be done without Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, sir... perhaps you may consider using another..."
"NO! It must be the boy and the girl! I will not explain again my reasoning!" the colder voice shrieked at Wormtail, "I believe my plan will be effective. Soon my faithful servant will join us--"
"I am a faithful servant..."
"I need someone with brains and whose loyalty never wavered... you, unfortunately fulfill neither requirement."
"I brought you Bertha Jorkins..."
"That is true... stroke of brilliance.... but you weren't aware of how useful she would be when you caught her... her information was the the reason I came up with this plan,"
Frank soon had to clean out his ears, because at that point he thought he was going mad, but he caught the phrase 'I had to kill her' and 'modified her memory' and was getting bits and piece of his sentences.
"One more murder... faithful servant at Hogwarts... Harry Potter and Hermione Granger are as good as mine... there will be no more argument... quiet! I think I hear Nagini..."
Then the man started to make hissing and spitting noises without drawing breath. Frank thought he finally gone mad till he watched as something slithered passed him and towards the door. Frank stood terrified as he watched the twelve feet long snake slither into the room with the two other men. There were a bit more hissing until....
"Nagini tells me the old Muggle caretaker is at the door, listening to every word we say..."
Frank attempted to turn around and run but the door flung wide open to reveal a short balding man inside.
"Where are your manners? Invite him inside, Wormtail."
Wormtail beckoned Frank into the room. Frank, taking a firmer grip upon his walking stick, limped over the threshold and in front of the fireplace as he stared at the back of the chair. The other man must have been smaller than Frank thought because he couldn't even see the back of the man's head.
"You heard everything Muggle?" said the voice.
"What's that?" Frank asked.
"I am calling you a Muggle," the voice said coolly, "it means that you are not a wizard."
"I don't know what you by wizard... all i know is I've heard enough to interest the police tonight, I have. you've done murder and you're planning more. And Ill tell you this too, my wife knows I'm up here and if I don't come back..." Frank started when the voice cut in.
"You have no wife, nobody knows you are here. You told nobody that you were coming. Do not lie to Lord Voldemort, Muggle, for he knows... he always knows..."
"Is that right? Lord is it? Well, I don't think much of your manners, My Lord. Turn around and face me like a man, why don't you?" Frank dared him. The man behind the cheer croaked out a laugh.
"If that is what you wish... Wormtail, come turn my chair around." he ordered. Wormtail whimpered while he moved over to the chair and slowly began to turn it to face Frank. When the chair faced Frank, his walking stick fell to the floor as he screamed till a flash of green light rush at him. Frank was dead before he crumpled onto the floor... and from two hundred miles away, Harry Potter woke with a start.
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Born From Madness (Harry Potter Fanfic)
FanfictionHermione Granger has just received her Hogwarts Letter in the mail where her life as a new witch begins... but so does a journey of her life unwinding too when she starts to learn her Grandma Elka Ostrovsky has some secrets about her family's backgr...