Unravelled² → Tom Riddle [Rewritten]

CHAPTER FOUR

On Tom's fifth visit to Hepzibah Smith, he got what he had been waiting for. He unlocked the secret he had been searching for, one of the final puzzle pieces he needed fell into its place.

"Hurry up, Hokey!" said Hepzibah imperiously. "He said he'd come at four, it's only a couple of minutes to and he's never been late yet!" She quickly powder puffed her face one last time, looking in the mirror with a pout. "How do I look?" said Hepzibah, turning her head to admire the various angles of her face in the mirror.

"Lovely, madam," squeaked Hokey.

When the doorbell rang, both Hepzibah and Hokey jumped. "Quick, quick, he's here, Hokey!" cried Hepzibah and the elf scurried out of the room with difficulty, narrowly avoiding the large piles of lacquered boxes, orbs, globes and various flourishing potted plants in brass containers.

The house-elf returned within minutes, followed by a plainly dressed Tom, a bunch of roses tucked underneath his arm. He picked his way through the cramped room with an air that showed he had visited many times before and bowed low over Hepzibah's fat little hand, brushing it with his lips. "I brought you flowers," he said quietly.

"You naughty boy, you shouldn't have!" squealed old Hepzibah as though she had not been expecting them, but the empty vase prepared on the nearest little table said otherwise. "You do spoil this old lady, Tom...Sit down, sit down...Where's Hokey? Ah..." The house-elf had come dashing back into the room carrying a tray of little cakes, which she set at her mistress's elbow. "Help yourself, Tom," said Hepzibah, "I know how you love my cakes. Now, how are you? You look pale. They overwork you at that shop, I've said it a hundred times..." He smiled mechanically and Hepzibah simpered. "Well, what's your excuse for visiting this time?" she asked, battering her lashes.

"Mr. Burke would like to make an improved offer for the goblin-made armor," said Tom. "Five hundred Galleons, he feels it is a more than fair —"

"Now, now, not so fast, or I'll think you're only here for my trinkets!" pouted Hepzibah.

"I am ordered here because of them, I am only a poor assistant, madam, who must do as he is told. Mr Burke wishes me to inquire —"

"Oh, Mr Burke, phooey!" said Hepzibah, waving a little hand. "I've something to show you that I've never shown Mr Burke! Can you keep a secret, Tom? Will you promise you won't tell Mr Burke I've got it? He'd never let me rest if he knew I'd shown it to you, and I'm not selling, not to Burke, not to anyone! But you, Tom, you'll appreciate it for its history, not how many Galleons you can get for it."

"I'd be glad to see anything Miss Hepzibah shows me," he inched closer to her, watching as she gave another girlish giggle.

I had Hokey bring it out for me...Hokey, where are you? I want to show Mr Riddle our finest treasure...In fact, bring both, while you're at it..."

"Here, madam," squeaked the house-elf, carrying two leather boxes, one piled on top of the other.

"Now," said Hepzibah happily, taking the boxes from the elf, laying them in her lap, and preparing to open the topmost one, "I think you'll like this, Tom...Oh, if my family knew I was showing you...They can't wait to get their hands on this!" She opened the lid. "I wonder whether you know what it is, Tom? Pick it up, have a good look!" whispered Hepzibah, and Tom stretched out a long-fingered hand and lifted the cup by one handle out of its snug silken wrappings.

For a moment, Tom's eyes gleamed red, his expression curiously mirroring Hepzibah's. "A badger," he murmured as he examined the engraving "Then this was...?"

"Helga Hufflepuff's, as you very well know, you clever boy!" said Hepzibah, leaning forward with a loud creaking of corsets and actually pinching his hollow cheek. "Didn't I tell you I was distantly descended? This has been handed down in the family for years and years. Lovely, isn't it? And all sorts of powers it's supposed to possess too, but I haven't tested them thoroughly, I just keep it nice and safe in here..." She hooked the cup back off Tom's long forefinger and restored it gently to its box, too intent upon settling it carefully back into position to notice the shadow that crossed Tom face as the cup was taken away.

"Now then," said Hepzibah happily, "where's Hokey? Oh yes, there you are — take that away now, Hokey." The elf obediently took the boxed cup, and Hepzibah turned her attention to the much flatter box in her lap. "I think you'll like this even more, Tom," she whispered. "Lean in a little, dear boy, so you can see...Of course, Burke knows I've got this one, I bought it from him, and I daresay he'd love to get it back when I'm gone..."

She slid back the fine filigree clasp and flipped open the box. Thereupon the smooth crimson velvet lay a heavy golden locket. Tom reached out his hand, without invitation this time, and held it up to the light, staring at it. "Slytherin's mark," he said quietly, as the light played upon an ornate, serpentine S.

"That's right!" said Hepzibah, delighted, apparently, at the sight of Tom gazing at her locket, transfixed. "I had to pay an arm and a leg for it, but I couldn't let it pass, not a real treasure like that, had to have it for my collection. Burke bought it, apparently, from a ragged-looking woman who seemed to have stolen it, but had no idea of its true value —"

She reached out to take the locket back. "So there you are, Tom, clear, and I hope you enjoyed that!" She looked him full in the face, her foolish smile faltering slightly "Are you all right, dear?"

"Oh yes," said Tom quietly. "Yes, I'm very well..."

"I thought — but a trick of the light, I suppose —" said Hepzibah, looking unnerved. Tom knew he had seen it; he had seen the red gleam in her eyes and there was little hope left for her. "Here, Hokey, take these away and lock them up again...the usual enchantments..."