Saving Harriet Potter: Tom Riddle to the Rescue

Chapter 13 - Complete

Thank you for reading! I don't own any of Harry Potter! Please let me know if you enjoy! Updates every Saturday!
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The sun glistened off of Tom's white healer's jacket while he strode through the streets of Diagon Alley late one afternoon.

He drew a few curious glances and gossiping whispers as he walked up the brick steps to enter one particular shop.

The aged sign on the door proudly stated:

Gilbolts and Oddities
Est. 1929

A few customers lingered inside as they perused the available goods stacked up on the many, winding shelves while Tom stepped through the door and made his way to the counter.

The clerk on duty was an elderly witch with a permanent, sad frown on her face who blinked at him as he approached.

"Good evening, sir." The witch nodded, "Is there anything in particular you're searching for today?"

"I've actually come to collect my order this evening." Tom replied with a charming smile.

"The name, sir?" The frowning clerk asked.

"Tom Riddle." He nodded.

"One moment, please, sir." The frowning clerk answered as she turned and shuffled behind the curtain to disappear into the cavernous backroom of the odd shop.

While he waited, Tom glanced around and admired the bizarre assortment of antiques and baubles the shop sold.

He didn't know what seemed more curious to him; the goods themselves or the austere customers who gazed at them in curious wonder?

Tom's attention was called back to his own matter as the frowning clerk reappeared from behind the curtain a moment later with a small box clutched in her aged hands.

"Here you are, sir." The frowning clerk nodded as she sat the box down on the wooden counter and stepped over to the massive, golden cash register.

Tom reached towards the box as he glanced up at the clerk and asked, "May I inspect it before I give you my payment?"

"Of course, sir." The clerk repeated, "Gilbots and Oddities offers the highest rates of customer satisfaction. Please, give it a thorough once-over."

Tom opened the lid to the box, removed a smaller box from its inside, and flipped that lid open as well to find a beautiful, ruby ring sparkling at him under the warm lighting that beamed down from the shop's ceiling.

"It does carry a hefty price tag, sir." The frowning clerk nodded, "You'll also see some wear on the sides from the piece's centuries of use but the stone and the magic it contains is fully intact."

"Do you have the documents for its authenticity?" Tom questioned.

"They're enclosed in the box, sir." The frowning clerk replied.

After Tom lifted a thick layer of black velvet from the bottom of the box, he mused over the ancient parchments that lay inside while the clerk went on, "That ring was originally manufactured for Gwendolyn Gryffindor, a distant cousin of Godric's in the twelfth century......Since then it's passed from owner to owner. Our curator was rather pleased by its recent acquisition. It is a joy for him to know that the ring is going to such a prestigious home, Mr. Riddle."

Tom placed the ring back into the small box, then packed that box and the papers up into the larger box before he nodded at the frowning clerk.

He pulled out the small sack of galleons he had brought to pay as he gave her a charming smile, "A true joy for me as well, madam. This will make the perfect ring for my mate."