Gaunt ~ Book 2

Thirty~Gaunt

a/n: Same reminder as usual, I'm combining J.K. Rowling's work with my own. Hope you enjoy!

Christmas was apon Hogwarts in a flash. The talk about Harry being Slytherin's heir was running rampant still. Every time Marvolo heard people talking about it, he would tell them that "Harry's as likely to be Slytherin's heir as I am being a Muggle." That shut a few people up. Marvolo kept wondering why Hogwarts thought a Gryffindor would be Slytherin's heir when a real Slytherin showed he signs.

On Christmas morning Marvolo was shaken awake.

"Wake up!" Malfoy said gleefully. "Presents!"

Like last year, Malfoy had a big stack of presents. He and the other Slytherins jumped into piles of wrapped goodies, shouting happily at the things they got. Marvolo looked over the foot of his bed, not expecting to see anything. What he thought was right. The end of his bed was bare. He slid out of his bed and changed, leaving his housemates to their happiness.

He was the first person into the Great Hall. Once he sat down at the Slytherin table a piece of toast and some scrambled eggs appeared on his plate. Marvolo began to eat, the silence of the hall pounding into his ears. He had never been in the Great Hall alone.

"You should be opening presents with the rest of your house,"

The voice made Marvolo jump. He turned to see Dumbledore in the doorway.

"Sorry Professor it's just —" Marvolo stopped, looking ashamed.

Dumbledore smiled kindly, "It's just what?"

"It's just that I didn't get anything," said Marvolo as quickly as he could. "I never get anything for anything so it doesn't really matter."

Dumbledore walked over to the Slytherin table and sat down next to Marvolo.

"Mr. Gaunt," he said in a soft, warm voice. "It does matter." 

He smiled and handed Marvolo something wrapped.

"Sir, you don't need to," said Marvolo. "I don't deserve anything."

"You deserve this," said Dumbledore. "This was your father's."

Marvolo took it tentatively into his hand. Whatever was inside it felt fragile. He slowly unwrapped the paper surrounding it, careful not to damage whatever was inside. Dumbledore watched him, a warm smile on his face. The paper opened, revealing two halves of a broken wand. Marvolo's eyes lit up.

"This was my father's wand?" he said, looking up at Dumbledore.

"Yes," said Dumbledore, suddenly turning solemn. "It has been in my possession ever since he died. He was a wizard, though not a good one."

A smile lit Marvolo's face, "Thank you professor!"

Dumbledore's smile returned, "You don't need to thank me. It's Christmas."

"Merry Christmas then, sir,"

"Merry Christmas Marvolo,"

Classes had been canceled on Christmas and most of the students were out in the snow or in their common rooms. Hermione, Ron, Harry, and Marvolo were sitting in the hallway outside the Gryffindor common room. Harry and Ron were wearing hand-knitted sweaters from Mrs. Weasley — Hermione had left hers upstairs — and they were all munching on sweets and candies.

"So," said Ron, mouth full of Hagrid's softened treacle toffee, "what'd you get for Christmas Marvolo?"

"I got a wand,"

"A what?" said Hermione, bolting upright. "You can't have two wands!" 

"It doesn't even work Hermione," said Marvolo. "It was my dad's but it's broken."

"Let's see!" Harry and Ron said eagerly.

Marvolo fished around in his pocket, his hand slipping over the cold surface of his dad's old knife, until he found the two halves of the wand.

"How did you get it?" Hermione demanded.

"Dumbledore gave it to me this morning," said Marvolo, pulling the broken wand away from Hermione as she attempted to grab it. "He said he's had it ever since my dad died."

Hermione withdrew her hand at the word 'died'.

"So he had it when he died?" Ron asked.

Marvolo shook his head, "Wands aren't aloud in Azkaban,"

A group of Hufflepuffs turned the corner, saw Harry, and turned back around, and quickly hurried away.

"When are they going to get over that?" Hermione asked, watching the last Hufflepuff turn the corner. "Harry's not the heir of Slytherin! He can't be!" 

"It's probably Malfoy," said Ron. "You heard what he said at Halloween."

Marvolo swallowed, guilt filling his stomach. He was a Slytherin Parselmouth. It was likely him setting Slytherin's monster on everyone. Snape was right, once all eyes were off Harry, he couldn't defend himself. All the signs were pointing to him to be Slytherin's heir. 

Fred and George, Ron's older twin brothers, barreled around the corner, covered in snow.

"Snowball fight!" they bellowed. "Come on!"

Ron, Harry, and Marvolo jumped up, leading a reluctant Hermione after Fred and George. Ginny and Percy Weasley were waiting.

"I'm not sure this is a good idea," said Percy in his highly superior voice.

"It's fun!" said George.

It was. When they trudged back inside with the other students for lunch, they were soaked and cold, but laughing. Marvolo had managed to hit George directly in the face, and he had gladly taken revenge a few minutes later with a snowball to the back of the head.

They paused outside the Great Hall for Hermione and Marvolo to do a little spell to dry their clothes and hair. Then, they departed for the Gryffindor and Slytherin tables. When Marvolo arrived at his house table, he was greeted by Malfoy, flanked as usual by Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy was wearing his usual sneer.

"I saw you didn't get anything for Christmas," he said. "That Muggle orphanage you live at must not like you much."

"Oh piss off Malfoy," said Zabini, who had clearly forgiven Marvolo for when they were paired at Lockhart's dueling club. "Come on Gaunt, lunch's about to be served."

Marvolo gladly sat down next to him. Food appeared along the house tables almost instantly. Marvolo smelled the various foods and smiled. If only the kids at the orphanage could see him now.