"Mister Blogger wants to offer a higher price for that fairy armor …" Tom Liddell lowered his chin slightly and looked up at the old lady opposite him. His smile and tone were very masculine. "Five hundred Garen, he thinks that's fair enough …"
"Oh, don't be in such a hurry." Hepzba picked up the teacup, shook her head and twisted her body. She pouted and said like Lavender acting coquettishly to Ron. "Otherwise, I'll think you're only here for my things …"
"I was sent here for them … Madam." Tom Liddell said softly with a regretful tone. His slightly raised lips looked very sincere. His eyes did not move away from the other person's face. He leaned forward and placed his hands on his knees, making him look like he had been wronged. "I'm just a small shop assistant. I can only listen to orders. Mister Bork wanted me to ask — "
"Oh, Mister Bork." Hepzba looked at Tom Liddell and seemed to pity him. She waved her hand as if she had thought of something to amuse the boy in front of her. Her face showed an irrepressible smile. "I want to show you something that Mister Bork has never seen before. Can you keep it a secret? "
Tom Riddle's eyes were fixed on him, and the spoon in his hand swirled in his teacup, and Harry noticed that he was wearing a ring on the forefinger of his right hand.
"Can you promise not to tell Mister Bork that I have this?" Hepzba also leaned forward. The distance between her and Lord Voldemort shortened and became more intimate. "But you, Tom …" Hepzba's voice became more mushy when she called his name. "You'll appreciate his history and not think about how much Garen can be earned."
Tom Liddell shook the teacup in his hand rhythmically. He looked like a satisfied obedient boy. He shook his head slightly and flattered, "I'd love to. I'd love to see … anything that Miss Hepzba shows me."
"So, wait for me here for a while." Hepzba waved her hand like a little girl and stood up shyly.
At that moment, Harry felt that Tom Riddle was very similar to Allen. They were both very good at persuasion, and their words and actions had the power to make people like them. This discovery frightened Harry. He shook his head hard, trying to get rid of this thought.
Harry noticed that behind Hepzba's back, Tom Liddell's gentle smile had completely disappeared. His brows were furrowed as if he was in deep thought.
Hepzba opened the lid happily and proudly. "I think you will like it, Tom. Oh, if my relatives know that I let you see it, they will immediately come and take it away."
Tom Liddell was still twirling his teacup when he heard that. He looked up with an interested expression.
"Darling, do you know what this is? Take it. " Hepzba picked up a golden cup from the soft satin cushion. She proudly swayed her body and handed it to Tom Liddell. "Take a good look."
Hepzba was immersed in the joy of showing off. She seemed to be fascinated by the handsome face of Tom Liddell. But Harry did not miss the greedy expression on Tom Liddell's face.
Tom Liddell pinched the golden cup and identified the carving on the cup. He raised his eyebrows and looked up at Hepzba with a charming and charming smile. "Madam … Badger, this is what I think …"
"Helga Hufflepuff's golden cup." Hepzba smiled and answered before Tom could finish his question. She confidently adjusted her gorgeous shawl and the red beaded necklace around her neck. She said with a hint of pride and joy, "You are very good, smart boy. Didn't I tell you that I am a distant descendant of Hufflepuff? This thing has been passed down in my family for many, many years. Isn't it beautiful? "
Tom Liddell kept turning the golden cup in his hand, looking at the carvings on it.
"It is said that there are various kinds of magic powers, but I haven't tried it. I just keep it here." Then Hepzba turned her attention to another box. She carefully opened the delicate golden buckle. "I think you will like this one more, Tom. Come closer. Take a closer look."
When Hepzba took out a red bag, Tom Riddle couldn't take his eyes off her actions. He didn't even look at Hufflepuff's gold cup as he placed it on the table beside him. The sound of metal chains rang. The small octagonal metal locket swayed in the air. The green gem with a snakeskin pattern embedded in the box shone in the candlelight.
Tom Liddell involuntarily stood up from his chair and stared at the small locket in a trance. It was as if his world had become nothingness except for the locket in front of him. Everything was blurry. Only the small locket was clearly reflected in his eyes.
Hepzba's voice seemed to come from a place far behind him. The only thing that could attract Tom Liddell's attention was the beautiful locket in front of him. His eyes followed the movement of the locket.
He reached out and grabbed the locket without Hepzba's permission.
Hepzba did not mind and smiled proudly. "Bork sold it to me many years ago. I dare say that after I die, he will want it back."
Hepzba was happy that the handsome young man in front of her was interested in her collection. She allowed the likable wizard to carefully look at her collection. She only observed his face from a close distance, as if she was looking at a more valuable collection.
Tom Liddell held the locket in his hand in fascination. After a while, he muttered, "The mark of Salazar Slytherin."
"Yes, I paid a high price for this. But I can't miss it. I can't miss this treasure. I must add it to my collection … "Hepzba picked up a piece of fried meatball-like thing with her fat fingers and stuffed it into her mouth." I heard that Bork bought it from a shabby woman. That woman probably stole it. She doesn't know its true value … I dare bet that old bastard squeezed her dry … "
Harry noticed that Tom Liddell, who had his back to Hepzba, had a red glow in his eyes. His knuckles had turned white as he gripped the locket's chain.
Hepzba finally felt that the atmosphere was not right. She noticed the abnormality in his expression and asked in confusion, "Are you okay, dear?"
"I'm fine … I'm fine." Tom Liddell's voice deepened. His whole body was filled with a dark and gloomy aura.
"I thought … I thought it was probably the light." Hepzba could not hide the uneasiness in her heart. She tried to comfort herself. "Come, Hao Qi. Take it away and lock it again … Use old magic …"
Tom Liddell picked up the chain again. He wanted to admire it again but was interrupted by Hepzba's commanding voice. He held the chain in his hand and raised his head. His eyes were bloodshot. He could no longer maintain his previous politeness. He said loudly, "Interesting. Sometimes opportunity and fate are closely intertwined. Do you agree, Mrs. Smith? "
He slowly approached Hepzba with a dangerous look on his face, like a snake that was waiting to pounce on a person. Tom Liddell was getting closer and closer to Hepzba. Hepzba was a little flustered by the sudden change in the expression of the handsome wizard. The silly smile on her face froze. But then, Tom Liddell returned to normal and gracefully said goodbye to Mrs. Hepzba Smith.
The scene became blurry and everything seemed to turn into nothingness.
"It's time to go, Harry." Dumbledore said softly. He grabbed Harry's arm and let the boy, who had survived the disaster, return to the headmaster's office. "This house elf's memory has been tampered with. I can try my best to restore the last bit …"
Harry froze in his seat and let the water drip from his face without saying a word.
"Tom went to work as an employee of Bork Borgs. In addition to being able to learn some power that we wizards shouldn't control, it was also part of his plan. Mrs. Smith was a frequent customer of Bork Borgs. Lord Voldemort took advantage of her obsession with him and seized the opportunity to finally take away the two family heirlooms. He created an impeccable, first-class scandal scene. He tampered with the memory of the house elf, Hao Qi, and made her think that she had accidentally poisoned her master because of her old age. Then, he only needed a little dramatic contact to make the house elf admit her guilt. " Dumbledore sat back in his chair and gestured to Harry to sit down. "No one in the Ministry of Magic thought of investigating again. They didn't even look for the untraceable potion. They judged that Hao Qi didn't deliberately murder her master, but that her eyes were blurred because of old age. At the same time, Tom had also resigned and disappeared, disappearing without a trace for a long time. "
"I don't understand …" Harry shook his head and frowned. "It seems crazy … Taking such a big risk and losing his job, just to …"
"Now," Dumbledore said, "if you don't mind, Harry, I want to remind you of some details in the story … This is another murder committed by Lord Voldemort. I don't know how many lives he has taken … You must have seen that this time, he didn't do it for revenge, but for profit. He wanted the two treasures that the poor old lady showed him. Just like how he robbed the other children in the orphanage, just like how he stole his uncle's ring, this time he stole Hepzibah's cup and locket. "
At this time, Harry didn't listen much. His heart was heavy. The interaction between Lord Voldemort and Hepzibah had left a deep impression on him. He knew that one was the Dark Lord and the other was his classmate and professor, but Harry felt that the feeling that Lord Voldemort gave him was very similar to that of Allen …
Harry looked up and glanced at Dumbledore. He hesitated and gave up the idea of telling Dumbledore what he just felt. He didn't want his words to worsen Dumbledore's impression of Allen. After all, Allen had never seen Lord Voldemort's dangerous expression before the end of his memory … He had never seen him steal anything from others.
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