The Love Story of Harriet Potter and Tom Riddle

Chapter 46 - Misunderstood

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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To Tom's frustration and Harriet's dismay, the potion had no effect on their daughter's odd wound.

The following morning, Mae's bruise had failed to vanish.

At last, Tom gave in to Harriet's insistence and summoned a team of wizarding Britain's five best healers to examine his little girl.

Harriet stood beside him while each medical practitioner conducted a careful study of their small daughter.

"Don't worry, sweetling." Tom reassured Harriet in a gentle purr as he leaned in and kissed her lips softly during their wait, "Our princess will be just fine."

Harriet nodded as Tom pulled away, although for some reason, ominous dismay washed over her.

Once Mae's exams had been completed, the medical team shared a brief discussion of worried whispers while the nervous parents looked on.

"......Mr. Riddle?" The eldest healer, an old man with a long beard, finally asked.

"Yes?" Tom answered as he narrowed his dark eyes.

"Mrs. Riddle....." The eldest healer nodded while his colleagues frowned. Harriet blinked at the elderly man before he went on, "We've finished our study of the child......Please, allow us to leave you and your wife with a few jars of Bruisewort Balm. Place a bit on the little one's affected arm each morning for a month."

"And that should mend her?" Harriet frowned.

"What caused the wound?" Tom pressed distrustfully, "We've done her no harm and she's suffered no accidents."

The healers shuffled on their feet as they glanced at each other uneasily.

"Mr. Riddle, Mrs. Riddle....." The eldest healer spoke, "We're certain that Bruisewort Balm will......help the child. If you'll excuse us, we'll-"

"-Tell us what's happened to our daughter!" Tom demanded as he took a protective step in front of Harriet.

Harriet moved to stand next to him as the eldest healer scowled.

"We cannot know for sure at this point, sir. The child is too young to make a definite determination." The healer shrugged.

"What are you saying?! Isn't that why you've all been called here today?!" Tom snapped as he glanced at each healer in turn, "'To make 'a definite determination'? How are you going to heal my daughter if you can't even tell us what's the matter with her arm?!"

"Tom...." Harriet whispered warningly as she squeezed his hand.

Tom glanced over at his wife with a glare, angry she had attempted to calm him before he turned to look at the elderly healer again who explained, "A simple bruise should repair itself.......Especially after a dose of Children's Healing Potion........It is possible that your daughter may not have a simple bruise, Mr. and Mrs. Riddle."

"Then what does she have?!" Tom spat as he balled his free hand into a fist.

"All we can say at this time is it may not be a simple bruise." The healer replied as he spoke in circles.

"That's not good enough!" Tom hissed.

"I'm very sorry, sir." The healer nodded, "Right now, that's all we know."

The healers nodded briefly at the concerned, young parents before they all hurriedly left the room and walked into the hallway, not wanting to frighten little Mae, who sat on her bed across the room, by Disapparating without warning.