evelynn | t.riddle

18 | UNEXPECTED GIFTS

TOM AND EVELYN HAVE FINISHED getting all their supplies when Tom notices a shop that looks interesting near the entrance to Knockturn. Borgin and Burkes. The place he ended up working for a time in Evelynn's previous life. He's pulled out of his thoughts when Evelynn nudges him in the ribs, asking, "See something that interests you?"

Tom startles, glancing at Evelynn in surprise, then nods and says, "That shop over there. Want to go take a look?" He'd usually sneered at someone for talking like that, and he had never spoken like this to anyone before. Of course, nobody he's ever known could send a warrior race of irascible Goblins, guards and all, trembling with utter terror. They practically bent backwards to please her while keeping their reputation, for Merlin's sake. So, yeah...he can swallow his pride long enough not to give her orders.

Thankfully, she nods and says, "Why not? Fair warning, though, if you see a hand marked 'Hand of Glory' in there, for the love of Merlin, don't touch it. Scared me out of my mind when it latched onto my hand."

Tom chuckles, then asks, "Why would you even touch anything there?"

Evelynn looks around, unsuccessfully trying to hide her blush, saying, "Floo accident, I didn't know what the place was. Only that I sure as hell had no idea where I was." Tom can only stare at Evelynn - she travelled through time, became the Master of Death, and had the Goblins practically on their knees in fear of her presence. Yet...she can't Floo.

"Hey, in my defence, it was my first time." Her indignant expression has Tom chuckling in amusement, even as her anger grows. "It is not funny, Tom!" His amusement only grows - honestly, it is funny. She can pull off feats most people can't even dream of; she travelled back in time and successfully got back into Hogwarts but can't float. He's still chuckling and getting a mock cold shoulder from Evelynn when they get into the shop.

Evelynn rolled her eyes when Tom headed straight to the shelves of books. He's pretty predictable if you get him into familiar territory. The woods near the Orphanage, for instance. Or a magical area - if it's the latter, he'll always go for the books. He's a bit like a bloody sponge when it comes to knowledge. She corrects herself, exactly like a sponge, regarding any kind of knowledge. Any knowledge at all.

She wanders to the jewellery section, filled with wreaths and necklaces that probably cost a fortune to make alone. She wonders how many desperate people sold their inheritances looking for money just like- no, it can't be. Evelynn crouched down quickly to get a better look at the green-gold glint that caught her eye and felt her breath catch in her throat just as fast. Salazar Slytherin's Locket, as though thinking about Merope and her desperate actions summoned the Locket, is sitting on display right in front of her.

How in the world...I never knew when it was sold, but...

Her head snaps over to the door when the bell rings, and she sees a familiar person enter the shop. Hugely fat body, ginger wig, and baby pink robes and all, Hepizbah Smith in her prime...of sorts.

She is probably looking for antiques for her collection...BLOODY HELL!

She signals to Borgin quickly and points to the Locket, saying, "I want to buy this, please." If she can get it now, keep Hepizbah from getting it...well, it'll be one less thing Dumbledore will have on Tom. And one more thing Tom will have from Slytherin - she knows all about suddenly finding a piece of family out of the blue. And the Diary piece, at the very least, was immensely proud of being directly related to Salazar Slytherin.

Borgin dismissively says, "A hundred Galleons."

Evelynn feels her temper rear its ugly head and her magic unleash enough for even Borgin to feel it. She darkly but quietly says, "You or your partner paid a desperate, needy pregnant woman ten Galleons for her family heirloom. And that is exactly what you'll be paid for, not a Knut more." How she hates people like this guy, preying on the weak and desperate to line his own pockets. Burke knew exactly what he had at first glance, she's sure, and he conned Merope out of money that could've saved her life had she spent it at St. Mungo's. The way she sees it, that's indirect murder - had he paid her a fair amount, she might've survived. These guys are the other side of the coin that was drunk-thief Mundungus Fletcher, the guy who made a living being a conman and stealing from people. For instance, he certainly cleared out Grimmauld Place in the year after Sirius died.