#borgin and burke

[riddlexheart]

My dear Tacus wanted to say hi to the world. He is one of the main characters in my fanfic. One of my MC best friends.

[virgil-anon]

Tom working at borgin and burkes will never not be funny to me like tjskdkskdksk I've worked customer service jobs since I was 18 and they made me, an otherwise (somewhat) fully functional adult, want to commit acts that violate the geneva convention can you IMAGINE what tom was coming up with for customers he hated? He's already split his soul at that point potentially twice like... there's definitely some bodies buried in the back is all I'm saying

[leighbaye]

🖤 ₊˚⊹ — eldest daughter of the malfoy family (2) #DISCONTINUED

parring ➵ draco malfoy x sibling f!reader

summary ➵ the beginning of the end, the initiation ceremony.

age of parring ➵ 16 - 18

warnings ➵ angst, mention of pain inflicting, broken families, flashbacks.

extra ➵ thanks to @cafekitsune for banners, extremely special thanks to @helendeath for supporting this story! mind you this chapter is long, you are responsible for your consumption. first chapter here.

before you knew it, the following school year was rapidly approaching. apparently it was the perfect time for him to conceive the dark mark.

for whatever reason for father, lucius, thought it was best for your younger brother to receive the dark mark. not thinking about the mental toll it will bring him.

the next moment, you were in draco’s room helping him get dressed and ready out the door. you weee buttoning his blazer and you then ran you hand though his hair, keeping it down. you then sigh.

❝ are you ready? ❞ you asked in a soft spoken voice, genuinely curious about his wellbeing.

❝ i-i guess, still unaware how the process will go. ❞

you then sat on his bed, patting his silk sheets to a spot next to you. he took the hint and approached you and took a seat.

❝ well whatever you feel uncomfortable, just reach out to me okay? ❞

he replied in a hum, he cleared his throat forgetting how observant his older sister was. like the both of you were in a in a pact and however he felt it will affect how you acted.

❝ how did you, yknow deal with the aftermath of embedding of the mark? ❞ draco asked hesitantly, wondering how you would answer his question.

you then stared off into space, all of the sudden the ceiling captivated your attention as you vividly remembered how it went down.

it happened in a different circumstance, but that you couldn’t remember why and when it happened. you wanted to spare yourself from revealing to much or it would most definitely get your brother more anxious then he already was.

you were also sixteen years old when your left forearm was tainted with the mark. the bubbling of a cauldron filling your mind also being the center of attention, plus witnesses taking your branding as amusing.

the pain was excruciating. it felt as if you were being held in the one of three unforgivable curses, the cruciatus curse.

the noises of your soft cries and the hot tears streaming down your cheeks fillings your memory as the dark lord announced your current loyalty to him to the rest of the death eaters.

the glittering green skull with a snake protruding from its mouth was now visible, you rubbed and pinched your skin as you were trying to rub fast drying ink off your skin.

how much you needed to see your baby brother in that very moment.

the final vision you saw was back at the manor, you were embraced by your father and you choked back sobs as he caressed your head. trying to comfort his eldest daughter, narcissa with tears welling in her eyes wiped tears away from your eyes.

draco was only fourteen when this all went down, of course he want present due to his young age. he wasn’t aware until much later that you had the mark.

how much you pushed him away from you, afraid of how would then perceive you. how much he wanted to be there for his big sister but it hurt him how painfully obvious you wanted nothing to do with him until these uncontrollable feelings subsided.

as you told him everything he wanted to hear, you noticed how much facial changes he made. slowly and slowly worsening his mood as he took in how he sister handled that all on your own.

not even able to take a full breath in and out, you embraced him as tightly as you physically could. sniffing being heard as mumbled, because you laid your face into his neck.

❝ i-i just want you to know i will be always be here for you, im so worried for you draco! ❞

draco eyebrows furrowed, responding in a hug back is his breathing struggled hearing you be in undeniable pain hurtes him because what you faced will happen to him next.

just without emotional support from him, which filled him with guilt although it was never his fault. he was just to young and still naive.

❝ i hate for you to go through this alone and just knowing i can be present makes me so relieved you have absolutely no idea! ❞ you hiccuped, whimpering.

you let yourself from a hug you know he needed. both of hands grabbing his face and making eye contact with him. his eyebrows furrowed, in a frown as he desperately tried to blink his tears away.

your fresh manicured fingers in a gentle manner rubbed his eyelids, you then kissed his temple as you always did. it was evident that it worked.

you pressed your forehead together looking at each other in a platonically loving way. reminding you of back when the both of you were kids.

the malfoy family, besides lucius, were now present in knockturn alley. where draco’s death eater initiation ceremony will take place.

as evident as it was, knockturn ally wasn’t the same as before. previously full of life, color, & and people of every blood status, it was now dark, gloomy, and isolated. reminding you of malfoy manor in a way.

how you wished to be home at this very moment, knowing you needed to prepare for the worst.

dressed formally, hair laid down held up in a ribbon. you made sure that your robes covered the dark mark. people were still around and you needed to have social awareness.

you and draco, in a quick pace, followed narcissa. stealing rapid glances around it seemed to be clear, you continued followed your mother and swiftly grabbed draco’s hand as the closer you got to the location he almost stayed put.

as if he even had a choice. it pierced you but it was the truth no matter what. little did the both of you know, harry potter, hermione granger, and ron weasley were watching you from a distance.

❝ harry, is it me or do draco, his elder sister, and mummy look like three people who don’t wanna be followed? ❞ ron asked as he observed with harry, which led with hermione whipping her head around.

then there you guys were, as mentioned previously, narcissa entering into a alleyway. and the sight of you and draco holding hands and following right away.

the golden trip exited, staying in a logical gap between the malfoy’s. awaiting for what revelation was about to arise.

the long alleyway lead to a staircase leading down, letting go of draco’s hand and lifting your dress just a few inches of the ground to prevent any tripping.

the next turn lead to the site of where the initiation would take place. borgin and burkes. you and narcissa entered simultaneously while draco stayed out, he makes eye contact with you as you held the door open for him. the ceremony would begin shortly.

the both of you were being lead to another room where the vanishing cabinet was stored. as that was happening, the trio went onto the roof as quietly and sneakily as the possibly could.

harry then observed through a window how close you and draco were than he initially imagined. the noticed the small detail of the matching stacking ring on the same finger. he thought it was a soft touch but let those thoughts subside.

you and draco ran your hands over every corner and crevice of the vanishing cabinet and exchanged in small talk in form whispers before narcissa and distracted draco by planting a kiss on her only son’s cheek, while you looked at other items the antiquarian held.

then the reason why you were held up here commenced.

a group of voldemort-sympathisers, including bellatrix lestrange and fenrir greyback encircled an old cauldron containing a bright green potion and, in the centre of the circle stood draco.

as draco extended his left arm, the potion in the cauldron exploded with light and, quickly, the group dispersed.

୨⎯ 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐥𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡 ⎯୧

[hollowed-theory-hall]

The Riddle of Tom Riddle: Part 5/7

(Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 6, Part 7)

After Graduation

Continuing with my analysis of Tom Riddle's character, we reach his graduation. Here things start getting a little murkier. You'd expect we'll have more information the more recent it is, but there is very little information about Tom's life between his graduation in 1944 and his return to Britain under the alias Lord Voldemort in 1967.

I want to discuss the continuation of his quest for immortality, his choice of profession, and a little bit about his family's legacy.

Graduation

So from Dumbledore, we know Tom graduated top of his class. Head boy and 12 NEWTs, all Os under his belt:

He reached the seventh year of his schooling with, as you might have expected, top grades in every examination he had taken. All around him, his classmates were deciding which jobs they were to pursue once they had left Hogwarts. Nearly everybody expected spectacular things from Tom Riddle, prefect, Head Boy, winner of the Award for Special Services to the School. I know that several teachers, Professor Slughorn amongst them, suggested that he join the Ministry of Magic, offered to set up appointments, put him in touch with useful contacts. He refused all offers.

(Half-Blood Prince, pages 430-431)

Dumbledore says Tom was offered multiple positions in the ministry and that he refused all of them. We knew he applied for a teaching position at Hogwarts, which I'll discuss in a moment, but I want to talk about his refusing these offers and why.

Now, I made no secret of the fact Dumbledore has an agenda when he's showing Harry these memories, he wants Tom to appear as an irredeemably evil monster that must be destroyed. Now, Tom isn't a good man, not by a long shot, but in his younger years, I don't think he was beyond help.

Regardless, I'm sure Slughorn did help him set up appointments with ministry personnel, it sounds just like the sort of thing Slughorn would do. The thing is, Tom is incredibly ambitious, he is as Slytherin as they come in that regard. Most ministry positions, especially the ones that'd be offered to him aren't anything shiny to brag about. These positions Dumbledore is talking about were probably for a clerk or secretary. We see with Percy Weasley, that the approach in the ministry is that you start from the bottom and climb up. Tom, who got used to thinking of himself at the top would've struggled being ordered around like we see Crouch ordering Percy. Tom would've murdered his boss before running around to someone else's whims.

I think he didn't take a position in the ministry for this exact reason. He's prideful and ambitious and he wanted a position that'll give him more freedom and control.

Tom loves being in control, all his childhood was in a state of lacking — both in food, belongings, clothes, and mostly control. Tom had very little he could control about his life and we see him seek to exert control, not only on his own life, but on others.

but Voldemort first approached Professor Dippet and asked whether he could remain at Hogwarts as a teacher.” “He wanted to stay here? Why?” asked Harry, more amazed still. “I believe he had several reasons, though he confided none of them to Professor Dippet,” said Dumbledore. “Firstly, and very importantly, Voldemort was, I believe, more attached to this school than he has ever been to a person. Hogwarts was where he had been happiest; the first and only place he had felt at home.” Harry felt slightly uncomfortable at these words, for this was exactly how he felt about Hogwarts too.

(Half-Blood Prince, page 431)

Tom's first choice was to be a professor. I think Dumbledore is pretty spot-on on the first reason why Tom wanted to stay at Hogwarts. I already mentioned in my previous post, how Tom loves Hogwarts. Hogwarts is the only place he ever called home. He loved it so much that he attached his soul to items representing the school (the founders' artifacts).

And Harry is right to feel the way he does. Tom is similar to him in this regard.

The other two reasons Dumbledore gives in this scene for Tom's desire to become a teacher are:

2. Tom wants to unravel the mysteries of the ancient magic of Hogwarts that he hasn't resolved yet.

3. As a recruiting ground for future Death Eaters.

I think the second idea has some merit. Tom is definitely an academic, as I mentioned in my previous posts. He'd want to study and learn everything about magic and Hogwarts and would only be satisfied once he knew everything. I think his love of academics and magic is another major reason for his desire to teach. Dumbledore doesn't mention it, but Tom loves magic, as in just magic. It's what made him special, what gave him power and control when he had none. It's what garnered him pride and attention. His magical academic accomplishments are something Tom takes great pride in. "magic is might" in his words, after all.

The third one I believe is completely false. We have nothing but Dumbledore's words to support the existence of the Knights of Walpurgis (proto-Death Eaters followers of Tom when he was in school). We know Tom had people he considered friends and who he (diary Tom) says already called him by the title Voldemort, but we don't really have any other information about them and if there was an actual organization.

Also, from how uninvolved Voldemort was in both wars I find it hard to believe he'd bother applying for a job to raise an army. He didn't take over the ministry when he did have an army, so I don't think this is something he was actually after, at least not at this time. He didn't really make an effort to create an army for himself in these years after graduation, because he could have, even working at Borgin and Burkes, and yet he didn't. Which means this wasn't one of his goals here.

Customer Service

“So Voldemort went off to Borgin and Burkes, and all the staff who had admired him said what a waste it was, a brilliant young wizard like that, working in a shop. However, Voldemort was no mere assistant. Polite and handsome and clever, he was soon given particular jobs of the type that only exist in a place like Borgin and Burkes, which specializes, as you know, Harry, in objects with unusual and powerful properties. Voldemort was sent to persuade people to part with their treasures for sale by the partners, and he was, by all accounts, unusually gifted at doing this.”

(Half-Blood Prince, pages 432-433 )

So, not being able to secure the teaching position Tom goes to Borgin and Burkes. Now, I think Dumbledore isn't accurate on why Tom chose to work there.

First, I mentioned why he turned down the ministry positions, Tom isn't interested in being low on the ministry ladder and climbing it slowly. Dumbledore mentions himself how Tom wasn't a mare assistant. He was in touch with powerful clients and had access to priceless magical books and artifacts he probably found fascinating. I bet all the time he wasn't with clients he was studying the magic he could in the shop and the things in its collection.

This position gave him a lot of freedom in who he talked to and how he got these treasures. His boss clearly didn't care as long as there were results, which is something I think Tom would like, having complete control over his life and work. It's the kind of job that would give him plenty of time to pursue his own studies should he wish to do so as well.

I don't think Tom suffered in this job. I called it Customer Service mostly as a joke, I don't believe Tom often worked retail behind the counter at the shop. Dumbledore mentions he mostly procured treasures (and also studied them, in my opinion) rather than handle the customers at the shop. I think Tom enjoyed it well enough, I don't think he'd have remained there 10 years otherwise.

These 10 years at Borgin and Burkes ended with him going to Hepzibah Smith and I want to talk about this scene a bit:

She opened the lid. Harry edged forward a little to get a better view and saw what looked like a small golden cup with two finely wrought handles. “I wonder whether you know what it is, Tom? Pick it up, have a good look!” whispered Hepzibah, and Voldemort stretched out a long-fingered hand and lifted the cup by one handle out of its snug silken wrappings. Harry thought he saw a red gleam in his dark eyes. His greedy expression was curiously mirrored on Hepzibah’s face, except that her tiny eyes were fixed upon Voldemort’s handsome features.

...

She hooked the cup back off Voldemort’s long forefinger and restored it gently to its box, too intent upon settling it carefully back into position to notice the shadow that crossed Voldemort’s face as the cup was taken away.

(Half-Blood Prince, page 436)

As I mentioned in the past Tom is sentimental, and there is nothing he is more sentimental about than Hogwarts and his family legacy. The first place he called home and something he thought he could be proud of. Both signs of his magic — what always made him special. His sentimentality is very tied in with his ego.

This is Hufflepuff's cup, a remnant from a Hogwarts founder. It's rare, special, and magical and is a symbol of home for Tom, and so he wants it. And Tom likes getting what he wants when he wants it.

She slid back the fine filigree clasp and flipped open the box. There upon the smooth crimson velvet lay a heavy golden locket. Voldemort reached out his hand, without invitation this time, and held it up to the light, staring at it. “Slytherin’s mark,” he said quietly, as the light played upon an ornate, serpentine S. “That’s right!” said Hepzibah, delighted, apparently, at the sight of Voldemort gazing at her locket, transfixed. “I had to pay an arm and a leg for it, but I couldn’t let it pass, not a real treasure like that, had to have it for my collection. Burke bought it, apparently, from a ragged-looking woman who seemed to have stolen it, but had no idea of its true value —” There was no mistaking it this time: Voldemort’s eyes flashed scarlet at the words, and Harry saw his knuckles whiten on the locket’s chain.

(Half-Blood Prince, page 437)

With the locket, Tom's reaction is even more obvious. It makes sense, it's not just a symbol of home, but of the family legacy he should've been able to be proud of and yet, couldn't.

You see, Tom and his family is an interesting dynamic. Like, how he feels about them is interesting.

When he found out who his family was he went to look for them. I don't think Tom searched out his relatives to kill them. Harry describes him being disappointed in the state of the Gaunt house and Morfin:

“You speak it?” “Yes, I speak it,” said Riddle. He moved forward into the room, allowing the door to swing shut behind him. Harry could not help but feel a resentful admiration for Voldemort’s complete lack of fear. His face merely expressed disgust and, perhaps, disappointment. “Where is Marvolo?” he asked. “Dead,” said the other. “Died years ago, didn’t he?” Riddle frowned.

(Half-Blood Prince, page 364)

I think, back then, when he was 16, Tom had hoped he'd find a family and a legacy. He only attacked Morfin after he learned his father left his mother when she was pregnant and that no one wanted him. I think he had hope back then, and it was squashed completely.

The thing is, up to that point, he probably took great pride in speaking Parseltongue and being the Heir of Slytherin at Hogwarts. Then he met Morfin and all that pride turned to shame, emberessement, and burning hatred. But the pride, the sentimentality towards a legacy that could've been remained.

By the time we see him with Hepzibah Smith, Tom has complicated feelings about Slytherin's legacy. It's something that won him friends and favors in Slytherin's house, it symbolized how special and powerful he was. But he was also ashamed and disappointed in them, the way none of them seemed to really love him and they all abandoned him. I think he blamed his mother for not surviving. After all, he was sure she couldn't have been the witch between his parents because of how weak she was, because of how she died.

I just find this dichotomy, of Tom wearing her legacy — Slytherin's legacy — proudly as part of the identity he fashioned for himself but being ashamed of the weakness of all his relatives fascinating.

Even in the above scene with the locket, the way he is so desperate to keep hold of it at the age of 29-30 shows this dichotomy. His desperation for a family and a connection he never had, he is still desperate to feel connected to his legacy, even when he hates all of his relatives.

“Hepzibah Smith died two days after that little scene,” said Dumbledore, resuming his seat and indicating that Harry should do the same. “Hokey the house-elf was convicted by the Ministry of poisoning her mistress’s evening cocoa by accident.” “No way!” said Harry angrily. “I see we are of one mind,” said Dumbledore. “Certainly, there are many similarities between this death and that of the Riddles. In both cases, somebody else took the blame, someone who had a clear memory of having caused the death —” “Hokey confessed?” “She remembered putting something in her mistress’s cocoa that turned out not to be sugar, but a lethal and little-known poison,” said Dumbledore. “It was concluded that she had not meant to do it, but being old and confused —”

(Half-Blood Prince, page 438)

But before they [Hepzibah’s family] were sure beyond doubt that the cup and the locket were both gone, the assistant who had worked at Borgin and Burkes, the young man who had visited Hepzibah so regularly and charmed her so well, had resigned his post and vanished. His superiors had no idea where he had gone; they were as surprised as anyone at his disappearance. And that was the last that was seen or heard of Tom Riddle for a very long time

(Half-Blood Prince, page 439)

Then, he kills Hepzibah and steals the locket and the cup. The cup was made into a Horcrux using Hepzibah’s death and we know he took it with him (along with the locket) when he went traveling the world for the next 10 years. This is important because, in this next section, I want to note something important I noticed regarding Tom's Horcruxes — or more specifically their hiding locations.

Tom's World Tour

Ten years separates Hokey’s memory and this one, ten years during which we can only guess at what Lord Voldemort was doing. . . .” Harry got to his feet once more as Dumbledore emptied the last memory into the Pensieve. “Whose memory is it?” he asked. “Mine,” said Dumbledore.

(Half-Blood Prince, page 440)

Like Dumbledore says, we have little to no information regarding these 10 years of Voldemort's life I like to refer to as his world tour. All we know from this period in his life is that he made 2 new Horcruxes — the locket and the diadem.

To the Dark Lord, I know I will be dead long before you read this but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret. I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can. I face death in the hope that when you meet your match, you will be mortal once more. R.A.B.

(Half-Blood Prince, page 609)

We know he killed a "muggle tramp" to create the locket Horcrux at some point between 1956 and 1966 in an unknown location outside Britain.

“And . . . and the diadem?” “It remained where I had hidden it when I heard the Baron blundering through the forest toward me. Concealed inside a hollow tree.” “A hollow tree?” repeated Harry. “What tree? Where was this?” “A forest in Albania. A lonely place I thought was far beyond my mother’s reach.” “Albania,” repeated Harry. Sense was emerging miraculously from confusion, and now he understood why she was telling him what she had denied Dumbledore and Flitwick. “You’ve already told someone this story, haven’t you? Another student?” She closed her eyes and nodded. “I had . . . no idea. . . . He was . . . flattering. He seemed to . . . to understand . . . to sympathize . . . . ”

(Deathly Hollows, page 522)

The second is the diadem that was made into a Horcrux in a forest in Albania by killing an "Albanian Pheasant" at an unknown time between 1956 and 1966.

What I wanted to note about these Horcruxes and his world tour is actually quite simple. We know from Deathly Hollows all of Voldemort's Horcruxes were hidden in Britain, that's why Harry, Ron, and Hermione could track them down as they did.

"So?" you might be asking.

Well, I just described Voldemort having five Horcruxes (diary, ring, cup, locket, diadem) with him, on his person, when he traveled the world. He made the last two abroad, and the others weren't hidden yet since he didn't meet Lucious Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange to give them the diary and cup yet and he was described wearing the Gaunt ring. So, get this, Tom travels the world, outside Britain, including an Albanian forest where Ravenclaw's diadem remained hidden for centuries without anyone locating it, and he thought, the best place to hide his Horcruxes was in relatively accessible places in Britain that are way less well hidden? Places other people know of and could go to?

No, I'm not convinced.

This is just so weird to me, I mean, he could've made the Diadem Horcrux and then left it where he found it, and no one would've been able to track it down. But no, instead he brought it back to Britain to place it at Hogwarts.

Why?

Well, he is sentimental, about Hogwarts and Britain as a whole. Think about where he hid his Horcruxes:

The Diary - was given to Lucious, the son of Abraxas Malfoy who went to school with Tom. Tom was probably fond enough of Abraxes to hand Lucious the diary, although without telling him what it was.

The Ring - he hid in the Gaunt Shack, in the place his mother grew up, the last place his magical relatives lived. With all his shame and disappointment in them, he still felt a desire for what they represented.

The Cup - he gave to Bellatrix Lestrange to hide. I think he did care about Bellatrix, she seemed to know what the cup was, that it held his soul, and when she died:

Bellatrix’s gloating smile froze, her eyes began to bulge: For the tiniest space of time she knew what had happened, and then she toppled, and the watching crowd roared, and Voldemort screamed

(Deathly Hollows, page 621)

Voldemort clearly cares about her, we see he reacts emotionally to her death in a way he doesn't react to most other deaths.

The Locket - he placed in a cave dedicated to his own magical might. A place he made into an undead experiment, with protections of his design and a potion he invented. And where did he place this cave of wonders? In the same cave he scared two children from the orphanage with his magic. This is a place dedicated to what made him special, what made him better (in his mind).

The Diadem - He placed it at Hogwarts, the first and only place he ever thought of as a home.

Then he didn't really hide Harry or Nagini.

But all these locations reek of sentimentality and emotional attachment, even fondness to people. This is the main reason I call bull on Dumbledore's statement of Tom being incapable of love. I think he is capable of it, it's just very rare for him. He doesn't trust easily and keeps everyone at a distance (even Bellatrix who doesn't know he's a half-blood), so of course he doesn't have anyone close. But it's not that he never wanted a connection. He did, was actually quite desperate for it.

The other thing that's curious about all these hiding locations is that they are all accessible. Not necessarily easy to get to, but the trio showed it was possible to reach all of them. And that's a bizarre choice, because, why wouldn't he drop a Horcrux down the marina trench? Why wouldn't he leave the Diadem where it hadn't been found in centuries?

Because he doesn't want them to be impossible to find.

Tom is smart. He's one of the best students to ever make their way through Hogwarts. I'm sure if he wanted to make his Horcruxes inaccessible, he could have. After all, he made up the spells protecting the locket in the cave, he could've made a ward that wouldn't let anyone but him inside, but no, he made the cave a game. Something solvable, it isn't easy, but it is possible.

This tells me that one of Dumbledore's assumptions about Tom is wrong at its core. Tom didn't want to die when he started making Horcruxes, but I don't think he intended to live forever. Someone who wants to live forever wouldn't make it this easy to access their failsafe to immortality, they would drop the Horcrux down the Mariana Trench, or hide it in a vault under wards that no one could access, not even themselves. But that isn't what Tom did.

Conclusions

Tom is incredibly sentimental and is capable of feeling love and attachment to places, people, and ideas. He does, he loves magic and Hogwarts. He has complicated feelings regarding his family and Slytherin's legacy and he cares about Bellatrix (and Nagini).

He wanted to teach not to raise an army to start a war, but because he truly is an academic who loves magic.

He had no interest in working at the ministry as that would limit his freedom and control. He is prideful and ambitious and isn't willing to be at the bottom of the ladder.

And most interestingly, he never actually wanted to live forever. He just wanted to ensure he'd live as long as he wanted to, but not forever.

[capriddle]

One day I will have to write a fanfiction about Tom Riddle working at Borgin and Burkes, because I very often imagine him in that period of his life. I think it would be funny, because I imagine a Tom who accepts the stupidities of his owners with clenched fists, trying not to curse them.

[malfoy-aesthetic]

[poisonwasthecure]

[serpentsillusion]

The conversation after it got *physical* with Rookwood. (Plus introductions are in order because I'm old and can't use technology.)

✨✨🐍✨✨

((definitely punched Rookwood in the face))

Jess: Oh you mean that? *Heh heh*

Jess: I am! And I'll do it again! 💢

Some little screenshots I got my grubby little sausage fingers on. Introducing my cocky little spitfire of an MC; Jessica "Jess" Burke ( of Borgin and Burkes) Probably the female version of our beloved Sebby Boi. 💚

Here She is: ✨✨✨

What do you guys think?? Let me know! 😁😁✨

Thank you for literally ALL the love and support! Love you guys! Xx

[sunnyrealist]

Chapter 66: The Former Gaunt

The Sun, the Moon, and All Our Stars

Summary and Details…

Previous Chapter Recap/Context: Emotionally exhausted, Sebastian returned home after his visit with Ominis in the Three Broomsticks, during which he learned how Anne had died - in a rather mundane manner that was unrelated to the curse she had suffered through as a child. The next morning, Kate tries her best to take care of Sebastian, cooking him a hearty breakfast. He tells her about all that Ominis had shared and then reveals he has invited him over for dinner that night. Although it is very last-minute and Kate has been taken by surprise, she agrees to host. She and Sebastian work all day to prepare the cottage and cook an impressive meal for Ominis while still finding time for some sweet moments and merriment.

Pairing: 25-year-old, post-Azkaban Sebastian Sallow x 24-year-old Kate Mayflower (my OC), the assistant librarian at Hogwarts

Content warnings: In general, this is rated 18+, so minors should not read or interact with this story. This chapter is pretty mild, but there's discussion of disowning a family member and general family trauma.

The full chapter is available below the cut; it can also be found on AO3 (link is posted below). Please leave some feedback if possible, especially if you like what you read! 🥰

Chapter 66: The Former Gaunt

“When my father found out that I was no longer living at Hogwarts, he was furious,” Ominis tells them as he spreads butter onto a slice of warm bread. “But I had already received permission from the Headmaster, and it would have been… humiliating for him to tell Black, one of his own friends, that I, his son, had not consulted him at all in the arrangement and that I was openly defying him.”

Kate nods, and Sebastian gives her a look before replying, “I see.” She realizes the mistake instantly - the blind man wouldn’t have a clue that she was responding in any way unless she spoke up.

“My parents couldn’t understand that I wanted to help Anne. They… have… an unusual set of values,” Ominis adds, to help Kate understand. “They felt there was no reason to do so, and that it actually was a tarnishing of the Gaunt name.”

“Why would it be considered…?” Kate trails off, bewildered. “How… cruel… and strange to chastise you for such a selfless act.”

“There is nothing selfless about my ‘family.’ I don’t even consider them family anymore, nor the other way around. They don’t help anyone out of the goodness of their hearts. They perform a favor only when there is some benefit to them - like having someone in their debt or gaining some type of prestige,” Ominis continues with his brows furrowed. “It didn’t matter how many times I explained how I owed it to Sebastian to help his sister.” He gestures to his old friend on the other side of the table. “To them, Sebastian was just… a criminal. They couldn’t understand.” 

Kate glances Sebastian’s way, examining his face as he frowns deeply and begins to violently attack his steak.

“And when time passed and I had made up my mind that I would marry Anne, I kept it to myself for a long while.” Ominis takes a moment to take a sip of his cranberry currant seltzer water. “I knew I might require the Gaunt name to obtain a respectable job - one with flexible hours so that I could still tend to Anne as needed. I became an employee at Borgin and Burke’s after my father called in a favor to Caractacus Burke.”

Sebastian’s eyes snap up in recognition, and his eyes narrow. “You work at Borgin and Burke’s?”

Kate glances his way in confusion. “What exactly is Borgin and Burke’s?”

“It’s -” Sebastian begins confidently, then realizes how much it might give away about his post-Azkaban life and career and almost immediately shuts up. He pauses, making it sound as though he is unsure. “It’s a shop, isn’t it?”

Ominis takes a heaping spoonful of mashed potatoes and is silent for a long moment - a bit too long. He seems to choose his words carefully. “Yes, in Diagon Alley, a bit… off the beaten path. We purchase and sell magical items, specializing in powerful, rare, and ancient artifacts. There are many… curiosities in the shop. I’m a manager there now.” He smiles faintly. “I enjoy having priority over the customers whenever there’s a new item. Some are quite useful.”

Sebastian suddenly chokes on his seltzer water, and Kate covers for him. “We’ll have to pay the store a visit. I’m interested to see your wares.”

“Yes,” Sebastian adds after recovering. “In fact, we may have some items to sell.”

Surprised, Ominis considers this. “Do you now?” 

“Well, we recently went on a camping trip. It was rather adventurous for me. We did some exploration and discovered a trove of unique treasures,” Kate explains. 

“Certainly the shop owners would be delighted to assess them.” He dabs his mouth with a napkin. “Come by anytime. I often work weekdays. If I am there, I will ensure that you make a fair bargain.”

“Thank you,” she replies. 

The trio pause to enjoy their dinner - pan-seared steak with a demi-glace, mashed potatoes, warm honey bread, and oven-roasted vegetables fresh from Kate’s garden. 

“This is delicious. Everything is seasoned perfectly,” Ominis remarks. “You’re a talented cook, Kate. I truly appreciate the effort.”

“Thank you.” Kate beams. “Sebastian did help quite a bit, too.” 

Her boyfriend smiles in response, squeezing her hand.

“If I may,” Sebastian begins, “Dare I ask how your family responded when you married Anne? Did you receive their blessing? I can’t imagine it… went well, knowing the Gaunts.”

His friend scoffs. “My mother was apparently trying to arrange an advantageous marriage for me at the time without my knowledge. Anne and I certainly did not receive their blessing. I knew they’d never grant it. We wed in secret,” Ominis replies. “They would have resorted to… drastic measures had they known in advance. After the fact, I informed them of our marriage and announced that I had changed my name for Anne. They handled their anger with me discreetly, trying to not cause a fuss or fuel gossip amongst the pureblood community. If it were announced to the public that their weak, disappointing, disabled, black sheep of a son had married the chronically ill and uneducated sister of a known criminal, it would have been shameful to the family.” He cringes. “They are… infinitely judgmental.”

A scowl overtaking his face, Sebastian sees red.

“Sebastian…” Kate warns as quietly as she can, gently touching her boyfriend’s arm.

“You know I didn’t look at Anne or you that way,” Ominis quickly mentions, picking up on Kate’s tone. “My parents didn’t officially remove me from the family tree, but I am essentially dead to them. They don’t need me… or want me anyway. I have two older brothers, married with children. There are plenty of Gaunt heirs.” He pauses, smirking a little. “But… you know, there are times during which the Gaunt family name is still useful to me. I am able to enjoy the reputation of my former name without having to actually associate with them.” 

“You were never one of them,” Sebastian murmurs. “You were meant to be part of the Sallow family, Ominis.” 

Ominis appears pensive, smiling faintly. “My fondest childhood memories were… always with you and Anne. In Hogwarts and in Feldcroft.” He takes a bite of steak, then speaks directly to Kate. “As abusive as Solomon was towards Sebastian, even he was far more kind than my own family members.” 

“I’m sorry to hear that,” she replies. “I can’t imagine growing up in either of your circumstances.”

“Did you have any family trauma?” Ominis asks incredulously with a laugh.

A lopsided smile tugs at Kate’s lips as she shakes her head. “No. No trauma.”

After the meal, Kate ushers Omins and Sebastian into the living room. She delivers two steaming cups of tea and kisses Sebastian’s cheek. She thanks her boyfriend’s old friend for the considerate gift of chocolate truffles, then disappears back into the kitchen to clean up.

“She’s lovely,” Ominis murmurs. “Truly.” 

“I’m still astounded every day that she chose me,” Sebastian remarks. “She’s the kindest woman I’ve ever met. She’s patient beyond belief. Intelligent and loyal with a great sense of humor. Beautiful inside and out. I wish you could see her - our cottage - it’s really something.”

“I can tell it’s very much a home,” Ominis muses. “It’s warm and comfortable here. And it smells like… a greenhouse and a bakery all at once.”

Sebastian laughs. “An apt description. There are plants everywhere. She loves them. Her father is deeply interested in horticulture, and clearly, that passed on to her.” 

“Pureblood?”

“Yes,” Sebastian answers. 

“I’m not familiar with her family name,” the blonde man notes. “But judging by her nature, it isn’t surprising my family didn’t associate with hers.”

“I don’t know them - not yet, but I agree with you. She grew up very comfortable and loved,” Sebastian notes. “Not at all the way we were raised.”

“You haven’t met them?”

The sound of dishes being stacked comes from the kitchen. Sebastian wandlessly turns on the gramophone. A Frederic Chopin song begins to play.

He sighs, speaking very low. “No… not yet. She… hasn’t really even told them much about me. I’ve got to be honest - I’m rather nervous. I think when they find out who I am… where I’ve been… they won’t approve. I hate to put her through that pain.” 

Ominis hums in response. “If it’s meant to be, you’ll both weather it…”

“It is,” Sebastian replies quickly. “But… I’m certainly not the kind of man they would want their daughter to marry.”

Ominis picks up his teacup again. “Hmm… sounds like a challenge. Are you… not up to it? The Sebastian Sallow I once knew would have stopped at nothing to get what he wanted.”

Sebastian huffs. “I wouldn’t say I am less determined, but I…” the chestnut-haired man explains, “...I just want to do things right. There are boundaries I will never cross again. I’ve learned a great deal since… well, since… you know what.”

His friend nods in understanding. 

Both of them sit quietly, sipping their tea and listening to the music.

“Sebastian,” Ominis finally says with some hesitation, “There is something I need to tell you.”

[curioushabitforarivergod]

frankly mr shankly by the smiths is just tom in customer service talking to borgin

[tomriddleshoe]

Hc that Tom was great with comforting children in the orphanage. He'd calm them down by speaking in Parseltongue or ignore them all together whilst the bombs showered around them. When Lestrange informed Tom that he'll be Rodolphus' godfather, he (begrudgingly) accepted.

Sometimes, when Lestrange's wife is in France and he has work to attend to, he drops Rodolphus off at Borgin & Burkes. Tom would threaten to crucio him, but he'd disappear before Tom could draw his wand. When Rodolphus rocked Delphini in his arms, he thought of how Uncle Tom used to hiss incorrigible lullabies to him as well. He'd sob quietly when the intelligent brown eyes of his master looked up adoringly at him, and the black curls of his wife tickled his arms.

[riddlexheart]

This is based on my opinion on how I see these characters.

A bit of Tacus

Full Name~ Caractacus Burke

Age~ 27 years old

Occupation~ One of the Owners of Borgin and Burke, Dark Wizard

Blood Status~ Pure Blood

Personality~

Intelligent, Loyal, Thoughtful, Respectful

Strengths~

Open-minded, Ambitious, Resourceful, Persuasive

Interests~

Dark Arts, Forbidden knowledge, Runes

[virgil-anon]

Tomarry serial killer au where Harry's a detective trying to catch Tom but here's the twist: Harry's also a serial killer and Tom keeps copying him? Rival serial killers anyone?

[cquarrel]

CHAPTER 3: ROUTINE BECOMES THE WITCH revised and updated on ao3

A Wicked Heart is a Tomione fanfiction on ao3! Tom Riddle and Hermione Granger are in their late 20s and coworkers at Borgin and Burke’s. Wizarding world of the 1950s featured heavily (speculative)!

[capriddle]

I have always found it extremely fascinating that the great Lord Voldemort started out as a shop assistant. Of course he wasn't just anywhere but he still preferred a simple job to the detriment of offers to the Ministry. This is because Tom strongly believed in his ideas and was not afraid to start a slow and tiring journey to reach the top. Certainly his perseverance, as well as his self-confidence, are to be admired immensely.

[malfoy-aesthetic]