Horcruxes Begin : Meeting Hepzibah Smith

Voldemort, took a job after finishing school, he went to go work at Borgin and Burkes, and all the staff who had admired, said; what a waste it was, a brillent young wizard like that, working in a shop. However, Voldemort was no mere assistant. Polite, handsome and clever, he was. He was given particular jobs of the tyoe that only exits in a place like Borgin and Burkes, which specializes in objects with unusual and powerfull properties. Voldemort was sent to persuade people, to part with their treasures for sale by partners, and he was, by all accounts, usually gifted at doing his job.

It was a late tuesday afternoon, a young Voldemort was on his way to visit Hepzibah Smith, he was on a mission from his boss, Mr. Burke, He rang the doorbell, and as he did so, he heard Hepzibah yell, "Quick, quick. He's here, Hokey!" A few seconds squeed by, and then the door swung open. He looked down, and saw a small, snout house elf, starring back up at him.

"Mr. Riddle, Madam has been expecting you." said Hokey as she bowed, as she stood up, she took Voldemort's hand. "Please, come follow me." The tall young man, followed Hokey through the small cramped room; with an air that showed he had visited many times before and then bowed low over Hepzibah's fat little hand, brushing it with his lips.

"I brough you some flowers," he said as he quickly, produced a bunch of roses from nowhere. "You naughty boy, you should'nt have." Squealed old Hepzibah, as she put them in the empty vase, standing on the nearest table. "You do spoil this old lady, Tom... sit down, sit down..." She said as she gestered to a chair. Voldemort sat down, "Where's Hokey? Ah..."

The house elf had come dasing back into the room, carrying a try of little cakes, which she sat at her mistress's elbow. "Help yourself, Tom," said Hepzibah, "I know how you love my cakes." Voldemort smiled, and reached over and took one. "Tom, how are you? You look pale, they overwork you at that shop. I've said it a houndred times..." Voldemort smiled mechaniaclly and Hepzibah simpered. "Well, what's your excuse for visiting this time?" She asked, batting her lashes.

"Mr. Burke would like to make an improved offer for the goblin-made armour." said Voldemort. "Five hundred Galleons, he feels it is more than fair." Now, now, not so fast, or I'll think you're only after my trinkets!" pouted Hepzibah. "I am ordered here because," said Voldemort quitly. "I am only a poor assistant, Madam, who must do as he is told. Mr. Burke wishes me to inquire.." "Oh, Mr. Burke, phooey!" said Hepzibah, waving alittle hand. "I've something to show you, that I've never shown Mr. Burke! Can you keep a secret, Tom? Will, you promise you wont tell Mr. Burke I've got it? He'd never let me rest, if he knew I'd shown it to you, and I'm not selling, not to Burke, not to anyone! But you, Tom. You'll apprecite it for it's history, not how many Galleons it's worth."

"I'd be glad to see everything Miss Hepzibah shows me," said Voldemort quietly, and Hepzibah gave another girlish giggle. "I had Hokey bring it out for me... Hokey, where are you? I want to show Mr. Riddle our finest treasure... In fact, bring both, while you're at it."

Seconds go by as Hokey goes and fetches these two leather bound boxes, "Here, Madam," Squeaked the house elf, two of the boxes, one on top of the other, moving across the room as if of their own volition, though he knew the tiny elf was holding them over her head as she winded her way between tables, pouffes, and footstools. The boxes from the elf, laying them on her lap, she opened the topmost one, "I think you'll like this, Tom... Oh! if my family knew I was showing you... They can't wait to get their hands on this!!!"

She opened the lid, and took out a little golden cup with two finely wrought handles. "I wonder whether you know what it is, Tom?" She handed it to him, "Have a good look." Whispered Hepzibah, Voldemort stretched out a long-fingured hand and lifted the cup from her stubby, hand. His greedy expression was curiously mirrored on Hepzibah's face, except that her tiny eyes were fixed upon Voldemort's handsome features.

"A badger," murmoured Voldemort, explaining the engraving upon the cup. "Then this was...?" "Helga Hufflepuff's, as you very well know, you clever boy!" said Hepzibah, leaning inward with a loud creaking of the corsettes and actually pinching his hollow cheek. "Did'nt I tell you I was distantly descended for years and years. Lovely, isn't it? and all sorts of powers it's supposed to possess too, but I haven't tested them thoroughly, I just keep it nice and safe here..."

She hooked the cup back off Voldemort's long forefinger and rested it gently to it's box, to intend upon setting it carefully back into position to notic the shadow tat crossed Voldemort's face as the cup was taken away. "Now, then," said Hepzibah happily, "where's Hokey? Oh yes, there you are, take that away, now, Hokey." The elf obeodiently took the boxed cup, and Hepzibah turned her attintion to the much flatter box on her lap.

"I think you'll like this even more, Tom." Se whispered. "Lean in alittle, deary. So you can see... of course, Burke knows I've got this one, I bought it from him, and I dearsay he'd love to get it back when I'm gone..." She slide 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, withouut invitation this time, and held it up to the light, starring at it. "Slytherin's mark," he said quietly, as the light played upon an ornate, serpentine 'S'.

"That's right!" said Hepzibah, delighted, aparently, 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 it's true value..."

Voldemort felt his face grow red, and his fingers whitened on the locket's chain. "I dearsay, Burke paid her a pittance but, there you are, pretty isn't it? and again, all kinds of power's attriuted to it, though I just keep it nice and safe." She reached out to take the locket back, then it slide through his fingers, and was back in it's red velvet cuchion.

"So, there you are, Tom, dear. I do hope you enjoyed that." She looked at him full in the face, "Are you all right, dear?" "Oh, yes." Said Voldemort queitly. "Yes, I am very well." "I though, but a trick of the ligh, I suppose." said Hepzibah, looking unnerved, ""Here, Hokey, take these away and lock them up again... The usuall enchantments..."

Voldmeort smiled at Hepzibah, "Well, I best be off." He said as he got up, and bowed and as he stood upright, he said, "It was lovley to see you, and I think you for trusting me enough to show me, your finest treasure." She smiled at him, "Your always welcome, Tom, and remeber, do get some rest." said Hepzibah. Voldemort bowed, "Yes, I'll keep that in mind." and with that he left. As he did so, he let the door gently, swing shut behind him, and then he apparated to the little flat, he had rented from a lowly, poor little wizard.

...

He returend two days after his last visit with Hepzibah Smith, which of course she was asleep. He murderd her, and again, he put the blame to someone else. He modified the old house elfs memory. Hokey, was a very old elf, so naturly the Ministry would believe that an old house elf such as herself, would have one gone a little bonkers in the head; after he killed her, Voldemort stole Hufflepuff's cup and Slytherin's locket.

He left Borgin and Burkes, Voldemort had resigned his post and vanished that very same day. He killed not for revenge, but also for gain. He wanted waht the old woman had showed him. Just as he had once, robbed the other children at the orphanage, and just as he had stolen his uncle Morfin's ring, so he ran off now with, Hpzibah's cup and locket...

.... he goes into hidding for nearly ten years...