Unlikely Allies, Chapter Six: The Secret Riddle

[terri_testing]

Q: What do a deceased Pureblood supremacist, a magic-hating Muggle, and the Half-blood Head of Slytherin have in common?
A: No, no, you had the correct answer: nothing at all. Don’t be silly!

Chapter Summary: Muggles help to investigate the Riddle mystery.

“The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Muggle saying.

“Only two things make us

Comments

I'll try

[terri_testing]

I'll try not to take so long; I got totally stuck after Severus read the report. I almost posted it with that as the ending, but I felt there should be something more, that Severus should track down a survivor, but I had no idea how it would go if he did

Re: I'll try

[terri_testing]

Right, but the real question was why would he START talking to Betty at all, as though she were a human being? Why did he start by trying to coax her into talking, even revealing (a part of, but a true part of) his own interest in the matter? Why not just force veritaserum down her throat, or cast Legilimens to fish around in her mind without her consent

And Calming Draughts in the chocolates...

[terri_testing]

But he drugged her without her consent!

(Just in case anyone's wondering how reformed he really is.)

[oryx_leucoryx]

Blunderbuss!!!! How long will it take Severus to figure that one out?

Wow, the trail of suffering and horror that Tom had left behind him - thanks to Albus' collusion.

And Severus sat for several hours with Betty, if he had to take more Polyjuice several times. He was sweet to her. (Were the chocolates also imbued with some calming draught or the like?)

Does he have any time left till term? Because he should try to get in touch with Horace too.

Great cover stories for our spy-turned-detective. And the closest thing to the truth he could have told Betty.

Of Tom's history that Albus revealed to Harry what is missing? Mostly Hepzibah Smith's story, Tom's job interview and of course Horace's memory.

Timeline

[terri_testing]

Snape's pushing as hard as he can on this; he wrote Petunia Tuesday, 8/7; she contacted the agency 8/13. The first report (just the paperwork officially on file) came in on 8/15. He visited the Prophet morgue and Little Hangleton the next day; Harry's note was the next. Petunia called the agency Saturday and they had the list of fatalities Tuesday, 8/21. They got him the first contact information on a survivor the next day and he went at once

Re: Timeline

[oryx_leucoryx]

I agree with Jodel that Albus started investigating Tom's doings when the Smith family called him in to consult about the items mysteriously missing after Hokey killed her mistress. Albus went: missing heirlooms--Borgin & Burke's, where one of them had come from and both might be fenced--and Tom had been working there and done a bunk. Hmm. The other item missing was what? Slytherin's locket?--from a pregant woman in 1926--OOPS. Then he went off to inteview Morfin, and started agitating for Morfin's release.

Why would the Smith's think Albus could help them?
So in December 1956 Albus interviewed someone he suspected very seriously (more than he did in 1943) as a serial murderer and didn't have Aurors waiting for him?

In my more generous days I am willing to accept that Albus' investigation started when he saw what Tom looked like at only 30. (Hmm. We see Tom at 30, Severus at 30. Was Gellert 30 when he stole the Elder Wand?)

Re: Timeline

[oryx_leucoryx]

I tried to think who else might remember Tom Riddle's school days. Besides Albus and Horace other staff members we know of are DADA prof Galathea Merrythought - Albus describes her as old at her retirement in 1945 so she might no longer be alive. According to Beadle the Bard Kettleburn was teaching Care of Magical Creatures and one Herbert Beery was teaching herbology back when Albus was a young Transfiguration teacher, and we know Kettleburn is still at Hogwarts at this point. (OK, Binns may have been around back then too, but well...) Do you think Tom was interested in this subject? Hooch might be from that generation judging by the model of broom she first learned to fly on, but we don't know when she started teaching at Hogwarts, she may have played Quidditch or done something else before becoming flying instructor

[mary_j_59]

Oh, great! I was wondering if you were working on a new chapter, and pretty much want to second all of Marionros's comments. I loved the interview with Betty. And that she was married to Charlie Bates, one of my all-time favorite Dickens characters! I loved Severus's compassion for her, and his horror at Riddle and his own guilt and involvement with him.

Just one small quibble - "what all" sounds very American, and very Southern/midwestern, to me. My friend from Ohio says it all the time, and I've never heard it from anyone else.

What all

[terri_testing]

I so need a Britpicker! Thanks for that, I changed "what all" to other usages. It's so much harder to identify an absence, after all. (I was, indeed, raised midwestern American; 'what all' is normal usage to me

[oryx_leucoryx]

I have an evil plot bunny for you:

In chapter 5 Severus suggested that Draco ask for a Muggles Studies tutorial in order to learn more about Harry's cultural background. Suppose he did, whom would Lucius hire? Well, there's Charity Burbage. According to Rowling's Wizard of the Month page, there is Daisy Hookum, born in 1962, who wrote the bestseller 'My Life as a Muggle', after giving up magic for a year. Married to celebrity gardener Tilden Toots. But if we are to believe Rowling's interviews, Quirrell taught Muggle Studies before his sabbatical. I'm sure Tom would love the opportunity to find what the Malfoys have been up to lately. I doubt Dumbles would like it. I'm less sure about Severus, I know he has been experiencing changes to his Mark (which means Lucius has too) but I don't think he was able to connect them to Quirrell so far.

Um. Well. An appropriate Muggle Studies Tutor for Draco

[terri_testing]

Severus gives his advice on Monday, 8/6. If Draco takes it seriously, and brings it to his father quickly--well, Lucius can act decisively when combat and such meesy things are not involved. There are several weeks here before Quirrell's presence will be required at Hogwarts

Re: Um. Well. An appropriate Muggle Studies Tutor for Draco

[oryx_leucoryx]

But actually, Quirrell DIDN'T fail at Gringotts (which ought to raise him in our estimation). He successfully burgled a vault; problem was, its contents had been removed an hour prior. Not Quirrell's fault or doing!

Do you think Tom saw it that way? Had Quirrell not wasted time at the Leaky Cauldron might he not have gotten to the bank earlier?

As for our estimation of Quirrell - that depends on whether Griphook was telling the truth in DH when he said security for that vault was lowered once it was emptied. Of course Griphook had a reason to lie - why admit that a mere wizard can overcome the goblins' protections? (And if he was indeed telling the truth then we have to question Dumbledore's motivation for moving the stone - was it really for better protection or to make sure Tom's agent sees the bait being dangled in front of him?)

Re: Um. Well. An appropriate Muggle Studies Tutor for Draco

[lynn_waterfall]

Nah, wasn't me. It's a very good point; probably why they changed things in the movie so Quirrell didn't shake Harry's hand