Dumbledore gently placed a silvery thread of memory into the softly glowing Pensieve before him.
The silvery-white substance in the Pensieve began to swirl, and the blurred figure of a small, elderly man gradually emerged from the motion, becoming clearer amidst the churning silver light.
Caractacus Burke spun slowly in the Pensieve, pale as a ghost yet more substantial. His hair was thick and disheveled, hanging over his forehead like a heavy curtain, completely obscuring his eyes.
"Yes, we acquired it under very special and fortunate circumstances. I was in the shop when a young witch hurriedly brought it in on Christmas Eve. That was many years ago now," Burke's voice echoed hollowly through the room from the Pensieve.
"She said she desperately needed money—well, that much was obvious. She was dressed in rags, her face gaunt, utterly drained of life. And it looked like she was pregnant, too."
"She told me the locket had belonged to Slytherin. Hmph, we hear such nonsense all the time—'Oh, this was Merlin's, I swear, his favorite teapot!'"
"But when I examined the locket closely, it actually bore Slytherin's mark. I cast a few simple spells, and the truth became clear—unbelievable, really."
Burke's tone, perhaps mistakenly, seemed to carry a hint of pride at this point.
"Of course, that thing was practically priceless. The woman had no idea how valuable it was. I gave her ten Galleons, and she left perfectly satisfied."
"Later, we sold it to Hepzibah Smith for a very high price. It was the best deal we ever made!"
Dumbledore gave the Pensieve a forceful shake, and Burke's figure returned to where it had first appeared, slowly sinking back into the swirling memory.
"I think," Dumbledore said calmly, "we now understand why Tom took a job at Borgin and Burkes."
"From Burke's words, we can gather that Tom's mother, Merope, was alone and destitute in London during the later stages of her pregnancy, desperately in need of money. With no other choice, she sold the only valuable thing she had—the Slytherin locket."
"How did Tom find out Merope sold the locket to Borgin and Burkes?" Snape asked.
"Oh, we can only make bold guesses about that," Dumbledore replied. "Perhaps Borgin or Burke couldn't resist boasting about such a profitable deal, and Tom overheard it by chance?"
"That makes sense," Snape nodded slightly. "Considering Burke only gave Merope ten Galleons, sir, I think letting him linger comfortably at St. Mungo's is far too lenient."
"Don't be too extreme, Severus," Dumbledore said gently. "We must always consider the consequences of our actions."
"Mr. Burke has never suffered from poor health. If he were to die suddenly, don't you think it might arouse Borgin's suspicions?"
Dumbledore paused briefly before continuing.
"The connections between the Death Eaters and Borgin and Burkes are hardly few. If Tom were to sense someone investigating his past, it would not bode well."
"I understand, sir," Snape said thoughtfully, nodding. "I heard something about this at the Three Broomsticks—Borgin might have even helped erase Burke's memories. So, what's your next step?"
Dumbledore didn't answer directly. Instead, he gently pulled open a desk drawer and took out a copy of The Daily Prophet.
"Severus, you mustn't tell Madam Pince I've been sneaking newspapers out of the library like you do," Dumbledore said with a hint of a smile. "If she found out, she'd ban me from the library."
At this, Snape's mind immediately conjured an image of Madam Pince's vulture-like face—sunken cheeks, parchment-like skin, and a long, hooked nose, all sharply illuminated by the lamp she carried.
"Inspired by you, I went to the library and dug through some decades-old newspapers," Dumbledore continued, spreading the paper out on the desk. "I must admit, though often vulgar, The Daily Prophet occasionally turns up something valuable, even if unintentionally."
Dumbledore tapped the front page lightly with his finger. "Take a look at this."
[Front Page Headline] Hufflepuff Heir Murdered by House-Elf—Accident or Conspiracy?
Renowned magical antiques collector and Hufflepuff descendant Hepzibah Smith was recently found dead after consuming poisoned cocoa. Her house-elf, Hokey, collapsed in hysterics at the scene, confessing to having "poisoned her mistress."
The Ministry of Magic determined that Hokey mistakenly added poison to her mistress's evening cocoa, leading to the tragic accident. According to the Ministry, Hokey did not act with intent to murder but was simply "old and dim-sighted." The house-elf's confession and the evidence were deemed fully consistent.
In tears, Hokey admitted to adding something to her mistress's cocoa, only later realizing it was not sugar but a rare and deadly poison.
However, Hepzibah Smith's relatives have raised objections, noting that some of her most valuable treasures have gone missing. They insist there must be a conspiracy and are strongly urging the Ministry to investigate further.
A dimly lit room with no windows, lit only by torches set in wall brackets. Rows of somber-faced wizards sit on tiered benches surrounding the room. In the center stands a chair with chains coiled around its armrests, where a frail, elderly house-elf, trembling and curled up with her knees to her chest, sits.
"Sir," Snape said slowly, looking up at Dumbledore after reading the article, "do you think Tom killed Hepzibah Smith and framed the house-elf Hokey?"
"Yes, I believe Tom likely did this to reclaim his mother's locket," Dumbledore nodded. "And we may yet have a chance to confirm it. Hokey should still be in custody."
"So, Severus, our next stop is Azkaban."
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