Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling

J.K. Rowling
HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE
She tucked away her powder puff as the house-elf straightened up. The
top of the elf’s head barely reached the seat of Hepzibah’s chair, and her papery
skin hung off her frame just like the crisp linen sheet she wore draped
like a toga.
“How do I look?” said Hepzibah, turning her head to admire the various
angles of her face in the mirror.
“Lovely, madam,” squeaked Hokey.
Harry could only assume that it was down in Hokey’s contract that she
must lie through her teeth when asked this question, because Hepzibah
Smith looked a long way from lovely in his opinion.
A tinkling doorbell rang and both mistress and elf jumped.
“Quick, quick, he’s here, Hokey!” cried Hepzibah and the elf scurried out
of the room, which was so crammed with objects that it was difficult to see
how anybody could navigate their way across it without knocking over at
least a dozen things: There were cabinets full of little lacquered boxes, cases
full of gold-embossed books, shelves of orbs and celestial globes, and many
flourishing potted plants in brass containers. In fact, the room looked like a
cross between a magical antique shop and a conservatory.
The house-elf returned within minutes, followed by a tall young man
Harry had no difficulty whatsoever in recognizing as Voldemort. He was
plainly dressed in a black suit; his hair was a little longer than it had been at
school and his cheeks were hollowed, but all of this suited him; he looked
more handsome than ever. He picked his way through the cramped room
with an air that showed he had visited many times before and bowed low
over Hepzibah’s fat little hand, brushing it with his lips.
“I brought you flowers,” he said quietly, producing a bunch of roses from
nowhere.
“You naughty boy, you shouldn’t have!” squealed old Hepzibah, though
Harry noticed that she had an empty vase standing ready on the nearest little
table. “You do spoil this old lady, Tom... Sit down, sit down Where’s Hokey?
Ah.”
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