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

J.K. Rowling
HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE
in her lap, and preparing to open 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. 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.
“A badger,” murmured Voldemort, examining the engraving upon the
cup. “Then this was?”
“Helga Hufflepuff’s, as you very well know, you clever boy!” said Hepzibah,
leaning forward with a loud creaking of corsets and actually pinching
his hollow cheek. “Didn’t I tell you I was distantly descended? This has
been handed down in the family 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 in here.”
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.
“Now then,” said Hepzibah happily, “where’s Hokey? Oh yes, there you
are — take that away now, Hokey.”
The elf obediently took the boxed cup, and Hepzibah turned her attention
to the much flatter box in her lap.
“I think you’ll like this even more, Tom,” she whispered. “Lean in a little,
dear boy, so you can see... Of course, Burke knows I’ve got this one, I
bought it from him, and I daresay he’d love to get it back when I’m gone...”
She slid back the fine filigree clasp and flipped open the box. There upon
the smooth crimson velvet lay a heavy golden locket.
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