Robert left both Kneazle and Nagini at 81 Godric's Hollow.
Then he and Tom followed Dumbledore out through the fireplace.
The fireplace exit was located in a wizarding tavern.
The wizarding section of the tavern had an intricate layout.
As soon as Robert and Tom stepped inside, they felt several unfriendly gazes directed at them.
However, with Dumbledore's presence as an adult wizard, those hostile looks quickly disappeared.
By the time they stepped out of the pub, they had arrived in Great Hangleton.
It had to be said—fireplaces were indeed the most convenient method of wizarding travel.
Dumbledore identified the direction and walked ahead, leading Robert and Tom forward.
It was obvious that he had already planned the route in advance.
"In order to be faster this time, we chose the fireplace in this tavern… If you need to travel by yourself, it's best to use fireplaces that aren't too remote," Dumbledore reminded them as he led the way.
Robert nodded to show that he understood, and seeing this, Tom quickly did the same.
He had decided to imitate Robert's mannerisms and speech.
After all, there had to be a reason why Robert was so well-liked by others.
Tom followed Dumbledore closely, but he grew more and more uneasy.
After all, he was about to meet his relatives for the first time…
Even if this relative didn't welcome him as he had imagined…
Tom followed for a long time before suddenly frowning.
Dumbledore was moving farther and farther away…
The Gaunt family had once been a glorious pure-blood lineage. Shouldn't their mansion be located in the city?
Doubt filled Tom's mind.
Robert noticed the confused expression on Tom's face.
"Tom, you look a little puzzled," Robert observed.
"N-Nothing… It's nothing," Tom quickly replied, averting his gaze.
Robert chuckled. "Many once-glorious pure-blood families have fallen into decline. Not all of them remain as prestigious as you might think."
"How… how do you know what I was thinking?" Tom asked in surprise.
"That's easy to guess, Tom. Your thoughts are written all over your face," Robert replied with a knowing smile.
Tom quickly lowered his head.
He felt that Robert's dark eyes could see through his mind completely.
Damn it! Had Robert's Legilimency improved again?
He needed to be more careful in the future.
Dumbledore, who had overheard their conversation, sighed regretfully.
"Tom, the Gaunt family has indeed declined… Like many other pure-blood families, they cling to outdated traditions that no longer fit the modern world. Even as their financial situation worsened, they refused to give up their extravagant lifestyle. And since they were never skilled at managing their assets, their downfall was inevitable."
…
After another ten minutes, Tom finally saw the Gaunt family's home.
Or rather, calling it a home would be too generous—it was more like a shack made of wood.
He stood in stunned silence.
The descendants of Salazar Slytherin, the once-proud Gaunt family… now lived in a place like this?
How could anyone living here claim to be a descendant of Slytherin?
A surge of anger and shame rose within Tom!
Robert examined the run-down wooden house as well.
Aside from an S-shaped dead snake nailed to the door—barely signifying their Slytherin heritage—there was nothing else that represented their once-glorious lineage.
At least, not from the outside.
Tom's face turned pale with rage. His eyes flickered with disappointment and barely contained fury.
Even though he had prepared himself for the Gaunt family's decline, reality was far worse than he had imagined.
This was a disgrace to Slytherin's bloodline!
Dumbledore and Robert waited patiently.
They understood Tom's pride and knew how much of a blow this was to him.
After a long silence, Tom finally took a deep breath.
"Let's go knock on the door," he said.
But as soon as he spoke, he felt as if all his strength had been drained.
Dumbledore nodded. "Wait a moment…"
With a wave of his wand, Robert felt something shift in the air.
"Just a few minor curses… Nothing too serious. Let's go in."
Dumbledore effortlessly dispelled the malicious protective curses around the house before striding forward.
Tom's expression darkened.
Many of those curses were placed right on the main path.
Even an uninformed wizard passing by could have suffered greatly.
It was proof that the Gaunts' reputation for using dark magic against Muggles was well-deserved.
"Knock, knock, knock!"
Dumbledore knocked firmly on the Gaunt family's door.
"Who is it?" A rough voice called out from inside.
Heavy footsteps followed, along with grumbling and cursing.
Crack!
The wooden door swung open violently.
A thin man with disheveled hair, ragged clothing, and a snake wrapped around his hand stepped outside.
His ugly, gaunt face twisted with suspicion as his cold eyes scanned the three visitors.
But when his gaze landed on Tom, his expression turned into one of confusion.
Robert noticed the obsidian ring on the man's hand—it was the only item that didn't match his otherwise filthy attire.
"I don't know you! Who are you?" the man growled.
Seeing his uncle, Tom felt nothing but disappointment.
In his mind, a descendant of Slytherin—no matter how poor—should at least be elegant and refined.
Even if not handsome, he should possess the dignity of a pure-blood…
Like Abraxas Malfoy—though weak, he still conducted himself with poise when he wasn't bullying others.
But this man?
This disgusting creature was supposed to be his family?
At that moment, any last shred of admiration Tom had for his Slytherin ancestry shattered.
"I am Albus Dumbledore, a professor at Hogwarts. You must be Morfin Gaunt, correct?" Dumbledore said, maintaining his usual politeness.
Tom felt even worse seeing this.
So… this was what a true noble wizard looked like?
"Albus Dumbledore?" Morfin squinted suspiciously.
He muttered under his breath, then scowled. "What do you want? I don't know you! I don't owe you any money!"
Dumbledore turned to Tom. "Come here, Tom."
Tom clenched his fists beneath his robe, gritting his teeth as he stepped forward.
"This boy is Tom Marvolo Riddle. His mother was Merope Gaunt… meaning that you are his—"
Before Dumbledore could finish, Morfin's face contorted in rage.
"Aha! I thought you looked familiar! You're that bastard son of that whore and her filthy Muggle lover! Disgusting! You disgrace our family name!"
Morfin lunged forward, his hands reaching for Tom's throat!
BAM!
Morfin's attack failed instantly.
He was sent flying backward in an instant!
Tom clutched his wand, his furious gaze burning.
"You filthy rat… How dare you insult my mother!" Tom spat.
He wanted to strike again.
But Robert's hand pressed gently on his shoulder.
If Dumbledore weren't here, Robert wouldn't have stopped him.
But in front of Dumbledore… it was better to hold back.
Dumbledore stepped forward, his presence now commanding and sharp.
"It wasn't him who attacked you, Mr. Gaunt. It was me," Dumbledore stated.
Morfin froze.
Dumbledore's calm expression sent a chill down his spine.
"Now… shall we have a proper conversation?"
Morfin nodded stiffly.
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