"Why Borgin and Burkes?"
Sean asked, following the flow of the conversation.
"Oh, you didn't know that part?
Well, I suppose once we enter Hokey's memory, you'll see exactly what drew him to that place. But that wasn't Tom Riddle's first choice. Few people knew this at the time—I was one of the few the old Headmaster confided in.
Tom Riddle first went to Professor Dippet and asked if he could stay at Hogwarts as a teacher."
Dumbledore seemed to be waiting for a reaction, but Sean stayed silent.
"Do you know what he wanted to teach?"
Dumbledore took a sip of his tea.
"Probably not Defense Against the Dark Arts."
Sean thought for a moment and cracked a timely little joke.
Dumbledore smiled.
"I believe he had several reasons, though he didn't share a single one with Professor Dippet," Dumbledore said.
"First, and most importantly, Tom Riddle had more affection for this school than he ever did for any person. Hogwarts was where he was happiest, the first place that ever felt like home—the only place."
Sean blinked but didn't say anything.
"Of course, if it were you, my boy, I'd be happy to let you succeed Minerva.
Though, if you wanted to take my job, you'd first have to find a suitable retirement home for an old wizard."
Dumbledore winked.
"Second, this castle is a stronghold of ancient magic. Tom Riddle undoubtedly uncovered more of its secrets than most students, but he likely felt there were still mysteries to solve, magical treasures yet to be unearthed.
But fate likes to play little jokes on us; the people who end up controlling the treasure are usually the ones who don't care about it."
Dumbledore shook his head.
"Third, as a teacher, he would have immense influence over young wizards.
He likely got this idea from Professor Slughorn—the professor he was closest to. Slughorn showed him just how much influence a teacher could wield. I never believed Tom Riddle intended to spend his whole life at Hogwarts; I think he saw it as a recruiting ground, a place to build his own army."
Sean had already guessed what Dumbledore was going to say.
He couldn't help but picture the largest club in Hogwarts history.
His mind wandered, conjuring up a bizarre image:
Dumbledore standing in the Headmaster's office, facing him.
"Alright, Headmaster Green, when are you planning to overthrow me?"
He quickly shook his head to clear the thought, only to find Dumbledore smiling at him with profound meaning.
"Interesting thoughts...
Later, I became very uneasy about Tom Riddle's choices.
I advised Armando not to hire him—I didn't give him the reasons I just gave you, because Professor Dippet was very fond of Tom and believed implicitly in his honesty. But I didn't want Tom Riddle back at this school, especially not in a position of power.
The good news was that Professor Dippet told him he was only eighteen—too young. But he said Tom was welcome to reapply in a few years, if he was still interested in teaching."
Dumbledore recounted slowly.
"So, he went to Borgin and Burkes," Sean said, knowing exactly how to keep the conversation moving.
"Precisely. Tom Riddle went to Borgin and Burkes.
All the teachers who had admired him said it was a waste, that such a talented young wizard was working as a shop clerk.
But Tom Riddle was no ordinary clerk. Because he was polite, handsome, and brilliant, he was soon given the kind of special assignments that only happen at a place like Borgin and Burkes.
You know, Sean, that shop specializes in objects with... unusual properties. Tom Riddle was sent out to persuade people to hand over their treasures for sale. Rumor has it, he was exceptionally good at it."
Dumbledore continued.
"Mm."
Sean knew this, of course. Even though Tom eventually lost his wisdom after splitting his soul so many times, back then, Tom wasn't fully Voldemort yet.
"Yes," Dumbledore said with a weak, faint smile. "Now, it's time to visit the memory of the house-elf, Hokey. Her mistress was a very old, very wealthy witch named Hepzibah Smith."
Dumbledore tapped a small crystal vial with his wand. The cork flew out, and he poured the swirling memory into the Pensieve.
"Shall we, Sean?"
---
They spent a long time inside the memory. Through the house-elf Hokey, they learned that Tom Riddle had killed her mistress, Hepzibah Smith.
He had also stolen her two most prized possessions—a cup and a locket.
Finally, he framed Hokey for the entire thing.
"Hepzibah Smith died," Dumbledore said as he stood up. Sean followed suit.
"The Ministry ruled that Hokey the house-elf had accidentally put poison in her mistress's evening cocoa instead of sugar.
By the time Hokey was convicted, Hepzibah's family discovered that her two most valuable treasures were missing."
Dumbledore's voice was heavy with melancholy.
"It took the Ministry a while to realize this, because she had so many secret hiding places and guarded her collection so jealously.
But by the time they realized the cup and the locket were gone, the clerk from Borgin and Burkes—the young man who visited Hepzibah so often and charmed her so thoroughly—had resigned and vanished.
His bosses had no idea where he went. They were as surprised as anyone. Tom Riddle disappeared without a trace for a very long time."
"But you found something," Sean said with certainty.
"Of course," Dumbledore smiled.
"As you surely noticed, this time it wasn't for revenge, but for gain. He wanted those two legendary artifacts the poor old woman showed him. Just like he stole from the other children at the orphanage, just like he stole his uncle's ring, this time he stole Hepzibah's cup and locket...
Care for a walk?"
They left the castle and stepped onto the path shrouded in twilight.
The rain began to fall as quickly as their footsteps. By the time they reached the edge of the Forbidden Forest, it was pouring.
The windows of Hogwarts twinkled with light as they walked.
When Hogwarts sleeps, some wizards must remain awake.
"I can't be certain which one it's hidden in—but I believe it is in a cave by the sea, far away. A cave I have spent a long time trying to locate.
In the memory we viewed previously, do you remember the cave where Tom Riddle terrorized two fellow orphans during their annual summer trip?"
Dumbledore asked, stepping onto the grass.
Sean knew the news he had been waiting for had finally arrived.