"I... I..."
Mr. Borgin stammered in terror, then abruptly spun around on the spot.
After completing a full turn, the thin old man seemed to lose his balance in confusion and fell to the ground. Then he looked up at Voldemort, bewildered.
"Anti-Apparition Charm, Mr. Borgin. You need to improve your ability to detect magic."
Voldemort shook his head slightly, then strode over to the old man, who was half-kneeling on the ground, and looked down at him sternly.
"I won't kill you. Believe me, that's my promise.
"But I need your life to be as miserable and wretched as my mother's was in her later years.
"I'm sorry to vent the lingering fury of my hatred on you, but as you said, while it may be immoral, it doesn't break the law."
After saying this, Voldemort stood up and struck his cane twice, hard.
Several figures filed in and surrounded Mr. Borgin.
"Cruciatus Curse, but don't let his mind break. Then... let him live in misery."
With that, Voldemort strode toward the door.
"My Lord, Dark Lord!"
Half-kneeling, Mr. Borgin turned around and called after Voldemort, "This violates the law—the Ministry of Magic's law."
Voldemort paused. He turned halfway around and looked at him in confusion.
"The Ministry of Magic's law?
"No, sir, you've got it wrong.
"The law I meant is the law I laid down."
With that, Voldemort turned and left the shop he hated, without another backward glance.
Outside, a muscular boy whose physique strained the seams of his wizard's robe stood with a sword on his back.
"Ahhh—ahhh—"
A cry of pain rang out from the shop. It was Mr. Borgin's voice.
Hearing those agonized cries made Voldemort feel as though the very weight had lifted from his bones.
Yes, he hadn't come to torment