Chapter 6
Tom looked around as they entered the opera house. Marble floor and a large candelabra at the top... and the stairs were supposed to lead to the great hall. Although he saw that the women were dressed more conservatively than Lady Sigyn. They wore white, black, green, gold dresses... There were so many of them, and they wore expensive jewels around their necks.
Someone whistled behind Lady Sigyn. Someone started whispering.
''You've confused a brothel with an opera,'' a man with black hair was saying.
Tom felt furious. He saw fallen women, sometimes they walked near the lamppost. Mrs. Cole told them to stay away from them. He wanted to send magic against him...Lady Sigyn put her hand on his shoulder as if she knew. He remembered the conversation before coming here, so he kept it. However, he looked at the lecher with disgust. How dare he compare a respected witch and lady to the Daughter of Corinth... - that's what the priest who taught Tom religion called fallen women.
Lady Sigyn looked at this lecherous man.
''You don't use words like that in front of a lady or a child,'' she said calmly.
The lecher and his group started laughing. And they started saying proposals... immoral proposals. That was the first time Tom saw Lady Sigyn not having everything under control. Her lips were pursed and she was trembling. She was losing control. Tom knew something bad could happen. Suddenly one of the lecherous men wanted to grab her. No, he won't allow it... You can't touch her.
Suddenly, the light in the luxurious corridor of the opera house began to flash... The laughter of the lecherous turned into horror as they saw the large chandelier swinging dangerously... The beautiful crystals vibrated in all directions, and the chain suddenly broke...
Lady Sigyn grabbed Tom in an instant and quickly pulled out a brush from her purse. Suddenly they found themselves on the street right in front of their store. Portkey.
''Tom, are you okay?'' she gently felt his body, as if she was afraid that the shards of the chandelier were in his body.
''No, I'm fine,'' said Tom.
''I'm sorry the evening didn't go well...we'll go another time,'' she replied, leading him into the store.
Minky was sleeping in her comfortable bed in the cupboard near the fireplace. However, she woke up to the sight of them.
''Mistress Sigyn...so early,'' she wondered.
''There have been some difficulties, we will go next week,'' said Lady Sigyn.
Minky nodded.
''Tom, however, I want you to get some rest... Minky told me you were just working...'' Lady Sigyn turned to him.
''This is important work, there is so much to do...'' he said.
''I understand Tom, but maybe you could take tomorrow off... I'll give you the address of a large library so you can read. You just need to take a break from work." She looked at him.
That would be useful. He needed more knowledge, he didn't want to leave the store, but he had already read all the books on his shelf. He needed new ones...both muggle and wizarding. He agreed to the day off.
The next day, he dressed in elegant Muggle clothes. On the piece of paper was the address of a library in London. He was supposed to go through the Leaky Cauldron and then take a taxi... Low Loader. He's seen people use it sometimes. Of course, he has never personally driven something like this.
Suddenly he saw Abraxas Malfoy in pompous silver robes walking down the next street, with Fenwick Nott walking next to him.
''I have no idea what my name means... my mother just named me after her great-uncle,'' said Nott.
''Mine was carefully chosen, it's an important thing in the Malfoy family... We have a special book of names, my father's name Hyperion means "he that walks on high''... mine means blessing, but there are other interpretations... .
Malfoy's voice slowly faded away as he entered the next street.
His name was an inheritance from his father and grandfather. The legacy of a crazy mother. Then Tom thought what Sigyn meant... He had never heard a name like that before. It certainly has an extraordinary meaning like other magical names.
''Minky'' he called.
Minky suddenly appeared next to him.
''What does Master Tom need?'' she asked, moving her ears slightly.
''Do you know what the name Sigyn means'' he asked.
''Minky doesn't know,'' she replied sadly.
''It's nothing, I'll definitely find it in the library,'' Tom replied, and Minky gave him a muffin with raspberry jam as a farewell gift.
He was going to the Muggle library, but he knew that cultures intertwined, so he might find the answer there. He returned to Muggle London without any problems... it would soon be March. It's hard to believe that back in December he was a poor orphan.
Now he looked like the son of rich parents. On the corner, a policeman stopped him and asked where his parents were and why he wasn't at school. However, this time his voice was not hostile, but calm and respectful. It was clothing. Tom looked like an aristocrat, so the policeman respected him.
''I'm supposed to have a new tutor. My mother asked me to go to the library to study before he arrived, she gave me the address and money for a taxi, unfortunately she couldn't go with me herself... she's still busy managing the estate since my father...'' Tom paused, as if feeling sad.
''I understand, of course, young man, I'll be happy to help you,'' said the policeman sympathetically.
Tom loved the way he was served, first by the policeman, then by the taxi driver who tipped his hat to him, and finally by the librarian who listened with curiosity as his mother told him to learn languages and etymologies, and he wanted to know the etymology of her name.
''Oh, of course...your mother has a wonderful name...very old...I'll give you a copy of the Poetic Edda, also a few books to translate, a few more works by professors...'' the librarian said.
Tom felt something strange that he had lied to everyone about Lady Sigyn being his mother. She was his guardian and shop owner...His mother was crazy and criminal.
He finally learned what Sigyn meant.
Wife of the God of Lies, unhappy, trying to protect her husband... Lady Sigyn's parents must have hated her to give her that name.