Note: This is roughly around the 6th and 7th season of Criminal Minds along with a Modern!AU of Harry Potter
The moon was high, the stars twinkling next to its bright companion. Sounds of owls hooting and crickets chirping filled the young blonde's ears, as well as the cackling from the fire and her friends' laughter.
She stared into the bonfire with a beer bottle in her hand, taking swigs from it wistfully before turning to her side and smiling at her friends wrestling one another.
"All right, guys, cut it out," she called out to them, swinging her arm carelessly.
The two wrestling males grinned at her, scoffing and pushing at one another. "He started it, Stelle," one said.
"Bullshit," the other replied. He then gestured for her to come over with his head. "Why don't you come to play referee?"
The blonde laughed at the boys again and prepared to respond when another voice cut through the conversation.
"How about, we all go play a game in this good spot I found in the trees?" a girl said, a smirk on her face.
The boys shared a look, their grins slipping for a second before it was back. "Let's do it," they said simultaneously. They started making their way past the bonfire, grabbing bottles of beer and bringing the blonde along with them.
"It'll be fun, Stelle," one assured her.
"Oh yeah," the other added. "It'll be a night we'll never forget."
Stelle looked hesitant, but the alcohol in her system and the hold they had on her body made her think otherwise. With a slow nod, she was ushered into the darkness of the woods.
It was barely an hour later when screams echoed in the trees.
"The Department of Mysteries has a valuable piece missing that we have to return as quickly as possible," Kingsley said gravely. "We're looking into the department for any other clues."
Hermione leaned back in the conference chair with a small frown. With her hands folded together in her lap, the witch cleared her throat.
"What is missing? If I may ask," she said.
Kingsley looked between Hermione and her comrades. "It's the Surtr Athame," he answered. "A weapon very dangerous in the wrong hands."
She pursed her lips at the name of the blade. She didn't know the mechanics of the weapon exactly, but she was familiar with the name it donned. As much as she wanted to, Hermione knew better to ask questions over an artifact kept in the Department of Mysteries.
Ron spun around in his chair, a finger held up in the air. "Do you have any idea where we should look first?" he asked.
Kingsley nodded at Ron's question. "Yes. In fact, we have the general area magic from the blade is being used. It's gotten attention from the Muggle authorities, and we have to handle this with precision and stealth.
"Why aren't the American Aurors handling this case, sir?" Harry questioned.
"Because the object wasn't taken on their watch," Kingsley replied. "This is our mistake, and we have to handle it. Which is why we're going to have Hermione infiltrate the Muggle group attempting to find the killer and handle this."
Both Harry and Ron held fingers up in protest, much to Hermione's annoyance. The brunette cleared her throat obnoxiously and folded her hands in her lap.
"I'm up for the task, sir," Hermione said. "Whatever it takes to retrieve this athame."
"But " Ron began to say, but Hermione shook her head.
"No, Ronald. I am doing this," she told him. "I am a muggleborn. I'm more familiar with the territory than you would be."
Granted she hadn't been to the States, but she'd watched things on the telly. And this was her chance to prove that she could handle a mission on her own.
Looking over at Harry, he only tapped on the arm of his chair; he knew better than to try arguing or persuading Hermione out of this.
She then gave Ron a pointed look, daring him to try and utter another word. Upon his silence, Kingsley clapped his hands together.
"Very well. I'll debrief you about the team you'll be meeting and what to look out for."
A young woman squirmed in her bonds on a pole, her arms hanging above her head in pain. She looked around, fear written all over her face as she took in the little surroundings she could see.
"Where am I?" she asked. Receiving no answer, the woman tried to kick and scream. "Help me! Someone! Anyone!"
Heavy footsteps echoed in the room, and her eyes darting towards the area she thought they originated from. Her heart beat rapidly as her body shook as much as it could.
A dark-gloved hand reached out for her chin, and she tried to flinch away.
"Please don't hurt me," she pleaded, tears beginning to well up in her eyes. "I'll do whatever you want. Please don't hurt me."
"I have a few questions…" came a raspy voice. "Answer them correctly, and you live."
As she tried to rub her wrists together, the young woman nodded. "Anything, anything," she said. It was then she heard a deep groan not too far from her, and the fear spread throughout her body once again.
She screamed.
…..
Hermione hated portkeys, but it was the only way she was going to travel the distance from the Ministry to Cumberland, Virginia. There was no way Hermione was going to fly in any shape, form, or fashion.
She arrived near a bus stop, which was convenient if she wanted to say that she traveled here from another country. Adjusting her jacket, Hermione took her cellphone and headed in the direction of the station the Muggle Aurors would be. That was where she'd meet the group she would be sitting with to retrieve the blade.
It was only a short distance away in the city, and thankfully she didn't have to walk far. As comfortable as her boots were, they still were a pain for an extensive period of time. Entering the station, all eyes were on her. Though it wasn't because of her name–like she was used to–it was because she was a stranger.
"Are you Hermione Granger?" came a voice in the corner.
Hermione turned to face the source, finding a tall man with eyes that looked like they had experiences ahead of his time. His curly hair was swept back like he'd used his hand, and he cleared his throat.
She'd been staring.
She shook her head quickly. "Yes, yes I'm Hermione Granger."
He held his hand out. "Dr. Spencer Reid. Hotch mentioned that you were here because you believe an object from your facility has gotten into the hands of our unsub."
Hermione almost forgot the cover that Kingsley had used. "Right. While we don't believe that our dagger has been used in the case," lie, "it is important to retrieve this artifact."
"I don't believe I've seen a blade as described by your director," he continued, "but it certainly sounds like something from ancient history, if not something molded by the gods in Greek mythology."
Hermione blinked, unsure of whether he was being serious or not. She really hoped he was joking; there was no way she would have the authority to obliviate anyone while on this case.
Then he cracked a short smile. "You didn't believe me, did you?"
She shook her head, inwardly relieved. "Not at all."
He guided her back to the others situated in the unit he was involved with and introduced them one by one. They then explained to her the bodies they'd already found by a college campus. She was to be an advisor, nothing more, given that she was cleared to retrieve the artifact and speculate only. Though it was clear she was under their watch, so Hermione had to remain close.
"Rossi, you and Morgan go and speak to the rest of the campus students that were around when the body was found," she heard Aaron say. "Emily, you and JJ talk to the girl's parents. Reid, take Hermione with you to get the rest of the coroner's report."
They all nodded dutifully, beginning to move into action naturally. Spencer turned and faced Hermione.
"Shall we?" he asked.
Hermione swallowed. While she knew how to be professional, it wasn't every day she had the opportunity to work with men that she wasn't familiar with and above all, not familiar with her. It was fascinating.
"We shall," she responded, a smile forming on her face.
The medical examiners didn't have any more details about the bodies that the unit didn't already know, but Spencer decided to give Hermione a recap with a walk.
"The fire is lit to a high degree, and only a few chemicals are capable of creating such a degree at a moment's notice," he explained.
Hermione bit her lip as she listened to him. She couldn't refute the fact that it was actually because of the blade she was seeking to take back home with her.
"Like sulfuric acid?" she asked, trying to remember the information she stored from her research before leaving the Ministry.
Spencer shifted his gaze towards her and nodded. "Exactly. There are no traces yet, but it's the only possibility we have."
"If your team study behavior, would the cause of death be a necessity?" Hermione found herself asking.
He glanced up towards the sky and nodded. "It would be if the cause of death is something key to the unsub. It would be a signature, a trademark if you will. How they kill someone describes that person's behavior or what impacted them in the past."
Hermione hummed in thought. She thought about Voldemort and the things he'd done. It was rooted in his childhood, so what Spencer explained to her made sense.
"What do you think about this killer then," she said. "What do the fires tell you now?"
Spencer placed his hands in his pockets as he took a moment to think. "I don't believe this person is an arsonist. Arsonists may have specific targets but they would rather see how much would burn at a larger scale than just one person. This unsub, they want specific people to burn. He's more finicky about it, though his feeling to how much the fire spreads is variable."
"Perhaps from a burning feeling they're suffering inside," Hermione suggested.
"Or because something happened that theoretically burned them," Spencer countered.
Hermione shuffled her hands into her pockets. Before, the only person she could bounce theories back and forth with–without having to explain the 'why and how'–was Kingsley or Remus. She loved her boys dearly, but it took so much patience to keep them on track. By the time she did, it wasn't worth explaining anymore.
"When do you think we should head back to the others?" she asked, wanting to cut through the silence.
Spencer shrugged. "I've sent JJ a message informing her of our findings or lack thereof, so they'll contact us if there's anything important," he answered. "So I guess it's just you and me until then."
Hermione knew she should trace the magic used from the athame, but she wouldn't be who she was if she wasn't curious about the things around Cumberland.
"Spencer," she started. "Forgive me if I'm forward, but is there any particular game you enjoy playing? It would be something we could do until we're needed."
"Cards," he answered automatically. "Though I'm rather fond of chess."
Hermione perked up at that. "I've played chess as well. W–" she paused before she exposed herself. "Well, I've played a version of the game myself. It's more verbal than actually moving the pieces yourself."
Spencer tilted his head at her. "So verbal chess? I think I could get behind something like that. Do you have the full board in memory or is there one that you have in front of you."
"I think I have a complete memory of the board itself, if you're up for the challenge, that is."
Spencer snorted. "I'm definitely up for the challenge."
Heavy steps sounded in the night, its only companion being the hoots from the owls. The moon was high in the sky among the stars, shining for a not-so-good night. The killer gripped the athame in their hand tightly, stopping in front of a gravestone.
They knelt in front of it, reading the name aloud. Their hand brushed against the side before clenching into a fist.
"I hate you, Trish. I hate you!"
The killer slammed the athame into the ground next to the gravesite, the metal glowed with a fire that roared and crackled dangerously.
"There was a fire set in the graveyard, particularly in the area Patricia Jackson, Logan Dolph, and Evie Staton's tombstones were set," Aaron announced. "Thankfully the groundskeeper kept the record of placements for emergencies."
"They could have burned the entire place to the ground," Emily pointed out. "Why those three graves?"
Hermione and Spencer stole a glance at one another near the bulletin board before Hermione rose her hand.
Their attention was moved to her. "Yes, Miss Granger?" Aaron said.
Merlin, she wasn't used to that yet. She took a deep breath. "Yes. Erm, the three gravestones could all have a potential significance, but is it known where the point of impact from the fire started initially?"
"Because the initial impact could have been the initial target," Spencer declared.
Hermione nodded. "Exactly. One of the stones could have been the killer's target, and the others were only burned due to the closeness."
At Hermione's suggestion, Derek took out his phone and dialed a number.
"Hey, Momma, I need you to look into these three names and see if they cross paths with our other two victims," he said. Derek then moved to place his phone on speaker for the group to hear.
Penelope clicked her tongue. "Tech genius at your service, handsome," she replied. A few moments later, she was back on the phone. "Nothing came up with Logan Dolph and Evie Staton, but Patricia Jackson connects like a bridge spread out in multiple directions."
"What are the connections, Garcia?" Spencer asked.
"Patricia and Sean were dating back in high school if these prom pictures in the newspaper article have anything to say about it," she explained. "As for Sarah...you may want to see for yourself."
There were a few dings from an incoming message on the group's phones, and they stared at the picture belonging to Patricia.
Hermione peered over at Spencer's phone to see and gasped. Patricia and Sarah look alike.
"Sarah had nothing to do with this," she breathed out. "Only having the misfortune of resembling this woman."
"What happened to Patricia?" David asked.
"Died of a stroke two years ago," Penelope answered. "Though there's more to her and Sean's history. They were interrogated about a fire that happened in Cumberland State Forest over a decade ago."
"That's not a coincidence," JJ remarked. "What did they find out about the fire?"
"There were no charges filed because it was ruled an accident. It wasn't until this exact day a year later that bones and faded belongings were found near the burn site," Penelope said. "Paul Patton was questioned about it as well."
Hermione knew the others were reaching the same thoughts she was; whoever was connected to the person found from the fire had to be the killer. Why else would they target these particular people?
"Mr. Patton announced that he was running for governor two weeks ago."
The brunette gasped softly. "That was the trigger," she said. She then looked at Spencer again because he'd said it at the same time she did. Hermione turned away awkwardly, not missing the amusement on David's face.
"Guys," Penelope continued. "Paul Patton was reported missing two days ago."
"We've only found Sean and Sarah along with the cemetery mishap," Emily said. "Paul could still be alive."
"Were the bones ever identified?" Hermione asked. "It has to be what's missing from all this."
"They were in fact...identified," Penelope said over the phone, trailing off.
Spencer frowned. "Garcia, what's wrong?"
"The DNA from the bones match the DNA found on the victims we currently have," she replied.
"That's not possible," Derek said. "Unless…"
Hermione knew the answer to that all too well considering two good, mischievous men she had to rule out when their products are used in cases.
"The bones belong to a twin."
"And I've got a name," Penelope stated.
"We didn't do anything, man!" Paul exclaimed. Sweat was threatening to sting his eyes. "It was a long time ago!"
The masked killer stood there in front of him, dark eyes boring into his own through the woven mask.
"It feels like yesterday to me," the killer said, their voice still faint and unrecognizable. "Hearing that my sister wasn't coming home, that she was missing." They stepped towards the man. "Learning about the fire and charred remains thrown away like trash along with her belongings…" The killer shook their head. "I couldn't allow someone like you to try running for a government office, not with what you've done."
Paul shook his head. He hadn't done anything wrong. It wasn't him! "I don't have anything to tell you," he said. "I didn't do anything wrong."
"You think so?" the killer asked, the rasp no longer in their voice. In fact, it was a more feminine one. The killer pulled off the mask, running a hand through her hair.
His breath hitched, his eyes widened. It was like seeing a ghost.
"Stelle?" he asked.
"Guess agaaain," she said in a singsong voice, shaking her head. "Now we're getting somewhere," she said before holding up a lighter. "Are you ready to answer questions?"
…..
"What are the odds of a twin?" one of the officers asked. "An identical one at that!"
Spencer held up one finger. "Well, monozygotic twins have of a chance of three in one thousand people. Technically, what makes them identical is how they're formed, not how they look. It's from–"
"I get it, I get it," the officer interrupted.
Spencer adjusted his shirt collar, glancing back at the board while Hermione narrowed her eyes at the officer with a warning glare.
Derek stood next to Spencer, placing a hand on Spencer's shoulder while facing the others. "We know that the twin is the one behind this," he said. "No doubt trying to avenge her sister."
"We know that the original fire happened in the state forest, so Lisa will want to make this final statement there," Emily explained, gesturing with her hands. "This is the final revenge, keeping Paul out of office knowing he had something to do with her sister's death."
…..
Paul's head slumped forward, looking at the blade burning in the woman's hand anxiously. "We were only playing around," he started. "Sean and I were supposed to lure Estelle to the clearing for a prank. We didn't know that the bonfire was going to lose control when we left…"
"Keep talking," Lisa hissed, the blade growing in heat and color.
He swallowed hard, unable to meet Lisa's eyes. "Trish was supposed to scare her. Sean and I didn't know it was going to be an interrogation. Trish thought that Stelle was sleeping with Sean but they weren't."
The blade was close to his throat, and Paul squeezed his eyes shut.
"How do you know that?" Lisa demanded.
Paul licked his lips, the heat nearly touching his throat. "B-Because she was with me. I had a girlfriend so Sean was covering for me."
"Vermin," she spat. The blade moved away from him slightly.
"I wasn't proud of it, okay!" Paul exclaimed. "But we tried explaining it to Trish. She wouldn't listen and chased Stelle to the fire. One thing led to another and Estelle was pushed into the bonfire...there was nothing we could do."
Lisa's hand trembled. "You could have done something!" she screamed. "Something...anything to save her!" The blonde scowled. "That bitch was lucky to die before I got my hands on her, but you and Sean?" Lisa stepped closer to Paul held on the pole in the clearing. "You're going to feel my sister's pain."
...
"Garcia, is there any digital footprint that you can trace on Lisa Vera's whereabouts for the past two weeks?" Aaron questioned, looking at the phone in the center of the group.
"Looking…" she trailed off on the other end of the line, the sound of her fingers typing quickly filling the room. "There is no cellphone trace...but there is data from a watch that's connected to an app on her phone with the distance that goes to the same spot for the last three days. Sending the coordinates to your phones now."
"That's where she is with Paul," Aaron said.
"Thanks, Baby Girl," Derek added.
"Anything for you, my loves," Garcia replied before hanging up.
The officers began to scramble to leave the room, and Aaron looked at the group. "Let's go."
Aaron, David, JJ, Emily, and Derek were on the move, and Hermione stood there with a seizing feeling in her chest. This was it. Despite the countless cases in the wizarding world, this was on new territory. Could she do this?
A hand found its way to her elbow, and Hermione looked up to see Spencer looking down at her.
"Are you up for this?" he asked, his voice soft with concern.
Hermione nodded. "I am," she answered. "Having everything come together is now settling in my mind."
"Understandable," he replied. "If you want to sit it out while the others bring Lisa in...we could play verbal chess?"
Hermione appreciated the man. They hadn't known each other long, but it was long enough to feel that she could trust him. "We can after we catch the killer."
With a nod, Spencer walked quickly with Hermione to catch up with the others.
Lisa's takedown was nearly a second too late. They managed to save Paul from being burned completely, but his right foot couldn't be saved. Lisa was apprehended and was being taken into federal custody.
The dagger was found near the pole Paul had been bound from, and Hermione now had it in her custody given it was a weapon stolen from her 'facility'. It was cased in a special lockbox that everyone else would believe to be a simple briefcase.
With the adrenaline of the fiasco over, the team started to part ways. The local officers were transporting Lisa. Aaron and David were in one SUV while Emily and Derek were in another. The last SUV consisted of JJ, Hermione, and Spencer. JJ was driving, though she was distracted with said driving and talking to her significant other about dinner plans.
The briefcase was resting on Hermione's side as her eyes were closed; she felt a sense of satisfaction knowing she could solve a case without magic. Even though it was hard to keep from referencing magic, she managed to do it.
"Pawn to E6," Spencer said next to her.
With her eyes still closed, a smile formed on Hermione's face.
"Pawn to G4," she stated.
"Not a bad move."
"I know it's not."
"Have you ever thought about coming to the country more often?"
The question startled Hermione, and she opened her eyes to meet his. She hadn't thought about it, but it was a lingering whisper in the back of her mind.
"I hadn't," she answered honestly. "Is there a reason I should?"
Spencer licked his lips and let out a short, nervous laugh. "I know verbal chess isn't as stimulating as catching unsubs, and you didn't exactly go sightseeing, but I was hoping...I was hoping we could speak again."
Hermione's smile was soft, a wave of possibilities going through her head. It wasn't the best idea, given her world and the secrecy, but Hermione couldn't deny how good it felt not to have the weight of the world or her heroine status hanging over her.
"If you make the right move next, we'll speak again," Hermione told him.
He blinked, surprise coloring his features before he tried to cover it up by clearing his throat.
"Uhh, Queen to H4," he said.
The curly-haired witch nodded, her smile brightening. "Checkmate," she whispered.
"Checkmate," Spencer repeated, pinking coloring his cheeks.
Hermione laughed softly, taking her attention to the scenery through the window. It was so breathtaking, and much safer than a jet and broom.
"There is one thing that I'd like to know," Spencer said, taking her attention once more.
Hermione glanced at him. "Yeah? What's that."
His look was levelled on her as he adjusted the stap of his bag. "If the weapon came from your country, how did someone manage to use it here?"
At the question, Hermione frowned. It was a question that had been overlooked in the frenzy of getting the job done, and now that Hermione thought about it, a cold feeling settled inside her. Despite Spencer offering her a comforting smile, the question plagued her mind as they rode in the backseat of the SUV.
They may have stopped the one pulling the trigger, but Hermione still had to find out who gave Lisa the gun in the first place.
"So we grew together Like to a double cherry, seeming parted, but yet a union in partition, two lovely berries moulded in one stem."
William Shakespeare
Word Count: 4,235