A/N: Written for HSWW (Challenges and Assignments)
Assignment #8: DADA: Unforgivable Curses; Task 1: Write about a murder being committed (for good or for ill); Extra Prompt(s): Murder Mystery!AU
Around the World in Thirty-One Days: 92. Laos - Character: Lucius Malfoy
Book of the Month: Kaz Brekker: (object) cane, (word) leader, (word) dirty
Count Your Buttons: (character) Tom Riddle
TV Show of the Month: (character) Dolores Umbridge, (object) bowl, (word) president
Halloween Bingo: (phrase) not everything is what it seems
Word Count: 2,965
Warnings: they're not so graphic but there's still violence and gruesome-like descriptions
I have never felt so alone. The one love I could finally calm my own is no longer here. He was taken from me–ripped from my person–and I will never forgive those involved.
They will all pay, one by one, they will pay.
Mafalda took a deep breath, holding the handle to her luggage tightly. She walked along the cobblestone walkway with a nervous glint in her eye; she was staring at the massive house that was right in front of her.
Receiving an invitation to something was one thing for Mafalda, but to receive a party invitation from the richest man in town, Salazar, was another.
Taking another deep breath, Mafalda tucked a piece of her blonde hair behind her ear and knocked on the door.
Immediately, the door opened to reveal a tall, lean guy with dark brown hair swept to the side. His eyes are brown and shimmering with mischief. "Welcome to the party, Mafalda," he said.
Mafalda blushed and cleared her throat. "Thank you, Nott." She tried to look over his shoulder where the music could be heard. "Where's Mr. Salazar?"
Nott shrugged. "Hell if I know, but he had the door unlocked with a note saying enjoy. How could we not accept?" He stepped to the side and opened the door wider. "Come on in."
Mafalda gave him a grateful nod and walked inside. She was met with a group of people standing near the grand staircase that led to the second floor.
Two of those people were similar in height. One had a head of beautiful curls while the girl in front of her had her blond hair combed back neatly with a single black streak going through the middle. Mafalda sighed. Narcissa was one she could deal with while Bellatrix was another story.
She looked at the guy standing next to Narcissa. He was lean and poised as he had a sleek, black cane in his hand.
"Don't you think that a cane is a bit much, Lucius?" Narcissa asked him.
Lucius rolled his eyes. "I like to think it adds to my intimidating image," he said with his head held up high.
A snort came from behind Lucius. "Come on, mate, that is not necessary."
Lucius turned around with a sneer. "Nott, no one asked you."
Nott bowed. "No one had to. I give my opinion regardless."
Mafalda saw Dolores push through the group, despite her short frame. The bun sitting atop her hair added more height than she really had. "I do not wish to deal with any of you right now."
"What is she doing here?" Bellatrix sneered, looking Mafalda up and down.
Narcissa gave Bellatrix a disapproving look. "Fix your face, Bella," she scolded.
"I am older than you and can do what I want, Cissa," Bellatrix retorted.
Narcissa turned her head. "Well then."
Bellatrix looked smug before turning her attention back to Mafalda. "I do hope that you don't enjoy your stay here with us."
Mafalda frowned slightly before sighing once more. She took her bag and walked towards the lavish living room that was furnished with deep burgundy, plush furniture. She saw the stocky, short Alecto along with her hunched over brother Amycus. His short light hair hung over the front of his face while he muttered something to himself.
She shook her head, not wanting to speak with them. When she was close to turning around, Mafalda came face to face with two tall, male figures. One had his hair perfectly combed while the other pale boy had his shaggy, black hair set carelessly.
"Tom. Severus," Mafalda greeted to them both.
Severus only blinked. "Mafalda," he drawled.
Tom gave Mafalda a nod and clapped her shoulder. "Good to see you, Mafalda. Just in time for the movie to start."
She looked curious. "What movie is it?"
Tom shrugged. "No idea. It was in the player, so why bother changing it?"
Mafalda nodded. "I suppose that makes sense." She walked into the living room and sat on another sofa far from the Carrow siblings.
"Come on the lot of you!" Tom called to them. "You're not getting any younger, and some of you are going to need these years."
Nott laughed. "He's talking to you, Dolory," he teased.
There was a slap heard and snickers as the others gathered into the living room. Tom pressed play on the media player, and the screen started off with a static.
The screen then started flashing images and words. The only ones that Mafalda could catch is vengeance, heartbreak, and pain.
Something in the video set Bellatrix off because she threw the remote at the TV, causing it to break. Before anyone could react, Bellatrix glared at the others. "Not a word," she hissed. "This is all rubbish!"
She stomped off, leaving the others in an awkward silence.
"I guess we could head off to bed early then," Tom said. With that said, everyone settled into their rooms for the night, but Mafalda was deep in thought.
Once they were settled in, Mafalda found a journal under her pillow. Curiosity brought her to read it.
1
I wanted to be just like you, but you practically spat in my face. I would never be as good as you in anything, and you made sure to have it known but no longer. You'll never be the best again.
Mafalda rubbed her eyes as she set the journal down. It felt rough and brittle, as if it were old, but she had no idea how it found itself under her pillow. Mafalda didn't know what the paper meant, but she couldn't sleep now with the words in her mind.
Grabbing her robe and placing it on, Mafalda shuffled out of the room and down the stairs towards the kitchen. However, she didn't get farther than the stairs because of the sight before her.
Bellatrix was swinging lightly above the staircase with a sheet tied around her neck.
Mafalda's hands shook as she screamed at the sight. Her scream brought the others to the scene where some gasped while others looked indifferent. Narcissa in particular cried in Lucius' arms.
Lucius narrowed his eyes and handed Narcissa to Nott, walking over to the body. Mafalda watched as he pulled something out of Bellatrix's clenched fist. Lucius unfolded the paper and read it.
"Suicide note," he drawled as he shook his head. "The movie had to really get to her."
"That's a surprise," Severus said sarcastically.
"There's no way possible way that Bella would do this to herself," Narcissa protested. "Are we forgetting who Bella is?"
"Ahem, was, dear," Dolores corrected. Narcissa glared at her.
"I for one am going to say that a suicide is logical," Tom said, "because the alternative would mean that something is amiss around here, and someone is not what they seem."
"Everything is not always what it seems," Amycus drawled out with a wicked grin. "You of all people should know that."
Tom raised a brow. "What exactly are you trying to say?" He took a step towards Amycus. Alecto stepped in between the two of them and held her hands out.
"Now, now," Alecto said coolly. "Let's not get testy with things already so bleak."
"Who died and made you leader?" Dolores sneered.
"Just because you're the president of the newspaper committee at school doesn't mean anything," Nott snapped at her. Dolores turned up her nose and huffed.
"I don't have time for this. I'm going back to bed," she announced, bunching up the bottom of her nightdress and marching back up the stairs.
Alecto cleared his throat. "As much as I would love to ponder on why Bellatrix would do such a thing, because that is all that happened, we won't be able to do much without sleep." She took Amycus' wrist. "Come along, Amycus."
As the siblings headed back to their room, Tom and Nott left as well. Narcissa was back in Lucius' arms, and he took her back upstairs while rubbing her back.
Mafalda and Severus stayed put, looking at each other. "You don't believe this to be an accident," Severus said, "do you?"
Mafalda bit her lip, glancing back up to the lifeless Bellatrix. "Something her sister should have thought of was that her sister needed to be cut down. This is highly disrespectful," she said softly before facing Severus. "And no, I don't believe that this was an accident."
Severus' brow rose. "Why, pray tell, would you think that?"
Her finger was shaking as she lifted it into a direction. "If anyone had looked behind Bellatrix's head, they would have seen this." It was the number one written in blood.
2
I had a crush on you once, and you knew that. You tried to use me because of it; and I believed you. My crush crushed my heart; now it's your turn to be crushed.
The sun had arrived for a new day, and Mafalda found herself with the journal in her lap in her bed. Mafalda knew something was up and that she shouldn't be reading the journal, but something was important about it, and she had to figure it out. The first entry was chilling enough, and Mafalda's heart went out to whoever was written this pain.
She closed it for the time being, putting it back under her pillow before descending the stairs. Mafalda couldn't help but stare at the space where Bellatrix was hanging the night before she and Severus got her down and took her to the backyard to be buried. Well, Severus told her he was taking care of that part, though she couldn't help but wonder how he would handle it.
"Look who finally decided to join us," Nott called out from the dining room where the others were sitting with bowls in front of them. "Come on then, get some food in your system, eh?" His grin stretch wide on his face, unnerving Mafalda before she nodded and joined the others.
Practically everyone but Tom and Narcissa appeared as though nothing was found the night before, and it didn't sit right with Mafalda. Nevertheless, she grabbed a bowl and filled it with fruit presented on the table.
"Tom and I are going to see if we can find something out back that could help liven this party up a little," Nott announced. He nudged the other teen. "Ain't that right?"
Tom swallowed a piece of strawberry hard before nodding. "Of course," he said.
"What exactly could be in the back that would 'liven' up anything?" Severus questioned.
"Hopefully we find a personality for you," Nott snorted, "and Dolores here some good looks."
"How dare you!" Dolores exclaimed. "Just because you bang every tart that has wide hips doesn't mean you have any looks yourself."
Nott cracked a grin. "Dolores, baby, that means exactly that." He clicked his tongue and gave her a wink before getting up. "Come on, Tom."
Tom wiped his mouth with a napkin and pushed his chair back. "We'll be back," he said with a swift nod. Nott, wrapped an arm around Tom's shoulders and escorted him out of the dining room.
Narcissa sighed and stood up as well. "I must excuse myself. I'm not hungry," she said before turning on her heel and leaving the dining room. Lucius clenched his fist before following after Narcissa.
0...0...0
Everyone ran to the back after hearing a scream. Nott was jumping around like a girl, pointing towards the ground where blood was splattered everywhere underneath a large boulder.
"Where the hell did that come from?" Lucius demanded.
"I don't know!" Nott cried. "One minute I was laughing at him and turning my back, the next minute a scream and splat!"
Mafalda covered her mouth in disgust while Narcissa fainted in Lucius arms. Mafalda looked up to the top of the roof and saw a trail of something that dragged its way down, a broken rope, and a bloody number 2.
3
No one knew what you did that night unless you told them. I thought you loved me once, but you took something that I can never get back. You should burn in hell for it.
They had tried to leave, but being in the remote country with a conveniently locked gate and no keys in sight proved things to be difficult. It wasn't long after trying to search for them did the remaining teenages find the charred corpse of Nott near the boathouse next to a gas can. Something must have triggered, but there was no way to figure out how.
There was a bloody number three on the boathouse door.
4...5
I thought you and your sister were nice once, but you both tried to drive a wedge between me and my friends with lies. Maybe someone should drive a wedge in the two of you.
Mafalda nearly passed out when she found Alecto and Amycus dead in the dining room with wood planks wedged into their stomachs. She was afraid that she would have to keep reading to figure out what was going to happen next.
The numbers four and five were written in blood.
6
You wouldn't have been here if it weren't for your support for your dear sister. Always have your sister's back. She never had yours, yet you were willing to stab mine for her.
Narcissa was found lying on her stomach in her room with a glass sitting on her nightstand. Mafalda tasted it, and it tasted oddly like coconut…which Lucius told the survivors was what she was allergic to.
The number six was drawn on the wall.
7
I met you, and I thought you were there for me. You were the one everyone went to for a good story; but I didn't know you had a horrid story on me. Your ink will bleed blood one day.
Mafalda placed a hand over her mouth when she, Severus, and Lucius found Dolores lying face down at the table with an ink pen lodged in the back of her head.
There was a number seven drawn on the table.
8
The man that had my heart, but did you know it? You would rather have my sister over me, and I couldn't let that go. I lost my baby for you, but I will have your heart one way or another.
The answer Mafalda needed arrived with Lucius's death. His heart was missing from his body, and the journal entry written to coincide with his death made more sense.
"Andromeda…" Severus said softly.
"W-What?" Mafalda asked. With everyone they knew being dead, she didn't know what to do or think.
"Andromeda was seeing Lucius before he left her for Narcissa. There were rumors that it was the reason that Andromeda ended her life," Severus explained.
"The entry said that there was a baby lost…" Mafalda's breath hitched in her throat as she looked at Severus with wide eyes. "Someone is seeking revenge for Andromeda."
"It certainly wasn't Andromeda," Severus replied with an eye roll. "However, the question is–since it is only the two of us left–who?"
9...10...?
You are guilty by association. You both stood by and watched as things happened to me until I could no longer take it. I don't know if you deserve to live or not.
Mafalda felt her heart beating as she read the last entry. She looked at Severus, who sported a bored expression. Before she could open her mouth to say something, she saw a figure approaching Severus from behind and knocked him out with a bat.
When the figure came into light, Mafalda's breath hitched. "N-Narcissa! But...but how?"
Narcissa wiped the dirty makeup off her lips. "It was simple really. The pleasure of being the sister that had an allergic reaction."
Mafalda shook while Narcissa circled her. "Manipulating Mr. Salazar into allowing me to borrow his house was easy too; I am his apprentice after all," Narcissa explained. "Then all I had to do was invite all of you fools."
"Why me?" Mafalda asked. "I did nothing to Andromeda!"
"Just like Sev here," Narcissa said as she pointed the bat to the floor where she thought Severus was still unconscious. "You just sat there while my sister was tormented by everyone."
From the corner of her eye, Mafalda saw Severus moving to stand up, so she needed to keep Narcissa distracted.
"What about the journal entry that you are in?" Mafalda asked.
"I wrote that one myself. I was the one Andromeda confided in, but I couldn't stop her in time," Narcissa answered.
"You didn't have to keep Lucius," Mafalda retorted nervously.
Narcissa snarled. "She didn't understand that we were already seeing each other!"
"Doesn't that mean he was cheating on you and no good?" Mafalda said.
Narcissa closed her eyes and took a deep breath, shaking the bat violently. "That is not the point of this!" She raised her arms. "Since you're so smart, I'm going to kill you fir–oof!"
Narcissa fell to the floor and Severus stepped over her with a metal bar. Blood seeped from her head, indicating that she wasn't going to be getting back up; and Mafalda made a small noise in relief. Severus gave her a simple nod and held the bar tightly in his hands.
"I suppose we should leave this place swiftly and get the authorities," Severus said.
Mafalda gave a shaky laugh. "Yes, please."
Severus dug in Narcissa's pockets, finding the keys they had been searching for and jingled them in front of Mafalda. "After you."
Leaning against Severus as she tried to calm her nerves, Mafalda silently prayed that Andromeda could actually rest in peace.