Just a little something that came to my mind a few days ago. I haven't read anything like it before but the Muggle-Minister said that Amelia Bones's death had baffled the police – so they had been investigating before the Aurors took over. But surely they wouldn't be able to find out much…?
I don't own Harry Potter.
'What did you find out from the neighbours?'
The young woman sighed. 'Nothing that would be helpful.
'Everything is helpful, Maria,' scolded Detective George Mills his colleague. They were currently at their office at the Richmond Police Station in South-West London and their case was getting colder every minute.
Yesterday evening, they had found Amelia Susan Bones body and her death had been as suspicious as baffling.
Her neighbour, an elderly Lady called Anne Mulligan, had called the police after she heard some strange noises and Miss Bones didn't answer the door. When the police had arrived, they had tried to calm her down but then Ms Mulligan told them that she had spoken to Amelia earlier that evening when she had helped her to carry her shopping upstairs. So, after several warnings, they had broken the door open and found themselves in a tidy and empty flat. And a bedroom that appeared to be locked from inside. It had taken a while to open that door and when they finally got in, they had been very shocked by what they found:
A big bedroom that looked as if a hurricane had swept through it, leaving nothing untouched but the bed. And in the middle of that bed laid a woman with very wide eyes – very dead eyes.
Despite the chaos surrounding her there was no clue as to what had killed her or put the room in that state. Or how her killer had escaped, considering that both the door and the window were locked from inside.
Now they had spent all night investigating the case and still there weren't any questions answered – if anything, they had raised even more.
What had Amelia Bones done for a living? Did she have any family that needed to be notified? Did the little wooden stick she had clutched in her death have a meaning? Did it have a specific use? What were the strange clothes in one half of her wardrobe for?
What had killed her in the first place? The coroner's report that had come in a few hours earlier had told them that there were no traces of poison in her blood, so there went that theory. But how could anyone killed her in any other way? There were no traces of any violence in her, no new ones at least. And if she wasn't poisoned, then how did her killer do it? And how did he leave a room locked from inside? And why put her room in such a sorry state? Had he been looking for something? If so, what? And had he found it? But why raise suspicion by making so much noise? That was absurd!
And then there was another problem they had encountered. They couldn't find any files on someone named Amelia Bones. That was more than just a little baffling, that was downright suspicious!
Maria sighed and looked at her boss.
''Miss Bones? It's terrible…such a nice woman, always so kind.' 'She loved the children, sometimes babysat them, she said it reminded her of watching her nieces – I think they are dead, she always spoke of them in the past…' 'Amelia…well, she kept to herself most of the time, working long hours all the time. But that's what happens when you work for the government –''
'Wait! That's something, isn't it?'
'What?'
'That she was working for the government!'
'But it doesn't help at all, George! He didn't know which agency, so we still don't know what she did because there are NO records!'
The older man groaned and shook his head. 'But that could be the reason WHY there are no records! But never mind, go on. What else have they told you?'
''I met her niece once – Susan, I think. 'twas during Christmas- she usually went away with the girl. Also during summer, when she was home from school – some posh boarding school in Scotland, I think. Dunno where they were goin' though, outta London, I s'ppose. I think she had a summer house somewhere.' 'I saw her break up a fight once, down the street, between some rowdy teens. Very authoritarian and strict but also very fair. They never fought again after that.' 'She was a bit odd sometimes, very polite but odd. And her monocle – she could've easily fit into the last century!' So all we have is that she was a nice, helpful woman with no apparent enemies and some strange costumes but nothing that really helps us,' Maria concluded.
'Well, we know that she had some family, presumably out of London. Did we get anything else on those strange letters?'
Tom, the third member of their team, shook his head in decline.
'Nope, nothing helpful. It's proper parchment, not paper and they are all written with ink similar to the one on her desk – probably with quills too, as we couldn't find any pens. It seems like it was her main way of communication – we found no phone, or any electric devices, for the matter. Only loads of books on strange subjects – nothing TOO strange though. Loads about historical politicians I've never heard about, odd mathematic stuff and tons about dated government forms.'
'Mhm…'
Suddenly, the door opened and two men strode in. The first one looked like he was some sort of spy but it was the second one who drew their attention. It was the chief of police.
'The investigation of Madam Bones death will be stopped immediately,' announced the stranger.
'But –'
'No but's, detective. All your evidence will be collected by her agency in the morning and they will take care of everything. Mr Tonks here will stay to make sure you won't forget anything.' For some reason, the chief didn't look the least happy about that but George nodded anyway. Only Maria frowned.
'But why, sir? What could they possibly find that we didn't?'
'It's not about what you found, it's what you're not supposed to find,' interrupted Tonks and his voice was surprisingly soft.
'Madam Bones held the second highest position in our agency, so this is all a matter of great secrecy. I was one of her most trusted assistants, which is why I am now here to ensure that everything is taken care of properly.'
'But –' Maria shut up when she saw George's angry look but it was obvious that she was far from happy. The chief of police sighed.
'Well, now that this is settled, please pack everything up so there will be no more trouble. Thank you.'
With that, the chief left and the detectives were alone with Tonks. Shaking his head, George looked at him and sighed.
'Well, good luck to you then. Maybe you'll get her killer.'
Yes, that is Tonks. And no, she's not a man. Well, she is, but she's a metamorphmagus and I think that in the late 90s it was still more common for man to work for secret agencies. It probably still is…anyway, I just thought that she would be perfect for the job because no one will be able to recognise her afterwards and she has most likely seen some 007 movies with her dad when she was a little girl :)
