[A/N: First chapter redo, I know that Voldemort is in fact after Sherlock Holmes, but it makes for an interesting premise so I am ignoring that fact. V is, of course, me again, and has her usual purpose as the "author" of directing the plot and acting smug, just in third person this time. Enjoy and review!]
No matter what way he looked at it, it just didn't work. He hadn't been to the crime scene yet, but he ad herd the facts; windowless room, only door locked on the inside, and no one unusual had been seen around. The last one was what brought the blame to the murdered couple's old gardener, but Holmes didn't find that to work either.
The old, crippled gardener, from what he had heard, lived in a small hut on the grounds that was far enough away from the house, and close enough to the road that he would have been seen had he snuck out to commit the crime. But either way, he would find out more when he went out to Little Hagleton, and saw the house where the crime had been committed, the next day.
Holmes's agitated pacing and thinking was interrupted by a sharp, loud knock on the door.
"Come in!" he spoke loudly, leaning languidly against the wall.
A young woman, who appeared to be about 20 years of age, walked in "Hello, I'm here to talk to Mr. Holmes." Her voice was rough though she spoke quietly.
" Watson," Holmes called to his friend who was reading the paper in his chair by the fire "do you know this lady?"
Watson looked up from the paper and turned toward the door "No, I don't believe I have." He stood and walked to Holmes's side in front of their visitor.
Holmes turned back towards their visitor "I am sorry, but I'm in the midst of a case at the moment that has me quite preoccupied, you will have to come by at another time." He was eager to get back to the case.
"But that's perfect!" she replied excited "I was hoping to get a chance to see you at work on a case!"
"You must understand," Holmes was losing patience with their determined visitor " this is not suitable business for a lady."
"I'll stay out of the way then, I bet I could help even, if you gave me the chance!" she persisted.
"I don't believe you'll be able to be of much help seeing that this case has points that baffle even me, but if you insist, you may watch as long as you follow all orders I give you."
"Understood!" she nodded eagerly.
"I don't believe you've mentioned your name." Watson spoke up.
"Just call me V!"
"Okay… V… meet us at the Riddle House in Little Hagleton at 9:30 tomorrow morning" Holmes concluded, about to return to his pensive pacing.
"The Riddle House!" V gasped.
"Yes why? –" Holmes turned back towards her.
" Old Mr. and Mrs. Riddle were killed in their Little Hagleton home under unusual circumstances, the prime suspect is their old crippled gardener, who by the way, didn't do it!" she blurted out.
"How could you –" Watson was about to ask how she could tell, but V cut him off.
"I've heard about it, and I know who did it and how, but you wouldn't believe me if I told you!" V exclaimed excited.
"Who?" Holmes asked suspiciously, though he could tell she definitely thought she was telling the truth at least.
"Volde– I mean Tom Riddle Jr., his father, Tom Riddle Sr., is in danger, but you won't be able to save him."
Holmes thought for a moment, this "V" person could be helpful after all, but how she knew all of this was definitely in question "How do you know we won't be able to save him?" he finally asked after a silence.
"The way the killer's type work, you wouldn't be able to stop him even if you sacrificed yourself." She replied matter-of-factly.
"Well…" Holmes thought for a moment again then chose his words carefully "I'll look into your theory. In the mean time, I expect you at the Riddle house at 9:30 sharp tomorrow; we won't wait for you to begin our investigation.
V nodded and left, once she was out the door Holmes returned to pacing, thinking over the new information he had obtained, and Watson returned to reading the paper.