Kai Mason was many things, an uncanny witty person, his sense of humour was dry – non-existent, really. He was a serious as they came and an arsehole to many people. Especially to his Auror colleagues none of which he had the patience for. They deemed his section, his role unworthy – not a proper Auror. So much so he was the only one who worked in the Sexual Assault Unit. The thing about Kai though, as much as an arsehole he may have been, which he needed to be when dealing with the types of thugs he did, Kai was damn good at his job. Even if he didn't get much sleep, or dealt with victims that didn't give him the whole picture so he often came to dead ends. Or the one thing that he really hated, those who just wasted his time. Like right now at this very moment …. He was on his way to a crime scene, a homicide crime scene. But when the head of the department asks you to make your way over, one could not simply say no.

He Apparated to the co-ordinates given to him, and found himself standing outside a run-down cottage, that clearly was going to fall apart. The building frame by the door was lopsided, the windows had either been smashed or boarded up, and the roof had visible chunks missing.

'About time you got here, Mason!' a deep voice said harshly.

'I came as soon as I could, Withers,' Kai replied with a tone of annoyance, 'you know how I just love to sit at my desk doing nothing.'

Mathew Withers, was a stocky- built, balding middle-age man, was one of the few decent Aurors, Kai actually got along with.

'It's about time you got off your arse then,' he replied with a small smirk, 'and actually did some work.'

Kai looked back at the cottage.

'Joking aside Kai,' he said simply, 'I could sure use your help with this one.'

Kai arched an eyebrow.

'Let me put it to you this way – it's not pretty.'

'I still fail to see how I can help you.'

'You'll understand once you see the victim's body.'

Kai would have described the scene more than just not pretty. It was disturbing, disgusting and sickening. The victim had been sprawled out upon the bed, her legs had been left open wide – the pubic hair had been removed, whether by magical means or not Kai could not tell. Her arms were behind her back, Kai suspected that they had been bound - but it had been the amount of blood at the scene, the sheets were stained with it, the blood had even reached the walls. Kai was not surprised considering the state of the body. Scaring from old and new lasherations to the body but it was the victims head- it had been removed.

'Have you found it,' Kai said. 'her head.'

'No, we're still looking for it,' Withers said, 'What do you think, a rape gone wrong?'

'No,' Kai said, 'this was planned, thought out - she was moved here to be killed - I doubt you'd find any traces of evidence.'

Withers looked at the body. 'We did find one thing.'

'Yeah?'

Withers held out a plastic bag, in which contained a small business card. Kai took it from him and his eyes widen with surprise; it was his business card, which he handed out to those who wouldn't or struggled to talk about what they had been through. He turned the card over and a number was on the back in his own handwriting, the number twenty-seven.

'What is that smirk for?' Withers said.

'I'll know who the victim could possibly be,' Kai replied, 'but we'll need to check over my case notes. You're about to see just exactly what I do for a living.'


'She's good,' a cheerful voice said from the doorway.

Draco, peered over the top of the book at the freckled face of his red haired Auror partner, Ronald Weasley. Neither of them had been happy six years ago when they had first been partnered. Weasley's previous Auror partner had been none other than the Girl Who Lived, Harianna Potter. And Draco at the time they had been partners had been doing his training. He did not know why Harianna Potter had left. There were many rumours, some said that she had just had enough, she had finished what she needed to do - catching the last of the Death Eaters. Others said that she was now working undercover. Draco believed the latter as Weasley did not speak about his ex-partners reasons for leaving. The first year Weasley and himself had worked together, had been awful, Draco had been nearing to leaving himself. But then while out on a raid, Weasley saved his life. So Draco remained and stayed as his Auror partner. Throughout the six years they had worked together, they had both saved each others lives. They were no longer the versions of themselves they had been eight years ago when Harianna Potter put a stop to the Wizarding war, and finished off Voldemort.

Draco rubbed his temple and placed the book down on his desk, he frowned slightly. 'Sorry what did you say? I was too busy reading.'

'Book is good, isn't it,' Weasley said.

Draco glanced at the book, then at Weasley. 'Good is not the word I would use.'

Weasley chuckled. 'I suppose not. But I told you I knew I'd seen our crime scene before.'

Draco held up the book in question. 'I can't believe you happened to have read this.'

Weasley shrugged.

But Weasley was right. They had just days ago come upon this exact same crime scene. No trace of evidence left what so ever and the killer had even left a card with this Auror name from the book with the number twenty-seven upon it.

'So we've got a killer on the lose that likes to read in their spare time - to make up for their own lack of imagination,' Draco sneered.

'At least we've got an idea as into what they are doing,' Weasley sighed, 'well more like what they plan to do. I'm just grateful I worked it out before the killer took inspiration from another book.'

Draco frowned, 'Exactly how many books has this,' he looked at the author's name, 'James Evans written?'

'Three,' Weasley replied.

Draco rubbed his temple. 'So we have no idea into our killers next move - he could pick any scene from any of the three books.'

'I'm aware of that,' Weasley said, 'but I - call it an instinct - think that our killer is going to follow the exact plot of this book.'

'Why?'

Weasley shrugged, 'Why else would they go to the trouble of making sure to leave a card with the characters name on it. It wouldn't make sense to jump to another book.'

'So the next killing takes place when?'

'Well according to the book - there was a month gap.'

'So we've got month to catch the bastard,' Draco said, 'and we've got nothing to go on?'

'Pretty much sums it up.'

Draco rolled his eyes, and ran and hand through his hair. 'OK, you go over the scene, and witness statements - I'll see if I can get hold of this James Evans -' Weasley raised an eyebrow. 'What?' Draco snapped. 'You're always telling me you have better people skills, then I do - so, go do your "people skills" thing while I'll do the research side.'

Weasley nodded. 'Fair enough.' He made his way to the office door and stopped again. 'You coming to the party tonight? You owe me one for getting you out of that date your mother set you up on.'

'Yes, yes. I haven't forgotten,' Draco said irritably.

'You so need to get laid,' Weasley muttered.

'I do not,' Draco retorted back.

'Riiight,' Weasley said a knowing look plastered on his face.

'I'm a Malfoy,' Draco said as though it explained his reasoning. 'I'm, as you very well know, am a Veela. It's not my fault I'm picky about what type of person I want to be with.'

Weasley sighed. 'I know, I know as a Veela you have to be careful about whom you chose, because of the whole once you sleep with them, it's hard for you to want anyone else - I just think you're being stubborn and maybe slightly fussy - but each to their own.'

'I'll see you tonight.'

Weasley nodded and headed out the door. Draco looked towards the book once more. Pulled out a quill and some parchment and started to write an urgent letter to James Evans.