A/N: I'm so sorry that it's taken me a very long while to update this story, but I've only just got inspired to write it again. It is a short chapter but I hope to follow it up with a longer one. Updates will be irregular I'm afraid but I won't be leaving it as long as this time. WARNING for graphic violence and attempted murder. It's 1023 words.

Susan Bones put the bathroom light on and peered inside before going in. Although she doubted that the murderer would be lurking there, she would rather be safe.

I wonder who it is, she thought.

She knew that it had to be someone here. The most logical person would be Theo Nott as he was the only who was alone at the time, but he didn't have a motive as far as she could tell. However, Susan recalled her aunt Amelia saying that sometimes there was no motive to kill someone and those were always the hardest to solve.

Whilst thinking about who could have killed Daphne and why, she ran a bath.

When it was full she slipped in and tried to relax. Susan took deep breaths and closed her eyes. It was hard to keep the memory of Daphne's body lying in a pool of blood, but she willed away the sight and focused on the holiday she and Hannah had just had.

Susan stayed like that until she felt like she was being watched. When she opened her eyes someone was standing over her, but she couldn't tell who they were as they were wearing a silver mask and a black hooded cloak.

Before she could cry out for help they pushed her under the water and wrapped their hands around her throat.

Susan desperately clawed at his hands trying to make them loosen their grip but failed. Between the being underwater and their tight hold she was beginning to go dizzy.

Not like this. Please, not like this, she chanted in her head.

There was a muffled sound, a bang, and then the pressure was gone. She vaguely recalled being lifted out of the bath and onto the floor.

"Susan! Susan, can you hear me?" Hannah asked frantically.

She coughed some water up and nodded weakly.

"Oh thank god. I thought...I thought I'd lost you," her friend said sounding relieved.

"What happened?" a familiar voice said.

"I asked Susan if she was okay through the door as she'd been quiet for a while and when she didn't reply I opened the door. They were holding her under the water, but when they saw me they ran into a secret passageway behind that full length mirror. I went to help Susan to make sure that she was…" Hannah trailed off.

"Did you see what they looked like?" Hermione asked.

"No, all I saw was the black cloak they were wearing."

"They had a silver mask on," Susan croaked.

No one said anything for a moment as the implications sank in.

"I will go and tell the others. I hope you feel better soon, Susan. I have left some pain relief potion and bruise salve on your bed," Hermione informed her.

"Thank you," she replied gratefully.

After a few moments of talking quietly, Hannah left the bathroom so she could get dressed. The door was left open even though both women knew that whoever it was would not be back.

As she looked in the mirror, Susan saw bruises in the shape of fingers had started to form around her neck, and she was determined to find out who was responsible before they took another life.

She didn't understand why she would be on the killers hit list as she had never really done anything to anyone in the house. The only person who could hold a grudge was Nott as she had helped incapacitate his father during the Final Battle.

Theo Nott again, she thought.

Was it a coincidence that Theo Nott seemed to be the only one who had the opportunity and motive for killing them, or was he the real murderer? Whatever the answer Susan was intent on finding out the truth.

-0-0-0-

Downstairs the men were waiting to find out exactly what had happened. All they knew was that there had been another attack in one of the women's rooms.

"What's going on?" Draco demanded as Hermione entered the room.

"Susan was nearly drowned in the bath by the killer but Hannah scared him off," she informed them.

"What did they look like?" Blaise asked.

Hermione hesitated before telling them that the assailant wore black robes and a silver mask.

"Death Eater robes?" Theo asked.

"I don't think so. Whoever chose it may want us to believe that though," she replied.

"But why?" Ernie asked curiously.

"To divide us," Harry answered.

"What do you mean, Potter?" Draco enquired.

"They want us to think they are so we mistrust you, Theo, and Blaise. If we're arguing amongst ourselves we won't be united in trying to find out who killed Daphne, or attacked Susan. We won't share vital information or theories with each other which means that there would be less chance of them getting caught," Harry explained.

"What makes you think that it isn't one of us?" Blaise asked.

"There are a few things. The first is how you reacted to seeing Daphne's body, and the other is that you would have had to spend an extensive amount of time here to learn about the secret passageways and general layout of the manor. As far as I know none of you would have been picked if the Ministry had been aware that you'd been here before."

"Who is it then?" Ernie asked.

"It's obviously someone with a grudge against Draco, Theo, and Blaise," Neville replied.

"Well, whoever it is really wants us to blame you," Ron commented.

"Ron!" Hermione hissed.

"He's right though, Hermione," Neville said, "They're desperate for us to think that it's one of those three by attacking people who were neutral or fought for the light. We have to try and make a list of all the people who are known to hate you, or have made threats against you. That is where we will start, and once we have eliminated them then we will go through anyone else you can think of."

Hermione had a feeling that the lists were going to be very long and take a time to go through. Time which they may not have before they perpetrator struck again.