The Knife in the Dark

by Wingsister Miri

There's been a murder at Horgwarts. That is normal enough, but the strange thing about this case is that no magic was used at all. Hercule Poirot, the celebrated ex-auror muggle-crime expert, is called in to solve the murder so everything can go back to normal. The only problem is that the victim is Severus Snape, and everyone seems to have a reason for wanting him dead...

4. Chapter 4

The Knife in the Dark: Chapter 4

When he arrived in the staff room, Professors McGonagall and Sprout were already discussing the case.

The Head of Hufflepuff House was absolutely shocked by the gruesome crime that had happened in the school. Professor McGonagall was attempting to calm her down, but she hadn't succeeded so far. Professor Sprout seemed close to tears, so Poirot addressed the transfiguration teacher first.

She was outraged at such a violent crime happening in her school, but did not seem particularly sad about her colleague's death.

"Well," she said when Poirot asked her about it, "usually I try not to think too badly of my fellow professors, but Severus really crossed the line. Neville Longbottom, a boy from my House, had a nervous breakdown because of him only last week. Everyone knew he wasn't fair towards students of houses other than Slytherin, but to actually harass the poor boy until his mind saw no other way out than to simply shut down is just unforgivable to me.

That is the reason I am not particularly grieved right now. I am sure that will change once this has had a chance of properly sinking in, but at the moment I am only glad the same thing won't be happening to any other students."

"Where is the boy now, Professor?" inquired Poirot, "would it be possible to speak to him?"

"I expect so; he seems to be recovering well, especially since his grandmother has arrived."

"Just as a matter of routine… Could you tell me where you were during the last night, approximately between 9 and 10 pm?"

"Of course," she answered, "I suppose you must ask everyone? I was patrolling the school with Pomona here. Since last year, the Death Eaters have increased their efforts to break into the school. There was an alarm last night, but when we got to the wards, we did not see anyone and apparently nothing had gotten in. We checked the area but went back to patrolling when we did not find anyone."

Poirot thanked her and turned to Professor Sprout, but she didn't have anything to add except the vague feeling of having heard someone near Gryffindor Tower and a long lament about what the world was coming to now one could wake up one day with a knife in one's back.

Poirot doubted she had really heard anything that night. Witnesses often fancied having heard strange noises or cries after hearing that a murder had been committed on a particular night. However, it wouldn't do to dismiss her out of hand, even if Professor McGonagall hadn't heard anything.

After this, Monsieur Poirot had half an hour's painful conversation with Sybil Trelawney, the teacher for Divination. She had not seen or heard anything, not having left her tower in quite a while before hearing of Professor Snape's murder, so she was useless as a witness, yet she insisted on telling the detective of the many death-omens she had seen regarding her colleague.

"Oh, I always said he'd come to a terrible end, but that clueless centaur would not believe me when I wanted to discuss the signs with him. Laughed me out of his office, he did. That ignorant horse!" Apparently Professor Trelawney could think of no worse insult for her fellow Divination professor. She was still very bitter about having to share her classes with him.

"But I was right!" she continued. "I foresaw this. The same strong signs as that Potter boy. Ooooh yes, I will show that Firenze who's the real Seer."

Here Poirot had to enquire: "You have also seen death omens connected to Harry Potter?"

"Oh yes, of course." She replied. "His omens have always been very strong, since he was a little boy. Did you know," she whispered conspiratorially, "that I saw a grim in his tea leaves in his third year? And you know, he has been in mortal danger every year since. It is only a matter of time before the omens will be fulfilled and he meets the same fate as the unfortunate Severus Snape."

Poirot feared she would start off on a diatribe on what was obviously her favourite topic, so he asked:

"Do I understand you correctly? You think there is a connection between the murder of Professor Snape and the hopefully far-off death of Harry Potter?"

"But of course," she answered, "there is always a connection where there is strong emotion. They despised each other, hated each other. That is a very strong feeling. I thought everyone knew that?"

Poirot thanked her for her time. He had indeed not known about this fact, which was apparently common knowledge at Hogwarts. He resolved to ask Dumbledore about it later.