The Chaser
In the study Mad Eye, Sirius, Arthur, Severus, Kingsley, and Molly gather around the table discussing the current clues so far. Though everyone denied the clues if they had any against them, they couldn't help noticing where the clues were found.
"Really, there's the potion, the book, the knife, the leg, and the piece of clothing as physical evidence," said Molly.
"Don't forget how the bodies were found dead when no one could have gotten to them as well as cutting off a human leg," Severus said.
"Right," added Kingsley, "And how bodies could have been moved from one second to the next."
Suddenly there was a frantic knock, knock, knocking on the door. Soon it became too much to ignore it.
"Sirius, go and open the door," commanded Mad Eye.
Sirius went yo open the door and was immediately shoved aside falling to the ground. Remus and Tonks rushed in and then began to tell everyone what they had found. At first they didn't seem to believe them.
"Yet there is one there. That would explain how the killer got in and out without being noticed to do the killing."
"But that doesn't explain when they could have killed the victims," Molly said.
"Still, if there's one passageway then there's probably more," said Mad Eye, "The question is, where?"
"Mad Eye, where's your eye," Tonks asks.
"Yes, where is it?" Sirius asks as well.
"With that eye you would have been able to see the unseen. Secondly you would have been popping it out again in order to polish it," Tonks says.
Mad Eye gets nervous but quickly hides it. To escape the multiple questions he runs out the room and searches for his eye. Sirius, who was up at this point, begins muttering insults at his friend Remus.
"You might want to try and keep your opinions about me to yourself Sirius. I can still hear them," Remus tells him.
Thunder and lightning crash again and everything gets so much darker. In the panic everyone begins shouting at each other, pushing everyone down in an attempt to feel their way for the door.
"Ow! You're on my foot Severus!"
"Where maybe you'd be more careful if you transformed into a cat and not a dog."
'Arthur, stop pulling on my hair!"
"Ugh, what did I just fall on?"
"On me."
"Sorry Remus."
With Tonks falling on Remus it pushes him against a hard wooden surface which shoves him through a wall. Remus groans in pain but he slides himself out and says, "Didn't it occur to anyone to use Lumos?" He gets up and and forces open the door. They all rush out and begin to continue on their way until the thunder strikes repeatedly over and over again.
"We need to find Mad Eye now," said Arthur.
"Right, "added Molly and Tonks at the same time.
The two of them just stare at each other and turn away from each other in anger. Tonks goes over to Remus and Molly back to Arthur.
Clang!
"What was that?" gasped Tonks.
"It sounded like something at the front door," Sirius says, and he and the rest of the group run to the front door.
When they got their they find the door was open and the hailing rain was being let in. Lying, face down in the doorway, was Lavender Brown. Her arm was extended out in front of her in a bent unnatural position. In her hand was a letter with an elegant ribbon and stamp on it.
Sirius went and picked up the letter from her cold, dead hand. He turns the letter over and over again trying to figure out if its really saying what it is on the front of it.
"It's addressed to Remus," Sirius says not even believing his own words.
Remus takes the steps forward and asks who its from.
"It doesn't say. Here Remus."
His hands shakes as he reaches for the envelope. They shake even more as he tears it open.
"It says that" he stops abruptly before reading the rest.
"What's it say?" Sirius and Tonks ask.
"Give it to me," says Tonks as she goes over to him and her cousin.
Remus numbly hands over the letter to her.
"It says 'I know what you did," Tonks read.
"Is that all?" Kingsley asked.
"Yes."
They all stare down Remus. He gets defensive.
"I didn't do anything. I don't know who sent this letter, this note, but I know its lying," Remus defends himself.
"Is there anything else," asked Arthur.
"Sirius checks and by Lavender's foot was a wand. The wand was completely drenched but Sirius took it in and showed it to everyone.
"Now you look so much like a wet dog I can't tell the difference, " mutters Tonks.
"I'll let that one slide my dear cousin," Sirius comments with just as much sarcasm.
"Well its rather obvious," states Severus, "This wand belongs to the werewolf. Either him her the dead girl."
"I have my wand Severus," exclaims Remus.
"So then it must be the girl's."
"Yes, that might be the case but I remember overhearing Herminone telling Ron and Harry that this Lavender girl was bragging how her wand was made of dragon heartstring. If that's the case then you might want to check to see if she has her wand with her. If not than the one in Sirius' hand belongs to someone here," Kingsley stated.
So Tonks went over to Lavender's lifeless body and checked to see if there was a wand. Five minutes later Tonks comes back saying that Lavender has her wand with her.
"Then Sirius drop that wand down," Severus says, "Now everyone, take out your wand."
They all do. Severus, Sirius, Remus, Tonks did so first. Kingsley, and Arthur did so next. Molly however reaches for her wand finding it is not there.
"Molly," Arthur whispers, "Take out your wand."
"I can't," she whispers back, "Its not with me."
Severus walks over to Molly like a snake and says, "Is that wand yours Molly Weasley?"
Severus walks over to the wand and picks it up. He then walks back to Molly and says:
"Is this you wand," he says again as he mercilessly drops it onto the floor.
Molly kneels to pick it up and gets a look of horror on her face.
"So it is yours," Severus says.
"I didn't kill Lavender!"
"Not so fun being accused is it?" Tonks sarcastically says as she crossed her arms.
Remus places his hand on Tonks' shoulder trying to reel her in before she goes off.
"Well now there's five deaths. Four dead bodies we have to find a place for, and a killer who is running rampant," Remus says, "Its not going to do any good turning on each other like we're doing now."
"I say we take Lavender and put her with the rest of the bodies, " Arthur says.
"Good idea but lets not have Molly take her," Severus says snidely.
Molly stares a hateful stare at him and Arthur and Kingsley takes Lavender's limp body into the ballroom. Severus follows them, then Sirius, Remus, and Tonks, and finally Molly enters.
"How the hell can two bodies disappear and only a dismembered limb be in its place," Sirius exclaims.
Arthur drops Lavender's body upon seeing his son's toe, made into a necklace. He kneels in the middle of the room cradling the toe necklace made of his son's toe. All of his composure was gone and his wife quickly goes to his side. Over by the fireplace was was an arm. Kingsley is the first to get to it.
"Its Albus' arm," Kingsley sadly says.
"Maybe the person who removed and dismembered the bodies isn't here," Remus said.
"Mad Eye," Tonks says, "No. No. It..."
"Think of it Tonks. He's not here, he hasn't been here."
"Do you think its wise to talk about someone without an eye?" says a grim whispered familiar voice.
The two of them gasped as a hand is placed creepily on their shoulders. They turn around only to face the one-eyed Mad Eye. Being desperate to get out the two of them immediately leave at the sound of a loud unceasing banging at the door. As he open the front door he says:
"Harry!"
"Hello Remus," Harry says to his old professor, "Have you seen Ron and Lavender?"
Happy to see someone else besides the other people he's currently trapped; he can't stand to see a favorite student ending up dead like everyone else.
"Can I come in?" Harry asks.
"NO! No you can't Harry," Remus replies in a hurried panic. Harry looks surprised and Remus continues, "Look I'm sorry but you just can't come in. Its not a good time."
Harry looks from both Remus to Tonks a few times and makes his own decision about what's happening, but he also decides he has to get inside this creepy house.
"Look I have to come in. A moment ago I saw Ron come here and later on I saw Lavender come here too."
"Look Harry I'm sorry for this but, IMPERIO!" Remus shouts and Harry gets that dreamy trace look that all people get while under this particular curse.
Remus directs Harry out and further away from this place of horror and comes back inside dripping wet. Tonks hugs Remus and tells him that she didn't think he would ever use the Imperious Curse, especially on Harry Potter.
"These are desperate times, there's a killer here and too many people have already died."
Tonks slams the door shut and then slips on the wet floor.
"Are you alright?" he says as he helps her up.
"From falling? Yes. From this night? No." Tonks tells him, "I guess we know what the letter meant. At least in one sense."
"Yes, I suppose you're right," he says, "Lets check the other rooms."
"How about we go to the basement. Maybe that's where Mad Eye was. Maybe we'll find some more clues."
"Right."
The two of them then walk down the hallway and then head down the stairs to the basement. Unfortunately she falls again and falls down the wooden stairs all the way to the bottom of them. Remus runs down them to help her.
"I have the worst balance ," she groans in pain.
"Did you see what you tripped on?" Remus asks before something bounced off his head and landed in Tonks' hand.
"Ugh! I think this is Mad Eye's eye!"
"We might as well keep it with us. Maybe we'll find something else."
"Shouldn't we get up first Remus?"
"Oh right," and so he helps her up and the two of them continue searching the basement.
Keeping to the walls they find one that's surprisingly hollow. They knock on it and it makes a clanging echoing sound. When they finally open it they realize its another passageway.
"Damn. How many passageways are in this house?" Tonks says.
"I don't know, but lets find out."
"Where's Remus and Nymphadora," demands Mad Eye.
"I don't know," Arthur says numbly.
"Something's not right."
"Other than the fact that your eye is missing?" Sirius sarcastically says.
"I think I have an idea on who the killer is," Mad Eye states.
"And who is it then," Arthur asks, "I'll kill whoever killed my son."
"You agree we've all been accused at some point."
"Yes." replies Kingsley.
"Get on with it," Severus says.
"Consider the people who haven't been accused. The only one who hasn't been accused is Arthur Weasley."
"Arthur's been with us the whole time," defends Molly.
"Exactly. The only other person here in this room who hasn't been accused is Kingsley and then again Severus accused him when Sirius and myself found Ron's body. Severus is right in that regard because no one is more suspicious than someone with noting against them."
"So you're blaming me now?" Kingsley exclaimed.
"No, let me finish," Mad Eye interrupted, "You were with us all the time correct? That just leaves one other person. And technically this person is not a person."
"Dobby?" they all say simultaneously.
Mad Eye nods.
"When was the last time we have all seen that little elf?" Mad Eye continued.
"When Kreacher was killed of course," Sirius said.
"Exactly, has anyone seen him since then?"
They all shake their heads no.
"If you're right Mad Eye and the killer isn't human, then shouldn't we check the kitchen just in case," Arthur says.
"This also explains how the murderer could have gotten in and out without anyone knowing or suspecting," Kingsley adds.
"Quite right. Now lets go," Mad Eye finishes.
So they hurry out of the room and rush to the kitchen door. Mad Eye tears open the door and barges in as well as everyone else.
"Tonks! Remus! How did you get here?"
"Well Mad Eye, when a man and a woman―"
"Ahem."
"Me and Tonks found another passageway. This time leading to the kitchen from the basement," Remus says.
"Have you seen Dobby? Either one of you!" demands Mad Eye again.
"Why?" Tonks asks.
"We suspect that he's the killer," Sirius says.
"NO! No, Dobby can't be the killer," Tonks yells.
"Its the only way that fits," Mad Eye says, "Now where is that git?"
"Dobby! Come out from whatever hole you're hiding in! Come out, come out wherever you are!" Mad Eye continues to say.
Minutes later Dobby does come out after serious threats from Mad Eye. When he questions Dobby the little elf began to act nervous.
"Dobby didn't mean to," he says.
"What? Kill innocent people?" Arthur asks.
"No, Dobby only killed one person and it wasn't Dobby that killed him."
"What do you mean Dobby, " Tonks asks, "What do you mean by, that it wasn't you that killed them?"
"Mudblood will get get away from Dobby!" the elf violently says when he pushes her away.
Tonks falls into a pile of broken glass on the floor. Blood trickles down her elbow to her wrist. Remus and Molly go over to her quickly.
"Wait, Dobby wouldn't talk like that," Sirius suspiciously says, pointing his finger at Dobby, "In fact..."
Sirius walks up to the elf and whispers something to him.
"Blood traitor will pay for what he's done! No one talks to Kreacher's mistress that way!"
"I knew it couldn't be Dobby," bragged Tonks.
"Yes Tonks you were right," Mad Eye says, "Now's tell us Kreacher, where is Dobby?"
"Why have you killed innocent people?" Kingsley added.
Kreacher mutters insults at all of them. Sirius picks Kreacher up shakes him until the elf decides to tell him. He roughly sets the elf down and Kreacher brushes himself off as if he might be infected.
"Start talking you git," Sirius says.
"Kreacher only killed Dobby. Kreacher only moved the limbs of everyone dead. Kreacher only did so because he was ordered to, " the elf begrudgingly said.
"Why," asks Remus, "Why did you do this? Who made you do this?"
"The man thought dead," he mysteriously said.