MURDER IN HOGSMEADE

Chapter ten

Murder in Hogsmeade

As expected, it didn't take the other Gryffindors long to figure out why they had lost almost a hundred points overnight and who was responsible for that. Already when they arrived in the Great hall for breakfast, the other Gryffindors were glaring at them and throwing hateful remarks at their heads. Rick had to bear the most of it as it wasn't the first time he'd cost their house points but Rigel and Terri too kept their heads down as they hurriedly made their way down the long house table to where Cedric was sitting.

"Good morning." Cedric greeted them with a sympathetic look.

"Nothing much good about it, it seems." Rigel replied as he sat down and starting scooping up breakfast, not daring to look at the other students at the table. "How did everyone figure it out so quickly?"

"Grapevine." Cedric explained. "Lewis came and told me this morning already." He nodded to the redheaded girl a couple of seats down the table looking at them with a look that swayed between 'I told you so' and 'you deserve it'. It did not make them any happier.

"I bet it was she who told on us to Whifferdill." Rick said darkly. "She overheard us talking to Mordaunt."

"Who, Lewis? I don't think she would do such a thing." Replied Cedric, assessing the redhead.

"You're just saying that because you like her." Rick teased him.

"She's just a friend." Cedric defended himself.

"Yeah, what was she doing with you then when Mordaunt attacked you after flying class?" Rick continued to tease. "And don't think I haven't seen you two huddled up in the common room every now and then."

"She was trying to protect me." Cedric explained, turning red. "And we like to discuss classes. Unlike you, she actually likes to discuss the first fundamental law of magic."

"Whatever you say, Cedric." Rick winked at his nerdy friend, enjoying getting a rise out of him. Cedric was always funny when you got him mad.

"She didn't do it." Terri interrupted the banter.

"How do you know?" Rick asked, turning more serious again.

"Because I already asked her this morning and she was quite offended I even considered it." Terri explained.

"Told you." Cedric told Rick, looking pleased with himself.

"Isn't it more likely Mordaunt betrayed us?" Terri said. "I bet he never intended to show up for the duel and told Whifferdill all about where she could find three young Gryffindors breaking the rules."

"It does sound like something he would do." Rigel said. Rick glanced over to the Slytherin table and saw Mordaunt laughing with his friends. Rigel and Terri were right, it would be the kind of thing Mordaunt would do and Rick silently vowed to get him back for it.

Their detention was to take place on Friday and Rick, Rigel and Terri spent the entire week coming up with plans to take revenge on Mordaunt, one idea more outrageous and impractical than the next. In the week that followed, the three friends continued to suffer the abuse of their housemates. Whenever they passed another Gryffindor in the corridor, they would try to make them trip up, glower at them or complain loudly about pesky first years who cost them their hard earned points. Anderson even tipped over Rick's cup of pumpkin juice at dinner one evening and even though he claimed it had been an accident, he didn't look too sorry about it and Rick was quite sure he'd done it on purpose. In the common room and dormitory, the atmosphere was equally hostile. Anderson, Sanders and McCallum, who had previously always been friendly with Rigel, now wouldn't speak to him and they frowned on Cedric being friendly to him or Rick. The result was that Terri, Rigel and Rick didn't mind having to leave the common room on Friday for their detention.

About a quarter to five, the three friends were standing in front of Griffiths's office but when he opened the door, they found the professor was not alone. There was an older Slytherin boy present, wearing a badge with the letter H on it.

"Ah, you're here." Griffiths said. He was wearing his travelling cloak. "This is Mr. Garron, our head boy." He said indicating the older Slytherin boy. The three friends regarded the Slytherin apprehensively. "He will be overseeing your detention tonight." The professor said and he joined them in the corridor.

"Are you going somewhere, professor?" Rigel asked.

"As a matter of fact, I have some business to attend in Hogsmeade." Griffiths replied. "Don't worry, Mr. Garron here will look after you just fine." He clapped said boy on the shoulder and left, leaving them alone with the Slytherin.

"O'Connell, Bailey and Thompson, is it?" The head boy asked and the three friends nodded. "Follow me." He instructed and reluctantly, Rick, Rigel and Terri followed the older boy through the corridor and down the stairs. They continued going down and it didn't take long for Rick to realise they were heading for the dungeons, more specifically, the Potions corridor. Garron stopped at the door of one of the dungeons and ushered the three first years in. They had never been here, the first years took classes in another dungeon, but this one looked pretty much like the one they used, except for the foul smell. It came, they soon discovered, from a large barrel near the front. As they neared it, Rick saw that the barrel was filled to the brim with slimy looking things.

"This barrel contains horned toads." Garron explained. "You will disembowel them using only this." He presented each of them with a small knife. "Pull up a stool around the barrel and get started, you won't finish until they're all done properly. Talking will not be allowed." The three friends did as they were told and got started. It was extremely gory and unpleasant work and Rick figured that Garron just gave them the most grossest thing to do that he could think of. While they worked, the Head Boy busied himself quietly reading, a book a couple feet away so he wouldn't be bothered by the smell.

"Why aren't we writing lines or something instead of doing this gory job for Selwyn?" Rick complained aloud after he had done a few toads.

"Professor Selwyn." Garron corrected him . "I happened to know he had this job to do and thought I'd help him out with a few assistants." The head boy replied haughtily. "And I thought I said no talking?" Rick ignored him.

"Are you always such a brownnoser?" He taunted Garron.

"I will do anything and everything my superiors ask me to do." Garron replied unperturbed. "You have to be willing to suck up to a few people to get you where you want to go. Professors can put in a good word for you and help you launch your career. Something to remember next time you decide to break the rules again." The head boy replied with a pointed look at Rick.

"Whatever." Rick dismissed him. Garron put down his book and regarded him.

"You're a bit of a know-it-all, aren't you?" Rick chose not to answer the head boy. "Do you think your exploits at Hogwarts won't have an influence on your later career?" He pointed at Rick, the candle light catching on the rather large and gaudy ring on his finger. "You would do well to remember that it does and if you don't change your attitude and keep that big mouth of yours shut in the future, you'll have a hard time getting what you want or have a chance at a good job." Rick wanted to say that he could care less about a good job but cursed instead as he cut himself on the horns of one of the toads. It took a number of hours and several more cuts but eventually the barrel was empty and around midnight Rick, Terri and Rigel were finally allowed to head back to Gryffindor tower. Tired and aching, they headed straight for their beds and were asleep within minutes.

Saturday morning found the tired threesome walking into the Great hall late for breakfast. Cedric awaited them patiently.

"How did it go?" He asked.

"Disgusting." Terri replied. "Garron had us cleaning horned toads all night."

"Garron?" Cedric repeated confused. "I thought you said you had detention with Griffiths?"

"He had business to attend to in Hogsmeade he said, so he left us with a sodding Slytherin." Rigel explained a little cross.

"Garron's actually not that bad for a Slytherin." Cedric remarked.

"How do you know? He didn't make you peel toads all night." Rick replied annoyed.

"No, but at least he's not like Rydell or Mordaunt." Cedric said. "He actually told them off when they came after me once … you know …"

"When we weren't friend yet." Rick finished for him and Cedric nodded. "Well, that may be so but he seemed to take sick pleasure out of us working those toads." Rick muttered, refusing to concede to Cedric's defence of the head boy. Cedric opened his mouth to reply but he didn't get a chance as at that moment, the mail arrived. Rick had already grown accustomed to the hundreds of owls flying over their heads to deliver letters and packages each day and he had already grown accustomed not to expect any. Rigel, on the other hand, had a subscription to the Daily Prophet, the wizarding variant of the newspaper. He had only just paid the owl and unfolded the newspaper when he spit out the bite of cereal he had just eaten.

"What?!" Cedric, Rick and Terri asked in alarm.

"There's been a murder in Hogsmeade." Rigel exclaimed.

"What!?" Terri and Cedric exclaimed simultaneously.

"Here, read this." Rigel showed them the article on the front page. Terri took it, wincing at the stiffness in her arms as she did and read aloud.

Murder in Hogsmeade

Alphard Doge, owner of 'Doge's Antiquities' in Hogsmeade, was found dead in his shop early this morning. Ministry Officials are investigating the matter but have made no arrests as of yet. Mrs. Doge, the victim's wife, reports that her husband was out last night. Upon hearing noise down in the shop, Mrs. Doge went downstairs to investigate, only to find Mr. Doge's lifeless body. Aurors are still investigating the circumstances of Mr. Doge's death but initial investigation leads them to believe they are dealing with a foiled robbery. Mr. Doge may possibly have walked in on a robbery in progress and may have died defending his property. Mr. Claudius Cormac, member of staff with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and investigating the case, ensures the public that the killer will be caught and brought to justice."

"Creepy." Rigel said. "Just imagine, the killer might still be around here. He might even be hiding in the Forbidden Forrest." Cedric paled.

"Please tell me that's a joke."

"Relax, Cedric. He's long gone." Terri assured him.

"Ah, but how can you be sure?" Rigel asked her, winking mischievously. Terri threw him an exasperated look.

"If I'd just killed a guy, I'd get as far away as I could." She said.

"Ah, unless he knows that's what you're thinking and he sticks around to fool you." Rick said, amused by the slightly panicked look on Cedric's face.

"Unless he knows that's what you're going to think and he gets away anyway to fool you." Rigel countered jokingly.

"Unless-" Rick joined in.

"Aright, alright, we get it, you can stop your silly game." Terri put an end to their banter.

"Still, I'd watch carefully, Cedric, the killer might be in our dormitory tonight." Rick teased.

"Ha, ha." Cedric replied dryly. "You have to admit, it is kind of worrisome though, isn't it?" He asked, serious now.

"Well, I for one won't let it bother me, I've got other things on my mind." Rigel said, smiling in anticipation. Rick and Terri knew exactly what he was talking about.

"What do you mean? What could be more serious than this?" Cedric asked, not understanding.

"Quidditch." Rigel replied as if it was obvious. Cedric rolled his eyes. "Today's the first game of the season, Gryffindor versus Slytherin and I for one, cannot wait to see how we're going to crush Slytherin."

"You do know Gryffindor hasn't won from Slytherin in like, four years, don't you." Cedric informed them.

"Today's going to be different, I can feel it in my bones." Rigel said confidently and Cedric stayed quiet, though he still looked preoccupied. Rick pretended not to notice. Like Rigel, he was very much looking forward to the game. He had never seen a quidditch match in his life but Rigel had told him about them and it sounded like fun. In the days leading up to the match, the animosity between the two houses had grown, Mordaunt's cousin Zacharias even had to be taken to the hospital wing after he tried to curse Gryffindor Chaser Nathalie Crane. The Slytherin hadn't counted on Nathalie being an excellent duellist, though. She'd cursed him so badly he had to spend a night in the infirmary to recover.

After breakfast, Rick, Rigel, Terri and Cedric hastily made their way to the quidditch pitch to get good seats. The whole school seemed to be present for the first game of the season and the stadium was packed. Everyone was excited about the first game of the season. Rick saw students carrying banners to support their teams and others with their faces painted red and gold, the colours of Gryffindor. It wasn't just the Gryffindors either, Rick saw several Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs carrying the red and gold lion banner of Gryffindor to show their support for the Gryffindor team against the Slytherins. The quidditch pitch was a large oval grass field with on the farthest opposite sides three large posts with hoops on them that served as goals. Around the pitch were a number of stands for the spectators. Rick, Rigel, Terri and Cedric were trying to find a good seat when they nearly bumped into Doolan, the fifth year Gryffindor.

"Oops, didn't see you there, little urchins." He saw Rick and smiled. "Ah, our fearless Gryffindor. Peeves been bothering you lately?" Rick was not inclined to dignify that question with an answer.

"What's that?" He asked instead and he indicated the piece of parchment Doolan was holding.

"Just taking down bets. Care to join in? Professor Griffiths just placed a bet for 10 galleons that Gryffindor wins. Slytherin's favourite so he should walk away with a nice profit if they lose." Doolan explained.

"Put me down for five galleons, would you?" Rigel said and he dug up five golden coins out of his pocket. Rick watched the exchange sourly and briefly wished he had that much money to spend.

"Doolan!" Rick and Rigel turned around to see Garron walking up to them. "I told you to quit taking down bets, especially off first years." Garron took the money out of Doolan's hand and shoved it back into Rigel's.

"If they want to earn some money, I'm not going to stop them, Garron." Doolan replied.

"Five points from Gryffindor then." Garron said and he snatched the parchment out of Doolan's hand. "Let's see who else you wheedled money out of." Rick, Rigel, Terri and Cedric took that as their cue to leave and quickly made their way through the crowd to some free seats on the second row.

"Bloody Garron, I could've made a nice profit." Rigel complained, stowing away his money again.

"You shouldn't squander money like that." Cedric admonished.

"It's my money, isn't it? I should be able to do with it as I please." Rigel replied. The discussion was interrupted by a magically amplified voice resonating over the quidditch pitch.

"Good morning Hogwarts! Welcome to the first game of the season!" A Hufflepuff boy sitting nearby was doing the commentary. "As tradition calls for, quidditch season is opened by Gryffindor versus Slytherin!" There were loud cheers from either side of the stadium.

"Without further ado, let's give a warm welcome to last year's winners of the Quidditch cup, the Slytherin house team led by Marcus Junger!" The Slytherin supporters cheered loudly as seven players dressed in green robes came flying seemingly out of nowhere. They circled the field, rallying up their supporters and about a hundred Slytherin supporters chanted 'SLYTHERIN' in their wake.

"Junger has kept most of last year's players, with only two new additions this year. Perhaps he hopes to get the quidditch cup again this way but he'll get fierce competition from the Gryffindor team!" From the opposite side of the field, seven figures dressed in red robes flew out onto the pitch. Although Rick did not know any of the players, he cheered loudly with the rest of the Gryffindor supporters.

"Beater Sean Dobbs makes his debut as team captain and has made a number of changes in his team which he hopes will get him that cup this year. Notable newcomer in the Gryffindor team is Dean Dobbs who will be playing Seeker. I'm sure everyone in Gryffindor is excited to see what he will bring to the team. It certainly promises to be a very exciting game, people!" Professor Shaw now stepped onto the pitch as well, carrying a large wooden crate. All eyes on him, he dropped the crate in the middle of the pitch and opened it. Immediately two black balls soared up into the sky.

"Those are the bludgers I told you about." Rigel informed Rick and he recalled that Bludgers were there to try and knock as many people off their brooms as possible. It was the beaters' task to keep their fellow team members safe from the raging two balls. Next, Shaw opened a smaller box which held a small golden ball. Rigel had told him about that too. That was the snitch. Each team's seeker had to try to catch the snitch before the other team's seeker did. Catching the snitch earned a team 150 points and ended the game. Shaw released the tiny golden ball and in a flash, it had disappeared. The team captains landed and shook hands before Shaw blew his whistle and fourteen players took up their positions. Another whistle and a big red ball known as the quaffle was released and the game had begun.

"Junger immediately takes possession of the quaffle. The Sytherin team captain is in top form this year. He tosses the quaffle to Frilleck. Frilleck passes it to Ballard. Ballard back to Frilleck. Frilleck takes a shot...SCORE! 10 points to Slytherin!" Rick had never seen a quidditch match but he did not need to be an expert to see that the Slytherin team was much better than the Gryffindor team. The Gryffindor chasers could barely hold their own. They seemed to lack unity and strategy. When Humphrey managed to intercept the quaffle from Ballard, the other two Gryffindor chasers were nowhere to be found for a pass, giving the Slytherin chasers ample opportunity to gang up on Humphrey to take back possession of the quaffle. When they did pass, it was slow going and the Slytherins had not trouble intercepting them before they made it anywhere near the goals. The Slytherin chasers, on the contrary, passed the quaffle around so quickly, it was hard to keep up. They easily broke through Gryffindor's defences and the Gryffindor keeper could only stop so many goals. Soon the score was 40-0 for Slytherin. The match continued in much the same way. Even though the Gryffindor chasers managed to score a few times, the Slytherin team doubled their efforts and made at least as many goals of their own. It got painful to watch and the Slytherin supporters began to laugh at the Gryffindor players, booing at them and calling them names. Rick just hoped the Gryffindor team would not be intimidated and bounce back to still win the game. All hopes were now focussed on the Gryffindor Seeker who could still turn the tide.

"Another goal for Sytherin! They now lead 100 to 40. The Gryffindor players really need to pick up the ... wait, is that the snitch?!" Everyone jumped up to look at the seekers who had engaged in a dive right near the left Slytherin goal post. The Slytherin seeker was closest but Dean Dobbs, Gryffindor's seeker, was hot on his tail.

"Burns gets closer, Dobbs still in pursuit. If Dobbs wants his team to win, now is his chance. He's closing in and is now right at Burns' tail... This game can still end either way people!" Rick and Rigel pounded the rails, shouting and urging Dobbs along but Burns was already reaching for the snitch. In desperation, Dobbs reached as well but he was still a foot behind Burns. "Both seekers try to grab the snitch... and he has it! Burns prevails and catches the snitch. Slytherin wins 250 to 40!" The Slytherin supporters broke out in loud cheers and yells and Rick saw Livius Mordaunt jumping up and down with joy. The Gryffindor supporters looked disappointed but none seemed to take it as bad as Rigel.

"I mean, what kind of play was that!?" He ranted as they were walking back to the castle. "A troll could play better than that! When Wallace got that last quaffle, he should have banked left and passed it to Crane. She was way better positioned to make the shot! Seriously, when I get on the team..."

"Let me guess." Terri said with just a hint of mockery. "You'll do so much better."

"Yes!" Rigel replied indignantly.

"Wow, way to be modest, Bailey." Cedric teased.

"Don't make fun of me Carmichael, it isn't nice." Rigel mock-complained. "Besides, you've never seen me play. I like to think I'm at least as good a flyer as those clowns over there and at least I think about my play. You won't see me flying around like a headless chicken."

"It was only the first game." Terri tried to argue. "It doesn't mean we lost our chance for the cup. There are two more games against Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, aren't there? And by that time, I'm sure our players will have gotten better." Rick could see Rigel doubted that very much. A while off, he could see the Slytherins, Mordaunt in the thick of the crowd, still cheering and celebrating their victory.

"I hope you're right Terri, because I don't think I can cope with Mordaunt's smugness if Slytherin wins the cup." He replied.

The Slytherins carried their party down to the dungeons while the defeated Gryffindors trudged up the stairs to their dorm. Rigel, Terri and Rick automatically jumped over the sink step in the stairs, still discussing the game when Cedric's yell stopped them. For some reason, Cedric had missed the sink step and now had his right leg stuck in it. Rigel and Rick pulled him out.

"Thanks." Cedric said, glad to have solid footing again.

"Are you alright, Cedric? You seem kind of preoccupied?" Rick asked. It wasn't like Cedric to forget about these kind of things.

"I've just been thinking about Mr. Doge." He confessed.

"Who?" Rigel asked.

"The man who was murdered." Cedric replied, looking at Rigel, unbelieving he had forgotten about that so quickly.

"What about it?" Terri asked.

"Well, you said Griffiths was in Hogsmeade last night, didn't you?" Cedric said almost hesitantly.

"So?" Rick asked. "That doesn't mean he killed Doge."

"I know but isn't it a coincidence he had urgent business in Hogsmeade the same night Doge gets killed?" Cedric suggested. Terri, Rigel and Rick looked at each other.

"Yes." They replied in unison.

"Cedric, are you accusing a professor, our head of house of murder?" Rick asked incredulously. Cedric's face reddened.

"No." He said quickly as if even suggesting it was an offence. "I'm just saying it's a little weird and if he didn't have anything to do with it, maybe he saw something?" He tried to explain.

"Why don't you ask him about it?" Rick suggested.

"No way, it'll sound like I'm accusing him."

"Well, you are, aren't you?" Rigel pointed out.

"He doesn't need to know that." Cedric replied sheepishly.

"I doubt Griffiths had anything to do with the murder, Cedric. You can rest assured, he won't come and kill you in your sleep." Rick teased. He could see Cedric wasn't completely reassured about Griffiths' part in the murder but he didn't persist with his theory anymore.

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