Hello everyone! Sorry for the wait again, but things are always coming up that delay me from posting new chapters. Here's Chapter 14 - enjoy!
Ron somberly followed Harry and Tonks, dragging his feet across the unploughed snow. The first two houses in the lower valley were a letdown – either the dwellers inside ignored them, or nobody was home, though he was quite sure it wasn't the latter. After banging on the door of the house they just left, a sea of snow tumbled off the roof onto the less-than-happy trio.
"Well, third time's the charm," Harry mumbled, shaking the rest of the snow out of his hair as they approached another home.
Tonks strode forward purposefully, giving the door a sharp rap. She stepped back and they waited anxiously. Ron looked back towards the ruins of the Woodsworth home in the distance, unnerved by what he felt from it.
A second later, the door flew open and a short, stout woman peered up at them. She was wrapped in a long, wool sweater and had her wiry blackish grey hair tucked into a loose bun. Ron gulped as her beady grey eyes surveyed him.
"Can I help you?" she said, her voice in irritable octaves. "And make it quick, this draft is doing nothing for my health."
Tonks gave both Ron and Harry and knowing look, and then cleared her throat. "So sorry to bother you. We're actually here to inquire about the Woodsworths, if y—"
The small woman turned on her heel and shuffled back inside, leaving the door wide open. "If that's what this is about, it isn't going to be quick."
Ron shot Tonks a bewildered look, who looked equally as confused.
"Well, stop lollygagging and come in!" the woman called from inside. "Shut the door, if you do mind."
The three of them looked at each other and shrugged, stepping inside. Ron pulled at his scarf – the tiny house was startlingly humid, and he found it painful to shut the door behind him and stop the flow of cool air.
Down a narrow hallway and to the left did they find the woman sitting in a worn armchair, sipping away at a chipped mug. She nodded her head towards a couch, and they squeezed into it uncomfortably. Ron's nosed tickled from the thick aroma of coffee that blanketed the room.
"So, Miss..."
"Call me Elene. And you are?"
Tonks pulled out her notepad and a quill. "Private investigators."
Elene took a slow sip of her coffee and glanced at Ron and Harry suspiciously. "Awful young, you two."
"They're my trainees," Tonks continued. "I'll be asking the questions today. Have you been questioned about the Woodsworths before?"
Elene chuckled derisively. "Ever since two summers ago, the only people who've been knocking on my door are the police or investigators." Ron couldn't help but notice that statement came with a sad undertone.
"When was the last time you saw or communicated any member of the Woodsworth family?" Tonks asked sternly. Ron could only stare – he was always used to Tonks bubbly personality, and didn't ever see the serious Auror side of her before. Her plain new hair-do intensified that.
Elene brushed a few loose grey strands out of her face and stared off into the distance. "Well, can't say I've seen Robert for years, not since he walked out. Man of the household," she added at Tonks' questioning look.
"And his wife?"
Elene paused and frowned, the lines on her forehead stark. "Sophia isn't... well, she rarely left her home. When did she, she was a right mess, and only left to buy herself drinks down at the shops."
Tonks nodded distractedly, scribbling this down. Elene stared at her quill with a bemused expression. A tawny eyed cat slinked into the room and leapt up on top of Elene's armchair, cocking its head and examining the strangers.
"I didn't even know about the fire – slept right through it, I think," Elene continued, pouring herself another cup of coffee. "Such a shame."
"Do you have any idea where they may have relocated?" Tonks asked.
Elene pursed her lips tightly. "I've no idea. I don't pry."
Tonks decided to change the subject. "The Woodsworths, they had a son..."
"Little Liam," she said with a bit of a titter. "Charming lad. What of him?"
Ron narrowed his eyes tightly at the mention of Liam and looked away. Charming, she said. How many people did he fool with his act?
Tonks struggled to form her words delicately. "Well, how long have you known Liam Woodsworth?"
Elene sniffed and took a generous sip of coffee once again, reminiscing. "The Woodsworths lived in Rickshaw for years. Known the boy since he was born. Bit of an odd one, but nicer than most of the lads in town. Always offered to get me kitty food for Libby here."
The dark cat meowed at the mention of her name and jumped off, slinking himself around Ron's feet. He groaned quietly and attempted to shift the feline away with a foot.
"And the last time you saw him?"
"A few days ago, actually."
Ron snapped his head up from the cat to look at the old woman in her chair. Harry's daydream was also shattered and he sat up straight, alarmed.
"Was there – was there anyone with him?" Ron had to ask, his voice hoarse from lack of use.
Elene raised her eyebrows, amused. "Not at all. Liam keeps to himself."
"Why was he here, if his house is in ruins?" asked Tonks, also thrown off by the unexpected response.
"Haven't a clue," Elene simply replied, much to Ron's dismay. "Coffee?"
Ron shook his head, frustrated. His mind churned with questions and thoughts. Liam wasn't completely disassociated with Rickshaw if he was returning to it, but why?
"What could he possibly want from Rickshaw?" Tonks muttered to herself, reflecting Ron's thoughts.
"Liam hasn't been quite the same since two summers ago, poor thing." Elene commented, stroking Libby's fur. "If I could take a jab, he's back for closure."
"What exactly happened two summers ago?" Harry inquired, confused.
"Oh dear, I thought you knew!" Elene said with genuine shock. She poured herself her third cup of coffee before she began. "Since his father left and his mother became a hopeless case, Liam's life was quite a struggle, but he had a friend that helped him through it. They were friends since a wee age, and in the summer and winter when Liam returned from his schooling, they were never seen apart."
"Can I have a name?" Tonks interrupted, quill at the ready.
"Holly. Holly Gallagher. Very pretty girl, but also a bit odd like Liam. It was good that they had each other, because they were often teased by kids their age in the upper valley. We don't have it so great down here, never have..." Elene murmured, eyes hooded.
"Where might we find her?" said Harry eagerly. "Surely she'd know wh—"
"She's dead," Elene retorted flatly. "Cold blooded murder."
There was a moment of silence before Tonks whispered, "Who?"
Elene sighed and shook her head sadly. "No one's ever known. Some thought it was someone out-of-town – everyone knows everyone in Rickshaw. It happened at the very end of the summer, when Liam had already travelled back to school. It was a nasty shock for him when he returned for Christmas, suddenly alone." She paused. "They found her hours later behind some bushes at the outskirts of the valley. Slit throat."
Ron gulped and suddenly felt uneasy. He hated himself for offering the tiniest bit of sympathy towards Liam. He may have deserved it in the past, but not anymore.
"It doesn't stop there. A few months later, a couple lads from the upper valley were killed in the same way. It tore Rickshaw apart," Elene whispered, eyes glassy with thoughts of the past. "We haven't recovered."
He bet money that it was Liam who took care of those two boys when he returned for Christmas. It wasn't one stranger who killed these people – those boys killed the girl, and Liam killed them in a vendetta. The pieces fit. Ron shot a meaningful look at Harry, who nodded and mouthed the word 'Pansy'. She was killed in the same way, too.
"Is that why Rickshaw seems very detached?" Tonks said. "I've noticed the residents here aren't very... social with strangers."
Elene's mouth twitched and she shrugged rather stiffly. "Can't blame us. Most don't open their doors to strangers, especially police types. We've had enough of that. We just want to return to the way it was..."
Tonks scribbled something down in her notepad. Elene watched her closely before standing up abruptly and crossing her arms.
"Sometimes he comes to visit Camille – Miss Gallagher. She lives just two houses down. As for Sophia, she's disappeared. That's all I know. If you please," she said, walking towards the front door. "I have errands to run."
Ron got up and stretched his legs, relieved to finally leave the stuffy home. Elene opened the door crossly and ushered them out – as soon as Ron stepped onto the porch, she nearly slammed the door shut behind him.
Tonks squinted her eyes and looked down the path. There were less and less houses as the path went along, and it ended with thick forest at the end.
"Well, we know where to go next," Tonks piped up, walking back onto the unploughed path.
"Do you think it was Liam who killed those boys?" he asked Tonks as they trekked across the snow.
Tonks slipped her notepad back into her cloak. "I believe so, yes. We don't have all the information but it makes sense, doesn't it?"
"But Liam knows magic... why did he resort to Muggle methods of killing? It would have been a lot less messy and easier..."
Tonks gave him a keen look, clearly pleased that he was asking questions.
"Killing with magic is too instant. We have to remember, Liam is a Muggle-born. It's clear he has a built-up rage inside of him, and he knew that Muggle methods of murder could cause a lot more pain." There was a beat, and then, "He wants his victims to suffer."
Ron's stomach churned uncomfortably at the thought of Hermione having to slowly suffer. He could only wish it was him instead of her somehow. Liam had better wish it wasn't Ron that found him first. He would drop his wand and throttle him with his own hands.
"Personal," Ron whispered, realization striking him with a heavy blow. Harry blinked, confused.
"It's a lot more personal when you kill without magic helping you."
I hope you liked the chapter, and please don't forget to review your thoughts, questions and theories!
-heylooklisten