Sorry for the long wait but I have been planning and figuring out how I will end this story. I will try to finish this story by the end of this summer (no promises) to provide you with the answers and the end you seek. As you all should know by now, all rights to the Harry Potter universe belongs to JK Rowling and no profit has been made while I have been writing this story.
The next morning, I woke up and got ready for breakfast. As was routine my cell door opened to a loud magical voice stating "Prisoners from cell block twenty-two, get up and out of bed, and be ready for inspection. Please come out of your cell with your hands on your head." Then, continuing the normal routine, two guards walked down the corridor with one guard waving his wand and in response the cells turned either red or green. As expected, my cell turned green meaning that it was clean and that I could go down for breakfast.
I walked to the cafeteria got some cereal and sat down with Cho and Fleur.
"Good morning!" I said
"Where were you last night?" asked Cho
"Locked up" I replied "I had some fun with a guy…"
Then, all of the sudden, there was a loud snap. At first, I thought it might have been some dumb prank that the other inmates where trying to pull. Then, when some inmates started to scream, I knew something was wrong. I looked up and I saw Bellatrix Lestrange, hanging in a noose, strangled by Devil's Snare. As chaos started to ensue I could see the words "The Punisher strikes again" written on her uniform.
The chaos was interrupted by the loud magical voice saying "All prisoners must return to their cells immediately! Any prisoners with knowledge about what lead to Bellatrix Lestrange's murder in the cafeteria must inform a guard immediately if they do not want an extended Azkaban sentence!"
Knowing that we did not have much of a choice in this sort of a situation Cho, Fleur, and I all left to our respective cells.
As soon as I got to my cell I closed the door behind me, rather than wait for it to close by itself magically, as I did not want to endanger myself with the chaos that may be ensuing after one of the most powerful members of the Azkaban staff was murdered.
I was then left to ponder on what had just happened. Who murdered Bellatrix Lestrange? The answer was obviously the punisher, or at the very least someone who has been inspired by the punisher's previous actions. That leads to the still unanswered question: Who is the punisher? I still have no clue. All I know is that he or she is currently responsible for the deaths of Penelope Clearwater, Sarah Tibel, and most recently Bellatrix Lestrange. The only connections I could make with these three people was Azkaban and me. Does that mean that I am next in line? Is Azkaban no longer safe for me anymore? Sadly, I had no answers to any of those questions. This was unlike when these sorts of mysteries arose at Hogwarts, here in Azkaban, I am locked up in my cell and am expected to allow the staff to find the answers. I cannot go to the library to do some research nor can I go secretly to the scene of the crime to do an investigation of my own.
After about an hour of pondering these questions my cell door shot open to reveal two guards, with their wands drawn.
"Hermione Granger!" one barked "Turn around, face the wall, get on your knees and put your hands on your head!"
Seeing absolutely no reason to resist, I followed their orders exactly. As expected they handcuffed me and lead me out of my cell and down the hall. I was then brought into an integration room, not unlike the one that Bellatrix interrogated me in after Sarah Tibel's murder. The guards then uncuffed me and cuffed my wrists to the interrogation table. After that was done they left, leaving me alone to wait and ponder my own thoughts.
After fifteen minutes or so, Kingsley Shacklebolt walked into the interrogation room. He sat down on the chair across from me and ordered "Hermione, I am going to need you to tell me everything you know about the punisher."
"Well that's easy" I replied "I know nothing."
"That's what they told me what you would say." said Kingsley "But I need more than that. The truth is that this punisher story is getting a lot of attention in the news right now and as a result this case is growing in profile with high level aurors, like me, being constantly added as part of the investigation. I don't know if the next auror will be as kind to you as I am now. Now Hermione, please, I need you to tell me everything that you know about the punisher."
"I can't" I told Kingsley "The only things I know about the punisher are basic facts. All I know is that the punisher killed Penelope Clearwater, Sarah Tibel, and Bellatrix Lestrange. The serial killer, if we can call whoever is doing this that, seems to be Azkaban based."
"Is that it?" asked Kingsley
"Yes" I answered
"Well now I have to tell you the ministry's running theory, that you are the Punisher…" Kingsley started
"That's not true!" I interrupted
"That is why I said 'the ministry's running theory' as I personally don't think you are a serial killer." explained Kingsley "However their facts are quite compelling. They believe that you killed Sarah Tibel because you were dissatisfied with her work which resulted in you getting a life sentence in Azkaban. They back up this fact thanks to a payment made to her account shortly before her murder, that payment relieved you from the remaining hours you had to work for her."
"That payment is because a friend of mine is trying to help me appeal my case" I once again interrupted "Plus Bellatrix already told me this theory and I told her, as I now tell you, that story is untrue!"
"Calm down Hermione and let me tell you the rest of the ministry's theory." replied Kingsley "The ministry also believes that, after you killed Sarah Tibel, your soul became divided and killing didn't bother you anymore. Therefore, after you were pregnant with Neville's child and after you got an abortion from Penelope Clearwater, you killed Doctor Clearwater, to avoid her from spilling the beans to the tabloids."
"That's ridiculous!" I once again interrupted
"Hermione, remember who is in the seat of power, I really need you to hear me out on the rest of the ministry's theory" said Kingsley
"Okay" I replied
"Finally they believe you killed Bellatrix because she was on your trail and she took half of your life savings at your trial. Do you have any questions or reputes against the ministry's theory?" asked Kingsley
"Well most of it is bullshit and I would happily dispute it in a court of law." I replied "The ministry's theory has gapping holes in it, and their links to me are weak at best."
"How so?" asked Kingsley
"Well let's focus on what happened earlier today with the death of Bellatrix." I started "Sure, I don't like her, but there are a ton of other inmates who don't like her either. That also does not explain how I got and used Devil's Snare, if we are to follow the ministry's theory, to kill Bellatrix Lestrange. The theory also ignores the fact that there were dozens of other inmates in the cafeteria at the time, anyone of them could have killed her."
"Well what the ministry is betting on is your power. You are one of the if not the most powerful witches locked up in Azkaban. Let me show you some of the evidence that has been filed against you." said Kingsley pulling a file out of his folder "This is the report card from your final year at Hogwarts. In it your herbology professor, Pomona Sprout, gave you an O and wrote as I quote 'Hermione Granger has proved to be very talented with herbology throughout her years at Hogwarts. She can already be classified as a great herbologist and could have a great career in this field if she chooses to pursue it.'"
"So what?" I asked
"So what!?" exclaimed Kingsley "What do you mean by 'so what'? That is a sufficient amount of evidence to prove that you could have killed Bellatrix. In a court, all the crown would have left to prove is that you had a motive to kill Bellatrix! A motive which I just outlined for you."
"Well it seems that the ministry has already made up their mind!" I replied "Let them take me to trial! I will no longer talk about this issue without a lawyer by my side."
"Alright then" said Kingsley while he packed up his stuff "Guards, take this inmate back to her cell!"
Two guards came into the room, uncuffed me from the interrogation table, forced my hands behind my back, and handcuffed me. They then walked me back to my cell where I would have to wait for the next time that I would be allowed out, to be with the other inmates of Azkaban.