Notes:
This is in response to Deal or No Deal: 90s TV Shows for Facebook Group - Dramione Fanfiction Writers
I was given the prompt: Unsolved Mysteries
This is unbeta'd so all mistakes are my own.
The Death of Theodore Nott
The fingers tapping on the top of the wooden desk echoed through their sparse office. The stacks of case files filled up the corners of their desk. Slowly, they worked on diminishing the ever growing towers. Over the past year as partners, they chose to take one weekend out of the month to filter through at least a portion of the stacks no matter how many times they received paper cuts.
Hermione Granger, now the partner of Draco Malfoy, usually found herself wanting to blast hexes at the arrogant man by the end of the weekend. No matter how much food or liquor she'd give him to quiet his smart mouth, he'd manage to insult or tease her in some form or another. If she didn't find him one of the most useful, intelligent Aurors she'd ever worked with, she'd have gone to Harry and had him switch partners.
If she were being honest with herself, it had taken her a whole weekend to agree to be Draco Malfoy's partner when Harry came to her with this decision. Harry had stated that she was the only one he knew that would be level headed and treat him as any new employee but damned if she didn't throw things in frustration behind her closed bedroom door. She cursed and screamed at the unfairness of it all, but by the end of the weekend she had sat down and realized the rationality of it all. Harry wasn't wrong, she would treat him as if he was just another new employee because that was how things should be done. No one should have their past held against them.
Damn my logic, she had thought.
Their first day of working together had gone as expected. Her going over ground rules, procedures, and cases trying her best to stay professional despite the agitation eating at her when he continued to be uninterested. He didn't even try to look like he was paying attention. But then came the end of their shift and he cornered her outside the Ministry with an apology. From there the two of them managed to get past their history and work together as one cohesive unit.
Now, Hermione couldn't imagine not working with Malfoy, despite his annoying habit of clicking the tips of his fingers against the wooden table as he read over case files. Rubbing her temples, she pulled down another casefile. Her eyes, blurry from reading over all the inked script across tired pages, blinked blankly as she pulled another case from the bile. The words suicide were stamped across the top in dark red, worn ink. Rubbing her eye, she closed the file and placed it to the side and grabbed another file.
Draco walked over a few minutes later, picking up the file placed to the side of her. His gaze widening as he picked up the file. "Granger, you can't just toss a file away because it says suicide…" His gaze hardened as he started reading over the details of the case. She turned her head up to see him looking rather serious. Coming to attention, she sat up and watched his eyes dart back and forth over the page at lightning speed.
"What is it, Malfoy?" She questioned as she watched him.
He turned the case to face her. A familiar picture of a man staring across the desk at her. "Theo Nott did not commit suicide." Draco's voice cut through with enough anger to fuel his words with fire. "I knew the man, and I can tell you with one hundred percent certainty he would not kill himself." She took the file from his fingers, having to tug just slightly as his grip would not release it willingly.
Having the file now in her hands and taking the time to read it. She felt a sudden jolt in her chest, guilt, for tossing it to the side. The file had bare bone facts and it set her blood on fire as she realized that this case had barely been looked at. That whoever had investigated had written his death off as another Death Eater suicide.
Theo Nott, son of Theodore Nott Senior, was found in Nott Manor on the eve of May 3rd. His wand was not by his body. Searches were placed around the manor for the wand but it was missing. His body lay in the drawing room of the West Wing, no signs of foul play. No bruises. No cuts. No open wounds. There were reminits of magic - the Crusiatus curse as well as the killing curse, but because the wand was unable to be located there was no way to trace the magic.
A suicide note lay beside his body. It read -
Dear world,
I can no longer be part of this new world. I do not know how to fix the mistakes my father left behind. I am unwelcome. I am the son of a Death Eater, so I have been labeled one as well. The love of my life rejects me. I have no family. I cannot go on.
Theo
There were three key witnesses called into questioning but all had solid alibis. Harry Potter was also called in for questioning due to one accusation from one of the witnesses but we were able to disprove this accusation and he was let go.
Hermione felt a sick twist in her stomach. Harry had mentioned a few years ago, while he had been a probationary Auror, some mix up with a case but she had not known to what extent. She didn't know Theo as well as Draco, but her heart reached out for her partner. What she did know of Theo Nott from school was that he was intelligent, witty and cunning. The pride that leaked from him, in the quiet of the hallways, would not lead him to sucide. She knew this as well as she knew her middle name.
"Hermione." Her head whipped up to see the broken expression in Draco's eyes. "He wouldn't kill himself."
"I believe you," she reassured as she stood up, the file in her fingers. "We will look at the whole case." She started for the door. "Let's go pull the interviews and the rest of the notes." Draco swallowed the lump in his throat and followed her out, watching the determination in her stride. The guilt he felt over his schoolmate's death slowly diminishing as a newfound feeling of purpose wormed its way up.
Several hours passed as they found them in the underground halls of the Ministry in the archived library. Sitting on the floor beside the file cabinet, they found all the files in relation to the case, slim as it was, and spread it out before them. The witness statements were slim and full of concerning information, but there had been no followup interviews. Worry trickled into Hermione as she realized that this case had been written off due to the victim's family ties. When she glanced over at Draco, reading a witness statement, she saw the strain in his face, the narrowing of his eyes and felt the guilt triple fold.
"I'm sorry Draco," she spoke out quietly. "Theo deserved more than this."
Draco shook his head, brushing her off. "Listen to this. It's a witness statement from Pansy Parkinson," he interrupted. His voice lowered as he started to read the statement aloud to her.
" Witness Name: Pansy Parkinson. Date: May 5th. Time: 11:48 in the morning.
Auror Rathor: Please state your name and your relationship with the victim."
Draco paused and glanced up at his partner. . " He must be retired? I don't recognize the name." Hermione nodded. Draco looked back down at the scrap of paper and continued reading.
" Pansy Parkinson. I was friends with Theo Nott in school, and am good friends with his girlfriend, er ex-girlfriend, now? Daphne Greengrass. They've been off and on since school, but Theo's been off lately. He broke things off with her out of the blue. Left me to clean up his mess.
Auror Rathor: Were you angry with him because of this? Did you see him the day of his death?
Pansy: Yes I saw him and I went over there because he was keeping secrets from all of us - Daphne, Blaise, me. I went to confront him about his behavior and he was mad and told me to get out. No one tells me what to do. He even pointed his wand at me!
*Note from Auror Rathor* Her face is flushed and she is very angry about his behavior to her best friend.
Auror Rathor: Did you leave after that?
Pansy: Yes, but I took my sweet time doing it.
*Another note* - Smug smile on the lady's face.
Auror Rathor: What did you do?
Pansy: I set his dining table on fire.
Auror Rathor: The table?
The suspect does not mention why. Auror goes on to ask about her alibi at the time of his death.
Pansy: I was with Daphne, consoling her through her tears! She was heartbroken over the prat! They had their whole future planned and then wham - he breaks it off spouting some bullshit about how she's not who he wants and left me to deal with the mess! He wouldn't even tell me the real reason! He started pulling away from all of his friends and wouldn't say anything. I was sick of it. So I tried to confront him but he wouldn't say anything.
*Auror ends interview*"
Hermione leaned back against the cold metal of the cabinet behind her. Her brow furrowed over her eyes as she looked toward the ceiling, eyes unseeing. "She sounds pretty angry," she admitted as she started thinking aloud. "I also know that is part of Pansy's personality though. She's gruff and wild, prone to flying off the handle at anything." She looked over at Draco to see him nodding in confirmation.
"Yeah, I mean that was Pansy all through school. And she is particularly possessive of Daphne," he pondered as he started pulling another interview from the stack. "Honestly, I always wondered if Pansy was in love with her. But Pansy dated off and on with men so I brushed it off."
Hermione nodded, "Some people are just protective of their loved ones."
Nodding once to acknowledge her statement, he tried not to linger on her words. Quietly, he started reading the next file.
" Witness Name: Daphne Greengrass. Date: May 5th. Time: 12:53 in the afternoon.
Auror Rathor: Please state your name for the record and your relationship with Theo Nott.
Daphne: Daphne Greengrass. I was his girlfriend, well I was up until a few days before then. So I guess at the time of his death I was his ex-girlfriend.
Auror Rathor: Did you see him the day of his death?
Daphne: Yes. I met him right after breakfast to talk with him. He and I were together off and on for so long that we knew one another quite well. I could tell he was off - that something was really bothering him.
Auror Rathor: Did he tell you what was bothering him?
*note from the Auror* Suspect seems rather twitchy with this line of questioning. Hesitant to answer.
Daphne: Yes. He did. He told me that he was in love with someone else.
Auror: Who?
Daphne: I'd rather not say…
Auror: Unfortunately, this is pertinent to the case and you will have to reveal it to me.
Daphne: Harry Potter.
Auror: You are sure?
Daphne: He told me himself.
Draco pauses, his eyes squinty at a note in the corner of the document. "He writes a little note that he wonders if the victim was suffering delusions? What in Merlin's Beard? Where the heck does he have the grounds to write this hogwash?" Hermione started to answer but he cut her off as he continued to read.
"Auror Rathor: Did this make you angry?
Daphne: I won't lie and say I wasn't upset. I thought we'd always be together. He was my very best friend, and yes, I knew that he was interested in men too but he always came back to me. It was supposed to be us in the end. Purebloods, but not stuck in the old ways. We were going to lead our families into the light.
Auror Rathor: How did he seem when you left?
Daphne: Broken, so very broken. My poor Theo. But then Blaise showed up and that made him smile, I think. Blaise makes everyone laugh.
Auror Rathor: Where were you at the time of his passing?
Daphne: I was with my family. We had family dinner with my sister Astoria.
*Auror ends the notes*"
Draco looked up at Hermione. Concern etched at the corner of his eyes. "Astoria was in France - she was their studying fashion."
"Maybe she was home for a visit during break." Hermione offered, but Draco didn't look started filtering through the papers spread out before them. Her eyes searching high and low, words tumbling between her lips under her breath. "I don't show any documentation about an interview with Harry, though…" Hermione paused when a hand reached across her view. Blinking wildly, she pulled back as a piece of paper was handed to her. "Oh. Thank you."
She read over the sparse words written on the scrap of paper and felt a sense of disbelief. "Auror Rathor was an imbecile," she hissed, the venom deep inside her veins. "He writes, Spoke with Harry Potter. He states that he hardly saw the boy outside of school. Did not know much about him other than he was a Slytherin. His alibi checked out - he was with Ron Weasley."
Hermione felt a sinking churn in her gut as she listened to Draco rattle on. Her heart raced inside her chest as she started to recall the dates that were mentioned. She was however rattled from her thoughts when the next, and last, suspect statement was read.
"Witness Name: Blaise Zabini. Date: May 5th. Time: 2:11 in the afternoon.
Auror Rathor: Please state your name and your relationship with the victim.
Blaise: The name is Blaise Zabini. Theo and I were mates, went to school together.
Auror Rathor: How was Theo when you saw him on May 3rd? Did he seem in good spirits?
Blaise: No. He was in a dark place. He wouldn't tell me what was going on. We argued and that's unusual.
Auror: How so? Do you fight much?
Blaise: We've only fought one time.
Auror: What happened?
*Auror Rathor note - Suspect looks sheepish. Squirmy.*
Blaise: Theo and Daphne, a year or two ago, were on a break… and I slept with her. Theo was all sorts of messed up about it. It took a long while for us to get back into a good place.
Auror Rathor: But ultimately, she went back to him?
Blaise: Well yeah, they're meant to be. Or so I guess they thought.
Auror Rathor: But you don't agree?
Blaise: Nah. If they were meant to be don't you think Theo would have proposed? Put a ring on it so to speak?
Auror Rathor: Were you in love with Daphne? Are you in love with Daphne?
*Auror note - Suspect looks angry. *
Blaise: Look, what was between Daphne and me was in the past.
Auror Rathor: Where were you at the time of Theo Nott's death?
Blaise: At a pub probably. Nah, I think I met with Daphne at her place for a drink.
*ends note*
Hermione watched Draco rise from his position on the floor and stretch his arms above his head, his shirt rising across his abdomen. A glimpse of the well defined muscles peaked over at her which caused her to duck her head and pretend to be busy when he adjusted himself.
"Granger, this Auror was an ass. Also, no one has a solid alibi!" Draco started to pace, shaking his head as he went. His hair falling over his forehead and into his vision as he tried to process through all the information being thrown at them. "Were there any more interviews? Follow ups? Evidence?"
Hermione could only shake her head as she tried to pull paper after paper for more clues. "No… No follow up interviews. There doesn't even seem to be an investigation after this information came to light. He doesn't have any notes about trying to verify or disprove their alibis… And Theo's wand was never located…"
"Granger, there are no evidence containers either. The notes on the remnant magic around his body is pathetic at best." Draco's expression had Hermione's heart strings tug in her chest. Sorrow, pain etched into every line around his mouth and eyes. The look of loss that crossed his eyes had her standing up. Slowly, as if not to spook a beast, she stepped into his orbit and gently took his hand into hers. Turning him toward her, she squeezed his hand.
"It'll be okay. We will find the truth. I'll spend the next century if I have to," she promised with a watery smile.
His answering half smile was all the thanks she needed as he looked into her eyes. "Thanks, Granger." The world turned on its axis when he leaned forward and brushed a gentle kiss against her forehead. "I don't know what I would do if it weren't for you." He tugged her into the circle of his arms and held her tight. She couldn't see him, but she felt the shakes in his body. His tears were silent, but the sorrow echoed hollowly through the room.
A couple hours later, after having sent Draco home to rest while she started collecting the case file, she found herself walking back toward her office where she found Harry seated in a chair across from her desk. His feet were propped up on the table as he ate an apple, loudly. Hermione flicked her wand out and pointed it at him making him drop his feet roughly from her desk.
"Ah, there you are, 'Mione!" He smiled at her. She rolled her eyes as she walked around the desk. "What are you still doing here?"
Harry shrugged. "Checking in on you. I was about to leave when I saw your light on. Figured I'd check in and make sure everything was okay."
She could only shrug in response. "Fine. Just working through old cases, you know. The usual."
He nodded as he stood, tossing his apple core in her bin. "Alright, well I best get home to Ginny then."
Hermione gnawed on her bottom lip, fighting the warring sides inside her chest. Just before he reached the door, she shouted his name. He stopped, turned toward her, and raised a well placed brow. "I have a question for you."
"Okay - what is it?" He stepped toward her.
"May 3rd, the year Theo Nott died, where were you?" The words came out like venom on her tongue.
Harry shrugged. "Probably at the pub with Ron, why?"
Hermione shook her head. She knew otherwise. The dread filled her senses as she spilled out the words. "That's not possible. Ron and I were in Australia looking for my parents…"
Harry shrugged, his eyes flickered toward the door. "I'm not sure then, 'Mione." He waved his hand and grinned sloppily at her. "I've got to get going."
Draco came storming out of her office as she was walking down the hall the following morning. Her head throbbed from all the facts that had been living rent free inside her brain. Sleep had been a ship in the night, fleeting and gone before she could even say her eyes closed. Her attire, a pair of jeans and a loose blouse were all skewed, so she knew she looked a wreck but her eyes couldn't stay open long enough to care.
"Granger!" She peeked open an eye as she came to a sudden stop before the blond man. "Did you take the files home?"
Both eyes popped open. "No - I told you I'd keep them at my desk."
"They're not there."
Furious storm cloud filled eyes met the dark whiskey of her own. Dread filled both their souls as they realized all the clues that they had were contained in those very files.