A/N - Here you go friends! As promised just over two weeks gap between chapters! Please read, enjoy, and review! xx

Chapter 4 – We Three

Kingsley arrived bright and early the following morning. In fact Harry had just barely got out of bed when there was a knock on his front door.

Harry let him in and showed him into the kitchen.

'You want some coffee?' he asked, as he almost tripped over a mewling Sorrell.

'I want to know what you found out Harry, it is a matter of some urgency.' Kingsley said folding his hands on top of the table.

'Well excuse me for wanting a little small talk before we get into the grisly details.' Harry muttered as he exited the kitchen for his study.

'From what I've heard you've haven't been big on small talk for some time.' Kingsley called after him.

'Things change.' Harry said, returning to the kitchen with the papers Snape had given him. 'Here you go, this is all we could find, and believe me it took some effort.'

'We?' Kingsley questioned, raising his eyebrows slightly.

'Yes we.'

'Hmm' Kingsley said browsing quickly through the background check Snape had done. 'This is all he found? It's not terribly helpful is it? I expected a bit more from Severus to be honest.'

'What exactly did you expect?' Harry snapped, though he wondered why he was all of a sudden defending Snape when he had asked the same thing. 'He did at least do a background check.'

'Which he is required to do by law.' Kingsley pointed out, with an amused look on his face.

'Whatever.' Harry muttered. 'It's not like he was expecting his prospective customers to be serial killers.'

'I imagine not.'

'Will the information at least be helpful in giving you a place to start?' Harry asked.

'Oh yes. I'll pass it onto the team this morning.'

'Who's on the team?' Harry asked casually,

'Prewitt, Jones, McCarthy, and Zabini.' Kingsley replied just as casually.

'Blaise Zabini's an Auror?' Harry asked in disbelief.

'A Junior Auror, but yes.' Kingsley paused. 'Have you given any thought to working on the case?'

'I've considered it yes. In what capacity would I be working on it?'

'As a consultant. You would have access to all the teams information as would they to yours, but you wouldn't be required to attend the ministry, you'd be free to work from home.' Kingsley paused again. 'Though I would encourage you to come to the ministry at least to meet the rest of the team. It would do you good to get out.'

'I went out yesterday.' Harry grumbled.

Kingsley just looked at him.

'If I do this I'd need to be free to discuss it with Ron and Hermione.' Harry added.

'I would expect nothing less. You always were more effective as a group. Just ensure that they understand the consequences should they leak any information regarding the case to the press. Or anyone else for that matter.' Kingsley leaned back in his chair and folded his arms.

Harry rolled his eyes. 'Please we've been avoiding the press for years.'

'I take it that means you're in?' Kingsley asked with a twinkle in his eye worthy of Dumbledore.

'I'm in.' Harry said.

…

That evening was Harry's monthly visit to Ron and Hermione's for dinner. As Harry had become more and more reclusive, they had become more and more insistent about seeing him for dinner each week, and Harry had started to run out of excuses to cancel. When he pulled the 'I have to wash my hair' excuse he knew he should just give up the game. Hermione promised that they would stop badgering him as long as he committed to a dinner every month without fail.

Harry always went, but this was the first time in over two years that he actually enjoyed himself.

He couldn't explain it really, he just knew there was a difference in him, like a light had switched on somewhere or a fog had lifted. He found himself chatting animatedly with them both, actually interested in what they had to say instead of just pretending as he had in the past. Or perhaps it was just the fact that he had news of his own to tell them for once that made him so animated.

Harry had brought the case file with him, and was patiently waiting until after they'd finished eating to show it to them.

They had moved from the kitchen to the living room, settling in for some more conversation and after dinner drinks when Harry finally brought it up. He pulled the case file from his pocket and enlarged it to its normal size.

'Kingsley came to see me a few days ago.' He said casually, placing the file on the table.

'That wouldn't have anything to do with your current good mood would it?' Hermione asked.

'I'm just surprised you actually let him in. I didn't think you would.' Ron added.

'You mean you knew he was coming to see me and you didn't give me a heads up?' Harry asked, feeling disgruntled.

'Well to be honest Harry I was afraid if we told you he might be coming that you would either strengthen your wards to block him or you'd simply move and set up somewhere else.' Hermione said with a stern look.

'Move? Why would I move because someone was coming for a visit?' Harry huffed.

'You moved 6 times in the year after the war ended.' Hermione pointed out. 'And not all of them were triggered by the press hounding you so don't use that as an excuse.'

'Wasn't one of them cause Seamus and Dean threw you a surprise party for your birthday?' Ron sniggered.

Harry glared at Ron. 'You shouldn't have let them into my house in the first place, you bloody knew that I'd hate it and yet you practically encouraged them to do it.'

Ron held his hands up, 'I thought it would be good for you! I certainly didn't think it would make you pack up and move.'

Hermione shook her head. 'Let's get back to the original point shall we?' She turned to Harry. 'You were saying that Kingsley came to see you?'

'Yes.' Harry said shortly. 'Though I expect you know why since you seemed to be in on the conspiracy.'

'For crying out loud mate it isn't a conspiracy. Your self imposed isolation has made you barmy!' Ron exclaimed.

Hermione shot Ron a dark look. 'What he means to say is that we don't know what it was about. Only that he wanted to contact you and asked us for advice on how to do that. Nothing more.'

'Fine I believe you. Just tell me next time if I'm to expect visitors. I promise I won't run away.'

'Okay fine we promise we'll tell you. Now tell us what this was about.' Hermione said in earnest.

'Nothing good I'm afraid.' Harry gestured towards the file. 'He wants my help with this case.'

'What case?' asked Ron, as Hermione pulled the file towards her and started reading.

'Oh my, this has been on the news Harry, both wizarding and muggle.' She said as she pulled out the first of the photographs. 'This is awful.'

'This is the case?' Ron asked, peering over Hermione's shoulder to look at information on the first murder. 'The murder of Lydia Rozanov? That Russian witch who's doing research on a new truth serum? That's been all over the Daily Prophet.'

'Ron there's more than one murder in this file.' Hermione said, pulling out the second photograph.

'What?' Ron said. 'I don't understand. They want you to work on two different cases? What's the connection?'

'It's not two its five.' Hermione whispered.

'Ron what has the prophet been reporting about Lydia Rozanov's death?' Harry quickly asked. 'Did they say how she was killed?'

'No nothing specific. You know the Prophet, it's mostly rumors and hearsay and not much actual truth.' Ron said. 'The most they've said is that they suspect it was a political killing due to the manner in which she was killed.'

'Why would it be a political killing?' Harry wondered.

'Harry this is the problem with you isolating yourself, you have no idea of what's going on in the outside world do you?' Ron said. 'Lydia Rozanov was a Russian witch visiting London at the time she was killed. She was receiving a lot of attention in the media at the time because of this research she was doing on truth serums. It was very controversial actually.' He added.

'So that's why they're reporting it as being a political killing? Because she was Russian?' Harry asked. 'Or because it was controversial research? That's crazy.'

Hermione finally looked up from the case file to weigh in on the conversation. 'It's a combination really of both her nationality and her research. Ron was right when he said it was controversial. By all reports she was a brilliant witch and this research was going to change the face of potions if she was successful. The problem was a lot of people didn't want it to succeed. That's why the Prophet and a lot of other papers are saying it was political; they think she was killed to prevent her research getting into the hands of the Russian government.'

'It's not political.' Harry said flatly. 'I don't see how it can be.'

Ron was sifting through the file now, his brow furrowed in concentration. 'I don't understand. These murders are all different from each other, done at different times, places, and the victims are all from different countries even. Why are they in the same file?'

'There's once very important linking factor Ron.' Harry said. 'They were all killed without magic.'

'Wait so you're saying a muggle did this?' Ron asked. 'All of these killings were done by a muggle? That doesn't make sense.'

'It couldn't be a muggle.' Hermione said. 'The victims were all witches and wizards, no muggle could subdue a wizard for the length of time needed to do this to a victim. Any magic user would easily be able to escape.'

Harry nodded. 'That's what the ministry thinks. We can only conclude that the killer is a wizard with muggle knowledge who is holding a serious grudge against magic.' Harry paused. 'With serious psychological problems.' He added.

'So you're saying we're dealing with a wizard serial killer?' Hermione asked.

'What's a serial killer?' Ron asked.

'It's a muggle term for someone who kills multiple people in a fairly short span of time.' Hermione said briskly.

'Blimey.' Ron said, as he continued to look through the files. 'This is horrible. I don't understand why anyone would do this. Muggles are awful.'

'I'm going to pretend you didn't just say that Ronald.' Hermione snapped. 'Not all muggles are like that obviously, and many wizards are just as bad or have you completely forgotten Voldemort?'

Ron had the decency to at least blush. 'Voldemort was in a different league altogether.' He said. 'Besides what I meant was that wizard killings are usually done by the killing curse, this is just so messy and gruesome, and painful.'

'All death is messy and gruesome and painful Ron.' Harry said flatly. 'I understand that this is hard for you to deal with since you have no concept of muggle violence, and believe me I've been there myself over the last two days, but don't forget what we have on our hands here is worse than a simple muggle serial killer. It's a wizard responsible for these killings Ron, it has to be. No muggle could have subdued a wizard like this. What he did to them took time, and by all reports the victims were completely immobilized throughout the ordeal.'

'A wizard serial killer.' Hermione said. 'I didn't ever consider that this could happen.'

'Neither did I.' Harry said. 'It was naïve of us. We're all human beings, both muggles and wizards, there is no reason why the worst of humanity shouldn't be just as present in wizarding society as in muggles.'

Hermione nodded faintly. 'You're right.'

'How do they know that these murders are all done by one person?' Ron asked sifting through the case file once again. 'If they weren't killed by magic then there isn't a trace left behind. I mean yes that's the same in all the victims, but what other proof do they have? All the methods used are different. One was killed with a knife, one was strangled, one was killed by gun shot. What's gun shot?'

'It's a muggle weapon.' Hermione explained.

'That's what Kingsley wants me to start with.' Harry said. 'They need to know why all these people were targeted. Was it random or was there something common among them? Right now it's really just a hunch that this is the work of a serial killer, but they don't know for sure. It could be the work of a group.'

'I really hope it's just one person.' Ron said. 'I don't think I could cope with another set of Death Eaters.'

'Harry what's this?' Hermione had picked up the receipt and the back ground check that he and Snape had found.

'That's our only lead.'

'What does Snape have to do with this?' she asked.

Harry sighed. 'Probably or should I say hopefully nothing.'

'What on earth does that mean?' Ron asked.

'It means that Snape may or may not have sold a bottle of Felix Felicis to the killer, or possibly one of the victims.' Harry said.

'He what?' Ron exclaimed. 'That stupid idiotic git! A wizard hating killer with liquid luck?'

'That's the real reason why Kingsley went to see you isn't it?' Hermione asked. 'He wanted your help contacting Snape.'

'Yeah he did. I went to see him two days ago.' Harry confirmed.

'You saw Snape?' Ron exclaimed. 'I can't believe you didn't lead with that Harry! What did he say? Did he throw you out of his house? Is he still an ass?'

Harry gave Ron a withering look that would have made Snape proud. 'Please at least try and treat Snape with respect. He's earned it and then some.'

'Doesn't mean I have to like him though.' Ron muttered.

'I stayed with him while we went through his records looking for evidence of the sale.'

'You stayed with Snape?' Hermione asked raising her eyebrows slightly.

'Yes I did.' Harry replied, deliberately not mentioning that he practically had to beg to stay.

Ron sniggered. 'How did that go?'

Harry laughed. 'Slightly better than expected actually. But only slightly.'

'So is he helping with the case too then?' Ron asked.

'I don't think so. He didn't seem to want anything to do with it.'

'You seem disappointed Harry.' Hermione noted.

'Maybe I am.' Harry said. 'I just always wanted to get to know him better you know? There must be something underneath all that defensiveness. I think he deserves a chance to let it all go you know?'

'Are you talking about Snape or yourself?' Hermione asked.

'I guess maybe I'm talking about both of us.'

Hermione nodded.

Ron decided it was time to change the subject. 'Harry I'm surprised that Kingsley is letting you discuss this with us. Isn't it all confidential?'

Harry shrugged. 'I told him I wanted to discuss it with you both. I assured him that you wouldn't go running to the press or anything.'

'Why do you need to talk to us about it Harry?' Hermione pressed. 'It's not like we see that much of you anymore. I practically have to drag you here each month.'

'You're still my family though. You're only family I have. I guess I thought that if I talked to you about it then it might be a good thing. We three always did get better results when we worked together. Even Kingsley said that.'

Hermione smiled. 'That's very true. Mostly because you two were complete idiots who would go rushing head first into anything without even considering the danger!'

Harry smiled back at her. 'Pretty much.' he agreed.

'Do you want our help on this Harry?' Ron asked. 'Because I have to say I'm not sure I want to.'

'I'm not sure. I wanted to talk to you about it, and maybe bounce some ideas off you, but I don't expect you to drop everything and help. It's pretty gruesome, and frightening, and you both have your own full time jobs to do. I guess I just wanted you to know about it.'

Ron nodded. 'Thanks Harry.'

Hermione picked up the case file. 'Do you have another copy of this? Can you leave this one here?'

'Yeah I have another copy.' Harry replied.

'I understand why Ron doesn't really want to help, but there is something about this that makes me want to look into it more. I want to know why those five victims were chosen. I want to help with that.'

Harry nodded.

'Leave it with me then, and I'll do some research.' Hermione said, placing the file back on the coffee table.

Harry smiled. For a moment it felt like they were back at Hogwarts and Hermione had just announced that she was going to the library.

…

Harry found himself up quite late that night, upon coming home from Ron and Hermione's he had spread out the contents of the case file on his dining room table grouped by each victim. He was paying close attention to the back ground information, hoping he could find some sort of a connection.

There was a sharp knock on his front door.

Harry nearly jumped out of his skin in fright. His heart started beating very fast. He certainly wasn't expecting anybody, particularly at this late hour.

He quickly pulled out his wand and checked his wards; they were still in place, which could only mean that his late night visitor was a trusted friend, or that there was a powerful possibly psychotic dark wizard knocking at his door.

The knock came again, louder and more insistent than the first time.

Harry assumed the first was true and this was a friend, not a psycho serial killer and went to answer it (wand in hand).

He opened the door to find the last person on earth he expected. 'Huh.' He said in surprise.

Snape was standing on his doorstep in a long dark travelling cloak and carrying a small bag. He raised his eyebrows at Harry. 'That's all you have to say?' he asked. 'Are you going to let me in?'

Harry completely forgot his manners, he meant to say 'yes' but what came out was - 'What on earth are doing here?'

Snape looked seriously at Harry without a trace of contempt or derision. 'I want to help.'

A/N – Thanks for reading friends! The next chapter is titled 'Some Roads Lead Nowhere'.