The month progresses with a few surprises… riddles and song lyrics are found that offer little clues as to who might be responsible for the girl's death or who may be the next target. Meanwhile, Severus is trying to keep the Muggle-borns from harm. While the wizarding world still remains ignorant of the true nature of the events at Hogwarts.

Murder, Magic, Mayhem, and Madness

This is a murder mystery—a character does die in this chapter.

The end of October

Hermione woke the next morning sprawled on her bed with her blouse partially opened, her bra askew, her skirts pulled up, and her knickers low on her hips. Her Alchemy book lay between her knees, the parchment with her equations lay crumpled at her feet, and her favorite quill was nearly bent in two in her hand. Her head hurt, she felt stiff, her mouth was dry, and the light hurt her eyes. Dismayed, she tossed her quill and tried to smoothen out her class assignment. She was stunned to see that she'd only completed four of the twenty-nine equations. She shook her head and dragged herself to the showers, allowing the warm water sooth away her morning aches.

Back in her room, her roommates were taking animatedly as they dressed for Hogsmeade. A plate of food sat on Hermione's bed. "You were so out of it!" Ginny exclaimed. "Of course, you were moaning and groaning all night in your sleep!"

"Must have been some dream! I was so jealous. Your dream lover must be something," Amanda teased her.

Hermione groaned as she nibbled on some toast while she dressed in her new cashmere ensemble and jeans.

"Your fiancé must be glorious in bed!" Amanda's eyes grew big when Hermione turned around. "Lords! That's gorgeous—is it—it's cashmere!"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't know. We're waiting. And yes, Lucius sent this to me yesterday."

"Waiting?" Ginny echoed Amanda.

"Yes, waiting." Hermione pulled out her cloak, looking up at her friends' expressions of disbelief. "He's old fashioned. He wants to wait and make it special for me."

"You're a virgin?" Amanda asked. Hermione lowered her head with a sigh and turned to go. "Wait, you—that's not a no?"

"No, I'm not—technically," Hermione replied, and Ginny giggled. "But I'm not telling anyone anything."

Amanda tried wheedling the information from Hermione, or Ginny, all the way down and out of the castle. "Fine, don't tell me!" she finally huffed.

"There are other things you can do," Hermione said finally as they walked down the slope to the gates.

"Like?" Amanda pried.

Ginny shook her head. "You know: kissing, touching, licking… biting, fingering, caressing, licking!" Amanda blushed and her eyes went wide, making Ginny laugh, and Hermione shake her head.

Lucius was leaning against the wall when the girls walked through the school gates, smiling at Hermione. He lifted his hand in a response to her wave. "You mean that you have him—you are with a man like him and you haven't… Gads, I would. Imagine what he knows—what he'd be like in bed!" Amanda whispered.

"Amanda!" Hermione exclaimed, moved away from her friends and ran over to Lucius. "What are you doing here?"

"Surprising you, of course," Lucius drawled smoothly as Hermione nearly pounced into his arms. He gazed into her upturned face and smiled at the desire reflected in her eyes. Her hand was sliding into his hair to cup his head, and he leaned down, allowing her to guide him to her lips. After a languid kiss he pulled away. "Did you like your gift?"

"Oh, yes, and thank you for the mead!" she exclaimed enthusiastically.

"I brewed it especially for you," he said, pulling her into a crushing hug and kissing her again.

Severus followed the girls down the path to the school gates, keeping a respectable distance. Miss Hagender and two other Ravenclaw girls were walking slightly ahead of him, all glancing at him, two with the usual trepidation he was used to, the third, was eyeing him speculatively. He scowled at them, and they hurried on, running around several Hufflepuff third-years.

Severus turned his attention to Hermione and her friends. He was shocked and a little uncomfortable listening to Miss Featheredge prattle on as she tried to pry into Hermione's sexual experiences. He tried to feign indifference, but hung on every word of the girls' conversation. It was no surprise that the Weasley girl threw hints of her trysts and sexual knowledge, but Hermione was being very discreet. When they all passed through the school gates, Severus was surprised to see Lucius Malfoy leaning casually against the wall, obviously waiting impatiently for someone. He was even more surprised to see Hermione rush over to him and into the man's arms.

Severus' chest tightened and his gut clenched as he watched Lucius kiss Hermione. He'd heard what Lucius said and wondered about the mead. Lucius had never shown a interest in distilling liquor before, opting to buy the best of those highly renowned and award winning winery's and brewery's.

Lucius' eyes opened, and his gaze caught Severus'. If Severus didn't know better, he'd swear that Lucius was smirking at him. The kiss ended, and Lucius looked down at Hermione with a warm smile. "Miss me?" he teased, touching the tip of her nose.

Severus nodded to the wizards sent by the Auror Department to stand watch, and turned to address them in regards to what time he'd be locking the gates, all the while paying attention to Lucius and Hermione. Her two friends waited in the lane leading to Hogwarts with mild amusement on their faces.

"Yes," Hermione answered, turning to face her friends, still keeping one arm around Lucius' waist. "You remember Ginny and Amanda, right? Margery is here somewhere, but I think she came earlier to meet up with her brother and Marcus." He cordially greeted each of her friends, and she turned back to him. "We were all going to meet up in the Three Broomsticks after lunch. Oh, and I must go to the quill shop. I broke my favorite quill last night."

"You did?" he asked with a mocking curl of his lip. "And how did you do that?"

"I fell asleep while revising," Hermione admitted, blushing as if she were ashamed.

"Were you distracted by something, my dear?" The tone of his voice told Severus that somehow Lucius had a very good idea of what might have distracted Hermione in such a way as to break her quill, but of course, that was preposterous.

Hermione's cheeks turned even redder. "Thinking about you." Lucius laughed as he motioned for them to catch up with her friends and suggested that they all go to the quill shop. Severus had already anticipated his friend's suggestion, walking slowly down the lane to Hogsmeade, casually observing the students milling about, all the while eavesdropping on Lucius and Hermione.

Severus kept himself a few paces ahead of the small group, walking along the shops, pausing to watch a few third years carousing outside Honeydukes, and entered the quill shop only a few minutes after Lucius and the girls. Severus meandered slowly around the displays, heading to the ink section where Hermione and Miss Weasley were looking at the glittering inks. He rounded a display, and a Ravenclaw girl looked up surprised as Severus picked up an inkbottle to examine the contents. He narrowed his eyes and nodded at her.

She turned away, quickly grabbed a pink box and walked over to her friends, a brunette Ravenclaw and a Slytherin, Miss Katonia Holbert, if his memory served him correctly. "Katrina, Morgana, c'mon. Magnphelia, James and Richard said they'd be in the Three Broomsticks," Miss Holbert said, trying to get her friends to hurry.

"What about William?" one of the girls asked teasingly from the other side of the display. Her answer was a giggle, a squeal, and more giggling. Severus cringed inwardly, never really understanding why girls felt it necessary to squeal.

"Following us, Severus?" Lucius asked, idly examining an expensive eagle feather quill.

Severus smiled amicably at him. "Not at all. I was looking for ink, one that Miss Granger mentioned to me, and was hoping she'd show me the type she'd indicated."

Hermione looked at him a moment, then a realization crossed her face. "Oh, right! Yes. Sorry. It's over here, Headmaster." She led the way and handed him a pink box with a light pink lace pattern and dark pink lettering. "Here you go."

Severus opened the box and examined the ink. The glass vial looked more like a perfume bottle than an inkbottle. The ink inside glittered with an iridescent sheen.

"Interested in giving a lady a gift, Headmaster?" Lucius drawled, sarcasm tainting his tone. "Rather pricy for a professor's salary."

"No, this is simply a matter of curiosity. Thank you, Miss Granger, you've been most helpful." He selected a pair of nice black quills, slightly better quality than his usual quill, and asked the proprietor if he could test the tip. The shopkeeper handed him a slip of parchment, and Severus copied down the information on the box of iridescent ink, and requested a refill of his favorite writing ink.

He slyly watched the interaction between Lucius and Hermione as he pocketed the slip of parchment, feeling that there was something amiss about the obviously doting attention Lucius bestowed on Hermione. They were too… animated, not fawning, enamored, maybe solicitous… but too obvious. Miss Featheredge was completely awed by Lucius' displays of affections for her friend, and Miss Weasley was quite comfortable in his presence. Something he'd never expect to see—a Weasley laughing and smiling at Lucius Malfoy. Lucius once again caught Severus' eye and a smug expression quickly passed over the older wizard's face. The look was predatory, as if the carnivore had snagged his herbivore.

The shopkeeper returned with Severus' ink and totaled up the bill of sale. Hermione was waiting behind him when he'd finished his purchases.

Severus entered the street, for all intent and purpose looking every bit the watchful chaperone while casually observing which shops Hermione and her friends took Lucius to. He tried to anticipate which shops the small group would go to and smiled each time he'd presumed correctly.

Hermione turned to look at Severus frequently, seeking him out each time the small group entered or exited a shop. Lucius noticed; his eyes narrowed at Severus each time, before drawing Hermione's attention back to himself. The smug smile and mocking sneer he gave Severus, made him suspicious, wondering what exactly Lucius was doing paying such solicitous attention to the girl he'd always called a Mudblood.

When the small party entered Aurora's Secret, Severus swore silently, knowing he had no business entering the ladies' boutique. Several long minutes passed before Hermione emerged, followed by Miss Weasley and Miss Featheredge, each carrying the gold and pink shopping bags with the shop's logo. Lucius exited, his lips curled into a subtle sneer that instantly stretched into a warm smile as Miss Featheredge turned around to thank him.

"Not at all, Amanda, it was my pleasure. I hope you enjoy them," Lucius drooled out smoothly, making the girl blush. He looked up and called out to Hermione. She walked over to him and he cupped her face affectionately. "I wasn't sure if you've made plans with your friends, but on the off chance you hadn't, I've made reservations in The Carriage House for lunch. Perhaps your friends would excuse you, unless you'd prefer not to accompany me…"

Hermione looked up at Lucius as if entranced. "Oh, go on you two," Miss Featheredge said, giggling. "Ginny and I will catch up with Margery in the Three Broomsticks."

"Are you sure?" Hermione asked. "I didn't know he'd be here, and I haven't seen him since the start of school."

Miss Weasley waved her off, scoffing at her, "Yeah, yeah, likely story. Go on then. We'll manage. Mr. Malfoy, thank you for the gift."

He smiled warmly and nodded. "My pleasure, ladies."

Severus watched, nearly seething inside as Lucius nodded to him and led Hermione away toward the upscale inn. Miss Weasley and Miss Featheredge hurried off, giggling between themselves, and nodded politely to him as they passed. Severus knew he had no other recourse than to allow Lucius to take Hermione into the inn, since it wasn't forbidden, but he didn't like it at all. Hermione was of age, an adult, and he couldn't tell Lucius that it was inappropriate.

He strolled around the town, gazing at the shops, and scowling at any errant behavior of the students. He forwent his usual imbibing of Ogden's in either pub, remaining in the street, keeping the door of The Carriage House in view. After an hour, he gave up and strolled down the lane in the opposite direction, and wound his way back to the candle shop near the inn's entrance. Another hour later, he was leaning against the war memorial mentally ticking off the uses of hellebore and digitalis. An hour later, he was sitting in the Hogs Head scowling into a glass of whiskey and wondering why it was taking Lucius so long to have lunch with Miss Granger.

Not long after that, Severus was once again in the street, watchful of the students scurrying about and comparing their purchases. He saw Miss Weasley and Miss Featheredge meet up with Miss Lovegood and walk over to Dervish and Banges.

As the students began making their way back to the castle, Severus noticed Hermione and Lucius walking past the Three Broomsticks. He followed at a respectable distance, stopping by the gates to check the roster to see if all the students had returned. Hagrid had agreed to stand guard and lock the gates as soon as the last remaining students came back. Hermione bade Lucius farewell, giving him an affectionate kiss and hurried through the gates. Severus nodded to Lucius, receiving a curt nod in acknowledgement, and turned to make his way up to the castle himself.

There were a large number of students crowded in the doorway to the Entrance Hall and even more milling about once he managed to maneuver his way in through the Great Doors. It didn't take him long to realize why everyone was crowding around, staring up at the wall and commenting among themselves. The bloody mud writing was back on the wall in the Entrance Hall.

Why didn't the Gryffindor say anything when the huge snake lunged at her?

She was petrified.

You'll be next Mudblood.

Severus snapped at the student, making them scurry away as he stared at the words on the wall. The last one to leave was Hermione, being pulled up the stairs by Miss Weasley and Miss Woozencraft, as Miss Featheredge walked on ahead. The look on Hermione's face sent a shiver of dread down Severus' spine. This threat is aimed at Hermione.

~oo0oo~

The day before Halloween, Ginny had decided to have an early morning Quidditch practice. Little Dennis Creevey was doing well as their newest Seeker. Shawna was wicked quick and a good Chaser, although she lacked strength for throwing the Quaffle half the length of the pitch, something she frequently made up with her maneuverability. But she was improving. And Dean was playing Keeper in the next game. The surprise was two cousins, Rockford and Weylend McDonnelly who were nearly as good a pair of Beaters as her bothers, Fred and George had been.

Shawna came bounding into the seventh-year girls' dorm room before dawn, bouncing exuberantly and showing Ginny a letter she'd gotten from Harry explaining a few of his favorite broom maneuvers and an illustrated book, The Great Seekers of the Age, her brother had sent her. "Dennis and I were flying yesterday—he nearly knocked me from my broom, but I still caught the Snitch. Jack and Dean are already downstairs, just waiting for you. I woke them up already. I can go wake the cousins if you want—then we can go, right? Get an early start?"

Both Hermione and Margery rolled over, moaning, as they covered their faces with their pillows.

Ginny rolled over and tried to bring herself to coherent awareness. "Yeah, why don't you go wake the boys," she mumbled as she forced herself to open her eyes. "I'm sure they live to fly before sunrise."

"Okay," Shawna said, turning and skipping from the room.

"You do know that Weylend is going to hex her?" Demelza asked softly from her bed, rubbing her eyes.

Amanda sat up, stretching and yawning. "Oh, Merlin girl, stop that!" Demelza scolded her quietly, yawning herself. "Those are contagious!"

"I thought I'd go watch you all play," Amanda whispered, yawning again.

As the sky outside the windows was just starting to burst with the pale oranges and pinks of sunrise, Ginny and Demelza grabbed their brooms, and Amanda and Hermione picked up their book bags, and headed out of the common room. A note was tacked to the wall next to the portrait hole.

I got the guys up, and we'll see you in the locker room for your instructions and to find out what you've come up with for our strategy against Ravenclaw!

I'll stop by the kitchens and see if the house-elves can make McMuffins and potato cakes for us so we can practice through breakfast, too!

See you at the pitch,

Shawna

"Merlin, that girl has too much energy! No one should be that peppy this early in the morning," Demelza groaned.

Hermione hitched her bag on her shoulder to crawl through the hole to the corridor. "She's just a morning person. From what I hear, she's up every morning at four and goes for a run. The Aurors are usually really put out about it because one of them has to follow her."

Amada chuckled as she followed Ginny through the hole into the corridor. "Her dad is in the military, a liaison for the Ministry of Intelligence. From what I know, her whole family are morning people."

"Remind me not to do a sleep over at her house!" Demelza said, following behind.

"Theres always mine and Harry's!" Ginny suggested. "Of course, nothing beats seeing Kreacher standing over you with his kitchen knife, waking you up at six for breakfast."

Hermione laughed. "Well, I'm off for the library. See you after practice. Have a good one," she said teasingly.

"Okay, see you later," Demelza said as Ginny replied, "Oi, wait! You said you were going to watch us practice!"

Hermione sighed then grinned. "There's a book I need. I wanted to get it, and then I'll come down. Okay?"

"Better," Ginny said, shaking a finger at her. The girls headed for the stairs to the Entrance Hall and stopped.

Ginny and Demelza bent down, picking up the pieces of a broom. "This is Dean's!" Demelza gasped as she recognized the marks on the handle. Amanda hurried over to the stairway banister and looked down. Her eyes went wide and she began to scream, making the other two girls rush to her side and gaze down.

Dean Thomas was lying sprawled on the floor of the Entrance Hall in his Quidditch robes, seriously injured with blood oozing from a laceration across the face and chest.

Ginny stared down a moment and turned quickly without uttering a sound as Demelza's scream echoed off the walls with Amanda's wails of grief.

Ginny ran as fast as she could for the Headmaster' tower. She ran into Hermione in the corridor. "I heard screaming."

"Go get Professor McGonagall! Dean's dead in the Entrance Hall," Ginny ordered quickly and started to run for the Headmaster's office again.

Ginny slid into the stone gargoyle, pleading to be allowed in with tears running down her cheeks. When the gargoyle asked for the password, she began pounding her fists on the stone as if the wizard inside would hear hitting him, demanding the statue move. After what seemed a long time the gargoyle jumped aside revealing Severus storming down, pulling his robes on over his shirt and trousers. "What is all this racket…?"

"Dean. He's dead," Ginny interrupted him. "Please, I need you! He's dead."

"I heard you, which way?" he said, drawing his wand.

Ginny whirled on the spot and ran back to the top of the stairs pointing down the marble staircase. The other two girls were already down in the Entrance Hall, one of them kneeling next to the body. "Miss Weasley, do not allow any student to come down here."

Severus flew down the steps and pulled a terrified Miss Robins to her feet. "Go get Professor Flitwick. Now!" he said in his most authoritative voice. The girl took off running. He turned to Amanda. "Miss Featheredge, go get Madam Pomfrey!"

The girl nodded and ran for the stairs. Severus cast strong Repelling Charms and a warding barrier on the stairs leading up from the basement and the dungeons and summoned house-elves. Three immediately popped into the Hall. "I need you to have a house-elf to go to each of student dormitories and tell the prefects to keep the students in their common rooms on my orders." One elf nodded and vanished. Severus turned to the remaining pair. "I want you both to find the Aurors on duty and bring them here with Apparation. Have Professor Sprout, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Slughorn notified to meet me immediately. Breakfast will be served in the House common rooms. Do you understand me?"

The elves nodded and vanished.

Severus knelt down to examine the Mr. Thomas' body. His first assessment was that the lacerations were obviously caused by his Sectumsempra. He was able to stop the flow of blood, but knew Mr. Thomas was beyond his help. His second assessment showed multiple fractures of his bones and a severe concussion, also taking notice that the boy still held onto his wand as if he'd been casting defensive spells. Severus hung his head. If he were to guess by the injuries, the boy had fallen from a good height, possibly the ceiling of the Entrance Hall itself.

He looked up and saw Minerva comforting Miss Weasley as Filius came running down the stairs followed by the nurse. Two loud cracks followed by two softer pops, announced the arrival of the Aurors by means of the house-elves. The Aurors both carefully examined the boy, casting the same spells Severus had and obtaining the same findings.

Severus pulled the wand from Mr. Thomas' grasp and then stood aside as Poppy and Filius lifted Mr. Thomas onto a stretcher and covered him with a sheet. He cast the Prior Incantatum on the boy's wand, revealing that the last spell he'd cast was the Expelliarmus, after using a Shield Charm, and the one previous to that had been a Stunner, then another Stunner.

"So there was a duel," one of the Aurors said.

"No," Severus stated, turning to face the Aurors. "This was a fight to the death—and this boy lost."

Severus took action immediately. He increased security by adding six Aurors who'd come out of retirement to join the staff full time to assist around the school. He also ordered Filch move several paintings from the halls to be re-hung in areas previously unoccupied by adornment, and he personally warned all the portraits to be on alert at all times. Severus added more wall sconces in every corridor, having Filius charm them to flare to life when anything moved in their vicinity, including familiars, and activated the suits of armor so they could watch the corridors at night. He announced at dinner that the dress code would be strictly enforced, effective immediately following dinner, and any student not wearing their school robes would be docked twenty house points for each occurrence, making both the students and several staff members utter their displeasures.

The dress code was posted up on all notice boards that same night by the prefects, who all had to try and reassure the other students that they could wear anything they wanted under their school robes while on school grounds on the weekends or anything they wanted while in their common rooms, but that the Headmaster was adamant about the stricter policy. Severus sent memos to every member of his staff the they too would be required to were their professional teaching robes with the school crest at all times, except within their own quarters.

Afterwards, he went to see Minerva in her office, bolting into the room without knocking. "Minerva, I'm sorry to barge in, but please may I see the school registry?"

Minerva looked up at him momentarily incensed, her eyes red from crying. She nodded, "Certainly, Headmaster," she said, and then blanched. "You don't suppose?"

"I won't know until I see it," Severus said, unable to mask the worry in his voice. Minerva, to her credit didn't argue with him about his memo, but hurried to the cabinet and withdrew the book, carrying the large ledger to her desk. Severus leaned forward as she turned to the page of the current year and quickly scanned down the list of manes. Dean Thomas was crossed off in red ink, the word idead written after as it had been written after Miss Wellington's. Her gasp of shock told him that she hadn't as of yet seen the defacement.

Minerva read the remaining names softly, "Justin Flinch-Fletchy, Hermione Granger, and… Joaquin Schmitt…" and pursed her lips, looking up at him worried.

Severus felt his heart go cold at the thought that flashed in his mind. Hermione.

"Severus, you know what this means!"

"Yes, Minerva. I know exactly what this means."

T B C ~

~~oooo0oooo~~

Author's Notes:

Sorry about killing off Dean. He didn't really deserve to die, but being a murder mystery and with a serial killer in the school… hopefully Severus will solve the mystery before another student dies.

Many thanks to my betas, Pookah, CourtneyRochelle, and MadBrilliant for helping me clean up my many mistakes. I really appreciate it more than you can possibly know. I'd be ashamed to show my story to anyone without your invaluable help. And to era1960 for being there when I needed to bounce ideas and have a second opinion, thank you for being a friend.