Severus narrows down his list of suspects, knowing that they are either the son or daughter of a Death Eater. Hermione finds out that there are still students that harbor ill feelings toward her and all Muggleborns, and she learns, in the most awkward way possible, that Lucius, her fiancé, had put a lust potion in her chocolates.

Murder, Magic, Mayhem, and Madness

December Continues

Severus was watching the seventh-year girl he had been observing all week. She was familiar to him, he'd seen her recently, but couldn't place it. He couldn't remember her name. She frequently stared at Hermione intently with a look he'd seen frequently on Draco Malfoy's face. Actually, the look was occasionally hostile.

She looked up and stared at him again before resuming her conversations with her friends. His gaze slowly swept the hall, keeping the girl in view as he continued to watch her.

Severus tried to remember the girl's name and to recall any specifics he could. He remembered that she had been a student in his Potions and Defense classes. In Potions, she used to follow the directions well enough, had worked quietly, and had kept her work area tidy. He knew that she'd rarely required his assistance or intervention, which was odd. He remembered that she'd been an average student, unremarkable, and her potions, when they had turn out, had been passable. She had rarely asked questions, or spoken up in class. He knew that she'd only achieved an Acceptable on her Potions O.W.L.s. Nevertheless, there was something about her eyes, the bright blue… She turned to look at him, and then quickly looked away since she saw that he was still watching her. The glance was familiar. The quill shop – the ink. She'd purchased the ink. But Hermione and Mr. Darthenridge both had said that the iridescent ink was popular with the girls.

He leaned over to Minerva. "That girl at the Ravenclaw table, nineteenth from the far end on the right side, blue eyes, brown hair... Do you know her?"

He waited for Minerva to locate the girl as he tried to keep his focus on the Hufflepuff table. Her method of 'casually glancing' at the Ravenclaw table while counting down to the girl he'd mentioned was all too obvious. All the subtly of Arthur Weasley in a Muggle auction house.

"I'm not sure, Severus. I don't see which girl you are asking me about. Which one were you pointing out to me?"

At least she hadn't used her finger to count the students' heads. Minerva was looking at him as if he should point her out, literally. Well, he'd not tip his hand so obviously."I'd like to see your seventh-year class. Expect me to stop by."

Minerva bristled in her seat. "I do not need you to inspect…"

"It's has nothing to do with your teaching skills or your curriculum," he said to cut her off. "It has to do with wanting to see the students. I'll be doing the same with Filius and Pomona if I need to."

"In that case, by all means, interrupt my lessons," she said briskly.

Severus smiled at her. "I'll be subtle."

He waited until nearly the end of Minerva's lesson before he entered. He spotted the girl right off, but kept his gaze forward as if seeking out Minerva. Minerva looked up and nodded, indicating that he could come forward. Severus walked through the room passing by the girl's desk and glanced at the parchment she was writing on. She looked up at him, and then resumed copying the information from the board. The moment had been brief but the expression was one of disapproval. Her writing was familiar; the penmanship somewhat similar to the riddles and messages he had in his office. He walked up to Minerva and leaned forward to whisper to her, "Thank you." He lingered a moment then added, "I would like to see your attendance book after class."

Minerva nodded. "Of course, Headmaster. Would you like to wait? I'm about to dismiss the class."

He gave her a polite bow of his head and turned to watch the students. Many were shooting him sly glances, including the girl. She was just as he remembered her, quiet and paying particular attention to copying the complicated chart and directions precisely as Minerva had put them on the blackboard. When Minerva dismissed the class, she sorted her things, stuffed them into her bag and left with the three girls sitting next to her, Miss Katonia Holbert, from his house, Miss Magnphelia Hageneder and a brunette he couldn't immediately place the name of, both from Ravenclaw. Severus knew that Miss Hagender was seeing James Foughtery, a Slytherin seventh-year, and rumors were they would soon be engaged. Miss Hagender and Miss Holbert were also Death Eaters' daughters, and two of the female students he'd been considering as the possibly killer.

He leaned toward Minerva and indicated the four girls. "Those two Ravenclaws, with Miss Hagender and Miss Holbert, who are they?"

Minerva looked at him puzzled. "Miss Morgana Mayhew and Miss Katrina Llewellyn."

"I want to see any of their class papers and scholastic records. I also want their files," he said, hoping that he'd found the killer.

~oo0oo~

Severus looked at the files on his desk. Of the thirteen on his desk, nine of the students came from families that had strongly supported the Dark Lord, three he was unsure of their associations, but they're families had been good friends with known Death Eaters, which left two unknowns. Severus currently had eight of the files spread out in front of him. Miss Katrina Llewellyn, Miss Morgana Mayhew, and Miss Magnphelia Hagender were all in Ravenclaw. Miss Katonia Holbert, Mr. James Foughtery, Mr. William Wellsmiter, and Mr. Richard Darthenridge were all in Slytherin, students the Aurors suspected, although Severus had his doubts. The Aruors also liked Miss Rechelle Collins as a possibile suspect, although Severus had his doubts about her being involved as well. It was true that Marc Collins was a staunch supporter for the Dark Lord, almost a zealot in his agreement with the Dark Lord's beliefs. He was serving time in Azkaban, as were Terell Hagender, Randolph Holbert, Fynn Foughtery, Nigel Darthenridge, and Edgar Wellsmiter. In fact, there were a few of the wives serving out sentences as Death Eaters including Mrs. Wilhelmina Hagender, Mrs. Trinity Holbert, Mrs. Joanna Wellsmiter, and Mrs. Linaria Darthenridge, although she was currently in St. Mungo's for treatment.

Miss Morgana Mayhew was the only one that wasn't related to a Death Eater. At least that he knew of.

Because of all the inquiries and his and the Aurors surveillance, he knew quite a bit about these students private lives as well as their academic standing already. Collins' daughter, Miss Rechelle Collins, was involved with Darthenridge's boy, Richard, something that Severus already knew as well as the fact that Miss Katonia Holbert and Mr. William Wellsmiter were an item.

Richard Darthenridge and Miss Rechelle Collins were prefects, and had been actually giving Severus assistance in his search of the killer, but the Aurors suspected them. He wanted to believe them, that they were sincere in their desire to catch the culprit and prove it wasn't a Slytherin. Severus swore as he set aside Mr. Darthenridge's file again.

Severus had been watching Hegender, Foughtery, and Wellsmiter as his prime suspects because they had shown a desire to join the Dark Lord following their education the previous year. Holbert's daughter had attended a few of the Dark Lord's meetings, as had Darthenridge's son. However, Mr. Darthenridge and had seemed to changed allegiance in the final battle. Both had returned to the castle about the same time he'd been bitten by Nagini. Severus now knew it was to rescue some first-year Slytherins Slughorn had mistakenly left in the dungeons, one of them Darthenridge's little sister.

He picked up the file on Katrina Llewellyn, the girl who'd been glaring at Hermione. The Llewellyn family was an old pureblood line from the Dunoding area in Gwynedd that still laid claim to having been descended from the royal line. Severus didn't know of any member of the family as having been a Death Eater, but he did know that Holbert and Hageneder had gone to Dunoding several times. There was a time when the Dark Lord himself was rumored to have been in the area. Of course, the Dark Lord had sent Holbert and Hageneder to recruit giants at some point. They had been successful in the fact that they had both returned with only cuts and bruises, and a few hands of Glory, apparently made from remnants from mountain troll's lairs. Trolls didn't eat the hands of their victims, generally tossing them aside.

Severus put his elbows on his desk and pinched the bridge of his nose. Yes, he knew about their parents and their loyalties, but as far as the students were concerned this was all speculations, suspicions, presumptions, and ultimately getting him nowhere.

~oo0oo~

Lucius was angry. Hermione's letter accused him of poisoning her with a love potion or philter and demanded an explanation as to why he'd do such a thing. It was true, but the girl wasn't supposed to find out so easily. She finally figured it out. The brightest witch of her age and it took her four months to figure it out. He laughed. It's too late, my dear, it's in your system, in your blood—me—my blood and my semen. You now crave me like you will no other. At least until I get you pregnant. It angered him that Hermione had shared her treats with the other girls in her dorm. They'd all had dreams of him, the girls he'd met in Hogsmeade. He wondered how many harbored fantasies about him, or if they'd entertain having sex with him in the future. The type and quality of the potion ensured that the dream sex would be greatly satisfying to any woman who drank or ate it, the sex mind blowing to someone who was inexperienced. In a perverse way he felt smug that these girls would think he was extremely skill in bed—not that he wasn't, he was quite proud of his prowess in that area.

He looked at the stack of wedding invitation replies. The accept pile was much larger than the decline. Already wedding gifts were arriving. He sat down at his desk and carefully drafted his reply to Hermione, making sure to sound chastened and repentant for his actions. He explained that with her being away from him, him being unable to hold and kiss her as he would like to, was driving him to distraction. Lucius added that his action, while possibly a little overzealous, was only an attempt to mail her his affection. He sneered as he wrote that the apothecary had told him it was simply a Dream Fantasy Elixir that would give her romantic dreams that they could share. That if she ate hers and he ate his, they shared the same dreams, dreams of each other. He laughed. As if I need an Apothecary to brew a love potion.

Lucius smiled and continued his letter. Had I known you'd share my sweets with your friends, I would have included a note warning you about the elixir… but that would have ruined what I had hoped to be a romantic surprise. I'm so sorry, darling, that things went so awry.

Well, that part at least is true, he thought.

Lucius set his quill down to reread his rough draft and scoffed at his sappy wording. He pulled out his best quill and his specially-made ink, and he rewrote the letter in perfect penmanship on a special parchment, scented with his cologne. He sent Pookie out to pick a dozen of his white roses from the greenhouse to take to Hermione with his letter. He contemplated whether to send her a gift as well and thought better of it. A book. One on dream magic. Yes, something to appease her and show her that I simply made an error in judgment. He smiled as carefully folded the letter and sealed it with his insignia ring.

He hoped that the letter would do the trick. The robemaker and robe mistress would be arriving to see the girls probably within the week for the final fitting. He'd already heard from Estrith Wertheim that the fittings would be handled in Minerva's office as soon as Professor McGonagall agreed to an appointment date and time.

~oo0oo~

Minerva was stressed at the moment. A house-elf appeared in her office reminding her that Miss Granger's hairdresser and couture robe mistress had arrived at the school gates for Miss Granger's fitting. The French calligraphy script of the note stated that owls had already been sent to Miss Granger, Miss Lovegood, Miss Weasley, Miss Featheredge, and Miss. Woozencraft to meet with the robe mistress as prearranged.

She had been surprised to receive the wedding invitation and had gone straight to Miss Granger's room for an explanation. As soon as she'd stepped into the dorm, all the bouquets of flowers had made her stop in her tracks. Hermione had been quite forthright in answering all Minerva's questions, assuring her that she was happy, and relieving her of all her concerns. But Minerva still had reservations, and had watched Miss Granger carefully, but couldn't find any reason to intervene. It was blatantly obvious that Severus still loved the girl and she him, but every time Minerva had asked Miss Granger about her wedding, the girl was positively insistent that she was going to marry Lucius Malfoy. Finally, Minerva accepted that Miss Granger knew what she was doing, although she wished it was Severus who Hermione was marrying, and not Lucius Malfoy.

Minerva hoped that the fitting wouldn't take very long since she had a meeting with Severus later that afternoon as soon as he returned from the Ministry. She left her office to greet the robe mistress and was surprised to see Miss Granger's hairdresser, cosmetics witch, couture robe mistress, robemaker, florist, and wedding consultants were at the gates as well for their appointments with Miss Granger and the girls. Minerva was glad she'd decided to utilize her classroom for the affair since there were so many. Miss Granger and her friends were waiting outside her classroom when she arrived.

She knew that this wedding was going to be a formal affair, Malfoy style, but wasn't prepared for the sudden bustle as the witches and wizard set up racks and Transfigured several desks into tables, platforms, and chairs to suit their needs. A tall house-elf was busily passing out champagne in fine crystal flutes to all the ladies, including Minerva.

Hermione stood on the dais, holding her flute of champagne in one hand, reading Lucius' note with the other as the robemaker pinned the hem while her robe mistress examined his progress.

Hermione,

Thank you so much for forgiving me my indiscretion. I cannot even express my shame for the embarrassment I caused you and your friends. That you forgive me is a blessing I don't deserve.

This, darling, is one of my favorite champagnes. Its deep, smoky, and complex with a lovely blend of mild, sweet spice, vanilla aromas, and a kaleidoscopic bouquet; wild strawberry, peach, apricot, chestnut and honey. It's light-footed but lusciously textured and flavored. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. It is the champagne I hope to serve at our wedding. Please let me know how you like it.

Forever yours,

Lucius

Hermione looked up at the bridesmaids dress robes on her friends with a sense of wonder. They were lovely. Simple, elegant, and each one in a subtle shade lighter from the next but all a rich blue, with Ginny's, as maid of honor, being the darkest. Each girl had silver elbow-length gloves and a silver gossamer shawl. Hermione knew that Lucius had purchased four reflectanite drop earrings and pendants that would be her bride's gift to them. She knew that Amanda would be particularly thrilled to own the set. Her wedding dress robes were gorgeous and fit like a glove. The champagne in the goblin-blown crystal flutes helped steady her nerves and made her giddy. Even her friends were acting carefree. It was funny to see Professor McGonagall smiling and kicking her feet as she sat on her desk, sipping the fine bubbly. She couldn't remember how many flutes she'd had, since the house-elf that came with the robe mistress kept topping off the flutes at every opportunity.

Hermione took a sip of champagne and tried to follow along with what the wedding coordinator was telling her. "… gilded carriages for each of you. Mr. Malfoy has a great nephew who will act as your ring bearer. I understand that Miss Featheridge and Miss Woozencrafts' have younger sisters who will be your flower girls."

Hermione tried to turn around to face the coordinator to ask, "My parent's…" and was forcefully jerked back to face the mirror by the robemaker.

"Yes, my dear," Miss Caruthers, the wedding coordinator said, checking her clipboard. "I've spoken to them, and they fully understand the ceremony. They are most delighted and look forward to the union."

"They what?" she asked, whirling around, and ignoring the wizard's disgruntled protest.

"I met them during my last appointment with Mr. Malfoy to go over the details. He had brought them over for lunch and for their fitting," Miss Caruthers said, looking up.

Hermione was certain there was a mistake. "They're still in… er, out of the country?"

"I assure you my dear, I've met them," Miss Caruthers said, looking up confused. "Mr. Malfoy has them living under the Fidelius Charm. They are quite safe and will return to their home after the ceremony. It's all arranged." She handed Hermione a list. "Now besides these people are we forgetting anyone special you may have forgotten to invite?"

Hermione read down the list of her friends. "What about my relatives?"

Miss Caruthers checked her clipboard and looked up confused. "Your relatives? Is this not your list?"

"My aunt and uncle, cousins, my Muggle relatives… What about them?" Hermione asked.

"If they come their memories will have to be modified. The statute of secrecy and all, they would have to be partially oblivated. I'll bring this up with Mr. Malfoy and the Oblivators office." The coordinator gasped in alarm, drawing everyone's attention. "Your parents are Muggles!" Miss Caruthers exclaimed, checking her clipboard again.

"Yes, I know," Hermione said, as the house-elf refilled her flute of champagne.

"But that cannot be! You are having a union bonding during your ceremony," Miss Caruthers stated. "You must have a witch or wizard to perform the bonding and to hand the bread."

"You could ask Mum and Dad," Ginny suggested.

Miss Caruthers shook her head. "They are standing in as witnesses for the bride for the marriage contracts. Oh, this is impossible."

Hermione turned and tried to figure out what she was talking about.

Hermione listened as Luna and the coordinator explained the significance of a bonder in a full formal wizarding ceremony. Margery and Amanda nodded and answered Hermione's questions as well.

"You can ask Professor McGonagall to bond you. She is like your mum here at school and can stand with your parents," Luna suggested.

Minerva sat up straighter in shock and placed her hand on her chest. "It is an honor, being asked to do a bonding. I would of course step in if Miss Granger asked, but I've only ever done so for one other couple, Lily Evans to James Potter."

Hermione turned to Minerva, her expression one of pleading. "Professor, I know this is such short notice, but would you maybe consider acting as my bonder?"

Minerva had tears in her eyes. "Miss-Hermione, it would be my honor."

"Wonderful," Luna said, picking up a length of midnight blue cloth with a sliver sheen. "This would be perfect for your robes."

"I'm sure Lucius wouldn't begrudge another dress robe," Estrith Wertheim said, smiling.

Minerva stood in shock as the magical tape measure began taking her measurements.

Minerva had showed up at the Headmaster's office for their meeting quite inebriated. She knew that she had been annoyingly giddy, slurring her words, and had even had the audacity of calling Severus 'Sevie.' He'd ordered her to sit and had run to the dungeons to get her a Sobriety Potion. The first dose had only stopped the slurring of her words, and she had at least stopped calling him Sevie, but she'd still been rather tispy. After the second dose, Minerva had looked at the clock and realized that the meeting with the wedding planers had taken longer than she'd intended.

Presently she was in her cat form reprimanding several cats about their behavior. Twelve owners waited patiently as Minerva explained to the cats that they couldn't just wander the corridors during the day, following students to their lessons. The cats were welcome to use the side exit to the courtyard as they pleased, or they could sun on the Astronomy Tower or on the battlements, but the classrooms were strictly off limits.

Crookshanks was all fluffed up, swishing his tail back and forth, clearly annoyed, as were Forest, Brandy, and Nikki, the three cats who'd offered to keep an eye on Hermione for Crooks since he was so up in age. Crooks was insistent that his human was in danger, and they were simply watching out for her for him.

Forest, swishing his tail back and forth irritably, flat out refused to let off his vigil, even stating he'd given up his several hours of his naptime to help protect Crooks' human.

Minerva swished her tail irritably as she reminded them of the rules.

Nikki growled in annoyance, her tail flicking up and down, saying that she and Forest had almost caught the ferret that had hurt Wendel's boy.

Several cats all mewed in agreement, a few baring their claws and fluffing their tails and scruffs.

Minerva hissed to regain order. She tried again to remind them all that she, and only she, was capable of understanding what they were saying, and that she wasn't always available for translation. It was best to leave it up to the Aurors, Professors, and the Headmaster.

Several of the cats responded with growls, hisses, feline snarls, arched backs, swishing tails, and the clawing of her rug. Finally, Minerva offered a compromise. One cat at a time could follow Mr. Finch-Fletchley and another Miss Granger when the humans had breaks or left the common room for anything other than lessons. No cat was allowed inside the classrooms, but they could wait outside of the classroom doors if necessary. Anything suspicious and they were to find Minerva immediately.

Forest hissed and bared his fangs and his ears laid back, insisting that if the ferret-human was going to attack their humans, there had to be at least two cats, preferably three to defend them.

Minerva's ears perked up. 'Ferret-human?'

'Yes,' Nikki replied sitting primly, looking at Minerva with feigned poise. 'A ferret-human. Changes like you do, cat-woman.'

Minerva's ears rolled back, her tail swished, and her hair stood up on end. 'Why didn't you tell me this before?'

'We tried to—the day Wendel's boy was killed,' Forest said, curling his feet under him as he settled down, although his tail was swishing wildly.

Crooks' ears were rolled back and his fur was all on end as he growled in agreement.

'The ferret-human. She attacked the boy,' Nikki added, looking at Forest then back to Minerva.

'She made him fall and hit his head. We fought her, scratched her really good too,' Forest said proudly. 'But the woman of the book room let her escape.'

'And they were punished for being in the book room,' Crooks hissed.

Minerva asked for a description of the girl's human form. 'Tall,' Nikki said and they all agreed, 'but not as tall as some. Blue eyes, mouse-colored, long fur, little nails, smelled like meadow flowers and wears school covers.'

'She lives in the asking tower,' Brandy said.

Minerva tried to match the description to any of her students. 'Mouse-colored' was not much to go on; to a human, it meant a mousy brownish-grey color, but to a cat, mice came in a range of colors: white, tawny, and several shades between light brown to black, although cats often differentiated white and black. But the eye color—blue—was specific. Since she taught the spells to change eye color, Minerva knew roughly how many in her class had brown eyes and who had green or blue as the spell was slightly different. She could count offhand nearly eleven… twelve, or so Ravenclaws that had blue eyes who were in sixth- or seventh-year—except the cats said 'she', and that narrowed it down considerably. And Miss Llewellyn, one of the students Severus had asked about, had remarkably clear blue eyes. Minerva thanked the cats, trying once again to make them promise to keep to the compromise of two cats at a time, but none allowed in the classrooms or bookroom.

They agreed to her terms, except none of the cats agreed to stay out of the bookroom.

Forest asked what she would do about the ferret-human, and Minerva bared her fangs. 'She will be trapped, then sent away to the bad human's place and caged up.'

As soon as she changed back to her human form, she thanked the students for bringing in their cats and asked everyone to remain in her office until she returned. Knowing that she ran faster in cat form than human, Minerva changed again and took off running to the Headmaster's office.

The stone gargoyle was used to seeing Minerva in her cat form and had moved aside as she approached the stairs. She transformed on the stairs and knocked as she opened the door.

Severus looked up annoyed. "What?"

"I spoke to the cats about following Miss Granger and Mr. Finch-Fletchley around the castle," she replied, slightly out of breath.

Severus dropped the parchment he was reading and looked at her, effectively hiding his irritation with a leveled stare. "And will they stop following Her-Miss Granger and Mr. Finch-Fletchley around?"

"No, I mean, we've reached a compromise," she replied. "Severus, it's a Ravenclaw girl, Miss Llewellyn, I believe. She may be an Animagi—a ferret."

Severus felt his blood go cold, and he looked up in disbelief. "Are you sure?"

"The cats—they told me—the ones that fought her in the library," Minerva explained.

"Would they recognize her?" he asked, jumping to his feet.

Minerva was startled by his sudden movement and flinched. "Yes, but the Wizengamot will not accept the word of a cat!"

"I have other means of extracting proof," he snarled softly, his voice cold and hard.

She recoiled at seeing the evidence of his darker side in his expression. "Severus! You can't drug or torture a student!"

"She is after Hermione!" he snapped, slamming his fist on the desk. Minerva opened her mouth to admonish him but he cut her off. "IF I can identify her, I can—and will—get her to confess. But I want her properly identified. What did they say about her exactly?"

"They said she was tall but not as tall as some, although keep in mind that to a cat, which only stands on average thirty and at most forty centimeters on all fours—you're a giant," she pointed out. "Forest and Nikki, the two cats who fought her in the library, did say she has blue eyes and long, mouse-colored fur. That means in cat, that she has hair at least to her shoulders or longer. Mouse-colored is typically a medium brown to dark brown, but can mean brown with grey in it. The description fits Miss Llewellyn and three others that I know. Forest said she little nails, smelled like meadow flowers, and wore school covers—school robes. And they said she lives in Ravenclaw tower."

His body seemed to relax, but to Minerva he was an alley cat ready to pounce for the kill. "That does narrow it down to three students, but we have to be sure. All three have brown hair, blue eyes, have in their possession the ink used on the riddles, but only two of them had the type of red ink used on the school ledger… but not the same two that have similar handwriting, although I know that a Calligraphy Quill was used on some of the messages. But I know the parents of all three of them were Death Eaters. If this cat can identify the girl, I can and will get her to confess. But I want this girl stopped."

"Severus, you have to follow protocols," Dumbledore's portrait warned him from over his shoulder.

"You cannot go barreling off and attack a student," Phineas said as Dilys said angrily, "Students have rights! I want this girl caught, but you cannot…"

"Enough!" Severus shouted. "Minerva, please get the two cats who can identify this girl. I'll get Filius, and we'll go to the Ravenclaw seventh-year dorm room. If the cats identify her, we'll bring her back here and go from there. But this girl is to be stopped tonight."

Filius led Severus, Minerva, and three Aurors into the Ravenclaw common room. Severus insisted that they go immediately into the seventh-year girls' dorm room so the Aurors could search the girls' belongings, but Mr. Anderson reminded Severus quietly about proper arresting protocols. Nevertheless, Filius lifted the magical barrier barring all males from the dorm, and he and Minerva went to make sure all the girls were decently covered in the seventh-years' room. Within minutes, Minerva's Patronus bounded in the room and led Severus and the Aurors, Zander Anderson and Amy Groves in. Auror Gayan Greenwich elected to stand guard and waited in the common room.

All eight girls were standing at the foot of their beds, Miss Morgana Mayhew, Miss Katrina Llewellyn, and Miss Magnphelia Hagender conveniently occupying neighboring beds. Severus walked up to the three girls and looked down at them as if they'd all melted cauldrons in his classroom. "Professor Flitwick, would you please escort the other five girls out."

"Headmaster?" Professor Flitwick asked, unsure what Severus was intending.

"No, these three," he said smoothly, indicating the three girls in front of him. "You three are suspect in the murders of three fellow students, the drugging of a first-year, and attempted murder on two other students, as well as defacement of school property. You will give your consent to have your trunks, wardrobes, and under your beds searched by the Aurors and Professor McGonagall. Failure to do so will force me to have everything you own packed up and taken to a room to await your parents consent to the search. If your parents are convicted Death Eaters, the Ministry will be contacted for consent."

Miss Mayhew nodded in understanding although her expression was one of fear. By contrast, both Miss Hagender and Miss Llewellyn looked outraged and defiant. Judging by Miss Mayhew's worried glances, Severus knew he could dismiss the girl, but the other two were now his prime suspects. "Professor McGonagall, please ask the cats which one."

Minerva transformed and called for the felines. A Norwegian Forest cat and a pretty spotted Bengal trotted casually into the room and sat down next to her. The Norwegian Forest cat simply turned his head in Miss Llewellyn's direction, but the Bengal cat walked up to the girl standing in the middle and meowed.

Miss Llewellyn looked down at the long, lean, and very muscular Bengal cat with an expression that clearly said that she didn't like the cat at all. When Minerva transformed back into herself, Severus was already certain of what she'd say.

"Both cats identify Miss Llewellyn as the girl from the library."

Severus nodded. "Do you give consent to have your belongings searched?" he asked as Mr. Anderson moved forward to stand next to Severus.

Miss Mayhew nodded and said, "Yes," while Miss Hagener made a grand sweep of her arm, saying, "Be my guest."

Miss Llewellyn simply stood there, glaring at the cats.

"Miss Llewellyn, didn't you hear the Headmaster?" Filius asked, walking over to the girl and gazing up at her.

Miss Llewellyn scoffed softly, barely audibly. "What difference does it make? You will anyway—so why not? You won't find anything out of the ordinary."

"I will be the judge of that," Severus said smoothly. "Mr. Anderson, check Miss Llewellyn's things. Be sure to include all her ink bottles, quills, parchments, and books. I want her wand inspected and every spell she has cast since the end of September listed." If he didn't know better he'd have sworn the girl went pale for a moment, although she was still glaring at the cats sitting at her feet.

Back in her room, Hermione found a large bottle of mead, nearly a full liter, sitting on her bedside table. Hermione tried to throw it at the wall, but she couldn't let go. She tried to dump it on the floor, but couldn't bring herself to do so. It sat on her bedside table, mocking her; her desire for the mead kept awaking her and not allowing her to sleep.

In the end, Hermione picked up the bottle like an alcoholic falling off the wagon and took a drink. The rich, creamy smoothness seemed to reach into her soul and made her sigh in contentment. Tears fell down her cheek as she took another sip, then another. The sensations caused by the potions she knew to be in the drink erased all thoughts other than her mind created fantasizes of Lucius. She could feel him, sense him, even smell him, her lover, her fiancé. Lucius' passion for me and my body in a bottle, she chided herself as she drank deeply. Hermione fell back against the pillows and gave in, loosing herself in the realistic erotic dreams of Lucius in her bed.

Severus sat at his desk, looking at the few items collected from Miss Llewellyn's trunk. Minerva and Mr. Anderson sat in the chairs facing him; Minerva looked grave and unnerved, and Mr. Anderson as if he was mentally checking off a list of people he'd have to contact. The girl had a bottle of the black iridescent ink, a few standard quills of fine quality in all tip widths, and a Calligraphy Quill. Her sheets of parchment were standard weight used by most students for essays. There were a several pictures developed at school of her and her friends: Miss Holbert, Miss Mayhew, Miss Hagender, Mr. Foughtery, Mr. Wellsmiter, Miss Blackwelder, Mr. Darthenridge, and Miss Collins. "Professor Flitwick will notify the girl's family. Minerva will give you a copy of the school registry. I'll write up a statement for the papers and send it to you by morning."

Mr. Anderson was holding the girl's wand casually in his hand. "You really think she is the one? She hardly put up any fight at all."

"Yes," Severus said quietly. "I'm sure of it. Her mind was easy to penetrate, and I saw enough fragments to be certain."

"It's not admissible," Mr. Anderson replied.

"It's horrible, just forcing your way into her mind like that, Severus," Minerva admonished him.

Severus sighed. "But effective. Her wand will have the imprint of all the spells she cast. Professor McClaggin will vouch that the girl was in his photo lab frequently and had access to his equipment. I suggest you talk to the proprietor of the quill shop in town. He will have a record of any of her purchases, or if not, he should be able to recognize the girl. We can try getting the statements of the cats on record, even if they don't accept Minerva's translations. If you could find another Animagus who can transform into a cat, they could verify her account, and the Wizengamot might then accept her sworn oath to translate truthfully. If not, you will still have enough to convict her."

"So why did she do it, Severus?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"Blind prejudice and ignorance, and a family tie to the Dark Lord. I'm sure the Aurors will discover her motives as they build their case." Severus picked up a photograph off the desk, examining it. "I do not recall her parents or any members of her family being in the inner circle, but that doesn't rule out the possibility. Like Dumbledore, the Dark Lord never exposed all his followers and supporters to me, but I know of connections between Miss Llewellyn's family and Holbert and Hageneder, known Death Eaters currently serving time. Many of Miss Llewellyns' friends here at school have parents and relatives who were arrested for being Death Eaters or the Dark Lord's supporters. It's likely there will be further arrests among her relatives in Gwynedd."

"So that's it," Mr. Anderson stated with a sigh.

"I'm not ready to simply dismiss your presence yet, but yes, I think the killings will stop." Severus leaned back in his chair. "Miss Mayhew and Miss Hagender both harbored the pure-blood prejudices, but Miss Mayhew is not a killer. She wasn't able to block me and I saw no evidence to think her capable of the crimes committed with the exception of a few counts of vandalism. However, I think you'll find she was under the Imperius at the time. Likewise, I don't think Miss Hagender did anything more than some simple hexes or pranks on the Muggle-borns… usual school stuff. Nevertheless, I suggest both girls be watched carefully. I know that Miss Llewellyn's friends in Slytherin are not involved and are carefully watched, but you may keep an eye on them as well if you feel the need. However, I am certain that, with the exception of the few times she had Miss Mayhew write on the walls, Miss Llewellyn acted alone."

Mr. Anderson rose slowly. "So, no more big mysteries at Hogwarts then? Things should quiet down."

Severus suppressed the sigh that nearly escaped his lips. "There is one, but nothing that concerns you at this time."

Minerva's eyebrows rose at his statement, but Severus chose not to elaborate.

T B C ~

~~oooo0oooo~~

Author's Notes:

So the killer is caught.

Many thanks to my betas, Pookah 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.