Avada Kedavra: A Murder Mystery
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. The only original character is Erin White, who belongs to the author, Kaydi.
Author's notes: Okay, everyone, time to have some fun! This is a rather odd story that I got a sudden idea for. It's a funny sort of what if murder mystery. Someone has murdered someone else, and no one can figure out who the murderer is. That's where you come in! Pay attention throughout the story, and see if you can figure out just who the murderer is. You'll see if you're right at the end! No skipping ahead! Read, enjoy and don't forget to review (I'm sure you'll be wanting to!
It was a dark and stormy winter night at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The wind howled and the snow swirled outside the windows, blanketing the ground. It was Christmas break, and the few students who had stayed behind were visiting Hogsmeade, at the Three Broomsticks having butterbeer.
"Oh look. It's snowing even harder now!" said Peter Pettigrew, peering out the window. Madame Rosmerta glanced out the window at the blinding swirls of snow.
"I think you kids had better stay here for the night," she said. "There's no way you'll make it the whole way back to Hogwarts in this weather. Shame you can't apparate yet."
"Stay here?" complained Severus Snape. "With these mudbloods?"
"I'm sorry, but the conditions are terrible outside. I can't let any of you venture out. I'm going to have to leave though. I can trust you kids to stay here without causing any trouble, right?" she questioned.
"Oh, of course," said James Potter, flashing his most innocent looking smile. "We'll be fine."
"Okay. You kids don't do anything wrong, understand?" she asked. Everyone nodded, and with that, Madame Rosmerta disapparated away.
"PARTY!" shouted Sirius Black enthusiastically jumping on top of a nearby table. His girlfriend Erin White shook her head, but laughed. There was a whimper from the corner. Everyone glanced over at Peter, who was cowering on the floor, under a table, holding a small, pink teddy bear in his hand.
"What's with you, Peter?" asked Sirius, jumping down from the table.
"I-I don't like being here all alone in the storm," he said, trembling.
"Oh get over it, loser," said Sirius.
"Hey!" said Peter indignantly. "Don't call me a loser!"
"That's what you are!" said Sirius.
"Well, well you are too!" said Peter.
"Ha! Do you see me carrying around a little stuffed bear named Mr. Snuggles?" demanded Sirius. Snape's ears perked at the mention of Mr. Snuggles.
"I like Mr. Snuggles," he said quietly, eyeing the fuzzy pink bear. Sirius and Peter continued arguing.
Nearby, Gilderoy Lockhart had made himself at home. His full-length mirror was standing in front of a table. On the table, were at least twenty pictures of him, all waving and wearing the same cheesy grin. He stood in front of the full-length mirror, gazing intently on himself.
"Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the best looking wizard of all?" he asked.
"Peter Pettigrew," replied the mirror. Lockhart's face went a shade of crimson and his expression was that of great shock. He turned toward Peter, muttering under his breath and glaring at him.
James and Lily were standing in a corner, talking quietly, when suddenly, a very frightened looking Peter, followed by a very angry looking Sirius came running in their direction.
"I'll get you, you little rat!" shouted Sirius.
"Agghh! Help!" shouted Peter, throwing his arms around the first person he could find, to beg them for help, which happened to be Lily.
"Eww!" Lily shrieked, pushing him to the ground.
"What do you think you're doing?" demanded James.
"He-he was coming after me!" squeaked Peter.
"Was?" asked Sirius, giving him a look. Peter took off again.
"Don't ever touch me again!" shouted Lily, as he ran away, a look of disgust on her face.
Peter, having the bad luck that he was, ran as fast as possible, right into Remus.
"What'd you do that for, you rat?" said Remus, jokingly.
"Don't call me a rat, you…WEREWOLF!" shouted Peter angrily. Everyone stared, but luckily for Remus, they'd only heard the word werewolf. Remus crossed his arms and looked angry and a bit insulted.
Peter continued running, then paused right in front of Erin, who stared at him, looking confused.
"I'm not feeling so well," said Peter. And before Erin could move out of the way, he threw up all over her.
"Ew! Oh Peter! That's gross! Get it off!" she shrieked, glaring at him. She headed to a sink behind the counter to attempt to clean it off.
Just then, the entire shop went completely dark.
"Avada kedavra!" someone shouted.
"Lumos!" seven urgent voices shouted in unison. The room was dimly lit by the wand light. James whisked his wand around and lit the torches that lined the walls and the candles that sat on top of the tables. Everyone remained silent, looking at each other with confusion.
"Aaaagghhh!" Lily let out a shriek. "Oh my god! It's Peter!"
"What?" cried the others, rushing over.
"Peter!" Lily repeated. "He's—he's…"
"Dead!" announced Gilderoy Lockhart, as though he were correctly answering the question on a game show.
"You can't be serious!" said James, leaning down next to Peter, checking his pulse. Sirius smacked himself in the face.
"Not the word," he muttered quietly.
"He is dead!" exclaimed James. "And…someone here murdered him." Everyone instantly gave each other threatening glances, suspecting one another.
"It was probably you!" shouted Snape to James. "I mean, wouldn't it be the perfect way to cover it up, by acting shocked like that?" Everyone mumbled quietly that he had a point.
"Well, how do I know that it wasn't you who killed him?" Sirius questioned Snape.
"Me? How dare you accuse me?" demanded Snape. Meanwhile, Lockhart began announcing in his game show like voice.
"Well, mates, it seems we've got a murder on our hands. But not to worry! I, Gilderoy Lockhart, will find the murderer! Now let's begin. While doing my mirror-gazing this evening, I happened to spot Sirius Black chasing Peter Pettigrew across the room shouting at him. So, it seems that the answer is obvious. Black killed Pettigrew!" Everyone gasped, and cast frightful looks at Sirius.
"I did not!" shouted Sirius indignantly. "And Lockhart, do you recall what your mirror said to you just before Peter died? You had asked it who was the best looking wizard of all, and you looked absolutely furious when your mirror answered Peter Pettigrew!" Everyone gasped and turned to Lockhart.
"Well- well, I didn't do it! Don't accuse me!" Lockhart denied it. James sat in a booth in the corner, near where everyone was crowding Peter's body. He was whistling a tune.
"See, he's trying to cover it up!" shouted Snape, pointing his finger accusingly at James. "He's whistling because he's trying to act innocent!"
"I'm whistling because a tune just popped into my head!" said James.
"I don't know, James," said Lily, taking a step away from her boyfriend. "You did look awfully angry earlier when Peter threw his arms around me."
"Are you accusing me too, Lily? I don't believe it!" James shouted. "It was probably you! After all, you were angry at him for jumping on you like that!"
"I can't believe you would think I did it!" shouted Lily.
"And the mystery continues!" said Lockhart, in a mysterious voice. "Who murdered Peter Pettigrew? Could it be Sirius Black, who was chasing him earlier? Lily Evans, who was attacked by him earlier? James Potter, who was whistling suspiciously just a few minutes ago? Or could it be someone else?…"
"Oh would you shut up!" shouted Sirius.
"Ouch!" shouted Erin.
"What is it?" asked Sirius.
"I just scraped my hand on the side of this table," she said.
"Blood!" shouted Lockhart, pointing at her hand. "Well, the answer's obvious now! Erin murdered Peter." Everyone gasped yet again, and looked at Erin fearfully.
"I didn't do it," said Erin quietly. "I'd never murder anyone."
"A likely story," said Snape, keeping his hands tightly folded against his chest. "We all saw Pettigrew throw up on you earlier! You were angry! You wanted revenge! You killed him and you've got the blood to prove it!"
"Wait guys!" said Remus. "Peter was killed by the avada kedavra curse. It doesn't cause bloodshed!"
"Oh, well you seem to know a lot about how Peter was killed," said Sirius.
"I heard the cursing!" said Remus. "We all did!"
"Except for one of us," said James. "Someone did the cursing." He gave Remus an accusing look.
"I can't believe you think I…" Remus began.
"We heard what he said about you, Remus," said Lily, calmly. "And we know how it upsets you to be called that."
"I didn't do it!" shouted Remus.
"Well, you certainly do seem to know a lot about that curse," said James.
"Defense Against the Dark Arts is my best subject! You know that!" shouted Remus.
"And why shouldn't it be, you being what you are?" said Sirius. Remus' eyes shot towards the ground.
"What if Pettigrew merely killed himself?" suggested Snape.
"Yes!" said Lockhart, his eyes lighting at the idea. "Yes! That must be it!"
"But why would Peter kill himself?" asked James.
"Why would any of us kill him?" said Remus.
"Yes, there was absolutely no reason for us to kill Peter," said Lily quickly.
"Of course not," said Sirius. "I was just joking when I was chasing him."
"I don't know," said Erin. "I'm still not sure I trust anyone."
"Murderer!" shouted six voices, instantly pointing at her.
"No! It wasn't me," she said quietly. "It's just that, well, Peter's wand is missing. If he'd killed himself, he'd have to have it."
"Hmm," said Lockhart. "Well, then the mystery continues!" Just then, a wand clattered to the floor near Remus. Everyone stared at him, shocked.
"It was you," said James, as Remus bent to pick up the wand.
"What do you mean?" asked Remus. "This is my wand!"
"A likely story," said Snape. "We'll see who's got Peter's wand. Expelliarmus!" Six wands flew and joined Snapes.
"Hey! What did you do that for?" demanded James. "Give me my wand!"
"Oh! Guilty!" said Lockhart, pointing at James.
"What do you mean?" asked Remus. "There are only six wands there, and they belong to each of us."
"So, where'd you hide the wand, Lupin?" asked Snape.
"I don't have it!" said Remus. "Sirius has probably got it!"
"No I haven't!" said Sirius.
"Oh, yeah? What's that then?" demanded James, pointing to a stick that stuck partially out of Sirius's pocket. Sirius pulled it out.
"It's a fake wand," he said.
"Sure it is," said James.
"It is! James, Remus, you remember. We bought them at Zonko's the other day!" said Sirius.
"Prove that it's fake!" said Lockhart.
"I don't know how," Sirius admitted.
"Oh, that's a likely story!" said Erin.
"Lily, you've been quiet for a while now," said Sirius, turning the blame yet again. "Hiding something, are you?"
"Of course not!" Lily shouted.
"Then what's that?" asked Snape, looking down at a table near Lily's feet. There was a wand wedged under the table leg.
"So, everyone," said Snape. "I believe it's obvious now. Evans stole Pettigrew's wand, used it to kill him, and slid it under the leg of this table so that it wouldn't come when I did the disarming curse!"
"I didn't!" shouted Lily. "I wasn't even standing here when you did the curse! I was over there!" she pointed to the other side of the room."
"Liar!" snarled Snape.
"She was over here," said James.
"Oh, defending her, are we?" said Snape. "Perhaps more than one person was in on this!"
"Yes! Yes that must be it!" exclaimed Lockhart quickly.
"It was James and Lily!" said Sirius. "They were in it together! That's why they've been acting so suspicious!"
"Yeah!" agreed Remus suddenly. "I'll bet it was them."
"Of course it was," said Erin, smiling slightly. "Who else?"
"Yes, it all make sense now. You've been caught, Potter and Evans. We've caught you! Your plan failed!" said Snape, as the group began cornering James and Lily, wands raised, and ready for attack.
"But, we didn't do it," stammered James.
"Yeah, it wasn't us," said Lily.
"What on earth is going on in here?" they heard a voice they recognized as Dumbledore's. They explained the situation to him, and he concluded that the only way to find out who the true killer was, was to give everyone truth potion. After several people had taken the potion, the real murderer was discovered. And it was…
Author's note: Can you figure out who did it? In order to find out who the real murderer was, you must review! Ha! (This is not a cliffhanger! The murderer is revealed in the first review on the review page!)