Killer with no Shadow

Author's Note: Hey there! Back again! This story is inspired thanks to the movie 'Citizen X'. It takes place in Durmstrang, where there is a killer on the loose, killing students. Severus Snape is sent from Hogwarts to help Ivan Todorov, a potions teacher, who is trying to solve the case. Severus Snape and some other HP characters that may be mentioned belong to J.K. Rowling, while the others, including Ivan, belong to me.

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Pacing up and down the room, Ivan waited for Severus Snape to finish his own autopsy on the bodies of the children. Just as Ivan calmed himself down, and sat on a chair, Snape came out of the private Potion's Room, taking his gloves off.

'So? Did you see anything?' Ivan asked anxiously.

Snape looked at him,' Now I can see why you didn't succeed to be a fully- fledged Potion's Master like many of the others. You didn't notice something.'

Ivan waved the insult aside,' So, what did you notice?'

'The hearts weren't ripped, nor cut out, but burnt,' Severus stated simply.

'What? How-' Ivan was interrupted.

'The murderer must have sent a burning spell, to destroy the heart, but then used a healing spell, just to heal the outside skin,' Severus explained impatiently.

'That is disgusting, but why would the murderer go through such extreme measures to do it?' Ivan asked.

'Don't you think that it has something to do with the murderer's character?' Snape pressed on.

'Alright, it might, but how would the murderer have time to do something like this? The children were murdered just in a few minutes- the murderer couldn't have had time to kill them all,' Ivan persisted.

'Yes, it's as if the murderer had to BUY time,' Snape spoke in a riddled way.

Ivan frowned,' You don't think that the murderer...has a Time Turner?'

'Exactly.' Snape said.

Ivan thought about it. He knew only one person who had the Time Turner.

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'You are accusing me?' Hissed angrily Serpensa, along with her snakes that served as her hair.

'I know that you are the only person in this entire establishment who has the Time Turner!' Ivan fought angrily,' The Headmaster gave it personally to you so you could be in charge of it. So give up and admit!'

'How dare you accuse me?' Growled Serpensa Persianidis, her amber eyes glowing,' That I could be the one to kill the children? Ade re! You know me well enough!'

('Ade re!' in Greek is a form of expressing someone's irritation.)

'Serpensa,' Ivan began, more calmly,' I don't want to blame you. You are one of my closest friends, and I know you'll never do anything like this.'

'You better know!' Serpensa threatened,' I had the Time Turner missing for some time! Just found it yesterday.'

Ivan thought about this. Something didn't make sense.

After some time, Ivan left her and went to search for Snape. On the way he bumped into Clarissa, who was carrying a few Orchids in a pot filled with earth.

'Oh, hello! Ivan, I almost spilled this soil on you!' Gently scolded Clarissa Blackmason, cleaning the earth that fell from her pot onto her robes.

'Sorry about this,' Mumbled Ivan.

Suddenly, Severus Snape came up on them.

'Severus, I was looking for you!' Ivan exclaimed, 'I have something to tell you...'

'Alright, Ivan, we are going,' Severus confirmed, glancing at the pot of Orchids in Clarissa's arms,' Those orchids look unwell, Professor Blackmason. Did you water them?'

Clarissa looked at her orchids, frowning,' Yes, they were fine when Professor Grus gave them to me. I think it's the soil from the forest that he uses- it is bad for gentle plants such as orchids.'

'Tend them a bit more,' Snape gave her the advice.

Severus and Ivan walked away, and once they were out of ear's length, Ivan started talking.

'Serpensa claims that her Time Turner was lost, but I know better: it was stolen and then returned secretly,' Ivan said.

'Right you are,' Snape said grimly,' We only need a little push, so as to say that the murderer has been discovered.'

They were walking down the school grounds, when they came up to Professor Bluthart, walking briskly around the lake.

'Guten morgen, Professor Bluthart,' Ivan said to the Aryan wizard,' Having a stroll?'

'Ja, a brisk walk does me good,' Answered Bluthart in a rough German accent,' Enough to get me away from that mad Romana for blaming me for her niece's death.'

'The woman is probably upset about it,' Severus spoke.

Bluthart snorted,' Ja, of course. But sometimes I think she's on..oh, what do muggles call it..ah, drugs! '

'Drugs?' Ivan raised an eyebrow.

Bluthart nodded,' Anything wouldn't surprise me. Well, I won't be in your way, I have a walk that needs to keep going.'

As the Professor of Magical History walked away, Ivan said,' Well, I think we can discuss now about the case.'

Snape watched as Bluthart walked away,' I don't think there is anything anymore to talk about,' he murmured,' he reminded me of something.'

'You mean...that you know who the murderer is?' Ivan stared at him.

'Yes, and we have proof. I think,' Snape looked back at Ivan,' that it is time to reveal who the murderer is.'

Author's Note: Yes! The last chapters are coming up! You will find out who it is, never you worry! Now, about the reviews..can somebody give a few reviews? Please?