Disclaimer: I don't own any characters.
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Chapter 5
"Alright, Justin. Don't worry, I'll remember. Do you really think I'm going to forget my best friends wedding, especially since I'm the best man? Yes, I know it's tomorrow. I wouldn't miss it. Ten o'clock. Okay, I'll talk to you later."
Ernie never thought he would be using a telephone, but Justin being muggle-born, was able to convince him.
He hung up still chuckling to himself. Justin was so nervous about his wedding to his fiancé Angelica. She was a muggle doctor he had met last year and they had fallen head over heels for each other. What was great was that Angelica had a cousin who was also a wizard and so naturally had no problem with Justin.
Ernie walked over to the desk in his home office and started looking through his mail. He was just about to laugh when he saw a letter from Justin, which he was sure was another reminder, when he heard something out side of his door.
It sounded like scratching. He got up slowly from his chair, pulled out his wand and followed the noise into the living room.
He gasped when he entered the room. "How did you get in my house?" Ernie demanded, wand trained on the haggard looking wizard in front of him.
He quickly pushed his matted white hair out of his face and stuttered out, "E-Expelliarmus!"
Ernie's wand flew out of his hand and he stumbled backward. "It was you, wasn't it? You killed Colin Creevey!"
"Y-yes. Anything f-for my master. And now, y-you are next."
Ernie began backing away slowly. "Y-you don't have to do this. It can stop now. Be reasonable Malfoy and turn yourself in before it gets any worse!"
"Avada Kedavra!"
Ernie was found the next day by Justin who went to check on him to give him one last reminder about the wedding.
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Out of the room, down the hall, up the stairs and on the lift. I was on my way to Mad-Eye's office to get the dates and places of the murders. A timeline: it was the best way to see if everything fit together.
Why didn't I think of that?
I walked down the hall of the auror's offices and stopped outside of Mad-Eye's office. If I asked him about the murders, then he would know that I was trying to help Malfoy.
Is he going to try and stop me?
I opened the door and walked in to see Moody staring at me with a look of curiosity on his face.
"Miss Granger, why do you always pause outside of my door before you come in?" he asked with a small and somewhat lopsided smile.
"Just doing what you taught us, Moody. Collect yourself before you enter a room and be ready for anything."
He nodded seriously. "What can I help you with today?"
"I'm making a timeline of events and I need the dates and places for all of the murders in the Malfoy case."
He surveyed me with both magical and normal eye alike. "Are you trying to help Malfoy?" he asked steadily in his low growl.
"He's innocent and I'm going to prove it. I don't have time to explain everything now because I still have to meet with the witnesses of the last murder, but I promise I know what I'm doing so don't worry." When he didn't say anything I added, "Moody…the dates please."
"Have you talked to Potter and Weasley about this?" he pressed.
"Yes. Please, I have a long day ahead of me, the sooner I start the better."
"Alright. Do you have a quill to write this down?"
I quickly took out a piece of parchment and my note taking quill and placed it on the desk. The quill balanced on its tip waiting to take notation.
He took a deep and ragged breath. "Colin Creevey: the 12th of September, Ernie McMillan: the 16th of September, Padma Patil: the 21st of September, Pansy Parkinson: the 30th of September, Lisa Turpin: the 3rd of October. They were all found dead at their homes."
I watched as my quill glided back and forth on the parchment writing everything down. "Okay, now I need a list of the ten witnesses from the last murder along with their addresses."
I tapped my parchment with my wand and muttered a quick spell to dry the ink faster while Moody looked for the list of witnesses.
"Here it is," he said pulling a list out of his desk. "And remember, four of them are muggles so you'll have to improvise the story."
I nodded and quickly took the list along with my partially started time line. I got up to leave.
"Be careful. I doubt anyone wants him to be proved innocent so you might meet with some resistance."
"Don't worry, I can take care of myself."
Although I felt confident, Moody had planted a seed of doubt. What if one of Voldemort's death eaters found out that I was trying to help Malfoy. What if they came after me next?
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I left the ministry feeling a little worried. I apparated back to my flat to gather myself before going to the first witness.
I'll do the witches and wizard's first, then the muggles. I need to spend more time with the muggles because they'll obviously be less biased than the wizard's. No doubt they'll all have some sort of grudge against the Malfoy's.
I looked at the names on the list. The first four names were bold and had a large 'M' after each one, these were obviously the muggles. I skimmed the rest of the list and saw with great surprise that I knew two of the people. Neville and Alicia Spinnet were on the witness list. I knew they would tell me the truth, grudge or not. The other names I did not recognize: Amanda Jones, Kyle Russell, Christopher Bailey and Madison Walker.
Before I started, I sent and owl to Harry and Ron asking them the date of Snape's exposure. That was just one piece of the puzzle.
I figured I'd start with the people that I didn't know first. That way if they said something that I suspected I could always double check it with the people I knew would tell me the truth.
The list also stated each person's address. I went over to the fireplace and said Amanda Jones' address. I found myself looking into a small living room.
"Excuse me. Miss Jones? Is anyone home. I'm from the Ministry of Magic."
A woman walked into the living room and looked at the fireplace. "Oh hello, dear. Yes, the auror's told me someone would be coming to question me. Why don't you come on out of that fireplace."
I took a pinch of floo powder and emerged fully in the living room parchment and quill in hand.
"Would you like some tea, dear?" she asked. She was probably in her late fifties but had the composure of a very elderly woman.
"No thank you. I'm afraid I have more people to see after this so I need to be quick. I just need to ask you a few questions about what you saw the other day."
Her face suddenly became very grim. "It was horrible. The poor girl."
"What exactly did you see?"
"Well, I was at the market across the street getting some fruit when I heard a scream. There were only a few people on that street that day, no doubt all there for different reasons. There's even a new quidditch shop next to the market that muggles can't see, but I digress. I heard the scream come from the house across the street. The handful of people around me heard it also and we all migrated across the street. Then the front door opened…that's when we saw him. Standing there like the devil himself." She stopped and shuddered.
"What did you see? Can you describe what they looked like?" I prompted.
"I can do you one better, dear, I can give you his name…Draco Malfoy. A Malfoy if I ever saw one. Knew his father Lucius when he was at Hogwarts. He was in his first year and I was in my last. Arrogant little boy he was, and still was until his dying day. His son looked no different. Standing there gaping at the street with the front door wide open. We could see her lying there on the floor…dead. He looked around, nervous like, then he ran into the alley next to the house and disapparated. Some man ran after him, probably an auror." She took a sip of her tea.
"I know this will seem like an odd question, but what did he look like, physically? What was he wearing?"
She looked thoughtful for a moment. "Hmm, hair as white as snow, just like his father but not as neat. It was dreadfully dirty and matted. It was all over his face. But even at a distance his small, watery gray eyes were obvious. Not cold and pompous like his father's but scared and guilty. And his robes, what a state those were in. They were ragged, torn, and dirty. Like he had been wearing them for days and living in the sewer."
Malfoy would never be caught dead looking less than perfect. And how could he have changed his robes if he was taken into custody that same day. They must have apprehended him just minutes later at his manor, not nearly enough time to get cleaned up and changed.
"Thank you very much, Miss Jones. Your information was very helpful. Can I come back if I need to ask you anything else?"
"Feel free, dear. Have a nice day."
I apparated back home. If the others agree about killer Malfoy's clothes, then this could be a big help.
Next on the list was Kyle Russell. When I poked my head into the fireplace and said his address, I found myself looking at a tall man no older than thirty five. He seemed very official looking and it wasn't long before I learned that he was the auror that apprehended Malfoy.
"I heard the scream and went across the street. When the door opened I saw him standing there in the door way all ragged looking over her dead body. I would have stunned him right there but there were muggles in the street. So I ran after him in the alley. He was gone by the time I got there but I knew who he was so I apparated outside of his manor. I had contacted others by that time and they met me there. We stormed the house and stunned him and took him in."
"What was he wearing when you took him in? The ragged clothes?" I asked.
"No, actually he was wearing clean robes, real expensive from the looks of it."
"And his hair, what was it like when you first saw him and then when you caught him?"
"It was dirty and mussed when he was at the house and when we apprehended him it was…clean, I guess, and slicked back."
"And what would you say was the approximate amount of time from when he apparated in the alley to when he was apprehended by the aurors?"
"I would say no more than three or four minutes."
"That's an awfully short time to get all cleaned up and changed, don't you agree Mr. Russell?"
"I suppose," he said slowly. "Look you're not implying that-
"Well, that's all for now, I will contact you if I have any further questions."
I pulled my head out of the fireplace before he could ask any further questions.
When I interviewed the last people on the list (Christopher Bailey and Madison Walker) I knew exactly what to ask.
All of the stories matched perfectly with what the others said. Even Neville and Alicia agreed. I was able to save some time by getting them to apparate to my apartment so that we could all talk together.
"Neville, can you tell me what Malfoy looked like when you saw him?"
"Well, he was really dirty and he looked scared and nervous."
"Yeah, and he looked like he was muttering to himself," Alicia added.
"Would you say he looked like himself?"
"Um, not really. I mean back in school he was always well groomed, I guess you could say. Always looked perfect, not a hair out of place on his helmet head. And the only time he looked nervous was when Harry was about to catch the snitch," said Alicia smiling.
"Yeah, not even getting in trouble made him nervous, remember Hermione."
"Yes, I remember, Neville."
After that interview, only the muggles were left.
They turned out to be a family of four. The mother, father, and their two daughters (ages 6 and 9) were at the market that day food shopping and they lived in the neighborhood.
Their description of Malfoy matched the ones given to me by all of the other witnesses. I took out my folder from my briefcase and showed them a picture of Malfoy (one that I magicked not to move before I had arrived at the house).
"Is this the man that you saw?" I asked.
"Yep, he was the one. Not many people have that color hair I would suppose. And I never forget a face," said the man.
Their little six year old spoke suddenly. "How come he looks so skinny there?"
"What do you mean?" I asked.
She rolled her eyes. "I mean was that when he was little, 'cause he looked fat when we saw him."
"Natalie! That's not very polite. Excuse her, she always speaks her mind," said the mother.
"Well, it's true!" she said sounding annoyed. "He looked fatter when we saw him…and his eyes were smaller," she added as an after thought.
"This picture was taken when he was arrested, Natalie, and that was the same day that you saw him so how do you think he could have looked different to you?" I asked carefully.
She shrugged playfully. "I don't know. Maybe he was wearing a mask."
A mask…?
"Thank you very much, Natalie. Have you ever thought of being a lawyer when you grow up?" I asked with a smile.
"No, silly," she giggled, "I want to be a witch."
"Don't mind her," her father whispered. "She lives in her own little world. When we were at the market she said she saw a shop with brooms in it, when we looked it was an abandoned building." He gave a small chuckle.
I shook hands with the family and gave Natalie a small wink before I left.
When I got home I saw Hedwig waiting patiently on my couch with a replay. I ripped the letter open and read.
Sorry so short. Very busy. He was caught September 3rd. Love you and be careful.
Harry and Ron
The pieces were coming together like a puzzle, but there were still a few missing.
I just need the date of the Malfoy's deaths to see if they fit. And I need to ask Malfoy when he lost his wand.
I turned around to see if Hedwig was still there, but she had already gone.
But as luck would have it, Ares flew threw the window. He gave me a small nip on my hand and if I didn't know any better I would say that he looked apologetic.
I stroked his feathers gently and took the note off of his leg. It read: Just in case. I turned the parchment over and wrote my reply: Just about cracked it. Everything fits. Just need to figure out who. See you tomorrow to explain.
Walking passed my bookcase to go into the kitchen, one of the books caught my eye. I don't even know why it stood out for it was on the very top shelf where all of my very old books are that I rarely use.
I pulled the book down and stared at its cover: Moste Potente Potions. I sat at my kitchen table and skimmed through it. So many potions that I've never had to make flipped by on the pages.
I gasped when I saw the potion on page 132.
Memories flooded my mind.
Properly brewed, the Polyjuice Potion allows the drinker to transform temporarily into the form of another.
"You mean, If Harry and drink that stuff…we'll turn into Crabbe and Goyle?"
"Yes."
Yes! This was it. It had to be. How else would all those people have seen Malfoy if it wasn't really him? But who? And how would they get a bit of him to make the potion? Surely he would see someone in his house taking his hair or whatever it was they used.
I went to sleep with my head spinning, full of new information.
I just need to figure out who…and how.