Disclaimer- Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, not
me.
*
Precious Stones
By Hermione Starise
*
Chapter 5: Working Together
* AN: Thanks to those who reviewed the previous chapter. In answer to kerofan's question- Ron's mad with Hermione because he doesn't think Hermione's living up to her full potential. He thinks Investigative Auror's are useless and get paid for doing nothing.
Thanks again and sorry this chapter took so long in coming out.
*
The musical was good, brilliant in fact. Muggle London had some of the best to offer and Hermione would usually have enjoyed the one they where at but events during the day had left her distracted.
Ginny on the other hand was as bright and bubbly as usual. She had long since got past the stage of staring open mouths at every muggle item and had learned to appreciate muggle theatre. She didn't seem to notice that her friend was less than cheerful and chattered animatedly during the break.
Hermione came close to telling her about the days events but bit her lip and knew it was for the best. Why dampen Ginny's spirits? There was no point, they would finish the case quickly and then be over with it. Another memory: that's all Harry and Ron needed to be: memories.
When the show was finished they parted- Ginny saying, "You'll come for your dinner tomorrow night? At the burrow?"
Hermione nodded smiling, "Yes, I'd love too."
"Seven o'clock?"
"Yeah."
"Great see you then!"
"Bye!"
*
Ron arrived gloomily at the IA headquarters the next morning. He was tired, his head was pounding and he was in for another difficult day with a woman who was acting like he was Draco Malfoy.
Harry on the other hand was annoyingly cheerful and seemed determined to be optimistic about the situation. Ron felt like punching him.
The receptionist directed them to a forensics lab, where she had said Inspector Granger had already been working for an hour.
They entered a long, spacious laboratory with long windows at one end, through which Ron could see what looked to be an endless apron of white- the lawns that where spread out in front of the IA building had been covered in snow over night.
A group of people huddled around a bench at the opposite end of the room all dressed in white lab coats. One turned round to face them- Hermione. Her wild curls tied back from her face and her amber eyes unreadable.
"Good morning," Harry said, Ron could have kicked him for sounding so cheerful.
"Morning," she said briskly, "Grab a coat and then join us."
They took lab coats down from a peg near the doorway and crossed to join the group of people.
"We've had another note from the killer," Hermione said, "It provides us with an opening."
"Really?" Harry sounded enthusiastic, "Let's see it then."
"Put these on first," A young man with sandy blonde hair and blue eyes said, handing them gloves. Ron started as he recognized Collin Creevy.
"Thanks," Ron muttered.
Harry took the note and read it out:
"Dear Inspector Granger, Yes I know you're one for formalities. My Miss 'Mione was hardly appropriate was it? Anyway that is not my purpose in writing you this. This case is giving you a headache is it not? Five victims now and not a clue where to start with your investigations! It makes me laugh to see the great academic Hermione Granger puzzled and despairing. You are a genius are you not? But never mind, I'll GIVE you a clue. Sapphire, Garnet, Amethyst, Ruby and Emerald were threats to me, so I eliminated them. Now I have their power and with every victim I grow more and more powerful! Yours Sincerely, Diamond
"What does that tell us?" Ron asked; the letter seemed to him no more than a threatening note. It didn't hold any real clues.
"The ink this note is written in is not magical. No, indeed we have matched it to a sample of muggle ink. Highly unusual for a muggle pen to be found of parchment such as this." Collin said.
Ron glanced at Harry who looked as confused as he did, seeing that they still did not get it, Hermione explained, "The ink is a muggle item; therefore we can presume that it was in a muggle pen before it stained the parchment. We know that such muggle items will not work in wizarding areas, therefore out killer must be among muggles."
Ron looked at her in surprise; he certainly wouldn't have though of that. It seemed so obvious and yet it would have eluded him.
"But there are more muggle areas than there are wizarding. It doesn't really narrow down our search." Harry said, perplexed.
Ron could have sworn, Hermione flashed a triumphant smile at this point, but it was there and gone within seconds.
"Maybe not narrow down BUT it does make it easier. We have people sifting through possible areas right now, examining all the traces of magic. Looking for the smallest hint of our killer. You see as he is hiding in a muggle area there is not much magical residue to protect him from our notice."
"But why would he hide somewhere where we could easily find him?" Harry asked; Ron was pleased to let him do all the talking.
"You're not thinking like a criminal, like a killer. Would you have expected us to work out whether you were in a magical or non-magical community just from the ink in your pen? No, that note was written hastily, you can tell by the way the writing leans forward. That compared with the first not, written in wizard ink is very untidy. This Diamond is counting on us NOT looking for him in muggle areas." Hermione said, calmly.
"Oh." Harry said.
"All that remains now," Hermione said, "Is for us to work out where his next killing will be."
With that she waved her wand, and a large map of Europe appeared in mid air. She pointed to a dot that read London, Diagon Alley.
"This is where the first victim was found." She said, "And this is where the second was found."
There was now a dot in the South of France where Harry and Ron had found Emerald. She went on to point out Hogsmeade, where Garnet had been found, Paris where Ruby had been found and finally Liverpool where Amethyst had been found.
"Well?" Ron asked he was beginning to feel impatient. This crazy Investigative Auror logic was making his head spin!
"Well!" She replied, almost as impatiently her eyes flashing dangerously, "You can't apparate overseas. Two of the murders took place here and two in France!"
"And you can't use the port keys without registering using them with the Department of Travel!" Harry continued for her enthusiastically.
"Exactly. So the murderer must have made at least four port key journeys! So his name will be on the books four times in these past few days!" She said excitedly.
"Other people will be too though." Harry said.
"We have to investigate them all. And if there are more murders- then eventually the killer will be led abroad again and when he is."
"We'll be waiting for him." Ron finished for her, not thinking.
"Exactly," She said quietly not meeting his eyes.
"What if the person CAN apparate overseas?" Harry asked.
"What do you mean?" Collin Creevy asked.
"FA special training," Hermione asked him, "They learn how to apparate: its part of the training."
Ron bit his lip: that wasn't widely known- of course Hermione had started the Field Auror training hadn't she? While they where still in school, fighting Voldemort they had been taught. Apparating overseas was part of their basic training- she knew how to. Yet he doubted very much that she had done so very often since joining the IA division.
The forensics where staring at her wide eyed.
"I thought it was impossible!" Collin said.
"It is," Harry replied, "Unless you have the training."
"It's a possibility- some of the death eaters where taught the skill but very few and most are in Azkaban now. I think somehow our killer is different from them."
"They've killed- what's the difference?" Ron asked scathingly.
"The difference," Hermione replied stiffly, "Is that death eaters kill for their hatred of the muggle kind, the victims are all witches or wizards, with varied heritage. The only linking factors are the lockets, watches, precious stones, their age and the fact that none of them where at school."
The room went quiet as everyone thought this over. Ron realised grudgingly that an Investigative Auror's job wasn't quite as easy as he had imagined it to be.
"Right," Hermione said firmly, "We need to get started. Collin, if you lot could carry on with your tests, see if you can get a magical tracing on the parchment- it might reveal its origin. If not try the muggle ink."
"Ok." Collin said, turning back to the team of people in white coats.
"If one of you monitors the port-key station in Paris and one of you in London. Don't go round interviewing everyone: it looks suspicious: instead pose as surveyors: researching popular holiday destinations etc. You know? Pretend you're just doing an innocent job not tracking down a dangerous criminal."
Ron nodded- ashamed: what a simple idea! Yet he knew it was one that he wouldn't have come up with.
"I'll do Paris." Harry said.
"So I'll do London," Ron added, sullen.
"What about you Hermione?" Harry asked. Ron started: first names now?
"I'll be going through the records, trying to find out more about the victims. We still don't know why they weren't at school or why they are connected by a precious stone of some kind."
*
Hermione switched the lights off in the records library: bone weary. She had long overstayed the librarian who knew her well and often left her to lock up when she wasn't finished her work.
She looked at meagre three pages of notes she made the entire day and was bitterly disappointed. There just was nothing to go on! Glancing at her watch she felt a wave of guilt!
It was eight thirty: she'd promised to be at the Weasley's at seven! Running down to the entrance she was so caught up in her hurrying that she didn't noticed the person holding the door open until they called after her.
"Hermione?" He called.
She swung round to face the man she had though would never use her first name again.
"I'm late," She said.
"You're not still working are you?" He asked- was that concern in his eyes?
"No!" She snapped, "I do have a life you know!"
"Yeah, I know," He said quietly, "I'm sorry he said, you just look tired that's all- I hope that."
Hermione was infuriated, how dare her pretend to care! Not only that but he was reminding her of the illness.
"I'm fine; it's too late to pretend you care." She said scathingly.
He looked away, the snap of anger unmistakable in his sapphire blue eyes.
"Sorry," He muttered.
"I've got to go, I'll she you tomorrow." She said, continuing down the path to the apparition point: angry tears stinging her eyes. *
Ron watched her go- his heart sinking. Why was he still so affected by her? Why did she still have the power to confuse him so, move him from genuine concern to livid anger in the space of a few sentences?
On the contrary he didn't think that she was affected at all by him. He didn't realise just how wrong he was.
*
OOC- What do think? Please review with your thoughts.
* AN: Thanks to those who reviewed the previous chapter. In answer to kerofan's question- Ron's mad with Hermione because he doesn't think Hermione's living up to her full potential. He thinks Investigative Auror's are useless and get paid for doing nothing.
Thanks again and sorry this chapter took so long in coming out.
*
The musical was good, brilliant in fact. Muggle London had some of the best to offer and Hermione would usually have enjoyed the one they where at but events during the day had left her distracted.
Ginny on the other hand was as bright and bubbly as usual. She had long since got past the stage of staring open mouths at every muggle item and had learned to appreciate muggle theatre. She didn't seem to notice that her friend was less than cheerful and chattered animatedly during the break.
Hermione came close to telling her about the days events but bit her lip and knew it was for the best. Why dampen Ginny's spirits? There was no point, they would finish the case quickly and then be over with it. Another memory: that's all Harry and Ron needed to be: memories.
When the show was finished they parted- Ginny saying, "You'll come for your dinner tomorrow night? At the burrow?"
Hermione nodded smiling, "Yes, I'd love too."
"Seven o'clock?"
"Yeah."
"Great see you then!"
"Bye!"
*
Ron arrived gloomily at the IA headquarters the next morning. He was tired, his head was pounding and he was in for another difficult day with a woman who was acting like he was Draco Malfoy.
Harry on the other hand was annoyingly cheerful and seemed determined to be optimistic about the situation. Ron felt like punching him.
The receptionist directed them to a forensics lab, where she had said Inspector Granger had already been working for an hour.
They entered a long, spacious laboratory with long windows at one end, through which Ron could see what looked to be an endless apron of white- the lawns that where spread out in front of the IA building had been covered in snow over night.
A group of people huddled around a bench at the opposite end of the room all dressed in white lab coats. One turned round to face them- Hermione. Her wild curls tied back from her face and her amber eyes unreadable.
"Good morning," Harry said, Ron could have kicked him for sounding so cheerful.
"Morning," she said briskly, "Grab a coat and then join us."
They took lab coats down from a peg near the doorway and crossed to join the group of people.
"We've had another note from the killer," Hermione said, "It provides us with an opening."
"Really?" Harry sounded enthusiastic, "Let's see it then."
"Put these on first," A young man with sandy blonde hair and blue eyes said, handing them gloves. Ron started as he recognized Collin Creevy.
"Thanks," Ron muttered.
Harry took the note and read it out:
"Dear Inspector Granger, Yes I know you're one for formalities. My Miss 'Mione was hardly appropriate was it? Anyway that is not my purpose in writing you this. This case is giving you a headache is it not? Five victims now and not a clue where to start with your investigations! It makes me laugh to see the great academic Hermione Granger puzzled and despairing. You are a genius are you not? But never mind, I'll GIVE you a clue. Sapphire, Garnet, Amethyst, Ruby and Emerald were threats to me, so I eliminated them. Now I have their power and with every victim I grow more and more powerful! Yours Sincerely, Diamond
"What does that tell us?" Ron asked; the letter seemed to him no more than a threatening note. It didn't hold any real clues.
"The ink this note is written in is not magical. No, indeed we have matched it to a sample of muggle ink. Highly unusual for a muggle pen to be found of parchment such as this." Collin said.
Ron glanced at Harry who looked as confused as he did, seeing that they still did not get it, Hermione explained, "The ink is a muggle item; therefore we can presume that it was in a muggle pen before it stained the parchment. We know that such muggle items will not work in wizarding areas, therefore out killer must be among muggles."
Ron looked at her in surprise; he certainly wouldn't have though of that. It seemed so obvious and yet it would have eluded him.
"But there are more muggle areas than there are wizarding. It doesn't really narrow down our search." Harry said, perplexed.
Ron could have sworn, Hermione flashed a triumphant smile at this point, but it was there and gone within seconds.
"Maybe not narrow down BUT it does make it easier. We have people sifting through possible areas right now, examining all the traces of magic. Looking for the smallest hint of our killer. You see as he is hiding in a muggle area there is not much magical residue to protect him from our notice."
"But why would he hide somewhere where we could easily find him?" Harry asked; Ron was pleased to let him do all the talking.
"You're not thinking like a criminal, like a killer. Would you have expected us to work out whether you were in a magical or non-magical community just from the ink in your pen? No, that note was written hastily, you can tell by the way the writing leans forward. That compared with the first not, written in wizard ink is very untidy. This Diamond is counting on us NOT looking for him in muggle areas." Hermione said, calmly.
"Oh." Harry said.
"All that remains now," Hermione said, "Is for us to work out where his next killing will be."
With that she waved her wand, and a large map of Europe appeared in mid air. She pointed to a dot that read London, Diagon Alley.
"This is where the first victim was found." She said, "And this is where the second was found."
There was now a dot in the South of France where Harry and Ron had found Emerald. She went on to point out Hogsmeade, where Garnet had been found, Paris where Ruby had been found and finally Liverpool where Amethyst had been found.
"Well?" Ron asked he was beginning to feel impatient. This crazy Investigative Auror logic was making his head spin!
"Well!" She replied, almost as impatiently her eyes flashing dangerously, "You can't apparate overseas. Two of the murders took place here and two in France!"
"And you can't use the port keys without registering using them with the Department of Travel!" Harry continued for her enthusiastically.
"Exactly. So the murderer must have made at least four port key journeys! So his name will be on the books four times in these past few days!" She said excitedly.
"Other people will be too though." Harry said.
"We have to investigate them all. And if there are more murders- then eventually the killer will be led abroad again and when he is."
"We'll be waiting for him." Ron finished for her, not thinking.
"Exactly," She said quietly not meeting his eyes.
"What if the person CAN apparate overseas?" Harry asked.
"What do you mean?" Collin Creevy asked.
"FA special training," Hermione asked him, "They learn how to apparate: its part of the training."
Ron bit his lip: that wasn't widely known- of course Hermione had started the Field Auror training hadn't she? While they where still in school, fighting Voldemort they had been taught. Apparating overseas was part of their basic training- she knew how to. Yet he doubted very much that she had done so very often since joining the IA division.
The forensics where staring at her wide eyed.
"I thought it was impossible!" Collin said.
"It is," Harry replied, "Unless you have the training."
"It's a possibility- some of the death eaters where taught the skill but very few and most are in Azkaban now. I think somehow our killer is different from them."
"They've killed- what's the difference?" Ron asked scathingly.
"The difference," Hermione replied stiffly, "Is that death eaters kill for their hatred of the muggle kind, the victims are all witches or wizards, with varied heritage. The only linking factors are the lockets, watches, precious stones, their age and the fact that none of them where at school."
The room went quiet as everyone thought this over. Ron realised grudgingly that an Investigative Auror's job wasn't quite as easy as he had imagined it to be.
"Right," Hermione said firmly, "We need to get started. Collin, if you lot could carry on with your tests, see if you can get a magical tracing on the parchment- it might reveal its origin. If not try the muggle ink."
"Ok." Collin said, turning back to the team of people in white coats.
"If one of you monitors the port-key station in Paris and one of you in London. Don't go round interviewing everyone: it looks suspicious: instead pose as surveyors: researching popular holiday destinations etc. You know? Pretend you're just doing an innocent job not tracking down a dangerous criminal."
Ron nodded- ashamed: what a simple idea! Yet he knew it was one that he wouldn't have come up with.
"I'll do Paris." Harry said.
"So I'll do London," Ron added, sullen.
"What about you Hermione?" Harry asked. Ron started: first names now?
"I'll be going through the records, trying to find out more about the victims. We still don't know why they weren't at school or why they are connected by a precious stone of some kind."
*
Hermione switched the lights off in the records library: bone weary. She had long overstayed the librarian who knew her well and often left her to lock up when she wasn't finished her work.
She looked at meagre three pages of notes she made the entire day and was bitterly disappointed. There just was nothing to go on! Glancing at her watch she felt a wave of guilt!
It was eight thirty: she'd promised to be at the Weasley's at seven! Running down to the entrance she was so caught up in her hurrying that she didn't noticed the person holding the door open until they called after her.
"Hermione?" He called.
She swung round to face the man she had though would never use her first name again.
"I'm late," She said.
"You're not still working are you?" He asked- was that concern in his eyes?
"No!" She snapped, "I do have a life you know!"
"Yeah, I know," He said quietly, "I'm sorry he said, you just look tired that's all- I hope that."
Hermione was infuriated, how dare her pretend to care! Not only that but he was reminding her of the illness.
"I'm fine; it's too late to pretend you care." She said scathingly.
He looked away, the snap of anger unmistakable in his sapphire blue eyes.
"Sorry," He muttered.
"I've got to go, I'll she you tomorrow." She said, continuing down the path to the apparition point: angry tears stinging her eyes. *
Ron watched her go- his heart sinking. Why was he still so affected by her? Why did she still have the power to confuse him so, move him from genuine concern to livid anger in the space of a few sentences?
On the contrary he didn't think that she was affected at all by him. He didn't realise just how wrong he was.
*
OOC- What do think? Please review with your thoughts.