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Disclaimer- Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers. Not me.
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AN- Sorry it's been so long! I thought I'd get more done during the holidays!!! I've been in a totally internet-free house for a week and in Spain before that I'll get lots more done this week! (I hope!)
Oh yeah and Sirius- whoops! I forgot I'd mentioned him! Well I'll go through and change that soon. I'm going to bring in some Order characters in this so if you haven't read it beware!!!
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The party had already started by the time Hermione and Ginny arrived. The music that seemed to come from nowhere was loud and typical of the twins.
It was popular Wizarding music- the twins loved everything from the Weird Sisters to the Raging Dragons.
The twins' apartments were spacious and stylish with the occasional splash
of eccentricity. For example, the random splash of bright orange paint on the ceiling of the main lounge or the obscure umbrella stand that gave of blue smoke whenever it felt bored.
The adult Weasley's and their partners where all lively, cheerful and talkative. Hermione however didn't feel at all cheerful, the weight of the unsolved case weighing heavily on her mind. Ginny, although still bad tempered from her encounter with Harry and Ron, was doing her best not to show it. She pulled it off well, laughing with the others.
Hermione scanned the room. All six of the Weasley's she had known growing up, expecting of course Ron, were there. Some were with partners, some were without. Even Percy who had fallen out with the family at one point was there. There were others there too, that like herself, were not Weasleys. She recognised the auror Nymphadora Tonks, still sporting purple spikes. There were others from the Order of the Phoenix, some she hardly knew. Then there was Remus in deep conversation with a dark haired woman Hermione didn't recognise. She smiled to see that even ageing Mad-Eye Moody was there clanking around suspicious of everything. Others she recognised from Hogwarts, like Oliver Wood, the fanatical Quidditch player.
The twins certainly knew how to throw a party, Hermione thought as she watched the people who had got up to dance in the space cleared. She wondered what they had planned that was so top-secret.
Someone said cutting in her thoughts, How are you? It's been ages since I last saw you!
Hermione turned to see her old friend Neville Longbottom. He had barely changed and still had the round boyish face that Hermione remembered. He was a Hogwarts Professor teaching Herbolagy. He had even made his Gran proud.
I'm fine, She said grinning, What about you?
Great! It's so wonderful teaching at Hogwarts, you wouldn't believe! He said.
She smiled a little wistfully, No I wouldn't. She said.
So what have you been up to? Neville asked.
Oh a horrible case- murdered teenagers and no clues. She said.
Neville gasped, But no-ones gone missing from my classes!
No, that's just it. None of them were at school although they all had magical capability.
He frowned,
For an awkward moment he studied her carefully, frowning.
Are you sure you're all right? He asked.
She said nodding.
It's just you look pale. Tired. Almost like you did when
I'm all right. She said firmly, trying not to get angry. Why did people have to keep reminding her that she had once been very ill? Still she couldn't loose her temper with Neville, when she was ill; he had been great, collecting the plants needed to make the restorative draught that she had relied on.
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to He said quickly.
It doesn't matter, Hermione said, smiling determinedly.
He shook his head, Luna's here! He continued brightly.
Hermione grinned at the sparkle in Neville's eyes as he said that,
Over there with Ginny. He said.
Hermione followed her gaze to where Ginny stood with a blonde haired woman that Hermione hardly recognised. Although still vague Luna had smartened up considerably since her Hogwarts days. She had discovered an immense gift for seeing- and her visions had proved useful in the past. Although Hermione still wasn't one hundred percent sure of the crafts reliability.
Yeah- Ginny and me were in the café before. Mrs Lovegood said she was coming with you.
Well we did use the same fireplace, but WITH me? Neville asked colouring.
Hermione just laughed, That's what she said.
By this time Luna and Ginny had made their way over.
Hello Hermione, Luna said with a vague sort of smile.
Luna certainly wasn't at all like what she had been at Hogwarts. She wore stylish black robes and her long blonde hair was sleek and shiny. Yet her large, round blue eyes were still had the effect of making her seem forever surprised.
Hermione smiled back, How are you?
I'm fine. Gran says you go into the café a lot. Luna said.
Yeah I do, Hermione replied.
The conversation however was cut short when Hermione discovered that she had lost control of her body. She found herself bobbing about, her arms and legs moving randomly. She panicked, what was happening? She noticed that Luna, Neville and Ginny were having the same problem. Everyone was having the same problem.
The guests all found themselves forced to dance and it was not long before people were falling over each other and bumping heads. No one seemed able to stop. Rather than being alarmed however, Hermione found it quite funny. Watching everyone twitch around helplessly was more amusing than she'd ever have thought- even if she were being forced to do it herself.
As it wore off she noticed that Fred and George were not affected- in fact they were roaring with laughter and she soon realised what had happened. Fred and George's big surprise.
You should have seen your faces! Fred said to the room at large when it was over.
What was it? Hermione asked the twins, Not Impervious, surely?
They laughed, No, we wouldn't have risked that with several aurors in the room! It's just a powder we developed; it was dissolved in everyone's first drink!
Hermione rolled her eyes, trust them.
They'll never grow up, Ginny said fondly.
Hermione looked at her, Your not much better you know! I still haven't forgiven you for the time I came home and found that you'd turned my hair blue!
Ginny grinned mischievously, Blue suits you. She said.
What's this, Neville asked.
I was saying that Ginny's just as much a trickster as the twins, Hermione explained.
Neville nodded, Yeah, I'll second that. She sent me a toilet seat last term. Said it was a present from the outside world.
Wasn't that funny of her, Luna said.
She got that idea from us. Fred said joining them.
Yeah, we sent her one once from Hogwarts. Mum wasn't too pleased though. George added.
I was in the staff room when I got it, Neville said, Flitwick was there at the time and he wouldn't stop laughing for ages.
Flitwick's still there? George asked.
Yeah. He doesn't seem to age, Neville replied.
Hermione listened to their conversation for a little while longer, then drifted away, suddenly feeling very tired. The image of the hysterical girl she had begun interviewing haunted her and her mind floated back to her office and the records she should be sorting through. Searching for evidence anything
Are you all right?
Hermione turned to see Remus wearing a concerned expression, a petite woman beside him.
yes. Sorry I was just worrying about that girl. Hermione said.
I see. Remus said smiling.
The woman beside him smiled too and held out her hand, Hermione Granger I presume?
Hermione answered, frantically searching her mind, sure that she'd come across the women before.
This is Kathryn Marsden Hermione; she's the Head of the Field Division.
Hermione said, I was at your lecture at the Ministry last month.
Kathryn said looking pleased, What did you think?
Hermione said honestly, I totally agree with everything you said,
the segregation of divisions is old fashioned.
Kathryn Marsden grinned. She was about the same age as Remus- probably a bit younger. She had short-cropped dark brown hair that framed her friendly face and hazel eyes. Her skin was bronzed from a lot of time spent in the sun and she wore plain green robes.
You're exactly what they said! She said.
Excuse me?
Well you're the most intelligent person that Harry knows and Ron says you are
See Hermione, you aren't the only one who is close with their head of division. Remus cut in.
Hermione nodded slowly taking all this in, she wondered what Ron had said about her, and Remus had obviously cut in on purpose. What he said must have been positive or else Kathryn wouldn't have said anything, was it just that Remus hadn't wanted to see Hermione upset by a reminder of the connection there once was?
She dismissed these thoughts and concentrated on what Kathryn had to say instead
If I can get the act passed through the Ministry, Field Aurors might eventually have as much freedom in their private lives as you.
Hermione asked surprised, You mean
Yes, they wouldn't have to live at headquarters.
That was what stopped me from entering into training, Hermione said, Well that and the fact that I realised my skills were more suited to the Investigative Division.
Yes, a rising star in your division, you can't beat that. Kathryn said.
I couldn't do without her, Remus grinned.
You shouldn't believe him Ms. Marsden, Hermione said, He's very capable.
Please, just call me Kathy.
Hermione opened her mouth to reply but was cut short by two loud cracks and a surprised shriek, which came from the dance floor. Two figures had appeared sporting green cloaks, in fact they had landed right on top of Penelope Weasley.
Hermione gasped in horror when she saw who it was.
What on earth are they doing here? Someone said angrily, and an apparently confused Harry and Ron lay sprawled in an untidy mess.
*
Ron straightened himself up, aware of a room full of people staring at him and Harry. When he had put a tracking spell on Hermione he hadn't expected her to be in a room full of his family when he needed her.
Did you accept our invitation this year? An incredulous Fred asked. Ron looked at him, half-angry, half-confused, wearing bright green robes.
It was only when he remembered the invitations that he got every year to a Christmas party held by the twins, he never answered, that he realised where he was.
He said weakly, We're here to see her.
He pointed towards where Hermione was standing, looking bewildered.
He looked around, to see the twins, Charlie, Bill, Ginny and even Percy there. Hermione was standing with Remus- and his head spun, Kathy. So many once- familiars face staring at him and muttering to each other.
His eyes met Hermione's; she looked furious and shot him a fleeting look of confusion before hurrying over to them.
What on earth is going on? She asked.
There's been another murder, Harry said quietly, Ron could see he was doing his best not look at anyone in the room.
Hermione paled visibly.
Ok, where? She asked, her voice measured.
That's the thing. Harry said, We found the body in your headquarters.
She went even paler on hearing this.
She gasped.
In the Entrance hall. Ron said quickly.
Oh no! Hermione whispered, Not Tiffa
No not Tiffany, Harry cut in, You better come and see.
Hermione said nodding, Give me a minute.
*
A shell-shocked Hermione was left with a room full of people all wearing confused expressions when the two men apparated out of the room.
It's ok Hermione, you go. We'll explain. Remus said.
She shot him a grateful look before apparating herself- wanting more than anything to be away from the centre of attention. As it was she went from one room of staring people to another.
Someone launched at her straightaway, she briefly noted that it was one of the junior inspectors, Claire, or something like that.
Over here Hermione, Collin called her over.
Hermione went over to where he, Harry and Ron where standing, the junior inspector hovering anxiously behind her.
The body was sprawled over the stone floor. The image of the victim's appearance had already been created, and hovered nearby. Hermione studied it. A young boy: handsome: clean cut. He had chestnut hair and vivid eyes- the colour of azure.
The stone is azurite. Collin said holding a clock exactly the same as the others.
Killed by the fall, Collin continued.
But he received a blow to the head, Hermione muttered.
Collin nodded.
The wide stone staircases that lead to many of the upper offices, including Hermione were trickled with blood. Hermione felt the familiar sickening her stomach.
Any clues. any witnesses? She asked. Although she already knew the answer. The three men nodded grimly.
Hermione went to the top of the stairs, stepping carefully around the spots of blood. There was no visible trace of anyone having been there.
Any prints? She shouted down, again already knowing the answer.
Collin replied.
*
Ron followed her up. She seemed to drink in absolutely everything in the shadowy corridor, although nothing could have visibly changed since she had last seen it.
Mortifa retracous, She muttered a spell, and he just caught the swift, complicated wand movement she used before an odd green smoke filled the area that she was standing.
She muttered in triumph.
He didn't understand, he reached out to touch the smoke. It was cold to the touch, freezing cold. Something told him that the smoke was evil- not pausing to think he grabbed hold of Hermione's arm and jerked her out of the cloud.
What are you doing? She demanded angrily.
That smoke's evil! He replied certainly.
Of course it's evil, Hermione snapped, It's the spell traces of whoever's killing these kids!
It felt dangerous. Ron muttered, going red and realising what she had done. She'd just performed a variation on the spell that he used!
Don't be ridiculous! She chided, You know as well as I do that spell traces only show us what spell was used!
I've never seen a trace like that. He retorted.
No me neither, She admitted, But it's a good sign. It means whoever our killer is, they're slipping.
Yes. They haven't left any traces before, Harry said, joining them at the top of the stairs.
Hermione nodded, And not only that but he's lost control.
How do you know that? Ron asked her. Once again, she was measured and composed and her dark eyes betrayed no emotion.
He looked at; her face was illuminated by the silver moonlight that filtered through from the narrow hallway windows. The shadows half hid her, as they did Harry and everything seemed impossibly eerie in the hallway that had been bustling and busy only that morning.
This murder is different to the rest. Hermione said, This one was unplanned, the murderer was angry. He performed his spell- whatever it was- then hit the victim who fell down the stairs. But not all the way.
But we found him at the bottom! Harry protested, looking every bit as confused as Ron was.
Hermione said, That's just what the killer wants us to think.
What do you mean? Ron asked.
The spell- the one with its traces here, She said, Didn't work! The victim had discovered the murderer's secret. The killer tried to use the spell on the victim but it didn't work, the killer got even angrier and struck the victim.
Which killed him?
Hermione said, Only the victim wasn't dead until he fell.
Yes, the blow wasn't enough to kill the boy on its own. Ron said cottoning on.
Exactly, but it would weaken his guard. The spell would penetrate. Hermione said.
So the killer performs the spell a second time? Ron asked.
Hermione said, But now he's realised his mistake. He realises that he's left spell traces.
How haven't we been able to get them before? Harry asked.
This place. It used to be a family residence, Hermione replied, It has old protection locked into its walls. Whatever precaution the killer has to stop the spells being traced could not penetrate these old spells.
So where did he perform the second spell.
Hermione stepped down onto the fourth step, performed her revealing spell the shook her head. She bent down to study the sickening trail of blood, followed it down and stopped just beyond half way.
The blood is thicker here, Hermione said, This is he fell to.
Once again she performed her revealing spell and once again green smoke penetrated the gloom.
Just as I thought. The killer wanted to wrong foot us. He presumed that we would think the victim had fallen all the way to the bottom, so that we wouldn't see the second spell trace. She said with a trace of triumph, The killer dragged the boy down the stairs and then did the spell. The spell must rely on the person's being alive. Then struck the boy's head against the stone.
Ron let this process in his mind; it made sense when he thought about it. Once again he was amazed at how Hermione could make sense of such patchy evidence.
The question is, Hermione finished, Why was he here in the first place? And how did he know about the protections that would mean his spell traces could be seen?