Author's Note: Thanks to all who have left me reviews, especially CrimsonRegret42.(thanks also for adding my story to your favorites) I know Grissom would have asked a lot more questions, but I look at is as more of he was in shock. Mr. Science-is-god-would-you-like-a-chocolate-covered-grasshopper is a little overwhelmed, but the fun starts soon. (hence the 'Humor' sub-genre) He'll be a little more himself in this chapter, I promise. Thanks again!
Love From
Lady Lloth
Lunch, the Great Hall:
Grissom and his team were seated at the end of the Staff Table in the great hall, who's vaulted ceiling reflected the clear sapphire sky outside. Long tables lined the floor, and students went about their lunch and gossip without paying the six muggles the slightest bit of attention. They were all talking animatedly about something called "Kwidditch", but the CSI didn't bother to learn what that was. Aside from Greg, who was staring at the ceiling so much that he kept missing his mouth when he brought his fork up to it, they were busy discussing what they would do about their case.
The Ministry had been little help, having little to no record of the Death Eaters other than the file that Grissom already had. To cap it all off, Eckly was trying to take over back in Vegas. He was insisting that the murders were cult related, despite the complete lack of any evidence pointing in this direction, not the least of which being the lack of ritualistic mutilations or execution style killing.
"As much as I trust Eckly's team, I don't trust Eckly." Grissom was saying to them, their heads all bent close as if in a sports huddle.
"So we go back and process the scenes and the evidence, and then relay what we have to you." Sara reasoned.
"And you relay it to the Ministry." Nick finished for her. Grissom nodded.
"It's the only way we can do this, if we want to do it right." Catherine added.
"How will we be getting back?" Warrick asked warily, his pale eyes darting to Dumbledore, who was talking animatedly with the diminutive professor Flitwick. They were a bit ruffled by magical travel. They had thought the portkey was bad, but when they returned to Hogwarts by Floo Powder, dizzy, their elbows banged up and their clothes covered in soot, they were downright disgruntled. Greg was still inclined to laugh at the looks on their faces, but not nearly as much as he was likely to bemoan not being able to try Floo travel himself.
"I think the Headmaster said something about a bus…" Grissom said carefully. Dumbldore seemed to have heard himself mentioned and turned to regard them.
"Oh, yes! I've booked three seats on the Knight Bus for them. It'll have them Back to Las Vegas before you can say Oddment!" He assured them with a wide smile. Sara, Warrick and Nick exchanged glances, eyebrows raised.
"Oddment." Nick muttered, shaking his head, a shadow if his customary grin flitting across his chiseled face. Warrick and Sara Laughed nervously. Grissom shook his head, as if trying to wake up after a long night of work. He found himself examining the ceiling with as much interest as Greg. How was this possible? He'd been debunking things like this for years. There was no such thing as magic, just Siegfried and Roy and their ilk working the stages of his hometown. It was insane! And yet, here he was, in an enchanted castle eating lunch with witches and wizards while trying to catch a band of cold blooded murderers who used wands instead of guns.
He watched children no older than eleven making puffs of smoke and small explosions as they tried to get their homework done. He watched on bushy haired fifteen year old turn her water goblet into a bird. He blinked and rubbed his eyes behind his glasses, turning back to his meal. Even that was unsettling, since at the beginning of the meal, food just appeared on the plates. (Much to Greg's delight)
He was still pondering this as they were lead to a horseless carriage that would take Sara, Nick and Warrick back to Hogsmeade. He walked around and around the thing, poking and prodding. There was something solid there, he could feel it, he just couldn't see it.
"What's hooked up to these?" He asked Dumbledore, running his hand along what he supposed was an extremely bony flank.
"Thestrals. Our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, Hagrid, has managed to tame a whole herd of them for the school."
"What?" Sara asked as the others gathered around Grissom, eying him curiously as he patted empty air.
"Thestrals." Dumbeldore repeated, patting something they couldn't see affectionately. "They are a horse like beast that is invisible to Muggles and any who have not seen someone die." He added, a bit more somberly. "They are very intelligent, though I daresay Hagrid could tell you more about them than I." Catherine stared hard at the empty air Grissom was resting his hand on, lips pursed, and then cast her boss a sideways glance. He was looking thoughtful, glancing over his shoulder at the hut on the edge of the grounds. She knew he was itching to go see this Hagrid immediately and bombard him with questions. She knew the feeling. It was all so unreal, So fantastic, like a dream they couldn't wake from. After a moment Grissom nodded to himself as if coming to a decision, and Catherine and Greg exchanged knowing smiles. Tentatively, Sara, Warrick and Nick entered the carriage. It was cool and dark inside, and while the seats were comfortable, there was a faint smell of mold, as if they, like the castle, were very old.
They trundled along at moderate speed. They could hear hooves and feel the carriage sway, but it was unnerving to not see the horses pulling them towards their destination. They were relieved to finally clamber out onto the Hogsmeade Train Station,though the feeling lasted only long enough for them to hear a loud BANG! Nick stared openmouthed, his eyes wide as a tripple decker, violently Purple bus came to a halt in front of them. Sara laughed in bewilderment, shaking her head as Warrick swore loudly. Without warning a pimply teen with large, batlike ears leapt from the door of the Bus.
"Hello, my name is Stan shunpike and I will be your conductor for this afternoon, Welcome to the Knight Bus!"
"Uh..Hi." Nick offered, handing the conductor a slip of parchment that Dumbeldore had given him. Stan looked at it, nodded, and bid them board the bus. They all seated themselves in overstuffed armchairs, looking around with a mixture of interest and anxiety. As interesting as this all was, they would be glad to be back amidst the safe familiarity of the Lab.
"Take her away, Ern." They heard Stan call, and with a great lurch that caused the chairs to skid forward and another loud BANG, they were off, countryside whizzing by and everything from trees to farmhouses leaping out of the way. It seemed the driver, Ernie Prang, had not yet mastered use of the wheel.
"I think I'm gonna be sick." Warrick muttered, looking hopelessly at Nick and Sara, hands clenched tightly on the arms of his chair. He barely heard Stan chuckling at them as he unfolded a copy if the Daily Prophet. Sara however seemed to be having the time of her life, looking out the window with an expression reminiscent of Greg on her face as the bus lurched and bounded along. Nick merely shook his head, grinning at both of his friends. There was never a dull moment when one worked at the Las Vegas Crime Lab.
Hogwarts
The days dragged by, and since Owls were much, much slower than e-mail and Instant messages, Grissom, Greg and Catherine had to find some other way to occupy themselves while waiting for replies and evidence from Vegas. It was not like they didn't have things to keep them busy, however. Grissom wasted no time in going to meet with Hagrid, the care of Magical Creatures Teacher. When Grissom knocked on his door on a Saturday afternoon, he was greeted by the loud barks of Fang the boarhound and the biggest man he had ever seen. He was easily taller than Grissom by about three feet. His hands were as big as trash can lids and his feet the size of small sleds. He was clad in a moleskin overcoat and his face was partially hidden by wild black hair and beard, but his beetle black eyes were crinkled in a welcoming smile.
"Gil Grissom, I'm here from the Las Vegas Crime Lab." Grissom said, extending his hand. Hagrid clasped it in his own huge mitt, completely covering Grissom's, though his welcoming smile faltered slightly.
"What brings yeh here?" He asked suspiciously. "I didn't do nothing…" He added as he looked down on Grissom.
"Actually," Grissom said with an almost embarrassed smile. "The Questions I have for you have nothing to with my job." He assured the giant before him.
"alrigh' then." Hagrid said, stepping aside and allowing Grissom entry. Instantly Fang bounded over, trying to lick his ears. "Can I get yeh a cuppa?" He asked, motioning to a large tea kettle on the stove. Grissom nodded, seating himself in a chair so big his feet barely reached the floor. As Hagrid bustled around making tea, Grissom surveyed the house. It was cozy in its own way. Hams and pheasant hung from the ceiling, there were dishes and rock cakes on the scrubbed wooden table. An enormous bed sat in the corner and a crossbow was on the wall. Grissom didn't want to know why he would need a crossbow, but it was fascinating nonetheless.
"So what did yeh want to know?" Hagrid asked, handing Grissom a cup the size of a small bowl and seating himself at the scrubbed table.
"I don't know where to start." Grissom admitted with a small grin. "The Headmaster tells me you've tamed a herd of creatures called Thestrals, what exactly are they? What do they eat? Are they dangerous? Where do you find them? Where do you keep them?"
"Slow down!" Hagrid said with a laugh, the corners of his beetle black eyes crinkling, waving his great hands in the air to silence Grissom. " Firs' off, Thestrals are like a cross between dragons and horses, yeh see." he said knowingly. "They got these huge wings like a bat, and a scaly dragon head. They like raw meat best, but I got em eating other stuff too. Most people say they're bad luck Cos yeh can't se em less you've seen someone die, but they're right smart, they are, can find anyplace if yeh ask em, have an amazing sense o direction, Thestrals have. I found this herd in the dark forest, they stay there most o the time." he added, jerking one huge thumb at the woods outside his window. Grissom craned his neck to look out the window, sipping the tea thoughtfully.
"What sort of creatures live in the Forest besides Thestrals?" He asked, turning his attention back to Hagrid, his head cocked slightly to one side, a small smile on his face as his curiosity grew.
"Oh all sorts o things." Hagrid replied happily, obviously enjoying the conversation. "Yeh got yer centaurs, yer unicorns, and a whole clan o Acromantulas…"
"Acromantuals?" Grissom pressed, interest piqued.
"Yeah!" Hagrid said. "Giant Spiders, one of em, Arogog, is bout as big as me hut." He said, grinning at the expression on Grissom's face, the way the entomologist's eyes lit up.
Grissom did not leave Hagrid's hut until well after dark, neither of them having noticed the passage of time until Three fifteen year olds, A red haired boy, the bushy haired girl and their black haired, bespectacled friend, came to call, and then they all trooped up to the castle for dinner, Grissom making Hagrid promise to take him into the forest so he could see these creatures for himself. Grissom never believed anything without evidence.
