Chapter 4

The Leaky Cauldron

By Bonfoisbkar and sa1boy

Beta by Sevfan

You'd think someone would want to lay claim to ridding the world of this blight on humanity! The rumour mill about this waste of a wizard is rampant with drug use, violence towards women and men and even a bit of drug dealing on the side. Circe and Morganna, what I wouldn't give for a nice case of straight-up mayhem! Colin has gone over his photos with a fine-tooth comb, looking for anything we may have overlooked, but neither one of us can see anything out of place. It should get clearer once we've finally talked to the main suspects. And I'd truly like to get my hands on whoever is leaking our information to the Prophet…guts for garters doesn't even begin to describe what I want to do to them!

b MURDER CASE FILE #3110-WEASLEY /b

i Chief Investigating Auror: Boadicea Basher

Case File opened 31 October 2000 /i

b Autopsy Findings, 31 October 2000 /b

The victim was found fully clothed on a bed in room 13 of the Leaky cauldron.

Preliminary reports found that the victim had been strangled and stabbed.

Detailed autopsy carried out by Chief Coroner Ivor Clever found the following:

Victim was stabbed ten times with a sharp, three-inch serrated edge knife (found next to the victim, confirmed as only knife used). Blood placement at the scene of the crime signifies that the victim was dead when he was first stabbed.

Skin colouration (Lividity) is fixed, confirming that body was moved after death.

Victim had a 2 meter length of satin rope tied around his neck using a full blood knot. Rope was pulled so tight that satin fibres were imbedded in victim's neck.

Victim had various narcotic substances in his bloodstream, most significantly the Muggle drug methamphetamine (street name - speed).

There were also large amounts of hemlock found in victim's stomach, alongside residues of coffee and a light meal of salad leaves.

Discolouration of the victim's knuckles and skin fragments under the victim's fingernails signify that he had been in a scuffle within the last eighteen hours.

b Photographic Interpretation: The Leaky Cauldron, 31 October 2000 /b

i Report of Colin Creevey, Auror Photographer /i

Various photographs show a small dagger and a length of rope lying next to the deceased; the dagger is 10 centimetres from right ear of deceased, and the rope just below the deceased's throat, partially imbedded in neck.

On the night table to the right of the deceased was a portion of blank parchment and a broken quill.

No evidence of breaking and entering was found. No evidence of any disturbance in room.

Photographic evidence has been logged on 31 October 2000, witnessed by B. Basher.

center 0 /center

Sat at her desk in the Ministry of magic, Basher reflected on the interviews she had held earlier that day.

b Location Interviews: The Leaky Cauldron, 31 October 2000 /b

Tom, owner: Last name unknown. No prior offences on file.

Chief Investigator Basher entered the room, all Dicta-Quills instantly started to record the interview.

i "When did you last see the deceased Ronald Bilius Weasley?" /i

"I saw him – "

i "Could you please speak clearly for the dicta-quill - and if you don't mind could you elaborate on who you saw please. Kindly refrain from referring to the victim as him, this is a murder enquiry I must remind you." /i 'This is going to be one long night,' she thought.

"I'm sorry, miss. The deceased, Ronald Weasley, entered my premises alone, sometime between 18:00 and 19:00 on October 30th. The deceased, Mr. Weasley, was belligerent and also slightly intoxicated."

i "Mr. –" /i

"Just Tom, dear."

i "It's Chief Investigator Basher, actually." /i

"Of course it is, dear."

'Cheeky little scrote, I will have to remember to check your drinks license for that,' Basher thought.

i "Please continue." /i

"Thank you, dear."

i "Did you serve the victim on that occasion? Also, please tell me how the victim looked?" /i

"I had not served him in my establishment since an altercation he caused a week ago. I saw no indication of wounds when the deceased paid his weekly rent. He rents a small flat from me in Diagon Alley."

"Tell me, Tom, what do you think about the death of Mr. Weasley?"

"Good riddance to bad rubbish, I say. The blighter still owes me for the damage from the fracas he caused last week! No, I shan't be at all sad not to see that no-good, drug dealer again."

"Thank you, you may leave."

i "End interview, quills off. /i

Opinions: Physically able to have committed crime, but has barroom as alibi. Pensieve recorder under bar shows he did not leave from 17:00 – 23:00, left at that time for only 15 minutes, then returned until 2:00. Found the body during morning room service 8:30 – 9:00 31 October 2000. Dismissed as a potential murderer.

Other witnesses questioned:

b Dedalus Diggle: /b Former member of defunct Order of the Phoenix. Follows Harry Potter's exploits closely, has done so since first sighting him as a child in 1991. Knew deceased was a friend of Potter's and that he was also once involved with Granger. He avowed he could recognize Potter, Granger and the deceased on sight. When asked how he knew his information was correct, he stated: "I keeps me ears and eyes open, Auror! More than what some might think." When pressed to elaborate, the wizard merely smiled and sipped his firewhisky.

b Doris Crockford: /b Witch whose biggest claim to fame is her two handshakes with the Boy Who Lived on his first visit to the Leaky Cauldron. Was inebriated at the time of her interview, singing bawdy Quidditch songs and muttering something about "better red and dead than back in black." When sober, she denied any ties to the deceased, and swore vehemently that Harry Potter was nowhere near the Leaky Cauldron on the night of 30 October 2000; she would not explain who or what was "back in black". Mrs. Crockford will be interviewed again, to get a more detailed statement of her whereabouts. Not physically able to have committed the crime. Veracity of statement is in doubt; interviewee is known drunkard.

b Hag: /b name unknown; famous for propensity to eat liver with everything. Toothless witch of indeterminate age and social means. Purports to have seen someone matching the deceased's description in the alley behind the Leaky Cauldron, arguing with "a dumpy shadow." Will not give name or residence. Not physically able to have committed crime.

Area canvas could find no one else who saw or heard anything. Those willing to comment spoke of loud noises behind the Leaky Cauldron, but there are no solid leads. Club Echelon shares alley with Leaky Cauldron.

End case study: 14:00 31 October 2000.

center 0 /center

Boadicea sat at her desk an hour later; she was just about to interview the Granger girl, when she heard a tap on the window. 'Oh shit,' she thought as the delivery owl flew in, clutching in its claws an updated version of the hottest news in the magic world - the death of Ronald Weasley.

center i News Flash

New Developments in Weasley Murder Investigation

By Anita Scribe, Daily Prophet Special Correspondent /i /center

I have just been given this statement from a source close to the case in the tragic murder of Ronald Bilius Weasley.

center b Mr Ronald Weasley was found with ten stab wounds in his head and chest. The stabbing was done after the unfortunate victim had been killed by strangulation. It was also found that there was a sizeable amount of the deadly drug hemlock in the victim's stomach. It is believed that the body was moved to the Leaky Cauldron after death occurred. /b

Well, there you have it. Not only was Ronald Weasley strangled, he was poisoned and then stabbed. It leaves this field-hardened reporter to ask the question - is there more than one murderer? And what is Chief Investigator Basher doing to solve this case?

More news will be revealed, as soon as it becomes available.

Anita Scribe

Daily Prophet /center

Boadicea Basher choked on her fourth cup of Earl Grey. Someone in her department was leaking vital information to the public. Setting the cup down very carefully, she stood up and went to her office door. Opening the door, she roared out, "I want the bloody bint, Anita Scribe, in my office as soon as possible, or I'll know the reason why!"

Closing the door softly, she leaned back against it. A migraine began throbbing behind her right eye. She winced and headed back to her desk. The desk that had her major suspect interview list sat on.