Chapter 15
On their return to Gottingen, Severus headed for the warehouse. There was plenty of day to day business to catch up on as well as progressing his plans for the deal either the US. For a few hours he happily set aside the investigation and immersed himself in paperwork.
It was 6pm when Harry's patronus arrived.
"Ron is needed at auror headquarters in twenty minutes time. Meet at the back of the King's Head pub."
Severus swore softly. The King's Head was an English pub he was always careful to avoid for fear of being recognised. He flicked his wand to lock his safe and then apparated to central Gottingen. Harry was waiting in the alley behind the pub.
"I trust this pub is patronised by the wizards."
Harry nodded, "All the aurors drink here. I'm sorry to drag you away from the warehouse but Peck wanted everyone in for a 6.30 briefing including you."
"He is taking over the case?"
"Not exactly," said Harry. "I'm still in charge but he's authorised a raid and he wants to supervise."
"Raid?"
"We think we may have identified the farm house, the receptionist mentioned. Apparently there is a wizarding farming hamlet to the east of Gottingen."
"But why do you think it could belong to Schmit's family and even if it was his childhood home, what makes you think he is likely to be there now?"
"When I got back that this afternoon, I reported to Peck. I may have played up what the receptionist told us a bit," admitted Harry ruefully.
"You are embarrassed that Schmit has scarpered?" said Severus understandingly.
Harry nodded easily. "I had to give him something."
Severus nodded, "In future I would advise the bald truth. Anything other than a stark assessment when briefing senior managers, can lead to an inadvisable course of action."
"Yeah, I realise that now," admitted Harry.
"I know it can be tough, when a manager is staring at you hopefully," said Severus gently. "Truth to power is a vital skill. You have never lacked courage."
Harry nodded and cleared his throat, suspecting that truth to power had not always been Severus own approach with Voldemort.
"Anyway, Peck set the desk investigators the task of trying to identify the property. As luck would have it, one of them has a grandma who lives in the hamlet and she had been gossiping about a neighbour they never saw, who came and went at strange times of day and never answered the door. "
"They are reaching. That can't possibly mean it is him," warned Severus. "There could be a number of reasons why someone would do that."
Harry nodded "That's what I said. But what clinched it was that the house was supposed to have been sold thirty years ago or so, according to the Grandma. She remembers the sale and everything but according to the deeds lodged with the Gottingen Ministry the house has never changed hands."
"The sale was a charade. "
"Looks like it."
"That is odd," agreed Severus.
"Well Peck thinks it is worth a look, so pre raid briefing at 6.30. Raid midnight. He wants us both there as independent investigators."
Severus nodded. "By the way what is name of the family on the deeds?"
"Unreadable," said Harry "Water damage."
"Very convenient. "
"But what does the grandma say? "
"She said that the last family who lived there was name Braun,"
"Wonderful! That really narrows it down," said Severus.
Severus slid into a set at the back of the hall. He nodded amiably to the other aurors but pretended to study the briefing pack on the chair to void conversation. The pack seem to consist of various maps and diagrams of what Severus assumed to be the farm buildings.
"Take a seat and let's get down to it, " said Peck.
He allowed a moment or two for latecomers to grab a chair before he continued.
"Alright, I want to use this briefing to bring everyone up to speed on our foray to the farm tonight. I am going to ask Harry, who you all know, to outline progress on the investigation to date before we go over the plan for tonight. Harry..."
"Thanks, "said Harry standing up "This is a summary of the investigation so far. Lubricus' body was found in the river at Beuren…"
Severus allowed his attention to wander while Harry went over the salient points of the case. The Gottingen auror team were, Severus concluded, experienced. They all looked to have been recruited in the post Grindelwald clear out. The majority would be focused on collecting their pension.
"Can I ask a question?"
Severus swivelled round to look at a short, stocky bloke with a red beard at the far left of the room
"Of course," said Harry.
"I can see that this guy Schmit could well be dodgy. His decision to do a runner confirms that something is not right but want makes you think he was involved in Lube's or Trank's death. Cos as far as I can see there is no real evidence. In fact he stood to lose from Trank's death."
"You're right Joe, "said Harry. "He could have done a flit for other reasons."
"But , " said the Joe, pulling his beard. "If that is the case, then we're no nearer solving the murders than we were a couple of weeks ago."
There was a murmur in the hall. Severus scowled at the bloke. But Harry was unperturbed.
"That's right, that's why tonight is so important, if it is him we need to catch him even if it is only to eliminate him from our inquiries. "
"Right, "said Peck. "Now you are all briefed on the background and I want to walk you through tonight's operation. The home team are going to be responsible for getting us inside the house and securing it. Harry and his colleague Ron are going to search the premises and interview Schmit if he is there. "
"Why the split of responsibilities?" asked the Joe whom Severus was starting to find annoying.
"We still don't know who killed Lubricus. Until we do I want external investigators leading this operation. That means Ron and Harry. I don't want anyone taking any executive decisions without their say so. Is that clear."
There was a general murmur of agreement.
"Alright, get out the plans of the farm from your briefing pack and let's work out who is going where. Harry and Ron, I want you here at the farm gate until we give you the signal that the building is secure."
It was just before midnight that Severus found himself at the gate to the farm with Harry. After the briefing meeting, they had milled around the station. Severus would have found the wait interminable had "Ron" not been busy enjoying all the free snacks.
"Have you done many of these?" inquired Severus.
"A couple," admitted Harry but I'm usually one of the ground troops securing the building."
Severus saw a flash of light down the farm track.
"That's Peck sending his patronus round the troops to start them dismantling the wards and easing into the building. Should take fifteen to twenty minutes."
"But it was nothing like that. Within three to four minutes Severus could see a plethora of patronus returning to the head auror.
"That's people signalling that they are safely inside, "explained Harry.
"Didn't take long, "commented Severus.
"No, "agreed Harry puzzled. "I'm not sure what's going on."
"Let's hope it is not the wrong property….."
"Come. " Peck beckoned to them.
Severus followed Harry through the gate and up the track.
"We are in?" asked Harry eagerly.
"The outer perimeter of the house is secure. The team is waiting inside by the doors and windows. They will their position until you and Ron are in place to oversee the advance into the interior."
"You have met no resistance?" inquired Severus.
"We have met nothing, no wards, no anything."
"Really!" exclaimed Harry.
"I take it this chap did not strike you as the sort of person to leave his property unwarded."
"Definitely not, "interjected Severus. "Are we sure that..."
"It is the correct house," confirmed Peck.
"But possibly not the right one, "observed Harry disappointed.
"Possibly not, "agreed Peck. "But we need to continue our search to be sure."
Harry and Severus slipped in through the front door. It was a traditional German farm house, thick walls. The aurors inside were waiting in darkness.
"I'm going to give the order to begin a systematic sweep of the interior," muttered Peck.
Harry nodded.
"My team will alert you to anything unusual."
Severus instinctively slipped his wand into his hand as the search began. Death Eater raids had been noisy, full of screams and fire. This was silent. The clock in the hall ticked interminably. Minute after minute past. All that could be heard was the opening and closing of doors. Surely there could be no-one here?
After ten minutes a steady trickle of patronus of all different shapes and sizes flowed back. Each one appeared repeated the same words "room secure." After 15 minutes the Peck began to fidget and sent out another patronus. Five minutes later a patronus that looked very much like a lamb tiptoed back.
"Can't get past the wards."
Peck swore softly and gestured to the lamb to lead him back to the caster.
"Stay here, "he whispered to Harry and Severus.
The clock continued to tick. Minutes past and Severus could fell Harry growing tenser. He reached out and squeezed his shoulder.
"Relax, " he whsieperd. "Let Peck do his job. You are the trainee here even if you are in charge of the investigation."
The tension in Harry's shoulders eased slightly.
Another five minutes passed before an eagle flew silently down the corridor towards them.
"Come, "it whispered before circling back slowly the way it had come.
Harry and Severus padded silently along the corridor behind it. At the end of the hall was a flight of stairs, the eagle flew upwards, Harry and Severus followed. There were four doors on the first floor all were open and an auror stood silently in each. The eagle continued up a narrower staircase to a second smaller landing. Peck and one of his team were stood in front of a narrow door.
"Ah Harry, the rest of the house appears empty. We believe this door leads to the attic but we cannot get through."
No wonder they had been waiting for so long. Peck must be truly stuck if he and his team were seeking the advice of a trainee on dismantling wards. He suspected he would not have done so even now if it had not been for the power of the Harry Potter legend.
"Would you like me to try?" asked Harry tentatively.
Peck nodded "If you would."
Severus stood back as Harry drew his wand. He watched as Harry spent the next twenty minutes probing the wards without success.
"I need to confer with Ron a few minutes, " said Harry.
Peck nodded.
Harry stepped towards him and put his hand on his arm. "They're impenetrable. I've not seen anything like it since the wards on the Slytherin common room. Could you?"
"You would like me to have a look?"
Harry nodded.
Severus turned away for a moment deftly switching wands. Elder Wand in hand he advanced on the door. If he was to assist Harry and progress this investigation, he needed to get through but he did not want to attract too much attention to the power of the wand in his hand.
Severus gently tested the wards. He almost recoiled. Harry assessment of their strength was correct. They were thick, black, sticky and heavy with a sense of evil, impregnated with a darkness Severus had not felt since the death of the Dark Lord. Some form of magical password was need to penetrate them but the signature was not Voldemort's so the mark on Severus arm would not ease his passage. They would only be breached by overwhelming force.
He turned back to Harry and lent in close.
"Can you create a distraction?" he whispered.
A moment later there was the sound of footsteps on the staircase. The aurors and Harry swung round, wands pointing down the stairs
"Who has left his post? "hissed Peck angrily.
Severus seized his chance and using the least power he believed was needed to do the job blasted through the wards.
The aurors turned immediately back to face the door but the distraction had been enough to prevent them witnessing the full force of the blast.
Severus reached forward and placed his hand on the door which swung open to reveal an even narrower set of stairs.
Peck looked at him curiously.
"Impressive "he said.
"Ron" nodded politely and stepped back.
Peck stepped through the door and placed his foot on the first step. Wand drawn he beckoned Harry and Severus to follow him. Severus made to go first, paused and gestured to Harry to proceed. His son was not a child anymore and he was sure that in this situation Harry rather than Ron would lead the way.
The attic room was small and tomb like.
"Luminous, "said Peck. His wand flickered and went out. "Luminous, "he repeated loudly. His wand flickered again and then went out. "Harry, Ron, " he invited. He seemed unsurprised a moment later when Ron's wand flickered into life whilst Harry's experienced the same problems as his own.
"Useful colleague to have around, "said Peck gesturing towards Ron.
Harry nodded uneasily.
Peck stepped towards the bed and cast a standard monitoring spell.
"Minimal life signs, " Peck observed. He turned his wand towards the end of the bed
"Expecto patronum," The eagle hovered once again in mid-air. "Go find the auror surgeon and tell him to get here quickly as possible," The eagle glided away.
"Harry," he beckoned.
Harry who had gone rather white approached the bed.
"Is this the man you interviewed in Munich?"
Severus saw Harry swallow then nod. Severus knew what he was thinking: corpse number three.
"That's Schmit," confirmed Harry.
Severus slipped round to the other sign of the bed and unbidden cast a series of spell over the man. The life signs were there but very faint.
Peck was examining the bedside table. "Some sort of poison I think," he observed sniffing a green potions bottle.
"May I?" said Severus/Ron.
Peck hesitated and then handed over the bottle.
Severus sniffed the bottle briefly and cast a faint levitating spell.A few drops of the potion floated out of the top of the bottle and levitated in mid-air.
"Wolfbane," concluded Severus immediately. He bent back over Schmit. "He is pretty far gone but it might be possible to rouse him if we act immediately. Excuse me."
Severus apparated back to his warehouse and slipped inside his potions lab. Shortly after he had taken up residence in Gottingen, he had undertaken a massive brewing exercise mimicking his personal stock at Hogwarts. Once inside the warehouse, he retrieved a bottle of winter roots potion to which he had added a twist of his own. He doubted whether it could produce a cure but he might be able to bring Schmit round long enough for Harry to question him. The key question was whether Schmit had been forced fed Wolfbane or had taken it of his own volition. Normally, with a room locked from the inside the former was indicated but the wards and the slow death might suggest another solution. Glasping the winter roots potion in his hand, he apparated back to the small attic room.
Harry and Schmit were at the end of the bed watching silently. Severus nodded reassuringly to Harry who gave a ghost of a smile. In Severus absence, the auror surgeon had arrived and was busily monitoring vital signs and searching his bag for anything that could be of possible use. The hands scrabbling in the bag and the frantic wand waving revealed he was struggling.
"Perhaps I might be of assistance?" suggested Severus softly.
The surgeon looked up, failed to recognise him, but concluded correctly that he was working with Harry.
"You know what this is?"
"Wolfbane poisoning, "said Severus confidently.
"Then there is nothing to be done. His vital signs are too weak anyway," he concluded wearily.
Severus placed a hand on his arm and gently pushed him to one side. He slipped the the potion out if his pocket and gently raised Schmit's head and put the bottle to his lips.
"What are you giving him?" asked the surgeon sharply.
"A winter roots potion."
"Winter roots potion, what do you expect that to do?"
"He is nearly dead, what does it matter?" pointed out Severus. He felt rather than saw Peck cast a sharp glance at Harry but he said nothing. He continued to feed tiny drops of the potion into the man's mouth, then with a flick of his wand he forced him to swallow.
For thirty second there was no change and then Schmit moved his head. A slight movement at first and then more pronounced.
The surgeon sucked in his breadth. "How did you? "
Severus held up his hand and the man's eyes open.
"Harry, " said Severus sharply. "Quickly, this is only temporary."
Harry, closely followed by Peck moved to the side of the bed
"Mr Schmit, who did this to you?" asked Harry urgently bending low.
"Did this?" rasped Schmit "I did this – who do you think?"
"You took the Wolfbane?" said Harry carefully.
"Better than being dragged off to prison by Harry Potter."
"Why would I drag you off to prison?" asked Harry.
Schmit made no response, his eyes beginning to close.
"Harry," said Severus urgently touching the potion to the man's lips again.
"I need to know, did you kill the auror Lubricus?" asked Harry bluntly.
"Care home fees only paid six months, " Schmit whispered.
"We'll sort it out," promised Peck. "If you answer the question."
Did you kill the auror?" Harry repeated.
Schmit gave a slight nod of his head without opening his eyes.
"And Trank?" asked Harry.
Schmit moved his head again.
"We need to hear the words, " said Peck without emotion.
"No charges against my mother, "
Harry looked confused "Was she involved in the killings?"
"No," Schmit coughed."But no charges."
Harry glanced at Peck who nodded.
"No charges, I promise. Did you kill Trank?"
"Both, " Schmit spluttered. "I killed both."
"But why?" asked Harry urgently.
Schmit opened his eyes. A terrible sound spewed out of his lips.
Severus realised he was laughing.
"You don't know?"
Harry shook his head.
"Trank was nosey. Auror was just doing his job I suppose..."
Schmit's eyes began to close.
"Can you?" Harry looked up at Severus urgently
But Severus shook his head. He laid Schmit's head back down on the pillow and closed his eyes. He cast a monitoring spell and the looked up at Harry and shook his head.
"Come," said Peck. Let's go down to the sitting room," he put his arm on Harry's. "We'll take care of the body," he gestured to the surgeon.
The surgeon nodded eyeing Severus warily. "You'll have my report in 48 hours although what I am going to say about him being temporarily brought back from the dead, I am unsure."
"I am sure Ron here will give you the name of the potion for your records."
Severus gave a brief nod. "Do you have a note pad?"
When he joined Harry in the lounge, he found the room crammed with Gottingen aurors. Harry was sat on the sofa looking dazed.
"Alright, our perpetrator has confessed, but ladies and gentleman I would like to fill out my report with a few details about means and motive. I want this place searched from top to bottom," instructed Peck.
"What are we looking for guv?"
"Any signs of illegal activity of any kind and any link to either Lubricus or Trank. Get to it. Mr Potter and I will be in here reflecting on the case."
Once the aurors team had levered themselves out of the room, Peck headed to a drinks cabinet and pulled out a bottle of firewhisky and three glasses. He unscrewed the top and handed it to Severus.
"This okay to drink?"
Severus sniffed it and then flicked his wand over it and nodded.
Peck poured three generous measures and motioned to Severus to take a seat. After a moment's hesitation he sat next to Harry and slung his arm around his shoulder.
Harry, have a drink," he said firmly. That roused Harry who picked up the glass and took a sip. Severus glanced at Peck.
Peck raised an eyebrow and Severus dropped his arm and modulated his tone.
"Come on mate, "he said in his best Ron voice. "Have a drink."
"Harry, you have brought this investigation to a successful conclusion, for which I thank you, " said Peck after the firewhisky had warmed them through.
"There was only one body to begin with and now there are three," pointed out Harry.
"Happens sometimes. Looks like we got our guy and saved Gottingen the cost of a trial."
Harry nodded. "But none of it makes any sense."
"Happens like that sometimes but our job is to catch them not understand them. We've got a clear confession that is what matters."
Harry nodded but appeared unconvinced.
"Harry, from what I have seen you have a great career ahead of you, but you are going to need to learn some professional detachment. "
Harry nodded.
"Also I and your bosses at the Ministry in London earn more than you do. We are paid for the extra responsibility that we carry. Do not take everything on yourself."
Harry nodded again and the tension in his shoulders eased a fraction.
Peck refilled all three glasses, and as his team gutted the house around them, he launched into a series of amusing ancedotes about his career. As Severus watched, Harry gradually relaxed aided by the second glass of firewhisky.
After about three quarters of an hour, Joe the auror with the red beard,whom Severus had taken such a dislike to in the original briefing, appeared to deliver a short report.
"We've completed the initial search. We've found details of the Swizz bank account where I assume he has stowed his money,an aeroplane ticket to Mexico and Lubricus' travel documents. We've also found this, "he handed over a small brown very old cardboard box. " It was open on his study desk, looks like he had been going through it."
Peck put the box on the coffee table and Severus and Harry leaned forwards. It was filled with old photographs, a couple of identity cards, old passports and the house deeds.
"Han Weber", said Peck peering at an ID card he flicked his wand over the pucture muttering a spell that was unfamiliar to Severus.
"Age progression spell, " whispered Harry.
After a moment Peck nodded clearly satisfied with the result.
"Born Gottingen 1920. Deeds are in his name. Looks like this was our guy's real name. Must have changed it for some reason. " Peck passed the document to Harry.
"These look like family photographs from his childhood, "said Harry pointing at the box.
Peck nodded lifting the photos onto the table he pulled out a slim piece of paper from underneath.
"It's a Will, "said Peck. He scanned down it. "Leaves everything to his son. "
"Wonder why he changed his name?" said Harry, passing the card to Severus. "Was he wanted for something?"
Peck shook his head. "I've been in this job for nearly forty years. The name means nothing to me. He is not on our most wanted list as far as I know. "
"He won't be," said Severus slowly staring down. "Your lists are too recent and in any case history thinks he is dead."
"What do you mean?" asked Harry.
"Do you remember our chat with his mother?" said Severus.
Harry nodded.
"She kept using his nickname, do you remember?"
"Yeah Cheater, we thought his friends must it to describe his business practices. "
"It is not cheater Harry, she was saying Cheetah as in the animal. "
Severus turned and look at Peck and saw a look of recognition pass across his face. He turned back to Harry.
"You know I have been eating a lot of history in recent months."
"The conflict with Grindelwald, yes I remember you telling me."
"Cheetah was one of Grindlewald's most notorious commanders. Middle ranking not top level, but well known to those who understand the period. He supposedly died at the end of the war. "
"You think Han was him."
"Sounds possible. I will need to double check my books but it is possible."
"So he killed himself because he thought we were onto him," said Peck. "Placed his money in a Swizz account so it would go directly to his son."
"So we wouldn't try to confiscate it," added Harry.
Severus nodded.
"But," said Harry. "Why did he kill Lubricus and Trank."
"We may never know for sure, "said Severus. "For some reason he must have felt they were onto him. "
"Probably his mother, "said Harry.
"Exactly, if she let his nickname slip in front of one of them they might have recognised him," agreed Peck.
"It is probable that Trank did, "said Severus. "When we searched his rooms he had a lot of histories of the Grindelwald era. I have read some of those myself."
"But what about Lubricus?" said Harry.
"For some reason Schmit must have believed he was onto him as well. Maybe he thought Trank had tipped him off to distract from the embezzlement. I am sure Schmit was lying when he claimed not to know about that. Bringing in a war criminal would have been a huge deal for Lubricus."
Peck nodded. "Big result. Lots of publicity."
"Good for business, "said Harry
"Very, "agreed Severus.
"Then when we turned up and went and talked to his mum he panicked. "
Severus nodded.
"But why did he killed himself, why did he not go to Mexico?"
Peck shrugged.
Severus licked lips. "He may have just been tired Harry, tired of running and living a lie. All takes energy and he was an old man. "
Harry nodded "I guess so."