AN: Welcome to yet another serial killer chapter. whoot.

k so...this chapter is relatively short in comparison to the others...but the end of this chapter tickled me pink.

i'm wrestling with a bit of writers block so...bear with me. *kisses*

Chapter 15 - VII

I swear, if I have to listen to Pansy Parkinson fawn over Neville Longbottom for one more moment, I'm going to bloody Avada her arse in the street. Of course it would wreck all my well laid plans, but at this point I was willing to risk it.

Pansy's not a horrid person, not really, well not once you get to know her, but Merlin does she love to talk. I don't know what the Ministry was thinking, sticking me with her. We don't even work in the same department, but apparently we're part of this elite 'team' or some such nonsense.

It makes things easier for me, quite honestly. I had an even dozen on my list, ending with Harry Potter of course. He'd never see it coming, hopefully. I mean, I know I've fucked up. I should have killed Charlie Weasley when I had the chance. I let that delightful bastard slip right through my fingers.

Sometimes I found myself chanting their names under my breath, but Pansy never thought anything of it. She thought I was just super dedicated to the case.

*Edgecombe. Corner. Wood. Krum. Bagman. Weasley.*

"You're not even listening to me are you? Ugh, I can't believe Potter sent us back here. I thought all the evidence had already been gathered. We've already talked to the students that remained behind. What else does he bloody expect of us?" Maybe he sent us here so he wouldn't have to listen to you. I mean, I didn't say that of course, but fuck.

"I'm sure Harry just wants us to be thorough. It's a bit hard on him, especially since we haven't the whisper of a suspect." You have no idea how difficult it is to keep this calm façade when all you want to do is punch someone.

"Who did you get matched with anyway?"

Physical violence is a Muggle means to an end, but it does have its appeal. Pansy paid no mind, kicking some pebbles on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. It would be so easy to Stupefy her before slicing her to bits, if only to stop her prattling. She's not part of my master plan though, so as difficult as it was, I resisted the urge. Though, if I took a moment to think about it, I bet even Neville would be thanking me profusely.

"I'm married, Pansy. I've told you that before." I had zero intention of discussing John with Pansy 'I'm a slag' Parkinson.

"Oh, right. Sorry. Neville and Hannah were planning on living in Hogsmeade. That's obviously not going to happen now. I feel terrible for him, I do. He's been making an effort with me though. He took me to dinner in Diagon Alley and he's quite the conversationalist. You wouldn't expect it, not really but Neville's quite amusing..."

"Shut it." I hadn't meant to growl at her. There's only so much a person can take. It's not like she noticed or anything. Pansy paused, her wand gripped firmly between her manicured nails, her dark hair swinging as she checked behind us.

"Do you hear something? Oh, it's just Theo."

"Hello ladies." Theo wasn't bad for a Slytherin. He had this sort of swagger in his step that was a bit sexy. He knew it of course, which ruined the entire effect.

"Why are you here Nott?" Pansy rolled her eyes and I have expected her to toss her long black hair over her shoulder, but she didn't.

"Potter demands you have a chat with the dragon Weasley." It took every ounce of my self control not to flinch. Instead, I inspected the footprints on the ground.

"Thank Merlin." It wasn't long before Pansy and Theo forgot about my very existence. I trailed them for a bit, only until we reached the road to Hogsmeade.

It was easy for them to forget about me, let's face it, as myself, I'm quite forgettable. I slipped away the moment they stepped foot into the Three Broomsticks. I figured I had a few hours before Harry wondered where I went off too, which if I hurried gave me plenty of time.

It wasn't long before I was standing in my modest room at the Leaky Cauldron as Susannah once again. It was risky. I knew that, but I didn't have much of a choice. I was playing with fire, but I had been from the moment I snatched my first victim. The allure of being captured was quite enticing as well. Ridiculous as it was, I was dying for one last shag as Susannah.

I was definitely going to have to retire her. It wouldn't take much to hunt down the Muggle. She wasn't anyone stellar in the land of Muggles. I suppose there were plenty of tall hot blonde's looking for a good time, but it was different in the Wizarding world. Susannah stood out here, quite blatantly and since I had stupidly allowed that hot piece of ass Charlie Weasley to live they were going to be looking for me.

I had heard a whisper of a rumor about my next victim and if it was true, she'd wind up the way of Charlie Weasley. It was regretful to say the least. I was really looking forward to another slice and dice. I realise that sounds quite sadistic and perhaps it is, but my conscience has been on holiday since the day John and Henry died. I suppose there's a slim possibility it will return, but I'm not expecting it anytime soon.

I had a difficult time finding my way to Shell Cottage. I'd never actually been there before, yet I'd heard of it plenty. In all actuality, it wasn't that far from a little village John have brought me to once. How convenient. He had been such a thoughtful man, always searching for what he called 'the perfect silence'. I didn't understand it then as much as I tried and I doubted I would ever understand it without him to guide me. Merlin, I missed him.

It took me much longer than it should have to traipse through the bloody sand dunes to get there. It really was a gorgeous spot. The ocean air was delectable and the tall grasses blowing in the breeze almost calmed my bubbling rage. Almost.

I spotted the little blonde girl first. She couldn't have been more than four or five. Adorable little girl, she reminded me of...well no, that wasn't exactly true. It was the age more than anything. My little one didn't have shimmering blonde hair, he looked like me. He had the thickest blackest hair yet the brightest eyes. He inherited those from his father, but no, I didn't have time to reminisce about John and my little Henry. They were dead, thanks to Harry Potter. If he had been better, faster, smarter…

I couldn't stop myself from smiling and waving at the little girl in her pink dress. She was waving around a toy wand, spinning in circles when she spotted me. I could see the hesitation in her eyes. She looked between Shell Cottage and me a few times before deciding to come toward me.

"Allo. My Maman is inside." The little girl smiled and my heart almost broke. She didn't have Henry's dimples or the innocence which stems from being a toddler. She was wary yet inquisitive which made her that much more adorable.

"Your mummy allows you to play alone?" The idea of a young child unsupervised was absolutely deplorable to me. I knew it stemmed from my losses, but I couldn't help it and I didn't want too.

"Yes. If I stay close." She was almost within snatching distance. I had no intention of hurting the girl. I simply wished to lure her mother outside. I didn't trust the wards of Shell Cottage. Bill is quite an accomplished Curse Breaker, who knows what sort of protections he'd used to surround his home.

"I have a little boy." The girl took another step closer, her thin blonde hair lifting in the sea breeze.

"You do?"

"He's younger than you, but he'd love it here. Do you like it here?" I squatted in the tall grass then and within seconds she was in my arms.

She kicked me a bit but I was expecting it. Frankly, I was surprised she wasn't shouting or flaring with untamed magic. Instead, my prize burst through the door of Shell Cottage shouting for her daughter.

"Maman!"

"Victoire!" It was obvious they loved each other greatly. Fleur Delacour Weasley's eyes were wide with suspicion, fear and love. It really was a beautiful sight. For a moment I wondered if my eyes shone with those same emotions when...

Shit. The little girl whose name was apparently, Victoire, pretentiously French if you ask me, kicked me. I dropped her a bit yet retained my hold on her arms until she stomped my bloody foot. I wasn't expecting that. Instinctively I dropped her arms and watched her run toward her mother.

"Hello, Fleur. It's been a long time."

"Oo are yoo?"

"You don't remember me? That hurts my feelings, Fleur. Send the little one away now. Wouldn't want her to get caught in the cross-fire now would we?"

"Victoire," Fleur hisssed, never taking her eyes off the offending witch, "Go to zee houz. Eef I am not back, take ze Floo. Go to Nee." Fleur gave Victoire a shove as she flexed her knees, prepared to duel.

Fleur's accent was still as ridiculous as I remembered as she spoke to her daughter in these fragmented tones. Great. Now I had a time limit. What a pain. I really wanted to take my time but with the little girl waiting for her mother's return I had to work fast.

Fleur looked pretty fierce in her yellow dress. She brandished her wand with her knees bent, her empty hand raised behind her. It was a perfect dueling stance really. I bet she perfected that before the TriWizard Cup, fucking bitch. She wasn't the best of the best, unless she was the best of what Beaubaxton's had to offer, which is a bit pathetic if you ask me.

She was waiting for me to fire a curse. Her fingers were twitching and she bounced slightly on the balls of her feet. Fleur was prepared, I'd give her that, however, I hadn't gotten to where I was without having a few tricks of my own.

My wand was safely in the folds of my cream dress. I fingered the tip of it, deciding to leave it exactly where it was. I didn't need it. I wouldn't need it to best her.

*Incarcerous* My lips barely moved, I was still working on the non-verbal portion of magic, but it got the job done. Ropes flew through the air, binding Fleur easily. The surprise on her face was priceless. I plucked her wand right from her fingertips as I kneeled beside her.

"Tell me, Fleur." Her blue eyes looked dangerous, but I wasn't afraid of her. I settled beside her and brushed a few stray hairs off her forehead. Her blonde hair was incredibly silky and if I had more time, there's no telling how I would amuse myself.

"Do you ever think about it? No? Not going to speak to me then? That's not very pleasant Fleur. I'm sure your parents raised you better than that. I think about it. Quite a lot these days. If you had been better, it would have been different. My life wouldn't have turned into...well, no matter then. Best get to it before your little one runs off to shout to the Aurors. Can't have them interrupting me." With an easy flick of my palm, Fleur was naked and pinned to the ground on her stomach.

"S'il te plait! Please!" I didn't much care for her begging. She was simply a means to an end. I thought I'd feel relief as I crossed off the names on my list, but I didn't. I didn't feel anything, except empty.

I kept waiting to feel something, anything. I wanted to be able to feel free. I kept thinking if I just did away with all the people who were even inadvertently connected to what happened to John and…and…and Henry, it would be alright. I could let them go. They deserved someone to fight for them. Logically I knew it wasn't my job necessarily to seek vengeance for my deceased family, but it wasn't as if anyone else was doing a thing about it. I also recognised it really was a perverted sense of revenge, but at this point, it suited me just fine. Fuck them. Fuck them all. I wanted to watch it all burn.

"Please what? Please don't hurt you. Please don't hurt your kid. Please don't kill you or your kid or your husband. Why do you bother to beg? I could do any of those things and you wouldn't be able to change them. Do you think I wasn't begging for my family? No one could hear me scream either." I sighed with a smidgen of disgust. I just wanted it to be over. I wanted to be done and then maybe, I could be free.

"Not for me." Fleur began to cry and I resisted the urge to slap her.

"I'm not going to kill your precious little Victoire. Children are quite innocent aren't they? Especially at that age. It's only when they're older do they wreck havoc, turn everything to shit." I pulled my wand out, twirling it slowly. I could see the little girl's crying face in the window. She hadn't left yet, but she would soon. I had to begin.

Fleur screamed as I ran my wand down her spine. I assumed it was quite painful to have one's skin burned with magic. When the first rune appeared on the small of her back, I sighed in relief. This was the part that eased my aching soul.

"Please."

"Ach. Again with the begging? What Fleur?!" I paused, giving her a moment to say whatever it was she was aching to say.

"I am pregnant." It took me a moment to suss out her words. That accent was going to be the death of...well shit. I had heard a rumor but she looked the same. I supposed she wasn't very far along and now I was going to have to let her go. I suspected as much, but having it confirmed so was disappointing.

I suppose lesser witches and wizards wouldn't. I had no qualms with murdering people, obviously, but the unborn was something completely different. I would do anything to feel the flutters of life in my body once more. I would do anything to feel Henry's chubby little arms wrapped around my neck. It was an impossibility of course; even the Ministry hadn't bothered pairing me in their ridiculous law.

Of course they knew my husband was dead, but the secret I had kept so well came to light quite easily upon the announcement of the Marriage Law. Kingsley had been so kind. His chocolate eyes filled with so much pity, I was hard pressed to keep from falling into his bulky arms. I wasn't eligible, not that I wanted to be. The thought of being chained to a wizard made me violently ill. Henry was all I would ever have and he was long gone.

I glanced over my shoulder as I continued carving the runes into her skin and noticed the little girl was gone. I shouldn't have been so hasty. I should have forced the little girl to return. I knew I was running out of time, but I had to finish.

It was a sloppy job, I knew that, but I hadn't a choice. I Silenced Fleur, hoping if the Aurors arrived before I was finished, I would have a few moments to Disapparate. As I burned the last rune into her supple flesh I could hear shouts in the distance and ducked down in the tall grass.

I shouldn't have used my own wand, but at this point, what did it matter? I was more than halfway through my list. Seven down, five to go.

"There! In the grass!"

I stood up quickly, and I felt afraid. It was an unfamiliar feeling. I couldn't remember the last time I'd actually felt afraid. I could see Harry Potter and his team of Aurors running alongside Shell Cottage toward me. I expected them to shoot off a few spells in my direction, but they didn't.

I'm amazed bloody daily that Harry Potter managed to defeat Voldemort. He's been quite a mess since his favourite researcher has been out of sorts. I laughed, thinking of Hermione Malfoy. I can't believe she married Draco Malfoy, but what did I care really? He's nothing to me, just as much as I'm nothing to him. I haven't meant anything to anyone for a long time, if ever. I killed my one time friend without a second thought. I snapped, it was an accident but that was the catalyst. It's what gave me the idea to continue. I would show them all they never should have discounted me.

Harry stopped short, his hand clenched into a fist beside his ear and the other Aurors stopped as well. Oh, I see. They were worried I was going to murder Fleur. Well, that definitely worked to my advantage.
I waved. Harry's head tilted to the side as he studied me but I didn't want him to study me. He was quite astute. I didn't want to give him anymore clues. He had plenty already and was no closer to discovering who was killing these people.

I found myself smiling at that bit of information. I was outsmarting Harry Potter. I was evading The-Boy-Who-Lived. I was standing directly in front of the man who brought down Voldemort and he couldn't do a fucking thing about it. Then I Disapparated.