AN: Hey, thanks for the reviews, guys. My page is back to functioning correctly. Thank god. Now, next chapter!

"Here," Hermione said, handing Marian a mug of coffee.

Marian looked up from the folder in front of her and took the mug. "Thanks, Hermione," she said, then returned to the folder, taking a huge swallow of the hot liquid. Marian rarely had tea and could chug coffee straight black.

"Find anything?" Hermione asked, looking at the folder. It held the notes from the latest victim. Gender: Female. Age: 25. Hair color: blonde. Height: 5ft 6in. Occupation: Healer. And she was a muggle born. A snake was carved into her back, just like the other girls.

Marian shook her head. "Same thing as the others," she said. She looked around and said, "Where are Ron and Harry? They're late."

Hermione shrugged and picked up the picture of the victim when she was alive. She looked so happy. Too bad she was dead. Hermione stood and pinned the picture on a cork board with the others. They were arranged according to their deaths. All 27.

Marian joined Hermione at the board and sighed. "All ages, all colors, all Muggle born witches and a snake carved in their backs," she mused out load. "What is the significance of the snake?"

Hermione looked at her team mate. "What?"

"I don't know why," Marian said, "But that snake is bugging me. Ron said that a Slytherin could do this, or someone framing a Slytherin. But it's the killer's calling card. It's saying, 'Here I am. Beware you Muggle borns.' And why on the back? It's a coward's thing, right? To turn your back on somone?" She looked at Hermione and said, "I use to watch a lot of cop shows and I took a year or two of psychology in school."

Hermione nodded and looked at the papers. "Maybe he's trying to call muggle borns cowards," she said. Her eyes widened as she thought of something. "Or," Hermione said, turning to her friend, "Maybe he's carved the snake on the back as a way of saying, 'Don't turn your back to a Slytherin'. I know you want to keep an open mind about the snake, but, Marian, I grew up seeing this symbol on the Slytherin's crest for seven years. Only a Slytherin uses it."

Marian blinked. "So," she said. "You're saying...he's targeting Muggle born witches because of...a past experience?"

Hermione nodded. "Exactly," she said.

Marian looked at the folder and at the back. She showed it to Hermione and said, "Does that look a little too clean?" She pointed to the snake.

"It's covered in blood," Hermione said.

"No," Marian said. "That's not what I mean. The carving. A knife would leave an edge of some sort. This is too clean and even, as if it was done all at once. Like a-"

"Engraving spell," Hermione said, her eyes growing wide. When Marian gave her a curious look, Hermione went on to explain. "It's a spell invented first by wizard jewelers for engraving messages on diamonds and the like. During the first war, a few Death Eaters got their hands on it and started engraving prisoner's backs with their mark." Marian saw Hermione put a hand over her fore arm. Slowly, she pulled it back and Marian gasped as she saw 'Mudblood' carved into her arm. "Bellatrix Lestrange did this to me."

Marian wrapped Hermione in a hug of comfort. "I'm so sorry," she said. "This case must be difficult for you."

Hermione nodded, hugging Marian back. "They won't get easier, Maria," she said. "If I can't get past this one, I won't be able to get past any."

Marian rubbed Hermione's back and then slowly pulled back. "You're right," she said. "As usual." Hermione chuckled and wiped her tears away. Marian returned to the case. "So, are you saying that the killer could be a former Death Eater that was in Slytherin?"

Hermione smiled. "I wasn't thinking that, but that's really good. We'll tell Ron and harry when they get in."

"Tell us what?" Harry asked, walking into the room. Ron was right on his heals.

"Where have you two been?" Marian asked.

Ron held up a paper bag. "Had to stop and get something for George. Since Fred is in America, looking up some things from the Salem Witch Institute, George asks me to pick up some things. Hey, Marian, why didn't you go to the Salem Witch Institute when you were in America?"

Marian snorted. "I hated their uniforms, their stupid teachers, and not one of them had ever played Quidditch," she said. She shook her head. "Anyway, back to the case. We figured a few things out." As Marian filled the boys in, Hermione wrote their findings on the white board.

Ron beamed. "I told you the killer was a Slytherin," he said, triumphantly.

"Yes, Ron, you did," Marian said. "Oh, by the way. Do you have a date for the Ministry's Christmas Ball on Saturday?"

Ron shook his head. "No," he said. "I was thinking of asking Mary Shackle in Accounting."

Marian smiled. "Mind going with me? As friends, of course," she asked.

He shrugged. "Sure," he said. "Just letting you know now, I'm not that much of a dancer."

She chuckled. "Don't worry. I'll make you look good," she said.

Hermione turned and said, "Alright, now that everyone has their date, let's get back to the case."

"You have a date?" Harry asked.

"Who?" Ron added.

"Nobody of concern," Hermione said, sending Marian a quick glare. "Okay, so we're looking for a former Death Eater that was a Slytherin, hates muggle borns, and...anything else?"

Harry shook his head. "That's a good enough start," he said. "I'll check the records." He walked over to the hole in the wall and tapped his wand to it. It made the whirring sound again, before spitting out a large pile of folders.

Ron sighed at the pile. "We're going to have to go through all that," he said as another pile of folders appeared

Marian nodded. "Yup." She stood and said, "Better get another cup of coffee."

Hermione pulled out her wand and summoned up four cardboard boxes. "We'll put the ones that don't apply in the boxes. The ones that do, we'll stack to the side."

Harry set the pile on the coffee table as Marian came back from the kitchen with a newly filled mug of coffee. She took a box and grabbed a handful from the top, flipping through it. Automatically, she threw the entire thing into the box. The team stared at her and she said, "They're all dead. Dementor's kiss."

Ron looked through his handful. "Half are dead, three in Azkaban, and two that match," he said, throwing the ones that didn't apply into his box and stacking the two files

They worked for hours, sorting and throwing out candidates. By the time they'd finished their piles, it was dark outside.

Ron leaned against the couch, spreading his arms so they rested on the back. "How many suspects do we have?" he asked.

Hermione counted the files. "56," she said.

"56!" Ron exclaimed. "How are we suppose to narrow down 56 suspects?"

Marian yawned and rubbed Quillic's ears. "By looking over everything in the morning and seeing what we missed," she answered. Standing up, she raised her arms above her head and stretched. Then, she moved to the side, cracking her back. "A bed sounds really nice about now."

"You go on ahead," Hermione said. "I'll put the files back."

Ron grabbed his cloak and said, "I'll walk you to Hermione's place." Marian grabbed her own cloak and they left with Quillic and Harry.

They stepped into the loft and headed to the lobby. "So," Ron said. "How was dinner?"

Marian smiled. "It was nice. We met up with Pansy and Blaise at the Golden Wand. Had some wine and firewhisky, Hermione and I had Chicken and Shrimp Parmesan, Pansy and Blaise had some fancy stuff, and Draco had spaghetti."

"Spaghetti?" Harry said in astonishment. "Malfoy?"

Marian nodded. "I made it once and the like it. A lot." Harry and Ron looked at each other and started to laugh.

Hermione collected all the files that didn't apply to their case, and set them back in the little cubby. A quick swoosh and the were gone. She turned back to the table and sighed. Marian had forgotten to put her mug back and the files of their suspects where still spread out over the surface. Hermione put the mug in the sink, rinsing it out.

She turned around and saw Draco standing next to the coffee table, looking at some of the files. His brow was furrowed as his eyes traveled over the words.

"Malfoy," Hermione said. He jerked and looked up. "What are you doing?"

He set the files down in a pile. "I came to pick up Marian, but I must have missed her," he said. He gestured to the pile. "I didn't mean to snoop, but why do you have the files of Death Eaters?"

Hermione walked over and picked the pile up. She held it to her chest, as she use to do with her books at Hogwarts, and said, "I'm sorry, but we can't discuss cases with people outside the team."

Draco nodded. "I understand," he said. He shrugged. "Well, I guess I'll be leaving, then." He turned to go.

"Marian," Hermione said, not wanting Draco to go for some reason. "She asked Ron. They're going together, to the Ball, as friends." He turned around. "I thought you might want to know."

He sighed. "Why must little sisters be such pains?" he murmured, more to himself than her.

Hermione's lips twitched and she smiled. She turned and set the files on her desk. Turning back, Draco was still standing there. "Did you need something else?" she asked.

Draco shrugged again. He did that very well. "I thought I'd accompany you home," he said. "Make sure nothing bad happened to you."

Hermione nodded, grabbed her cloak, and they left. They were silent in the lift and as they crossed the empty lobby. The cold air hit them hard and Hermione pulled her cloak closer around her. Draco put a hand on the small of her back and led her down the street.

"So," she said, to break the silence between them. "You excited for the Ball on Saturday?"

He shrugged. "I was going to go because Hermione invited me, but I hadn't planned on a date," he said. He looked down and met her brown eyes. "But I'll play the perfect gentleman for you."

Hermione felt her heart beat quickly. She smiled and nodded. "Thank you," she said in a soft voice.

In no time at all, they reached her flat. At her door, they heard Ron and Harry laughing. Then, there was a loud elephant roar. "Sounds like they found the animal jelly beans," Hermione said. They had been popular in school.

Draco chuckled and shook his head. Turning to her, he smiled slightly and said, "I'll see you Saturday. I'll come for you at 8. Is that good for you?" Hermione nodded. "Until then." Draco turned and left with a soft pop.

Hermione stood there for a moment, then, smiling to herself at the soft manner Draco had treated her, walked into her flat and the animal noises her friends were making.

AN: Hey! I'm on a roll with this story. I like creating the mystery, as well as writing in the fluff. This is so much fun! Anyway, tell me what you think. Thanks.