Chapter 4-How Many Deaths Does it Take?
Warning for this chapter: Death and cursing.
Review Corner:
hitachiin90: Thank you for reviewing, I appreciate it a lot. Umm there is a big hint who the madman is in this chapter. Really the ending was like Saw? I have to watch that movie again.
Say no evil: Thank you so much for reviewing, I appreciate it. I'm happy you find the story freaky. I plan to make this story a lot freakier starting with next chapter.
Volcania Fire Princess-I thank you so much for reviewing and reading every chapter. You are amazing and I really appreciate seeing that you reviewed each chapter. Please keep it up, I tend to update faster when I get reviews. And you got your hint. Oh and for Alicia's fate you will find that out this chapter so the suspense won't kill ya.
Hermione is sitting down eating cereal and is watching the morning news. Ron, who was beside her, was bored enough to read the cereal ingredients. On the news there was something about a wild fire somewhere and then warnings of a serial killer, a mass murder and finally Hermione turned off the news feeling disgusted.
"Why are there only ever bad things in the news? Tidal waves, murder…"
"Because it's the news. Why do you watch it if you don't like it?" Ron asked as he filled his bowl with cereal.
"It's important to keep up with the news; you never know what important matter can be on it." She replied before picking up a newspaper. She read it silently for a minute looking though the first page without interestedly until she saw a familiar name and she stopped dead.
"Oh my god. It's Alicia."
"What, what about her?" Ron asked letting his spoon fall, splattering the table with milk and wheat-flakes.
"Listen to this: Ron. Yesterday at ten pm an apartment complex blew up without warning, destroying six apartments, including two muggle apartments. Luckily there were no deaths, however all those unlucky enough to be caught in the blast had to be rushed to the hospital, suffering from severe injuries. One of them is hurt so badly that they consider the damages fatal. Ron they mention Alicia in this story."
"What? Oh my god we have to go to the hospital." Ron replies as he ran over to the fireplace and picked up some floo powder. Hermione was still frozen looking at the moving picture of Alicia being pulled out of her apartment, some of her bones visible, blood everywhere. She felt her heart racing, and she shook.
"Hermione come here quick." Ron snapped her out of her thoughts as she rushes over taking his arms as he screams their destination and she is suddenly flying again and she closes her eyes and prays that Alicia is ok.
The emergency waiting room is in complete chaos. Apparently the apartment next to Alicia belonged to some sort of actress and the waiting room is filled up with reporters, fans, family, and friends of the superstar and everyone else who was hurt. The total number of people hurt in the explosion was one hundred, mostly just minor shrapnel cases from the street who just wanted an excuse to see the celebrity. However the casualties of the six apartments next to her which was a total of eighteen people were all still in surgery, and most of them had barely any chance to survive.
The moment Hermione and Ron walked in they looked immediately for Alicia's parents who they met a couple of years ago. As soon as Hermione spots the brown long wavy hair of Alicia's mother she immediately started running over, Ron not far behind her.
"Mr. and Mrs. Spinnet ." Hermione calls as she got closer and they smiled sadly when they spotted her.
"Hermione, Ron." Mrs. Spinnet Said as she wrapped her arms around them. Hermione still found it funny how much they liked Ron and her. The three of them weren't exactly friends during Hogwarts but after the war they became close. And from the moment Alicia introduced her to her parents they had immediately liked her and kept in contact with her as if she was their own child.
"How is Alicia doing?" Ron asked quietly after Mrs. Spinnet let go of them.
"She is still in surgery." Mrs. Spinnet answered, tears in her eyes.
"How long has she been in surgery?" Hermione asked afraid to know the answer.
"ten hours." Mr. Spinnet replies, a look of mourning already set on his handsome face.
"I'm sure she is going to be okay." Ron wasn't so sure, even as he said the words.
"Mrs. Spinnet!." A new voice called and they all turned their eyes to Katie who was dragging Oliver with her and behind the couple was George who was almost running to keep up.
"Oh Katie, I haven't seen you in such a long time." Mrs. Spinnet said as she pulled them into a hug.
"What happened?" George asked a look of shock on his face. It looked like Katie had brought him without cueing him in.
"The apartment complex blew up. They haven't located where the bomb went off at," Mr. Spinnet said as he watched the reporters and fans crying, "I bet it's because of that movie star. I told her not to move close to her didn't I?"
"Shh, be quiet." Mrs. Spinnet told her husband who just sighed and looked back at the floor. It was only a couple of moments before a doctor walked out, a practiced disturbed look in his face and after a moment, everyone was silent as they tried to figure out which person died. Hermione felt her heart drop but then the doctor calls for Mr. and Mrs. Andre and she relaxes, relief cooling off her rapid heartbeat.
"Mr. and Mrs. Andre, I'm afraid your children didn't make ir." The doctor apologizes to a young couple probably only twenty-eight. And the mother squeaked and cried and cursed god. And later Hermione would find out that their son and daughter, Andrew and Andrea were only six years old. The parents luckily weren't home because they had an event at their job and they hired the mother's sister to watch them. Her sister also died.
And after that the bad news kept coming. First it was an old couple who both died from anemia. Then it was a family of six, four teenagers and their two parents Only one of the teens made it, and was still in critical care. Then there was a newlywed couple who had just moved in that day, ay. Then there was the couple of runaways who ran away from their homes, their ages were sixteen and seventeen. The girl survived in critical care, but her lover bled out. And the movie star Rebecca Roxanne died too, her skin nearly peeled off of her body.
But luckily the apartment with twin babies that was barely born and two toddlers were all saved from death. And as far as the doctors announces all four of the babies are happy and alive and healthy. The news cheered those who were still waiting for news but not enough. Everyone was crying, all the fans of Rebecca are sobbing, reporters going crazy. And Hermione shook nervously, knowing the only person left in surgery without any information was Alicia.
And when they see the doctor walk out of the door with his blood soaked scrubs and that stoic, learned expression, and everyone's heart seemed to stopped.
"Mr. and Mrs. Spinnet?" The young intern asked putting a hand out for Mr. Spinnet to shake.
"Yes. What's the news?" Mr. Spinnet responded shaking the doctor's hand who just frowned.
"I'm sorry, she didn't make it. I hope you know I have a lot of sympathy for your family. I have a daughter too. and if something like this happened to my daughter I would have died." He petted her hand for a moment before turning to let them grieve.
"Why, why did it happen?" Mr. Spinnet whispered as Mrs. Spinnet cried. Hermione noticed that Katie had dropped to her knees bawling and Oliver was crunched down besides her rubbing her back, a restrained look on his face, but a breakable one in his eyes tears running down his face. George and Ron were both very pale and looked to be in shock but slowly they started to break down and cry. Hermione herself didn't do anything, didn't cry, didn't scream, just stood there and watched everyone break down in their own way. She didn't know why she couldn't cry.
And that night she found herself curled up on her couch, finally tears finally started falling but only a little. She felt dead inside as though she had died alongside her friend. In fact for the last twelve hours she hadn't moved from the couch all day, hadn't eaten, hadn't used the restroom, pretty much she hadn't done anything. She just didn't see any reason to do much of anything. And Ron was so worried about her that he decided to spend the night. So there they were Hermione curled up with a disgusting pain in her stomach and Ron sitting next to her gently brushing his fingers though her hair while he stared over at the TV screen without actually watching it, his thoughts far away.
"It's not fair." Hermione whispered pitifully making Ron feel another twitch of horror.
"I know. babe."
"We saw her just yesterday. I can't believe that yesterday she was laughing and happy and now…"
"Yeah, I can't believe it either. It's just so creepy to think about. I mean if she took our offer to come over to our house last night she would still be alive."
"Well she's dead now." Hermione said before busting into tears once again. Ron just sighed and wrapped his arms around her again and whispered comforting words in her ear until he heard her snoring, tired from the stress of today, and he couldn't help but fell asleep too.
When he awoke he noticed two things one: the news is on, and two: he heard Hermione talking to someone. He sat up feeling sick from sleeping too long to find Hermione on the phone. And he couldn't help but spy on the conversation even if he could only hear one side.
"Yes I am watching the news. I just don't understand, the bomb went off in Alicia's apartment, how is that possible? No one hated Alicia; certainly not enough to put a damn bomb in her apartment! She was the kindest person ever."
"Yes I know. I'm sorry I didn't contract you when I first found out."
"Yeah of course."
"No Harry you don't need to come home."
"God damn it Harry you can't do that to Ginny she was looking forward to Hawaii for months now."
"Listen I will keep you updated on any information we receive but there is no reason for you two to come home. For God sakes you two are on your honeymoon, you both will regret it if you come home."
"Fine whatever; if you want to leave then that is your own problem. Yeah sure see you both in a week." Hermione said madly before slamming the phone down and looking at Ron with anger.
"Can you believe them? Honestly, they want to come home already."
"A friend just died, I would have come home too."
"From Hawaii, you know how much the trip cost Harry? A lot and they are going to leave when they have three months left."
"Well they have been gone for almost six months now."
"That is not the point Ron. They wasted money, money they could have been spending toward their careers, toward college, toward a house."
"Babe they want to be with their friends and family right now, I mean if it was us who was on the honey moon wouldn't you want to come home?"
"That has…."
"Right Hermione?"
"Yeah I guess you are right." Hermione said, biting her lips before falling into silence. Ron sighed again as he looked back at the television where the news was on again.
"The bomb was in Alicia's apartment?"
"Yeah Lee woke me about two hours ago and told me to check the newspaper. On the first page was the bombing. The bomb squad had determined that the bomb had to be located at Alicia's. Something about the most destructive shock rays was found in her apartment or something like that, I can't remember."
"Oh my god, I can't believe it. Why would anyone want to hurt Alicia?"
"I don't know."
"The whole place is gone." Hermione continued not looking at Ron.
"Oh well…"
"Shut up Ron look at the news." Hermione interrupted Ron off as she pointed to the television where a blond, young reporter is standing in front of Alicia's apartment.
"We have new information about the apartment bombing that killed sixteen people. Inside the sight of the bombing investigators has found something." The reporter says as the camera zoomed in on one investigator.
"We found news of an envelope in one apartment with one of the victim's name and address. The surprising thing is that there is no return address or name. And the landowner said that someone had dropped the envelope on her desk around eight last night. At eight fifty she delivered the envelope dropping it in the mailbox. We took the envelope back to the station where we found traces of hydrogen peroxide and methane which is prime ingredients of homemade bombs. At this time we can suspect that the bomb was probably inside the envelope which was destroyed in the bombing of course. As for the unknown man that dropped off the letter the landowner couldn't get a good look at him. The only thing she can give us is that he was a tall black man, taller than six feet, was wearing a leather jacket, leather gray pants, some type of large black shoes, most likely boots, a green and white beanie, and red sunglasses. We are asking that if anyone has seen someone who fits this profile call us immediately." The detective said as the camera zoomed into the envelope.
"Thanks a lot Detective Smith. That is all the information we have right now. Back to you Allen."
"Thank you Candi and now the weather forecast." Ron clicked the TV off as he turned to Hermione in shock. He looks at Hermione who was just facing the now blank screen, her face pale as though she had seen a ghost.
"Hermione what is wrong?" He asked a little scared.
"That envelope." Hermione shot back feeling another dose of nausea.
"I know I can't believe that someone would put a bomb in a letter."
"No it's not that. I just…never mind." She said with confusion on her face.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah it's just that the shock of losing Alicia is still strong." Hermione answered as Ron wrapped his arms around her again.
"Everything is going to be okay."
"I know." Hermione answered again as he releases her.
"I have work in one hour so I'm going to take a shower ok."
"Go ahead."
"Thanks honey." Ron says before running to the bathroom already stripping his clothes off. He turned the shower on and for a minute stared at himself in the mirror before shaking his head and stepping into the shower, enjoying the warm spurts of water hitting his head as he leaned against the side of the shower and dropped his head. And in the shower with water running all over him he cried.
Twenty minutes later and he got out grabbing a towel and wrapping it around himself and stepped out of the bathroom heading for his bedroom but someone screaming stopped him in his tracks. It was Hermione. He found himself running to the living room and stopped when he saw that Hermione was alright, that nothing is wrong. And he immediately relaxed. She was talking on the phone again.
"Listen to me I saw it on the news and I think we have to go to the police."
"No listen to me it is not from him! Fred isn't contacting you! okay." She got louder with frustration.
"I don't know okay? But whoever it is killed Alicia."
"Don't you dare start throwing a fit. Now I am telling you we are going to go to the police tonight. And you fucking better be cooperative." Hermione screamed before slamming the phone down once again her face full of anger and fear.
"Hermione is everything ok?"
"No."
"Tell me what is going on."
"Are you sure?"
"Okay. For about four months now George has been receiving notes from someone with no name. And all the notes are pretty creepy saying stuff like 'you belong to me' and 'no one but me should have you.' Well George thought Fred had written all the notes, he thinks that the notes explain why Fred 'ran away' and everything."
"And you think it isn't?"
"I know it isn't from Fred and so do you. But that report on an envelope… when we saw the envelope, even as burnt as it was Everything was the same as the notes George has been receiving."
"What are you saying?"
"George may be in serious trouble."
George cursed as he slammed his phone down again. How dare Hermione say that Fred hasn't written the notes! And as for Alicia receiving an envelope similar to his so what? Anyone could have done it. He was in denial and part of him knew it too, part of him was saying that something is wrong here, that something about the letters is terrible. Still part of him refuses to believe that someone else wrote the letters, it was Fred, it had to be Fred, he needed it to be Fred. He slopped down in the chair and stared at the floor as he cleared his mind. A minute later knocking caught his attention as he quickly got up and headed to the door.
"Who is it?" He asked casually wondering if Hermione came earlier than she said.
"It's Lee." George sighed as he unlocked his door for his friend who just happened to be carrying a letter with him, a letter that is all too familiar.
"Here George, this letter is for you." Lee said as he threw the letter to George who smiled.
"Well are you going to open it?" Lee asked as he pulled out a soda from the fridge. And George did and read it carefully.
Hey George. I can't do this anymore. I want to see you no I need to see you. I need you here with me, I miss you so much. And I heard what happened to Alicia. I can't believe it and I actually cried. My friend, no our friend, is dead? And I heard it was a bomb that did it and that the bomb was inside an envelope that looks like the ones I sent you. And I want to clear any suspension that you might have. I didn't send that letter to Alicia. God I loved her, she was my friend. You know I would never do anything like that. And I need you now; I need you to make me feel better so meet me my dear sweet brother at the Shrieking Shack, the one close to Hogwarts. And then we can be together again. But please come, tonight at six. Don't be late. okay.
Love,
You already know.
"I knew it. I fucking knew it." George screamed as he hugged the letter to him like a squealing girl.
"What is it George?"
"It's Fred."
"Fred? what are you talking about?"
"Here just read it for yourself." George said thrusting the note toward Lee and then watching as Lee read the note.
"Oh my god," Lee says with a genuine smile, "I guess the fool was really the one who wrote the letters."
"How do you know about the letters?"
"Oh Hermione told everyone a month ago. She thought you had lost your mind."
"What?"
"Never mind. Are you going to go?"
"I think so. What do you think?"
"I think you have to go."
"Okay then."
"And just to be on the safe side incase this person turns out to be a fat old man with a fetish for redheads I'll come with you."
"I don't know."
"Hey did the note say to come alone?"
"No."
"Then it is settled."
And George turned to the clock, a quarter to four. Lee too looked and then smiled.
"You want to get something to eat before you meet your Fred?"
"Okay." George says with a genuine smile.
Hermione looked at the clock again, a quarter to four. She growled in annoyance. At seven she is going to go over to George's and force him and the notes to go down to the police station. But how was she going to convince him that Fred didn't write the notes, how can she make him certain. A knock on her door interrupted her thoughts. She stood up and ran to the door opening it without even checking.
"Hermione." Katie practically sobbed as she threw herself onto her friend in a hug as she wraps her arms around her.
"Katie, Katie what' is wrong?"
"There is not going to be a wedding."
"What, why?"
"I saw him and some slut hugging each other and telling each other they love each other."
"Oh my god. Are you okay?"
"No, not really."
"Oh now stop crying."
"Hermione can I please stay over tonight?"
"Of course you can." Hermione says still hugging her as someone else pounded on her door.
"Come in door is unlocked." She screams and suddenly Oliver is in her apartment.
"Get the fuck away from me."
"Katie, Katie listen to me. It is not how it looks."
"Oh yeah right. So I didn't see you telling some girl you love her."
"Yeah you saw that but it isn't like you think. She was my sister."
"What?"
"Yes Katie, I have a sister and we haven't seen each other in three years. You never met her before but she is my sister and we hugged and said we love each other. I was going to tell you but you stormed out before I got a chance."
"God I'm sorry." She cries and Oliver hugs her. Hermione watched the scene and hopes Ron and her will never act like this.
"Are you two okay now?" Hermione asked her eyes on the clock.
"Yeah."
"Okay then. Lets all sit down and just calm down." Hermione offered and both Katie and Oliver nodded, Katie face was as red as a tomato from embarrassment, Oliver with relief on his face.
"Hey the news is on. Let's see if there is anymore information about Alicia?" Katie offered softy still highly embarrassed.
"Sure." Hermione said as she puts on the news. For the first twenty minutes they watched a story about a hurricane warning, a baby found in a dumpster behind a house, and the weather. Finally they saw the story there were interested in.
"And now for new information about the bombing. We found out only an hour ago that the apartment complex had instilled cameras in the hallways and outside. Well looking though the tapes the police detective had pinpointed the suspect. And we got a good picture of the suspect carrying the letter." The reporter said as she puts a photo up on screen. And all three froze as they saw the guy, a guy they know really well.
"Oh my god, it was Lee."
Oh yes, yeah. George is an idiot.
Review or I'll kill George. No one wants that right? If I get below two reviews he is going to be shot.
And next chapter will probably be longer or maybe not. It depends on how much detail I feel like expressing.
Thanks for reading so far. Keep reading