He tipped his head and exhaled lightly as the smoke spread out through the air. Nicotine started to circle in his veins but it didn't make him feel any better. So instead of drawing and inhaling it again, he threw it out. The cigarette flew away, leaving small, light sparks. When it hit the ground, he took out his mobile.

He drew a familiar pattern on screen and a string of numbers that weren't listed as a known telephone number. He shortly faced the call button and he stared it for a while. He pushed the lock. The screen faded out and turned into black.

He put his phone back. He looked over the people in front, officers in uniform and casual detectives behind the yellow tapes. Vans from broadcasting companies were already here nearby and setting up the gear. Sirius was tired and hungry, haven't eaten anything for almost 24 hours. He wanted to have a warm cup of coffee, black, no sugar, and no cream. He couldn't quite remember whether that would be the fourth or fifth one but it definitely wouldn't be his first one today or the last one in this morning.

So, He decided to go in. He surfed into the people, and when he reached the yellow tape, an officer threw his arms to block him. Sirius took his badge out, showing it to him. The officer nodded him and took a step back.

"Why don't you making yourself useful," He said, as crossing the line, "by taking him out, instead?" He gestured towards a man, probably a newbie detective, throwing up over the shrubs. "He's contaminating the scene."

"DC Black." One of the detectives at the gate said, stepped closer.

"DCI." Sirius nodded. "What do we have?"

"An anonymous call came in; there was a homicide and a body in here. Uniforms responded and saw the door was opened. They called in and found the victim in the living room."

"Did you trace the call?"

"It was from a burner phone, hard to trace."

They went into the house along the road. The house was filled with people just as it was outside, but they were different people, mostly wearing gloves and badges. Sirius stopped for a moment in the lobby.

The house was bigger than it looked like on the outside. Like any other houses for sale, there was only the necessary furniture and no other decoration nor paintings on the wall, no sign of people living. It was one of those perfect environments for crimes.

"Did you identify the victim?" asked Sirius.

DCI handed the wallet, bagged in the evidence bag. The victim was age 38, real estate agent, office in rich side of London. The address did not match with the house. Sirius gave it back to DCI.

"Do we know why he was here?"

"This place was for sale since last month. The victim was one of the real estate agents handling here." DCI said, reading the notes.

"You said the door was open?"

"Yes. They said it was always locked except when they gave a tour for the possible clients but the spare key was hidden under the bushes by the door, so anyone who knew where the key was would have access to this house. This way, please."

DCI went into the living room. The body wasn't clear to see with couches at first. He was lying under the couch by the fireplace. There were slanted trace of bloods on the white fabric couch and the table. The fire on the place was dim. Living room looked no different than the doorway. The forensics was taking pictures and evidence from the victim and the scene, and medical examiner was kneeling down and examining the body. Sirius stood the opposite side of him with the victim in-between.

"Remus,"

"You've been smoking."

M.E said it without raising his head. No hellos? Sirius knew him well enough that it didn't mean for or about the victim like he did time to time. Sirius thought about the cigarette. He definitely should have smoked it for a while longer. And Sirius moved on and asked, "Cause of death?"

"He bled to death, probably because of this."

Sirius leaned in. Medical examiner moved the victim's face to the side and exposed the neck. The cut was deep and long; straight to the artery, neat and clean. Either the killer was lucky or it was professional hit.

"Is it possible this was a suicide?"

"I thought about that, but look at this."

M.E pointed at the head this time. It was half-smashed and quite nasty. The blood pool on the floor was not just from the neck.

"He could have hit his head when he fell down." Sirius nodded the fireplace and the table near the couch.

"I checked. None of them is a match."

"So, he or she smashed his head first, knocked him out, and cut his throat. Did you find the weapon?"

"Not yet. Guess they brought it and took it with them. I think a knife, judging from the wound but I won't know for sure until I examine the body at the morgue."

"When's the time of death?"

"Around twelve hours ago. Between 10 P.M. Sunday to 2 A.M. Monday, but it could be longer if the fire was set before. That's all I can tell you here. I will know more when I get him back to the morgue."

"Okay." Sirius rose up. "Call me when you're done."

Medical Examiner gave signs and two men came on, put the body into a big plastic bag and the cart. Sirius looked down the bloodbath after the body was gone. Sticky and blackish red blood was getting cold, contaminating the carpet. Blunt force trauma and a single knife wound in the neck. It was a same M.O as the last time. Considering the relation between the victims, it was probably from the same person, but they didn't leave the weapon behind this time.

"Didn't you quit?"

Sirius lost the train of the thoughts. He looked up. Remus was standing near the cart and finishing the documents.

"I did." answered Sirius, rather dry. He guessed where this was going, and he didn't like it

"I thought you were doing well." said Remus.

"I was,"

Remus grimaced. "If you don't put an end on smoking-"

"Smoking will." Sirius held his hands up. "I know."

"Then you'd better act like you do." said Remus. Body cart was moving. Sirius took one step back and the victim made his way out to the crime scene.

Interviews with the victim's colleagues and asking around neighbors didn't help the investigation at all. The victim didn't have any clients nor the colleagues had grudge against him and there was no visible change with his recent behavior. He was bright and cheerful, everyone liked him, and nobody would want to hurt him. But either way, Sirius handed the business card to them, asking to contact him whenever they think of something else useful to the case and asked them to come down the station for collecting fingerprints and DNAs. Sirius left the scene after the third interview, handing over the charges to DCI.

The weather was still cold, though the sun was in the middle of the sky. Sirius walked toward his car across the scene. He was dead tired. He didn't care whether it's coffee or a cigarette that he could put his mouth on. He stood at the car, took out the key with the cell. He checked the phone. There was one unread text message.

Hi.

Sirius stood there for a while, with the driver's seat open. James was sitting in the passenger seat. The car windows were all tinted black, bullet-proofed so no one could look the inside. It was professional advantage for him, but not this time.

"Did you miss me?"

James said casually, sipping coffee. It was a take-out and the lid was closed so Sirius couldn't possibly know what the content is but it was obviously coffee. It smelled like one and there was another one in the take out form. It would be perfect if there was a box of pastries in the back seat.

"What the hell are you doing here?" asked Sirius.

"I brought you a gift." James took the envelope off the gloves box. "So stop acting weird and get in the car."

So he did. The door locked as it closed. Sirius started the car as James fastened the seatbelt. It was a wise choice. The owner and the driver of the car put up the gear and the vehicle didn't stopped at all until it hit the downtown.

After circling round and round the complicated intersections and construction sites, Sirius finally stopped the car in an alley behind the park and skyscrapers. Sirius kept the engine on and opened the envelope James just handed. Inside of it, there were photos and documents, mainly surveillance photos and minor intelligence documents, Sirius had seen and known the half of it. It was mostly photos of the victims and crime scenes, information of the victims and perpetrators, and the links between them. The other half he didn't know and the most important things were the footnotes James added and was telling as Sirius was going through the files. Sirius stopped on the fifth page. It was about the victim he just saw.

"Was it Greyback?"

"He cleaned up."

"What about the head?"

"It was Bellatrix. She's a one scary lady."

"Was this victim related to the last one?"

"He helped them get into the building." answered James. "He wanted a 10 percent of the profit, they were willing to give him, but he got greedy, saying going to the cops unless. And you know they are not good at negotiation."

"When was it?"

"Last Saturday. They set up the fire so your examiner would have trouble with setting the timeline. The photos and the recordings are in there too."

James pointed out the pages, and he watched the clock, third time after getting into the car. Sirius went on to the next page, but can't help asking. "Do you have somewhere else to go?"

"He called a meeting today."

James blurted out of nowhere so Sirius had to beg himself. The pages, documents were no longer matter.

"What?"

"HE called the meeting."

Sirius didn't ask who he is or what the meeting is. There was no time to waste for that. He went straight to the point. "When is this meeting?"

"Tomorrow, 10p.m."

"The place?"

James gave a nam of their old hideout. Sirius noted. He knew what kind of the place is like in that time of the day. He wouldn't go to the place like that or let James to go. It was dangerous.

"Are you sure this is not a set-up?" asked Sirius. James raised the eyebrows. Sirius went on.

"It could be a trap. Who told you this?"

"From Himself."

"You saw him?"

"I followed Malfoy and Lestrange, Mrs. Lestrange, this morning. HE showed up, saying there will be gathering tomorrow, no one will be excuse from it. And Malfoy called me later."

"Do you know why?"

"He didn't say."

"Okay. I will report to the ups and call for back-ups."

"You should bring up an army. 'Cause there will be all."

James smiled, weakly. He was clearly not paying attention to the other man or the conversation. James was looking outside. He checked the time again and said, "I should go. I stayed out for too long."

"James."

Sirius called out before James shut the door. James appeared between the doors.

"What?" James said, slightly annoyed.

"Be careful."

James stopped. Sirius wouldn't repeat that, so James grinned.

"I always do."

And he shut the door. Sirius watched James, putting his hands in the jacket, like nothing happened, and walked into the park across the street, until he no longer was seen. Sirius took the coffee to take a sip but had to put it back down. It was too cold to drink. He put the hands on the handle and took the car out to the street and noticed the white box in the back. It was a box of pastries. Sirius let out a laugh.