Chapter 44

We were met at the entrance to the morgue by two men in healers' robes and an elegantly

dressed woman, in purple, with long golden blond hair. The left side of her beautiful face was marred

by a horrible scar. I recognized the marks from a werewolf attack. She saw Ron and Harry and

embraced them both, after shouting "group hug!"

Harry then made introductions. "Glinda, this is Lavender Brown," he then turned to the blond,

"Lavender, this is Glinda Goode, she used to be with BIMS."

"Pleasure to meet you," she said to me with a smile as we shook hands.

"Likewise," I answered.

"How was the North Country?" Harry asked her.

"Quite eventful, actually," She answered, "of the eighty-five victims we discovered, we've identified sixty-four. I'd have even more identified of you hadn't called me back."

"Identified?" I asked.

"I'm a forensic diviner," Lavender explained. "I can use bone and personal effects to ID

unknown remains. Six months ago we found a mass grave of what we believe are Death Eater victims

from the war, in New Castle. We're identifying the bodies so they can be returned to their families for

proper burial. " She turned to Harry with sheet of parchment. "Here's the updated list."

Harry perused the list then stopped at a name. "Ron," he almost shouted , as he passed the paper over, "look at this."

After scanning the list Ron muttered, "bloody hell, we'll have to contact Andromeda and Teddy

right away, they'll want to make arrangements."

"Someone you know?" I asked.

"Yes," Harry said. "It's Ted Tonks, Andromeda's husband, Teddy's grandfather. He was one of

the muggleborn captured by Death Eaters during the war, he was reported killed, but no body was ever

found."

"Closure is the best thing for the families in this kind of situation," Lavender commented.

"I agree, completely," I said. "Harry, you and Ron should go see to Andromeda and Teddy, I

think Lavender and I can handle this," she nodded, agreeing with me. "I'll owl you my notes."

"All right then," Harry said. "Let's go Ron."

Lavender and I chatted as we were led down the hall to a cold room. The young healer

escorting us stopped at a door. "Ladies, I feel the need to warn you, this may be disturbing."

"That's all right, we're used to it. " I assured him.

"Still gives me nightmares," he muttered as he opened the door.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The three bodies were laid out on marble slabs, they appeared to be the victims of a horrible

spilching accident. The man had parts of limbs neatly severed, four fingers were missing from the right

hand. The digits were laid neatly in line with the appendages they'd been taken from. The fatal injury

came from a section of torso which had been separated from the rest of him, including the left lung

and half the heart. The poor man's genitals had been removed as well. The woman's torso had been

neatly bisected. Her left arm had been removed at the shoulder, The child looked untouched, his hand

clenched around a paper bag. There was a look of absolute horror etched onto his face.

Lavender immediately went to the body of the child, and gently removed the paper bag from

the child's hand. She emptied the bag onto a small tray next to the body, a box from Olivander's

fell out. I could almost see tears in her eyes. "Tell Harry to ask Mcgonagall for a list of first years, I

suspect she'll find this poor boy's name on it. He's Peter Witherall Jr." She then turned to the woman,

she touched her forehead, " this is the boy's mother: Maija Witherall." She went to the man last. "This

is Peter Witherall Sr. This family was from Brighton, muggles."

I studied the the bodies, and the crime scene photos Harry had provided. "I think the husband

and wife were killed with old combat and torture spells, from the lack of marks, I think the murderer

used the killing curse on the child. They weren't killed in that alley, this was a body dump. "

"I agree," Lavender said. "Whoever did this is a monster."

"You got that right." I turned to the healer who'd escorted us. "Please let the ministry know

that they'll have to contact the muggle police. I'm sure these people have family who are missing

them."

"Of course, Madame," he agreed. "Is there anything else you need?"

"Yeah," I muttered as I headed out the door with Lavender. "I need to find the crime scene."