Naomi rubbed her hands together, her exhaled breath turning into mist under the freezing temperatures. Winter had sprung and it was only a matter of time for the holiday season to roll around. The moment she had stepped outside the warm shelter of the Three Broomsticks, Naomi was hit with a wave of freezing death. She shivered has she made her way through the crowded streets of Hogsmeade, pushing through the crowd of students on the streets. It wasn't until she reached Honeydukes when she finally managed to relax.

Naomi took in a deep breath of the sweet smelling air of the candy shop, a slow smile stretching across her face. She would have stood there for longer, if someone hadn't bumped into her. "Shit!" someone exclaimed, "Uh, sorry there, pal." Naomi looked around and locked eyes with another girl; specifically, the one from the train ride.

"Hey!" Elizabeth said, breaking into a half grin, "Naomi, yeah? You're a stunnin' player, ya know? One of the best student fliers I've seen, plus an amazin' shot. Good job on the match."

"Thanks," Naomi replied, "you're not too bad of a narrator yourself."

"I try ta make it interestin'," Elizabeth chuckled, walking over to the counter. She dropped a handful of galleons on the counter and took the bags of candy. She took out a small blue box and opened it, offering one to Naomi. "Ice mice," Elizabeth said, "want one? I've got sugar quills, toffees, and caramels too."

"Wait, I can have all of that?" Naomi asked looking excited.

Elizabeth laughed and handed her a bag with bunch of different boxes. "It's my money, but you look too happy 'bout it and I've got extras, so here's some free candy. Imagine it's a congratulatory gift, yeah?"

"Yay!" Naomi grinned, and immediately dug in. Two minutes later, the entire bag was finished.

Elizabeth was about to comment, when she noticed a plate of liquorice wands being put out as free samples. "Ooh," she said, moving over to them, "I hope they're made from black liquorice."

"I'm actually not that much of a fan of black liquorice," Naomi admitted.

"Not everyone likes black liquorice," Elizabeth said, shrugging. "I'm not too huge on sugary stuff, so I prefer darker things."

Naomi didn't hear it. She'd had already ran over to the samples, and had already had at least four of the free sweets.

"Calm down," Elizabeth said, "I think yer only supposed ta eat one or two."

"If they're out they want us to eat them," Naomi shrugged.

A few moments later, the woman who had put the samples out in the first place came out. "The liquorice wands were gone much quicker than usual," she said to herself, "I wonder why."

She put down another sample and left, which Naomi immediately started to finish off too. When the witch came out again, she just shook her head and didn't lay out any more samples.

"Wow," Elizabeth marveled, looking at Naomi with what appeared to be awe and appreciation. "That's pretty dope. Anyway, I've gotta tag. I'm sharing a pint with the giant squid." When Naomi gave her a questioning glance, Elizabeth lifted up a bag with a glass bottle in it, the amber liquid sloshing around. "Wheat juice," she said, winking and exiting the candy shop, leaving Naomi in confusion.

Hours later, Elizabeth stood up from her seat down next to the lake, holding her empty bottle of firewhis- ahem, wheat juice. She bid the giant squid farewell and trekked back towards the castle. She stopped by the kitchens and picked up some things before going back to the Slytherin common room. Surprisingly, a handful of people were gathered around the notice board. Elizabeth walked up to Kiara, who was sitting on one of the couches. "What's up with them?" she asked, taking the seat across from her.

"They're talking about a dueling club. It's second year and up only, which is not fair. I want to go," Kiara explained bitterly. "Anyway, what' up with your bag?"

"Dueling club?" Elizabeth echoed, "sounds like too much commitment. Oh, and the bag? Just some orange juice, water, meds, an' what apparently is wizard gatorade."

"What? Why do you need that?"

"It's hangover cure," she answered. "Just in case, ya know?"

"You shouldn't be drinking," Kiara told her, "You're only like thirteen."

Elizabeth laughed and waved her hand. "I'm rounding the corner to fourteen. It's legal in China, where I happened ta grow attached to it. Don't worry, I'm not an a heavy alcoholic. I just like a bottle or so every now and then. Anyway, Imma pop off and take a nap."

Just a bottle, huh, Kiara thought as she set up her cauldron later that day, and she says she's not an alcoholic. She had found a recipe for an aging potion, and was planning to work on it that afternoon. It needed snake venom, which was probably a deterrent from students using it, but luckily she had a steady supply available.

A half an hour or so later, Elizabeth was suddenly jolted to life when loud explosions sounded from the commons. Pain seared through her head as she stumbled around, trying to find her sack of goodies. She took out the juice and the meds, running down stairs and ready to beat the life out of the cause of the noise. "Motherf- Kiara?! What the hell are you doing?!"

Kiara looked up from prodding her snake and hissing at it. "Unless you're suddenly blind, I think you can figure it out."

Elizabeth shot her underclassman a murderous glare, dry swallowing a more than healthy amount of pills. "Save the smart-assery for later," she growled, downing half of her orange juice, "and save the potion making for class. Or I swear to god, I will not let you live another day in your miserable little life."

"I doubt you'd be able to hurt a fly, in your hungover state" Kiara told her, an insufferable smile on her face, "Besides, I have a venomous snake snake at my disposal."

Without a moment's hesitation, Elizabeth whipped out her wand and shouted, "Rictumsempra!" When Kiara doubled over, wheezing and laughing from the tickling spell, Elizabeth followed up with, "Locomotor mortis!"

Kiara was ready, and held up her own wand, casting a shielding spell to deflect it between her laughter.

"Incarcerous!" Elizabeth fired, typing rope around and immobilizing Kiara.

Between her laughs, Kiara narrowed her eyes, and said something Elizabeth couldn't really understand. It sounded a lot like a curse, though. Then, a little louder, "Call the spell-" She laughed, "Off, or I'll have Hermes bite you, and that won't be fun."

"Try me," Elizabeth taunted.

"O-ok," Kiara said. She said something, possibly in another language, and Hermes immediately tried to strike at the third year, who just barely jumped back.

Elizabeth's eyes widened just a fraction of a millimeter before she fired, "Reducto!" at the snake, flinging it to the side. She pointed her wand at Kiara and yelled, "Silencio!" The first year became quiet, her body still heaving from silent laughter.

"And suddenly," Elizabeth muttered, "I have half the mind to shank you." Kiara stuck her middle finger out. "Ya know what?" she said, "I'm leavin' ya there 'til someone finds ya and helps. For now, have fun suffering. Don't worry, yer snake friend ain't dead. Yet." Elizabeth turned to leave, then stopped. "Hey, Isla," Elizabeth said, hiding the fact that she was practically scared at confronting the Head Girl. "G'd afternoon."

"Not bad," the Head Girl said, examining Kiara from head to toe. "Just a bit sloppy on the binding spell, but otherwise nearly perfect. I won't tell if you have any of that coloured water stuff lying around." The Head Girl waved her wand and all of the spells on Kiara were removed.

Kiara glared at Elizabeth, crossing her arms, scowling, and muttering a few choice words to herself.

"Yeah, I've got some extra gatorade ta spare," Elizabeth said, walking back to her dorm room. She took out the bottle from the kitchen and walked back to the common room. Right as she stepped in, Kiara ran over and threw a punch at her. She would have landed a solid black eye, perhaps even more, had Elizabeth not moved away just in time. Nonetheless, Kiara sent a sidekick flying at her stomach, causing her to say "ow" in a deadpan.

"Someone forgot I had a high pain tolerance," Elizabeth muttered, tossing the bottle to Isla. Kiara, didn't hear, having already gone back to her potion.

Elizabeth jolted, as yet another loud explosion sounded. She walked over to Kiara. "How hard can it be ta make a potion?"

"Hard enough now that you and Isla are watching me," she mumbled.

"What do Isla an' I have ta do with it?"

"Nothing, go back to sleep," Kiara groaned.

Elizabeth paused for a moment, staring at the mixture inside the cauldron. She lifted a hand and dipped her finger in, watching the liquid drip of her index before taking a whiff. "Agin' potion," she declared. "A pretty damn simple one too, but without the hollyberry essence. How the hell did you forget the essence?"

"I was about to put that in, but then somebody tied me up," Kiara snapped.

"No, you put it in before the ten counterclockwise stirs," Elizabeth said. "You messed up before you realised it."

"Ok, Elizabeth, I messed up, whatever, can you go away now?" Kiara looked sullen.

"Agin' potion," Elizabeth murmured, "agin' potion… Yer tryin' ta get inta the Duelin' Club, aren't ya?"

"What's it to you?"

"Ya can't make yerself older and expect it ta work," Elizabeth said, rolling her eyes. "These are teachers that work with ya daily. Ya gotta change yer appearance."

"Oh, I didn't think of that," Kiara said sarcastically, holding up contacts and a bottle of dye.

"That won't work either," Elizabeth stated bluntly. "They have ta recognized ya."

"No, they don't," Kiara said, even knowing that it was true.

"Go talk ta either Mei or Lyra," Elizabeth said, ignoring her. "Ya know, the ones on the team. Both of them are seconds. Tell them I sent ya and explain yer situation. Neither of them are goin'. Ya can dress up as them and cast a basic voice changer on yerself. Ya won't attract attention since both of them are introverts without any friends."

"What are you, the all knowing seer? How do you know them well enough to know that will work?"

"Nah," Elizabeth laughed, "it's Rose that shows signs of being a Legilimens. I bet a galleon she's a Seer, too. I'm just the only friend of the two. Mei memorized the entire restricted section in her first year, along with every spell book in existence by the time she was six, and Lyra was taught by myself. Neither of them would like duelin' lessons. They'd gladly help, seein' as how many pickles I've gotten them out of."

Kiara ignored her, and just shrugged her shoulders. "Whatever, I'm going to bed."

"It's only seven," Elizabeth deadpanned, "y'ain't goin' ta bed."

"So?" Kiara asked.

"So," Elizabeth elaborated, "yer a shitty liar. "

"And you're a shitty person," Kiara murmured quietly.

Elizabeth still heard. "I know," Elizabeth said, patting her on the back. "Now, if yer as stubborn as I think ya are, you'll talk ta either of them and follow up with my plan. It's flawless, which I do think ya realise."

Kiara didn't say anything, but then she whispered "silencio" subtly pointing her wand at Elizabeth. The older girl raised her eyebrows, but smiled languidly and made some hand gestures (an index finger motion, an angry box gesture, and a point towards herself) before leaving the commons.

That night, Kiara walked over to the room where the club was taking place. After finding out that Professor Greengrass was hosting the club, she had made quick work convincing the professor to let her join. All it took was a quick show of her abilities, which, thanks to her hours of extra practice in empty classrooms, were a little sharper than a normal first years.

Walking in, she found an empty corner and kept to herself. Finally, her name was called, and swallowing down the nervousness that surfaced at dueling someone in front of other people, she walked up to face a second year. She fired a spell before the boy had time to raise his wand, and ended up with his wand in her hand. She grinned at his shocked expression. It was a shining moment of victory for her.

Suddenly, a teacher burst in, looking windblown and frantic. She didn't look at the students, instead talking in a hushed tone to Professor Greengrass. It was obviously not meant for the students to hear, but Kiara, who was standing closest to the teacher, heard everything.

"What do you mean that a student was found dead?" Kiara demanded, unable to keep her mouth shut. "Who? Where? When?"

Professor Greengrass gave her a cold look. "Everyone!" she shouted, "that information will not leave further than this class! Please report back to your dorm rooms! As for you, Miss Belyarchik, I would give you a detention if the school wasn't in such an emergency."

Kiara glared at her. "A student died in this school, and you weren't going to tell anyone. Chances are someone's deliberately killing trying to the students. We have a right to know that there's a literal murderer on the loose."

"Miss Belyarchik," the professor said levelly, "as the Dean of Students, it is my job to make sure that the students here are not panicking. And by the looks of the death, it seems highly likely that it was a suicide."

"Your job is to make sure the students aren't panicking?" Kiara asked, just as levelly, "Word would have gotten out sooner or later, you can't hide a death. Imagine if parents and students knew that Hogwarts was keeping a death from them, the panic would be much worse. I was just speeding up the inevitable."

"Miss Belyarchik," Professor Greengrass said, silent anger in her tone. "It was a suicide. We plan on returning the body to the parents without notifying the students."

"You plan on returning the body, which could hold evidence to whether or not it was really a suicide right away? How do you know she wasn't poisoned? I can't believe that I have to tell you this, but giving away the body right away is terribly idiotic."

"Miss Belyarchik," Professor Greengrass was on the verge of exploding, "The room was locked, the windows were bolted, it was a suicide. You can leave now, as you are straying in dangerous territory."

Kiara silently fumed as she stormed out of the room in anger. It couldn't have been a suicide, but she had no proof. It was just a gut feeling. As she entered the Slytherin common room, she was greeted by Elizabeth. "I see ya didn't take my ad-"

Kiara cut her off, "A student died."

Elizabeth froze before snapping out of her trance and staring at Kiara with cold eyes. "Tell me everything you know about it."

"The teacher said it was a suicide," Kiara explained, "since the room was locked and the windows were bolted. A student found the body. That's it."

"The room was locked, the windows were bolted," Elizabeth repeated, muttering under her breath. "It's not the Slytherin dorms, since I've been here all day and knew nothing. The room was locked, the windows were bolted. It's not the Gryffindor dorms, since the windows don't have latches. Not Ravenclaw either, since the rooms don't have working locks with keys. It's a Hufflepuff."

"Wait," Kiara said, "Rose wasn't in any of her classes with me. I assumed she was sick but…"

Elizabeth's eyes widened. "Oh no- oh god- Kiara, yes or no, are you coming?"

"I'm right with you," Kiara told her.

Elizabeth nodded and snapped her fingers. "We're invisible now," she said, "and no one can hear us until someone bumps into us. Come on!" She dashed out the common rooms and ran through the hallways, Kiara at her heel. "It's not a suicide," Elizabeth said as she skidded to a halt in front of the kitchen door. "Rose has too much to live for, and she knows it."

"We don't know it was Rose yet, she could have been sick or something," Kiara told her, "We don't know until we go in."

"Kiara!" Elizabeth near screamed, "What Hufflepuff would kill themselves?!" She threw open the door to the kitchen and ran over to a painting in the corner of the room. She practically ripped it off the wall, unveiling a hole in the wall. Elizabeth crawled into the hole and uncovered the painting on the other side. Kiara followed and they found themselves in the Hufflepuff commons, which were completely empty. "They've been evacuated," Elizabeth muttered, storming through the halls and going to the door of the first year girls' dorms. "Locked," she growled when she tried the knob. She took out something from her pocket and shoved it into the small gap between the door and the frame, prying until the door was forced open.

When the two stepped inside, both were horrified. Rose lied dead on one of the beds, her eyes wide open and her body still, her hands rested on her stomach. Elizabeth muttered some shaky curses before moving up to the girl and putting one hand on her neck, the other on her wrist. She continued to examine the body, opening her mouth and pushing the area of her lungs.

"She's dead, Elizabeth. The teachers already checked," Kiara remarked, flatly.

"That's not it," the third year replied shakily, her voice cracking on the last word. "She's been dead since this morning. Asphyxiation. If not, something that messed with her systems. I'm guessing cyanide. Neither could she have done herself. Kiara, search the room. Look for her cat."

Kiara searched, making sure to check everywhere, "He's not there."

"He'll be the only witness," Elizabeth said, "he never left her side."

Then, Kiara spotted a patch of blood in the corner. "There's blood here. I reckon the murderer killed the cat as well."

"No," Elizabeth muttered, "no! The killer would've killed both in the same way if he was a witness. If they stabbed the cat, they'd've stabbed Rose. If they poisoned Rose, they'd've poisoned the cat! Unless…" Elizabeth made her way over to the blood and touched it tentatively. "Fresh," she said, "and definitely animal blood. They were killed at different times. There's no cat body, there's no trail. That means either he was picked up or he was somehow healed."

"Or, the teachers are hiding something. Think about it, they wouldn't want mention of a death in Hogwarts to get out, and they wouldn't want any witnesses. Blaming it on a suicide would be much easier for them, and they've already looked through the room." Kiara was searching for possibilities.

"It's not the teachers, Kiara," Elizabeth said harshly, "the way she was killed was obviously non-magical. There are no spell aftereffects that I can see." Elizabeth lifted her hand and ran her thumb over her other fingers, as if she was trying to feel the air. "Not dark magic. Even Avada Kedavra leaves a small trace of dark magic in the air hours after the murder. I would be able to detect it. Rose doesn't keep a notebook, so we can't get anything from that." Suddenly, Elizabeth's eyes widened. She took out a small flask from her pocket, along with her wand. She pointed the tip at Rose's head and lifted it slowly, generating some sort of wispy silver substance, which poured itself into the flask. Elizabeth quickly opened Rose's trunk and took out a larger bottle of the same substance before turning to Kiara.

"We have to go," she said. Kiara nodded and the two quickly left the room, fleeing back to the Slytherin dorms. In the common room, Elizabeth took out a small bag and flung some of the contents into the fireplace. "66 Springdell Road, Eldwood, Ireland!" she shouted, causing the fire to roar and double inside. "Kiara, walk into the fire."

"What?" Kiara asked "Where are we going?"

"We're going to Ralph's," Elizabeth replied, before she pushed Kiara into the fire.

Kiara stumbled into a room, coughing and wheezing from inhaling to many fumes. When her fit finally subsided, she realised she was in what appeared to be a family room, with plants lining the walls and a telly at the side in front of a couch. "Where am I?" she muttered.

"My place." Kiara jumped as Elizabeth materialised next to her.

"Why?" Kiara asked.

"Because Hogwarts is useless at this point."

"How is your house any better?"

"I have everything we need in my room." Elizabeth motioned for Kiara to follow her, going up the stairs and into the first room on the left. Inside was crammed with all sorts of magical instruments and equipment. Elizabeth walked over to the corner, which had a large bowl atop a pedestal. She dumped the contents of the flasks inside before dunking Kiara in it, face first.

Suddenly, the room around her vanished and she was in the Hufflepuff dorms again, Elizabeth at her side.

"Stop doing that," Kiara muttered.

The other girl ignored her and pointed to the door. "Watch." Suddenly, the door swung open and a girl walked in, locking the door behind her.

"Rose?!" Kiara gasped. "What?"

"It's pensieve," Elizabeth explained, "a sort of memory thing I don't feel like explaining. Rose was an aspiring Legilimens, so she always kept some around. Don't worry, she can't see or hear you."

"That's not cryptic at all," Kiara mumbled sarcastically.

Rose let at a groan and plopped herself down on the bed. "Ugh," Rose picked up Lucifurr, who was on the floor next to her. "This stomach ache is so annoying," she said, stroking the cat. "Maybe I ate something bad. Or my period's coming early." Rose lied down and tossed around her bed.

The room vanished and Kiara was back at Elizabeth's house.

"The memory ends there," Elizabeth muttered. "That means she died right after. Lucifurr is the only witness. She had a stomach ache…"

"She was poisoned." Kiara reasoned.

"Not cyanide," Elizabeth said aloud, furrowing her eyebrows, "or the effects would have been instantaneous. I was wrong. She doesn't eat enough for it to be methoxychlor. Not thallium, or kepone, either."

"It could have been…" Kiara trailed off trying to think, "Snake venom is a lot like that, but where would she get that?"

"Not all snake venoms cause nausea," Elizabeth stated, "and the ones that do also cause swelling, which we would've seen. We can rule that off the list."

"Do you have a computer?" Kiara asked, "We can google it."

"No," Elizabeth said, "My computer's back at the RoR. It can't be castor oil, because Rose would noticed the terrible taste in her food."

"Just guessing is useless. We should get back to Hogwarts, you have your phone there so we can google it."

"I'm not guessing," Elizabeth muttered, "I've used poisons since I was a kid. Yeah, I was a weird kid, but I know this shit."

"Ok, making educated guesses is useless. Let's get back to Hogwarts," Kiara said.

"Oh my god," Elizabeth said out of the blue. "It's methanol."

"What's that?" Kiara asked.

"Tasteless, colourless, liquid poison," Elizabeth said, "it can be used in paint thinners and as a biodiesel. Only four ounces for it to be lethal. Whoever's doing this must be well versed in muggle products. A muggleborn, smaller chance of halfblood. That rules out half of the students and nearly all of the residents in Hogsmeade.

"That's still way too many people," Kiara said, "We need a way to narrow them down even more."

"That means we have to go back," Elizabeth said.

"The teachers probably realized we were gone by now. That means you're going to be in trouble, and I might get expelled, honestly. I'm already on pretty thin ice."

"No, you won't," Elizabeth said confidently. "I've got connections in high places. You know Isla? She knows about my nightly runs. She's already agreed beforehand that she'd provide an alibi if needed."

"Elizabeth," Kiara said tentatively, "Why are you so calm about this? Your friend, and one of your closest ones at that, just died, and you talk as if everything's fine."

Elizabeth's voice turned somber. "I'm coping by working. I'm waiting until I have some time alone. Come on, let's get back."

When the two floo'd back to the Slytherin dorms, Elizabeth turned to face Kiara. "Tomorrow," she said, "You have to find the smartest people you know, the most well versed in muggle technology, and interrogate them. If they pass the interrogation, ask them to join us. We could use extra help."

(Author's Notes)

Dear reader-

Ho shit, the plot thickens! This was a particularly fun chapter to write, to be honest with you. I did do a bunch of research on fatal poisons, but I can't be sure if this is one hundred percent accurate. Anyway, as always, thanks for reading and leave a review. I've been listening to alot of Khalil Fong lately. I like "Listen" and "No Love."

-Luna

.

I really hope no one ever goes through Luna's search history, for her sake. Anyway, I had tons of fun having Kiara almost get killed because of her sarcasm. One of my favorite parts of the chapter. I don't know what else to say, so thanks for reading our story!

Book Recommendation: Artemis Fowl, By Eoin Colfer

-Lupus