Author Note: An idea of a post Hogwarts story. Revenge for a Deadman. A Quinn Martin production.
Begin Story
June 15, 2002
Harry woke up to the sound of his Floo alert clanging. He sleepily grabbed his glasses and looked at the clock which read half past ten at night. He had only been asleep for about an hour which was annoying. Confused and concerned he grabbed his wand and padded downstairs.
Ginny and he had broken up after a few months of dating when they discovered that shared tortures and trauma was not enough to form a healthy relationship on. They still got together for passionate sex when the urge hit them and they had no other partners but otherwise they remained friends. Molly had been disappointed but she adapted.
Reaching his sitting room he found Hermione sitting in one of his easy chairs with a pair of bags on the floor in front of her petting Crookshanks. She was one of five people who could come through without asking permission. Ron, Ginny, Neville and Luna were the only other ones he trusted that much.
She looked up when he turned the lights on and he could see she had been crying. Crossing the room to quickly kneel in front of her he asked taking her hand, "What happened?"
"I came home and found him in our bed with Hannah Abbott." Hermione said sadly.
"In bed? As in, in bed or IN bed." Harry had to ask, even though he suspected the answer. The auror training making him want to get all of the evidence he could to understand the situation.
"As in she was flat on her back with him screwing her brains out as she begged him not to pull out." She managed to state through a renewed bout of tears. She clenched his hand like she was drowning and he was a lifeline. Suddenly she flung herself forward to hold Harry as her tears fell against his shoulder.
Harry had no idea exactly how to comfort her. The Auror handbook had polite and safe platitudes but this was his best friend. Someone he cared deeply for that was hurting and empty words just wouldn't do so he merely stayed with her. Holding her as she cried herself into a sleepy haze.
"I'm sorry Harry. I just don't know what to do. I wasn't expecting this. I thought he loved me."
"I know. I'll get you to bed then after breakfast I'll go and have a talk with him." Harry's tone of voice held the promise that the talk had better give him some very good answers or it could become rather unpleasant for one Ronald Weasley.
Picking her up Harry carried her upstairs. "Harry I can still walk." She protested gently although she did lean against him.
"I know. But let me take care of you for tonight. I'll put you in Ginny's room so there won't be any scandal on your part at least."
"Thanks Harry. You're a great man." Hermione murmured against his neck causing him to almost miss a step. If he was so great why was he having such impure thoughts.
…...
Waking the next morning alone in his bed Harry rubbed his eyes. He had not slept very well after tucking Hermione, fully dressed, into the bed and setting things up for Crookshanks. He laid there thinking about what he was going to say to Ron. What he was going to ask him and how he was going to react.
He had finished his ablutions and gone downstairs to find Hermione curled up in the library with a book and a mug of hot coffee.
"I figured you would be here." He said with a grin.
Sighing Hermione nodded, "I am nothing if not consistent."
"When Hermione goes missing look in the library." Harry chuckled.
Hermione smiled gently, "Yeah. Maybe I should have just stayed with the books and become a spinster like Minerva."
"I somehow don't see you being the spinster type." Harry remarked with a grin.
"So. When do you want to talk to Ron?" she asked with a sad sigh.
"I'll go talk to him by myself after breakfast. You stay here and relax." He said.
"I'm okay. I can handle this." She protested. "Besides I need to go into the office."
"Mione I would really rather go talk to him by myself. He's going to be at the shop in Hogsmeade and I want to try and avoid a public scene. Okay? I don't want the stupid paper to drag you through the mud." Harry suggested softly. "And the office can afford to miss you for a day or two. Take the time to relax and recover from this."
She took a deep breath before nodding, "Okay Harry. I'll call the office and tell them I'm not going to be in for a few days."
Harry nodded with a smile, "Good and I'll go fix something other than toast and coffee."
She laughed, "The breakfast of champions." as she stood to go make her calls.
"I don't know about that, but it is at least the breakfast of the overworked, under appreciated Ministry employee." He laughed.
Harry was about to head for the kitchen when the Floo alert went off and a split second later he heard Ginny's voice calling for him.
"In here." Harry replied as Ginny ran into the room and grabbed him in a tight hug crying. This was getting strange and he hoped the next person through wasn't Luna coming through. Having two girls with simultaneous emotional difficulties was going to be tough enough to deal with.
"Gin? What's wrong? Are you okay?" Harry asked as he stroked her back. Hermione was watching the red haired girl with some concern.
"Oh Harry. Ron's dead. Mum's clock. His hand fell." She managed to get out between sobs.
"What?" Harry exclaimed as Hermione gasped and sat down on the arm of her chair suddenly.
Taking a deep breath to compose herself Ginny began again, "Ron's hand is off of the clock. Mum came down to make breakfast and saw it sitting on the mantle."
"Okay. Did you see him last night?"
"No I was at the training camp in Holyhead." Ginny replied looking at Hermione, "Why is she here?"
"I caught Ron cheating on me last night." Hermione said uncertainly.
"You did what?" Ginny demanded.
"I came home and found him in bed with someone else. I left and came here. I slept in your bedroom." Hermione explained quickly, "Nothing happened between Harry and I."
Ginny shook her head, "Okay. Whatever. Harry George went to their place to try and see what was going on. I can't get through the floo. It doesn't respond."
Harry turned to Hermione, "Okay. Let me have your door key. I'll go check on what's going on."
Hermione nodded and went to get it. Leaving Ginny and Harry alone.
"Do you think Ron really cheated on her?"
Harry shrugged, "I don't know. Ron can make some stupid decisions."
"Harry. Everyone knows Ron scored above his weight category when he got Hermione to be his girl. Why would he mess that up?" Ginny countered.
"I have no idea. But I believe Hermione and trust her."
Ginny crossed her arms but did not reply.
…...
Harry walked the last few yards to the house Hermione and Ron shared in Crawley. She lived a few blocks from her parents who had been recovered from Australia. She still had a rather rocky relationship with them but they had mostly forgiven her for the way things went. They were still a bit twitchy about the subject of magic though.
He almost tripped on the sidewalk when he saw the bright blue lights of police cars in front of the house. They had the markings of the local police but also the special branch that the aurors used when dealing with magical crimes. He pulled his special badge out and was through the line in a moment.
"Potter. There you are. I called your house but got no answer." Detective Inspector Parker rumbled when he entered the front door.
"I know. Ginny and Hermione went to the Burrow." Harry replied.
"Simmons, Thompson go to the Burrow and talk to Miss Granger." DI Parker called out and two personnel left.
Harry frowned, DS Simmons was professional but constable Thompson was a fresh from the academy probie. "What's going on? I was told Ron's dead but you're acting like this was a murder."
Parker grunted but asked in reply, "Why don't you tell me what happened last night."
Harry stared at his superior officer and said, "I went to bed about 2130. Got woke up around 2230. Hermione had come through the floo crying saying she caught Ron in bed with another woman. I talked to her a few minutes then when she calmed down let her go to bed in the spare bedroom while I went to my bedroom to get back to sleep."
"So she was upset last night?" he asked.
"Yes. What's the deal Mike? You're acting like you think Hermione had anything to do with this."
"You know the procedure. The wife or girlfriend is always a suspect, no matter what Detective Sergeant Potter." Parker grumbled, sarcastically sneering on Harry's rank.
Harry knew Parker felt that Harry had been promoted to his position through being the hero of Hogwarts and all of his celebrity not because of merit. This meant they did not have a very good working relationship on cases. "I know that DI Parker. However I also know Hermione and know she cared very deeply about Ron."
"Really?" DI Parker snorted in doubt.
"So what happened?"
"As you are not an active part of this investigation I'm not at liberty to discus it." DI Parker stated like he was enjoying saying that.
"What?" Harry exclaimed.
"You are too close to the victim and one of the suspects. This is going to be a high enough profile case as it is I don't want emotionalism compromising things." Parker glared at Potter daring him to challenge his decision.
"Fine. I need to go console my friend's family." Harry spun and left the house with angry strides. He did not apparate out as all that would do would be contaminating the crime scene. Something he wanted to avoid at all costs for Hermione's sake.
…...
Arriving at the Burrow he found the two officers talking to Hermione. They looked at him with some trepidation but his nod let them go back to asking her questions.
Entering the kitchen he hugged Molly, "I'm sorry. How are you?"
Molly gave him a watery smile, "I'm not certain."
Arthur handed Harry a mug of hot tea, "We're trying to figure all of this out."
"Why would anyone do this to Ron?" Molly wailed as she began crying again. Arthur putting his arms around her trying to comfort when he was hurting too.
"I don't know who would do this or why. I can't understand it either." Harry agreed nodding his thanks to Arthur.
"I know Hermione didn't hurt him." Molly said, "She loved him too much."
Harry nodded again, "I know. And Ron wouldn't want to hurt her so someone is doing something very sneaky."
"You think someone impersonated Hannah?" Ginny asked. Her earlier anger seeming to have deflated.
Harry shrugged, "Its possible. Poly-juice is not that hard to brew if one is skilled enough."
George sighed, "Yeah we've been thinking about some ideas for variants of it at the shop."
Harry raised his eyebrows, "Really? That doesn't sound very marketable. Some fo the ingredients are not entirely cheap."
George shook his head, "Nah. Not for large scale production. There's no profit in it. Special orders and certain gags only."
Hermione entered the kitchen and collapsed in a chair Harry pulled out for her.
"So how'd it go?" Ginny asked.
She shrugged, "They took my statement and asked me a few questions. Examined my wand. I told them all I knew."
Harry nodded, "Good. They're at least following the book."
"That's a good thing?" Ginny frowned.
"Yes it is. When they exclude Hermione as a suspect they can focus on finding the real culprit." Harry said. He and the man did not get along but Harry was sure Parker was still professional enough not to compromise a case like this over personal feelings.
The room fell silent as they considered the situation. Molly's sobbing settled into a soft rhythm as Arthur rubbed her back. Ginny stared at the table as George took a deep breath, "We better let you get back to the investigation." He said looking at Harry.
Harry looked down at the table before saying, "DI Parker is in charge of this. He thinks I'll be too emotionally compromised to do my job."
BULLSHIT!" Ginny exploded. "You're the one who defeated Voldemort. They should be handing you the case on a silver platter dammit!"
"Ginny we fought for a world where people wouldn't be above the law or get special privileges. I'm not going to pull a Malfoy and ask for special treatment." Hermione stated firmly.
"Even if it means Hermione gets the veil?" Ginny demanded staring coldly at Harry. Causing Molly to wail again and Hermione to set her expression.
"She won't get the veil. Look I won't ignore what's going on either. I have some friends in the department and can keep track of the investigation, but I trust and believe in Hermione and her innocence will come through in the end."
Hermione gave Harry a weak, worried smile as she nodded. "Thanks Harry."
Ginny sprang out of her chair, "Great so you're just going to sit by and let whomever killed Ron wander around until the stupid aurors get them?"
"Ginny. That's uncalled for!" Arthur firmly declared, "Harry has to obey the law. So does Hermione. They can't go running off and do whatever they want."
Ginny threw the mug she was holding against the wall with a frustrated cry of rage. "Its not fair."
George took her hand, "Hey sis. I know its not fair. Believe me." She spun and looked into the eyes that had developed lines far earlier than they should have. One half of a set that should have been there. She stood scowling.
"I know this is hard on all of us right now. We need to stick together and stay calm." Arthur said taking a deep breath."
"Yes father." Ginny said breathing hard. Her voice did not hold a lot of submission or apology in I.
Harry cleared his throat, "I can go make some preliminary inquiries. I know Parker's not had time to do his report yet but I'm sure there's some things I can find out already."
Arthur nodded, "Thank you Harry."
"You'll be okay here?" Harry asked Hermione.
Hermione nodded, "Yeah. I may go back to Grimmould for a little bit. But I'll stay here mostly."
Harry nodded, "Okay. See you later."
With another hug for Molly Harry departed for Saint Mungo's.
…...
Arriving at the hospital Harry headed for he morgue. He had not wanted to mention this in front of Molly but Ron's body would have been transported here first. They would do an inquest on this as a suspicious death. Parker would insist on it, the press would insist on it so that meant Shacklebolt would insist on it.
Entering the Coroner's office he found Dr Gordon "Gordie the Ghoul" Graves talking to the technician underneath him Floyd Marsden. Graves had a very morbid sense of humor and enjoyed his job far too much.
"Ahh. Mr Potter. I was wondering when I would be seeing you come through here. Somehow I expected you to be more horizontal though." Gordon laughed.
"Sorry to disappoint you. I take it my friend Ron's body has been brought in?" Harry managed to drop his professional mask over his feelings.
"Ahh yes. They just brought him in a few minutes ago. We were getting ready to go take a look." Gordie declared.
"May I. May I see him."
"Oh you can come and watch it you want. I'm sure he won't mind." Gordie said snapping on some rubber gloves.
Harry followed the two men into the exam room. Ron's body was laying on a cold steel tray with a sheet covering him. Dr Graves pulled the sheet back to expose Ron's head and chest.
Tech Marsden pulled a piece of parchment from a roll into a clip and set a quick-quotes quill upright on it. Graves cleared his voice and began to speak.
"June Sixteenth 2002, I am preparing to perform the autopsy of Ronald Billius Weasley. Circumstances of death are unknown, cause of death not readily apparent. Subject is a magical male. Age 23, medical record indicates no current injuries or conditions. Had been treated for magical attacks by disembodied brains, excessive exhaustion, and various poisonings in his youth."
Harry sighed internally as he remembered all of those instances. How close they had all come to death.
"Floyd draw some blood will you. Venous and Cardiac will do." Gordie declared pulling the sheet off of Ron revealing his naked form.
"Subject was found naked and in bed. Signs of recent sexual activity were indicated." Gordie said taking some swabs from Ron's appropriate body parts. Floyd had retrieved two syringes with a long needle on one.
Drawing the blood from Ron's arm the technician frowned, "Doctor look at this." He held the syringe up to the light and a honey golden colored fluid was within.
"Well isn't that interesting. For the record the subject's venous blood is a clear, golden, honey color with the consistency of water." Gordie excitedly declared.
"Now let's see what the heart's blood looks like. Any bets on it being the same?"
Harry shook his head slightly trying not to frown at the light hearted tone in the doctor's voice.
"Ahh too bad. Because there it is." He said as the technician drew several ccs of the same honey colored liquid.
"It seems like the blood has had all of its hemoglobin removed or destroyed. Leaving the plasma. Let's see what the organs look like now." The doctor said as the technician labeled and prepared the swabs and tissue samples under the direction of the doctor. Harry stoically watching as he shut the feeling part of him down, treating this as nothing more than the kind of investigation he had been taught in the academy to expect.
Finally the doctor had completed his examination and the samples sent out to the lab. Completing the rolled up parchment he turned to the silent Harry. "Well I'll know more when I get the lab results back, that should be tomorrow."
"Can you give me any ideas what could have done that?"
Shrugging the doctor said, "No idea. I can tell you how he died though. The mechanism of it."
Harry swallowed before nodding, "Okay tell me."
"Oxygen deprivation. All of the Hemoglobin was destroyed or removed from his blood. Starving his body of oxygen. A very nice job of it too."
"What spell could have done that?" Harry asked trying to think of the various spells he knew.
The doctor laughed as he threw his gloves in the trash, "Oh there as no spell. You see magic leaves a trace on the body. Sometimes even a physical mark is left behind. He has none of that. Oh no this was a potion of some kind. A very tricky and advanced one. A real genius was behind this I'd say.
Harry clamped down on the sudden surge of fear in his chest. "Why do you say that?"
"Call it a feeling. He did not suffer or struggle so it must have worked rather quickly. I hope he at least got off before the end. Would be rather a pity don't you think?"
Harry did not reply as he was already leaving the office to speak with Susan Bones. Hermione was going to need a good defense attorney.
…...
Review Responses
Wiltsrider: Yes. Heinlein is one of the holy trinity of classic science fiction writers. Like I said before glad to be of service and look forward to seeing your interpretation.
Latarra: Thank you for the compliments. I am working on the various ideas that are first chapters.
Jadesabrexiv: Oh yeah. Ron will definitely need to watch his mouth or someone's boot is going to need a proctologist to be removed from his anatomy, or a nasla surgeon...And yes Luna's bullies are not going to enjoy what happens. I have some ideas and have been working slowly on this and all of the other ideas. Maybe the theory I have ADD are not as far fetched as I thought. Lol.
.Dennisud: yes I agreed that it would make a good short and have been adding slowly to it. Hopefully I get these projects done before the end of civilization but who knows.
OfficerDonNZ: Thank you. I'm glad you liked. And like I said Ron is going to be on very choppy waters for a time.
Timekeeper: I had thought about the ontological ramifications of this and wonder if the closed loop would be a better idea or not. BTW check the movie Predestination for one of the inspirations for this. Based on a Heinlein short story All you Zombies.
Ironhidensh: Thank you. I'm working on it slowly.
Geetac: I am working on it but if someone wants to pick it up all I ask is leave a link for their interpretation of the idea.