With a thwomp, Lucius apparated onto the green, grassy knoll nearest Stonehenge. After taking a moment to straighten one of the ornate silver brooches on his black coat, he began taking stock of his surroundings.
A host of Aurors were stationed along the outer edges of the site, frantically working to add extra layers of wards and charms. In his mad rush to get to the crime scene, Lucius had forgotten to press Norgard for details, so he was unsure if the wall of wards had been broken. Lucius shuddered at the mere thought, for he knew that only a cataclysmic amount of energy could have destroyed them.
Lucius recognized a few faces among the Aurors, namely Rufus Scrimgeour, John Dawlish, and Rudy Wexley. Scrimgeour and Dawlish were huddled together near the center of the monument, their bunched shoulders signifying that they were conversing in hushed tones. Wexley, meanwhile, was yelling at a young Junior Auror over the correct way to reinforce the wards. Lucius frowned. Wexley should have been gathering as much information as he possibly could, especially since Norgard wasn't currently present.
Lucius' attention shifted to the center of the monument. Immediately, his frown deepened into a scowl at the sight of the people who were somehow already present.
Like always, Talia Summers had her wavy, caramel-brown hair flowing freely down just past her shoulders. She was wearing a light brown blazer dress that stopped just before her knees, and had on a pair of matte black Chelsea boots. She appeared to be in the middle of a heated discussion with none other than Amelia Bones, though Lucius couldn't make out what they were saying.
Talia's younger sister, Marina, was off to the side, leaning against one of the large, craggy standing stones. Like Talia, her hair was a wavy, shoulder-length brown, though it was more chestnut than caramel. She was wearing a plain red blouse along with a plaid skirt, a sharp contrast to her sister's striking outfit. Even from his current position, Lucius was able to discern the frightened expression on her face, which caused Lucius' unease to double.
Next to her stood her husband, Head Unspeakable Michael Brandon. The traitor was clad in the black robes and boots that most Unspeakables wore, though instead of wearing a hood, he had on a sharp, jet-black bowler hat that obscured his long, curly brown hair. As Lucius looked on, Michael leaned in to carefully brush aside a loose strand of Marina's hair. Marina glanced up and gave him a thankful smile, before leaning in and giving him a kiss on the cheek. Lucius sneered in disapproval, taking solace in the fact that Jerome Blocquin would soon bring an end to their public displays of affection.
A pair of thwomps sounded behind him, and Lucius turned to see Saren and Norgard striding up the knoll. When they reached the top, Norgard bent over once more, panting heavily.
"Tell me what happened," Lucius commanded, once Norgard had finally caught his breath.
Norgard looked fearfully towards the monument, and then back at Lucius. "Yesterday, one of my Junior Aurors, Nymphadora Tonks, came storming into my office, demanding to be released from her shift at Stonehenge. After I told her off, she insulted me and accused me of corruption. I then ordered her to attend a private disciplinary meeting with me at my office today, but she never showed up. After 10 minutes of waiting, I concluded that she was childishly avoiding the meeting, so I sent my assistant to Stonehenge to retrieve her."
"Your assistant? Not you yourself?" Lucius asked.
"I didn't want to give her the satisfaction of knowing that she had wasted a good amount of my time." Lucius could sympathize with that, for he knew how irritating and spiteful Dumbledore's people could be.
"A few minutes after I sent him, my assistant returned, shouting that Tonks and the two Unspeakables assigned to Stonehenge were dead. After making him swear on his magic that he wasn't lying, I immediately ran to inform you."
Saren turned to Norgard, a dangerous glimmer in his eyes. "Did you? Then how is it that Bones and Summers are already here?"
Norgard grimaced as he looked toward the center of the monument. "My assistant's panicked shouts drew Scrimgeour and Thicknesse to my office. They overheard everything he said, and they too rushed off once he had sworn that he was telling the truth. Forgive me Lord Malfoy, but the path to your office is a lot longer than the path to Bones' or Summers'."
Lucius snarled at the mere mention of Pius Thicknesse. The man was one of Talia Summers' most loyal supporters, and he had been a constant obstacle to Lucius' plots to gain power and influence within the DMLE. Scrimgeour was no better, for he was a core part of Amelia Bones' regime. At least none of Dumbledore's minions had overheard Norgard's assistant, or else he would have had to endure the old goat as well as Bones and the Summers sisters.
"You should punish this assistant of yours. His loose tongue and lack of discipline cost us control of this situation," Saren said darkly.
"I agree. However, this can wait until after we find out what actually happened here." Lucius sighed and straightened out his coat once more. "Follow me."
He began to make his way down towards Stonehenge, Norgard and Saren on his heels. As he neared the bottom of the knoll, the Aurors on the perimeter began to notice his presence. Their reactions varied. The majority, like Scrimgeour, merely spared him a brief glance, before returning to their work. However, many such as Dawlish sneered at him in obvious contempt, while others like Wexley gave him respectful nods.
Lucius and his closest allies had long been keyed in to enter any and all wards surrounding Stonehenge, so he was able to stride through the perimeter without issue. He immediately headed straight for Wexley, who had finished his admonishment of the Junior Auror. As he approached, the man gave him a deep, respectful bow. "Lord Malfoy. I wish we could meet under better circumstances."
Lucius inclined his head. "Me as well. Now, tell me what happened." He didn't want to risk going into a confrontation against Amelia Bones and Talia Summers without a clear understanding of the situation.
"I was in the middle of a drill with my trainees when one of Bones' minions barged in, declaring a state of emergency. I immediately made my way to Stonehenge, and although Bones and Summers tried to keep me away from the crime scene, I managed to spot the corpses." Wexley nervously glanced back towards the center of the monument. "It wasn't pretty. One of the two Unspeakables had his head chopped off, and the other was cleaved clean in two. And the Junior Auror, Nymphadora Tonks, was nearly unrecognizable. Her face . . . well, it would probably be for the best if I spare you the gruesome details. You'll see for yourself soon enough."
Lucius was no stranger to brutality, yet Wexley's description still made him tense up. He too looked towards the center of the site, but a couple of standing stones were now blocking his view. "Who killed them?"
"I don't know. Bones made sure to hustle me away to the perimeter before I could learn all the details, though from what I gathered, they had been unable to ascertain anything about the killer's identity or motive. I do know that the Aurors determined it was a physical object, and not a spell, that killed Tonks and the two Unspeakables."
"A physical object? Like a Muggle weapon?" asked Saren.
"Most likely."
How interesting, thought Lucius, his apprehension momentarily replaced by curiosity. "And the wards?"
"All undamaged, but Bones still has us adding extra layers just to be safe."
Lucius arched an eyebrow. "Undamaged? Then how did the killer manage to get in?"
Wexley shrugged. "I have no earthly idea."
"Perhaps it was a murder-suicide. That would explain why they didn't apparate out at the first sign of trouble," said Saren.
Wexley shook his head. "I doubt it. None of the deaths appear to be a suicide, and the murder weapon itself is missing."
"Whatever the case, the killer might still be in the vicinity, especially since the wards remained intact," said Norgard, reaching for his wand.
Wexley raised his hand in a calming gesture. "No need for that. Bones commanded us to secure the site the moment we arrived, and there was no sign of the killer beyond the three corpses. No footprints, no magical residues, nothing."
"Stonehenge's resistance to magic probably has something to do with that," Saren pointed out.
Lucius groaned, realizing what that fact meant. If the Aurors were unable to determine exactly what had happened, then the public's panic over the incident would be exponentially bigger, to a potentially catastrophic degree. There was no greater fear than that of the unknown, and unfortunately, everything associated with Stonehenge was one gigantic unknown. Lucius had managed to build up the DOBM's reputation in spite of this fear, yet he had always known that an incident like this could sink everything he had worked for. He would have to ensure that these murders were framed in a way that was beneficial, and not detrimental, to his plans.
He mulled it over and quickly came to the conclusion that there was only one way to do this: he would have to direct the public's hysteria away from Stonehenge and towards something else. Something dangerous. Something they already feared.
Having the Daily Prophet in his pocket would surely help, but it wouldn't be enough. No, he needed to act now and establish control of the situation before the rest of the vultures in the Wizengamot arrived.
Lucius turned to Wexley. "Get Cuffe and Skeeter out here as quickly as possible."
Wexley shook his head. "But Bones might notice if -"
"Go. Now," interrupted Lucius coldly.
Wexley swallowed and looked away. "Of course, Lord Malfoy," he said, before apparating away.
"You two, with me," Lucius ordered brusquely. "We're going to find out who is to blame for this atrocity." He looked pointedly at Saren, and a flash of understanding crossed the Chief Healer's face. He gave Lucius a subtle nod to show his support.
After returning the gesture, Lucius began walking briskly towards the center of the monument, Saren and Norgard once again at his back. As he got closer, he began rehearsing the various ways he could steer the impending conversation to the endpoint he desired. The timing would have to be impeccable. If Dumbledore or Augusta Longbottom arrived before he was finished, then his ability to manipulate the situation would be vastly diminished. Yet he also needed to ensure that both Barnabas Cuffe and Rita Skeeter were present before he was done, or else it would all be for naught.
When he reached the pair of standing stones that were obscuring his view of the clearing, Lucius took in a deep breath to calm his nerves. He could do this. He would do this. Not only for the DOBM, but for Narcissa and Draco, whose futures could very well be determined within these next few minutes. Remembering that he had no time to waste, Lucius exhaled and made his way around the stone into the center of the monument.
Immediately, he came face to face with Pius Thicknesse. Judging by the unsurprised look on his face, Lucius deduced that he had been waiting for him. "Lord Malfoy," he said slyly. "I'm afraid I have to ask you to leave. Stonehenge is currently off limits due to a DMLE investigation."
Lucius crossed his arms, wanting nothing more than to smack the smug expression off the man's face. "Thicknesse. Out of my way," he ordered, attempting to sidestep the man.
Thicknesse smirked and moved in front of him again. "Are you refusing to comply? I must warn you that doing so would be grounds for your immediate arrest."
"And what grounds would those be?" blustered Norgard
"Interference and obstruction with a DMLE investigation. I imagine the consequences would be dire indeed given the magnitude of said investigation," Thicknesse responded sweetly.
Lucius had half a mind to shove past the snake in front of him, but he knew that succumbing to his impulses would get him nowhere. Besides, he'd be damned if he ever gave Thicknesse the satisfaction of knowing that he had gotten under his skin. "Nonsense," he stated calmly. "As Chief Warlock and Head of the DOBM, I have a right to be present."
Thicknesse crossed his arms. "I was unaware that the position of Chief Warlock had any jurisdiction over the DMLE. And as for you being the Head of the DOBM, I'm sure you know that the DMLE is a separate department from the one you oversee. Therefore, since this matter is being handled by the DMLE and the Department of Mysteries, I once again must ask you to leave."
"If only Unspeakables and DMLE members are allowed to be here, why is it that Lady Talia Summers and her sister are present?" Lucius asked, barely managing to maintain his calm tone.
"Because Head Unspeakable Michael Brandon specifically requested their presence. Unless Brandon or Madam Bones do the same for you, you will not be allowed to enter."
Lucius was rapidly losing patience. "You are forgetting one thing. On the day of its foundation, the DOBM was granted unhindered access to Stonehenge by the Wizengamot. Therefore, your attempt to restrain my access to the site constitutes a clear violation of a Wizengamot ruling. Furthermore, as you yourself have pointed out, the magnitude of this investigation would make the penalties of such a violation particularly steep."
Thicknesse's smirk disappeared, though the mirth in his expression did not completely vanish. Lucius knew that the snake was simply seeking to waste as much of his time as possible, likely at the behest of Talia Summers. Lucius cursed under his breath, as he had been hoping to take her and Bones by surprise with his presence.
He shrugged off his ire, and once again attempted to sidestep the snake. This time, Thicknesse made no move to intercept him. However, when Norgard and Saren attempted to follow him, Thicknesse shifted into their paths.
"Although Lord Malfoy's two positions might provide a legitimate reason for him to be here, I'm afraid you two -"
"Saren is part of the DOBM, and Dryden is part of the DMLE, as you know. Now move, or else I will file a formal complaint against you," Lucius said, not wishing to entertain this farce a moment longer.
Thicknesse sneered but finally moved out of Saren and Norgard's paths. Without sparing him another glance, Lucius strode around the pair of standing stones, and into the small clearing that marked the center of Stonehenge.
Immediately, Lucius realized that Wexley had not been kidding about the gruesome nature of the murders.
Three corpses were lined up side-by-side in the middle of the clearing, each being tended to by an Auror. Both the corpses on the left and the right had been severed in two, one at the waistline and the other at the neck. The cuts were so savagely precise that Lucius found himself doubting the veracity of Wexley's report that a physical object had caused them.
That doubt vanished when he glimpsed the corpse in the middle. Nymphadora Tonks' body was far worse for wear than the other two, in that it looked like a pack of wolves had repeatedly mauled her face until all that remained was a mushy, deformed mess.
He quickly looked away, already wanting to forget what he had seen. Unfortunately, his eyes landed on a large, dried-up bloodstain that was against the side of the central arch. Again, he diverted his attention elsewhere and took in the rest of the scene in front of him. Much like they had six years ago, a group of Unspeakables and Aurors were swarming over the stones and arches. And unsurprisingly, despite the persistent buzz of spell and charm incantations, nothing seemed to be working. It seemed that the incident hadn't done anything to change Stonehenge's resistance to magic.
"Lucius," said a familiar, silky voice from behind.
Lucius surreptitiously clenched his fists and forced himself to turn around. "Lady Summers," he said coldly.
Talia curtsied. "It has been a while since our last conversation. What a shame that it must occur under such circumstances."
"Indeed," said Lucius curtly, continuing to observe the scene around him.
"Saren, Dryden, I trust you are in good health."
"I'd be a poor Chief Healer if I wasn't. Speaking of which, I'm going to examine the bodies and see if there's anything unusual I notice," Saren said.
"I'm not sure that's necessary. They've already examined each corpse at least a dozen times in the five minutes I've been here," she said innocently.
There it is, thought Lucius. The subtle taunt that she had managed to arrive before him. He found himself glancing sidelong at Norgard. Either he was incredibly slow, or he had stopped somewhere else before arriving at Lucius' office.
"Oh, trust me, it's necessary. Aurors and Unspeakables excel in their respective fields, but their knowledge of healing and human anatomy pales in comparison to that of a St. Mungo's healer." Saren made to head for the bodies, but Talia's next comment halted him in his tracks.
"You are correct, which is why I find myself wondering why there aren't any other St. Mungo's Healers with you. As Chief Healer, it's your responsibility to organize a response team to a disaster such as this."
Saren scowled at Talia, pausing for a few moments to consider his response. "They'll be coming soon enough," he eventually said. "I was not at the hospital when I heard what had transpired. The staff is drilled well enough to know how to respond to an emergency, even if I am absent." Again, he tried to turn towards the bodies. This time, however, he stumbled straight into the hulking form of Michael Brandon, who was arm-in-arm with his wife, Marina.
Michael glared at Saren. "Watch it, Yaxley," he said heatedly. Saren returned the look but did not respond, choosing instead to slide past him.
Lucius sighed at the exchange. Since the trials leading up to the DOBM's foundation, Saren and Michael had worked together on the majority of their research. They had made a brilliant team, until Marina had ruined everything by seducing Michael to her side. After Michael's wedding, any and all camaraderie between him and Saren had died, though their work together continued. Consequently, Lucius and Saren had been forced to secretly obliviate parts of Michael's memory, as there were certain pieces of information he did not want Talia and Marina to know. In any case, the former chemistry between Saren and Michael had driven many of the early discoveries concerning the old blood, which was just another reason why Lucius needed to sever the bond between Marina and the Head Unspeakable as soon as possible.
Once Saren had slipped by them, Michael and Marina walked over to stand beside Talia. Michael's face was inscrutable as always, while Marina had managed to conceal her frightened expression from earlier. Still, Lucius was able to perceive a haunted gleam in her eyes. It seemed his Head Researcher had yet to conquer the trauma of her past, a weakness that Lucius made sure to take note of.
"Unspeakable Brandon. Head Researcher Summers. I hope the setting isn't evoking any bad memories," Lucius said, immediately fishing for a reaction.
Michael tensed and opened his mouth, but Marina cut him off. "How could it not?" she said venomously. "Many of my friends died here six years ago, while I barely escaped with my life. And now, three more people are dead, butchered like animals. Nothing good has ever come of this accursed monument."
"Indeed," said Michael. "I knew the two Unspeakables well. Their names were Tobias Everhart and Jakob Alistair, and they were some of the most cunning, hard-working people I have ever met."
"Such a tragedy," gushed Talia. "I'm sure the DMLE will bring their killers to justice in no time at all, wouldn't you agree Dryden?"
Norgard looked surprised that he had been addressed. "That is the hope."
"Hope is a fool's ally. Results are the only thing that matters," Marina spat.
"Regardless," cut across Talia, "The loss of a promising Junior Auror like Tonks is going to be a tough pill to swallow. You must be absolutely devastated, Dryden."
"Yes," said Norgard callously.
"Hmm. Perhaps you could shed some light on her character. I wish to know the type of person that she was, so that I may mourn her properly," Talia said.
"Tonks was . . . an inquisitive person," Norgard eventually replied.
Marina stared daggers at him. "That's it? The girl was in your charge - her blood is partially, if not fully on your hands. And all you have to say is that she was an inquisitive person? Merlin save us from the idiot that decided to make you the Junior Auror Supervisor."
Lucius sneered at the implied insult. He had needed a way to rein in Talia's and Dumbledore's growing influence within the Auror department, particularly among the younger demographics. He had ended up pulling what little strings he had in the DMLE to orchestrate Norgard's promotion to Junior Auror Supervisor - a fact which both Summers sisters unfortunately knew quite well.
Norgard himself was doing a poor job of concealing his emotions. "How dare you insinuate that I am somehow responsible for this," he thundered.
"Because you are, Norgard," said the sharp, booming voice of Amelia Bones.
Lucius swiveled around and grimaced at the sight of the square-jawed, red-haired witch. She was trailed by Scrimgeour and Dawlish, and all three were glaring viciously at Norgard.
"Madam Bones, I . . . I fail to see how I am - "
"That's exactly right, Norgard. You failed. Effective immediately, you are stripped of your responsibilities as Junior Auror Supervisor," Bones thundered.
"It's not like he was fulfilling those responsibilities in the first place," remarked Dawlish distastefully.
Bones gave him a stern look. "Not helpful." She rounded back on Norgard. "And as for you, trust me, you have no idea how much trouble you are in. Be assured that the consequences for this will range far beyond just a demotion."
Lucius noticed that Talia, Thicknesse, and Marina were all smiling like sharks in the background. Norgard, meanwhile, was opening and closing his mouth like a fish out of water. "I don't understand. Why am I being punished?" he croaked out.
Bones crossed her arms. "Must I spell it out for you?" Upon seeing Norgard's blank expression, she scowled. "Very well. First and foremost, it was your responsibility to ensure that Stonehenge remained well protected, by designating any number of Junior Aurors to guard the site. And yet, for some reason, you decided to assign only one. Had there been multiple Aurors guarding the monument, this disaster would likely have been averted.
"Furthermore, it was your duty to train the Junior Aurors on how to respond in the case of an emergency. You obviously failed spectacularly in that regard. Based on the nature of their deaths, my Aurors have determined that Everhart, Alistair, and Tonks likely all died in the midst of battle. The very first thing you should have instructed Tonks to do was to apparate immediately back to the Ministry at the first sign of trouble."
"But I told her to do that!" protested Norgard.
"Did you? Well, you clearly didn't do a good enough job." Bones reached into her coat pocket and withdrew two halves of a broken wand. "This was Tonks' wand. Snapped clean in two, as you can see. It was found a good few meters from her body's final resting place. Her wand didn't just spontaneously end up that far away from her. She must have had time to withdraw and use it. And yet, her first instinct wasn't to apparate away and warn the DMLE. That alone is a clear marker of your negligence."
Norgard drew himself up. "Again, I repeatedly told her what to do in the event of an emergency. It's not my fault she couldn't follow directions. Besides, why didn't the two Unspeakables apparate away either?"
"Everhart and Alistair were specifically instructed to remain behind if anything unexpected occurred, even if a situation was potentially dangerous. However, those instructions relied on the notion that DMLE support would arrive quickly in the event of said situation," growled Michael.
"And even if you did instruct Tonks to apparate back at the first sign of trouble, having multiple Junior Aurors on site would have severely reduced the risk of an error such as this," said Bones. "But instead, as a result of your ineptitude, we know next to nothing about what happened. And worse, the bright young woman that was placed in your charge is now dead."
Norgard narrowed his eyes. "There are many words that could be used to describe Nymphadora Tonks. 'Bright' is not one of them."
Talia gasped in feigned outrage, while Lucius frowned at Norgard's blatant lack of tact. Comments like that would get them nowhere, even if they were true.
"Show some respect for the dead, Norgard," said Marina venomously. "Tonks was a Junior Auror under your command. If anyone's to blame for her lack of sense, it's you."
"I agree," commented Scrimgeour. "If you valued Tonks so lowly, you should never have assigned her to guard the world's most important monument."
Bones cleared her throat. "And that's not all. Would you care to explain where the hell you were these past twenty minutes? How is it that half of the DMLE managed to arrive at Stonehenge before you, despite the fact that you were the very first person to hear of this disaster?"
"I . . . I went to inform the Chief Warlock of the incident. He had a right to know about it as soon as possible."
Bones briefly threw Lucius a withering look, before returning her attention to Norgard. "That may be. Still, it doesn't excuse your absence. Quite frankly, I am appalled that you didn't immediately apparate over after learning of the death of one of your own Junior Aurors. Someone else would have retrieved Lord Malfoy in due time."
Retrieved. Lucius opened his mouth to lash back, but thought better of it. Instead, he looked towards Saren, who appeared to have finished his examinations of the bodies. Saren gave him a nod, before indicating for Lucius to look behind him. Lucius discreetly glanced over his shoulder and saw three figures standing on top of the same knoll that he had apparated onto. Squinting, he could just make out the forms of Wexley, Barnabas Cuffe, and Rita Skeeter.
Wexley met his gaze, and Lucius subtly gestured for him to come over. He had personally keyed Cuffe and Skeeter into the wards, so he knew they would be able to enter the monument. When they began to move down the knoll, he turned back around and saw that Saren too was making his way to his side. The time had come to strike.
"That is quite enough, Madam Bones," Lucius cut in.
Bones did a double take. "Excuse me, Lord Malfoy?"
"I find it despicable how you are attempting to pawn off the blame for your egregious oversights onto Auror Norgard."
Bones stared daggers at him. "My oversights? Did you not hear me? Norgard was entrusted with the protection of Stonehenge, and now three people are dead."
"Yes, that's exactly the problem. The Junior Auror Supervisor should never have been delegated this task in the first place. Why on earth did you think it was a good idea to leave the protection of 'the most important monument in the world' in the hands of Junior Aurors?"
Bones gaped at him incredulously. "Because Stonehenge - "
" - has been a dead end for the past six years, I know," Lucius interrupted. "It's strange that you overlooked that fact while you were attacking Auror Norgard."
"That doesn't change the fact that Norgard is still responsible for this," seethed Dawlish. "You heard Madam Bones. He should have assigned more than one Auror to the site."
Lucius turned to Norgard. "Auror Norgard, has anyone ever raised an issue with you before today about the number of Aurors you assigned to Stonehenge?"
Norgard didn't hesitate. "No. And they had ample opportunity. Madam Bones has had access to the logs of the Stonehenge shifts since I first became Junior Auror Supervisor, and she has never once complained. In fact, before he left for Hogwarts, my predecessor Alastor Moody also assigned only one Junior Auror to guard Stonehenge. It was Moody himself who advised me to continue this practice, as he claimed that the Stonehenge shift was purely ceremonial."
"Alastor Moody was the Junior Auror Supervisor since the Bloody Solstice itself, was he not?" Lucius asked. Bones grudgingly nodded. "And yet, you never once raised an issue with his policy, despite the inherent risk it could have posed. Forgive me if I do not blame Auror Norgard for simply following a precedent that you yourself allowed."
Bones struggled to find a response, and Scrimgeour and Dawlish exchanged worried glances. Off to the side, Lucius noticed that Marina and Thicknesse's smirks had vanished, replaced by solemn, concerned looks. Talia, however, seemed unperturbed, her smile still as predatory as before.
"Norgard still should have done a better job training Tonks," Bones eventually replied.
"Training?" said the incredulous voice of Wexley, as he came around the pair of standing stones. "You cannot possibly blame Dryden for Tonks' lack of discipline." Cuffe and Skeeter emerged by his side, a quill and notepad already floating next to Skeeter's ear.
"Wexley," Bones scowled. "I thought I ordered you to reinforce the wards on the perimeter."
"Which I did, even though they're completely undamaged and reinforced more times than I can count," said Wexley. "I hope you forgive my overhearing, but if anyone's to blame for Tonks' lack of training, it's you, Madam Bones." Skeeter's quill began to scratch furiously against the notepad, recording what was being said.
Dawlish snorted in disbelief. "You're joking, right? Did you forget that you're a training program instructor? Tonks' death is probably your fault as much as Norgard's."
"Of course I did not forget, Dawlish. How could I, when I am reminded day after day of the failing standards of the Auror training program."
Scrimgeour huffed in disapproval. "This is hardly the time for such a topic."
Lucius scoffed. "I couldn't disagree more. If this tragedy was caused by Tonks' lack of discipline, as you so claim, then we should be identifying the underlying factors that bred this incompetence. I think it rather shortsighted to simply scapegoat Auror Norgard and call it a day. Please go on, Auror Wexley."
Wexley sent him a grateful look. "As I was saying, the Auror training program has been in decline these past few years."
"In what way?" sneered Dawlish. "Correct me if I am mistaken, but the training program recently received an influx of funds due to the renewal of trade with ICW nations. The program should be better and more up-to-date than ever before."
"You are not mistaken. The equipment, facilities, and curriculum of the program are all top-notch. My issue, however, lies with the diminishing quality of the candidates."
Marina looked at him incredulously. "Your job is to improve the quality of these candidates, so unless you're admitting to your own incompetence, I really don't see what the problem is."
"The problem, Head Researcher Summers, is that the criteria for acceptance into the training program have fallen off a cliff. Over the past couple of years, I have taught candidates who cannot cast even the most elementary of spells and charms. The other instructors and I - well, some of the other instructors - have consistently done our best to both reinforce the basics and teach the advanced spells and charms in the curriculum. Yet there is only so much we can do when the candidates themselves are unfit to be in the program in the first place," Wexley stated calmly. Both Cuffe and Skeeter wore ravenous grins beside him, Skeeter's magical quill continuing to dance in midair.
Bones finally spoke up. "The criteria to become a candidate is the same as it has always been. One must receive a mark of Exceeds Expectations on the four required N.E.W.T.s, as well as a fifth N.E.W.T. of their choosing. They must then pass a criminal background check and a small series of character and aptitude tests."
"And who is it that prescribes these tests?" Lucius asked, even though he knew the answer.
"A small committee of Aurors led by Kingsley Shacklebolt."
"Shacklebolt should be immediately removed from that position. Merlin knows what type of tests he and his committee are carrying out," spat Wexley.
"Have a care for how you speak, Wexley. Auror Shacklebolt and I are your superiors," Bones responded.
Wexley sneered. "That doesn't change the facts. Many of the candidates I've taught in recent years are either rude, lazy, entitled, or all three. And as I've said already, the general aptitude of these candidates is shocking. I often find myself questioning how it is that they received 'Exceeds Expectations' marks - or if they even did at all."
"What's there to question? All program instructors have access to the transcripts of the candidates. You can clearly see their N.E.W.T. grades at the very top," Scrimgeour protested.
"I know that," snapped Wexley. "And yes, every problem candidate I've checked has met the N.E.W.T. requirements. Yet none of them performs at a level that warrants an Exceeds Expectations. Either these candidates have forgotten what they learned at Hogwarts, or the Wizarding Examination Authority has gone completely off the rails."
Dawlish was fuming. "That is enough, Wexley. First, you attack the very same training program that you yourself work for, and now you baselessly insult the Wizarding Examination Authority. It seems to me like you're just trying to make excuses for Norgard and yourself."
Wexley cast him an irritated look. "Only guilty people make excuses, and Dryden and I aren't guilty of any wrongdoing. And as for baseless, I'm speaking from personal experience." When Dawlish failed to respond, Wexley continued. "I often find myself comparing the level of the candidates I instruct to the level that I was at when I first entered the training program. It's night and day."
"Then perhaps the standards in the WEA have changed since you were in Hogwarts, which is to be expected," responded Scrimgeour. "The DMLE has no jurisdiction over the WEA's marking scheme, so none of this has any bearing on the tragedy that has just occurred."
Lucius sighed in annoyance. "Wrong again, Auror Scrimgeour. As Auror Wexley just clearly explained, both Shacklebolt's committee and the WEA's marking scheme play a major role in whether or not a potential candidate is accepted into the Auror training program. If the caliber of the candidates has declined, it follows that both the quality of the marking scheme and the committee has declined as well." He gestured towards the three corpses. "Kingsley Shacklebolt and Griselda Marchbanks should be immediately put under investigation, in order to ascertain if their standards have actually deteriorated as badly as Auror Wexley is suggesting."
A silence descended, broken only by the incessant scribbling of Skeeter's quill. "Let me get this straight, Malfoy," Marina eventually said, after a few moments had passed. "You're calling for an investigation of both the Head of the WEA and a DMLE higher-up based solely on the claims of a single training instructor with questionable motives?"
"Two training instructors, actually. I was also a program instructor three years ago, and I agree with every issue that Rudy has raised so far," Norgard said.
"What a surprise," snarked Marina.
"I'm still a bit lost at what any of this has to do with the tragic disaster that has just unfolded," interjected the slimy voice of Thicknesse. "Even if these issues are true, they only pertain to the acceptance of candidates into the training program. Candidates are harmless, as they have no responsibilities besides dedicating themselves to their training. Even if there were a large number of incompetent candidates, this wouldn't be a problem in the long run, as the majority of them would be weeded out during their final examination."
Bones jumped on that train of thought. "Exactly. Nymphadora Tonks wasn't a candidate anymore. She had already passed the program, which means a panel of established Aurors deemed that she was qualified to become a Junior Auror. Therefore, if her death was in fact due to a lack of competence, one can only conclude that Norgard was responsible, as she was clearly competent enough at the time of her final examination."
A smirk immediately broke out on Norgard's face. "That leads me to the next issue, Madam: the corrupt nature of the final examinations."
Bones purpled. "That is enough, Norgard. You and Wexley can raise your concerns later, after the investigation here is finished. For now, I want you both out of my sight. Return to what you were doing before the news of the incident broke. Dismissed."
"Not so fast," stated Talia.
Everyone in the clearing turned to look at her, surprise etched over many of their faces. Lucius, however, was anything but, for he was one of the few who knew the true extent of Talia's animosity towards Bones. Before he had entered the clearing, he had been hoping to divert at least some of the blame for the incident away from Norgard. But if Talia decided to involve herself, Cuffe and Skeeter would have a much easier time framing their report so that Bones received the lion's share of the public's wrath.
Bones quickly recovered. "Excuse me, Lady Summers?" she asked, a challenging edge to her voice.
Talia nonchalantly shook out her caramel-brown hair. "I wish to hear more about the supposed problems concerning the final examinations."
Bones scowled. "Lady Summers, the investigation - "
" - can wait. Neither the victims nor Stonehenge are going anywhere," Talia interrupted.
Bones refused to back down. "This conversation will also wait. If you wish to hear more about these issues, you can ask Wexley or Norgard on your own time. For now, the vicinity around Stonehenge needs to be secured, the bodies need to be taken to St. Mungo's, and the victims' families need to be notified." She glanced towards Cuffe and Skeeter, and her lips curled distastefully. "You two will also need to leave. The press will have access to the site only once the initial investigation is concluded."
Skeeter didn't move. "Madam Bones, you were willing to entertain this discussion until the subject of final examinations was brought up," she remarked. "It seems like you wish to avoid this topic. Is there any particular reason for that?"
Bones knew better than to directly answer the question. "Leave now, or else my Aurors will forcibly escort you from the premises. You will have ample opportunity to ask questions later."
Lucius wasn't going to let that happen. "Mister Cuffe and Miss Skeeter have a right to be present. Any attempt to remove them can and will be considered an attempt to obstruct first-hand reporting."
"Which in turn counts as an effort to suppress public health-and-safety information, as per the Stonehenge Acts of 1988," finished Talia.
"Furthermore, I refuse to save this discussion for later," said Norgard, before Bones could cut in. "Rudy and I have been expressing our concerns over the issues with the training program for years now. Yet each and every time we do, Madam Bones or one of her underlings merely dismisses us, declaring our concerns unfounded and biased. Perhaps she will now finally open her ears and listen."
Bones practically had steam coming out of said ears, yet she said nothing. She was smart enough to know that Skeeter would make any attempt to stop Wexley seem like an attempt to cover up a scandalous truth - a truth that Lucius knew did not exist. While the problems Wexley and Norgard had brought up were valid, they were being blown way out of proportion. Lucius wasn't about to admit that fact anytime soon though, for he had been the one to order them to pester Bones about these issues in the first place.
When no one else objected, Norgard continued. "As I was saying, the final examinations have become a serious issue. To clarify, I don't believe there's anything wrong with the actual content of the exams. However, the judgment of several panelists has been highly questionable in recent times. Nowhere is this more evident than with Nymphadora Tonks' final."
Wexley took over. "For context, Tonks had her final examination around two months ago. Her panel of judges consisted of me, Dryden, Shacklebolt, Moody, and Nora Lysander. Tonks had always been a problem candidate - she was rude, had difficulty following instructions, and often slacked off during training hours. This was reflected in her performance during her final."
Scrimgeour ballooned. "The test results of candidates are confidential!" he barked.
"Not when it concerns public health and safety," Lucius replied
"What? That's not true! Even if these murders do relate to the public's health and safety, there is no law that permits the spreading of confidential test scores!" Scrimgeour exploded.
"There is now: the law of common sense," Lucius said evenly. "If incompetent candidates are allowed to become Junior Aurors, then incidents like this will only continue to occur. Maybe exposing the flaws within the final examination system will finally force the DMLE to do its job and fix it."
"I fully agree," Talia added.
"But it's still confidential - "
"Not anymore. Continue, Auror Wexley," Lucius ordered.
Wexley did, ignoring the protests from Bones' camp. "Nymphadora Tonks performed at a level nowhere near sufficient to pass. She miscast spells, botched charms, and answered several questions on both potions and Auror policy incorrectly. Dryden and I naturally ruled that she wasn't ready to be a Junior Auror. However, Moody, Shacklebolt, and Lysander all voted in her favor. So, by a three to two margin, Tonks became a Junior Auror. And now, two months later, she's dead."
"And we apparently know nothing about what killed her because, as Madam Bones has repeatedly claimed, she lacked the discipline to follow orders and immediately apparate back to the DMLE," Norgard finished. Lucius sent him a nod of approval.
"This is the first I'm hearing of this," Bones declared. "If you had doubts over the merit of Tonks, then you should have come to my office and notified me. Yet you didn't."
"Because the few times we attempted to alert you about other Junior Aurors, we were summarily rebuffed, either by you or Shacklebolt. Since we didn't want to be subjected to another lecture about confidentiality and remaining unbiased, we decided to keep Tonks' ineptitude to ourselves," Norgard answered.
"So you did nothing, and let her waste away on Stonehenge," Marina cut in.
"It's not my job to train Junior Aurors. Tonks was assigned to Stonehenge because her demeanor made her unfit to take on any of the other Junior Auror shifts."
"And what exactly did that solve? A Junior Auror partnership could have benefitted her and helped her gain the experience she needed to overcome her deficiencies," Marina responded.
"Exactly," Dawlish interjected. "Both Auror Shacklebolt and I had been curious why Tonks hadn't yet found a partnership. We did some digging and discovered that Norgard had confined her to the Stonehenge shift for two months straight. We confronted him yesterday and told him that both of us would be willing to take her on as a partner. Norgard's response was that he'd relieve her of the shift as soon as he found a suitable replacement." He pointed an accusatory finger at Norgard. "He is - was - the supervisor of all Junior Aurors who have yet to find a senior partner. It should have taken him no time at all to find someone else to take over Tonks' duties at Stonehenge. Yet she still had the same post today. Why the delay?"
Norgard harrumphed. "She barged into my office yesterday, brashly demanding to be released from her shift. When I informed her that insolence would get her nowhere, she proceeded to insult me. I subsequently decided that she still lacked the necessary decorum to be a junior partner."
Scrimgeour frowned. "I overheard the cacophony in your office yesterday, though I didn't hear exactly what was said. Why did Tonks want her shift changed?"
"In essence, she thought guarding Stonehenge was too boring."
Marina perked up. "Then perhaps this monotony contributed to her poor decision-making. You should have abided by her wishes and given her to Shacklebolt or Dawlish."
"Auror Norgard doesn't have a crystal ball; it's not like he could foresee that Tonks would be attacked and killed. And given the fact that she attempted to insult her way out of a shift, I fully agree with his decision to restrict Tonks from a partnership," Lucius responded.
A brief silence descended, which allowed Michael to clear his throat. "If you all are done politicking for the papers, I think it's time we move on to the far more important issue: figuring out who killed Tonks, Everhart, and Alistair."
"What's there to figure out?" asked Wexley. "As we all know, the grounds of Stonehenge are immune to any form of magic. Our attempts to unearth the truth will only end in failure, as they have for the past six years."
"Perhaps not," Talia said, her gaze directed toward the bodies. "Harry Potter and the Thompsons are the keys to the mystery of the Bloody Solstice, but their disappearance meant we were unable to learn anything about what truly happened. However, unlike the Solstice, three concrete pieces of evidence have been left behind."
Saren finally broke his watchful silence, not hesitating to pounce on the opportunity to put Lucius' plan in motion. "Lady Summers is correct. If given enough time to inspect the bodies, St. Mungo's might be able to ascertain more about the nature of their deaths. As it is, my initial examination has already revealed a lot."
"Oh? Do tell," said Bones.
"I agree with the initial diagnosis that all of their deaths were caused by physical weapons. The cuts in Everhart's and Alistair's corpses have noticeable, albeit minute imprecisions, which more or less rule out the use of any form of severing charm. As for Tonks, well . . . what little remains of her face suggests that she was bludgeoned to death."
"Such cruelty. No one deserves to die like that," lamented Talia.
"Indeed," Saren said solemnly. He glanced around the clearing, certifying that he had everyone's attention. "Unfortunately, I have seen this level of savagery before. I am still haunted by the deaths of my dear friends, Gale Morten and Eryn Ockle, who were so callously murdered by - "
"Stop," Bones interrupted angrily. "There is no evidence that this has anything to do with them."
"Oh, but there is, Madam Bones," Lucius said, making sure to add a dramatic note to his voice. "Who do we know that would butcher people like this? Who would have the means to carry out these murders and leave no evidence? And who would seek to inspire terror in the public by committing a crime at the very same monument where the old blood first originated?" He paused for effect. "There is only one group I can think of that fits that description."
Lucius turned towards Talia then, the two locking gazes as the others looked on. He needed to know if she would continue to support the lie, as it would be challenging to convince Bones and the public without her. Talia's mask of amiability was present as always, but that didn't stop him from noticing the flickers of doubt in her expression, from the way her brows knitted together, to the way she stood, rigid as a tree. Yet after a moment of deliberation, she slackened her posture and gave him a single, strong nod.
With Talia's approval in hand, Lucius revolved back around to face Skeeter and Cuffe. Only when he confirmed that their attention was firmly on him did he draw a deep breath, making sure his voice sounded as grave as possible.
"There can be no doubt: this is the work of the Drainers."