The Case of the Death Eater's Deception

[TartanPhoenix]

Ok, I'll admit it, I haven't got a clue who it is. I love that feeling!! This story is great and has me just waiting on the edge of my seat for the next update, and the line about stray hairpins was perfect.

[Karlynne]

Just what I needed to read tonight. Perhaps I will PM my guess as to who the killer is to you and you can tell me right or wrong. I would hate for Kammie to guess correctly before I do. ;D Karlie

[Kandice]

Okay if I can have two guesses then I think I have it. I would ask our resident expert but she moved out so I will have to wait and see but I'm sure I'm right. Kandie

[Kamdra]

I think I am right but I don't think Kandie and I have the same solution so one of us is wrong, hopefully her. Kammie

[KayleeTonksLupin]

*shocked* I only just found this story...*ashamed* Well, it has me mesmerized...I really am hooked now. I need to know who it is! I have no clue who the killer might be...

Waiting for more,

Kaylee

[Hogwarts Duo]

Yay! Making the arrangement permanent sounds like a wonderful idea! I can't even begin to tell you just how much I am enjoying this story so I'll just drop to my knees and beg for another update soon!

[tayryn]

i think i may have an idea who it is... but i ain't saying 'cause most likely, i'm wrong.

i do want to see this person get it though, especially after trying three times to get Min! yikes!

still thoroughly intrigued, and looking forward to more.

[Jaya]

Damn... now I'm not so sure I had it figured out.....

more please

Jaya

[ginger newts]

Thanks for all the reviews and congrats to anyone who figured it out, here's the end for those who didn't.

Chapter 8

Albus was sifting through the day's mail and reading some of the letters out to Minerva. "Ah, the Healer's report has finally arrived," he said, scanning the parchment for the information he sought. "It appears that Winston had both a pepper up potion and a similarly constructed poison in his system."

"He was murdered then," Minerva said as she took a seat across from his desk.

"Yes and two beneficiaries from a will he drew up for Harold have been killed. Is there a connection between his death and theirs?" Albus passed the parchment over to Minerva. He brightened and read another one to her. "Here's an invitation to tea from Leontine Smothers. She also passed on wishes for Harold. Remind me to mention it to him."

Minerva paused from reading the toxicology report on Winston. "The widow Smothers certainly isn't wasting her time. She's already inviting you to tea?"

"I don't think she means it as an overture, my dear. Felix and I have been friends for years and in that capacity I got to know his wife as well. I believe she is just requesting a friendly chat," Albus answered with just a hint of a smile.

"Perhaps," she answered somewhat suspiciously. "Wait, she passed on greetings to Harold? Do you think Felix was named in the will?"

Albus wrinkled his forehead in thought. "That is a good possibility. Something has been bothering me ever since he died and I just can't remember what it is. If Felix is one of them, who do you think would most likely be the other? Braswell and Johnston were such different men and of course there's Cleo." He folded his hands together and began to hum. He stopped after a few minutes and caught her hand. "If I needed to kill two people and didn't want to raise suspicions about my true motive, I would kill five or six more without connections to each other."

Minerva looked at him for a moment and a thought struck her. "Albus, do you remember when I asked you about the differences in the deaths of William and Felix compared to Cleo? The fourth victim, Johnston, the one no one seems to know...his death was very clean as well. I think you're onto something. Perhaps the killer is disposing of the intended people brutally out of some kind of malice and has killed the others quickly just to confuse things." She broke off with a shudder when she realized that had the killer managed to succeed in his attempts on her own life, it probably would have been torturous and bloody.

Albus realized where her thoughts had strayed and covered her hand with his. "So Brasswell and Smothers were intended victims. How does it tie in with Winston Thorpe? Poison isn't a cruel form of death nor is it too clean."

Minerva shook herself out of her macabre musings and glanced at the Healer's report in her hands. "It's taken us a week to realize Winston was murdered," she said. "I think the killer was pretty clever there. He killed the lawyer first, knowing no one else would connect the other victims to the will, and he made it look like an accident so as not to raise any suspicions. I have to give him credit in that it worked, if we hadn't happened to visit the office just as the potions arrived we never would have made the connection."

"I think we should speak to Harold again. He still hasn't told us whether or not he knows where his son is, " Albus rose from the desk and headed toward the door, but before he could open it there was a knock. Recovering quickly from the surprise, Albus opened the door to find Harold Barnes, the very man he was seeking, standing on the other side. "Harold, we were just coming to find you," he said.

"I wanted to let you know that I've found my son," Harold said in an urgent voice. "He's here and I'd like you to talk to him. I don't want him to become a victim and I also don't want anyone suspecting him. He's down in the dungeons, will you come with me?"

Albus nodded towards Minerva and they both followed after Harold. Albus' long strides had him in the lead with Harold and Minerva trailing behind. Albus spoke over his shoulder to Harold several times as they hurried to the dungeons. They needed to make sure Geoffrey had not had any near misses and then Albus needed to speak with Harold about his will. All niceties aside, he could not let Minerva remain a target. Removing her from the will and letting the killer know she had not seen him would keep her safe until they could catch him.

As they walked, Minerva and Harold fell further and further behind Albus. Harold kept saying "just a bit farther," but they were getting into the lowest part of the dungeons. The stone passage ways were growing more narrow by the moment and both Albus and Minerva were wondering why Harold would ask his son to wait in such a damp and unused part of the castle. Albus stopped to ask and turned just in time to see Harold grab Minerva and disappear.

Minerva felt the pull of a portkey on her navel and she cried out to Albus, but knew it was too late. She landed with Harold in an unfamiliar location, it was a cramped and dirty flat unlike anywhere she had ever been before, and she began to panic when she realized that Albus had no idea where they had gone.

"Harold, why did you do this?" she asked frantically. "Where are we?"

"Where we are isn't important," he answered in a menacing voice. "All that matters is that this is the last place you are ever going to see. Oh yes, I've been waiting for this a long time. You avoided me well, but this time there will be no escape."

Minerva gasped as ropes wrapped around her body keeping her from moving. She heard his cast the Immobilus charm on her and she was no longer able to move or even transform. Why would Harold try to kill her? Why would he want to kill his beneficiaries? Had he killed his own son and was trying to cover it up?

Albus ran several steps back up the corridor toward the spot Minerva had disappeared from before hitting the wall in frustration. After everything he had done to keep her safe, someone had managed to get to her anyway. But why Harold, why would he take Minerva? Pacing the stone floors, Albus suddenly heard some muffled noises coming from a nearby room. Drawing his wand, he kicked the door open and nearly dropped his wand again in shock when he looked into the room. In the far corner, against the wall, lay his Potions Master bound and gagged.

"Harold?" he asked cautiously.

The man nodded and tried to speak, but Albus couldn't understand him. He released the bonds with his wand, being careful to keep some distance, and then Harold removed his own gag. "Thank Merlin you found me," he let out a relieved breath. "I have to tell you, have to warn Minerva."

"It's too late," Albus said. "Whoever did this to you has taken Minerva already. Do you have any ideas where they may have gone?"

"Perhaps to my home," Harold suggested. "I will come with you, I want to help you finish this."

"Who did this, Harold? Who tied you up and held you here and for how long?"

The Potions professor held up a hand to Albus to halt him and stumbled into his lab. He reached into his personal stores and retrieved several potions. He swallowed three of them immediately and put several more in the pockets of his robes. The potions he consumed were apparently restorative ones because Harold immediately began following Albus out of the dungeons at a faster pace.

"I never saw him, Albus. I was stunned from behind. When I awoke I was staring at myself. He was able to break into my personal rooms. He may be a member of the staff."


"All the staff is accounted for," Albus answered. "Besides, I trust them all, I don't believe they would do this. Do you know how long you have been tied up, what's the last thing you remember?"

"I remember hearing that Minerva had been attacked in Diagon Alley," Harold answered. "I was attacked that afternoon if memory serves."

Albus nodded and quickly filled Harold in on the news since Minerva's first attack as they rushed toward the appartition point.

"My will..." Harold said in amazement. "All of this is over my will?"

He didn't get a chance to say more as Albus had already disappeared. Harold quickly followed and landed next to Albus in the sitting room of his family home. It only took a few minutes to determine that the house was empty. Albus personally searched each room and looked in every small container and box large enough to hold a cat. He returned to the sitting room to find Harold rummaging through his desk.

"My will is missing, Albus." He began shoving the papers back in when he picked up a silver token. He picked the token up and turned it over in his hands, and then looked up at Albus. "Do you know what this is?"

Albus took the bit of silver and turned it over in his hands, "I've seen these before. There is a wizarding pub of dodgy reputation that sells these chips at the door, then when you go to the bar you don't have to fool with money. It is directly beneath a building of cheap flats popular among our young men. Perhaps the killer lives there."

"It's worth looking. Where is this building?"

"In the West End," Albus said. "Come on."

And with that he disapparated and left Harold behind once again. By concentrating on where Albus had gone, the Potions Master was able to follow, but he had to take another restorative potion when he arrived.

[ginger newts]

Minerva watched as the imposter Harold began packing his things. He mumbled under his breath about moving to other quarters now that 'that snoopy old goat' had rendered Hogwarts useless to him. She couldn't make a move but she remained silent. Perhaps he would not notice that he had not silenced her. There was no doubt in her mind that he planned to kill her now. The only question was whether he would do it here or transport her elsewhere so he could dispose of her. As thought he knew the direction of her thoughts, the imposter Harold stopped packing and turned to look at her.

"Don't start getting any funny ideas. I will kill you here, it will be the last thing I do before I leave your body here to be found by some poor slob and leave to begin a new life elsewhere. You see, once you are out of my way I will have everything I deserve. I have seen the will and it should have been me getting the money and not you and the other fools I have already taken care of." He turned back to his packing after making certain she still couldn't move.

"I certainly don't need whatever Harold planned to leave me. I don't feel entitled to anything. This can be handled without killing me." Minerva knew he was beyond reasoning but the longer he took to finish packing, the longer she remained alive.

Her kidnapper paused again. "You might have felt that way and even Braswell may have given up his share but not Smothers. He always wanted what was yours and mine if he could have it."

"Felix was a wealthy man in his own right," she countered. "I'm sure if you truly needed the money everyone would have given it to you, but you would not have received it until Harold died. Do you plan to kill him too? What makes you think your name will replace the others?"

"Shut up!” the imposter yelled.

It took ten fruitless minutes of asking the shady barkeep if anyone had entered within the last few minutes. The dingy old barkeep had eventually told them which customers where new but informed them a few minutes later that tenants could apparate directly into their flats. Albus kept the curses on his tongue to himself and had immediately began climbing the stairs to the second floor. He wished Alastor was there to look through the doors but since he wasn't, Albus took the next best option available. He simply unlocked each door and looked inside. A simple charm cast would tell him if the occupants were asleep or not. Most tenants in the building would surely still be in bed at nine thirty in the morning. Many didn't go to bed before dawn.

As he opened a door on the third floor, Albus heard voices from above. The male voice was strangely familiar. He shared a look with Harold and realized it was his voice, it had to be the imposter. The two men dashed up the stairs and listened closely outside every door. They finally identified the voice as emanating from the third flat on the left. Motioning for silence, Albus gripped his wand tightly and caused the door to open.

Minerva watched the last box shrink and get placed inside a small trunk. The packing was complete. "Just tell me why you think the money will come to you after you kill us," she pleaded.

"You were never meant to have my money. My lord needs funds and I will never rise to become his most faithful and devoted servant without those funds. I am not a Malfoy or a Lestrange. I haven't thousands of galleons to give to causes, but I can stop those against him from receiving a dime of my father's money."

Minerva's eyes widened. "Geoffrey?"

"Figured it out, have you? And it only took a week. I thought you were supposed to be the wisest of the staff, Professor?"

His mocking voice infuriated Minerva. If she was going to die regardless of what she said, she would speak her mind. "Your lord is gone and you will never amount to more than a boot licking servant."

"Enough! One more word out of you and I'll make sure you suffer even more," the imposter said angrily, pointing his wand at her throat.

Minerva's eyes went to the door as it opened. Albus' wand was immediately at the imposters throat but unfortunately the killer's wand was at Minerva's. His sudden arrival had caused the killer to look away from Minerva momentarily and she tried to silently communicate with Albus. Geoffrey glanced back at her and then addressed Albus.

“Drop your wand or I’ll kill her,” he ordered. “I’ll make you watch while she suffers.”

Albus held his ground and watched the man become infuriated. “Drop it!” he repeated.

Harold listened to the exchange from his position in the hall. He could just barely see into the flat and he gripped his wand tightly as he swallowed another dose of potion. Taking a deep breath, Harold entered the apartment quickly, his wand already trained on his imposter. They now had an advantage, two to one, and he intended to end this right now. Whoever this was had not only impersonated himself, but had killed three of his oldest and dearest friends and was about to kill another.

"Avada Kedavra!" The unforgivable curse left the true Professor Barnes' wand and green rays shot straight into his imposter.

Albus had Minerva in his arms before the body had fallen to the floor. Her body sagged in relief and she leaned heavily against Albus. "Harold!" she cried out.

Harold joined Albus and Minerva, crouching on the floor next to her. "It's alright, Minerva, I'm here," he said soothingly. "That wasn't really me."

"I know," she answered in a shaky voice. "It was...Geoffrey."

Harold sat back in shock, his son was the killer? His head swam for a moment. Sweet Merlin, he had just murdered his own son. He felt Albus' hand on his shoulder and heard Minerva ask, "Are you alright?"

Harold took a few moments to clear his head and then said with determination, "I'm fine, it was just a shock. More importantly, are you alright?"

Albus still had Minerva in his arms and none of them had yet made a move to rise from the floor or leave the flat. "Yes, I'm alright. He didn't hurt me...yet," Minerva answered. "I...I guess we should contact the Ministry."

"I will contact Alastor. This will be in the newspapers unfortunately so I want this handled properly."

Albus moved toward the small fireplace in the corner of the room. It was only set up for fire calls as no one could possibly climb into such a small space. He was able to direct most of the investigation and no charges were placed against Harold. Even the most hardened heart would admit that no father would kill his son, whom he loved dearly, unless it were necessary. Albus had seen fit to omit the details of the polyjuice potion as death had returned Geoffrey to his natural state.

As soon as they were able, Albus and Minerva returned to Hogwarts. Harold told Albus just before they left that he would return in a few days time to pack up his belongings. He said that after the events of this summer he would feel more comfortable handing in his resignation than remaining on the staff. As they climbed the stairs to his office, preparing for an early night of hot chocolate and a long bath, Minerva turned to Albus.

"Do we have time to advertise for a new Potions teacher?" she asked.

"Actually, I believe I have someone in mind already. Perhaps you remember how well Severus Snape did on his Potions N.E.W.T.?"

The End

[tayryn]

well... i was totally off... but then, that really does not surprise me! lol. mystery solving is not something i am good at... but nevertheless, i thoroughly enjoyed the story!

wonderful job! you kept me intrigued right till the end!!

[Jaya]

HA! I got it right!!!

Although it took me until the next to last chapter...

Great mystery...

Well constructed and suspenseful... really made me think! You did a wonderful job!!!

Jaya

[Hogwarts Duo]

Yippee! I was able to solve it before you told us who it was...woo hoo. This was a brilliant story and I loved every chapter of it! Got any more AD/MM crime solving stories in that marvellous brain of yours? LOL

[Taylor]

clue one was that the person knew there should be money in the drawer, clue two was the paper, (will) was almost thrown off by the black robes. ... (well, yeah) because it would have been sooo much like snape...

figured it out this morning, if the owl came back to the school, the person was in the school.,, and if there are only two people left alive, minerva wasn't doing the killings.

taylor

[Kamdra]

I was so wrong. But it was a really good story. Kammie

[Kandice]

I got it right and I told Karlie before you posted to be my witness. It's about time I guessed one correctly. A very good mystery. Kandie

[KayleeTonksLupin]

I had no clue who it was...major loads of Kaylee-wolf treats for an intriguing mystery that had me hooked the whole way through! It was just...wow... I was so lost on who it could be...and all that time I thought it might be Snape...joking!!!

Hugs,

Kaylee

[Karlynne]

I am so happy that you finally put the others out of their misery. ;D I can't wait to read your next mystery. I hope you plan to post soon. Karlie

[TartanPhoenix]

I was so very very wrong, but believe me this is nothing new. I've always been horrible at solving them, but I just loved this story. It kept me hooked right up until the end.

[albus1sttabby]

I already wondered if it could be Harolds son and I was right, yeah!!!!!!!!!
It was a really good story. I love mysterys!!!<3333333333

[Mandy McGonagall-Dumbledore]

Wow! Great story!! I had no idea who the killer was... Well until the end of course... Really well done!! Great job!! I LOVE IT!! *~*