The Maltese Phoenix

"Potter, Potter! Wake up!"

The rough sound of a man's voice cut through the stillness of the night. Harry rolled over and sat up in bed while lighting a lamp on his bedside table.

"Seamus, what is it?" he croaked.

"Ron's been found dead."

Harry frowned. "Where?"

"Tilbury Port."

"Port?" Harry's frown deepened. "Alright, I'll be right there."

"What was he doing there?"

"Seamus, as an Unspeakable I would think you would know -"

"Harry, when have I ever done anything to harm you?" Seamus replied sharply.

"He was tailing Rodolphus Lestrange, and that's all you're getting from me." Harry snarled. "Tell the CSIs I'll be right there."

"No need, the body has been moved to avoid questions from the Muggles."

"We could've lost evidence, Finnigan." Harry snarled.

"The teams were very thorough," Seamus said briefly.

"I'm going to want a copy of the crime scene report."

"One has already been placed on your desk," Seamus replied shortly. "Don't forget to tell his widow." There was a click and the black box next to Harry's bed went silent. Harry cursed at it while taking a box of cigarettes that lay next to the black box. He pulled one out, placed it between his lips and lit up. Having taken a drag, he got up to change and go to his office. Once there, he located the cream colored folder on his desk and started reading. Ron was found in a warehouse where the cargo was stored, he had been hit with the Avada Kedavra curse; he'd been dead since midnight. Strangely enough, his coat was buttoned up, so he hadn't even attempted to get his wand out to fight. Harry frowned and chewed on the side of his finger, also, what was he doing in the harbor? He was supposed to be in Elyssian Alley. Harry set the file down on his desk and reached over for the small black box on his desk.

"Call the Continental Hotel."

A few seconds later, a voice answered.

"Could I please speak with Ms. Wonderly," Harry said, leaning back in his chair making it creak as he drew out a cigarette from his box.

"She checked out a few minutes ago," the receptionist answered. Harry bit down on the cigarette butt.

"Alone?"

"Yes."

"Did she leave a forwarding address?"

"No."

Harry pressed down a button on the surface of the plastic box, it went silent. Harry took a long drag from the cigarette, his eyebrows becoming one because of his pronounced frown. This is getting stranger by the moment . . . . Harry sat brooding in his office until the clock struck 9 am at which time Hermione flooed in. Harry gave her a nod of welcoming from inside his office. She smiled. "You came early?"

"Ron's dead," he muttered, extinguishing his cigarette into the ashtray with more force than necessary. Hermione gasped. "What?"

"They found him dead, they called me, and so I came to read the report. Avada Kedavra, no suspects."

Hermione dropped on the sofa, her hand over her mouth. Suddenly, a shaky sob erupted from her mouth. Harry turned his eyes towards her.

"Crying won't help."

"It helps me! Harry, how can you be so cold? He was your best friend!"

Harry pressed his lips together. "I do my mourning my own way," he muttered.

Hermione cried some more and then looked up. "What about Ginny? Is- is she okay?"

Harry shrugged. "Yes, I called her hotel, and they said she checked out this morning. Rodolphus wasn't with her."

"He must've killed Ron! Ginny warned him, remember?" Hermione let out anther cry.

"Once you're done depleting your fluids," Harry said quietly whilst swiveling in his chair, "call Lavender and tell her about her husband's death."

Hermione nodded as she stood up. "I'll do it right now."

She left. Harry opened the file once more and continued reading. A short while later, he heard Seamus's voice from his communicator.

"Harry, Lestrange has been found dead."

"Where?"

"On the roadside near Little Hangleton."

"Of course, thanks Finnigan," Harry said dismissively while clicking the button and ending the call. Three people knew what happened in Tilbury Port that night, two were dead and only little Ginny was left. Harry got up and made his way out of the office, he had to locate her. Just then, Lavender Brown Apparated into the office, she wore black from head to toe and her eyes were red from crying.

"Harry!"

She rushed into his arms and began crying. Hermione looked Lavender up and down with disdain, and then scowled at Harry who had his arms around the widow's waist. She looked up just in time to pull his head down for a kiss.

"Let's go in your office."

Harry nodded and led her in, he closed the door behind her just as he heard her drop her handbag on the chair and take off her coat.

"Harry, did you kill him?"

"What?" the Unspeakable replied coldly. Without waiting for an answer, he moved away from the door, went past Lavender and stopped in front of his window. He stood there staring out into the court until she started towards him. Then he turned quickly and went to his desk.

"What makes you think I would want to kill my best friend?"

"Well," Lavender said sobbing into her handkerchief, "that way we could be together."

Harry leaned back in his chair as he let out a sharp bark-like laugh.

"You really think I would sacrifice my career and my name for you?" he said, green eyes glinting.

"Harry," she choked out, "be kind to me!"

He laughed at her, eyes still glinting. "You killed my husband, Harry, be kind to me," he mocked.

Lavender increased the intensity of her sobs. Harry sighed and got up from his chair, he went around to where Lavender was and put his arms around her, chin resting on the crown of her head.

"Lavender, you should go home now. I need to start working on Ron's investigation."

She placed her hand on his and gave it a squeeze. "Do you have anything so far?"

"I can't say."

Lavender let out a half laugh, half sob. "You can't say or you can't tell me?"

"Both," he said briefly while placing a kiss on top of her head and going back to his desk.

"Will you come visit me tonight?" she asked.

He shrugged. "Maybe, depends on the investigation."

"Harry -"

"Fine," he snapped, "but I need you to go so I can figure out as much as I can now, so that I'll be free tonight."

She nodded and left the room silently. Harry went back to his file before the door was opened again and Hermione came in.

"Oh, glad to see you're back in your clothes," she said carelessly. Harry didn't reply and continued reading the file. Hermione smacked her lips impatiently and made her way around his desk where she sat down.

"What's going on?"

"She thinks I killed Ron."

Hermione fell quiet and then whispered, "Well, it makes perfect sense."

Harry slapped the file down on the table.

"Well, you've been seeing her! It's perfectly plausible to think that you would've killed him so that you could marry her! Not that I believe that because I don't," she said forcefully as the fire from Harry's eyes went out.

"Rodophus is dead," Harry said in a monotone. "Voldemort killed him."

Hermione frowned. "And Ginny is nowhere to be found? She probably escaped from Voldemort at the Delphi, and so she left the hotel in a hurry."

"Ron was found dead in Tilbury Port, and Rodolphus near Voldemort's mansion."

Hermione's frowned deepened.

"Tilbury Port? Wasn't the meeting supposed to happen in Elyssian Alley?"

"Exactly," Harry muttered, just as the communicator on his desk started beeping and a voice came through.

"Harry!"

Hermione gasped. "Ginny, how are you? Where are you?"

"I'm fine. Harry, meet me at the York House Inn, Belsize and Finchley Road. Ask for Miss O'Shaughnessy." The line went dead.