The Maltese Phoenix

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Miss O'Shaughnessy opened the door in a blue skirt suit. Her face was flushed, her dark red hair up in a bun with loose ringlets framing her face.

"Come in," she said. Harry did so. Her hotel room was small, and simply furnished with a twin bed and a bedside table.

"Running low on money?" he muttered turning to look at her.

"Somewhat," Ginny said, wringing her hands as they took a seat in a small tan sofa.

Harry leaned back watching her, Ginny fidgeted with her hands and looked down at her lap, lips parted.

"I - I-it's all my fault!"

She let out a sob. Harry watched as her cool composure returned to her and she went on.

"Rodolphus and I were on our way to Elyssian Alley when, all of a sudden, he said that the meeting place had been changed, and so we started walking towards the ports. Ron was following closely, and I was worried that maybe Rodolphus had found out, but I couldn't do anything because he had such a tight hold on me so I just followed. We got to one of the warehouses, and he told me to go inside, once in, he pulled me to the side and cast a silencing spell over me." Here she stopped and bit her lip to stop tears from falling.

"We waited behind the door until Ron came in, and then Rodolphus pulled out his wand and . . . Ron never saw it coming," she whispered shakily while looking up, her eyes filled with chagrin. "I couldn't go to the Aurors because they would've arrested me as a Death Eater so I stunned him and ran back to the hotel after which I came here and called you."

Harry gave a few nods as he processed her story looking for holes.

"You know they killed Rodolphus, right?"

Her eyes widened. "No." Immediately after, her hand went over her mouth as her eyebrows scrunched up in fear. "He's going to come for me!" She looked up crying. "Harry, the Dark Lord will kill me next! He's probably looking for me as we speak thinking I know the spell for the bird!" She buried her face in her hands, shoulders shaking uncontrollably. Harry placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Ginny, breaking down like this won't help. You have to be strong."

Ginny looked up nodding vehemently while wiping away tears.

"I should die, Harry! I deserve to die, my own brother is dead because of me!"

"You know that's a lie," Harry replied coolly looking into her eyes. She sniffed and looked away. "I still feel guilty . . . ."

"Well, that's not going to help," Harry said standing up. "Alright, so we need to figure out a way to connect Rodolphus to Ron's murder because otherwise, they'll try to pin it on me."

Ginny looked up. "What? How? Why?"

"Because that's how it is," he said shortly. "Anyhow, you're going to have to testify."

Ginny looked up, looking horrified. "Harry I am on the most wanted list in the Ministry! I can't set foot in the Wizarding world without being carted off to Azkaban for the kiss!"

"You're the one that got yourself involved with the dark side in the first place, I'm not going to take the heat for you," Harry snapped. Ginny gaped at him, her eyes filling with angry tears. "Who are you?"

Harry let out a short laugh before turning away. "I am what I should've been from day one. I am done putting other people before me."

Ginny stood up and walked towards him taking his hand in hers. "Be generous, Harry. You can help me. Help me."

"I'll help you when you help me by testifying," he said briefly while pulling his hand out of hers and walking towards the door.

"Harry, please," she called out softly. Harry stared at her for a minute; her clothes slid over her perfectly fit body like melted butter. Her face was made even more beautiful by the strong emotions reflected on it.

"I'll see what I can do," he muttered and closed the door.

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"Seamus, I have a witness tying Ron's murder to Lestrange."

Seamus looked up from his desk at the Boy-Who-Lived.

"What type of witness?"

"She was at the scene."

Seamus nodded. "Well, we are going to need to meet with her -"

"What if she's a Death Eater? Can she be granted immunity?" he muttered as he placed an unlit cigarette between his lips.

Seamus Finnigan's frown increased. "A Death Eater is testifying against another Death Eater?"

"She's a repented Death Eater," Harry murmured, the cigarette between his lips bouncing with every word. Seamus smiled. "I didn't know there was such a thing."

Harry took a drag from his cigarette, eyeing Seamus, who sighed and looked back down at his file.

"Harry, it's actually good that you came in because I wanted to tell you that we are going to have to ask you some questions about Ron's murder."

"I wasn't there, can't tell you much and I am also protected by the clause of secrecy we Unspeakables have to uphold."

"Clauses of secrecy can be lifted when it involves two Unspeakables," Seamus replied smoothly. Harry glared at him, cigarette smoke creating a thin curtain between them.

"What about my witness?"

Seamus shrugged. "We can't offer immunity, Harry, you know that. By ministerial decree, any person found to have or have had any sort of involvement with You-Know-Who receives the kiss."

Harry fell quiet, smoke undulating from his fag. Seamus eyed his former classmate and dug in his drawer until he found a box of cigarettes, he pulled one out and placed it in the corner of his mouth while bringing the point of his wand on the tip. "Luminoso," he muttered. A small flame issued from his wand and onto his cigarette.

"I want you people out of my hair the next few days," Harry muttered looking at a fixed spot on Seamus' desk. "I'll crack this case."

Seamus took a small drag and blew it out.

"I can't retard the investigation for too long, Harry"

"Send samples from Ron's clothing to the lab, have them look for fingerprints on the scene," Harry snapped waving his cigarette around. "Find ways to waste time."

"You know I am trying to help you here," Seamus said. "No reason for you to be so defensive."

Harry let out a bitter 'HA!' and leaned back in his chair.

"You are accusing me of murdering my friend and colleague and you expect me to not be defensive?" he snapped taking a one last drag from his almost consumed cigarette. He pushed his chair back and stood up shaking his head while laughing bitterly.

"You should know, Seamus, from personal experience, that I tend to be right more than you. Our fifth year, you called me a liar for trying to warn people about Voldemort's return." Seamus closed his eyes and shuddered as if he had been burned. He then took an unnecessarily long drag from his cigarette. "You were a part of the D.A with me, you cheered me on during the Triwizard tournament," Harry went on. "What has changed, Seamus?"

Finnigan shook his head extinguishing his cigarette in the ashtray and pulling out another one.

"That was school, this is the real world," he croaked. "Besides it's extremely hypocritical of you to be blaming me for having changed," he said while staring at him, there was a brief flash of hurt in his eyes before he looked down to light his cigarette. "I'll give you a week, " he muttered.

Harry extinguished his cigarette bud in the ashtray and left.

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That night, Harry went back to his office to re-read the murder report. He Apparated into the darkened reception room and walked into his office. The door creaked open, the only light coming from the moonlit sky that filtered through the venetian blinds casting stripes onto his desk. Harry sat down on his desk and pulled out his case of cigarettes, just as he was about to light up, the shadowy figure of a man emerged from behind the door. Harry looked up when he heard the door creaking shut. Before he could reach his wand he found himself being held up at wand-point by none other than Draco Malfoy.

"Hello, Potty," he whispered.