Harry Potter and the Mysterious Stubbardmans

Harry sat bolt upright in horror. The thought of there being a murder anywhere in Hogwarts just triggered terrible memories. Harry had been certain that after he had defeated Voldemort, he would be free from all of this, but unfortunately that was not the case. Who was the ill-fated Ravenclaw? he wondered. He looked up at Ron who was still standing at his bedside, dressed in a plaid bathrobe and old, brown bed slippers. Understandably, the look on Ron's face was one of worry.

"Who told you that someone from Ravenclaw is dead?" Harry frantically asked.

"I got up to go to the bathroom and that's when I heard all of the yelling downstairs. One of the prefects told me it was someone from Ravenclaw but they didn't know who," Ron explained.

"Where's Ginny?"

"She's in her room, getting cleaned up and dressed. She's coming down to the common room hoping to meet you, or so she told me," Ron replied. "I have to write to Hermione. I'm sure she'll be interested to know about this if she hasn't heard about it already."

Harry threw his legs over the side of the bed and sat for a moment, letting the blood circulate throughout his body before standing up. Ron stepped back then turned to go toward the bathroom.

"I'm going to have a shower, then I'm sending an owl to Hermione," Ron announced.

"Don't bother. I think she's beaten you to it," Harry observed, looking out of the window to find an owl on the ledge with a note in its beak.

"Yup, she's heard about it," Ron quipped.

He walked over to the window and opened it to allow the owl access inside. He took the note from its beak and read it aloud to Harry. Harry stood up and ran his hands through his unruly hair as he listened to the contents of the message.

Dear Ron and Harry,

I'm sure by the time this message gets to you, you will have already heard the terrible news.

"Boy, she just couldn't wait, could she?" Ron rhetorically asked.

"Will you just finish reading the letter," Harry requested in a frustrated tone.

Dori and her team are already gathering information and are making their way to Hogwarts to begin their investigation. I wish I could join them, but I'm still a junior apprentice. Besides, I won't be allowed to go on a real site until I'm a third class wizard. All of this theory and lab work is making me crazy, but never mind, you two just be careful. Ron, keep an eye on Harry and Ginny. This murder may only be the start of something much more horrifying.

Love always,

Hermione.

"Bloody hell!" Ron breathed.

"Yeah. Well, I'm going to get cleaned up and meet Ginny," Harry said walking into the bathroom.

Both boys had barely finished getting showered and dressed when there was a knock on the door.

"Oh boy, here we go," Harry mumbled to Ron.

Ron walked over to the door and asked who it was.

"It's me," replied the familiar voice of Professor McGonagall.

Ron quickly opened the door and welcomed the old professor inside.

"Are you boys alright?" the professor asked anxiously, rushing past Ron as she forced her way inside the room.

"Yes, Professor," Ron and Harry replied in unison.

"Well, thank goodness for that. You have heard the terrible news about Megan Corner?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"Michael's sister?" Ron asked.

"Yes. It was most distressing having to send the owl to inform her parents."

"How is Michael taking this?" Harry asked concernedly.

"How do you think? He's devastated," the professor replied.

"I'm going down to the common room to find Ginny," Harry announced as he hurried toward the door.

Professor McGonagall and Ron followed close behind.

Downstairs, there was barely enough space to move. The room was filled with frightened students. Harry searched around to see if he could spot Ginny in the tightly packed bodies. Eventually his eyes met Ginny's and they worked their way toward one another.

"Are you okay?" they both asked simultaneously as they clutched each other tightly.

"Yes," they replied again in unison, then chuckled for a moment, perhaps desperate for relief, knowing that both were safe-- for now.

Ron elbowed his way over to where Harry and Ginny were standing. The three looked around to see all the terrified faces of their fellow classmates. There was a familiar hum of frantic voices buzzing about the event. Occasionally, Harry could make out some of the words being thrown around. Megan Corner...Such a shame...How did it happen? Where did they find her? How was she murdered? Who found her? Oh, how horrible...poor Michael. This was all that Harry could take. He knew he had to get out of there or else something inside him would burst.

"Come on, Ginny," Harry said firmly, grabbing her hand and tugging her toward the portrait hole leading out of Gryffindor tower.

"Where are we going?" Ginny asked.

"I have to get out of here. I feel like I'm suffocating," Harry seethed.

Ron, Ginny, and Harry were just about to exit the common room when they heard Professor McGonagall loudly announce, "Everyone, may I have your attention please?"

The hum quickly died down as the professor stood on the fourth step of the stairway. She held her hands up so that the students would focus their attention in her direction. She waited until all was silent in the room.

"Now I know this recent event has come as a shock to all of you. Trust me when I say Professor Candelier is cooperating with the authorities and together, they are working as quickly as possible to find out who killed Megan Corner. He has already taken measures to increase security at Hogwarts and has sent out owls to your families, letting them know that the rest of you are safe. It would help if you all remained calm and cooperated with Professor Candelier and the staff. Do not leave the premises. All students will be escorted to their classes until further notice, and the curfew has been changed. After dinner, you are to immediately return to your dormitories." Professor McGonagall was interrupted by a cacophony of groans from her Gryffindor clan.

"I know you're all upset by this, but we just want to make certain that this tragedy doesn't befall anyone else," Professor McGonagall appealed.

"Now what? We can't leave," Ron grumbled.

"Let's just go back upstairs. It's too crowded to stay down here," Harry said.

"We haven't had breakfast yet," Ron groaned.

"Leave it to you to think about your stomach," Ginny cracked.

At that moment, Professor McGonagall made an announcement to which the students were more receptive. "Whoever wants breakfast, line up at the portrait hole and I and the prefects will escort you to the Great Hall."

Ron grabbed Harry's sweater and yanked it desperately in the direction where the other students were being herded. Ginny, still holding onto Harry's hand, was yanked along.

Down in the Great Hall, the conversation about the murder continued. Harry picked at his scrambled eggs, but due to the latest tragic events, had no appetite to eat them. Ron shoved another piece of sausage in his mouth. He looked at Harry then looked over to see what Ginny was doing. She managed to put a forkful of eggs in her mouth, but chewed slowly, and the expression on her face seemed to indicate that she was mentally somewhere else. Ron placed his fork down on his plate rather loudly so as to get the other two's attention. He clenched his napkin in his other hand and continued to stare at the table of Ravenclaws.

Harry and Ginny noticed the direction in which Ron was looking. Ginny glanced over to Harry and nudged him. She was about to make a comment but Harry beat her to it.

"Ron, quit staring at them. I'm sure they don't appreciate the rest of the school making them feel like side shows at the circus."

"I can't help it, Harry. I keep thinking, 'What if that was us? What if one of us was murdered?' After everything Mum and Dad have been through with Fred, I don't think they could handle another loss."

"She was really nice. Michael could be a little moody sometimes, but Megan was always happy," Ginny recollected.

"They need to find out what happened to her. This sort of thing can't go on. This should never have happened," Harry murmured mournfully.

"It doesn't make any sense," Ron added.

"Does anyone know how she was killed?" Ginny asked.

"The juice of the Deadly Grimm Berry," Neville Longbottom answered solemnly, joining the conversation.

"Neville, when did you get here?" Harry asked.

"A few minutes ago. I was with the FCIs."

"The FCIs?" Ron inquired with a puzzled expression.

"Yes, Forensic Criminal Investigators. They were asking me some questions. Apparently they had come across a strange chemical in Megan's blood while they were testing it."

"How come they asked you?" Harry inquired.

"They didn't. They called Professor Sprout and she invited me to work with her." Neville answered. Noticeably shaken by the experience he added, "I was never invited to something like that before. It was very creepy."

"So what did you and Professor Sprout tell the FCIs?" Ron anxiously asked.

"Based on the colour and smell of her blood, not to mention the fact that she looked like she was strangled, I was able to figure out that it was Grimm Berries."

"Well, how would she have gotten a hold of Grimm Berries?" Harry asked.

"She wouldn't have, but someone else would. You can't just pick Grimm Berries. The juice is so poisonous that if it gets on your skin, it will get absorbed into your pores and immediately attack your lungs," Neville explained.

"Okay, so the next obvious question is: who gave them to her?" Ron prodded.

"According to the Chief FCI, it had to have been someone trained in handling them," Neville informed.

"Well, that brings us closer to the murderer now, doesn't it?" Ginny retorted.

"So who would be trained in handling highly toxic berries, I wonder?" Harry snarled sardonically.

"Obviously a Death Eater," Ron answered.

"Well, not a Death Eater, but one of the many groups. It could be an Oncodite or a Sclerodon. It might even be someone working alone. Maybe it's someone like a Metamorphmagus," Neville proposed.

"Metamorphmagus! You mean like Tonks?" Ginny inquired. Harry winced visibly at the mention of their deceased friend.

"Yup."

"But, wait. I thought they were all good," Harry said.

"Not all of them. Metamorphmagus is sort of like an Animagus, right? They can be either bad or good," Ron was quick to point out. "You know, that would explain how someone might have been able to get Megan to eat the poisonous berries," he suggested.

"How do you figure that, Ron?" Ginny challenged.

"Well, if a Metamorphmagus disguised themselves as someone else, maybe they could have tricked Megan," Ron proposed.

"Yeah, but to do that wouldn't they have to have contact with that person? They would've had to have snuck inside the castle," Ginny debated.

"That's true," Harry agreed, "and the way Candelier has maintained such tight security here, the only way anyone could have got in is if..."

"Someone let them in." Ron finished Harry's sentence.

"Then what Professor Candelier told you is true. There is a spy at Hogwarts," Ginny proclaimed.

"And based on everything that has happened so far, it seems as though they'll stop at nothing to get to Harry, even if ..." Ron stammered. He glanced uneasily at Harry as though unsure if he really wanted to finish.

"Even if it means killing other students to get to me," Harry said flatly, bitterly.

The four remained silent for the rest of the meal. After about forty-five minutes, the students were escorted back to their respective houses.

Harry, Ron and Ginny found a private spot in a corner of the common room. It was secluded enough to keep their fellow Gryffindors from listening in on their conversation.

"Boy, I wish Hermione was here...more than usual, I mean," Ron groaned.

"I think we should send her an owl, and tell her what Neville told us," Ginny strongly suggested.

"Yeah, I agree," Harry replied with a depressed tone in his voice.

"That would be a great idea. After all, she'd have my hide if she found out what Neville told us, and that we didn't tell her," Ron joked.

"The only problem with that is, how are we going to get a message to her? I'm sure that the owl lines are being traced by the Ministry. Besides, we'd need to get to the Owlery. No prefect in their right mind is going to escort us there now," Harry figured.

Ron raised his brow and smirked as if to say: what do you mean NO prefect?

Harry picked up on Ron's non-verbal suggestion. "No, Ron, I wouldn't expect you to risk getting into trouble and losing your title.

"Thanks," Ron replied, then an idea popped up. "Hey, maybe we can sneak out. We've done it tons of times before without getting caught." He grinned mischievously.

"No, we can't--not this time," Harry replied.

"Why not?" Ron challenged.

"Because I prom..." Harry began to answer but stopped.

"You what?" Ginny prodded.

"I ...promised Professor Candelier," Harry reluctantly answered.

"You promised him what, Harry?" Ron asked suspiciously, squinting his eyes accusingly at his best friend.

Harry gulped hard. He knew that what he was about to reveal to his dearest friend and girlfriend might cause them to be disappointed in him. "Look. I need to explain something to both of you and it's not going to be easy for me," Harry prepared the two ginger-haired Gryffindors. "The night when Professor Candelier called me into his chambers to tell me about the spy, he made me promise him something."

"And that was?" Ron probed.

"To behave myself."

"WHAT? You're joking, right?" Ron asked.

Harry hung his head and shook it slowly. "He said that if I would follow the school rules and not sneak out with my friends or roam around the castle at night or go any where else that was off limits, he would guarantee my safety."

"So, you're going to give up all that fun in your last year just because some headmaster said that! Come on, Harry. You know that no one can guarantee that, especially not after what happened last night!" Ron argued passionately.

"What was I supposed to do, Ron? The guy's prepared to sacrifice his own life to protect me."

"Is that what he told you? And you believed that rubbish? Aww come on, Harry. It's our last year! Let's make it count!"

"So what should Harry do? Run around the campus until he gets himself killed? Maybe Professor Candelier is right. Maybe he is trying to protect Harry," Ginny interjected.

"Look, Harry, if you're so certain your days are numbered, which I'm certain they're not, wouldn't you rather have as much fun as you possibly can? Do you really want to lock yourself up in your room? This isn't you. Something happened to you after you killed Voldemort and it's not just your powers that you lost," Ron lashed out.

"Ron, that's not fair!" Ginny scolded indignantly. "Harry's life is in danger, and all you can think about is yourself!"

"Hey, all I know is I'm not going to let anyone spoil my last year. No Death Eaters, or Oncodons or Sclernodites or Metamorphmagi or whatever!"

"That's Oncodites and Sclerodons," Harry corrected snidely.

"Whatever!" Ron huffed. "DAMN IT!" He pounded his fist against the hard, stone wall. "I guess we're just gonna have to think of another way to contact Hermione."

Harry and Ginny said nothing, but only dared to glance at one another. Both held puzzled expressions on their faces.

Ron picked up on their confusion. "Well, you don't expect me to leave my best mate all by himself, do you? Even though it is our last year."

Harry and Ginny both replied with a smile.

"Come on. I think I might have another way to contact Hermione."

"How's that?" Ginny asked as the trio walked back to the make-shift dorm room where Ron and Harry were staying.

"Over the summer, Hermione bought me a mirror that would allow me to contact her," Ron revealed.

"So, why didn't you think of it before?" Ginny snidely asked.

Ron shrugged his shoulders in reply.

"Sirius gave me one of those once. It never worked," Harry complained.

"Well, this one does. We tested it out once. Maybe we can get a hold of her that way," Ron proposed.

"It's worth a try," Ginny said.

The trio arrived at the dorm room and Ron made his way over to his trunk and opened it. Harry and Ginny watched with grimaces on their faces, as Ron rummaged through an overstuffed trunk.

"Ah, ha! Got it," Ron declared, proudly holding up the mirror for the other two to see. "Now, I just have to say her code name. We use code names just in case someone gets hold of either of our mirrors," he explained. "Smarty Pants. Come in, Smarty Pants," Ron spoke into the mirror, blushing furiously.

Harry and Ginny grinned at one another.

"I'm here, Ginger Snap," Hermione's reflection replied as it quickly appeared, replacing Ron's face.

Harry and Ginny tried to muffle their laughter, but their efforts were futile.

"Shush, guys! I'm trying to hear what Hermione is saying," Ron scolded. His cheeks were still red with embarrassment. "Hermione, Neville told us something about the murder that I think you ought to know."

"This wouldn't happen to have anything to do with Megan eating Grimm Berries, would it?"

"How the heck did you know that?"

"Are you forgetting where I'm doing my apprenticeship? As soon as Neville told the FCIs they sent the information along with the blood sample over to the lab. Dori and I have been testing it."

"Yeah, but how did you get the news so fast? And how did you get the samples?"

"Vacuum-sealed TelePortkeys," Hermione answered. "It's the latest in secure communication technology."

"Wicked!"

"Well, unless there's anything else you want to tell me, I have to get back to work. As it turns out, Dori might just break the rules for me and allow me to go back with her when she investigates the murder site again."

"Investigates it again? What do you mean? I thought she was just a supervisor," Ron recalled.

"Not really. She's the Chief FCI. She's an Alchemist, Third class, Order of Malphigi."