Harmony Not Understood

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Five days passed with little development. Though they got the photos developed, and Hermione, Ron, Lupin and Harry had all sat and studied them carefully, picking through every smallest detail with a fine tooth comb, they hadn’t been able to spot anything.

Pushing open the door to ‘Weasley and Weasley, Independent Aurors’ on the sixth morning Harry saw Lyca sitting at her usual position behind the reception desk. But something wasn’t right. Her usually tidy hair was messy, and bags under her eyes indicated she hadn’t slept. However, she looked far from tired. Pointing to the office, she said merely, "There's been two more." Harry, knowing what she meant, dashed inside.

The office was full of tension. Ron was again absent, but there was someone else helping the other two partners. The man was deep in conversation with Lupin, with whom he was pouring over a map of Western Europe. As Harry walked in, they looked back up. The tall, black haired man looked much healthier than he had whilst Harry had been at Hogwarts, having been cleared of Pettigrew’s murder when the person in question had been condemned to a lifetime in Azkaban for his crimes. Sirius gave Harry a weak grin as Lupin explained the situation at the signal Hermione gave him.

"Harry, I don’t know if Lyca told you, but there have been two more killings. First, Duncan Dhaert, in Poole. That’s here on the south coast of Britain," he said, pointing to the place on the map. "We don’t know much about him except his dad was a Muggle, and his mother was descended from a wood elf, which are about 5ft high. Nothing like house elves. Anyway, he was Avada Kedavra-ed as well, no sign of torture. However, the second one.... I went to it about an hour ago. Not a pretty sight. Definite signs of a struggle this time. Name was Viola Salsang. I think her mother was a half blood. But no one knows about her father. She lived, and consequently, died on Guernsey."

Taking a deep breath he continued, "Both of the bodies have a letter of Miseresse written beside them and both of them were murdered with Avada Kedavra. But other than that, I can’t find a link. There isn’t anything blood wise, as Ayanna didn’t have any Muggle blood in her and these two had such small amounts in their lineage...they couldn’t be main targets. I just can’t find anything to link them."

Sirius spoke up, "There is one thing. The killings have progressed in a south-easterly direction. Not enough to draw a straight line, but it's definitely there, no doubting it."

"But you can’t go any further in that direction in Britain than Guernsey," said Harry, "I mean, what reference can it have?"

Hermione looked up, "We don’t know. But Ron has gone back to the Dhaert one. He’s confirming the constellation written there was informed right. He’s also getting some photos. This time, the killer only left us one letter per body. The one Ron is confirming is the constellation Draco, which is ‘D’ and the other was definitely ‘R’. What they mean I don’t know. But one thing is for certain, they definitely mean something."

Harry’s mind whirled a little, his brain trying to make sense of the information overload. "So let me get this straight. Two more killings overnight, the first in Poole, the second in Guernsey. At the first one there was no struggle, and there was a letter D in Miseresse. The second one had signs of a struggle and a letter R. Right?"

Sirius nodded. "That’s the basic gist of it," he sighed, though it sounded oddly like a growl. "I can’t believe we’re back to anonymous killings. According to Dumbledore, the last dark wizard to act like this was killed in the 19^th century. Grindelwald and Voldemort never kept their identity secret like this."

Harry was about to ask what he could do to help when Lyca burst in. She went quickly to Hermioneand passed her a black envelope. The woman looked at it with a look that combined fear, hatred, grief and disgust. "Another Mourner?" she said in an unusually shaky voice, as if what she saw couldn’t possibly exist.

Lyca nodded. Though she was younger than Hermione, the girl was very hard to frighten. However, even she showed anxiety on her face.

Hermione slowly took the envelope from Lyca. Opening it, the sound of crying and sobbing filled the room. Removing the letter, Hermione closed the envelope, silencing the unnerving music. She read the note, and horror filled her eyes.

She dropped the letter on the table, and leant back in her chair, hands covering her mouth. Her brown eyes showed fear, as well as something that seemed a little like disbelief. When Harry took a step towards her, she gestured towards the letter that lay on the desk.

Picking it up. Harry read it himself:

Miss Granger,

As you requested, we are sending news of all suspicious deaths to you. At 7:57 am today, Mlle Mirabelle Delacour and her daughter Fleur were murdered at their home in St. Brieuc. We would be grateful if you would come to the scene as it is believed to be part of your case

The Ministry of Magic

"What is it Harry?" asked Sirius, who looked concerned.

"It...It’s Fleur. Fleur Delacour. She’s dead. Murdered. She and her mother, killed in their home..." he stopped, not quite hit with realisation yet.

Lyca, who had stayed in the room, put an arm around Hermione’s shoulders to try and calm her, before asking, "What about Gabrielle? Is she dead too?"

Harry shook his head. "She isn’t mentioned here at all."

Hermione, looking up, said weakly, "She’s still at school. Beauxbatons breaks up in August and it's only July. The poor girl’s only 14, and she hasn’t got a father..."

Harry nodded, then pulled his outside cloak on. Lupin looked at him. "You want to go?"

"Yes. I’ve met Gabrielle before. We’ll have to go to her at some point. She might just trust me."

The older man nodded. "OK then, we’ll both go. I speak French so we’ll be all right... Sirius," he turned to his old school friend, "Stay here. When Ron gets back, tell him what’s happened and where we’ve gone. Carry on researching all that you can." Pulling on his own cloak, he left, Harry following.

* * * * *

It was with a cruel smile that the killer ordered a ‘rhum rouge’ that morning. A rather witty choice, as a red rum was the reversed spelling of the deed from which the person had just come. Murder. Not that they thought of it like that much, preferring to think of it as ‘Divine Retribution’.

As the barmaid passed over the drink and exchanged it for a 50-Franc note, the shouts from outside grew as people discovered the crime committed a street away. Downing the rum in one gulp, the ‘assassin satisfait’ stood and picked the cloak up from the stool. Pulling the hood down over their face, the figure swept out of the smoky bar.

* * * * *

Harry and Lupin apparated outside the house Fleur and her mother (a single parent) had lived in with Gabrielle. The door had a single Miseresse rune etched onto it. Even Harry recognised it this time.

"Orion. That makes it a D, an R and an O now, doesn’t it?"

Lupin nodded before striding up to the front door and walking in. Harry, grim expression on his face, went inside as well before clicking shut the red door.

A brown haired French Ministry witch greeted them, holding out a hand to Harry. "Bonjour Monsieur Potter. Où est Mademoiselle Granger?"

Harry dug into his brain for the remnants of the French he’d taken a course in one year. "Elle a travailler a Angleterre. Je me presenter Monsieur Lupin. Il a parler francais bien."

Thankfully, the woman reverted to English. "It iz of no importance. I speak ze Eenglish. Come zis way Monsieurs," she said before exiting through a door to the right. Harry looked at Lupin, before following her into the next room.

The scene in what had once been a neat lounge sickened Harry. Both the women's bodies were slumped in one corner, their normally sleek blonde hair looking limp and dull. Fleur’s mother, who looked more like the girl’s older sister, had an arm holding onto her daughter's shoulders protectively. The braveness that showed in the resolute blue eyes of both females made Harry shiver. Pulling the camera out of his pocket he took a couple of photos before putting it away again and turning to Lupin. "Is there anything else we can do here?"

The French witch answered him, "We ‘ave no need of your assistance. Merci bien Monsieurs. We all ‘ope you find zis monstre mauvais quickly, before zere are more murders."

"Where will we find Gabrielle Delacour? Has she been told?" asked Lupin as he and Harry started to retreat.

"Ah, zat iz something we thought ‘Ermione would, er...organise. Zere iz no choice but to ‘and ‘er over to your care. Beauxbatons will not keep ‘er zere if she iz being ‘unted by a murderer. GO to ‘er now ‘Arry. She needs to be...’ow do you say...told the bad news."

With that the witch shooed them outside. Pushing their way through the growing crowd, Harry and Lupin found a quiet space from which they disapparated

* * * * *

The ‘monstre mauvais’ stood on a quiet corner and watched the Potter youth and his companion leave the Delacour home before disapparating. So they were hounds on the hunt. But had they found the scent? Well, only time would tell. Turning, the hooded figure disappeared down a dark alley, sinking silently into its depths.

* * * * *

Harry gave him a look, "That, Remus, is the understatement of the century," he shrugged, "Sanding here wont get us there any faster though. Come on, we’d better set off. I’d like to think I’d get some lunch today, however slim a hope that may be."

About an hour later, the two men climbed the final flight of stairs to Madame Maxime’s office, as directed by a couple of inquisitive 2^nd years. Knocking on the huge ebony door, Harry tried to regain some of his breath. However, the door was answered almost immediately by the huge headmistress. "Oui?"

"Bonjour Madame Maxime..." Lupin began to say when the woman’s large eyes widened. Obviously, she knew that the news couldn’t be good. She ushered them inside before closing the door.

"What ‘as ‘appened Monsieurs? What ‘as brought yourselves to zis school?"

Harry spoke, "Madame Maxime, could you call Gabrielle Delacour here first. It concerns her greatly."

Frowning slightly, the woman nodded and pulled over a magical microphone from the corner of her desk. Tapping it with her wand, she jabbered some French into it. Prodding it again, the tannoy system fell silent.

The three of them sat in silence until the door opened a couple of minutes later. A silver blonde head peered round it before the girl entered. "Madame Maxime?" she asked, puzzled.

"Ah, Gabrielle, zese men are ‘ere to tell you something. You ‘ave met Monsieur Potter, and zis is Monsieur Lupin."

Gabrieele looked even more puzzled as she sat down on a chair next to the Headmistress’ desk. "Que-ce que c’est la problem Monsieurs?"

Lupin sighed. "Gabrielle, I’m sorry I have to be the one to tell you this, but.... your mother and sister are dead. They were murdered in their house, back in St. Brieuc."

The girls bright blue eyes widened in alarm. "Non! C’est faux! Ce n’est pas possible!" she exclaimed, before starting to spout rapid fire French that even Madame Maxime seemed to be having trouble understanding. Harry pulled out his wand.

"Reddo!"

The translation spell worked perfectly, leaving Lupin and himself less confused, now able to more or less understand Gabrielle and vice-versa.

The girl sobbed continually. "I do not understand it. My mother and sister ‘urt nobody. So why does this....monster kill innocent persons?"

Madame Maxime turned to the men. " ‘Ow can we be sure zat zis beast will not come after Gabrielle"

"We can’t be sure," answered Lupin, "But I am sure she’ll be safe here......"

"’ERE! No, my dear friend, zat is out of ze question! She cannot stay ‘ere! I ‘ave ze other students to think about!"

Gabrielle turned to her teacher, shock and betrayal visible on her face, "Madame Maxime! Where will I go! I cannot return ‘ome. Not if my mother was killed zere!"

Maxime had a firm and emotionless face when she looked at her 14 year old charge, "Gabrielle, I ‘ave no choice. I am not Dumblydore, nor iz zis ‘Ogwarts. I cannot risk ze lives of ze other pupils."

Lupin spoke up. "If I could have use of your fireplace Madame, I may be able to accommodation in England for Miss Delacour. I wouldn’t be happy leaving her in France if she cannot be here."

"Of course Monsieur, if it will ‘elp." replied the woman.

Nodding, Lupin went over to the far corner of the room where the flames were crackling and, after throwing in some powder, started talking softly into them. Harry also rose, but he went over to where Gabrielle sat. He knelt down so they were on the same level. "I know it’s hard to take in."

The girl’s blue eyes stared unwaveringly into his green ones, "You ‘ave no idea."

Giving her a weak smile, he rubbed her arm to try and comfort her, "You’re a strong young woman Gabrielle. You’ll cope, I know you will. Delacours always do."

"Thank you ‘Arry. Fleur was much braver zan me; but she iz gone now. I suppose it iz time I stood up for myself..."

"That’s the spirit! Think like that and you’ll go far."

Lupin came over. "C’mon you two. Gabrielle can stay at Phoenix Cottage. Lyca’s house. She says her mother wont mind. She’s going to meet us there. Madame Maxime, would you send Gabrielle’s things over to the business’ offices? Only, we ought to leave now..."

The Headmistress nodded enthusiastically. "I’ll ‘ave zem zere before ze night falls."

Nodding Lupin led Gabrielle and Harry to the fireplace. Throwing another handful of powder, all three were whisked on their way back to Scotland.

Thanks Section: Firstly, I would like to propose a toast (Virtual Champagne) to Molly, Superb Writer, Rper and Beta Reader. GO READ HER STORYS NOW! You can find the link to her stories on my profile bit, her profile being Snape Cheerleader. Next, to Sarah (aka Pegasus, also VERY good stories) and all the other people who reviewed my first Chapter. I hope that this one has been worth the wait. But for now, I must bid you ‘Adieu!’ The third chapter is underway, and hopefully will be up sometime within the next centuryJ (FictionAlleyMods note: It's up!)