“Come on, Parvati, try to breathe,” Hermione said frantically, as she entered Harry and Parvati’s room. She pulled Parvati’s arms up and pressed them against her chest to no result. Then she noticed the hat perched on other woman’s head. “Harry, take that hat off for her, will you? I don’t think she’s able to keep her neck in the correct position.”
Harry nodded and rushed to Parvati. He grabbed the top of her hat and pulled it. But it wouldn’t budge. “It isn’t coming off!”
“Leave it, then…” Hermione lifted Parvati’s chin and tried CPR. But Parvati only choked more. “Oh no…”
“H”Harry…” Parvati called out. “H”Harry…”
Harry felt a lump rise in his throat. He sat beside her and rubbed her palm with his, as Hermione tried other methods to help her breathe. “Hold on, Parvati… please…”
Just then, Hermione let out a shriek. “Why didn’t I think of this before?!”
“What?”
“Get off that hat! NOW!”
“Why”?”
“It’s cursed,” Hermione said, tugging at it, now. “Help me get it off, Harry.”
The two of them tried to rip the hat off together, but it seemed to be cemented to Parvati’s head. Harry scrambled for his wand and pointed it at the hat. “Diffindo.”
Nothing happened. “Relashio,” Hermione said, taking the hint. This did not help, either.
Parvati was going blue. “Water… water…” she choked.
Harry conjured a goblet immediately. “Aguamenti.” His trembling hands sent the water jet in all directions, wetting Parvati and the hat as well. “S”Sorry…” Harry managed to say, as he held the goblet to her lips. She took a rattling breath and coughed, unable to take in a single droplet of water.
Harry suddenly remembered something. He pointed his wand at her chest and muttered, “Anapneo.” Parvati’s features relaxed and she took a deep breath. Harry looked at Hermione, who was still trying various spells to rip the hat off. “I think I can hold her for some time. Can you get the hat off?”
“I don’t know…oh… I think I can, wait…” Hermione froze the drenched hat with a spell. Then she raised her wand again. “Reducto.”
There was a crack and a rip, as the top of the hat got reduced to a crystalline mass. Parvati sighed, as she took huge, slow breaths. Harry removed what remained of the ruined hat on her head and dropped onto the other side of the bed, as Hermione helped Parvati with some water and then resuscitated her again to smooth the breathing. At that time, Naina suddenly let out a wail from her cot.
“Oh!” Hermione said, going over to the child and picking her up. “I think she saw what just happened.” She rocked the girl slowly. “Your Mummy is all right, darling.” She then let Parvati hold Naina and sat beside Harry.
He looked up at her and leaned over to hug her. Hermione hugged him back. “She’s okay now, Harry. Don’t worry.”
“Everyone is getting attacked. First you, then Parvati.”
Hermione patted his back slowly. “This will be sorted out soon. I just know it.”
“I hope,” Harry said, breaking away. Then he thought of something. “Hermione, could you get me the latest volume of Witch Weekly?”
“Yeah,” Hermione said, and she closed the door behind her as she walked away.
Harry turned his gaze to Parvati. She was breathing properly, now, and rocking Naina. The child’s eyes were heavy with sleep, and she cooed happily as Parvati kissed her tiny palm. In a few seconds, she was snoozing slowly. Hermione came back just as Parvati laid Naina in her cot. Ginny and Ron came in, too.
“What happened?” Ron asked, bewildered.
“Parvati was sent a cursed hat,” Hermione explained as Harry took the magazine from her. He looked at the index and turned to the page which announced the name of the lucky draw winner. In clear bold letters was the name, ‘Irene Stance’.
“Irene!” Ginny gasped. “Why did Parvati receive the parcel, then?”
“Another killer trick,” Ron said.
“But…” Hermione began, and then hesitated.
Harry looked at her. “But”?”
“I told you about Irene, the other day.”
“Oh come on, Hermione, she’s an Auror,” said Ron.
Hermione ignored him. “But you agreed that it was fishy, Harry!”
“I don’t know,” Harry said truthfully. “It does sound suspicious. Especially since it happened after Parvati got that call.”
“Unless,” Ginny said, “such parcels are checked in the Ministry before they arrive, aren’t they?”
Ron nodded. “Usually, yes.”
“What if Rebecca or…” she hesitated, “Daisy…?”
“Rebecca works in the Department of International Magical Cooperation,” said Ron. “And Daisy is an Obliviator. I can’t see how either of them could be involved in this.”
“Pari?”
“She works at Gringotts,” Ron said nonchalantly. “And all of us know that Chris is a Trainee Healer. None of these people really have a chance of sending such a parcel home.”
Harry put an arm around Parvati. “We’ll have to be very, very careful now.”
Ginny nodded. “I think the murderer is getting sort of… desperate.”
“But don’t you get the feeling that there is some other reason for these murders?” asked Ron
“I thought so,” Parvati admitted. “The reason you seem to be assuming sounds… lame.”
“I mean, if it’s really a psycho who’s involved in these murders, then he or she wouldn’t be so clever and vigilant with the attacks. I doubt this is the result of mental disorder,” added Harry.
Ginny, Hermione and Ron drank the words in silence. “But,” Ginny began, “if this isn’t the reason for the murders, then why…?”
“Look, one thing we noticed was that the victims were not robbed,” said Ron. “I would have assumed this to be the work of some psychotic rapist if the bodies hadn’t shown sign of any other form of abuse except for the stabs, or even if Andrew hadn’t been killed.”
“So no one’s doing this for money or…” Harry hesitated, looking over at Naina. “Or… physical pleasure.” Ron sniggered.
“I think we should stop looking for a woman is particular,” reflected Ginny, ignoring her brother. “Let’s think more broadly.”
There was silence. Then Harry remembered something. “Ginny, do you have those chits where the murderer wrote their message?”
“Yeah,” she replied, getting up. “I’ll get them.”
Harry, in the meantime, put his arms around Parvati.
She smiled at his unsaid words. “I won’t go so soon, Harry, don’t worry.”
“You nearly killed me today,” he replied truthfully.
“I’m okay, Harry.”
He smiled and kissed her cheek, as Ron made funny noises on the other side of the bed.
Ginny returned with a few packets, and Harry took them all. They were marked as ‘Belinda’, ‘Charlotte’, ‘Jennifer’, ‘Andrew’ and ‘Alison’ as per the site of attack where they were found. Harry scrutinised them. “Aha!”
“What?” Ron asked.
“The handwriting on Andrew’s chit is different. So that proves another assumption of mine.”
“What?”
“There is more than one person who is involved in these murders.”
Ginny grabbed the packets and Harry watched as her jaw dropped. “Merlin!”
Ron shook his head. “Wasn’t one prat of a killer enough? How many more do we need?”
“Just one more, Ron,” said Hermione, looking directly at him, “for finishing off a person like you.”
***
“So, Harry’s kept the house under a Fidelius Charm?” Daisy asked, as she and Ginny sat in her room together.
Ginny nodded. “That last attack on Parvati scared him out of his wits.”
“So who’s the Secret Keeper?”
Ginny hesitated. “I… I can’t tell you. I’m sorry.”
“But you believe me, don’t you?”
“I do… but I really am sorry, Daisy. Harry’s already scared for us. He has refused to leave the house unless it’s absolutely necessary. He wants Parvati and Hermione to be as safe as possible. And if it slips out of you…”
“It won’t.”
“I know you’ll be careful,” Ginny replied. “Don’t take me wrong. I’m just saying that this is getting very dangerous. If you get placed under the Imperius Curse or something, then no one will be able to help it. And Harry is really, really worried for both Parvati and Hermione, now. He told me not to come out too, but… who’s going to attack me? I can protect myself, anyway.”
“How are Parvati and Hermione today, then?”
“Oh, both of them are doing fine. They’re a little sick of Harry being so paranoid about their safety… it’s just not like him to behave like this, you know.”
“People aren’t often themselves when it comes to their loved ones.”
Ginny smiled and got up from her chair to stretch a bit. As she began to sit again, she noticed a large picture on one of Daisy’s walls. It was a photo of seven students, all wearing blue robes and waving brightly at the camera. The Quidditch cup gleamed in the captain’s hand. “You were in the Ravenclaw Quidditch team?”
Daisy nodded and got up as she and Ginny walked to the photo. She pointed at herself, and Ginny noticed that her face hadn’t changed much, except that the acne was more severe, now. “That’s me,” said Daisy, “this was our fifth year. We had a photo session when we won the Quidditch Cup. Well, after this, it was Hufflepuff that kept the cup for two whole years.”
“You were a Beater?” Ginny asked, amazed. Then she looked at the other Beater’s position. “And Chris was a Beater too?” The younger Chris was definitely more boyish in looks, though he was very handsome even then.
Daisy grinned. “Is it that unbelievable? Everyone wears the same expression when they find out that I was a Beater.”
“I’m not surprised to find Chris there, though… was he good?”
“He was okay, but I was better,” said Daisy.
“Oh. Well, forgive me for this, but I never thought you’d be involved in sports.”
“Do I look that weak?”
“No,” Ginny said quickly. “I just never””
“It’s okay,” Daisy replied. “You aren’t the first one who didn’t believe that I could be a Beater…”
“STEVENS!” Daisy screamed. “YOU AREN’T THE CAPTAIN!”
“But come on,” said Chris. “Beaters are typically males, Daisy. You won’t be able to carry that bat!”
Daisy growled. She and Chris were in their fifth year, and one of the Beaters had graduated from the seventh year, leaving that position empty. Daisy had shown up for the tryouts, but Chris wasn’t ready to let her try for the position. But really, what right did he have to lay such rules? “Alan,” she said, looking at their burly captain. “Please let me try.”
Alan looked at her guiltily. “I can’t let you try till Chris agrees. I need both my Beaters to work together…”
Daisy was ready to burst with anger. She looked at Chris and hated the apologetic look that he gave her. “You’ve got your wish, you bloody sexist. Thanks a lot.” She turned away, feeling angry enough to breathe fire. Andrew was coming down from the stands. She trudged towards him dejectedly and he looked at her for a moment, before hugging her. She sniffed in fury. “I wish they would just let me try…”
“It’s okay,” he said, patting her hair. “Don’t get upset.”
“I’m just so angry that Chris is prejudiced like this!”
Andrew let out a low chuckle and Daisy pulled away. “What? Why are you laughing?”
“You won’t believe me if I tell you.”
“Try me.”
“Actually… no. I think Chris should tell you this himself.”
“Tell me NOW!”
“Oh well,” Andrew sniggered some more, “Chris was telling us yesterday that he didn’t want you to be a Beater because… well, he really doesn’t want you to get hurt. He doesn’t mind it if it’s another girl. He’s just so weird when it comes to you…”
“Are you serious?” she whispered, going red.
“Well, yeah. Why would I lie?”
Daisy looked around to see that no one was listening. “Andrew, you haven’t told the others about this, have you?”
“No,” he said. “Do you want me to?”
“NO! Please! Don’t tell Liz, especially. But… what’s wrong with Chris?”
Andrew raised an eyebrow. “You won’t kill me if I tell you?”
“I’ll try not to. I can’t guarantee you anything.”
“Well, let it be then.”
“I demand to know, Andrew.”
“Merlin! You’ll do better if you don’t order your friends around like this!”
“I’m elder to all of you, Andrew. Well, Pari is an exception, but still” you’ve got to obey me. Tell me.”
“Fine. I think Chris fancies you.”
“Not you too!”
“I’m not teasing you, Daisy; I’m just giving you an honest opinion.”
Daisy turned around and looked at Chris. He was now talking to the Chaser” Emily. She blushed and giggled as he said something. Daisy looked at Andrew again. “Yeah, right. You know what, Andrew? I think he wanted you to tell me this, to get me also to fall for him. He should know that you’d tell me. Gah! What a Casanova!”
“Maybe,” shrugged Andrew.
“So I’m going right back and demanding to be tried out.” Before Andrew could open his mouth, Daisy strode over to Chris. He smiled at her.
“Still mad at me?”
“Yes,” Daisy replied, and without warning, she caught him by the collar of his robes. “Let. Me. Try. Out.”
His eyes widened in alarm. “Hey!”
“Give me my chance NOW.”
“I’m sorry, but you’re too light and small for a Beater! You’ve got to have a good build!”
“Who told you that I’m light?”
“You look light,” Chris said. “I’ll show you.” In one fluid movement, he had an arm behind her knees and another one around her shoulders, and she felt herself being lifted up by him.
There was a whistle, and Daisy blushed. “Let me down.”
“I just wanted to show how light you are. If I can lift you like this myself, how can you think that you’ll be able to handle Bludgers? You can try for the Seeker, if you want. You will be right for that.”
“I want to be a Beater,” Daisy said, as he let her down. “I’ll prove my worth. Let’s arm-wrestle.”
“What?” His expression changed from surprise to that of concern. “You’ll get hurt, Flower.”
Daisy raised an eyebrow. “I’ll survive. Madam Pomfrey can mend any broken bones in a jiffy. And please, please quit inventing nicknames for me. People already think we have something going between us and it’s all your fault.”
Chris nodded reluctantly. “Okay… let’s have an arm-wrestling match.” He beckoned to the changing rooms and she followed him there, along with the rest of the team and a few others like Andrew, Rebecca and Belinda. Daisy and Chris sat across each other at a table and just as she raised her hand, he held up a hand. “Just one minute.” He pulled out his Beater’s gloves and put one on. Then they locked hands.
“Ready?” he asked. She nodded. “One… two… three… start.”
Daisy did not use all her strength at first and she knew that he didn’t, either. But she moved his arm in by an inch and felt his resistance grow stronger. She increased her strength by a tiny bit and pushed against the leathery texture of his glove. His eyes were screwed and she felt her arm being pushed back. He was using his maximum strength. But was that it? Daisy couldn’t believe that it would be so easy. She smiled at his strained face, and gave a great push. His arm easily bent over, and he gave a cry of anguish. “OUCH!”
“Does it hurt?” she asked. “Come on, you can’t be so easy to defeat!”
“Leave… leave it… hurts…” he panted, gritting his teeth.
Daisy chuckled and let go of his hand. He clutched his arm, breathing deeply, as she suddenly felt concern bubble inside her. “Are you okay?”
He gave her a painful smile. “You sure aren’t as delicate as you look. I have defeated most of the boys in our house…!”
“Didn’t I tell you not to be prejudiced?” She reached for her bag, pulled out an apple and flashed it at him. “An apple a day keeps the Healer away, Stevens. Remember that.”
“I want to be a Healer when I grow up.”
“That’s exactly why I eat one everyday.”
He chuckled. “But you’ve got to chuck the fruit if the Healer is cute!”
“I’ll do that when I feel the Healer’s cute enough. Thanks.” Then she turned towards Alan. “Can I try out now, or do want more examples of my strength?”
Alan looked petrified at the very idea of more examples. “Come with me,” he said, and Daisy smiled triumphantly at Andrew before following him.
Ginny was laughing by the time Daisy had finished her story. “Merlin!” she exclaimed, opening her handbag to retrieve her handkerchief. She dabbed her streaming eyes with it and laughed some more. “You sure are a perfect example of girl power, Daisy! And why did he wear a glove before the match?”
Daisy grinned. “He… he didn’t want to be distracted… my hand, you know…”
Ginny smiled lightly and they chatted for a few more minutes before she left for her daily work again.
***
“Chris was so in love with you, Daisy.”
Pari settled herself on a chair as she and Daisy finished reliving the arm-wrestle. Daisy just sighed. “I don’t think so. I was just another person with whom he played. Maybe it’s genuine now, but…”
Pari fell quiet and looked at the pain in the other girl’s eyes. “If you hate him, you shouldn’t feel bad about this. You say you got over it, after all.”
“I hate him because of all the agony that he put me through. You know how horrible it was for me, Pari.”
Pari knew instantly what Daisy was talking about. She took a deep breath as the memory came flashing back to her. She forced herself not to remember that day, but it kept troubling her. The way she had found Daisy… then gotten angry at her for what she was trying to do and then comforted her as she cried uncontrollably… it wasn’t the best thing to remember. Pari cringed at the memory.
Daisy smiled at her. “I’m not that miserable now! I just wish I wouldn’t miss him so much. Actually, I would throw myself into his arms right now… but I don’t have the courage to do it.”
“He really loves you, Daisy.”
“I do, too. But I can’t go through another episode like the one that happened between us.”
“You won’t have to. You’ve got to believe him!”
“How can I?”
“Just trust him. You love him, right? He loves you too and you can be sure of it, now. That’s the only thing that matters.”
Daisy stood up suddenly, with a nervous grin. “Should I do it now?”
“What?” asked Pari.
“Tell him that I love him too!”
“Oh shona!” Pari said, hugging her. “Go on, then! What are you waiting for?”
Daisy smiled and pulled open her wardrobe to retrieve her handbag. She grabbed her wand from the bedside table and rushed downstairs with Pari by her side. They walked out together and after giving Pari another hug, Daisy Disapparated.
***
Chris spooned soup into his mouth, thinking of the post mortem that had taken place the previous day. Rebecca had been very disappointed when she had found out that it only involved rubbing potion onto the patient’s body and finding out the problem. “There’s nothing new in that!” she had said, before going home.
He chuckled. Rebecca was his best friend, and he was glad to have her by his side at a time like this. He then spooned the last few drops of soup, as the doorbell rang. “Can you get the door, Earl?” he called out, wondering who it was.
Earl rushed past him and Chris heard the door open. There were voices, and Earl came to the dining room again. “It’s your friend, Master Chris.”
“Who? Becks?”
“Miss Daisy. I’ve asked her to wait.”
“What? I”” Chris looked at the salad that Earl had laid for him. “Listen, I’ll finish this later. Tell her that I’ll join her.”
“Certainly.”
Chris rushed to the bathroom and washed his hands and mouth. He then took a deep breath and walked to the living room. She was seated on a couch, looking rather nervously at her own hands. What was the matter? Had someone else been attacked?
She stood up as she saw him approach her.
“Hey, have a seat,” he said, walking towards her cautiously. But she just smiled and strode over to him.
“Is” is anything the matter?” he asked, backing away slightly. But before he could think, she had grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.
Chris felt a sense of déjà vu, but he made no effort to get her hands off his collar. Then he knew it. He knew it as she smiled calmly at him, and also as she pulled him closer. Then he heard a final sigh before their lips locked.
It was like his dream come true. Once again, he felt her satin fingers and her familiar lips in his. His hands moved over her short curls, feeling them hungrily… then up and down her back. He held on to her, scared that he was asleep and would wake up to disappointment if he left her. She pulled back gently. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For being so silly. I love you.”
“You weren’t being silly…” he hesitated and then grinned at her, “… Flower. I love you, too.”
She smiled. “Now let’s stop being a pair of prats and enjoy the rest of our lives together.”
Chris chuckled. “So what changed your mind?”
“Do you want me to go back?”
“No.”
“Then just shut up and stop asking stupid questions.”
“Have you had lunch?”
“No… have you?”
“I’m just having it. Come inside, let’s eat together.” He put an arm around her and took her into the dining hall with him. Amazingly enough, the whole world had suddenly become floaty and dream-like since her return. He still couldn’t believe his luck. But he loved her. And she loved him. That was enough.
***
The moon cast its soothing silver light upon the narrow alley, where two hooded figures could be seen walking towards each other. Both of them stopped at exactly the same time and stood face-to-face. Then the shorter of the two spoke up. “So, is everything ready?”
“Yes,” said the other. Then they hesitated. “I” I just heard that the house has a Fidelius Charm over it.”
“And you’re informing me of this right now? If this plan fails…”
“N”No… please… I’m trying to do whatever I can. Please don’t… I” I have got a s”solution to overcome the Charm.”
“What is it?”
There was a brief pause, and the questioner watched in admiration as the other narrated a well formed plan. “Yes, very good,” they said. “And you have kept everything ready, haven’t you?”
“Yes,” was the reply, in a slightly guilty tone.
“Now go home. We need to work the plan properly. This time, Parvati Patil won’t escape.”
***
Hermione got up from the swing as she heard the sound of a car approach the house. Harry had chosen her as the Secret Keeper that very afternoon, and since the other Aurors weren’t into the secret yet, she was waiting for them to divulge the location. As Hermione reached the gate, she saw Ginny get out from a taxi. She walked right to the other woman.
“So, where’s the house, then?” Ginny asked, grinning.
Hermione smiled back at her and leant in, whispering the address into Ginny’s ear. Ginny turned around and the house materialised before her. “I guess Parvati and you are out of danger, now…”
“I hope so,” replied Hermione. “Let’s go in, then. When will the others be back?”
“No idea… they have a lot of investigations to complete.”
“Investigations?” asked Hermione. “I thought you were up to some paperwork before going to Hogwarts for Ryan Joe’s interrogation…”
“Er… no, we” er… oh Merlin!”
“What happened?”
“I forgot something at the Headquarters… oh… I’ll be right back, Hermione…”
Ginny looked around and Disapparated, leaving Hermione to stare after her bewilderment. Just then, Hermione heard another car approach. It stopped where the taxi had before, and Ron came out from the driver’s end, while Ginny climbed out of the other end.
Ginny? Again?
Hermione could have fainted. “Merlin… please…” she muttered, as she approached them. But she knew that she had made a horrible mistake. “Ginny,” she said shakily, “please tell me that you had just come a second ago… y”you went to collect something from the office, right?”
“Um, no,” Ginny said. “I just came right now, Hermione, why?”
“This can’t be happening!”
“What?!”
Hermione buried her face in her hands. “I just divulged the address of the house to an impostor!”
Killer Instincts by Ginny Weasley Potter
Chapter Notes: Hey all! I'm sorry it took so long. College has started, and don't have my laptop here. :( I have two chapters in hand right now, so you guys will have to make do with them till October, when I'll come home for a long vacation.
As usual, Pauie is responsible for correcting this chapter :). Thanks, hon, love you!
Please R/R, guys... !
This one is for Suju. :)
Chapter Endnotes:
Ooh... double thrill! So guys... what do you think about Daisy and Chris getting back together? :p
LOL