“You can’t possibly believe it was me!” the Slytherin somehow managed to sputter. The color was gone from his face; but was it from guilt or fear at the accusation? “No…it has to be Granger here who attacked him in the ghosts’ billiard room with the Bludger bat.” “It couldn’t have been her. She and my brother were off together in the third floor broom closet all morning.” Ginny offered the now red-faced couple an apologetic smile for her revelation, but she could also see appreciation there for having provided the alibi. “Then it had to be Finnigan here with the exploding tulips in the Quidditch locker room!” the ferret-faced boy desperately attempted again. “Excuse me…it’s someone else’s turn,” Luna interrupted. It just wouldn’t do to sidestep the appropriate rules for solving a mystery. “Besides, would Seamus ever need anything that convoluted to get an explosion?” “Uhm…right…thanks…I think. Anyway, I was in detention with Slughorn all morning for that little accident I had with his coffee cauldron. How was I supposed to know Burundian dark roast would do that?” The Irishman’s grin left his friends wondering however. The students stood there in silence, eyeing each other, mentally going over the clues they had collectively amassed throughout the afternoon. They all knew the person who had put their classmate in the infirmary had to be there amongst them in that borrowed classroom. Uncertainty reigned and permeated their expressions…except…except for Ginny’s. Glancing over to her finally, Harry’s eyes went wide at the realization. Ginny knew who had done it! There wasn’t as much as a shadow of a doubt on her face. She had discovered the who, the what and the where of the assault. “Harry…everyone…” she began, “…the person who did it is…” Suddenly the lights went out. A heartbeat later a shot rang out in the dark. It had the distinctive report of a Dreyse M1907 semi-automatic pistol. Yes boys and girls; that is the firearm originally depicted in the U.K. version of Cluedo. Think of all the potential weapons available at Hogwarts. Multiply those by all the potential crime scenes in that castle. Now further factor in the countless suspects that are available as you create your own mystery story. Throw in a few secret passages, booby traps, false leads and creative alibis and…well you get the picture. Hercule Poirot and Sherlock Holmes are rubbing their hands together in anticipation. Tally ho true believers! The game is afoot! (With a thanks to Spenser Hemmingway) |
Spenser Hemmingway came out of the woodwork on 2010.08.22 - 10:24AM to say:
No, before anyone asks, Hogwarts does not have any butlers on staff.