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Seeing Double | ||||||
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Category: Alternate Universe Characters:Draco Malfoy, Harry/Ginny, Hermione Granger, Other, Remus Lupin, Ron Weasley Genres: Action/Adventure, Crossover, Drama, General, Humor, Romance Warnings: Death Story is Complete Rating: PG-13 Reviews: 136 Summary: Ginny Weasley became an Auror after a traumatic death made her determined to see no killer stay free. Harry Potter saved the wizarding world, and is now enjoying his life as Witch Weekly's Number One Bachelor, no longer worrying about Death Eaters and killers. But when a man who looks just like the 'Chosen One' himself is found murdered, the two must work together to find the killer before it is too late. Hitcount: Story Total: 60282; Chapter Total: 6151 Awards: View Trophy Room Author's Notes: Somehow this chapter just seemed to grow significantly since I originally wrote it. The entire scene of Harry in Diagon Alley was never there, but someone asked if Ron would be appearing and I decided to add him in. Meanwhile, since so many of you also suspect Malfoy because of his presence in the Hog's Head, I hope you enjoy Harry's plan to unearth evidence. Let me know what you think! |
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Amanda Hapkirk sat in a chair at her kitchen table, staring into the cup of tea that was clasped between her hands. Aaron knew that someone had notified her of her husband’s death the night before, but he now had the difficult job of talking to her and finding out if she suspected anyone specific of killing her husband. Aaron looked down at his own cup of tea and tried to imagine how he would feel if someone had told him that his wife had been killed. He couldn’t quite manage to figure it out. “I’m so sorry, Auror Mathews,” Amanda started, finally looking up at Aaron. “It’s just so difficult to wrap my head around.” “Please, call me Aaron,” he began. “And there is nothing to be sorry about. I can’t even imagine what you are going through right now.” “Do —” Amanda began and then stopped, taking a deep breath before starting again. “Do you know who killed him?” “Not right now, but we were hoping that you could shed some light on the situation. Was there anything strange going on in Charlie’s life lately?” “No,” she sobbed, pulling her straight black hair away from her face and into a messy ponytail. “He seemed fine. I can’t imagine that it was anything at work, he worked with Muggles! I never thought that a career like that would put him in any danger.” She seemed to be overcome with emotion, so Aaron let her collect herself before he continued his questions. “We have a daughter, she is only two years old. How can I tell her that her daddy isn’t coming home?” Aaron didn’t have an answer for that. “The best that we can do now for you and your daughter, and for Charlie, is to find out who killed him.” Amanda nodded her understanding. “Did he have any enemies? Any fights with someone lately?” Amanda thought about it for a moment before answering. “No, not that I recall.” Aaron sighed, afraid that it would turn out to be another random murder. “Does the name Duncan Clarke sound familiar to you?” Amanda shook her head. “I don’t think I have ever heard of him — do you think he killed Charlie?” “No, he definitely isn’t Charlie’s killer, he was murdered a few nights ago.” Aaron’s answer seemed to make Amanda even more confused. He decided to move on to another angle. “Did Charlie participate in any of the fights during the war?” Amanda looked surprised at that question. “I don’t really know. We were out of touch during that time. You see, we went to Hogwarts together, but I stayed with some family in Canada to escape the worst years of the war, and I didn’t meet up with Charlie again until a few years after it ended. We never really talked about it...” she trailed off with a strange look on her face. Suddenly, she burst out, “He wasn’t a Death Eater if that is what you are asking!” Amanda seemed to think that her lack of knowledge about Charlie’s wartime efforts would reflect badly on him. “That isn’t what we were thinking at all, Mrs. Hapkirk,” Aaron tried to assure her. “It’s just that his murder seems to have some connection to Harry Potter, so I was wondering if he supported him during the war.” “Harry Potter?” Amanda asked. “I don’t think Charlie ever even met him, why would someone kill Charlie because of Harry Potter?” “We aren’t sure right now, but there was another murder that occurred the same way…” “What way? What did they do to him?” Amanda seemed to be reaching hysteria. Aaron realized that he was revealing too much, but he felt that Amanda should know what happened to her husband. “It appears that this killer is targeting Harry Potter, and used your husband and one other victim as a message to him, and to us.” Amanda was shocked. “So it wasn’t even about him? He had nothing to do with Harry Potter, or the war. He…” she trailed off, thinking. “Charlie got a message in the post the other day. He said it was nothing, but he was upset about it. Maybe…” “Could you get me the message?” Aaron asked, hoping this would lead them in the correct direction. Amanda stood and went into the other room; Aaron could hear her rummaging around in a drawer before she returned, clutching a small piece of parchment. “I wish I realized there was something wrong before…” Amanda trailed off, and gave the parchment to Aaron. He looked down and read the brief message: I know you know, and you know too much. “I’ve got the perfect plan,” Harry took a seat in the char next to Ginny’s cubicle and smiled winningly. “I can only imagine,” Ginny began; putting down the parchment she was reading and turning to face him, preparing herself to hear his story. She had spent the night worrying about what Harry had come up and how many laws he would break in the process. “So you can’t get a search warrant to find evidence without probable cause, and we cannot arrest Malfoy without evidence, correct?” When Ginny nodded he continued. “So I say we get the evidence without a search warrant.” “What?” Ginny gasped. “Potter, that is illegal! What are you suggesting: that we break into Malfoy Manor and search the place?” “Possibly, but there will be no breaking and entering, just some snooping around,” Harry began his explanation. “Listen, I’ve been inside Malfoy Manor before, I was even held captive in the dungeons for a brief period of time. I’m sure I could find my way around again. And if not, I know someone who can tell me about that place, inside and out.” “And who is that?” Ginny asked. “Dobby,” Harry said, matter of fact, but elaborated in response to Ginny’s puzzled look. “He is a house-elf. Well, he is my house-elf, but he used to work for the Malfoys. He knows that place better than anyone else in the world.” “How did Malfoy’s elf end up working for you?” Ginny asked skeptically. “It’s a long story,” Harry brushed it aside. “But Dobby knows all of the secret hiding places in that house, so he can tell me where Malfoy could be stashing evidence.” “Alright,” Ginny said slowly, trying to make sense of his garbled explanation, “but how do you propose you are going to get into Malfoy Manor without breaking in. I already told you that we can’t just approach him.” Harry smiled. “Malfoy is always home, unless of course, he is here. So how could anyone sneak around without him noticing?” When Ginny continued to look puzzled after Harry’s question, he answered his own question. “If he has enough other distractions. Someone would notice if I snuck in the back. But if I just walk through the front door…” This time, Ginny smiled. “And how are you going to just walk through the front door of Malfoy Manor and expect Lucius Malfoy to be too distracted to notice you snooping around?” Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of parchment. “With this.” He handed it to Ginny and she read it. It was an invitation to Malfoy’s monthly gala, which would be held that weekend. “You were invited to Malfoy’s gala?” she asked, unable to keep the surprise out of her voice. “Of course I was. I’m invited to everything. I get one of these every month, but I make it a point of never going. But I think that is just the opportunity to change that tradition, what do you think?” Ginny began to smile at the simple genius of the plan when a sudden thought struck her. “Potter, you are a civilian. Do you have any idea how much trouble you could get into if you were caught doing this?” “Well first of all, I wouldn’t get caught. Trust me, I’ve done crazier things and gotten away with them. And second, I wasn’t planning on going alone. I assumed if an official Auror were with me, it would go much smoother,” Harry concluded, smiling. “What are you saying?” “Ginny Weasley, would you like to be my date for the gala?” Ginny didn’t answer; instead she raised one eyebrow questioningly. “Oh, come on, don’t make me ask Finnigan. The rumors in the tabloids can be so harmful to my reputation.” Harry slid off his seat and onto his knees in front of Ginny, clasping his hands in front of him in a begging position. Ginny burst out laughing. “I can’t believe I am saying this,” she began, “but fine, I’ll go with you. If only to keep you out of major trouble.” “Oh how sweet, you do care about me,” Harry responded with a grin, sitting back in his chair. “In your dreams, Potter,” Ginny shook her head and returned her attention to the parchment on the desk in front of her. “No, actually, in my dreams you are a little more — OUCH!” he called out, as Ginny’s Stinging Hex hit its target. Having secured their plans for the weekend, Ginny focused her attention on the parchment in front of her. Harry rubbed his shoulder as the effect of her hex faded away and peered over the desk to see what was written there. “What are you reading?” he asked. “I’m trying to find a connection between the two victims, but there doesn’t seem to be anything that links them. Their time at Hogwarts only overlapped by two years. One was a Hufflepuff, the other a Ravenclaw. Hapkirk played on the Quidditch team, Clarke ran the Charms club,” Ginny sighed deeply. “It doesn’t appear that they ran in any of the same circles. Even after school, the most they have in common is a job here at the Ministry.” Harry looked excited about that, but Ginny shook her head. “The majority of wizards and witches in England work at the Ministry! We cannot assume they knew each other here, even as small an interaction as once eating at the same table in the café.” She turned and pointed to a pile of parchment at the corner of her desk. “I even pulled old files from war trials — they weren’t witnesses in any of the Death Eater trials that took place. I can’t place either of them at any of the major battles during the last two years of the war… I’m really starting to think they were randomly chosen.” Ginny leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, placing her hands on her forehead. “Well don’t, because they weren’t,” Aaron came rushing into the office, his cloak undone and streaming behind him, waving a piece of parchment in the air. Ginny immediately jumped out of her chair. “At least Hapkirk wasn’t chosen at random. Look at this.” He handed the parchment to Ginny and went to fetch Seamus from the break room. Ginny read the single line on the parchment and passed it off to Harry. Her face lit up. “This is great, maybe we can find an answer with this after all.” Aaron returned with Seamus, who was holding a half eaten doughnut and a mug of tea. “Mathews, will you take this parchment to Diggory, see if he can find anything on it, or anything connecting it to the original letter?” Aaron nodded. “Forgot to tell you,” Seamus piped up as he shoved the remains of the doughnut in his mouth. “I spoke with Alaina from the Department of Mysteries,” he waggled his eyebrows, “And she said she will see what she can do with the memory. There might be a result by this weekend.” “Wonderful!” Ginny said. “And you should be happy, Finnigan, you can visit her again to get the results.” “You won’t be taking over and spoiling my fun?” Seamus asked skeptically. “Actually, I already have plans with Potter for this weekend.” Seamus and Aaron looked at each other and grinned. “Oh, really? Is there something you two want to tell us?” Aaron asked. Seamus winked at Harry. “Not particularly,” Ginny responded before Harry had a chance to. “Since Potter is so convinced of Malfoy’s guilt, we are going to his gala to try and find some evidence against him.” Aaron looked disappointed at the answer, Seamus simply looked like he didn’t believe her. “So, you two are off on a hot date to the party of the month, huh?” Seamus asked. “I wish.” “Shut it, Finnigan.” Both Harry and Ginny answered at the same time, eliciting wider grins from Seamus and Aaron. “Whatever you say, Weasley.” Ginny rolled her eyes. “In the meantime, can one of you go see if there is a letter like this in Clarke’s possession. Maybe this will be a connection between the two victims that we are waiting for.” They had, in fact, found a matching letter in Clarke’s flat, which Ginny believed would be the break in the case that they desperately needed. Both letters, along with the original threat addressed to Harry, were with Cedric Diggory, who promised to have some result by the end of the weekend. Harry scowled at the thought of Diggory, who, despite Ginny’s protestations, was obviously interested in the attractive Auror. He became angrier thinking about Cedric’s obnoxious smile and the fact that he had managed to ignore everyone else in the room just because Ginny was there. Harry had received no sympathy when he complained to Remus; he found it funny, saying that Harry was just angry that he wasn’t the center of the attention like he usually is. But Harry knew that it was more than that. He couldn’t care less if Cedric Diggory was impressed by him but he didn’t like the idea that Ginny was interested, in whatever context, in what Diggory had to say. It cheered him slightly to think that Ginny had known Diggory for years and nothing had come of it, so it was highly unlikely that they would get together now, especially with Harry’s plans for the weekend. Harry smiled at the idea of what would be happening in a few days time, earning some odd stares from the people on the street around him. Harry walked down Diagon Alley, avoiding making eye contact with anyone so that he would not be distracted from his mission of the day. There were no new developments in the case and Ginny was back at the Auror Office doing paperwork, an activity Harry had absolutely no interest in participating in. Instead, he had taken the afternoon off to run some errands in preparation of the party that would take place the next evening. He had just left Twilfitt and Tatting where he had made two rather expensive clothing purchases, but he was confident that this action would finally lead to him winning favor with Ginny Weasley. A sudden movement to Harry’s right sent him into high alert, and he jumped, pulling out his wand and spinning to face the attacker. The attacker turned out to be two small children racing each other down the alley, and Harry stowed his wand back in his robes and continued down the street, ignoring the questioning stares. The threat against his life had greatly worried him, and he was upset to find that the guards that were up during the war — his suspicion of being attacked at any moment — had returned. Harry’s frown had returned by the time he reached his final destination, and he looked up at the grand entrance of Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes. The bright orange exterior gleamed blindingly in the afternoon sun and Harry squinted to make out the posters in the window advertising new products. The overhead bell jingled as Harry opened the door and stepped over the threshold. The store was filled with people, mostly young children who were not yet old enough for Hogwarts. Harry looked around at the shelves filled with games and pranks but could not find the proprietors of the shop among the throngs of customers. He approached the counter and looked up at the wall. A huge portrait hung over the register; the image of a laughing young man grinned down at Harry. He regarded it closely, easily seeing the family resemblance between Ginny and her brother. “Handsome chap, isn’t he?” questioned a voice from behind Harry. He turned around quickly to see who it was. “Although I still say I was the better looking twin. George Weasley.” George held his hand out to Harry as he introduced himself and they shook. Harry began to introduce himself, but George cut him off. “Don’t bother, you’re Harry Potter, we all know it. It’s good to meet you.” “You as well,” Harry responded, shaking George’s hand. “It’s a great store you’ve got here.” George grinned. “My pride and joy,” he said, turning away from Harry to survey the busy store and all its customers. Suddenly, he turned sharply back to Harry. “Can I interest you in any product in particular?” he asked. George pointed to the far corner of the store. “Over there are the Skiving Snackboxes, our most popular item. But that is for the younger crowd, looking to get out of class. Not for a bloke like you.” He moved to point at the next item. “You might like a Weasley Patented Daydream Charm, always enjoyable, if I do say so myself. We just stocked the newest one, designed by Ron actually…. Oi, Ron!” At his call, another red-headed man turned away from a customer deciding on trick wands and walked over. Ron was significantly taller than George and looked less like Ginny than the twins did, but his smile was just as welcoming. George performed the introductions as if Harry and he were old friends and Ron only stared at Harry for a moment before regaining his senses. “Ron…” Harry began, struggling to remember why this brother stood out in particular. “That’s right,” he said in realization, “you shared a dorm with Seamus at Hogwarts.” Ron looked confused, but nodded anyway. “That’s right, but how do you know Seamus?” he asked. “I’ve been working with the Auror Office,” Harry started, unsure what details about the case he was aloud to reveal and what was supposed to be confidential. That seemed to be enough for Ron. “So you must have met Ginny too,” Ron said, instinctively ducking as a fanged Frisbee glanced the top of his head. Harry grinned. “Yes, I definitely know your sister.” George laughed loudly but covered it up with a cough, grabbing the Frisbee from out of the air and twirling it around in his hands. “I can’t believe our baby sister would keep something like this from us,” he began, turning to Ron. “Can you?” Ron shrugged. “Of course Ginny would. I’m more surprised Hermione didn’t tell me.” This time Harry was taken aback. “You know Hermione?” he asked. At this, both George and Ron burst into laughter. While they calmed down, Harry started to realize exactly how much he had missed out on by not going to Hogwarts for his education. Ron finally caught his breath enough to answer Harry’s question. “Of course I know Hermione, she’s my fiancé,” he said with a wide smile. “Really?” Harry asked, a smile spreading across his face as well. “Well, congratulations.” “Thanks,” Ron said. He stood smiling for a moment before George slapped him on the shoulder and started laughing. Ron snapped out of his trance and blushed bright red. “So, was there anything in particular you wanted to get here, Harry? Or did he just stop by for a chat?” he asked, trying to stop George from making fun of him. “Actually, I did have something in mind…” It was now Saturday afternoon, hours before Malfoy’s gala, and Ginny sat on her bed wearing a pair of jeans and a grey muggle sweatshirt. Around her lay multiple sets of dress robes along with various pages from Witch Weekly and Style Sorceress showing pictures of the wizarding elite, dressed to the nines to attend parties like the one Ginny was preparing for. Hermione entered Ginny’s room and looked around. “It looks like a twister hit this place,” she remarked, laughing. Ginny groaned and flopped back onto the bed sending a set of robes fluttering to the floor. “This isn’t funny, Hermione, I have nothing to wear!” Hermione only laughed harder at how un-Ginny her best friend was acting. “And since when do you really care what you wear? Could it be that you actually want to impress someone there tonight?” Ginny sent her a glare from her prone position on the bed. “Yes, Hermione, I want Draco Malfoy to fall madly in love with me tonight. Honestly,” Ginny shook her head, “It’s just, you know that there will be photographers there and, well, I’ve never done anything like this before! I’m going to be so out of place; Weasleys aren’t invited to society events for a reason, you know.” She covered her face with her hands and let out a moan. “Yes, because these parties are dreadfully dull, and the Weasley family is anything but,” Hermione sat down carefully at the edge of the bed, shifting aside a set of light blue dress robes to avoid wrinkling them. “But you have to be looking forward to this slightly.” “Oh yes, an evening of law breaking while being ridiculed by the Malfoys and on the arm of England’s Most Confidently Arrogant Bachelor is exactly my idea of a good time,” Ginny responded sarcastically. “Sure sounds like it,” Hermione said. “So is Harry going to be picking you up here?” “Hermione, this is not a date, despite what everyone else seems to think,” Ginny responded sharply. “I had to draw the line somewhere. I am going to pick him up at his flat, and make sure that he doesn’t bring a muggle Taser with him to attack Malfoy with — I wouldn’t put it past him.” Hermione laughed, but refrained from saying anything else about Harry. It was obvious to her that Ginny was looking forward to this event more than she would admit to. Instead, Hermione changed the subject back to clothes. “Would you like to borrow something of mine to wear?” Ginny sat up and looked at Hermione. “Thanks, but I hardly think anything will fit. I’m so much shorter than you are and there is no time to alter a pair of robes.” She picked up a set of deep purple robes and groaned again, “I’m going to look like a court jester in these!” Just then, there was a tap on the window. Ginny stood and found a handsome brown owl carrying a rather large parcel hovering outside. She opened the window and the bird swooped inside, depositing the package on the bed and leaving the room in one motion. Ginny looked from the package to Hermione and back again, unsure of what to do. “Go on, open it,” Hermione ordered. Ginny walked over to the bed and removed the small scroll of parchment from the ribbon. It read: For you, for tonight —H¬. Ginny looked at the wrapping, it was from Twilfitt and Tatting — an expensive clothing store she had visited only once before. She knew she could not afford even half a set of robes that they sold there. Ginny slowly unwrapped it to reveal what was inside. She and Hermione gasped simultaneously. Ginny stared inside disbelievingly, “He didn’t…” A sharp knock on Harry’s front door startled him from the intense game of chess he was playing with Teddy Lupin. He checked his watch and quickly adjusted his robes, glancing at his reflection in the hall mirror quickly before answering the door. Ginny stood at the threshold, practically shining. Harry’s jaw dropped slightly as he looked her up and down slowly. The shimmering gold robes that he had bought the day before in Diagon Alley fit Ginny perfectly, clinging to her every curve while the loose cape flowed gently behind her. Her long red hair was drawn up in an elegant style, the gold color of the robes perfectly accentuating the copper highlights that weaved through her hair. When she began to smirk, Harry realized he was still staring with his mouth open. He shut it quickly and leaned against the doorframe casually. “You look beautiful.” “Thank you,” Ginny said, blushing slightly. “But, Potter, these robes are extravagant. You didn’t have to buy them for me.” “I know,” he replied. “I wanted to.” They stood regarding each other for another moment until Harry remembered his manners. “Would you like to come in? I’m just about ready to leave.” Ginny laughed as she followed him through the door. “Shouldn’t that really be my line — making you wait while I get ready?” “Well, if you had let me pick you up, like the gentleman I am, it could have been.” Harry smiled at her. The sound of a throat clearing behind them pulled them out of their trance. Remus Lupin stood there laughing, and Teddy was sitting on the floor looking confused, holding the broken pieces of his previously destroyed white knight. “Care to perform an introduction, Harry?” Remus asked. “Of course. Remus, this is Auror Ginny Weasley. Weasley, this is Remus Lupin, my — well, my best friend. And this here is his son Teddy, my godson.” Ginny smiled warmly at the two of them. “Teddy really wanted to come and see me get dressed up, so I was entertaining him for a while until you came.” Ginny stood watching while Harry rushed over to the young boy and lifted him up, swinging him around and tickling him before setting him back on the ground, sending the chess pieces running for cover. Teddy laughed hysterically before jumping up and hugging Harry tightly. They both turned around to see Ginny smiling widely. “What?” Harry asked, self-consciously flattening his hair. “I just never pictured you with children, that’s all,” she responded lightly. Harry smiled. “Thinking domestically already, Weasley? Teddy loves me, isn’t that right, kiddo?” He reached down and ruffled Teddy’s bright blue hair. Teddy nodded and approached Ginny. “You look pretty,” he said sweetly, making Ginny break out into a grin. “Why thank you, kind sir,” she said, mock curtsying to him. “Are you ready to go yet?” she asked, turning back to face Harry. He reached over and grabbed his invisibility cloak off the couch. “Yes, ma’am.” Ginny regarded him curiously. “What are you doing with an invisibility cloak?” “If we need to sneak around, we will need to be hidden. Don’t worry, it’s a good cloak, it even blocks some hexes — like your jackets!” Ginny shook her head. “No, you don’t need that to become invisible. Besides, we don’t have anywhere to put an invisibility cloak. Just grab your wand and let’s go.” Harry put the cloak back down and they both said goodnight to Remus and Teddy, watching as they used the Floo to go home. Harry ushered Ginny out the door and set the locking charms behind him. He turned to face her as they prepared to Apparate. “Wait a moment, you don’t have a purse… where is your wand?” Harry asked. Ginny smirked at him. “Wouldn’t you like to know.” |
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