Chapter 58.6- Doom Days

“I see how far it goes, Scrimmy, but what can I do when you won’t give me leave to investigate this properly.”

“Don’t start that with me today, Mad-eye. I know you’re keen to believe any conspiracy theory that comes your way but use some logic, man. The assertion that you-know-who is back has little logical basis. And you’d be calling it silly if it was anyone other than Dumbledore peddling this. We heard the animated corpse back in Surrey just as surely as you did and it was clear enough that this is a new threat”

“Which is exactly what Voldemort would do if he wanted to avoid scrutiny” The Head auror flinched at the name just as surely as Tonks did, and then he flushed, realising what had just happened. Tonks watched him squeeze his fists shut.

“No. Enough of that. Forget about that and investigate this properly”

“Okay, give me leave to bring in Malfoy and I’ll get him talking in no time”

“No Moody. No arresting respectable purebloods with no evidence other than your gut feeling. We can’t have what happened in ’84 happening again.”

“Then don’t blame me if the killings continue.”

“Get out of my office, Moody. Do some damn proper investigation and get answers before I choose to assign this to someone else” Scrimgeor said.

And then they were off.

“Pah. As if Scrimmy could give this to anyone else” Mad-eye scoffed as the door slammed shut behind them. Tonks said nothing, pretty certain that the Head Auror would in fact give the cases to someone else if they kept being unable to find answers. When Mad-Eye Moody of all people had returned to active duty and taken her on as his partner, she had expected many things.

A wild goose chase after a dead dark lord and his dismantled following was not one of them.

“Let’s go back to forensics. Tonks, tell me what we know of the latest victims”

“The Polkiss family. Four members— James, Theresa, Piers, and William Polkiss. Same as with the other killings, one family member, Piers, went to the same muggle school as both Dudley Dursley, Victim 3, and Harry Potter, POI 1. They were found in the same position as Victims 1 through 7, the muggle crucifixion” She said, reciting all that they had been able to ascertain.

“Good. Now following procedure, what do you say we do next?” He asked, and if he expected to stump her then he was going to be surprised.

“Bring in POI 1 and question him” She said.

“Good. Now why haven’t we done that?”

“He’s out of jurisdiction” She said, and wasn’t that something. A Person of Interest being out of country could fuck up their investigation in ways that training hadn’t quite managed to drive home. The warrant procedure alone was a bitch and a half.

“Good” Mad-eye said before stopping right in the middle of the bullpen and grabbing a flying paper airplane from the air. He opened it, nodding and humming to himself before he folded it and tossed it at her.

“Get ready, Tonks. We’re off to Broekzele.”

“What?”

“That’s our warrant. Pay attention, girl”