𝑺𝑶𝑳𝑺𝑻𝑰𝑪𝑬 [𝑯𝑨𝑹𝑹𝒀 𝑷𝑶𝑻𝑻𝑬𝑹/𝑻𝑾𝑰𝑳𝑰𝑮𝑯𝑻]

𝐷𝑅𝐴𝑊𝑁 𝑇𝑂 𝑇𝐻𝐸 𝐵𝐿𝑂𝑂𝐷

Gwen tried to fight through her hangover as she showered and prepared herself to look as professional as possible. Even though she was just going to question Tanya, Viktor, Kreacher, and the victim, she knew she needed to look presentable. It wasn't a social visit unfortunately. And she needed to dress the part.

Thankfully, Astoria succeeded in getting them their elixirs that brought them back to life. Gwen didn't feel good as new, but she was definitely more clear headed.

Gwen dressed in fine emerald robes and tied her raven hair back into a high bun, leaving loose and wavy pieces of her hair down to frame her face. She looked at herself in the mirror as she fixed her makeup, knowing it was as good as it was going to get.

When Harry appeared with their coffee's, a look of surprise engaged his face, "You er-- look nice."

"Don't sound so surprised" Gwen teased, trying to hide the nervousness of what she was feeling by her humor.

"Where did everyone go?" Harry asked, dropping off the multiple coffees he had brought for the pack of friends.

"We have to get ahead of this, right?" Gwen stated, taking a coffee from him.

"Right."

"So, they're getting ahead of it" Gwen replied, as the two walked together down the broken cobblestone path of Hogsmeade.

It was early enough that there weren't many villagers on the street, but not so early that shopkeepers were not up and about to open their stores. Gwen was glad the incident had happened in the early hours of the morning, and not during midday when the streets and shops were bursting with villagers. Who knows what horrors would have happened then.

"Why did Kreacher call you so late?" Gwen asked, wishing the Elf would have called them immediately after the incident. Even though she would not have been coherent enough to even understand the incident at 3AM.

"He went directly to Kingsley," Harry replied. "Kreacher wanted to make sure this didn't get out. Viktor stayed behind with Kreacher to make sure Tanya drank more dragon blood and controlled herself."

"This...I still can't believe this" Gwen said, as they made it to Kreacher's Lodge. "There has to be an explanation."

"Whatever happens, we'll get to the bottom of this" Harry said, looking unsure of what to say next as he pushed the wooden door open to the lodge.

The raven-haired woman scanned the room and immediately spotted Tanya's long strawberry-blond hair at the bar; she was holding her head down shamefully; Viktor Krum stood next to her tall, longer haired and much bulkier than she remembered him.

"Good morning" she greeted, as Harry held up his badge.

"Oh, put it down" Gwen said, as she didn't even take out her badge. "They know who we are."

"Gwen, I'm so ashamed!" Tanya cried, as Gwen could see how breathtakingly beautiful the vampire was, even as she looked terribly distraught. "Accidents have happened in the past, but never like this. I just..I don't even know what came over me!"

"You did nothing vrong" Viktor urged her, as he turned to Gwen and Harry with pleading eyes. "Ve vere only here for a night cap. Ve came down from our room and there vos a man who cut his arm open when he saw us!"

Gwen and Harry looked at each other, as they walked toward the couple.

"Slow down," Harry said, quickly as he took out his note pad. "Let's start at the beginning."

"You said a man was here, the victim?" Gwen asked quickly, as she looked around the completely empty lodge. "Where is he?"

"Gone, miss" Kreacher croaked, as he came out of his office. "I was here at 2:00 AM when the stranger appeared. My employee called out, I took over their shift. He was alone, he sat drinking on his own. I've never seen him before. Not a familiar face."