I can take care of you (under editing)

Chapter 20: Return

Severus paced his study, looking at the bedraggled students before him. Students who'd just discovered a murder.

Ryo watched him worriedly. This was a serious situation. If a member of the ministry had been murdered on school grounds, they had a case of political warfare on their hands.

He ushered the kids to the sofa, they were rigid with shock, likely traumatised. Seeing death first hand would do that. He brewed some tea and handed it to the students. "Drink up..." he murmured. "You too Sev..."

Severus shook his head, making a dismissive gesture with his hand. "Not right now. I need to think." He mumbled, before dissolving into a muttering tirade, talking to himself.

"Dad...what are we going to do..." Sebastian whispered. "Will the school think it was us...? I swear I had nothing to do with it!"

"I don't know what we're going to do Sebastian. Not yet. I need time to think...but I promise I won't let you take any of the blame." Severus promised as he knelt in front of Sebastian. Holding his hands gently.

Sebastian nodded. His chest felt tight. A crushing weight surrounding him.

"Alright, drink your tea and go to bed, all of you." Severus sighed.

The kids drank their tea and left, leaving Severus and Ryo to mull over the situation at hand.

"Do you think it's Dumbeldore?" Ryo asked.

"Not directly, he'd of hired someone to do it for him." Severus murmured. "I just don't know who, Sebastian said the shadow was broad, so we're looking for someone of that build, but it's like looking for a needle in a haystack with all these guests here for the tournament, I bet that's the whole reason Dumbledore agreed to hold it."

"So we need to look at new faces not old. What about Karkaroff?" Ryo asked.

Snape shook his head. "No, he's not a follower of Dumbledore's Voldemort, but of Tom's." It was true the man had given up his name in front of the Wizenmagot, however Karkaroff had later revealed to him that before he was hauled up in front of the jury, he'd been tortured with the Cruciatus curse and Dementors, before being put under the Imperius curse.

However, whoever had cast the Imperious curse was interrupted, just in time for Karkaroff to give up the name of Barty Crouch Jr.

Though Snape had to admit that it was odd that it was Barty Crouch who had died tonight.

Perhaps who ever had put Karkaroff under the Imperius curse hadn't wanted Barty Crouch Jr's name to get out, and perhaps had a vendetta against Crouch Senior? Was it a family feud? Or was crouch simply in the cross-fires because he was part of the ministry?

Snape would need to talk to Karkaroff again, though he wasn't sure how much help the man would be, when they'd been catching up, owing to the fact that they were using Durmstrang as a cover for Sebastian, and while he could easily implant fake memories into the students minds, Karkaroff wasn't as easily fooled.

Snape had explained the situation, and Karkaroff had apologised for throwing him under the bus, and had revealed what he'd been put through. Though he'd also said it was hazy, the toll of being subjected to the Dementors had destroyed the man's mind to a point of disrepair. Even now Karkaroff was a shell of the man he used to be.

It wouldn't hurt to try though.

"Okay so not him, I highly doubt it's the French woman, Sebastian certainly would of remarked on the height, and her build is too slender." Ryo murmured. "So one of the students...? I find that hard to believe, but perhaps it's someone masquerading as a student using Polyjuice potion?" Ryo suggested as he perched on the leather sofa, watching Severus pace.