The Time-Meddlers [Harmione]

18. Sirius Horcrux Hunting

Double Murder at Hogwarts

By Rita Skeeter

Yesterday morning, the Hogwarts Express brought the Hogwarts students home for the summer, and it appears that they left just in time. The reason is that last night, while the children were settling in their homes, an elderly couple that had been visiting their friend, Headmaster Dumbledore, was robbed and murdered at the gates of Hogwarts. It wasn't just any couple, either. It was the famed Alchemist Nicolas Flamel and his wife, Perenelle.

While Dumbledore refused to divulge what item he believes was stolen, he said that it was a priceless magical artifact that he had just returned to them after they had lent it to him. He also said that he believes this double murder was the work of Bellatrix Lestrange, recently escaped from Azkaban....

"What...how?" said Harry eloquently as he crumbled up the newspaper in frustration. He was at the Grangers' house with Hermione, having arrived through the vanishing cabinet shortly after her parents left for work. She had shown him the article since she had a subscription but he didn't.

Hermione took a deep breath. "Well, we know it wasn't Bellatrix who stole the Stone, but that doesn't mean Voldemort wasn't responsible for this."

"Instead of trying to sneak into the castle, he decided to bide his time until it was removed," said Harry, looking angry. "We should've known he'd pull off something like this once I got Quirrel killed! He'll probably be resurrected in a week! Dammit!"

"We don't know for sure that it was him," said Hermione, trying to calm her boyfriend down.

"Then who was it?" he snapped at her.

"Don't yell at me!" she screamed back. "I'm not the one who killed the Flamels!"

Harry took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I just don't want things to get worse than they were before."

"You're forgiven. Now, to answer your question, I don't know. There are other possibilities. It could be Snape. He knew about the stone being there."

"If it was him, then Voldemort has it now." Harry paused. "What if it was Dumbledore?"

Hermione looked at him as though he'd grown a second head. "Dumbledore? Why..."

"He could've killed them himself and claimed someone else did it so he could keep the Stone."

"I don't think..."

"Anyone capable of leaving a baby at the Dursleys' doorstep," interrupted Harry, "anyone who would subject children to Snape, is capable of anything if he thinks it serves his greater good."

"While I agree with you about the Headmaster's questionable morality, I don't think Professor Dumbledore did this," argued Hermione. "It doesn't make sense. Even if he were going to kill them, which I doubt, he wouldn't do it on Hogwarts' grounds, nor would he tell the Daily Prophet or Ministry that they'd been robbed. It would only bring attention to the fact the Stone is missing."

Sighing, Harry conceded, "I suppose you're right. I just don't have any other suspects."

"There could've been someone who had planned to do this in the original timeline, but didn't get the opportunity because of what we did the first time around."

Harry grinned for a moment. "I suppose so." He shrugged his shoulders. "It could even have been a Goblin who knew about the Philosopher's Stone and planned this so he could make unlimited gold."

"You never know," replied Hermione doubtfully. She sighed. "I'm sure that whoever did steal it will reveal himself eventually."

"Unfortunately," agreed Harry. "What we've got to do now is plan our quest for the Horcruxes."