Death During Dinner

**Genine Diggory**

"So there I was, sculking carefully in the middle of Finsbury Circus Garden, knowing that at any time the hidebehind could jump out to catch me by surprise. All of a sudden, something out of the corner of my eye pops into visibility," Amos narrates, animated in the chandelier's candlelight glowing overhead; His face highlighted in the setting sun.

"What was it?" Lenne asks, hanging on to every word of the story Amos uses whenever the opportunity arises. Her eyes shine golden with intrigue as she stares across the table from me and Amos, shoving her vegetables to the side. We've been living here for two years. Frankly, I'm surprised he didn't bust it out when they first met.

Glancing over to Cedric, he gives me a playful eye-roll of comradery as Amos revels in the silence. "While I mainly ride the desk, my reflexes are as sharp as ever. Wand in hand, I immediately turn and cast a stunning jinx. I'm glad I only shot a simple stunning jinx… for what reports of a dangerous Hidebehind loose in London turned out to be old man Fabous running around with a fur coat and an invisibility cloak!"

Amos's laughter fills the large dining room as Leanne joins along half-heartedly: not getting the joke. At this point, most of our plates have been picked clean, aside from the carrots and peas that still rest on Leanne's plate.

"Coma seus vegetais!" I order Leanne, knowing her aversion to vegetables.

"Sim mamãe," Leanne mumbled, slowing beginning on the portion of the meal she's ignored.

"How are you fluent in two languages and learning a third, yet get the grades you do?" Cedric quips, reminding me how long it took for me to teach her my mother tongue. Cedric sits the most casually dressed out of all of us, wearing only a basic red shirt and jeans.

Leanne sets down her plate and puts her BSL lessons to use, signing something to Cedric, and getting a chuckle in response. Leanne contrasts Cedric, wearing a white sundress.

"Remind me why we hired a sign language teacher when we could have just asked your friend to teach you both?" Amos asks, hoping anything said wasn't obscene.

Leanne smiles warmly as her hair slightly glows in response, "I want it to be a surprise. Besides, it would be a pain to have to go all the way to Diagon Alley every week."

"The Floo Network is always an option," Cedric chimes in.

"That always messes with my hair," Leanne responds, touching her hair.

As the conversation goes on, my mind wanders through the large window and outside. The sun's setting fills the sky, painting it a swirl of orange, yellow, and green. As the glow of the sun decreases, fireflies dance in the sloping hills of the field. A small object catches my eye as it glides over the horison. Squinting, a pit forms in my stomach as soon as I identify the owl, knowing the only reason we would be getting one this time of night.

Getting closer and closer, my hope of being wrong fades. Sliding out of my seat, my action is noticed as the conversation dims slightly. Opening the paneled window, the Eagle Owl perches on the frame. The dining room grows silent as it swoops down. Grabbing the letter out of its beak, the Ministry's wax seal stops all wondering; the Half-breed Killer struck again.

My eyes lock with Amos as we have a silent conversation. Sliding his wand out of his green cloak, draped over a white button-up and trousers, he begins waving it as our food starts wrapping itself up. Leanne and Cedric exchange looks. Without a word, they begin to quickly finish the last remaining items on their plates.

Grabbing my wand out of my hair bun, I aim out the window and focus on the day Leanne was born; "Expecto Patronum!"

White and blue wisps of energy swirl out the window as it gently twists into the shape of a brown bear. It begins barreling down the hill, now fully corporeal, to send its message. Breaking the wax seal, the contents causes me to gulp.

Genine and Amos Diggory,

Homicide of unidentified Half-breed with possible connections to five active investigations already assigned. Crime Scene at 31 Endell Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 9BA.

Ministry of Magic

Knowing the place, I leave the dispatch on the counter to pass through the large dining room and move through the large foyer to catch up with Leanne, Cedric, and Amos. Unlike me, they all only need to put on their shoes.

"Mamãe! Can we bring our brooms?" Leanne asks with her and Cedric's brooms already in hand. Glancing at Amos, he gives a nod of approval.

"I don't see why not," I say, grabbing my fedora, hip wand holster, and thin brown coat from the rack beside the door. Slipping my coat over my warm yellow blouse and high wasted pants, a knock rattles on the door. Being the only one done, Leanne opens the door only to slightly frown at the visitor.

"Arthur! Thank you so much for coming!" Amos booms his greeting, giving him a firm handshake.

"Thank you, Arthur, but you didn't have to come all the way over here. We would've come to you," I say, giving the tall redhead my greeting and giving myself a mental reminder to talk to Leanne.

"It's alright. Besides, it gave me an excuse to take it for a drive," Arthur Weasley cheered, motioning to a blue car I've never seen before.

"Merlin's beard, you bought a Muggle machine! How did you convince Molly of that?" Amos voiced his shock, going to get a closer look.

"It was a journey I'll tell you but in the end..." Arthur explains, Their conversation fading as they move closer to the car.

Crouching down, I turn to Leanne and look her in the eye with a comforting smile, "Leanne, don't do anything that I wouldn't do," At my words, Leanne puts in the effort to smile back, disguising her worry.

"And Cedric," turning to look at him, his shoulders stiffen, "look after your sister."

At my words he relaxes, "when am I not?"

Giving them both a pat on the head, I unholster my wand to put out the candles of the house and lock the door. The dirt road crunches beneath our feet as we approach the muggle vehicle. Fireflies continue to dance around as more and more awake from the setting sun. The air hums with the symphony of bug life; particularly in the forest off to the side.

"Arthur, I said they could bring their brooms, I hope that's alright?" I ask, interrupting their conversation.

"Completely, the boys are always up for a game of quidditch," Arthur says with a chuckle, referring to the three boys still living in his house. As he gives the go-ahead, Leanne practically jumps with glee and races to put the brooms in the back seat. Chuckling slightly at Leanne's enthusiasm, Cedric joins her.

As we say our final goodbyes, I move close to Arthur, now behind the wheel. My mouth curves in a thin smile as I make things clear. "If they get so much as a scratch from riding in this I will do everything in my power to make sure you never drive again, understood?"

My threat seems to have worked wonders as Arthur's eyes turn to pinpricks. "Absolutely."

"Great." I continue to emanate bloodlust even as they slowly drive away.

"You didn't have to be that hard on him," Amos comments, chuckling slightly at the memory of Arthur's face.

"Yes, I did," I state plainly, grabbing Amos's hand. Asking if he's ready with a look, he nods in response. Drawing my wand, I concentrate hard on the destination. Pressure pushes on all sides as my stomach lurches forward and everything fades to black.