Chapter 72

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Chapter 72: A Scene of Silence and Shadows

Amelia Bones stepped through the grand entrance of Malfoy Manor, her sharp eyes scanning the luxurious yet eerily silent halls. The scent of charred wood and lingering magic clung to the air like a specter, and she could feel the tension radiating from the Aurors flanking her.

Alastor Moody, ever the seasoned warhound, walked beside her, his magical eye spinning in erratic motions as it took in every angle, every corner, every trace of disturbance. Behind them, James Potter and Sirius Black moved with quiet efficiency, their wands at the ready, their expressions grim.

The sheer violence of what had occurred here was unlike anything Amelia had seen in a long time. Five bodies, five of the most dangerous Death Eaters in history, were lying cold in the wreckage of what had once been Lucius Malfoy's pristine study.

And no sign of the perpetrator. No trace of Lucius Malfoy.

Narcissa Malfoy had woken this morning to the sight of the carnage in her home, finding her husband missing and the remains of five of Voldemort's most devoted followers. She had sent a frantic message to the Aurors, and now here they were, trying to make sense of the impossible.

James let out a slow breath as he crouched next to the body of Barty Crouch Jr., whose lifeless eyes still stared up at the ceiling, mouth twisted in an expression of sheer agony. His robes were scorched, as if he had been struck by lightning at close range. The same could be said for Rodolphus Lestrange, his bodies marred by unnatural burns, his hands still curled as if he had died mid-spell.

Dolohov's corpse was contorted in a twisted, unnatural position, his face frozen in terror. And Bellatrix Lestrange…

She lay motionless near the fireplace, her wand still clutched in her grip, her once-manic features now slack and lifeless.

James swallowed, a familiar sense of déjà vu washing over him.

"This reminds me of Umbridge," he murmured, glancing at Sirius.

Sirius nodded slowly, his jaw tightening. "No trace left behind. Just bodies. No magical signature, no clues, no nothing."

Amelia frowned. Dolores Umbridge had been found dead a year ago—executed in her home by an unknown force, leaving behind only a lingering sense of terror. And now… this.

She turned to Alastor. "Anything?"

Alastor let out a grunt, kneeling beside Bellatrix and running a gloved hand over the scorched remains of her robes. "Not a trace. Whoever did this made sure to cover their tracks. No residual magic, no lingering signatures." His magical eye spun wildly. "It's like these bastards just dropped dead out of nowhere."

Amelia straightened, pressing her lips into a thin line. "Is there anything we can use to track whoever did this?"

A silence fell over the room.

Sirius exhaled sharply. James shook his head.

Moody let out a rough chuckle. "What would we do if we did find them? Give them a bloody medal?"

Amelia shot him a sharp look. "I'm not in the mood for jokes, Alastor. What about Lucius Malfoy? Any trace of him?"

James and Sirius exchanged glances before shaking their heads.

"No," James admitted. "It's like he vanished."

"I'll tell you this, though," Alastor said, standing up with a grim expression. "Lucius Malfoy is dead."

Amelia's gaze snapped to him. "You found something?"

"No," Alastor replied, but his voice was filled with certainty. "But I'll bet everything I own that he's dead."

A cold weight settled in Amelia's stomach. "Where's the body, then?"

Alastor's lips curled in a grim smile. "Gone. Disposed of. Whoever did this is smart. Killing five escaped Death Eaters? That's fine—hell, most of the Ministry will probably celebrate it. But Lucius Malfoy? He's officially an upstanding member of society. Killing him openly would stir up trouble."

The implication hung heavy in the air.

Lucius Malfoy had been dealt with.

But whoever had done this had ensured that his death would not be found. No body, no proof, no justice. Just a silent disappearance.

James ran a hand through his hair. "So what do we tell the Ministry?"

Alastor let out a dry chuckle. "Fudge is going to love this. Five Death Eaters, taken care of with no trace of the one responsible? He'll jump and celebrate the second he hears it. The Ministry will take credit for it, make a public statement, and push the whole bloody investigation under the rug."

Amelia sighed, rubbing her temples. She hated to admit it, but Alastor was right. The Ministry would never want to question a situation that made them look good. The Minister would call it a "miracle of justice" and move on.

And they would be given a different assignment—find the missing Lucius Malfoy.

Sirius scoffed. "We all know Lucius is dead, and now we have to pretend to look for him? Great."

James shook his head. "The worst part is… whoever did this? They're out there. Watching. Planning. And we have no idea who they are."

Amelia exhaled. No, we don't.

But she had a feeling that this was not the last time they would encounter this shadow in the dark.