A Cup Affair

Chapter Thirteen

Hello, dear readers! Sorry for missing last Sunday, but my long distance boyfriend came to see me last weekend and I was unable to post.

Hopefullly this chapter will be worth the wait.

See you next Sunday! Enjoy!

"Back from the beginning, Evans, I'm lost."

Lily sighed. She was plenty aware that her explanation made no sense at all, but she wanted Moody to have understood anyway. He had ordered a portion of chips for them to share, also refilling their drinks.

"Since the beginning of this case we've been thinking Jack's been killed by a Wizard, in a Wizarding fashion, because he was a Wizard. And because the murder was here, in a Wizarding environment," Lily said when the waiter left.

"And it had to be a Wizard to get inside, Evans," Moody replied, looking at her with his normal eye while the other spun around the pub.

"Yes, I agree with you, but we haven't found out how he was killed so far, have we?"

"No, we haven't."

"That's because we, as Wizards, were only looking for magic causes of death. But as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle says..."

"Who?"

"Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, he's written fantastic books, I reckon you'd like some...anyway, he's got a saying that is, 'once we eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth'."

"Your point, Evans?"

"My point, sir, is that the killer used a Muggle meth-" she stopped talking as the drinks arrived, and waited until they were alone again to continue, "used a Muggle method to murder Jack."

"All this based on the fact we can't determine the cause of death?"

"Yes, sir. Think about it, there's not a single person with Muggle relations in that part of the department, and that's why this possibility was never considered by them!"

Moody sipped deeply and sighed.

"Maybe. So we're looking for a murder who's related in some way with the Muggle community? It makes no sense with our line that the motive is somewhat a revenge against the Minister," he argued, and Lily shook her head.

"Not necessarily, sir, no. Actually, I think the possible use of a Muggle method was a subterfuge to hurt the Minister's image through the investigation, or a simply cruel reminder, or a provocation, or a warning regarding her ideas about Muggles," Lily explained, "or a simple attempt to confuse our investigation by not using the easiest way Wizards know to kill, or to make us look for a Muggleborn."

"But it doesn't eliminate the possibility of our culprit being Muggle related," Moody said.

"No. No, it doesn't. But I've got a..."

"A hunch?" Moody asked, his voice slightly mocking.

"You know better than anyone my hunches are usually right."

"Usually, not always, Evans," Moody reminded her.

Lily rolled her eyes but kept quiet as her boss absorbed her ponderings. She knew he needed to mull over everything before making a decision or agreeing completely with her, but she was certain she was right. She had a, well, a hunch that told her it was the right direction to follow.

The chips' plate was empty when Moody finally showed any inclination towards Lily's line of thinking.

"Let's say for argument's sake you're right, Evans. What else suggests it was a Muggle method or makes you think of this profile of suspect?"