Elisabeth Eurus Holmes...Or was it Potter?

Chapter 12

I had come top of the year, scoring Outstanding for every exam. Desk work was so boring so, like my brother and boyfriend, I became an Auror which is the magical version of a police officer. It was the closest magical job to a detective. It was Lily and James' wedding in a few days, Sirius, unsurprisingly, was the best man. Just last week, Tom, a crazed wizard who wanted nothing more than to kill all muggles and basically anyone that wasn't a pureblood, had tried to recruit me though I told him to sod off, punching him on the face as I did so.

Now, however, Sirius and I were shopping for what we were going to wear at my twin's wedding.

...

After Sirius' speech was mine. I began with a few funny stories about my twin and how he pinned after Lily since day one but, finally got her.

"James Fleamont Potter is one of the two reasons we are all here today..." I trailed off slightly, my brows furrowed.

Something felt... off.

"Elisabeth?" I heard Sirius whisper confused next to me. My eyes snapped to his then around the room once more. I cleared my throat uncomfortably, well aware of everyone staring at me.

"Ermm...Sorry about that." I said chuckling humorously. "Who doesn't love games?" I asked rhetorically. "Let's play a game. A game of murder. Let's say someone was going to get murdered at a wedding, who would you choose?" 

There was an eerie silence, people looking at me like I had grown two heads-maybe I had, who knows? 

"More importantly, who could you only kill at a wedding? Most people you could kill at any old place, in fact, as a mental exercise, I've often planned the murder of friends and colleagues." I continued, "For example, Sirius, I would poison. Sloppy eater, dead easy-I've given him chemicals and compounds that way-he missed a whole Sunday once, didn't even have a clue. Peter's so easy to kill, I'm surprised no one's succumbed to the temptation. I've got the spare key to my brother's house, I could easily break in there and asphyxiate him if the whim arose. So, once again, who could you only kill here? Clearly it's a rare opportunity, so it's someone who doesn't get out much... So it can't be anyone working in the ministry. It has to be someone who lives far- recluse but the murderer knew they were coming to the wedding, months in advance. They've had time to practice." 

My mind was whirring, thinking about all the cases I have had as an Auror in the past three months but none of them stood out. "It's been planned and rehearsed... Ladies and Gentlemen, there will now be a short interlude. The bride and groom everyone!" As there were a few claps, I walked to one of the extra rooms, well aware of Sirius, Remus, James and Lily following me.

"Eurus, what in Merlin's name is going on?" James demanded.

"Weren't you listening? Someone's going to die... It won't be the killing curse-that's traceable..."

"You know, something similar happened at my wedding." My eyes snapped up looking at John who had appeared next to Lily.

"Of course! But, the cameraman this time is my mother and I can assure you she couldn't kill a fly..." My eyes widened when I realised who was going to kill who and why. "Remus, Sirius, tie up Thomas Dursley. Make sure you are two metres away from him at all times and make sure he isn't close to anyone. Got it?"

"Thomas Dursley?" Lily questioned softly.

"Your sister's fiancée's identical twin brother." I began but John cut me off.

"See Sherlock! It can be twins!" He exclaimed happily, making Sherlock roll his eyes.

"He switched places with his brother between the wedding ceremony and here." I continued, "The two brothers, ever since laying eyes on you and your sister, had planned their lives out. Vernon was to marry Petunia and Thomas was to marry you. Of course, it was hard living on the other side of the country so, when the wedding invitation went to your sister, who extended it to her fiancée, who in turn sent a text to his twin, Thomas started working on what he should do. He was, predictably, angry when he heard this, so he devised a plan. Using a pocket knife his father had given him, he dipped the knife in different poisons and with the poisoned knife, nicked his sheep while shearing them. When he found the poison he thought was strong enough, he tried it on a person. Olga Jones. She was the same height and build as Lily, and, when that worked, he had what he thought was the perfect plan. While Lily was dancing, he would accidentally bump into her, scraping her arm with the poisoned dagger before walking off. Isn't that right?" I asked turning to face the 23-year-old who was tied and levitating between Sirius and Remus.

"And I would have gotten away with it too." I simply smiled lightly as he was taken by head Auror Moody.

"H-how did you know that?"

"The Science of Deduction," I said simply.

"Isn't that like observing?" Lily asked while James said, "The what?"

"Observing and deduction are quite different. For example, I can see that after the wedding ceremony, Sirius went to the jewellery store in Diagon Alley then proceeded to go home instead of going straight home to get the wedding gift."

"How did you know that?" Sirius asked with his mouth slightly agape.

"Your dress robes and shoes. Your shoes have small scratches along them meaning you have been to the cobbled streets of Diagon Alley while your dress robes, which are slightly dirty and muddy at the ends suggests you did go home as the grass was watered this morning. The creases and slight bulge on your trouser pockets suggest something small is placed there. Deduction, however, tells me that the small thing must be a piece of jewellery-why else wouldn't you tell me? Which therefore leaves the jewellery piece to be a ring. So, you plan to propose. Seeing as you asked me to meet you at Hogsmeade tomorrow, suggests that you were going to take me somewhere in the forbidden forest to propose to me. Oh, and I say yes to your proposition." As the words sunk in, Sirius was the first to react, sweeping me into a kiss while sliding the engagement ring onto my finger.

"That was absolutely brilliant."

"James, Lily, you should probably continue with the wedding."

"Oh yes, right."