Work Text:
It is an average afternoon for Hermione Granger. She just has left work. It has been a stressful day. She has been investigating the case of a serial killer that was attacking single witches. No one knows his motivations, but every victim was decapitated with a severing charm. Only their heads were found in Diagon Alley. Among the victims Hermione knew were Su Li, Sophie Roper, and Tracey Davis.
Hermione needs a distraction. She puts on her favorite casual clothes and goes to her favorite cafeteria in the muggle world. She orders her favorite cappuccino, and starts reading the book she has been reading.
A person sits in front of her. Hermione lifts her eyes from her book. She sees the chubby face of her old classmate Ernie Macmillan.
“Ernie! What are you doing here?” Hermione rushes to hug him.
“I was going to buy something for my sister’s birthday and I saw you here. What about you?” Ernie replies.
“I needed to blow off some steam. Work has been stressful.”
“I’ve heard of the news. Bad for business. Women are scared of going out alone.”
“Yeah, is a shame that Harry and Ron retired from the Auror department or they would have cracked the case. But Harry is happy with Ginny in America, and Ron is traveling the world to find himself.”
“Do you seriously believe they’d have cracked this case? I thought you carried them through the classes.”
“They are both smart in their own right, my friend. I only grammar checked their essays.” Hermione drinks another sip from her coffee. “What have you been doing Ernie?”
“I’ve been taking over the family business.”
“Ward runestones, right?”
“Yeah!”
Hermione and Ernie continue talking and getting reacquainted.
“I’m having a lot of fun, Hermione. Do you want to come to my house for some tea?”
“Of course!”
They both apparate to one of the Macmillan secondary properties, a cabin near the beach. Hermione says, “Wow! This is beautiful!”
They both walk into the cabin. Hermione asks, “May I use the bathroom? I want to look good.”
“Of course!”
Hermione enters the bathroom. She starts to brush her hair. Her eyes scan the room, she notices four pictures, one of Su Li, another of Sophie Roper, another of Tracey Davis, another of herself. Before she reacts, Ernie enters the room, “I’m sorry.” He points his wand to her neck, “Diffindo!”