Two days later, the work of Harry Potter – a young Auror – was suddenly interrupted by a knock on the door. Ron Weasley, who’d just started his training recently, sighed and went to the door. When he saw the man on the threshold, he cursed.

‘I’m going outta here, boss, I just got in for a moment…’

‘Stay here, Weasley. Is Potter in?’ Gawain Robards asked.

Harry set the papers he’s been reading through aside.

‘I’m right here, boss. What’s the matter?’

Gawain rubbed at his face and sat in an unoccupied hair. He coughed several times, as though he didn’t know what to say.

‘I’m afraid I don’t bring good news. Nah, it’s not about your wife or godson’ he added, lifting his palms up, when Harry started to get out of his chair ‘I don’t know how to say it, so I’ll be short – your parents’ grave at Godric’s Hollow was desecrated’

Ron opened his mouth and went to keep his brother-in-law standing up. The young Auror was shaking his head, as though trying to get his thoughts into a semblance of order.

‘Bloody hell! What happened?’ Ron asked.

‘Someone has broken into the grave of Lily and James Potter. Lily’s coffin has been opened and her body is missing. Her name and the dates were also removed from the gravestone’

‘Who could’ve done it?!’

‘I have no bloody idea!’ a frustrated Robards exclaimed. ‘That looks like pure madness! I’d normally set several Aurors to work on the case, but we’re short on men. I think you two are the best people to solve it.’ The Head Auror moved to leave, but stopped in the doorway ‘Potter? You got any idea who could have done it?’

Harry shook his head weakly.

‘I’m very sorry, Potter’ Robards said and left.

Ron mashed a clean sheet of paper into a ball and threw it at the door.

‘Maybe some guy’d hated your parents?’ he asked almost off-handedly.

‘Who?’ His brother-in-law pierced him with a look. ‘Everyone who’d known my parents well is dead. I could have understood it if it was about James – he must have made some enemies at school.’

‘Well, yeah, and everyone thinks your mum a hero. Almost a saint- Hey, maybe someone is crazy about her? Y’know, wanted to keep her to himself?’

The young Auror got up and reached for his cloak.

‘I have no damned idea’ he said, before he Disapparated.

***

Harry Potter sighed dejectedly. He’d already been to the cemetery in Godric’s Hollow – and had seen that Robards had indeed spoken truly – and he’s already gone through the old photo albums in search of any possible clues.

The door opened with a loud crack and his wife, Ginny, stood in the doorway. She shrugged out of her Holyhead Harpies robes and walked quickly towards him to hug him.

‘Oh, Harry, I just heard… I’m so sorry. Is any of you working on it?’

‘Robards dumped the case onto Ron and me’ he muttered darkly.

‘Well, maybe you’ll have better luck finding the culprit than someone who’d only heard about them in the tales of the Boy-Who-Lived. All the newspapers are already writing about it, but no one has any idea who could have done it’

‘Neither do I’ the young man said angrily, drumming his fingers on the table.

Ginny rubbed her chin thoughtfully while preparing food.

‘Maybe it was someone close to your mum? A girlfriend?’

‘I don’t know that she had one… But that’s a thought! I’ll look into it…’

‘Or maybe…’ Ginny hesitated suddenly ‘You know, your mum was young and beautiful. Did she have… any other admirers aside from your dad?’

Harry wanted to say “no”, but he remembered Snape suddenly. Lily’s childhood friend, whose love was not reciprocated…

‘Gin, you’re a genius! Yeah, there was someone…’ the man stopped, having suddenly remembered something ‘But he’s dead…’

‘You sure?’

‘I’ve seen him die… bleed to death…’

Mrs. Potter furrowed her brows. Those words brought only a single man to her mind.

‘Snape? Professor Snape?’

Harry nodded.

‘Did you know everything he did was for her? For my mother?’

Tbc.