We Will Shine {Book 6 in the Star of Gryffindor Series}

Chapter 9 - Mundane Things

She shook her head, frowning. "Do you want me to ask around?"

"No, no. That could be suspicious, especially right now. Just, if you hear anything, let me know. We've had a lot of unsolved cases lately. I suppose it could just be some muggle arsonists, but I'd like to be sure."

Wren nodded. "Okay. I'll let you know."

As soon as the door had closed behind us, I turned to her. "There've been murders? Of muggles?"

"I didn't know," she said quickly. "I mean, I didn't realize it was more than normal. I knew it happened occasionally, of course..." I blinked; what? "Maybe Colette would know about it," she said softly.

We rushed into the common room five minutes later to find her sitting at a table in a corner, several books about mental health propped up around her. "Hey," I said, frowning at the odd assortment and momentarily forgetting my question. "Are you good?"

"Of course," she said, giving me a weird look.

"Then what's with the books?"

"Oh," she said. "These aren't for me. I'm seeing if I can make a spell to reduce anxiety. For Professor Edwards."

I nodded, sitting down. "Any luck?"

"I've only just started researching. It's quite a long process, Astra."

"We had a question," Wren said, sitting down across from me. "Have... Have you heard about muggles being murdered, lately?"

Colette frowned. "More than normal?" How was everyone so bloody calm about that? What was normal? Because, from my viewpoint, normal should be no murders.

"I think so," Wren was saying. "Mr. Potter asked if I knew anything about muggle families being killed." She shrugged. "I don't have any idea."

"I mean, there's always a list in the Quibbler of suspicious deaths and disappearances. I never pay much attention to it."

"Mr. Potter seemed concerned," I said. "I think we should try to find out more."

Colette shrugged. "All right. I think Madam Pince has the Quibbler on archive. We can go look after the library opens tomorrow."

"Oh, there's Quidditch trials tomorrow," I said lamely.

"How important is that, really?"

"James said he'd need my help picking a new Beater..."

"He can't do it himself?"

"Well, no, because he's got to see how well they can work with him, and he can't very watch and play at the same time."

Colette rolled her eyes. "Fine. Wren and I will go to the library tomorrow, and you can go play Quidditch, because that's obviously more important."

"I never said that!"

"You choose what you do based on your priorities," Colette said, raising an eyebrow. "I just inferred, from your choices—"

"Oh, shut up—"

"You can come join us, after," Wren suggested, cutting me off. "If you wanted..."

As much as I wanted to know what was going on, now that I thought about it, that sounded like no fun whatsoever. I was definitely more the type to listen to what other people who had done their research said. However, I smiled weakly. "Maybe, yeah."

"I guess that'll do," Colette said, rolling her eyes again.

"Bring James and Albus with you, too, maybe," Wren suggested, smiling.