Display of Grandeur

**Genine Diggory**

The musky visage of rainfall permeates the air. Remnants of the wet evening coat the now slick street, refracting the golden light from streetlamps. Water drips from the worn pub I spot ahead. Turning my gaze away from it, I watch it in my peripherals as a dome of warped light encases the front of the building. It's about time they got them in place.

I can't help but eye the group as Amos leads them to Cross Keys, especially the tiny girl with white hair draping down her back. Her crimson eyes fixate on the pub, and she starts moving almost as if she knows the destination. That can't be, right?

When she said she could help, I almost outright dismissed it. It was only after locking eyes did I agree. Those eyes, like staring into the empty abyss of everything. From the second I saw her, something about her started tugging at the back of my mind. There's no what she's the innocent orphan Ollivander claims she is. Nearing the pub, the child begins speedwalking until she's in front of Amos.

'Are you going to invite me in?' Catlyn holds the note to me as she stops right before the enchanted area. A smile raises behind her mask at the joke.

I hesitate. Something's not right about her, those empty eyes, that blank face. Even with my years on the job and knowing she's only a first year, warning bells sound in the back of my head. We have no leads and have been behind the killer every step of the way. On the other hand, I could be staring right at them.

'I can only do it in there,' she writes, slightly annoyed at the wait. Temper buzzes in the back of my mind. She hasn't even told us what her "help" is. All she gave was, 'it's easier to do than explain.'

Still hesitant, I look to Amos. He merely shrugs and gives a 'why not' gesture. At his opinion, I give in. "Fine."

Getting the go-ahead she's been waiting for, she walks forward to disappear under the Bedazzling hex. Amos follows, then Ollivander, Babbling, and I join closely behind.

The crime scene remains as it was underneath the waterproof barrier. Although, the crowd of muggle cops and most of the Aurors are absent. Draven, Constable Llywelyn, and his partner are the few remaining warm bodies. Draven remains crouched beside the body, now able to magically examine the victim. Constable Llywelyn comes to attention as soon as he sees us. Puzzlement hinds behind his eyes as he looks at the others. Acknowledging him, I give him a look of solidarity.

Catlyn goes slightly further as the rest of us hang back. Closing her eyes, she pauses. The world seems to neal to her demand of stillness as I can feel a slight shift in the air. Slowly, her eyelids lift to reveal a pair of glowing eyes. All of a sudden, Catlyn feels different. It's like a part of her unmasks, raising the dull warning in the back of my head to a pounding yell.

I start to reach for my wand only to register the irregularity in the warning. Ever vigilant, I notice the other Aurors grabbing for their wands and motion for them to stand down. It's not the bloodlust you feel when a vampire stares with their glowing eyes. No, I've felt the bloodlust of a vampire, and this isn't it. It's… power. Not just the kind that can command a room, but something much more. It's the feeling of looking down from the tallest building in the city. The feeling of watching a giant stomp around, hoping you're not the unfortunate ant that it steps on. The pit in your stomach when you're in the middle of the ocean and the only thing around you is darkness.

As if moving on autopilot, no emotion joins her as she moves closer to the body. Her boots make no ripples and remain dry as she crouches, across from Draven, in the pool of blood surrounding the victim. It takes a moment for Draven to notice the ghostly girl. But when he does, he does so with a start.

Drawing his wand, he's able to point it at her before I can interrupt, "Draven!" Lowering it slightly, his confused look moves away from the crimson eye's blank stare to me. "She's fine."

"What's going on?" Draven asks after leaving the victim to Catlyn, who never even flinched at the encounter.

"That's what I would like to know," A sight growl vibrates in the back of my throat as I turn to Ollivander.

"While at Hogwarts, Catlyn confirmed the base existence of magical energy or Mana as it's now called," Ollivander explains, earning a substantial reaction from Amos and Draven.

"How did an eleven-year-old manage to do that?" Amos asks as I hold back my question as to why it's such a big deal. It's not like she came up with the theory of it. All she did was prove a theory that most considered fact.

A small hand silently holds a note out to Amos, startling the group. "I watched how wizards cast magic, closely examined live spells, studied Druids and other spirits, and concentrated on how it felt to cast a spell. Once I did that, I started understanding what Mana felt like and eventually figured out how to see it."

Catlyn turns to me once Amos finishes reciting her explanation. 'May I have the wand?'

Her stare feels like she's looking right through me, into me. The group stays silent as Catlyn takes the wand from me and inches slightly away.

"That's Catlyn Ollivander?" Draven gapes, "I read her thesis on Mana and was skeptical of the validity of it, but Dumbledore endorsed and authenticated it."

"I'd be skeptical too if I hadn't seen her work with my own eyes," Babbling began, "ever since I read it, I've tried to pay attention to the Mana flowing in my body while casting, and I've been able to feel a tiny bit of what Catlyn describes."

"Now that you mention it, I think I read a headline about it. 'Groundbreaking thesis by first-year rocks the foundations of Magic Theory,'" Amos chimes in, sharing the same opinion on the discovery.

I interrupt their nerdgasm, "wait a minute, what's so groundbreaking about discovering magical energy?"

The confirmation of Mana," Draven corrects, "isn't massive on its own. The groundbreaking invention is a technique that can see and feel it. Although Catlyn's ability to see Mana hasn't been replicated at this time-"

"The endorsement from an Order of Merlin, First Class, and replication of Mana sensing gives no reason to doubt this ability," Babbling interrupts in defence of Catlyn.

"Yes, as I was saying," Draven remarks, annoyed at the interruption, "Mana sensing is already being used practically. Healers have been using it to more quickly identify problems in patients and give a more accurate diagnosis. I even used Mana sensing on our victim."

"Hogwarts has already renamed 'Magic Theory' to 'Mana Theory,' and we're discussing the implementation of a new mandatory class on training the ability to sense Mana. My practice in Mana sensing has already greatly increased my control over my magic," Professor Babbling chimes in.

"Truly? I'll have to snag a copy of this thesis." Amos grins at the process of improving his wandsmanship.

Nodding, not a hint of annoyance remains on Draven. "I'll give you this; even though it's early days, it's already clear that Catlyn's abilities are unparalleled."

Pride colors Professor Babbling's cheeks. "Agreed. They even considered awarding her the Order of Merlin, Second Class, no less! She would have already gotten it if there weren't so many rumors surrounding her!"

At the mention of the prodigious award, the weight of her achievement sinks in. As it does, theories begin to form in my brain. What if that's how they pick their targets? Can she see curses? If so, that could explain how she knew the victim was a Werewolf; if she is the killer, that is. Can she see their blood stasis? Is a wizard's Mana different from a Magical being, making Half-breed's identifiable? I'll have to pick up this thesis and pick Professor Babbling's brain.

'This wand belongs to the victim. His Mana rubbed off on the wand. He most likely has used this wand for a long time,' Catlyn reports, handing the wand back to me. As we lock eyes, a pit forms in my stomach. If she can see curses, can she see mine? I ask a few more questions before telling them to remain available and getting Professor Babbling's contact information.

"Update," I tell Draven once they leave the hex.

"I have confirmed my earlier findings. The victim is indeed a Werewolf, and he did ingest the Drink of Despair. I have also determined that the victim died from the Killing Curse," Draven reports. Letting him finish with the victim, I look out at the scene as my mind processes the information.

"What are you thinking?" Amos asks, seeing the pieces fall together in my eyes.

I begin to pace, working it through in my head. "He typically dumps the body. All of the other crime scenes were a dump sight with a message. Here, it's the place he was killed. And the message, it's shakier and done quicker."

Amos strokes his chin. "That makes sense, considering he was doing it right in front of a popular bar in semi-daylight."

"That was a risk and an unnecessary one that messed with their ritual. And killing the victim with a spell only to stab him after doesn't fit the pattern."

"You think things didn't go according to plan for him," Amos follows my line of thinking.

"Yes. They were most likely watching pub and somehow knew he was a Werewolf. They attacked the victim, and the victim defended themselves with a Stunning spell," I explain, mentioning the results of the Reversal charm we performed.

"We didn't find a wand at the other scenes or any evidence of magic, so it's likely that the killer didn't expect the wand, didn't expect him to have a wand," Amos says, playing it through in his mind.

"It makes sense, doesn't it?"

"One thing still bugs me," Amos starts as Draven starts to take the body away, "why didn't the killer just get in close and silently take him by surprise?"

"The killer could be a coward and was afraid to get in close and risk the Werewolf's physically fighting back?" I say the theory even though I know it's wrong.

"That doesn't fit," Amos agrees with me, "The killer's weapon of choice is a close-range blade, not a coward's weapon. Plus, their other victims also had great strength, and it wasn't a problem before. The killer wanted the victim to see him coming."

As he says that, it clicks, "The killer wanted the victim to run away. They wanted to have to chase him down and corner him. They aren't just killing them, they're hunting them."