Spectre

Ever since the mysterious murders started, the Marauders podcast has gained so much popularity that James low-key wanted to thank the killer. Not that it was appropriate, of course not, but still. The Black Killer, as they called him on their podcast, only kills rich, not very good, influential people, and James knows he should feel bad for them, he does feel bad for them and their families, but he’s also glad they have a great topic to cover on their channel that’s not very emotional for him.

Sirius knew some of the people killed personally, which was a big surprise to James, to be honest. Sirius doesn’t talk a lot about his past, all of them met after he ran away from home and distanced himself from that life, so this was a big revelation to James. Of course, he knows that the entire Black family is in that circle, but it didn’t cross his mind that Sirius might have known all these people.

For Remus and Peter this is just another regular case of a serial killer (if you can call that regular), but for Sirius it’s different, more personal.

And for James, well, it’s just weird. He thinks he might just be severely fucked up. But well, who cares. 

The latest murder took place just a couple of days ago. The man has been identified as Corban Yaxley, so there was not much mystery to that. Both of James’s parents are police officers so he has access to probably more information than he should have. They still haven't identified the previous victim, an old woman, with pitch-black hair, wearing expensive clothes. In this week’s episode, they’ll try to tie these two together. That’s why James invited all three of his friends to his flat to write the newest episode.

“So,” James began, “are we thinking they knew each other?” 

James tried to act nonchalantly, but he was secretly really invested in these murders, they were like a game to him. Maybe it was fucked up to think that about dead people, but James always thought that, that’s why he proposed the idea of a podcast to his friends. He liked the thrill, he liked to know, and since he had connections in the police, it all came easier to him.

“It’s likely, but she was much older than him. Maybe a family member.” Remus picked up one of the crime scene photos James had taken from the station. No one’s gonna notice anyway. No one ever does.

Sirius bit his lip. “No, I don’t think so.” 

“Why?” Remus’s eyes fixed on Sirius. His gaze was so intense it could burn a hole in the side of Sirius’s head. 

Everyone knew how these two felt about each other except them. James couldn’t believe how blind they were, but Peter and he came to the conclusion they needed to figure it out on their own. They’re grown adults, they can work it out.

“I remember Yaxley, not much, but-” His voice was quiet and shaky. All of them knew that he hated talking about his past, it made him nervous, panicked even, and that’s why they never pushed, never asked. Sirius was the one to propose these murders for their podcast, they didn’t question, didn’t ask. Maybe he wanted some answers about something, maybe he was simply interested, maybe something else, only Sirius knew that. But the three of them didn’t think it was a good idea. They were worried, every time they saw Sirius working on these cases, they wanted to end it. But they couldn’t do it. Not if Sirius wanted it. “I don’t think he had any family other than his wife.”

“Okay, so we know that these two are not related and that the guy had a wife.” James noted. 

“Well, it’s something.” Peter mumbled. “Now we need to figure out a way to tie them to the other victims.”

They spent half a day trying to come up with something that makes sense. They wrote some theories down and decided to come back to it the next day and decide on what made the most sense. 

Once his friends left James ate dinner and hopped into the shower. He loved long showers, he could spend days in the shower if he didn’t have to wake up in the morning, well technically he doesn't have to. The podcast is the only job that he has so he could just stay here all night. He doesn’t do that, obviously, but it still takes him an hour to shower. 

Once he was out of the bathroom he noticed something was different. It was too cold and he didn’t remember opening the balcony door. It was the middle of January, why would he open the balcony door at night and leave it for an hour?

Something was wrong.

Before he could even start to think about it something caught his attention. Something was moving in the kitchen. 

Someone. 

The person stood in the dark so James couldn’t really see much. He just saw movement and he started to panic. 

What the fuck was he supposed to do now? He’s so going to die. 

James froze, he was trained in self-defense of course, as his parents thought it was important giving their profession. But now? Now James knew it was all for nothing. All these hours of training gave him absolutely nothing because here he was, standing, doing nothing.

Panicking.

The figure moved very swiftly and James closed his eyes. He stopped breathing some time ago, he noticed just now, but it didn’t matter. He was going to die in a second anyway. So he just stood there and waited. His eyes closed shut, he was waiting. 

But it never came.

Nothing was happening. He slowly opened his eyes and jumped in surprise when he saw the person right in front of him. How the fuck were they so silent?

With the light from his bedroom, he could now see their face beneath their hood. Their face were so similar, he could swear, he had seen them before, he just couldn’t place it yet, like it was-

“Sirius?” He spoke before he could think . Why was he so stupid? Of course, this wasn’t Sirius, just someone who looked exactly like him. And, well, that’s weird. But now was not the time to think about Sirius, he had to concentrate.

“Do I look like your boyfriend?” The man tilted his head and James could swear he saw a slight smirk on his face, but that may just be the dark and adrenaline playing tricks on him.

“No, no-” James’s heart was beating so fast he was so close to a heart attack. “My best friend.” Why was he even explaining that to a strange scary man who broke into his apartment.You need to focus, James. 

Focus.

The man moved closer and James’s mind screamed to take a step back, to move away as far as he could, but his body didn’t listen. He didn’t move at all. And the killer seemed to like that. Wait, James didn’t know if he was the killer, he shouldn’t have come to conclusions. It’s rude to judge people, but well he did break into his apartment and looked pretty scary.

Focus, James.

Suddenly he felt something cold pressed gently to his cheek. The touch was so gentle he barely noticed it but it was there. It was cold. It was a hand . 

James closed his eyes once again, not ready for wha was to come. 

“You’re cute, James-” he felt the killer's lips touch his ear as he whispered. He couldn’t even process what was happening. He knew his name. He came for him. He was going to kill him. “I’ve been watching you,” he whispered and James felt him pulling away, but the cold hand stayed on the side of James’s face. “ Open your eyes.”  

James did as he was told and he wasn’t prepared for what he was about to see. In front of him was a man, without the hood now so James had a good look on his face, and oh-

That was the most beautiful man he had ever seen. He looked so delicate like he was made of porcelain, and James had the urge to touch his face to see if it was as fragile as it looked.

“Now, you’re going to listen to me. And listen very carefully.” He moved a little closer, their faces nearly touching. “You’re going to back off from the case of the recent murders. Forget about them. Stop digging, stop talking, you understand?”

“Are you the killer?” why was James so stupid like honestly, he was cursing himself in his mind-

“Stop the podcast,” their eyes met and oh God he had such beautiful eyes. When they reflected the little light that came from behind they looked almost silver. James wondered how would they look in the daylight-

Focus, James, focus.

“And if I don’t? What will you do to me? What do you want?”

The killer once again pressed his lips to James’s ear. This time it was not as gentle as before, he was fully touching him. “I want to fucking tear you apart.” 

Oh. 

Was it wrong that James found that kinda hot?

Focus.

“It would be such a waste, a pretty face like that-” James felt something cold against his neck and he thought that it was one of the man's hands again. He might have even gotten a little excited about it. Yeah, he might have a problem. But then it started to hurt. Like a cut. A knife. 

He was holding a knife to his neck.

“Wait!” James gasped. The man was back in front of James. They were standing face to face. So close. “Maybe we can make a deal. I can help you.” James wished that the killer couldn’t feel how much he was sweating. He probably could since he was so close. So close. 

“I don’t see how you could possibly help me, James.” The knife stayed pressed to his neck, so James did his best not to move. “But, I’m listening.”

“I-I can say whatever you want me to say, on the podcast I mean. I can try to mislead the police, my parents are-” he stuttered.

“I know who your parents are, James. I know a lot about you.” James almost stopped breathing. How can this guy be so beautiful yet so terrifying at the same time?

“I can try to mislead the police. Feed them whatever you want me to. I can help-”

“Why should I trust you?” He pressed the knife deeper into James’s skin, but not deep enough to cause any serious damage. Just to hurt him.

Tears started to fall down James’s face involuntarily. “I don’t want to die.” he answered weakly.

“That’s not enough.” he pressed harder. James gasped in pain.

Focus.

“I don’t match any other victim, it would be suspicious-”

“Not really, no. It doesn’t bother me that much.” 

“Please. I don’t want to die.” James begged. “Let me help you.”

The killer took the knife away. “Okay.” James sighed in relief. “But one wrong move and you’re gone, you understand?”

James nodded. He didn’t dare to speak, didn’t trust his voice wouldn’t fail him.

The man once again placed his ice-cold hand on James' cheek. This time to wipe his tears away. 

“Don’t cry, I’m not gonna hurt you,” he said flatly. Well, that’s great, considering you have already hurt me, James wanted to say but didn’t want to risk it.

He was safe. For now.

“Now let’s discuss the details.”

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Barty has never kidnapped anyone before so he had no idea what he was doing. It was his idea, to which Regulus generously agreed, but now Barty wished he didn’t. The boy had been locked in the other room for an hour now, screaming for his life and Barty didn’t know what to do since it turned out that his plan had one very big flaw.

He was supposed to bring the boy here, wait for his father to notice, and then pull the strings. He was supposed to be in control. He didn’t predict that the father would not in fact care about his son, he couldn’t care less if he lived or died so now Barty is stuck with a screaming boy. 

Is he supposed to kill him now? Is that what Reg would do?

Okay, he has to do this. 

Finish the job, destroy the evidence.

He opened the door and walked into the room filled with screams. The boy was tied to a chair in the middle of an empty, quite scary, and maybe a bit depressing room. Perfect place for the job, honestly.

“Can you stop screaming now?” Barty rolled his eyes at the boy. Why was he being so annoying?

Annoyingly beautiful may he add.

“I’m truly fucking sorry your father wants you dead but it’s not my fault so stop punishing me.” Harsh. Since when, Barty was harsh? Last he remembered this was Reggie’s job.

“What are you going to do with me?” 

“I’ll have to kill you, sorry.” he shrugged without much emotion. He felt like a shell of himself, an empty hole, but he tried to put on an act of this happy, joyful person. As usual.  “I’ll make it quick, don’t worry. I’m not cruel.”

The boy went pale, a little dramatic if you ask Barty but he’s not here to judge. “Please, don’t I can help. I know things, secrets, I can- I beg you-” His voice cracked.

He looked at Barty with his big dark eyes filled with tears, such a pleasing look on his face, begging. Oh and how Barty could say no when he looked at him that way?

Regulus was going to be so mad at him. 

But he didn’t like killing anyway.

“And what does Evan Rosier have to offer?” He asked with a little smirk. It suddenly got interesting, it was like a switch in his brain, everything suddenly came back, suddenly he felt so much. Too much.  

“Everything. Anything. I can tell you everything I know about the organization. Please, I promise I’ll be useful. I can be a spy-” 

Barty’s laughter interrupted his pleading. Was he seriously thinking he was going to let him free? What an idiot. “I’m not gonna let you escape, babe. You’ll have to try harder.” 

“I can stay here and I can be useful, I promise I can be useful.” He was full on sobbing now, his whole body shaking. How dramatic, like Barty was ever going to kill him. 

Was he? He didn’t know himself. Maybe. Maybe not. But that’s not the point. 

Evan was starting to repeat himself and well, that’s not that entertaining anymore. 

“Stop crying, it’s getting boring.” Barty rolled his eyes and moved closer to untie the boy. “I’ve had enough. Just know that my partner won’t be pleased with me and it’s all your fault.” He pointed at Evan, raising his brows. 

“You’re letting me out?”

“No, why would I do that? You’re gonna work with me. Here .” He grinned at the scared boy and oh this is going to be so interesting. Maybe Reg will like Evan? Maybe he’ll fit in just fine. “I’ll take good care of you, don’t worry.” His hand gently brushed Evan’s cheeks and the boy flinched. Now why would he do that? Was Barty ugly or something? Was something wrong with him?

“So what now?” 

Barty heard that Reg had just come back so now he needed to break the news to him first. “In a moment.” He mumbled as he rushed out of the room, leaving Evan alone.

Regulus was going to be so mad at him.