The Auror Files theme begins to play, an eerie tune with a hastening tempo. It fades behind as a grave voice begins narration, setting the scene.

Mia Hedgerow: Knockturn Alley: one of London's oldest Wizarding neighborhoods. Located only a few paces away from historic Diagon Alley, a bustling commerce district and haven for magical families. There lies the entrance to the infamous haunting and dangerous warren. In October 2008, the uneasy silence of Knockturn Alley was broken by a devastating explosion.

This is the case of the Knockturn Alley Explosion. Welcome, listener, to the Auror Files. Wherever danger wields its wand, the Auror Corps is there to find the truth. I am your host Mia Hedgerow from the Wizaring Wireles Network.

Now the full theme swells up again, guiding listeners back in time to the night of the explosion.

Hedgerow: When Aurors arrived at the scene, they found catastrophic destruction. The majority of the damage was bourne by the Black Chimaera pub, a popular haunt for former Azkaban prisoners, or Ex-Azzies as they are known to call themselves. An entire exterior wall collapsed to rubble.

Veteran Auror Adon Eleor was the first to respond, followed by senior Auror Archer Radley and chief of the Auror Corps Tamis Raynor. They found three individuals standing admist the destrcution:  two witches and a wizard. There was a dog, as well, who was much worse off.

One of the witches was Margaret Groust. Maggie, as she was known to her friends, was a freelance journalist. The other witch was local potion-maker Dazmond Wiedman.

The wizard, well, he was more interesting to the MLE. Here's Auror Dean Bailey.

Bailey: It was Cináed Tawse, who was well-known to us. At that time, he'd just finished an Azkaban sentence of something close to seven years. He's a Death Eater - former Death Eater. At the time, he was our primary suspect.

Hedgerow: But why would Tawse destroy his own business? The Aurors had their theories.

Bailey: It could have been an accident. But explosions don't just happen in the course of a normal day. Something sinister had to have been going on.

Hedgerow: But the damage to the pub became the least of Tawse's problems.

MLE records indicate a stand-off ensued, with Tawse holding Maggie with a knife claiming innocence.  Auror Eleor demanded her release. But Tawse, apparently fearing being blamed for the explosion refused. Without warning, Tawse Apparated away, taking Maggie with him.

But Tawse wasn't the Aurors' only suspect.

Bailey: Wiedman and Tawse were known associates, both residents of Knockturn Alley. It was entirely possible they were working together. With her background in potions, it seemed likely to us it could have been a brew gone wrong.

Hedgerow: Unlike Tawse, Dazmond offered to help find Maggie. When we return, Aurors discover the cause of the explosion.

The theme music begins to play again, marking a transition from the programme to advertisements.

This program is sponsored in part by Hopwarts Brewing Company, a magical craft brewery located in Bermondsey in London. Leave the mundane behind and enjoy our four house-brewed beers and seasonal releases in a casual community atmosphere. Hopworts: beyond the pale.

Following messages from WWN's sponsors, the Auror Files theme music returns.

Hedgerow: Welcome back to the Auror Files. I am Mia Hedgerow. Before the break: explosion in Knockturn Alley, and a tense hostage situation. The scene of the explosion was quickly secured, but the MLE's first priority was to rescue freelance journalist Maggie Groust. She'd been taken from the scene by convict Cináed Tawse right in front of Aurors' eyes.

Bailey: Apparition is impossible to trace.[1] Tawse could have taken her anywhere. We checked his home, last known associates, and put out an alert for both Miss Groust and Tawse. We even consulted Ministry Seers.[2] Ultimately, we just got lucky.

Hedgerow: Only hours after the kidnapping, Maggie Groust simply turned up at St. Mungo's. She'd been found in a farm field by strangers. She was shaken but Tawse had not harmed her. All of her injuries were results of the explosion.

Bailey: Interviewing victims of a crime is a very delicate process. They've been through an ordeal, a trauma, and too many questions too soon can be overwhelming and illicit possibly inaccurate answers. Miss Groust was nothing but cooperative, extremely helpful to the investigation.

Hedgerow: Maggie was able to tell the MLE the cause of the explosion. Cured Runespoor venom. But what is cured Runespoor venom? Here is potions expert Mal Mendez:[/b].

Mendez:: Runespoor are highly dangerous magical creatures - massive three-headed serpents - prized by Dark Artists for their highly volatile venom. It's primarily used to increase the power of some potions and is most potent when cured.

Hedgerow: Cured Runespoor venom has a unique property - it explodes when exposed to magic spells. Any magical spell at all. It did not take long for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement investigators to confirm that, in fact, this was a cured Runespoor venom explosion.

Bailey: Our investigators found traces of several dozen bottles of cured Runespoor venom in the side ally. It was all over the ground and the walls, still sizzling. We weren't able to determine exactly what magic was cast nearby to set it off, but with so much venom there, it could have been anything. There were several spells cast by several different wands.

Hedgerow: But why was the cured Runespoor venom in the ally? Who did it belong to? And what was it being used for? Was the explosion accidental or could it have been to settle a grudge between Knockturn Alley's most dangerous criminals? Aurors began their investigation in earnest to prevent another explosion and find the source of the dangerous materials.

Let's review the suspects.

Bailey: Our primary suspect was Cináed Tawse. He was at the scene, the explosion took place behind a business he owns, and he had just finished serving time for activities with Death Eaters. That, and he fled Aurors, kidnapping a witness in the process. Clearly he had something to hide.

We also suspected Dazmond Wiedman to be involved. She was also at the scene and lived nearby. Mrs Wiedman was a potion-maker and a known associate of Tawse. Even if she wasn't involved, she had to know something - she even claimed to know how to recover Miss Groust, although ultimately she did not assist in that rescue. Damning for Wiedman was her association with another suspect.

Hedgerow: The third suspect was a wizard later identified by Maggie Groust as not only being at the scene, but the one responsible for the explosion. His name? Nathan Briggs, the husband of Dazmond Wiedman. He was an employee at Sellaphix Apothecary - a potential source for potion-making reagents. According to Miss Groust, Briggs was in possession of the cured Runespoor Venom and that he was attempting to dispose of it when an argument ensued. A wand went off, causing the explosion.

Bailey: Without knowing where to find Tawse, and not enough evidence on Wiedman, we didn't arrest them at that time. But Briggs we did arrest. Surprisingly, we found him at home just down the road.

Hedgerow: Auror Adon Eleor and Hitwizard Jacob Clayton went to the Shodding Arms Hotel later that morning and arrested Nathan Briggs. He was brought to Auror Headquarters for questioning.

Bailey: At first, he denied he even was Nathan Briggs. Obviously he was. He was covered in burns from the explosion.

Hedgerow: Damning evidence for Mr. Briggs. And painful. Here is Bartholomew Castowitz of St. Mungo's department of Potions and Plant Poisoning.

Castowitz:: Cured Runespoor venom is really very caustic, and causes painful burns on human skin. The cured venom adheres to the skin and is very difficult to remove. Any magic spells cast on the patient will react with the venom, causing more damage. If it isn't removed promptly it can get into the blood causing psychosis.

Hedgerow: If not present at explosion, where else could Mr. Briggs have been injured? That wasn't the only question investigators had for him. When we come back, the story from Nathan Briggs and a surprising new lead.

This is the Auror Files: Runespoor Venom Explosion. But now, a word from our sponsors.

The theme music begins to play again, marking a transition from the programme to advertisements.

The Auror Files is sponsored in part by Pandora's Attic. Find exactly what you weren't looking for at Diagon Alley's most ecclectic junk shop. The clutter will overcome you, the shelves will swallow you, come in and never leave - without a treasured find. Beware the bargains at Pandora's Attic.

1.	Forensic Magic
2.	Forensic Magic: Divination

The programme returns, the theme music plays and then fades.

Hedgerow: Welcome back. This is the Auror Files and I am your host Mia Hedgerow. It's the 14th of October 2008 and a side alley in Knockturn is in shambles, having been rocked by an explosion caused by cured Runespoor Venom. Suspect and convict Cináed Tawse is nowhere to be found and victim Margaret Groust is recovering from a kidnapping and burns. Apothecary employee and suspect Nathan Briggs is being questioned by Aurors.

Bailey: Mr. Briggs was identified by Miss Groust, and suffering from cured Runespoor venon burns when he was arrested the morning after the explosion.

Hedgerow: The charges? Possession, unsafe transportation, and disposal of prohibited substances, destruction to property, and endangerment the public causing bodily harm of persons and other creatures. The Black Chimaera pub was half blown apart, Miss Groust would likely have scars for the rest of her life, and a dog severely injured. If convinced, Mr. Briggs woud face Azkaban.

Bailey: At first he didn't give anything away, but he seemed surprised we know as much as we did, thanks to Miss Groust. While he was in our custody he did receive care of a Healer who told us in the time between the explosion and the arrest, he'd somehow already received care for his burns.

Hedgerow: Who could have treated Nathan's burns? Another witness? Or an accomplice, perhaps? What about his wife, Dazmond Wiedman? She had been on the scene right after the explosion, after all.

Bailey: Faced with the evidence, Briggs confessed he had been moving the venom, but wouldn't admit he knew what it was. Eleor, he's what we call a closer. He knows how to get suspects to trust him. Briggs was small-time with minor charges as a teenager. We began operating under the presumption that Mr. Briggs was part of something bigger - if we could flip him, maybe we'd find the top of the supply chain.

Hedgerow: And possibly bring down the entire illegal Runespoor trade.

Bailey: He did eventually give us a name. Rafe Sellaphix.

Hedgerow: Rafe Sellaphix was Nathan's employer and owner of Sellaphix Apothecary. It had been a staple of Knockturn Alley for years. A clean operation by anyone's guess. Was it possible they were a link in the Runespoor trade chain?

In the course of his confession, Briggs claimed that Tawse and Groust were both bystanders, and it was his own wand that had fired a spell inadvertently. He claimed it was Rafe Sellaphix who directed him to dispose of the cured Runespoor venom. But that wasn't all. According to Nathan Briggs, Rafe Sellaphix was into far more than just cured Runespoor venom.

Next, the Auror Files reveals the results of the investigation.

The Auror Files theme fades in, then is covered over by an ad.

This programme is brought to you in part by Pilpher & Stride's Private Investigations. When needs must and conventional methods leave you lacking, Pilpher and Stride will find a way. Every nook, every cranny. Pilpher & Stride's Private Investigations.

The theme music begins to play again, marking a transition from the advertisements back to the programme.

Hedgerow: Welcome back. This is the Auror Files and I am your host Mia Hedgerow. Nathan Briggs has just revealed to Aurors that it was his employer, local apothecary Rafe Sellaphix who was the source of the cured Runespoor venom. And Nathan was ready to provide even more names in exchange for a deal.

As for Tawse? Nathan told Aurors the former Death Eather convict wasn't involved at all.

Bailey: He could have been protecting him, but after looking to Sellaphix we didn't find any connections. That was when we removed Tawse from our list of suspects.

Hedgerow: Tawse was, of course, now wanted for kidnapping Maggie Groust that night and has been on the run ever since. As for Rafe Sellaphix, he was arrested and charged, and convicted to seven years in Azkaban.  Briggs? Well, he got his deal. Got off way too easy, some say. But the information he provided lead to several other arrests in connection with the Runespoor black market.

Bailey: In a perfect world, people like Tawse and Briggs wouldn't be allowed to run off into the night. But it's not a perfect world. There are Dark Artists operating all over Britain and sometimes we have to make compromises. But that's the job. And this time, the streets are just a little bit safer.

Hedgerow: Join us next time for more in the Auror Files.