002

[higherfunctions]

My stepfather sent me an article from a Muggle paper today. Very good. I'm still smiling. Three murders, all committed within a five minute period, all at different ends of London. Same fingerprints at each scene. Obviously, the killer Apparated, but they were stabbed to death and from what the article says, I don't believe any other magic was used

Comments

Sigh, I can't help it '^'

[donttelldaddy]

Really? That is...remarkable efficiency.

8D

[higherfunctions]

Isn't it? I like a killer who knows what he or she wants.

[donttelldaddy]

I wonder why the person did it.

[higherfunctions]

To prove they could.

[donttelldaddy]

You really think so? Don't you think it would be more interesting if there was a bigger motive?

[higherfunctions]

No, not really. My favourites are the ones who just want to see how far they can push it. They tend to be the clever ones, and they'll put work in it, because they're killing for the joy of it. Those who kill for money or revenge tend to kill in more straightforward ways, and so don't present as much of a puzzle.

[donttelldaddy]

Who says that someone looking for vengeance can't put as much thought into it as someone trying to amuse themselves?

[higherfunctions]

It's not a concrete rule as such, it's just the way things tend to happen. People who love the act of killing view it like art, or a specific science, something they're proud of, and they present it that way. People out looking for vengeance tend to view killing as a means to an end; that end being revenge.

[Oh, he is so normal. So, so normal.]

[donttelldaddy]

I think that applies to less extreme violence, as well.

((ooc: Derp she is one of the people he's talking about, just not going so far as to kill people. She tried to carry out a revenge killing last summer and failed. Not common knowledge but yeah.))

[higherfunctions]

Oh, yes, of course. Although that breaks down in the case of torture, which can be highly elaborate and yet still for a reason other than pure sadism.

((ooc: Ooh, exciting. 8D If you don't want him finding out, he won't, but if he does...he will mainly just be interested, rather than horrified/morally outraged.))

[donttelldaddy]

Torture is a messy business, there's nothing artistic about it.

((ooc: He could know or eventually find out that she gets in fights a lot for shits and giggles, but her big incident was kept pretty tightly under wraps.))

[higherfunctions]

Oh, I don't know. Sometimes it can be downright inspired.

Gaslighting, for example- when someone convinces a person that they're going mad by changing things around in their house, acting as if they aren't there, making them doubt their memory. Siger said the name's something to do with Muggle candles or...I don't know, that sort of thing. Not terribly important, anyway.

[donttelldaddy]

Why does that qualify torture instead of a practical joke?

[higherfunctions]

Mainly because it can leave people gibbering wrecks.

[...fairly cheerful about this.]

[donttelldaddy]

Would you melt down over something so mundane?

[higherfunctions]

[Er, yes. One of Sherlock's biggest fears is losing his mind. It is, after all, the only thing he really cares about.]

I doubt anyone could perform that trick on me successfully. I, unlike the majority of the human race, pay attention to the details.