In Which the Very Important Thing at Surrey is Properly Explained
Very shortly after the Headmaster Dumbledore, sir's, Presence Detector broke and become unable to sense any magical presence intruding on No. 4 Privet Drive's premises, a small magical presence intruded on No. 4 Privet Drive's premises.
Spoopsy looked up at the house from behind the rose bush where he had apparated.
"I am outside the Target's house, over," he spoke into his earpiece. "What exactly am I looking for?"
Back at Hogwarts, Cottontail sighed into her matching earpiece. In an exasperated tone, Cottontail replied, "For the last time, you're looking for ways to get letters into the house. If it turns out to be a problem with the owls, we're gonna need other ways to deliver the letters."
Everyone glared at Cottontail for a moment, before Cottontail heaved another sigh and said into the earpiece "Over".
Spoopsy pulled his ski-mask on, and silently crept closer to the house. As he went, he pulled out a small muggle voice recorder. Turning it on he murmured into the small device "This is agent Double-0 Spoopsy on a reconnaissance mission concerning Target H and his place of residence. The following information is in regard to methods of infiltration of the previously mentioned abode. The building appears to be temporarily vacated - likely the residents are on some sort of day trip.
"I am now within eyesight of Target H's house. I can confirm that the address of 'No. 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey' is accurate. There is one entrance at the front and back of the house - cracks between the door and frame should allow up to three letters to be pushed through at a time. I count ten windows on the ground floor, four looking into the living room, three into the dining room, two into the kitchen and one the stairs. The glass looks cheap, a letter wrapped around a brick could easily break it. The second floor has eleven windows, but I cannot comment as to the upper floor's layout due to insufficient biological elevation. The house also has a chimney, should it prove necessary for letter stuffing. On the-" Spoopsy's voice suddenly cut off.
Back at the castle, Cottontail listened very closely to the now silent earpiece. It crackled and buzzed; water dripped in a light, steady beat from a leak in the stone ceiling above. The other HEREC members leaned in around Cottontail, hardly daring to breathe.
Tentatively, Cottontail whispered into the reciever, "Spoopsy? Is everything alright?"
The other elves were so worried they forgot to glare at Cottontail. "Did something happen?"
After a few more moments of nervous silence, Spoopsy's voice filtered back through the earpiece.
"Target H seems to have returned with his family. Their appearance took me by surprise, but I managed to take cover in a hedge. I do not believe they saw me. However, from now on I will be referring to his family with code names. His aunt will be Secretariat, his uncle will be The Eggman and his cousin… Melling."
An alarming, crashing bump came from the other side of the fourth wall. Cottontail and the rest of the elves looked up, startled. They stared at the wall for a second, but nothing happened. A bit of dust floated down from a crack. Satisfied, they returned to the story at hand.
"The family is exiting the car, headed to the house. Target H seems to be carrying several bags of food, likely recently purchased. Perhaps this could be utilized as another method of letter-passage? The neighborhood also contains an excess of small rodents which could be drafted to gnaw small holes through the bricks for delivering letters if-"
"That's enough Spoopsy, thank you. As soon as it is safe, you may return to HQ," Cottontail hurriedly interrupted into the earpiece. "Over," Cottontail added as an afterthought - mostly to forestall the inevitable glares.
Cottontail turned to the blueprint paper lying on the floor in the space previously belonging to the lantern and pentagram. She got down on her knees, hunched over the paper and began drawing as much as she could of the house layout, while trying to ignore the glares and input of her fellow elves.
Now the real planning would begin.
