It was hardly 5 am and someone was knocking on Reena's door. Who the
hell goes around at 5 waking people up Reena thought sleepily. Through the
viewing hole in the door, Reena saw 2 unfamiliar men. She saw a Ministry
insignia on their jackets and opened the door.
"Yes, how may I help you?" Reena asked politely, although she felt half- asleep.
"Sorry to disturb you Ms. Delton, but we have a warrant to search around your flat," one of the men replied. He handed Reena a piece of parchment.
"What for?" she asked suspiciously.
"Any signs of Sirius Black. We were given information that he might have been around here," the second man answered.
As the men went around the flat, Reena read the warrant she had been handed. It was what the second man had said it was for. The warrant had been signed by Mr. Julius.
"Hey Chris, you'd better come look at this," the second man called.
Reena followed Chris into the bedroom. The second man was standing next to an open chest of drawers.
"What is it Allen?" Chris asked.
"Men's clothing. It smells freshly laundered."
Reena stood next to the dresser and glanced at the 2 wizards. Allen, realizing that angering a Cabinet witch could be a threat to his career, asked Reena a question.
"Is there a valid explanation?"
"In fact, there is," Reena told hom. "Look between the clothing. Those white things are dryer sheets. They're things Muggles use to keep clothes smelling nice."
"Why do you men's clothing at all?" Chris asked.
"He didn't exactly have time to pack his things when he went to Azkaban," Reena said sarcastically.
"Sorry Ms. Delton, but it's all routine."
"Did you have to come so early?" she demanded.
"It's not part of the routine to call ahead," Allen answered.
"Fine. Have you taken enough notes about my flat?"
Chris opened up her closet and poked his wand on the back wall. The wall disappeared and revealed another closet behind the real one. Sirius had magically placed the second closet so that he would have space to hang his things when Reena moved in.
"What is this?" Chris asked, as though he had just stumbled on a big crime scene.
"It's a closet," Reena said, stating the obvious.
"With male clothing," Chris said accusingly.
"Believe me, I know our laws quite well, and there's nothing illegal with keeping clothing."
"But aren't these Sirius Black's things?"
"So? Didn't he wear normal clothing before he was carted off?"
The 2 inspectors were in not mood to argue, so they went back to looking around the flat. Sirius' efforts of thoroughly cleaning the flat paid off. Chris and Allen could not find anything else tying Sirius to the flat. They left.
Reena closed the door after them and got ready for work. She was fuming by the time she got to work. She slipped into Mr. Julius' office and sat patiently. At 7:30 precisely, Mr. Julius apparated in. HE was surprised to see one of the Cabinet officials in his office.
"To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?" Mr. Julius asked delightedly.
"Oh, I thought it would be nice to pay you a visit and chat a little bit before we had to start work," Reena answered, her face full of smiles.
"That's quite unusual for you Ms. Delton," Mr. Julius noted.
"Do you know what's really unusual?" Reena asked, her voice like a small child who had made a stunning discovery.
"No, but I suspect you're going to tell me."
"What's really unusual is getting 2 Ministry inspectors at your front door at 5 in the morning. Wouldn't you agree?"
Mr. Julius paused from shuffling some papers around and looked at Reena.
"And to add to the unusualities," Reena continued, "is that a search warrant was signed by my superior who told me the day before that he trusted me."
Reena finished speaking and looked directly at her boss, waiting for a reply. For once in his career, Mr. Julius did not have an immediate response. He cleared his throat several times before saying anything.
"It wasn't something I wanted to do Ms. Delton. I didn't have a choice. I'll be able to tell the Americans that I looked into Zane's claim and nothing came up. Right? Nothing did come up, did it?"
"As a matter of fact, something did come up. Chris and Allen found some of Sirius' clothes. They thought it was some sort of 'sign'. What do you think about it?"
"I'm not going to make a comment about it. I'll read their report before sending it to Washington."
"Are you going to keep it classified, or are you going to make it public so that the whole world knows that Britain complies with America?" Reena sneered.
"You know how it goes, my hands are practically tied in matter like these."
"Glad to know it. Thank you for taking my word and believing me," Reena said sarcastically as she disapparated into her own office. *
Around mid-afternoon, a snowy owl landed in Reena's office. She dropped a letter in front of Reena. Reena opened the letter and found it was from Harry.
Dear Reena
Next Saturday, we have a Hogsmeade visit for Halloween. Would you be able to come and visit us in the village? ~Harry
Reena sent her reply with Hedwig.
Dear Harry, I will be able to visit you next Saturday. Could you please tell me when and where to meet you? Thanks. ~Reena
"Yes, how may I help you?" Reena asked politely, although she felt half- asleep.
"Sorry to disturb you Ms. Delton, but we have a warrant to search around your flat," one of the men replied. He handed Reena a piece of parchment.
"What for?" she asked suspiciously.
"Any signs of Sirius Black. We were given information that he might have been around here," the second man answered.
As the men went around the flat, Reena read the warrant she had been handed. It was what the second man had said it was for. The warrant had been signed by Mr. Julius.
"Hey Chris, you'd better come look at this," the second man called.
Reena followed Chris into the bedroom. The second man was standing next to an open chest of drawers.
"What is it Allen?" Chris asked.
"Men's clothing. It smells freshly laundered."
Reena stood next to the dresser and glanced at the 2 wizards. Allen, realizing that angering a Cabinet witch could be a threat to his career, asked Reena a question.
"Is there a valid explanation?"
"In fact, there is," Reena told hom. "Look between the clothing. Those white things are dryer sheets. They're things Muggles use to keep clothes smelling nice."
"Why do you men's clothing at all?" Chris asked.
"He didn't exactly have time to pack his things when he went to Azkaban," Reena said sarcastically.
"Sorry Ms. Delton, but it's all routine."
"Did you have to come so early?" she demanded.
"It's not part of the routine to call ahead," Allen answered.
"Fine. Have you taken enough notes about my flat?"
Chris opened up her closet and poked his wand on the back wall. The wall disappeared and revealed another closet behind the real one. Sirius had magically placed the second closet so that he would have space to hang his things when Reena moved in.
"What is this?" Chris asked, as though he had just stumbled on a big crime scene.
"It's a closet," Reena said, stating the obvious.
"With male clothing," Chris said accusingly.
"Believe me, I know our laws quite well, and there's nothing illegal with keeping clothing."
"But aren't these Sirius Black's things?"
"So? Didn't he wear normal clothing before he was carted off?"
The 2 inspectors were in not mood to argue, so they went back to looking around the flat. Sirius' efforts of thoroughly cleaning the flat paid off. Chris and Allen could not find anything else tying Sirius to the flat. They left.
Reena closed the door after them and got ready for work. She was fuming by the time she got to work. She slipped into Mr. Julius' office and sat patiently. At 7:30 precisely, Mr. Julius apparated in. HE was surprised to see one of the Cabinet officials in his office.
"To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?" Mr. Julius asked delightedly.
"Oh, I thought it would be nice to pay you a visit and chat a little bit before we had to start work," Reena answered, her face full of smiles.
"That's quite unusual for you Ms. Delton," Mr. Julius noted.
"Do you know what's really unusual?" Reena asked, her voice like a small child who had made a stunning discovery.
"No, but I suspect you're going to tell me."
"What's really unusual is getting 2 Ministry inspectors at your front door at 5 in the morning. Wouldn't you agree?"
Mr. Julius paused from shuffling some papers around and looked at Reena.
"And to add to the unusualities," Reena continued, "is that a search warrant was signed by my superior who told me the day before that he trusted me."
Reena finished speaking and looked directly at her boss, waiting for a reply. For once in his career, Mr. Julius did not have an immediate response. He cleared his throat several times before saying anything.
"It wasn't something I wanted to do Ms. Delton. I didn't have a choice. I'll be able to tell the Americans that I looked into Zane's claim and nothing came up. Right? Nothing did come up, did it?"
"As a matter of fact, something did come up. Chris and Allen found some of Sirius' clothes. They thought it was some sort of 'sign'. What do you think about it?"
"I'm not going to make a comment about it. I'll read their report before sending it to Washington."
"Are you going to keep it classified, or are you going to make it public so that the whole world knows that Britain complies with America?" Reena sneered.
"You know how it goes, my hands are practically tied in matter like these."
"Glad to know it. Thank you for taking my word and believing me," Reena said sarcastically as she disapparated into her own office. *
Around mid-afternoon, a snowy owl landed in Reena's office. She dropped a letter in front of Reena. Reena opened the letter and found it was from Harry.
Dear Reena
Next Saturday, we have a Hogsmeade visit for Halloween. Would you be able to come and visit us in the village? ~Harry
Reena sent her reply with Hedwig.
Dear Harry, I will be able to visit you next Saturday. Could you please tell me when and where to meet you? Thanks. ~Reena