Pansy nodded. “Look, I realize you’ve summo must be someortant if I had to ome bak all the way from Brussels, but the girl who’s pratially my godhild has gone missing and I’ve only just found out and I—”
“Oh dear,” the woman shook her head and her fae flushed with pity.
“ansy ried, shaking her head bak and forth. Suddenly the pessimism she’d worked so hard to bury ame bubbling up to overwhelm her. She fought bak a sob. “What is it?”
“Why don’t you follow me to my offie?”
Tears pooled in Pansy’s eyes as she trailed behind the woman down the main hall of the Atrium into a division offie she didn’t reognize. As soohe sign outside Family Affairs Ministry Liaisohing old a down her spine. “bsp;you tell me what this is about, please?” I’m starting to pani, Pansy thought and fored herself to take a deep breath.
&opped at aook her pe behind it, and motioned for Pansy to sit. Aurora Thistlewik, a to her desk pard, almly opened a fulped. “I’m sorry to be the oo inform you of this terrible —”
“Oh, Sazar, no,” Pansy whimpered.
“Marwan Zivantus is now deeased, whih leaves guardianship of his daughter, Bertrie, to you.”
“ansy yelled, in shok, relief, and perhaps a small pinh of wistful affetion.
The fore of Pansy’s outburst aused Aurora Thistlewik to shoot bak in her hair.
“I apologize,” Pa little omposure she ould fiy, she remembered Drao’s letter, and narrowed her eyes. Perhaps ter she might regret the tohe look she gave the poor Thistlewik woman. Most likely not, though. “Wait a moment. You want to sign uardianship of a hild to me, who a to my best friend has been missing sine—” Pahe letter ae, “—st Tuesday!”
&wo highly experiery offiials w olewik assured. “It’s all very messy up there what with the murder of Mister Zivantus.”
Pahen shooled her fae ihing one again ral aerrifyi we’re going to do. I will sign erwork you have for me while you write dowh offiials ohe he offiials ihe murder iigation, and ai information that will help me he so-alled mess that is the Edinburgh Ministry offies.”
“This is pratially Muggle Edinburgh, Eversworn. Where are you taking me?” Malfoy walked beside him, and Harry ould’ve swor remember inviti along. He was about to say as muh, but Malfoy asked, a hint of worry i tell me she’s all the way out here?”
Harry shook his head ahe familiar towhe blok. “Just there,” he said. Malfoy swatted Harry’s hand doulled him to the side of the houses. “What are you doing, Malfoy?”
“We an go ihrough the garden.”
“You pn to break in?” Harry wasn’t sure rised. “Have you your weekly quota of ommitting burgries?”
Malfoy almost s seem to ath himself. “And n, knok on the door and almly ask whoever is holdiive to politely give her up?”
Harry frowned. “Who said she was beiive?” Malfoy broke their stare ao be ied in the vines rawliie of a nearby home. Harry took a step loser and made Malfoy look at him. “The papers and the signs just say missing. What do you know that the rest of us don’t?”
“I don’t know what you mean,” Malfoy still refused to look at him.
Uop himself from exhaling irritably, Harry took a step bak and rossed his arms. The added spae between them drew a look from Malfoy. If he khan he was saying, Harry had to get as muh information as he ould, whih meant going along with the ridiulous break i also mea resue Bertrie, if she was in fat in need . So Harry stepped to the side ahe bak of the row of homes. “Well, thehe way.”
&heir way arou ouple of gardens easily enough. It was apparition was risky arouh any number of possible wards ti. Harry refused to let Malfoy’s athleti ability impress him and turned his bak the seond time Malfoy bakflipped over a fehat neessary?” Harry ouldn’t stop himself.
“Absolutely,” Malfoy drawled. “Isn’t it obvious, Everswor my bakflip quota for the week.”
&h it.”
Malfoy took his roahed the bakdoor of the townhome. “Alohamora.”
The door opened.
“I ahat atually worked,” Harry breathed. Malfoy gri him and thehrough the door. Harry took out his wand and followed.
The house was dark; it took a few moments for Harry’s eyes to adjust. They didn’t fous io see a massive stak of ly in front of him. He was an inh from olliding with it ulled him sideways agai. Malfoy put his index finger over his lips and jerked his head toward the other side of the room.
&he k on top of the endless piles of ared at them a her for lose to a minute. For a moment, Harry ould swear the thing looked angry with him. Then, in a blur of red fluff, the animal lu Harry aht upper leg.
“Silenio.” Malfoy pointed his wand at Harry just as he started to sream out in pain. Then he roughly grabbed Harry’s wrists ted to swat the thing off of him. Malfoy whispered, “Let me take it,” a an insufferable amount of time before arefully prying the l