Order Only: Ministry Inspection

[alt_sirius]

Bill, we got your Patronus just in time. Thanks.

It seems like it's the day for everything to happen: Ivy and now this.

They're looking at the upstairs now so I'll have to change back to Padfoot in a moment.

Just wanted everyone to know we're in the middle of it now. More after it's over.

Comments

[alt_bill]

Very glad you received it. Stay safe, and report back when you can.

[alt_bill]

Sirius? Please? I'm sprouting grey hairs here. Report back, would you? Or Remus or Tonks?

[alt_nymphadora]

Oh, Bill. Sorry to leave you dangling.

The inspection was fine, we think. Of course, they wouldn't tell us anything on the spot. We'll have to stew about it until they can be bothered to make a decision.

But we've not been arrested--or any of the other things you must be thinking.

Although today did have a bit of concerning business: Beth let me know tonight that one of last night's crowd was someone her lot have been looking into, and they're fairly sure he's a spy for the citizen watch. It's not the first time he's been here, but he's not a regular.

[alt_bill]

Thanks for relieving my mind.

Any idea what name the suspicious bloke's using? Of course, it could be entirely false, but even so, some of my sources might know something.

[alt_sirius]

Yes, sorry - they left just as we needed to get supper on and then there was quite a crowd for a Tuesday. None of us had any time for an update.

Besides, as Dora says, it's hard to say how it all went. You know how the Purity Control types are: Stone-faced and tight-lipped.

There were three of them, a witch and two wizards, one of them taking photographs 'for the file.' We're not sure but I think that means that they probably compare the condition of the space on inspection with subsequent visits? Probably to make sure that we're not pampering the servants with fripperies like beds, pillows or privacy. Maybe it's so they can prove the placement makes a difference to the tidiness of the home, I dunno.

Anyway, the third was a problem because we'd hoped that Dora and Remus could each keep an eye on one of them at all times but it would have been dead odd for old Sinbad the Dog to follow 'round everywhere the third one went. Luckily they weren't all that interested in splitting up, except for once when one of the wizards wanted a second look down in the cellar. There was also a tense moment when the witch (was her name Parker? Perkins?) tried to tell us (well, Dora and Remus) not to give them the tour, that they'd do better looking on their own (read: Snooping). I growled and Remus picked up on my hint, making up a story about how he'd have to take them upstairs, anyway, since the dog would object if they tried to go near the baby without one or the other of them there.

'Won't that be a problem for a domestic?' Miss Parker asked somewhat crisply.

'Oh, no, of course not; he'll get used to someone who's about all the time,' Dora answered. I will say, for none of us having had any way to communicate, we did a fair job all working together. I'm rather proud of us all, in fact.

Anyway, they stopped objecting after that and they got on with it. And like Dora says, they didn't point out anything they thought would be a problem but who knows? We might get fined 100Γ for not keeping our towels folded properly or because the outhouse isn't quite inconvenient enough for a lowly muggleborn.

[alt_molly]

Oh, my. Be very careful!

[alt_alice]

Yes. And let us know how it goes, of course.