Order Only: Close Call
Nov. 15th, 2008 12:30 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alt_siriusOkay, that? Was a little too close for comfort.
Thank Merlin that Malfoy decided to leave before I could meet Agatha and get there to defend ourselves. This disguise is good, but I don't think I'd like to test it against Lucius Malfoy, even if he hasn't seen me in a decade.
Well. I suppose I should tell the tale properly, shouldn't I?
So, the first thing is: I'm sorry, everyone. Yes, it was our shipment that was discovered. I guess it was mad to think our luck could have broken any other way. They opened one of the crates this morning in Dover - one of the guards trying to skim off the top, if you ask me - and one of the wands had shifted, snapped, and a few sparks flew out of the sawdust. From there it didn't take long to dig down and find the others.
Agatha sent word to me after she answered their first summons. Great minds think alike, I suppose, because she threw 'Victor' to the wolves straight away.
She made up a whopping tale about how Victor had been afflicted by a Ukranian strain of Jarvey Pox and was losing his faculties. How Ilsa and Henrich put together the business but needed Victor in the early phases because all the family money was in his name. Then she added that he had insisted on packing the crate himself, and lamented that she should have known there was something fishy about it. She sobbed out that he had died mere days after we got our permission to import. (I got to see a repeat of the performance later.)
For my part, I couldn't get to her while she was talking to the authorities (a good thing they have wards, actually, or my Patronus might have given us away). Finally she broke free, with sincere promises that she would summon Henrich directly from Czechoslovakia. As soon as she got away, my messages arrived and she sent one in reply.
I made for Calais as fast as possible. But you know how I get when I have to Apparate too far or jump too many times in quick succession. I hate that splinchy feeling and the disorientation makes me feel sick. I had to stop a few times along the way to get my breath back. I was just trying (in vain, unfortunately) to get a ginger beer before the next leg, when I saw Malfoy's post. I thought I had better wait until he'd gone before putting in Henrich's appearance.
As it was, they nearly called him back to interrogate me. Thank heavens he's the most self-absorbed prat on the planet. He barely glanced behind the Dover agent to look at us standing abjectly in the office, but snapped at the man that he'd already wasted too much time on 'the sordid business' as it was. He ordered the agent to take my statement and forward it on, then ended the Floo call without any further thought.
Well, of course, I feigned complete shock and betrayal, told them how I'd sunk everything into Laszlo Ltd and had been busily scouring the world for the products we planned to import. I assured them that we'd had no dealings with anyone before or since in any sort of black market trade, promised solmenly that nothing of the kind would ever happen under my direction, and for good measure threw in a few choice words about my dear departed uncle's politics.
Agatha was magnificent. Truly. You should have seen her throwing herself on those Frenchies - and the Dover agent, as well. 'Oh, please, sir,' she says, lip trembling, 'Poor Victor was half out of his mind toward the end. I think he thought Britain had been taken over by wizards what followed Grindelwald, him an' his Teutonic lot.'
Eventually the agents wanted to go home, it being a Friday evening, and they assured us that the appeal to the Committee would move forward and they'd reflect us favourably to Mr Malfoy and the rest.
Agatha told me later that she also told Malfoy in confidence that if he took our part with the Committee, Laszlo Ltd could ensure that he had access to any of the items on our procurement list. She said he hid it well, but it seemed to her that the prospect appealed to him. So if this works out, it looks as if it'll be at the cost of some of those amenities they like so well. Arthur, it doesn't look likely, now, that we'll be able to soak him; more the other way round, at least for the time being.
That's irritating enough, but the real tragedy is that we dare not ship anything suspect through Laszlo's label for a while. I'm sorry - again. Lucky I hadn't shipped any of that polyjuice or it would surely be seized. And then we would have lost the license altogether.
Hermione, I'd hoped you would get your wand by Christmas. I'm afraid you'll have to wait a little longer while I think of some other way to get the Order everything you need.
Meanwhile this means I'm back in northern France instead of northern Africa. I'd barely begun looking for information on Kingsley.
I've got a room here for the night, anyway. I don't think I could travel again without some rest. All that Apparating.
I wonder if the bistro has ginger beer?
Thank Merlin that Malfoy decided to leave before I could meet Agatha and get there to defend ourselves. This disguise is good, but I don't think I'd like to test it against Lucius Malfoy, even if he hasn't seen me in a decade.
Well. I suppose I should tell the tale properly, shouldn't I?
So, the first thing is: I'm sorry, everyone. Yes, it was our shipment that was discovered. I guess it was mad to think our luck could have broken any other way. They opened one of the crates this morning in Dover - one of the guards trying to skim off the top, if you ask me - and one of the wands had shifted, snapped, and a few sparks flew out of the sawdust. From there it didn't take long to dig down and find the others.
Agatha sent word to me after she answered their first summons. Great minds think alike, I suppose, because she threw 'Victor' to the wolves straight away.
She made up a whopping tale about how Victor had been afflicted by a Ukranian strain of Jarvey Pox and was losing his faculties. How Ilsa and Henrich put together the business but needed Victor in the early phases because all the family money was in his name. Then she added that he had insisted on packing the crate himself, and lamented that she should have known there was something fishy about it. She sobbed out that he had died mere days after we got our permission to import. (I got to see a repeat of the performance later.)
For my part, I couldn't get to her while she was talking to the authorities (a good thing they have wards, actually, or my Patronus might have given us away). Finally she broke free, with sincere promises that she would summon Henrich directly from Czechoslovakia. As soon as she got away, my messages arrived and she sent one in reply.
I made for Calais as fast as possible. But you know how I get when I have to Apparate too far or jump too many times in quick succession. I hate that splinchy feeling and the disorientation makes me feel sick. I had to stop a few times along the way to get my breath back. I was just trying (in vain, unfortunately) to get a ginger beer before the next leg, when I saw Malfoy's post. I thought I had better wait until he'd gone before putting in Henrich's appearance.
As it was, they nearly called him back to interrogate me. Thank heavens he's the most self-absorbed prat on the planet. He barely glanced behind the Dover agent to look at us standing abjectly in the office, but snapped at the man that he'd already wasted too much time on 'the sordid business' as it was. He ordered the agent to take my statement and forward it on, then ended the Floo call without any further thought.
Well, of course, I feigned complete shock and betrayal, told them how I'd sunk everything into Laszlo Ltd and had been busily scouring the world for the products we planned to import. I assured them that we'd had no dealings with anyone before or since in any sort of black market trade, promised solmenly that nothing of the kind would ever happen under my direction, and for good measure threw in a few choice words about my dear departed uncle's politics.
Agatha was magnificent. Truly. You should have seen her throwing herself on those Frenchies - and the Dover agent, as well. 'Oh, please, sir,' she says, lip trembling, 'Poor Victor was half out of his mind toward the end. I think he thought Britain had been taken over by wizards what followed Grindelwald, him an' his Teutonic lot.'
Eventually the agents wanted to go home, it being a Friday evening, and they assured us that the appeal to the Committee would move forward and they'd reflect us favourably to Mr Malfoy and the rest.
Agatha told me later that she also told Malfoy in confidence that if he took our part with the Committee, Laszlo Ltd could ensure that he had access to any of the items on our procurement list. She said he hid it well, but it seemed to her that the prospect appealed to him. So if this works out, it looks as if it'll be at the cost of some of those amenities they like so well. Arthur, it doesn't look likely, now, that we'll be able to soak him; more the other way round, at least for the time being.
That's irritating enough, but the real tragedy is that we dare not ship anything suspect through Laszlo's label for a while. I'm sorry - again. Lucky I hadn't shipped any of that polyjuice or it would surely be seized. And then we would have lost the license altogether.
Hermione, I'd hoped you would get your wand by Christmas. I'm afraid you'll have to wait a little longer while I think of some other way to get the Order everything you need.
Meanwhile this means I'm back in northern France instead of northern Africa. I'd barely begun looking for information on Kingsley.
I've got a room here for the night, anyway. I don't think I could travel again without some rest. All that Apparating.
I wonder if the bistro has ginger beer?
Order Only
Date: 2008-11-15 03:17 am (UTC)Damn Malfoy, anyway. I was so looking forward to slipping contraband past him whilst simultaneously lightening his pockets.
Well, I'm disappointed, but exceedingly relieved that things didn't end with the two of you facing the business end of a custom officer's wand, waiting to be taken into custody.
Continue to keep us apprised of the situation as it develops, please.
Re: Order Only
Date: 2008-11-15 01:56 pm (UTC)I'm feeling much better now that I've had sleep and can keep down toast and jam. Agatha and I are going back to my place to check on it and so I can collect some things, if it's still safe there, and we're discussing other ways to get things in past the barriers. She has an idea that perhaps we can use emigrants, the few who decide to apply, as 'mules' (that's a Muggle term for a human carrier of ilicit goods), or maybe there's a way to send through very small amounts without detection. I'm not that happy about trusting our supply to anyone who sympathises with Voldemort or his toadies. Even if they've no idea what they're bringing in.
Anyway, I'm having a think on it. If any bright ideas come to you, let me know.
Re: Order Only
Date: 2008-11-16 12:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-11-15 01:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-11-15 02:01 pm (UTC)Listen, about your Terry ... Carrow's up to something, I can feel it. I dunno what, but ... just you and he be careful, right?
Oh, and if you think you can get away, will you check on
MoonyMr Lupin today? He hasn't posted since the full moon.no subject
Date: 2008-11-15 02:22 pm (UTC)We will, and I will check on Mr Lupin, I worry about him too. He can be so quiet and sad.
no subject
Date: 2008-11-15 11:50 pm (UTC)