Sirius Black

It was such a wretched evening tonight that we shut up the garden hours ahead of our normal close. But of the people who were there, two were ones we'd been thinking might make good recruits: Tim Wang and Edna Parsons. Er, not that they were together mind.

Mrs Parsons lives in a building nearby - you might recall she's the one whose landlord Beth confirmed is already a member of the Muggle Underground Railroad, so we're reasonably confident that unless she's completely idiotic, she won't have any issues from him, at any rate. Not sure about her neighbours - though she's brought the lady in the next flat here at least once.

Wang's an interesting bloke. I once overheard Ellie asking him if there wasn't anything she could get for him - he doesn't touch a drop of beer. He smiled and said he was just fine with his gillywater; he just likes the company. Ellie asked, 'Any particular company?' and he said that he quite fancies how relaxed we keep things, how no one puts on any airs. Then there was a time when Mrs Spindleton was clucking over him and drew him out a bit. I listened on that conversation, too. Turns out, his wife was one of the casualties in the World Cup bombing.

The others we think worth approaching:

• Enid Dribb - she looked after Bea a time or two before Ellie came to stay with us


• Craig Cantrell - he's the young lad who works for the Parritts and he's quite sweet on our Ellie


• Rebecca Kestenbaum


• Avanti Sharma - Both of them were a few years ahead of Dora, but I don't think they're mates with each other or anything. I've barely seen them have a conversation, actually


• Gladys Malone - Ellie said she was in at Valentine's, still rather bitter about her husband leaving her when he knew perfectly well she was a halfblood


• Rick Sacher - I think Rick is short for Frederick, isn't it, Dora, and not Richard. He was telling another patron a few months ago that his parents emigrated here from Austria back when Grindelwald was making things uncomfortable there. Had loads of stories about their escape, back in the day

We're not expecting that every one of them will accept, of course, or that we want every one of them right away. Rick, Rebecca, and Avanti are the best suited for active roles, I think, while Tim, Enid, Edna and Gladys would likely be more comfortable in support positions. Craig's as enthusiastic as any young man at 16 or 17, but we'd need to get him a wand and some training before he could make an effective combatant, certainly. He might do for a messenger if we need one, as the family he works for send him out on errands quite a bit.

Er, where are you? We expected you back an age ago.

Remus is looking a little fussed by the number of times he's said, 'We're expecting more of that, Madam, before the end of the day.'

And not that you can't handle yourself but ... well, we did think you'd only be an hour or so. So I think he's a bit worried about that.

Check in if you're going to be much longer?

Ta, love.

Frank, Mac,

I think I see Aleks' boat. About 10 degrees off the port bow and perhaps 15 miles out?

Or is that a commercial liner much further away?

All things considered, I'm glad we've a little cloud cover but I do wish it weren't playing havoc with the visibility. And my lot are complaining of the damp.

I'm going to refresh their warming charms. It shan't help with the twitchy feeling this near the wards but at least it'll keep their feet comfortable. Let me know if you think we need to circle round again.

Moony and I (and Bea) spent the night in Grimmauld Place last night, first time we've been back for a full night since Ellie came.

We figured that'd be best since Ellie's still a bit skittish, but it was the full moon so Remus needed a safe transformation place and we didn't want to risk Ellie coming upstairs to check on Bea with only a door between her and a werewolf. And I couldn't have seen to Bea as a dog, or risk Ellie coming up to stumble on me, either.

Well, anyway. That part worked out well enough. But the part that we found curious was Kreacher. Do you know, I think he actually might have missed us?

Well. I say us. Really I think he missed Bea.

Dora, we may want to think about going back to Grimmauld a little more frequently, especially if we're not going to be able to tell Ellie the truth before next month. I dunno how he'll react if we only come back to give him Bea to look after for a few hours. When she's asleep, no less.

Anyway. I'm sending a final owl to Aleks to confirm what he's bringing us. Wands, of course, and the staples: Fruit, sugar, spices, chocolate, tea, coffee, so on. Poppy, I got your list (or rather Mr Ponds did) and I'm sending it along. Anti-fungal creme, really? And camphor and cotton and all the usual items.

Anyone have last-minute additions? No guarantees but if it's something simple enough we've a little time.

(That reminds me: The wards will have to drop when Beauxbatons and Durmstrang take their delegations home. Frank, Kingsley: Do you think we could get people out then, if we had a vessel to take them?)

It's been a tense night and day around here, no mistake. So far, the custom hasn't suffered, though like I said last night, it's quite subdued in our little garden compared to out on the streets.

I'm just grabbing a minute or two while Ellie's out in the yard. It's become quite difficult, actually, to stop her trying to keep 'Sinbad' with her at all times.

The good news is that she's been talking to him, when we're alone. Mostly narrating what she's doing but occasionally there's an opinion about Mr or Mrs Ponds thrown in.

Dora, you'll be happy to know that she thinks you walk on water.

Today she's been pretty worried about all this DogStar business. I don't think she knew anyone in the network, from what I've overheard, but she's concerned (as are we all) with what the Ministry will do to find out how many in the company are left, the ones that managed to get away. She seems to be afraid that the few who remain will also do something desperate in their last throes of existence.

Personally, I think it's more likely they'll regroup and start over - although, that said, the papers claimed both that their titular head (my 'lover,' apparently, Remus and I had a good laugh over that one) and their primary recruiter had both been captured.

We've still not seen Beth, either. I suspect she's laying low for now. If she's not in by a week's time, we'll worry.

Oh, and the neighbourhood watch stopped in this evening, again, trying to round up volunteers to brandish their wands along the streets to the west, where 'that element' live. Lucky for us it looks to be a busy night again, so Remus - sorry, Junius - was able to say in all honesty that he thought he'd need to stay behind to give Dora and 'the help' a hand with the crowd, but that they'd be welcome to stop in for a drink afterward. That seemed to placate them.

Remus, I think next time they come calling, busy or not, you'd better go out with them. Or send Dora, depending. I didn't like the way that second bloke looked at you when your back was turned.


Oh, Alice, Frank, before I forget: We can't afford to miss our rendezvous with Aleks this year. I owled him just before Ellie came and sent him the usual requests. Who's going from your end?

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.

Fred, George: Have you heard any more from Terry?

Well, meanwhile, it's past time that we told you all about having Hydra over for tea.

So, to set the stage, of course, we've spent some time keeping Doughty Conduit look occupied. For one thing, we don't know how soon the Ministry might wish to inspect us, but for another, on the assumption that Bellatrix wanted to spy through Hydra, we figured she ought to be presented with the picture of domesticity. We even put Bea down for her nap in the pram in the kitchen.

Hydra and the nanny arrived promptly at two and I think at first Remus feared Mrs Baylock meant to stay and observe the whole visit but she made one or two disparaging remarks about the shop and then told Hydra she'd some errands of her own and would return for her at half-past-three.

Hydra looked around the shop while Dora went to see if Bea'd woken up yet, which she had, so they proceeded to the kitchen. At first she seemed quite shy but she kept sneaking me looks when she thought Dora couldn't see and finally she asked if I'd bite. Dora said no, of course not, so she tried giving me a scratch. Before I knew it she was sneaking me bits of her sandwich (she only ate the cress and the dill, no meat). Remus came in once the shop was between customers and almost called me Padfoot (we'd agreed on Sinbad for Hydra's benefit, since I've no idea whether she'd tell Justin about meeting a dog named Padfoot!) but he caught himself just in time. I don't think she noticed.

Moony kept pushing sweets on her. She'd make a remark about how 'Mummy' wouldn't like her to have too many sweets but then she'd take another biscuit as if defying Bellatrix were more delicious than the treat itself. And I'll admit, she spoke glowingly about Justin.

But there's one thing that happened - well, I'm sure if we've not heard about it by now, it probably isn't an issue. Still. Bea was showing off for our guest, with Dora's help, doing her parlour tricks of changing her hair colour and such. And she did something ... I've never seen her do it before, nor had Remus, I think, but she changed her face to look more like a dog's, then back to human. And she kept switching back and forth, three or four times running, and then said 'Da!' and then started all over again. Remus thinks she was just jealous that Hydra seemed to be paying more attention to the dog than to Bea. But if Bellatrix forces her to put her memories in a Pensieve or tries to Legilimise her, it might come out.

Fred and George, you're more likely to know what she's like when she's not with her mother. I'll grant that she seems remarkably adjusted for growing up that viper's daughter but - is it likely she's able to keep her mother from rifling through her thoughts?

So, Alice, are you coming by the shop today so we can all have a proper dose of good luck?

Joking aside, how are all the new little ones settling in?

Arthur, Kingsley: I think we're pretty well agreed that much as we'd like to help all four of the girls Davidson's people recommended, the two older ones are the best choices for our particular situation. If there's something that can be done about the others, we're all for it, though.

So, what's next? Can Dora pick up an application overnight or should one of the Pondses come and request one on business hours - I think, Arthur, given that we'll need your involvement in putting together the application and in seeing that it gets to the right people afterward, we oughtn't ask you to bring the parchmentwork directly to the shop. Best leave you out for the time being.

Well, things have been hopping over at Laszlo's Unlimited this weekend! I think everyone who went to the Frost Faire last week instead has been spoiling for an evening out without having to pretend to anything.

It's been the sort of nights where extra hands would have been helpful.

Which is what we'd hoped to talk to you about, Arthur. Beth told Dora that it would go a long way with the authorities in town - to say nothing of making things easier for the Ponds household - if Dora and Junius got themselves a muggleborn.

Arthur, we had in mind that you might be able to help make sure we get someone who'll be trustworthy and not a Ministry plant. But it has to be said that there's a huge amount of risk even in that much. Still, we all somewhat like the idea of being able to help someone get out of the camps with a legitimate excuse - and that it might also help Dora and Remus with their situation at Laszlo's. And then there's the hope that that person would also be able, eventually, to help with all our enterprises.

What does everyone think?

How's the trade tonight? Doing all right alone?

If you need an extra pair of hands, Mac seems to be settled in fine and said he'd not mind if I came to help. Now that we've a live boomslang, I could take polyjuice and come as Dora for a while.

Maybe it'd be better to have someone around to, er, keep you calmer?