Sirius Black

We're back on shore and Aleks really outdid himself this time! Three dozen wands - I could have kissed him right there! - and cartloads of supplies for both legitimate and illegitimate sale.

And all the passengers were safely aboard his.

Merlin, it feels good to have something go off without a hitch.

Poppy, there are three crates of medicinals for you; can you come down after tomorrow and decide what you want to sneak into the storerooms at Hogwarts and what we can distribute among our various other collaborators?

This evening we're making space in the storeroom for the good we're about to retrieve in the morning.

Frank, everything ready? Mac, how about on your end? I'm leaving here after we lock up for the night, so I should be at the rendezvous point in time for the tide to change.

Last chance for requests: I've got a little room in my pack for anything that ought to be ferried from here to you lot out west.

Oh, and Arthur, Molly: I've just reminded myself that after the holidays, we ought to check back with Miss Perks' mother and see if we can't think of a convincing way to arrange for her to join one of the enclaves living rough. But after the holidays - it's just been far too busy here to worry about anything other than tonight's run.

Well, that and the graffiti that keeps showing up and getting people talking. Last night there was a chalk drawing on a wall three blocks away. Depicted a Dark Mark with stars covering the eyes and open mouth. A little further down, someone had added a makeshift dog carrying a dead snake in its fangs.

I hope I'm being paranoid if I say I find images of dogs a little disquieting, especially so close to the shop.

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?)

I'm back safe and sound and Emmeline let us know that her handoff to the Sherwood group went off without a hitch.

As you know, I've been working with Aleks and Fatima to bring in not just the contraband we need, but items for the shop here that could, theoretically, have been imported legally but for which we at Laszlo simply didn't wish to pay the tariffs. All part of our revolutionary strategy to keep our prices low and our stock distinctive.

However. I know that a good deal of these items are also very valuable for other uses - bribes, for example, when we go out rescuing Muggleborns - and a variety of barter and trade arrangements. So I thought I'd just give you all a taster and please do give a shout if you'd like us to hold any of it back rather than put it on the market.

You can pick up anything you want to claim on Monday. (Allie, I assume you've taken care of inviting everyone, love?)

Right:

• 20 bolts of silk, various colours and weights but mainly bleached, suitable for dying. (Each bolt is about 4 yards wide I think? and I don't know how many yards long.)


• 36 spools of silk thread, 3 each in 12 colours (white, black, blue, red, green, yellow, purple, orange, sort of a lime, peach, beige and brown)


• Peacock feathers, one gross, suitable for quills or hats


• Eagle feathers, same


• Lamp oil, three cases of 12oz bottles


• 10 crates of clementine oranges (about 6dz oranges per crate)


• 10 crates of bananas (I've no idea how many bunches that is!)


• 10 crates of lemons (about 6dz lemons per crate)


• kitchen-grade mace, ground, 3 cases at 24 jars per case


• kitchen-grade sugar, 1lb bags, 100lbs total


• curry powder, 1oz packets, 1 gross


• coriander, same


• cinnamon, same


• saffron, ¹/²oz packets, 1 gross


• chocolate (don't worry, we've already put most of it in your parcels)


• 3 crates Algerian pomegranates


• 12 cases loose tobacco


• Cigarettes, one gross of cartons (these might be dicey to sell in-shop, so if you've a use for them, so much the better)


• one gross of salamanders


• 3 cases of HotWot


• 1 case of Tooth-ache tonic (Poppy, you're getting some, don't worry!)


• 2 cases of Indian Ocean Blood-Replenisher


• 2 cases of Hercules All-Heal


• 2 cases of French perfume (6oz bottles)


• 2 cases of Absinthe (minus two bottles)


• 3 cases of small batch Kentucky Bourbon


• 10 cases each of pinot noir, pinot grigio, cabernet, syrah, tokay, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc & bordeaux (all French, of course)


• cases and kegs of beer

(Most of the alcohol will go to the beer garden but we've been all day reversing the size-reducing spells, getting the cellar organised and taking inventory.)

Well? Step right up, don't be shy - Laszlo's back room is open for business!

Arthur, did you make it home all right?

It was rather intense round here as well. Heard more than a few fireworks and saw some fires several streets over. Then we did have someone come knocking last night, very late, asking if Dora or Junius wanted to come out and play. Luckily Bea started squalling at that moment (sorry, Dora, for waking you up with that) and Remus was able to tell them to bugger off, couldn't they tell he had more pressing problems right at home?

But even with the midnight militia knocking at our door, we had nothing like the trouble we're reading about in this morning's Prophet. All over the country, it seems. Pockets of it here and there.

Did they send you out to Porlock? It sounds like that was one of the worst situations. At least 20 buildings destroyed by fire and over 200 muggles killed? According to the paper they nearly set Exmoor Forest itself ablaze.

Only by the immense, heroic efforts of Camp Administrator Invictus Clavey and his dedicated staff was the fire abated before it consumed the homes of local wizardry. However, the nightmare of Bonfire Night was not yet over. Clavey is also the leader of Porlock's local Protectorate Citizens for Purity garrison. While his staff proceeded in their duty to restore the community to order, Clavey wisely activated the dozens of loyal wizards and witches in northern Somerset and authorised them to assist the camp's employees. As part of their thorough evacuation, the Citizens for Purity, led by Clavey's deputy and son-in-law Malagantius Peppin, separated one in twenty muggles for immediate and decisive reprisals in exchange for the vandalism. At least 30 juveniles, 70 females and over 100 males were made examples to the rest.

Goes on to talk about the clean-up efforts and how they're disposing of the dead. There's a sidebar with Peppin where he talks about how important it is, especially in their little neck of the woods, to take care of things themselves and make sure no undesirable element even gets started. Seems to think no one from the Ministry really cares about Porlock (which is probably true) and that it gives them licence to run rampant over their region. Also sounds like Peppin's not the type of warlock who takes 'No' for an answer when recruiting his neighbours. (Dunno what we'd have done if that bloke last night had been a Peppin instead of a common garden Smith.)

Merlin, what a mess. Kingsley, if I were you I'd see if this man Invictus Clavey would like to follow his community's stick with a nice, juicy carrot of a performance by the Players. I'll bet there are plenty of disgruntled and angry muggles looking for a way out; you might gain a good bit of information they might otherwise be too frightened to reveal. Plus it's right on a coast - good place to run from, if we've got a boat nearby. Which we have. We could run them across to Barry or even risk Swansea and then they'd be in Wales with little to stop them - and much greater sympathy, I should think?

We've really got to start planning properly for a more sizable escape when those wards come down. We've got a month to plan for this one, probably not enough time, but for June? Surely we can arrange something.

Oh, speaking of that, Alice and Frank, I've had an owl from Aleks and he's got a partner who's made the trip before. Not with him; we're not the only smuggling operation there is, of course, though he won't tell Aleks about this other group, for obvious reasons. But he says he can put together a good shipment and he's got ten more wands as well. Wants to know how many people we'll be sending through. I'll send you the information about the coordinates and timing. Is the Tide Turner ready for a run?