4:55pm

“Let’s see - what’s the time now?” Edwin consulted his pocketwatch in the corridor a little outside his office. His feet were beginning to feel used to the plush carpet as he neared the end of his third day as Minister, but it still felt like he was walking on cushions. No good for sharp, authoritative walking, and as he glanced at his watch his eyes caught Kuester’s shoe choice. How on earth she walked in those without killing herself, he wasn’t sure, especially on this carpet.

“Yes, we have enough time before I have dinner with that Ambassador, come through.” He gestured with a smile to his legal assistant, heading in through the anti-room and into the office proper. As he did, one of the junior assistants, Peter Pickler - one who shadowed Holmes and was as good as an assistant’s assistant, hopped up politely to interrupt that he had an urgent parcel on his desk.

Ordinarily Holmes would deal with the menial tasks but Edwin supposed it was no surprise that he subbed out the post. However, why he had to be told right now, he wasn’t sure. Perhaps the young blonde haired man with the alliterative name felt it was his chance to be noticed by the new Minister. Peter didn’t realise that Edwin had noticed him as a junior and knew his sister ran tedious and politically correct diversity trainings[1] on Four. At least the Pickler family trait of attention to detail was not lacking.

“Thank you Pickler.” Edwin replied with only slight enthusiasm and a raise of his eyebrows. He brushed past the young man and into his office. The doors closed behind Eva, cutting out all the noise from the office. “Clearly very important.” Edwin remarked, ruddy lips curling into a smile again as he glanced over his shoulder.

“Now what…” Edwin began to ask Eva as he rounded his desk to take a seat. He spied the brown paper parcel[2] in the middle of this blotter. The Minister would have ignored it, had the handwriting not seemed familiar. Edwin had a good memory for names, and in this case, for handwriting.

The good mood which had caused the smiles on entry dissipated in an instant. HIs stomach dropped. Edwin ignored his trusted assistant and drew his wand, slicing open the parcel without a second thought. The last few parcels like this had been warnings of very time specific events - Trumble’s body in the snow, the Leaky Cauldron explosions… not that he’d admit he had more warning of the latter. No warning today. Nothing.

Brown paper splayed open like a flower, a miniature red telephone box stood on his desk between the Minister and Kuester. Edwin’s face spoke plainly of his dread as he reached for the note.

1.	28th March Penelope Pickler’s Positively Pathetic Programme of Platitudes, Ed Pratt and Nadine Pinn are sent on one of her trainings after a complaint by Tristan Vaillancourt about their discriminatory behaviour
2.	6th April In Calm Endeavour

“It’s a ludicrous sum but we don’t exactly have a leg to stand on. They could legally be suing for more.” The lawyer started to explain once they were out of earshot of the junior. After the door clicked shut and she was confident no one outside could hear, the witch added. “Obviously I’ll inform the families that your office won’t entertain nearly as high a sum. In a polite man-”

Upon watching the colour drain from the minister’s face, Eva went silent, her bright blue eyes scanning over his expression. She’d been so busy explaining the situation that she’d not really considered any importance in a note left for him on his desk. Most was menial mail. Her gaze fell to the desk as she took a step forward to get a better look at what had evidently stumped the minister.

“Sir?” But she stopped, staring in confusion at a neatly written note and a small telephone box stood up on the desk. She leant in for a closer look, hands gripping the edge of the desk as she leaned forward.
“Visiting hours...?” Her voice was quiet as she reread the words over and over again.

Within a few seconds, Eva sprang to attention, placing a hand on Edwin’s arm. “Don’t touch it again, Sir. I’ll call for Level 2.

“Musgrave.” Edwin breathed, his voice shaking, and his arm too beneath Eva’s hand. “This is a warning... He always sends a warning.” He felt unsteady. He’d been Minister three days. He had to reach Almasy, see if he was working with her - but most likely Musgrave was working alone. … which was what shit Edwin up the most. What was the quote - you only have power over people so long as you don't take everything away from them. But when you've robbed a man of everything, he's no longer in your power - he's free again[1].

“He’s coming here.” Why was he coming here? He wasn’t actually going to try and blow the place up was he? Because he was giving them a lot of warning - six whole hours. This wasn’t a friendly warning or a tip off as the werewolf game location had been all those months ago. Since he’d gone off-script with Shufflebottom and the dementors, Edwin had realised he had lost his influence and scant control over Lawrence. With Shufflebottom out in the North Sea, he doubted Lawrence was sane.

Perhaps it was a good thing he was making contact...  no … he knew too much.

Edwin nodded, swallowing. His hand closed over hers on his arm lightly, expressing thanks for her logical thinking and discretion in his alarm.

“Level 2.”

1.	Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, apparently

Just the name of Musgrave made Eva’s stomach twist and her face turned a similar colour to that of her boss’ for quite a different reason. She’d seen the wizard’s face in the paper countless times during the past year, the ministry’s number one most wanted. Persepolis had mentioned him often and he’d been too frequently the talk of Level 1. Never once had Eva mentioned her connection with him but every time she saw his face in print or heard his name she was transported back over 10 years to the night in her small London apartment that changed her life.

Musgrave had been a promising auror during Eva’s time on Level 2 before the war. He’d been amenable without going over the top. Out of most of the aurors, he’d been perhaps one of those friendlier to her in her position as a criminal defence lawyer.
He’d been far less amenable when arresting her for stealing magic and later demanding to know where she’d stolen it from.

Now he was involved in controlling the dementors across Britain. Glass wanted to tackle the situation; how, Eva had yet to be informed.

With the minister’s hand over her own the lawyer was brought back to the present and found herself quickly questioning why the wizard was as perturbed. He looked positively scared; more so than the regular response.

“The previous warnings have been sent to Level 2. To Auror Pratt.” Eva looked the minister dead in the eye, concerned. “This one was personally addressed to you.”

The physical contact and Eva’s valid, observant question brought Edwin out of his initial panic. He released his touch on her swiftly, and slipped his arm from her grip. In this moment he didn’t even think if Eva had a more personal connection.

“Yes, or to whoever was on duty. But the first note, the very first, was addressed to me, and was not a warning, but a tip-off for the location of the Birmingham werewolf fight. Before the second war, La- Musgrave was a friend of mine.” Somehow using his first name in this moment seemed too informal, familiar. “This doesn’t read like a note to a friend who has recently become Minister, does it.” Edwin spoke hurriedly, leaving the desk for his fireplace. It was a most elegant hearth, polished stone, intricate carvings of protection and security runes in the mantle.

The flames simmered as he threw a pinch of powder in and leaned over.
“Solomon, your immediate presence required - code red[1].”

1.	Imminent Attack, inspired by NATO codes

With the minister stepping away as he spoke, Eva crossed her arms over her stomach as her mind tried to take in what he was telling her while also considering the many outcomes from this message. Musgrave was going to show up at the ministry; that much was quite certain. But what for, and why warn Glass in advance? He wanted the minister there. It had to be some sort of spectacle.

It was difficult to school her expression when Glass admitted to having been friends with the ministry’s most wanted man. That certainly wasn’t what one would put on their résumé to become the Minister for Magic and lead Wizarding Britain.

A thousand and one questions swarmed Eva’s mind. Had they remained friends during the war? Did Musgrave still class him as one? Why would the first warning have come to Glass before becoming the Minister?

It was hard to clear her mind but Eva forced it when her boss threw the powder into the fireplace and called for Carstairs. She’d been too busy questioning his extreme reaction to do it herself.

How friendly had they been? It kept swimming through her thoughts as she stood there, pale faced and nervous.
“Is he about to try and discredit you? He sent this to you for a reason. Does he have anything on you that I need to know about, Sir?” She had to tread carefully. It hadn’t even been a week of him being in charge. They didn’t trust each other yet; if ever. “In the strictest of confidence.”

“Discredit me?” The Minister looked to Kuester sharply, “He could well be about to mount an attack on the Ministry.” He ran a hand over his balding head and inhaled deeply, collecting himself. Why was it such a long waiting period? Did he want them to search? Was this the Leaky Cauldron over again and the charges were already laid, or was Lawrence trying to make them run around? Might it be a misleading instruction, and the attack come earlier? Visiting hours, not visitor hours. Edwin might be reading too far into the phrasing, but it gave him no pleasure in the thought of more than one person - or perhaps dementors - arriving in the building. Lawrence wanted Edwin to take note, and be present. A trap? He had to speak to Almasy, somehow.

“He’s sent it to me to try and rattle my cage,” Edwin explained in a more reasonable tone, remembering he was first and foremost, the Minister and these things were sent to test him. “Musgrave is crazy. Nobody should believe a word he says.”

The fireplace crackled with the imminent arrival of a third person to Edwin’s comfortable office.

Solomon was quietly watching the live hearth of his office , eyeing ashes that had once been a piece of parchment, when the code red had come through. Merlin. Would this day never end? He wasn't one to waste time on wondering at the nature of this emergency - the wizard quickly informed his secretary that he would be popping into the fireplace and to have active Aurors on standby.

And then he was off, clutching a handful of powder before stepping into the purple-green flames.

There was no graceful way to arrive by floo but Solomon managed, stepping out on to the thick carpet of Edwin's office with a slight stumble. He adjusted his robes by pulling on his collar and brushing dust off the front. "Minister," his greeting was calm and thoughtful as ever.

They had just met one another this morning[1] but the other wizard would have no true recollection of their meeting's contents.

"What has happened?" Solomon's attention shifted between the two as he acknowledged Eva's presence. The atmosphere in the room was tense, thick with knowledge that escaped him.

1.	6th April - To Tinker and Toil

"Carstairs,"the Minister addressed politely in greeting as Solomon appeared through the fireplace and posed a question.

"Musgrave." Edwin informed the Department Head shortly. It was on the edge of his conscious that their earlier discussion might relate to these events, only he'd consented to self-obliviation, so he couldn't be sure. "I have received a warning." He drew away from the fireplace back to his desk and gestured with both hands at the parcel, allowing the Level 2 head to draw close enough to examine.

"Pickler received it and left it on my desk, I have only just returned. Kuester witnessed its opening - I recognised the hand and feared we might be too late, but this is different." Edwin resisted the wish to pace, but put distance between the other two and his desk. "He's named a time, this is advance warning. It's always been on the dot or after the event." He pointed at the telephone box on his desk to emphasise his words, staring at it. Edwin's grim expression brought additional lines to his face which were not ordinarily there. He looked up to Carstairs and Kuester, and nervously wet his lips. 

Perhaps Eva’s priorities were wrong. Musgrave’s threat or warning would normally have caused concern. Eva’s own links to the wizard had brought an anxiety that she wasn’t comfortable showing in company. It was easier to focus on her boss’ reaction; a reaction that showed more than a concern of what Lawrence Musgrave would do to the ministry. She’d asked for a reason. She’d been shot down. When Solomon Carstairs came through the fireplace, she decided to remain silent for a moment and stand back, arms crossed.

Despite the investigator now being in the room, Eva couldn’t avoid the question that came to mind.
“How were the other warnings delivered, Sir?” If there was a similarity, they might have some clues as to where to go from there. But that was Solomon’s job and Eva frowned, glancing his way. “I’ll fetch Pickler and find out. Unless you want to question him yourself? Although it’s surely best not to insight a panic? Rumours travel fast on Level 1.” It would be easier for her to casually ask rather than the Minister or Head of Law Enforcement to do it. The least dramatic was surely best.

"Musgrave."

The name, and the manner in which it was said, felt like a rousing slap to Solomon's face. He took a step towards the Minister's desk to observe the aforementioned package but did not approach too closely: a red telephone box. It made one think, of course, about the usual way in which one could enter the Ministry of Magic. He, too, recognised the hand. His spectacled gaze slid to Edwin's countenance quietly.

Kuester was trying to play detective but seemed to want to make some use of herself by suggesting they fetch Pickler.

"Don't." Solomon ordered, irritated by what he considered a show of panic in their rush of words. "Kuester is right about level one, so I wouldn't have her running any errands for this. I'll get in touch with Pratt to come here by floo - we will need to examine the parcel. And he can question Pickler."

He looked at the phone box again, this time with more calculation. The warning could foretell a number of different things.

"Minister," he spoke without looking away from the parcel. "If the message was sent to you rather than Pratt, it is possible that Musgrave will make an attempt on your life. We need to ensure your safety."

It wasn't an implausible theory - Glass was new in office, it was in the interest of certain forces to undermine what stability he might bring to the Ministry. But that was only a single facet of suspicion that suggested itself in the department head's mind.

"There is also the chance that he intends to use our focus on you to distract from a crime elsewhere." Solomon finally looked up, eyeing the older wizard sombrely. "I will attach for an Auror to be with you at all times. Teams set up, respectively at our visitor entrance and the Atrium. High alert for level 2."

He drew out his pocket watch, grim. "Working hours are over. I'd wait until six to issue the alert on other floors, minimum number of staff and less potential for panic."

“… will make an attempt on your life…” Edwin swallowed audibly and looked to Solomon in quiet alarm. Three days. Three days! He’d been in this job three days and Carstairs read this as a possible attempt on his life. No, he had to be calm, this was going to be a regular incidence undoubtedly. Solomon was beautifully calm, as he should be. Edwin doubted they’d have said much about Zephyr, unless it was necessary to inform Level 3.

“Quite.” Edwin agreed, after a few deep breaths while Solomon spoke. “Less people here should it be as per November 5th, but less should he bring company.” Edwin shook his head, “I agree with your plans. But whatever it is, he cannot be allowed to slip us again.” He gave Solomon a grave look before turning to his legal assistant.

“Kuester, inform Pickler he should remain in the office as I require his help shortly, but he should send Holmes in as soon as he returns.” The Minister nodded to the witch, “thank you for your assistance, we shall continue our discussion soon.”

He let Evangeline let herself out of his office, through the double doors and let out a deep sigh.
“It shall not be dinner with an Ambassador tonight then,” Edwin shrugged, unbothered by that necessary cancellation. He should by all matters be unbothered by Lawrence’s theatrics with the note and model telephone box. It had been alright when it was aimed at others, planned out with Almasy. It had been fun! But now it was pointed at him, and he didn’t appreciate the joke. It would be unlikely he could reach Almasy now if an auror were to be placed with him on guard.

“Last Thursday[1], after my success had gone in the Prophet, I had a notion someone was watching my house.” Edwin admitted, he felt uncomfortable to admit it to Solomon. It was so very silly, “I put it down to the wine, I still do, but - I perceived a figure at the back of my house, and a handprint on the outside of the glass. Not mine, longer fingers,” he stretched out the fingers of his right hand in illustration, which betrayed him with the slightest of trembles, “just a right hand, on the outside of my back window."

1.	March 31st, Hands On

It was only the two gentleman now, with Eva gone.

Solomon only smiled grimly at Edwin's reference of being unable to keep the evening's appointment - no great loss to politics if it meant they could keep both Minister and Ministry safe tonight. He turned his back to the other man, going to the fireplace with a mind to summon Pratt by contacting him through floo. The admission that followed stopped him right in his tracks and he turned around to watch Edwin worriedly.

"Not mine, longer fingers... just a right hand, on the outside of my back window."

Oh, damn it!

The department head sighed, adjusting his spectacles with a frown. If Glass had told them earlier they might have been able to check the handprint against their records of Musgrave. They would have been more prepared.

"For the sake of erring on the cautious side," Solomon began slowly. "We must assume it was Musgrave watching you that night. I realise you were not Minister when that incident happened but you must come to us with information like this. It is in my interest that you remain alive and functioning."

He slipped his hands into his pocket, glancing at the telephone box and then back to Edwin. "Best we summon Pratt now. I will have him bring a pair of Aurors." Sol resumed movement towards the hearth and only hesitated after he'd reached for a handful of dust. "I think it best to reassure you that our conversation this morning has nothing to do with this."

He threw the soot into the flames and spoke, summoning the Head Auror from his office on level 2.