Just past nine in the evening.


He waited in silence, watching the Minister of Magic. They were by a fireplace in the large office - Solomon in what was his customary armchair while Yavin remained standing, leaning against the tiled mantelpiece. He had approached their fair leader that afternoon to do him the honour of a dinner out before they retired here to speak on his true purpose.

Yavin's neon green umper clashed with the plush purple carpeting, a splash of garish color in classically decorated surroundings. He always felt - with some delight - like an intruder in this room.

Never more so than tonight.

       "Let me get this straight." Solomon broke the silence, putting down his otherwise untouched whisky. "For over a year now, you've had some inkling of what the Americans[1] are planning?"

He looked sombre and serious indeed, in his formal dark suit. The collar had been loosened at dinner but the effect wasn't so much debonair as it was tired-looking.

"Intel was, ah, was gradual." Yavin replied dryly as he placed his own drink on the mantel. "We suspected they were using data from the, hm, the exchange programme without disclosing a purpose to us."

The Minister leaned forward, hands clasped together. He was staring into the fireplace with a scowl on his face. "Pratchett," he muttered bitterly.

Of course Solomon knew about the so-called Weapons Czar, a CAWW figure that had been noted by Level Five's eyes and ears[2] in the US. On the surface, Pratchett appeared to head up nothing more than a weapons development initiative.

Alarming in itself, yes, in that it defined Inglethorpe's leadership stance, but not specific in its aim. What Yavin has done now is clarify Pratchett's goal.

       "You should ha--" Solomon cut himself short, abruptly, as if controlling an emotion. "Damned foolish, Morgenthau."

Maybe. In retrospect. Yavin did not try to defend his decisions, which a part of him still believed necessary. They had already been over this ground and neither men were apt to cry over what can't be altered.

1.	Nest of Crow plot
2.	26th Feb - A Circus in My Mind

Solomon Carstairs turned his bespectacled gaze from the fire to the tall, lanky man leaning against the mantelpiece.

If he did not feel the weight of knowledge so heavily right now, he might be tempted into irritability.

But what use would that be to either of them, to his station? To the millions of American muggles living their lives day in and day out, oblivious of the supposed danger they pose to a secret government?

A danger that has been fed so well by the media that Solomon can't count on public outcry if it were disclosed that CAWW is developing weapons of mass destruction targeting muggles. Already there were movements thriving on the possibility of witch hunts and burnings.

"What's the current status?" Sol asked, turning as he always did to a more pragmatic line of thought.

He has known Yavin Morgenthau for many years, even prior to his post in Mysteries, as a tower of intellect standing somewhere on the border between wisdom and arrogance.

The trust of those years is being greatly tested now.

       "Eldritch & Profane are pursuing several designs, concurrently." The older wizard crossed his arms. "We, ah, we're arranging for an agent to investigate a possible pilot, hm, pilot test."

Didn't that sound wonderfully sanitised? A pilot test for mass murder. Solomon adjusted his spectacles, shook his head to himself. He did not doubt the veracity of it.

Morgenthau had disclosed corroboration of intel with Level Five, and the possibility of further affirmation through the Chinese authorities.

"Who's aware of this, besides ourselves and your operatives?"
       "Spectre, of course. Johann." Morgenthau shrugged. "And his operatives."
"Good." Solomon leaned back in his armchair. "Next time, I want him here too."

Five's Deputy Head had easier manners and, more importantly, no past loyalties to CAWW for Sol to distrust.

       "Might I, ah, suggest," continued Yavin evenly, " a larger conference after our agent has, hah, has returned with confirmation of the test?"

There wasn't any need for him to wonder at this suggestion, so soon on the heels of breaking secrecy. Morgenthau no doubt wished to pull further resources from other departments to his own end.

Merlin's balls, for all they knew he was already doing that under the table.

"Fine." Solomon conceded curtly and got up, restless in his thoughts. "Keep me informed."

It was not so much an order as it was a threat. And he was sure, legilimens or not, Yavin Morgenthau knew it.