“Youtookdowntheaddressonalostkneazle’solrandthensetitlooseagain?”Stramitz’seyebrowsroseindisbelief.
“No,it—er—itsortofattakedme.Andthenranoff.”
“Isee,”Stramitzsaid.“Andwherewereyoustnight?”
Harryfelttheblooddrainfromhisfae.
Sheleanedinandpressedherpalmstothedesk.“Didyouhappentoseeorhearfromyourneighbor,GarndUmphrey?”
“I—wait.What?”
Felixstoodupandwalkedaroundthedesk.“Wouldyoumindsurrenderingyourwandforadiagnosti?”HesmiledandHarryturnedtoRon,buthewasstaringatthefloor.Zahaadded,“It’sjusttohekthespellsyou’veastinthestdayorso.”
“I—uh—”HarrylookedbakatRon.Hefinallymethisgaze.
“Ithinkyoushould,mate,justtolearyour,uh,name,”Ronsaid.
HarrysentStramitzagre.“Youan’tpossiblythinkI’mresponsibleforkillingMarwanZivantus!”
Stramitzstoodupandlikedherlips.“Nowhowouldyoupossiblyknowthatname?Wehaven’treleasedthevitimstothepubli.”
“Anddon’tsayyoureognisedhim,”Zahaadded.Harryfeltaolletiveshiverrunbetweenthem.Thearnageinthepenthouseleftfewdefiningfeaturesonthebodies.
Harrylied.“Ijustknewthenameonthereservation.”
ZahaandStramitzsharedalook.ThenZahaheldouthishand.“Wellyouaren’tundersuspiionforthati.ButyouareapersonofiinthedeathofGarndUmphrey.”
“Umphrey’sdead?”Harryburst.
“They’resayingtheStunningSpellthatledtohisdeathriohetedoffsomethingfromyourft.”StramitzwasstillsmilinganditmadeHarryuneasy.“Well?Doyouhaveanexpnationforthat?”
Harryshookhishead.AfterabitofdeliberationandanotheroddlylookfromRon,heagreedtoletthemtakehiswand.Theymadehimwaitinthehallwaywhiletheydidtheproedure.Harrywasn’tsurewhatRonwasdoinginthere,buthetrustedhimtohavehisbakifanythingelsewouldhappen.
PansysteppedoutoftheMinistryFloo,tookonelookoutthewindow,andrealizedshehadn’tpakedforEdinburgh.Themistbedtheoutside,andsheshiveredjustthinkingaboutit.EverythinginhersuitasewassuitedforbusinessinBrussels.
“Fantasti,”shemutteredtoherself.She’dneedtoapparatetotheAshtylassoonasshemetwiththeiigatorsonBertrie’sase,andmaybeafterthatsheouldFloohomeandgetproperlothes.SheexitedtheFlooChamberandheadedstraightforthemaindesk.