Barty Crouch Jr.

Thank you, Barty. It's been a full morning already.

The Healers at St Mungo's have concurred that Aunt Walburga died of natural causes and they are releasing her to Mr Sinclair's establishment. I've got to go to Grimmauld Place to select robes for her laying out. And I'm waiting to hear back from Mr Runge on when to schedule the services.

Though in Regulus' case there is much less to do.

Mother is working with Ganymede Bobolis on Walburga's obituary. He has been astonishingly solicitous. I think he feels it's the least he can do. I also believe he wishes that he and Regulus parted on ... better terms. I'm sure he thought there would be time to patch up.

I'm not sure of anything else right now. Lucius is meeting with Caldecott regarding the estate. Cards are already beginning to arrive, as well. I suppose we shall have to start going through them, but - not necessarily today.

I declare the most tragic thing about the proceedings is that by now I've detailed notes from Aunt Lucretia and Great-Aunt Cassie. I believe our family have had more than their fair share of late!

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Bellatrix and I are to meet with Mafalda in few minutes, and I expect she wishes to discuss whether there's a need to open an official investigation. I will let you know, of course, what comes of this.

I'm glad to hear Bobolis is making himself useful.

In any case, my diary is a collection of bits and pieces today, all of which could be rearranged as necessary.

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Well, in the time since I first wrote ....

The Floo seems to be closed. I can't imagine why. Perhaps Walburga shut it up after she got so perturbed ~~last~~ the night before last.

Are you in London already? Would you mind terribly going to see if the house is locked? I think Mother has an extra set of the keys, if it is - and I can't imagine Walburga leaving it open for vandals, but on the off chance .... It does occur to me that the place has been empty since yesterday and that I said so quite baldly.

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Of course. Consider it done.

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Narcissa.

The house is warded shut. When I was unable to enter, I visited your mother and she returned with me to try her key. That removed the locking spell as it ought to have done, but there are other wards on the house. I've been in and out of the house many times with Regulus, and have watched him use the key. There was no further unlocking charm, so far as I ever observed; it could have been keyed to his presence, but your mother, who has always been permitted entry before, was barred today.

I checked with the Floo administration, as well, and there's been no action from their end: the house has blocked its own fires.

I know Orion went to considerable lengths weaving protections around the house, but you might have supposed that with Walburga's death and Reg's it would have no further need to bar entry. Instead, it seems to have redoubled its wards.

I've sent a message to Rodolphus. If anyone can sort out what's gone wrong, he can.

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Oh, for pity's sake. I just tried sending Trinny and she failed utterly, as well! I've never heard of a warding that bars one's house-elf as well as humans.

Mr Sinclair will have to do his best with the robes she was wearing, for the time being. How disappointing.

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I've had a look and I'm afraid nothing's gone wrong; the wards are doing exactly what they're meant to do, and neither you, I, Narcissa, or anyone else will be getting into 12 Grimmauld Place. There's only one person that the house will open for, and he is most certainly not in the vicinity of New London... unfortunate as that may be.

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That's ludicrous! There has to be a way to break the seal.

He can't inherit the place. You know they disowned him years ago--he's entitled to nothing. Even if he'd not been written out of the Will, he's been outlawed, so any inheritable property is forfeit to the Protectorate.

There's really nothing you could try?

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Going by the age of the magic, I'd say the wards were put in place before any disowning, and long before the Protectorate, too. Blood magic of this nature has no regard for the law, and will answer only to those who cast it, or to their heirs. I don't know why Orion and Walburga never changed the spell themselves... perhaps they meant to but never got 'round to it.

I can think of one thing to try, but it's rather macabre. Especially so soon after her passing. And it might end up being nothing more than a hex in the dark.

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alt_lucius

Let us approach this logically, Rodolphus. I'm sure there are items of value, but other than something suitable for her burial, I don't believe there is any urgent need to gain entry.

If as you say, we have a limited window of opportunity, then it would be foolish not to consider it. However, depending on the nature of the procedure, we may do well to wait until we have the right person at our ... disposal.

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I have no personal interest in gaining entry aside from wondering if it could be done...like I said, a hex in the dark. Narcissa's invited me over, so perhaps we can discuss options in person, and whether or not you even want to take those options.

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alt_lucius

I was not suggesting you have any personal stake - only that my wife is not necessarily thinking as clinically as you or I.

And yes, I welcome the chance to discuss it together with her.

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I shan't insult you by asking whether you're sure, but is there anything we can do to break the spell?

Mother knows nothing about Uncle Orion having put any such spell on the house. Can you tell how old it is - I mean, approximately when it was cast? Is it possible that he bound the place up before he fled for the continent?

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I won't offend you, Narcissa, by describing the only possible solution that has occurred to me. Read what I wrote to Barty if you care to know more, but mind that you brace yourself.

I'd gauge the spell as having been cast thirty or so years ago, give or take.

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Recall that I am also your wife's sister, Rodolphus: I do not pale so easily, whatever Lucius may choose to believe.

Would you need all of her or only a sample of her blood?

Perhaps we ought to discuss it in person.

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Discussing it in person would be best.

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Why don't you come over, then, if you're free. Barty will be here to take the statement that has Bella in such a flap; but if we're discussing anything that would require dispensation, he might as well be present.

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Call me the crow of ill-tidings: I'm afraid we are going to need a statement from you. Mafalda insisted. I can spare you the trip into town, though, if you can see a time when I could come ask you the necessary questions.

I'm sorry to put you through it.

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~~Is she~~

Of course, if it's necessary, we'll cooperate in any way she needs. I assume you'll want to speak to Lucius as well? He was at the Ministry earlier today; it's a pity Mafalda could not have said then.

Or would you prefer to speak to us separately? So that we cannot - what's the procedural phrase? - match our stories?

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I apologise, I thought she had caught him. I offered to speak with you.

You're right, of course, we do need to depose you each independently, but not because there's any concern you would conspire to alter your testimony. The point is simply to record your separate recollections.

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She might well have done; I confess that we have been on our separate tracks today to accomplish everything that needed to be done, so I haven't spoken to him, and certainly not about this.

Well. Since there's no possibility of gaining entry to 12 Grimmauld Place right away, I'm at a bit of an impasse.

Are you able to come this evening after supper? I expect Lucius will wish to catch up on work tonight, having spent so much of the day on our family affairs. I'm sure he'll be happy to leave us to it.

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That would be fine. I've dined already. Would it be convenient if I were to come now?

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Yes. I've asked Rodolphus to come as well to discuss our options for getting inside her home.

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alt_bellatrix

Oh, she insisted, did she?

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It's all right, Bella. There's no need to put Barty in an awkward position; he's welcome to come and ask what he needs to ask.

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alt_bellatrix

Mafalda is simply being ridiculous. What you and Lucius described to me should already be more than enough for her parchments. But if she needs to waste your valuable time - and Barty's - with so-called official protocol, so be it. I shall be speaking to her about it later, when I'm not busy overseeing other matters.

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