Order Only Private Message to Remus Lupin and Sirius Black

[alt_nymphadora]

Remus, by the time Bea and I have finished napping, I may forget again, so I'll just tell you this now, shall I?

Last evening I put a small parcel away on the shelf below the cash box in the shop. Beth asked if we could keep it until the person it's meant for can stop in and ask for it. So that's what it is, in case you see it and wonder. And that's where it is, if someone asks you for a left parcel. I meant to tell you last night, but it was so busy. And then it slipped my mind.

Adding Sirius here, too, in case the both of us are forgetful and need reminding what I've done with the thing.

Comments

[alt_sirius]

Who's supposed to come get it? Did she give you any idea how long we're supposed to hold the thing?

And why couldn't she simply send it by owl, then?

[alt_nymphadora]

I don't actually know who is coming to get it, except that it's a woman and she's a muggleborn servant. Beth said her employers wouldn't approve of her receiving post there, and this is a safe, neutral place for it to rest until she can retrieve it.

I was really pleased she asked. It's exactly the way we've hoped people would see us, isn't it?

[alt_sirius]

Well, yeah, only ... we don't know a lot about her, do we?

Did she say what's in this package?

[alt_nymphadora]

Said it was a potion. Something medicinal. For female troubles. Or maybe I only thought that's what she meant.

[alt_lupin]

That's lovely, assuming Beth's telling the truth, and this isn't some sort of set-up.

Have you looked in the parcel?

[alt_nymphadora]

Of course I haven't looked in the parcel.

Do you really suspect Beth? She's seemed perfectly all right to me. (I know Madam P told you we should be cautious and that she could be MLE, but really? I don't get that sense of her at all, do you?)

[alt_lupin]

I like Beth.

I guess I'm hesitant to trust her on that account. She's a lovely woman but she spends quite a lot of her time listening. Which could mean nothing except that she's willing to lend an ear to the troubled. Or it could mean she's a spy -- a really good spy.

[alt_sirius]

She certainly doesn't seem like the MLE type, no - but on the other hand, she's familiar enough with Quinn Quirke, and he's near the top of the Ministry's list of donors.

Like Remus says, she could just be a very good listener. But it's suspicious in itself that in all the weeks she's been coming, no one really seems to know as much about her as she knows about the rest of the customers.

Whatever she is, she's effective. That other bloke - well, he gets people talking about themselves, that's for sure. But he seems more like a Daily Prophet reporter, always asking questions. Beth just ... chats. But she doesn't reveal anything about herself. And when anyone does ask her something even vaguely personal, she gives an enigmatic answer. (Rather like my brother used to do, in fact.)

Then again. She's cheery enough. And she's always pleased to see Padfoot, though. And I don't get any sense from her (as Padfoot) that she's being deceitful with people. Just ... cautious.

[alt_nymphadora]

Well. For that matter, we're deceitful and cautious. But we mean well.

I say Beth's a friend.

Her heart's in the right place, wanting to help muggleborns.

That's all I need to know.