分卷阅读20（1 / 2）

“Investigators,” rang a voice from nearby. Ignora was met by the beady eyes of the auror, Bastien Queensbury. “I’m glad you’re here,” he said. “It saves me the trouble of writing a formal letter.”

“You have something to share with us?” Felix cocked a brow.

“Yes,” Queensbury nodded, something shrill in his tone. “The Home Office has deemed your case a part of mine and reassigned you. I will need all your case notes and files.”

Laughing, Igora walked away.

“Stramitz,” Queensbury warned. “There is extensive evidence Umphrey was working with Zivantus to sell dangerous stolen goods on the black market. This has been deemed the highest priority and my auror task force will be solely responsible for the investigation moving forward.”

“And Bertrice?” Igora raged. “Who is going to be responsible for finding that poor girl?”

The short man frowned. “We will do everything we can.”

She huffed, her breathing a harsh rhythm bouncing between seething rage and heartbreaking disappointment. Felix stepped forward and shook his head, “Right, you’ll do what you can between raiding the warehouses and returning the high priced valuables to their rich owners.” He turned to Igora. “I forgot it was an election year.”

“Just owl me the files,” Queensbury waved them off. “Move on to your next case. That’s an order.” He walked away and disappeared down a hallway. Igora practiced even breaths.

“We are not moving on,” she said. They needed a sudden discovery to change their direction. Igora needed a break in the case. But more importantly, she needed a cigarette.

Reining in McLaggen had apparently become Icarus Sableton’s full time job. He talked him down from giving Granger Veritaserum, but her wand had been confiscated. Icarus reluctantly agreed with that action.

“We have to protect people,” McLaggen said.

Icarus nodded. “Yes, but Granger came in willingly. She just confirmed her curse is manifestly harmless.”

McLaggen frowned. “Love can be very dangerous.”

“I bet,” Icarus said doubtfully. Frankly, the Eros Curse seemed like one of the more manageable afflictions. Manageable in that it didn’t cause immediate death or destruction, although love was known to lead to both of those things in the worst of circumstances.

He debriefed Granger without McLaggen, and when he asked if the two had a history, Granger snorted and crossed her arms. She grew increasingly frustrated and demanded to speak with the Pandora project leader.

“There was an emergency,” Icarus explained, and he tried not to laugh. He really did. Chuckling, “They found Garius Santi—let’s just say, in a tight situation.”

“Garius?” Granger questioned. “Have they identified his curse?”

Icarus thought about one of the Department of Mysteries’ senior-most officials parading down the catwalk in a dress and full makeup and nodded. He shook the thought and addressed the matter at hand. They wanted Granger to help bring in the others and then assist in breaking the curses.