ink - sirius black

malfoys and misogyny

im so sorry this took so long but fall break starts thursday so :)

tw: violence

November 25, 1979
8:07 am
Callaway Investigations
London

Anneliese looked up from her notebook as a sharp, anticipatory ring trilled through the air, cutting through the sound of her pencil scratching vigorously against paper. She quickly leaned forward and picked up the dark red rotary phone with a crisp click, the ringing coming to a halt.

"Code or case?" she inquired in a flat voice, ripping off a sheet of paper and placing it in front of her, pencil poised and ready.

"One zero three one one nine eight one," the woman's voice replied, full of lingering tears as if she had tried to compose herself before making the call, but desperately failed the second that she opened her mouth.

Anneliese spun around in her chair as the coiled cord stretched, popping open the cabinet behind her and roving her eyes over the business cards until she found the empty slot where that code had been removed and given to the woman on the other side when she first reached out to Callaway Investigations.

They had learned better to take cases immediately when their third one ended up being a trap set by Death Eaters. Anneliese and Myra had barely made it out alive.

A client would call, and then the Background Department, lead by Safa, would do a check on them before giving them a second business card with a code to recite when they called again, their identity now secure and the case ready to work.

It was simple, but effective. They hadn't had a false client or dangerous incident since.

"Fontaine Smith?" Anneliese asked, and the woman confirmed. "We're ready for you whenever you can make it."

"Is now okay?" she sobbed, and Callaway's brow furrowed in sadness for this woman even though she hadn't even met her yet. "I'm in a telephone booth a block away."

"Of course," Anneliese said kindly. "Turn the knob twice to the left and once to the right before going in. That's the code today. I'll have a young man named Regulus take you up to my office. See you in a moment."

Anneliese spun the dial again, and Regulus picked up a few seconds later.

"A woman named Fontaine Smith should be coming in at any second now," she told him. "If you could lead her up to my office, that would be great. Don't forget to eat something for breakfast. There are some bagels and jelly Leo brought in earlier by the fireplace."

"Okay mum," Regulus said sarcastically, rolling his eyes as he hung up the phone.

Callaway smiled, putting her phone down as well. She knew that it was a causal comment Regulus hadn't thought much of, but it meant more to her then Black could have possibly imagined.

A few moments later, there was a knock and then push of the door open. Anneliese nodded to Regulus in thanks before gesturing for the woman to sit in the leather chair in front of her desk that she pulled from the side of the room with a flick of her wand.

"Thank you so much for seeing me," Fontaine said, pulling a handkerchief from her tightly clutch purse and dabbing at the corners of her eyes. "It means so much to my whole family."

"Of course," Anneliese said with a firm nod. "Would you like some coffee or tea to make yourself more comfortable? We also have some snickerdoodles if you have much of an appetite."

"That would be lovely," Fontaine said through teary eyes, a mug that Callaway handed her, warming her hands and then her heart as she took a bite of the cinnamon sugar cookie.