The kitchen of the Black family manor was packed, and the urgency of a coming war weighed on everyone's hearts.
With a sharp crack, the members of the Order of the Phoenix all turned their eyes toward the wooden door at the top of the stairs.
Accompanied by a piercing creak, Kingsley Shacklebolt appeared before them all.
"How have you been lately, Kingsley?"
Remus rose from the head of the long table, smiling as he watched Kingsley greet the others.
"I mean, how does it feel to be Head of the Department of Aurors?"
"Sorry I'm late—"
Kingsley let out a breath, then shook his head. His usually steady voice carried a trace of hoarse exhaustion.
"I just came from Upper Flagley. The Muggle police were taking a census in a village where wizards and Muggles lived together when they discovered that an elderly woman living alone had vanished. There were bloodstains in her old house. The Muggle police believe it was a burglary, and that the killer disposed of the body afterward—"
Kingsley pulled out a chair and said to the people whose attention he had drawn,
"But the Ministry knows that old woman was a witch."
"Any sign of a Dark Mark, Kingsley?"
Alastor shouted gruffly.
"No—"
Kingsley shook his head.
"I inspected the house myself. I believe a highly skilled dark wizard had indeed been active there—"
After a quiet sigh,
"There are murders and robberies everywhere. Even though Minister Bones had the foresight to expand the Ministry's Hit Wizard force, there still aren't nearly enough people."
Kingsley said.
"These past few days, I've been following Amelia—"
Sirius rested his clasped hands beneath his chin, his expression grave.
"She's been having a terrible headache over the soaring crime rate too. But there simply aren't enough people to