Ancestral Roots

By the time Amelia returned to the hotel where Amosta Breen and his assistant were staying, it was already past ten at night. Considering the two of them had endured a long journey that day, she assumed they had long since gone to bed. She planned to inform them the next morning that Mr. Breen's request had been approved.

But after she checked into the Muggle hotel where they were staying and pulled her suitcase down the corridor past their room, the tightly shut door suddenly opened.

Amelia looked over warily and found that neither Mr. Breen nor Mr. Lupin had gone to bed. Mr. Lupin was holding some documents and sitting in the presidential suite's small dining room, saying something to Mr. Breen. Mr. Breen sat at the head of the table, his chin resting on his clasped fists, smiling warmly at her.

"Finished with everything?"

Amosta asked softly, glancing at the suitcase beside Amelia.

Amelia nodded reflexively. Then her brows furrowed. She swiftly looked both ways, and after confirming there was no one around, stepped into the room and asked seriously,

"You have another wand, Mr. Breen?"

"I don't need a wand to cast magic."

Amosta chuckled and looked at Remus.

"Then I think we could both use a late-night snack to soothe our rumbling stomachs, Remus?"

"Of course—"

Remus hurriedly gathered up the documents, gave Amelia a friendly nod, and then quickly left the room.

"Would you like something to drink?" Amosta asked politely as he strolled over to the wine rack.

Looking at the young man standing amid the gentle light and shadow, Amelia pressed her lips together, feeling oddly conflicted. Nominally, she had been assigned by MACUSA to keep an eye on Amosta Breen. Yet the man before her was astonishingly good-tempered, showing neither hostility