Surveillance

Amosta had not deliberately publicized his arrival in New York through any channels, but news that the famed Amosta Breen had landed in New York still spread like wildfire.

Starting at noon the next day, unidentified wizards gradually began appearing in the corridor outside Amosta and Remus's rooms. They did not knock on the doors, instead coming and going like ordinary hotel guests. But whenever they passed the rooms, they would prick up their ears and listen for sounds within.

The rooms on either side and above and below Amosta and Remus's suite, as well as Amelia's, had all been booked.

Those who had booked the rooms were lavish spenders, throwing down several thousand, even nearly ten thousand dollars at once. They seemed determined to "stay alongside" Amosta until he left.

"Was this the Department of Security's doing?"

Although these people had maintained some restraint and had not tried to use magic to eavesdrop on conversations in the rooms, Remus was still irritated. He looked at Amosta, who was seated at the desk reading a letter. The usually mild-mannered man wore a very unpleasant expression.

"I don't think so—"

Vip had already received the approval of the Ministers for Magic from the countries that supplied Durmstrang with most of its students. They would soon meet with Durmstrang's Board of Governors to push for him to become Durmstrang's headmaster.

This was undoubtedly good news, but Amosta did not seem particularly delighted. He knew that, with Vip's qualifications and prestige, accomplishing this was a certainty. The situation Sirius had reported, on the other hand, was far from encouraging.

Originally, using Hermione's attack as leverage, Amosta had pushed the British Ministry of Magic to expand its Hit Wizard force. With his and Amelia's support, one covert and one overt, Sirius had been quite