Jessica slipped into the house and sank down, staring blankly for a while at the room that looked empty after Flitwick had had its interior dimensions adjusted. Then she looked toward the fireplace, guilt and nerves in her eyes. Only after another long moment did she draw her wand, and green flames flared up in the hearth.
As if he had been waiting on the other side for Jessica's signal, Leonard's head immediately emerged from the flames. Before the illusion of his head had fully formed, he asked urgently, "Jessica, has the United Kingdom agreed to our request for negotiations?"
Jessica said in a very low voice, "Uncle Leonard, the British Ministry of Magic didn't reject it... but I think the receptionist only didn't want to offend me because of my relationship with Allen and the others. I don't think they meant to agree to my request..." After hesitating, she added, "Mr. Grindelwald, who used to take very good care of me in every way... now keeps using the excuse that he's busy handling admissions applications and won't see me..."
"Someone like Grindelwald only shows you the greatest goodwill when you're useful to him... But speaking of Allen, I can't reach him either..." Leonard missed his old friend all the more then, and said with a sense of loss, "If Filus hadn't had an accident, things wouldn't have gotten to this point..."
"I can go to House of Harris anytime, but Owen and Allen haven't come back recently. Morgana and Daisy just told me not to worry, saying that neither Ian nor you, Uncle Leonard, would be in any danger..." Jessica seemed a little hesitant. "And Uncle Leonard, lately I feel like they... uh..."
Leonard asked in return, "What? Jessica, has something happened in Allen's family?"
"Uncle Leonard, I'm not