The whisky in the study had yet to be picked up when the black rotary telephone rang again, its shrill sound setting nerves on edge.
"Rrring-! Rrring-!"
The red light flashed more rapidly than it had when Charlie called.
The runic needle on the base swung wildly between "extreme panic" and "chaos," while the signal source indicator settled on a set of coordinates.
Berlin, Germany.
Douglas Holmes raised an eyebrow and made a grasping motion in the air.
He could more or less guess who it was.
After all, at this hour, the people who could place an overseas call to this specially modified machine-
Apart from his few "eyes" scattered around the world, there were only those clever students of his.
"Hello?"
Douglas picked up the receiver, and an enormous wave of noise came rushing out.
Mixed into the sound were tens of thousands of people crying out, the harsh electrical crackle of loudspeakers, and a sustained blast.
"Professor! Professor Holmes! Is that you?"
Hermione Granger's voice was a little distorted. She was probably cupping the mouthpiece, trying to hear more clearly amid the chaos.
"It's me, Miss Granger."
Douglas's voice was steady as it traveled down the line.
"If my knowledge of geography hasn't deteriorated, the temperature in Berlin should be quite pleasant right now.
What happened? Has the Quidditch exhibition match Mr. Krum invited you to watch turned into a heavy metal concert?"
"That's not funny! Professor! Everything's in chaos!"
Hermione's voice trembled with urgency, though she was trying to remain rational.
"The match suddenly stopped halfway through! The Germany Ministry of Magic's Hit Wizards... Merlin, I've never even seen this many Hit Wizards in books!
They've sealed off the entire Olympic Stadium!
The sky's full of Aurors patrolling on broomsticks, screening every wizard with a United