When: 29th December 1977
Where: Outside Flourish and Blotts, Diagon Alley
Who: Remus && @edgarnbonesâ
Remus would have been happy to stay in the security and comfort of the Pottersâ right up to the moment they had to go back to Hogwarts but Dumbledore had other plans. Just a simple reconnaissance mission, the letter said. A suspicion about one of the new hires at Flourish and Blotts for over the peak shopping period and concerns over a new selection of books containing information about darker magic than was usually sold there. He knew he was to keep an eye out for a familiar face who would be helping him, but he hadnât been told who, no doubt some security measure but when he apparated into Diagon Alley and walked down the cobbled street to see Edgar Bones outside the bookshop he put two and two together and hoped for the best.
âEdgar!â he called to get his fellow Order memberâs attention. His years as a Marauder had taught him a lot about being sneaky -- two Hogwarts students greeting each other as they meet up over the school holidays would be a lot less conspicuous than two people trying to communicate whilst pretending they donât know each other. They werenât friends. Remus barely knew him, just as he barely knew most people who should have some part in his life but the easiest way to make sure they were on the same page quickly was to not rely on non-verbal cues Edgar had little chance of understanding, not being James, Sirius or Peter, but rather to pull him into a friendly hug like they really were friends who would greet each other in such a way all the time and mutter in his ear, âDumbledore sent you?â