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"Esteemed house-elf," he said, "asks the distinguished guest to go into the living room to wait and asks to observe decency."
This means to keep the wand with me, and if necessary, call him.
"How can I address you?" it was hard to restrain a smile. Judging by his eyes, the house-elf is perfectly familiar with the concept of flattery, but he couldn't do anything with himself. It seems that he didn't receive a direct order "not to let anyone in."
"Willie. A distinguished guest can contact Willie if he needs anything."
The house-elf took me to a not very spacious room, filled with various massive wooden furniture of dark shades. There was everything you needed for a living room - sofas with thick upholstery, coffee tables, large bookcases, and everything else. The decoration of the hall was also dark, and the wood in it dominated the wallpaper. There were candlesticks on the walls, but now only the fire in the massive fireplace illuminated the room, and the windows, curtained with thick heavy curtains, did not let in a ray of light from street lamps.
I sat down on one of the armchairs, staring at the fire in the fireplace. It is strange, but such massive, medium pretentious furniture, the smell of the same wood, books, and parchment, created along with the fireplace, an atmosphere of gloomy comfort and tranquility.
The slightly shuffling footsteps behind me brought me out of my contemplative state. I got up from the armchair and looked around at the source of the sound. An elderly, slightly hunched man in a tightly wrapped terry dark robe, with pajama pants visible beneath, and simple slippers on his feet, walked into the hall.
"I hope," he said in a tired voice, and I noticed his clean-shaven face, already covered with wrinkles. "The young man does not count on decent hospitality? At a late hour, a good person doesn't go to other people's houses."
"Mr. Guber? I am Maximilian Knight, a representative of the House of Black in the Wizengamot. However, they don't know about it yet."
The old man smirked, stepped closer, and held out his hand.
"Erich Guber, lawyer."
We shook hands and sat down on the chairs opposite each other.
"I don't offer tea or coffee — there is no use in them at such a late time. Juice?"
"At your discretion, Herr Guber."
The old man nodded, and two glasses of pomegranate juice appeared in front of us.
" Good for health," Guber picked up a glass, and I repeated his action, checking the drink with magic. Clear. "So, young man, what need has brought you to my house?"
"First of all, I would like to make sure that you are exactly the one I need."
The old man smirked again, and with an illusionist's gesture, took out several parchments from his sleeve, certified with many seals. Licenses, various certificates, but my attention was attracted by a rather old contract with several signatures in a column. Opposite each signature was an imprint of the Black's ring. I am familiar with such a contract - for the provision of various services. Its verification is extremely simple — the holder of the House ring or other related artifact, for example, which certifies the powers of the wearer, simply takes the contract with his hand on one side, and the one with whom the contract is signed — on the other. As a result, the name of the person who signed it should light up. Taking the contract in my hands, I handed it to Mr. Guber. He touched it, and Erich Guber's signature lit up on the parchment.
Putting the documents together, I handed them to Mr. Guber, and only after that I sipped pomegranate juice, tart, and insanely sweet and sour. It had been a long time since I drank such a concentrate of quality.
"Well, it's like this..."
It took half an hour to tell all the nuances of the current situation, of course, under a non-disclosure agreement. Although, Mr. Guber complained that the contract itself implies such conditions, but how should I know, since I was brought up among ordinary people. Yes, Mr. Guber knew me and my name - Tournament, no wonder.
"So," Mr. Guber spoke after my story, "you, young man, decided to take the first step? Certainly a wise choice. I, as follows from the contract, will give you my support. However, in order to make a correct and competent statement, I will need something..."