Chapter 11: What Diluted Means at the Wand Licensing Bureau

The authorisation form arrived on a Wednesday, slipped under the Record Room door sometime before seven, which meant it had been processed overnight and Elias had not been consulted. It bore Solent's counter-signature at the bottom in the neat administrative hand that looked, always, like a seal rather than a name: not a person signing but an institution concluding.

The form read: Vorne, E. — Record Room Senior Clerk (Provisional). Assigned: Wand Licensing Bureau escort, Ministry Central Complex, Thursday 14th, departure 08:15. Student: Pell, C., Year Three, provisional scholarship, Level Two Wand Licence renewal. Duration: half-day. Return no later than 13:00.

Elias read it twice, folded it in thirds, and placed it in his breast pocket. He noted that it had not asked whether he was available. He noted that Sera had said, in the library three weeks ago, that his archival access made him useful in ways she was not authorised to specify. He noted that Thursday was ten days after the last dead-drop collection, which meant the timing had not happened by accident.