Chapter 14: Pemberton's Collegial Lunch

The invitation arrived in the form of a note slid beneath Holmes's door sometime between his return from the archive and the moment he sat down to organize his case-notes. It was written on Ministry of Magic letterhead in a hand that was unhurried and precise, the letters well-formed without being decorative, the ink evenly distributed across the page in the manner of someone accustomed to writing quickly without sacrificing legibility. Holmes read it once, set it beside his lamp, and read it again.

*Mr Holmes — I have set aside the staff room for our use at half past twelve. I believe we would both benefit from comparing our respective findings thus far. I have prepared a summary dossier which I hope you will find useful. Lunch will be provided. — A. Pemberton.*

He folded it along its original crease and placed it in his case-book between the pages concerning the dungeon archive. Then he looked at his watch, noted that he had forty minutes, and spent thirty-seven of them writing.