NEW DAY
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“I’m sorry, sir,” Beth said, “But the Ministry needs to inspect these brooms before you’re able to sell them; they could be cursed.”
The manager scoffed and shouted that there was no way that was possible.
Beth heaved a sigh. She’d been speaking to the man for the past fifteen minutes and he refused to let her bring the newest shipment of brooms back to the Ministry. “On the contrary, sir,” Bethany countered. “It’s entirely possible. Before any Quidditch shops receive broom shipments, said brooms are inspected by the Department of Magical Transportation and your most recent shipment did not pass through the Ministry and it’s very important that we take a look at them before you sell any.”
“Look, miss,” the manager snapped. “We don’t have any faulty brooms here—”
Beth tried to protest, “But you—”
“You can go tell your Ministry friends that everything is fine here.” He turned Beth around and began pushing the blonde toward the shop exit. “There is nothing suspicious going on here.”
Over her shoulder, Beth said loudly, “Sir, that gives me very good reason to think that something quite suspicious
is going on here. I really must insist that you give those brooms to the Ministry for inspection!”
Giving Beth a rather hard shove toward the door (which she nearly slammed into as someone opened it), he said, “You won’t be taking those brooms anywhere unless you buy them, miss. Have a good day.”
Turning on her heel to face the manager, Beth planted her fists on her hips and snapped, “Look here, I am a Ministry official,” she thrust her hand into her purse and pulled out her Ministry identity card and held it up for the man to see. “And I am taking those brooms back to the Ministry of Magic for proper inspection.” She took a step closer to the manager and, lowering her voice slightly, added, “And I suggest you cooperate, sir, or else you’ll have to take up the matter with the Magical Law Enforcement Squad.”
The manager opened his mouth to reply, but, before he could, a young boy shouted, “Mummy! I want to buy this broom!”
Beth bit her lip and closed her eyes, hoping that he wasn’t holding – oh, yes he was. As she turned toward the sound of the voice, Beth opened her eyes and, much to her dismay, found the boy hoisting a broom over his head; next to him was the box containing the new shipment of brooms. The ones that had to be inspected. Because they could be cursed. Beth heaved a great sigh.
Of course that would be the broom the boy wanted.
“Those brooms aren’t for sale,” Beth called loudly. “They—”
She was cut off when the manager pushed her aside and walked toward the boy, saying, “That’ll be five galleons for that broom! They just came in and they’re very—”
“Cursed!” Beth shouted, rushing over and snatching the broom from the boy. “These are cursed brooms and they are going to the Ministry of Magic for inspection!”
The little boy burst into tears and began shouting for his mother, while the manager roared, “These brooms aren’t going anywhere! You, on the other hand can see yourself out!” With that, he grabbed Beth’s shoulder and pushed her toward the door, which he opened and, with a harsh shove, sent her flying out onto the street.
Beth spun around and said, “Well, that’s not really me seeing myself out, is it? That’s you seeing me ou—”
The manager slammed the door in her face. Beth groaned loudly, turned around and leaned back against the door. Several passerbys stared at her and she grinned sheepishly, embarrassed that she’d caused such a scene. She waved slightly, then realized that she was still holding the broom in her hand.
“Aha!” she cried triumphantly. At least one of those suspicious brooms could be tested at the Ministry. The rest would be after the Magical Law Enforcement Squad had made a visit to old Quality Quidditch Supplies.