Alastor stared at the young man for a moment, wondering if he was hearing things correctly. "What do I have outside contacts for?" he muttered, shaking his head. "I should just wait for you to tell me things are happening."
Belvina Black, his mind supplied, once he cleared sleep from it enough to think. All right, a returnee and Black's great-great something or other. Damn. If the man thought something was wrong, or had received word from the outside of something to do with family, Alastor was never getting him out of this room. And then Lupin would show up, he was sure. Followed by Sirius and Jamie. And this whole endeavour was turning into a three ring circus.
"I can make an inquiry." It wouldn't hurt to check. At the very least, it would be a faster way of getting Black to leave than arguments or discussion -- both of which they had not had decent luck with in the past.
That he might be making up for his failure to check upon Vance, he wasn't going to consider.
"Wait here."
Just because the young man had guessed who might be the contact was no reason confirm it. Going into the other room, Alastor wrote a quick note and summoned a house elf to deliver it to Stephen.
Stephen,
Please excuse the lack of formalities. I'll be more polite when I'm awake. Would you know how a young woman by the name of Belvina fares? Her family has received information that suggests there might be trouble and insists I check up on her well-being immediately.