Well you might have noticed, but I've given up the idea of chapters of a similar length, I just stop when the scene is over.
Kith and kin
When he came out, the grounds seemed more alive, the grass greener, the dirt of the courtyard dirtier and less dusty. Most of the elves had bustled off although their presence was clearly seen by the flung open windows, some letting great gouts of dust or flocks of doxies or other minor pests. The children had flocked out running towards the grand set of stairs leading to the central door of the château.
The mayor was standing still, keeping an eye on the children but also surveying the grounds, occasionally saying something to Hermione. Hermione was busy writing calculations in her notebook, with surprisingly the rapt attention of a redhead who shall not be named, who was looking over her shoulder. Even he was participating in the conversation/scheming the tail-end of which he caught, something about the number of rooms and the feasibility of a quidditch and football pitch.
Remus who had been pacing off one one side started before heading to him with a relieved smile.
Harry smiled, feeling slightly euphoric for some reason "don't bury me yet, although those two seem to have dividing the property down pat."
The smile turned into a grimace "don't say that, not even as a joke. They're just excited, it isn't everyday you move into a forgotten castle that probably pre-dates Hogwarts."
Harry smiled, then wandered over to the pack of children who were waiting impatiently for him to open the grand doors. He knew he should be worried sick, maybe feel guilty although that would come with Mrs Weasley's howler, but for now, he felt weightless and carefree. He felt the land was his and he was the land's, no he was the land. Both detached from reality and realler and more present than ever before.
He climbed the marble stairs, the children parting ranks. He waited for the others to catch up in front of the doors, and had an inner chuckle at calling the children children, when only a few years separated them, but perhaps what they had lived had aged them, certainly he felt more burdened and he often found his year-mates shallow, naïve and petty.
He placed a hand on the velvety smooth and warm wood of the door which opened into an entrance hall where two elves and Dobby greeted them. A small squat elf with a squint intercepted the swarm of curious children, scolding them for wilfully ignoring their chores and manners, ushered them outside and set them to weeding in one of the smaller gardens.
The other two gave them the tour of the place, Dobby because it was his duty and privilege, and the other an ancient elf called Cripky because, well tours actually require a guide that knows the place. They visited great halls, small halls, private halls, grand reception halls and breakfast halls. They skimmed dozens of rooms and suites, bathrooms, music rooms, rooms that were furnished for god-knows what and ones for things which the adults knew and refused to explain. There were kitchens and cellars and granaries and storerooms, passages and hidden passages and secret passages, then there were emergency passages, secret emergency passages, escape routes that weren't and a great many other things. All in all, the only lasting impression was of a great many rooms, and that yes, the castle was actually bigger on the inside, and it was also quite big on the outside.
At midday they headed out to the small herb garden the children had been set to weeding where they enjoyed a simple but nonetheless appreciated picnic. Hermione had suggested that it only lacked lashings of ginger beer, but only Remus had understood, and he had been too busy explaining what ginger was to the Peverins to explain the joke to everyone else.
Ron was having an involved conversation with mayor Chipmunk on the feasibility of a quidditch stadium. The mood soured however when the elderly Errol flew laboriously into sight, and with it a dreaded crimson letter. Ron turned pale and looked ready to be sick.
"Harry, Hermione, I think you're the best friends anyone could wish for, when I'm gone, will you stop Fred and George pranking everyone at my funeral?"
" Honestly, she won't kill you, ground you until you're forty, but not kill you" Hermione sighed.
"How are you going to stop her, she'll be on a rampage, I'm never going to see a living soul again." he moaned
Harry stood up and exclaimed "Dragons!"
Ron and Hermione paused and looked at Harry, waiting for an explanation.
"Umm that would be one way to stop her, but don't you think that's slightly drastic?" the voice of reason asked.
" What? No, not like that. Ron you're always saying that the best way to get out of something is to derail her. What would distract her enough? She's always complaining about Bill and Charlie being too far away. I don't think we can do anything about Bill, but Haven used to have a dragon reserve, if we start it up again, I think we could convince Charlie to come work here. You tell Molly she can have her baby back and she'll forgive you anything. Hopefully."
" You're crazy. That, actually might work. How fast can we set that up? Could bes won't cut it. Mayor?"
"It can be done, certainly, but I don't know how fast, and how the ministry will react. Historically this domain is independent, but law may have passed and a legal battle is sure to be waged. Secrecy is both the fastest and slowest route. Some dragons may still be feral but captured in the outer ring, but capturing a dragon is no small feat. Some infrastructure may still be about but most will have to be repaired an furnished. The smaller stables in Haven should be usable in the short-term though. I suggest that we talk business in my office, as records and maps would be available, as well as bureaucratic tools necessary for decision making. But first, let us take this reminder of why hell hath no fury like a matron worried."
RONALD BILIOUS WEASLEY HOW DARE YOU RUN AWAY FROM SCHOOL!
YOU COME HOME THIS INSTANT! HOW COULD YOU! WE'VE HAD THE AURORS LOOKING FOR YOU HERE FOUR TIMES? AND KNOW THERE IS A PERMANENT WATCH. SQUADS ARE ALL OVER ENGLAND, AND YOUR FATHER IS ON LEAVE UNTIL YOU AND THOSE TWO HOOLIGANS OF YOUR'S ARE FOUND. EVEN PERCY HAS BEEN BOTHERED.
AFTER ALL THE TROUBLE WE'VE HAD TO PUT YOU IN SCHOOL YOU JUST THROW IT AWAY, EVEN GINNY STAYED AND SHE HAS MORE REASON TO LEAVE THAN YOU.
Ron looked puce, and everyone else distinctly uncomfortable as the parchment floated down as ashes.
The mayor stood and patted his slightly shabby ceremonial robes " Well, had she been a commander, I dare say Grindelwald would have been routed before the floo turned red. Perhaps we should head to the town hall? No doubt the faithful Head-elf will locate and bring the appropriate registers and documents for the administration necessary. Now I recall a blue contraption which would greatly speed our return, would it be possible to summon it?"
Ron shrugged, gave a piercing whistle, "well it was worth a try" and then seemed the most surprised when the car hurtled out of the sky a minute later.