"Ready then?" Finn asked her and she finally met the blue eyes that had been watching her all morning. When they weren't on Soren anyways. Or Maks. Then though the dark eyes of that wizard had been watching her and she wasn't sure if she could take it anymore. Some of it was anticipation. Them finding out what she had done. Having agreed it was easier to see it laid out and those papers were with the account manager there. The basics were understood but the more they talked the more complicated it became so broad overviews had been all that was discussed. More of what had been happening outside the banks.
Finn was more and more thoughtful. The more he learned and yesterday had been mostly spent on that. It was interesting to see his reactions and even Maks was gaining context for things. He hadn't asked very much and she didn't volunteer more than he requested, except about Soren. It was in his eyes now. As he watched her, and she couldn't help but shift. Having given up doing the traditional robes thing ages ago, it didn't help, she was wearing dark jeans and boots with her favourite navy short trench coat. She felt as if he wanted an answer and she didn't know what about exactly.
It wasn't the question he had asked two nights ago. That seemed dormant between them for now. He touched her more easily. That seemed to be the only real change. The way Maks was watching her too, that was her only real clue. She thought it was Finn's first chance to see the public with her. Them. If that was it then she had no answer and wished he wouldn't try and find one on her person.
"Yes." She answered, then he held out a hand to her and she looked up at him. This time it was her asking and he gave her am softer smile then. That was her answer and so she looked his face over one more time then stepped a bit closer and spun them away.
The crack of their apparition wasn't noticed in the Monday morning traffic of the Alley but it didn't take more than a minute for people to notice who was there. She released her fingers from Finn's but didn't get the same response. He was scanning the Alley and the people when she looked up so she just waited. Then he took a step in the direction of the bank and she kept pace. He wasn't strolling but it wasn't hurried either and she too kept her eyes forward.
"The papers will make a fuss." She spoke quietly and knew he looked down at her.
"I know." He answered and she did look up at that. He wasn't looking at her now but the hand squeeze was her response and she considered pulling it away. The papers would probably make a fuss about that too. It was his funeral anyways. He knew enough about how she was portrayed to understand.
Hannah Abbott was watching from the florist shop she ran. Standing at the door and nearly gaping like a fish. It was funny and when the witch caught her eye and couldn't help the giggle. Then Hannah smiled and looked around. Watching everyone else. The war was always there, in the background.
"She was in your year right?" Finn asked from beside her and she was surprised he had noticed who she was looking at.
"Hannah Abbott. She owns the florist shop and is lovely. We aren't close but she is comfortable. In that Hufflepuff way." He chuckled and then squeezed her hand again. Merlin. The bank was looming ahead of them now though and she felt her heart rate speed up a little bit. More than usual but it always happened. The goblins didn't like her much. Or trust her. They dealt with her though and she tried to be respectful and grateful for that.
This time she didn't go to the teller lines as she always had to. They walked to the back corner and Finn pressed his ring onto a glowing orb. It lit with a silvery glow and then he looked to the double doors beside this empty desk. It opened a moment later and a goblin strode through the doors.
"This way." It spoke in the usual grating tones of their species. The third time she tried to remove her fingers from his he just firmed his grip and she looked up at him. The glance was sure and he grinned a bit. The prat was enjoying this. She gave the smallest huff as they turned into another corridor and eventually reached a familiar door. Finn didn't stop but reached for the handle and entered without even a knock. She smiled for a second and then blanked her face.
"My Lord." The goblin stood and gestured him to the lone seat in front of the desk. She waited for her release but it didn't come. Silence reigned for at least fifteen seconds and neither Finn nor she moved. It was as if she were just along for the ride and she wondered at her having to come. He had asked and then told her he wanted her to come so she had agreed. It wasn't comfortable though.
Begrenzt reached down and touched the edge of the desk. Another chair appeared and Finn seated her before himself. She just kept her face blank and decided the best she could do was be entertained.
"It is good to have the vault holder return." The goblin looked to her and then back to Finn.
"It is good to be here. I have been told that there is much to do." She could hear the amusement in his voice and wanted to roll her eyes at him.
"Indeed. Before we begin. There is no need for Miss Granger to be here. Nothing requires her presence." Begrenzt spoke firmly. She could hear the request for her to leave. She didn't move though.
"I want her here. That is reason enough. Begin." After another glance at her the goblin did so. Two hours later she watched Finn sign the twenty seventh paper since their arrival and waited for it to be over. Of course she hadn't been offered tea or anything and she had spoken more than the goblin. After a while Finn had just stopped asking him things not related to the actual bank. The goblin's answers being followed by a look at her and then some added context or information. Everything was slanted in the direction the goblin wanted. Not surprising but tiring.
"No. Not this one." He handed the paper to her and she read it. Clearly he wanted to talk about this first and she added it to the pile they were taking with them.
"I'm not sure how you did this witch. You'll have to send me to school or something." He sounded musing and she just answered him quietly.
"It's easier on spreadsheets. I'll show you what I use." Her response got a look from him. She added it to the list of different ones she had gotten since arriving in this office. They were almost done though and she had seen Finn shift twice in the last ten minutes. He was done too.
"The rest can wait. I want to meet with some people before making decisions on the contracts." Begrenzt began sorting the last papers into their appropriate piles.
"Is it that she is a witch or that she broke in here?" The question surprised Hermione and she flicked her eyes to the goblin who hadn't moved or responded at all.
"You'll file this one. Do it now and in front of me." Hermione wasn't sure she had ever heard that tone of voice from him. It was an order and he sounded as if he meant it. She didn't know what it was but the goblin didn't pick it up. Finn sat casually in the chair beside her and the look he gave her wasn't that unreadable. He was frustrated and sorry. She smiled a bit weakly and waited.
"My lord." The goblin began protesting.
"No. You'll do it. The way it should have done when she brought it here. Maybe people still would have slapped every bloody restriction on her that they could. You though. Would you have let the vaults empty completely? It's interesting to contemplate." Hermione was surprised but didn't show it. This goblin had explained exactly what the three separate pieces of paper she had brought here did. Slanted perhaps. A seal, it glowed and then disappeared to the vault it pertained to.
Finn stood and reached a hand for hers. His eyes telling her that this was less of a request. He was angry. Not at her she didn't think but she could see the tension in his shoulders. She met his eyes for a moment and then accepted it and let him help her to her feet. She watched his face and could see some of the rigidity leave him as she accepted the offering. Not just his hand and then standing on her own. She had noticed this. He actually wanted to help her do things.
"Aven Hall." Thorfinn called into the floo and stepped out into a dark panelled room that he had been in a hundred times. It was quiet. The Tower didn't feel quiet like this. It wasn't the tomb quiet of tiptoeing elves and a son that tried to stay out of the way when he could. It wasn't the equally deafening silence this place used to hold either and he wondered at that. Maks didn't like being alone. Dolohov. Was here. For fucks sake.
It was understandable but it made him uncomfortable for other reasons. Good thing he hadn't brought Soren with him. He couldn't imagine what Hermione would say about the boy being around him. He wasn't sure how he felt either. Not that he thought Dolohov would hurt his son but that anything the man might say would get back to her. Or implant in Sorens mind or something. That was ridiculous.
This was all thought quickly and he headed out of the floo room and toward the hidden door that contained the private staircases. These were a warren but it was faster and more comfortable that traversing the main halls. He had always been glad his home wasn't a sprawling manor.
With certainty he opened a door that looked the same as many he had passed and came out of a piece of panelling ten feet from the door that led to Maks suite. Not the one that went in it. That would be rude. A single knock and then he waited. The subtle shift of the wards prompted him to open the door and he walked through the normal sitting room and then down a hall that led two ways.
He pushed through the wall in between the two hallways and into the den. This was Maks space. Books and comfortable couches. More of a mess and way more him. Thorfinn had always liked it. Felt that Maks was more himself in here, so he was too.
He was sprawled along the couch that he expected. Under the light he had charmed their fifth year. It was nice. He had asked for one but been unsurprised when it hadn't materialized. It was powerful magic and Maks tried to make sure that he didn't stand out. The dark eyes lifted to him and then flicked back down. He just sat on the couch opposite him and waited. The quill made two more notations and stopped.
"He didn't leave for me did he?" Better just get to it. This whole speaking straight out thing was time saving.
The eyes met his again and Thorfinn could tell he was impressed. Or surprised.
"No one needs to be in a tight spot." Maks answered and Thorfinn thought about that.
"Has she asked you?" The eyes flicked away and then back. No then.
"Want to keep playing this game or hear why I came." He decided to get to it. His mouth was full of words that wanted to come out. Too many to speak about it with her. Just talking about the Bank visit after they had lunch with Soren, Teddy, and a witch he had been warned to call Tonks, had been difficult. The look in her eye said she didn't want to talk about this example of the roughness of her road. Not yet anyways. Soren had gone to Teddys with her after that and he had come here. Apparently some afternoons she watched him while Tonks went to work and Andromeda was still working part time as a healer. He might need a weekly schedule or something, she would laugh.
"Do tell." The book was gone and he had all Maks attention now. Thorfinn wasn't surprised.
"The goblin was as dismissive as he could have been. Didn't even explain all prerogatives the two access papers entailed her too properly. The whole meeting was information given one way. After a while I just stopped asking the goblin and the witch explained it. My little cub has an extensive knowledge of finance. I had no idea. It is twice as complicated as before and the amount of hoops she had the fly through is ridiculous." His frustration was clear and he just stopped to breathe. He hadn't let himself get upset. Not wanting her to take that on. Feel badly for his frustration. She had been putting up with this for years and he could deal with most of it away from her.
"I wondered when she mentioned the amount she could transfer from his vaults." Maks said and looked contemplative.
"Exactly. They blocked her right to deposit. The whole thing was shut down. The Ministry wouldn't have got the fines paid if she hadn't been inflating every single already authorized payment and forcing the money in. Not without closing things down. The Mick's are tomorrow afternoon. It's going to be funny. Just today I could see some of what she had done but not the hows." His tone was noticed and a dark eyebrow rose.
Then a hand wave and a bottle and two glasses were pouring between them. It settled gently to the table at Maks elbow and the glasses gently settled into the appropriate hands. As controlled as it could be. The first time Maks had shown it like this since he got back. It meant he felt it was acceptable now. After so many months of not using it. His own was not as settled yet. He could feel it getting better though. A glance was all he allowed himself in response. It was enough and Maks sat up a bit.
"Doesn't trust the goblins then?" Maks asked and Thorfinn thought about that. HIt didn't seem quite right.
"I don't know. The old battleaxe didn't answer when I asked if it was because she had broken in or her gender. It makes me wonder though. Why?" He knew Maks understood. Then that he wouldn't like the conclusions he had drawn. Thorfinn just waited. Waited for his friend to decide to speak or not. The look said it was something he shouldn't push about.
While Maks decided what to say, if anything, he thought back to what she had shown him today. The paths the money was taking still weren't clear but her face and bearing had said a lot. He thought it encouraging when she had taken his hand before they left the bank. She had let him help her to her feet too. It was a conscious decision. Her chair at lunch as well. As if she knew that he wanted to. She had been mostly calm this weekend and today. Unsure was closer to the mark than totally calm but she hadn't seemed panicked.
"It is complex or it looks so to me." Maks began tentatively. Thorfinn focused on him and waited.
"Antonin has been helpful with adding some observation from the beginning. It seems that no one expected Hermione Granger, champion on the downtrodden and gilded lily, to do precisely nothing with her life. Raising Soren seems to count sometimes and against her at others. The speculation is over why. Why she did it and why she kept to herself is thick and ever a topic of conversation. Even some of the pushes for Soren seem to have been in hopes of flushing out the juicy secret. Potter came out and said that she had his full confidence and that her loyalty and integrity was beyond question. That stopped most of the traitor talk. Or two faced in regards the war anyways. That just made it worse though in other ways. The witch has never, not once to anyone's knowledge, claimed a tie to you. Just Soren. It has also been made public with documentation that he isn't hers biologically. Sadie's picture is flashed through the papers every now and then." Thorfinn just listened. Trying to see more of the whole picture.
"So you think it all comes together. Like feeds on each other. The speculation and lack of answers." He surmised and Maks gave a thoughtful look.
"Did you read the paper this morning?" Maks asked and Thorfinn nodded. He had asked an elf to bring it after breakfast and read a bit of it. The basic line was the wild interest in what she would do now. Now that she was free and her charge had a real parent. He thought that was why it had disappeared from the breakfast table in the first place.
"Yeah." He scoffed and then sat up a bit. Finishing his drink, he decided to just ask. "Do you think she wants to do that? A mastery or a career or whatever. The American one sounded pretty good and I don't even know what studying in the Ancient Chinese library would entail, except that it's in China." He let his frustration show and Maks nodded slowly in response. Not in answer though, in acceptance of his concerns.
"No. She wouldn't give up Soren. I do know she had done some consulting and projects. More the first year after I think. Malfoy mentioned something about a potions patent that went south and her being warry. He just dropped little things like that, then asked questions. He's a prick." Thorfinn agreed with that and the two traded glances before he decided to go and read some of that book. Hermione's entries in it this time.