A/N 3-14-20, Pi Day. Welcome back, all, to the Jennifer Craw Series. This book is the 24th (not counting short stories) in the Jennifer Craw Series, which starts with Jennifer Craw and the Phoenix Wand. Since it's so far along, as you can imagine, there are numerous new characters by this point and as always I recommend you read it from the beginning, or at least from the start of the series, which in this case is book 15. This book is a direct continuation of book 23, and references the last two books heavily.

That said... still here! I was originally planning to wait until I was 100 % done with this book before putting it up (I'm currently twenty-four chapters in) but as bizarre as things are right now in the real world and as many people are holed up, I thought you all might appreciate something new to read. I'm also going to be uploading corrections for the other books... once I've reuploaded books 1-7, I've told myself (sternly, mind you) that this is the last time I touch those earlier books, and typos be damned. I still reserve the right to tweak mistakes in other books though, but I'll warn you when I think the last copy of each is coming. I also am about halfway done with my first cover art for Phoenix Wand! I will also let you guys know (although you'll probably see) when it's up. I am having fun writing this book, so I hope you enjoy it as well. I'll also sometimes comment on when I'm putting up chapters or work progress on twitter (doublequillmlp) if anyone is interested. Thanks for the support over the years (yeah, it's been a while since I started this) and I hope you enjoy this next installment in the JC Series.

Chapter One

Seeking Assistance

Around the corner from the Hogsmeade Bank, tucked in along an alley few had ever noticed before, was an old abandoned shop that had finally found a tenant. Sirius Black was standing outside of it fixing an awning that had come loose. Just above the awning was the freshly wand-chiseled sign; ETA: Office of Domestic Services for Wizards. He turned to go back inside and did a double-take when he noticed Abraxas Coventry, who was standing a few feet back from the entrance, apparently brooding as he stared at the sign.

"Good morning, Abraxas! Coming in?" Sirius asked, opening the door.

"This is the right place to employ House Elves now, is it not? I'm wondering now if I have the right address," Abraxas admitted. "What are you doing here?"

"The ETA Union hired a few wizards to help them get started," Sirius explained cheerfully. "Some solicitors, some accountants, and a few businessmen. There are even some Ministry employees moonlighting a little to help introduce them to the horrors of civil service. But yes, this is the place, and it's a good thing you waited until the end of the month. The agency had a line several blocks long until a couple of days ago."

"My daughter decided to step in and help keep the manor running until things settled down. And it is their fault for being overcrowded, considering how small this building is. Why didn't they open up their main office in London? It would have been more sensible," Abraxas complained.

"The ETA says that the political climate is more favorable in Hogsmeade; at least, I believe that was their official statement on the matter," Sirius explained, opening the door for him. "Fair warning, though; the office is quick to turn down work if they don't think it's a good fit for their employees. You may come out empty-handed."

"I don't know why I would! I've never been unkind to my servants," Abraxas huffed indignantly, going inside.

The narrow shop didn't look quite as run down in the inside. It was, at least, spotless, with a couple of simple benches on either wall in front of a very tall, stained oak desk. At the desk sat a female Elf wearing dainty little glasses and a plain purple dress, writing in an appointment book. The book itself was the only thing on the desk other than a simple inkwell set, but there wasn't a drop or splotch or spec of dust on either the book or the desk itself. She looked up with surprise when the door opened, blinked once, then became less interested in the intrusion and went back to her scribbling.

"Good morning, Mr. Coventry," the Elf greeted him distractedly. "Would you like to take a number?"

"A number?" Abraxas repeated, seeing a small ticket holder on the corner of the desk where there hadn't been before. "But there's no one else waiting!"

The Elf looked around thoughtfully, inspecting the two benches.

"Oh! They must have finally given up and gone home then," she decided. "Are you almost done with your work, Mr. Black?" she asked when she noticed Sirius standing at the door. In fact, he was enjoying the scene tremendously.

"Not yet, Ms. Trudy. I've still got to paint," Sirius answered smoothly. "Mind if I prop open the door so I can work on the trim?"

"Very well, Mr. Black," Trudy agreed.

"I'm sorry but... wouldn't it be a lot faster to simply have one of your fellow Elves do it instead?" Abraxas asked curiously. Trudy looked at him as if she had momentarily forgotten that he was there.

"An ETA Union member would never take someone else's position away from them, Mr. Coventry. Did you get your number yet, sir?"

"Why would I need a number when I am the only one here?" Abraxas asked impatiently.

"You can always call back if you do not want to wait," Trudy said calmly. Irritably, Abraxas took a number, staring at it.

"1035," he read out loud.

"Very good, sir. Your estimated waiting time is..." she paused to glance at a wind-up clock that was now on the desk, "Three weeks, two days, and seven hours."

"What!"

"Your pardon, that's after closing time. Make that three weeks and three days... perhaps first thing in the morning, if you are lucky," Trudy said.

"You must be joking!" Abraxas exclaimed, agape.

"Haven't you heard that there's a labor shortage at the moment, Mr. Coventry?" Trudy inquired.

"Yes! Because all of you House Elves left!' Abraxas snapped angrily. "And while I have no problems at all rehiring my staff and paying out wages to those who return, I know for a fact from the papers that hundreds of wizard households lost their entire staff but are not willing to pay to have them come back. That means there ought to be plenty of out-of-work House Elves to go around!"

"I see how you might be confused, sir. But not all Trade Elves chose to go back into domestic services after Liberation Day," Trudy explained. Abraxas blinked. "Some of us are now secretaries, or working in our new government, or have chosen other professions. Others have retired, or are thinking about starting their own businesses, or are planning to go to the trade schools we are in the process of opening. But I will let you know if any available Trade Elves are willing to serve you, sir... once your number is up."

Abraxas huffed and turned to storm out when Corey came in with a number in his hand. Abraxas blinked in surprise, realizing from the sunlight behind it that the number only had two digits.

"Ah, Mr. Willowby!" Abraxas greeted. It was enthusiastic enough that Corey could tell immediately what he was thinking.

"Good morning, Mr. Coventry," Corey said, futilely trying to get around him.

"Rehiring some staff?" Abraxas inquired.

"Uh... no, actually, I've had the same employees for years now, not counting my apprentice or student part-timers..." Corey explained, stepping past him.

"Ah, so you're expanding then?" Abraxas said.

"Sort of..."

"Mr. Coventry, do you mind? It is not your turn yet," Trudy said, frowning at him disapprovingly.

"Yes, about that... I was wondering if our good alchemist wouldn't be interested in trading numbers with me? I'll make it worth your while..."

"No thanks," Corey said quickly going over to the desk.

"But you haven't even let me make an offer yet!" Abraxas protested.

"Sorry," Corey said, then turned to Trudy. "Did you find someone who was interested, Ms. Trudy?"

Realizing he was likely to have much better luck with the next person to walk in with a number, Abraxas sat down on the bench and folded his arms in irritation.

"Yes, Mr. Willowby. You did say you were willing to train someone on starting wages?" Trudy said.

"Yes... in gardening, Herbology, and some basic self-sufficiency skills," Corey agreed. "Although my wife will handle a lot of the training, especially this summer."

"I think I have just the girl, sir. She's been a house domestic since she came of age, but she is quite eager to get outside into the sunshine. She doesn't mind getting her hands dirty, but she really doesn't like to dust," Trudy explained.

"Who does?" Corey chuckled.

"A surprising number, but I am not one of them either," Trudy admitted, scribbling on a card. "When do you want her to start?"

"Whenever it's convenient for her is good enough for me... Monday is the start of my shop assistant's pay period if there's no preference," Corey added.

"I'll have her report on Monday morning then at nine, Mr. Willowby. Her name is Miss Bartie."

"What!" Abraxas blurted out, making Trudy blink in surprise. Apparently, she had forgotten he was there again. "But Bartie is my domestic!" Trudy squinted at him.

"I think you mean was, Mr. Coventry," Trudy said icily. "Being a member of the Ministry's council, I'm sure you know that our trade agreement with the Ministry clearly states that our union members have the right to choose his or her employer, regardless of past employment. You will simply have to wait your turn and hope there are Elves available willing to have you as an employer."

Abraxas growled.

"Fine! I just may have to find some wizard domestics that are more reliable in the interim!" he warned indignantly.

"Suit yourself, Mr. Coventry. But considering how many wizards we turn away on a daily basis that I won't even bother giving a number to, you may find your choices are no better at a Wizard agency than they are here," Trudy said unconcernedly.

Abraxas stormed out red-faced, while Corey took great pains not to look as amused as he really was. Sirius didn't bother to hide it at all.

"I'm going to miss this project when I'm done with it," Sirius admitted to Corey when Corey came back out of the office. "It has been very therapeutic. In fact, I haven't had a drop in two days."

"That must be a new record," Corey joked.

"Pretty close," Sirius agreed before he went back to work.

It was the middle of summer... and since Severus had only one appointment marked on that day, it was easy to discern whose footsteps he heard stepping out of the Doorlift and into the hallway. He glanced at a candle on a silver stand before he waved the door open. There stood Remus Lupin in a long brown jacket, looking as tired as he always did during waning gibbous.

"Good morning, Remus. Not too damp, I trust," Severus said cordially, pushing aside the proposal he was working on in favor of setting up the tea set.

"It's all right. We get our fair share of it living next to the coast this time of year," Remus said. "I must admit that the Doorlift really is a welcome addition as far as I'm concerned."

"Yes, I suppose you've had little chance to use it since Laura's been out of school," Severus said thoughtfully. "Make yourself comfortable, I'm sure you'd be happy to get off your feet regardless. Tea?"

"Thank you. I see you have a lunar candle," Remus said with a thin, suspicious smile.

"Yes, I found it in Toby's shop, actually. Rather surprising that I found it at all considering the shop was teeming with Elven clothes and uniforms that day..."

"I'm still curious to how you orchestrated that."

"I had nothing to do with it, I assure you," Severus said, noting his skepticism. "And for once, I am actually telling the truth about it. Toby saw to it that Jennifer and I were marooned on our boat, and the only way for us to get out of his trap was to read those silly, over-exaggerated children's series."

"Clever," Remus decided with a nod.

"I'll also admit to being in no hurry to rush back after we finished it. But I am guessing that since you responded to my letter in person, you are less interested in that update and are more interested in the conference and the proposal I sent you," Severus said, handing him a cup.

"I did come to talk about that, although I wonder now if you believe I've already agreed to it," Remus said with a nod at the candle, the flame slowly melting it silvery-white wax.

"It is handy to have whether you decide to return to Hogwarts or not," Severus shrugged. "I can easily set it on one of the shelves over there and tell at a glance what the moon is without even getting up from this chair. Even if you don't accept my proposal, really. Were we to need your expertise for some other reason, I don't think you want Jennifer or I accidentally calling to your house on a bad day."

"Fair enough," Remus replied with a thin smile, sipping on his tea. "There would have to be some concessions if I were to come back for a year."

"Aren't there always concessions with you?" Severus pointed out with exasperation.

"No, I'm not talking about that. I'm sure you have already prepared for a werewolf with numerous contingency plans," Remus said, waving it off. "And I also don't mind being a guinea pig for those potion experiments with that foreign expert who wants to improve on lycanthropy treatments. It isn't my main interest in coming back, however," he admitted. "I'm an old werewolf, Severus... the oldest ever recorded, in fact, thanks to how many times Dumbledore had to hit me with the Elixir at one time or another. At this point, I feel very much resigned to my fate, and that I will die with this disease. But, as I am sure you're aware, when one gets on in years, one feels an even greater need to make certain the next generation is on better footing."

"Yes," Severus agreed thoughtfully.

"Well, Severus, you have plenty of chances to be certain of that considering the size of your family. But I only have one daughter, and I am very concerned with how she is doing right now to be perfectly honest. I don't suppose you've heard anything about it?" Remus inquired.

"No, the last time I heard anything having to do with Laura was after their trip to the Otherworld, and that was from Andrew, who is hardly unbiased in his opinions," Severus admitted. "But considering the correspondence that occurred between she and Harry in the middle of that, it was obvious that it was touch and go for a while. However, since it obviously worked out in the end, I never saw reason to bring up the confrontation afterwards. I do admit I was quite concerned about her while all of that was going on."

"Yes," Remus mused, thinking back. "Now that you mention it, I suppose there were signs that all was not well even before the trip, wasn't there?"

"How has she been since then?" Severus asked.

"She's changed," Remus admitted. Severus nodded in understanding. "But not in a positive way, as I have heard that Andrew was. If anything, she began to close herself off even more than before she went. She slept for days after she came home, until the lunar cycle prompted her to go back to work. Since then, she hasn't visited. And because of that, I've been reduced to spying, prying, stalking, and other tactics I'm not proud of to find out how she's doing; considering that daughter or not, she is an adult, after all..."

"Nothing I haven't done myself, I assure you... more often than I'd like to admit," Severus replied, waving it off.

"Yes, well, it would seem that I have reason to be concerned. Apparently, she's having trouble showing any sort of emotional restraint. Harry's been forced to bench her on multiple occasions, and the last time it went so far as him not letting her back until she agreed to seek professional help. Harry didn't tell me anything other than she's going through a rough patch, of course, but I had already heard from some of her friends that her confidence is quite low, which also puts her in greater danger as an Auror," Remus said. Severus nodded thoughtfully.

"To be perfectly honest, Severus, Laura has and never has been cut out for that job. She's actually a lot more sensitive than what it may seem on the surface, and despite her strong defensive skills born from having to grow up much too soon, she doesn't really have the strength to block out or compartmentalize what she sees at work from the rest of her everyday life. She only took that job on your recommendation so that she get some experience in the real world first, you know, because she wanted to teach. If you ask me, she got a lot more experience than what she bargained for," Remus said. "She'll only get herself killed if she stays."

"I understand what you are going through, Remus, but obviously whether or not she stays an Auror is ultimately up to her," Severus reminded him.

"Actually, I think it's ultimately up to Harry, who probably would have already let her go if she wasn't my daughter," Remus admitted. "He tends to get too sentimental at times, you know, at least when it comes to things like this."

"Yes, I know," Severus mused.

"I also know from another source that Harry often worries that there will be a point where he can't talk Laura down when she has herself worked up. I find that particularly troublesome, considering that if Harry is good at nothing else, he is good at deescalating a tense situation... as I've witnessed him doing when you and Sirius are about to come to blows," Remus added. Severus gave him a dirty look. "I think the fact that he feels he can successfully calm you down but is worried about his capability of calming my daughter down is reason for concern as well, don't you, Severus?"

"I don't know what you expect me to do about it, Remus. Although I suppose I could talk to Harry if you think it will help," Severus offered.

"Perhaps you could ask her to come teach Defense," Remus suggested.

"Didn't you just imply that your daughter happens to be far from stable right now?" Severus pointed out.

"So was Sibyl..."

"Sibyl was not teaching Defense."

"How about Quirrell then?"

"Should I point out at this point that I didn't hire either of them?"

"Hm. Well, how about Icarus?"

"Also Dumbledore."

"Did someone call my name?"

Severus looked up at the door with a sigh and heard Icarus' obligatory knock, after the fact as usual.

"And just how long have you been here?" Severus asked critically. Deciding that was an invitation to come in, Icarus Ravenclaw materialized.

"Long enough. Good morning, Remus," Icarus said.

"Mad Ick," Remus greeted with a thin smile.

"At your service," Icarus said, unoffended. "Severus, I know it isn't my place to butt in, but I feel compelled to interrupt..."

"And compelled to eavesdrop as well?" Severus asked.

"A ghost's prerogative, as you well know. If your necklace picked up all of the ghosts listening in within the castle, it'd never stop going off," Icarus said. "But I would like to say in your defense, Severus, that I agree that Laura Lupin is not quite ready to teach in her current state of mind. However, I also agree with Remus that she is not meant to be an Auror. The next few months while she is attempting to figure that out is likely to be quite dangerous for her, really, and perhaps even fatal without the right intervention," Icarus explained.

"What have you seen?" Remus asked with alarm.

"Oh... nothing directly, Remus. I get most of my current knowledge from my descendants, as you know," Icarus explained. "That said, I still think it would be in the best interest of the school and its future if the situation was carefully monitored. And that would include having the rest of Laura's family close at hand. Sirius offered to put you and your wife up at the mansion if you took this position, did he not?"

"Yes, although I'm not certain how I feel about that," Remus replied, "considering that Zoe still lives in that house and is expecting..."

"Knowing Zoe, she'd be less worried about the risks of you being there during your lunacies and much more interested in trying to talk Carol into helping her out with childcare services while you two were there," Icarus said.

"True enough," Remus admitted, involuntarily letting out a soft chuckle at that.

"Perhaps a subtler approach would be best," Severus suggested. "I'll have a small chat with Aurelius about this. And Icarus, since you've obviously been talking to Zack about it, you can tell him to wander down to my office the next time he speaks to you as well."

"Er... yes, all right, Severus," Icarus replied.

"In that case, I suppose I am interested in this proposal of yours, Severus, and whatever experimental potion-making you have in mind," Remus said with a smile.

"That part of the request isn't mine, actually. Jennifer is the one who is going to be helping with the lycanthropy research, not I," Severus explained.

"Oh?" Remus said. "You should have said that from the start, Severus. I would have agreed straight away if I had known that was the case," he teased.

"Perhaps, but then you wouldn't have been able to talk me into interfering with your daughter," Severus said dryly.

"True, but then again, I'm sure Jennifer wouldn't have needed me to talk her into getting involved," Remus ventured. "Have a good day, Severus. Thanks again, Ick."

"See you in the fall, Professor Lupin," Icarus replied, showing Remus out and closing the door behind them.

Severus updated his appointment book, wrote a note to himself and then to Hermione, quickly getting absorbed in writing a more formal letter to the Italian alchemist, Ivano Disparte.

Icarus dematerialized, waiting patiently for Remus to walk out the gates and take his house key home before he floated into the forest behind Sagittari's Hut; currently vacant as the centaur had gone to Crete for the summer.

"I am here," Icarus announced, rematerializing once more. "Don't worry; he's too preoccupied at the moment to notice what you're doing."

The brown-hooded figure cautiously stepped out from behind the tree.

"Any luck?" the figure asked.

"Remus and I have convinced Severus to keep an eye on things with Laura. In fact, he didn't even question my advice for a change," Icarus realized thoughtfully. "He seemed to genuinely want to help."

"If only all of my missions were that easy," the hooded figure said with a sigh. "Thanks, Professor."

"Of course," Icarus said, watching as the hooded figure faded into the Dark Forest before returning to the North Tower once more.