Thanks to all the people who are reading, I hope you're enjoying my random ramblings :)
Chapter 7- Musings
Morwen rushed out of Gringotts at five o'clock, heading down the alley towards where knock turn veered off. A slightly sagging building loomed in the corner, diagonal in shape with a half giant guarding the door.
Nodding he let her in without hesitation and she felt the age spell tingle as she crossed the threshold, a creaking set of stairs led her into a smokey dark room. There was slight feeling of disappointment at being recognisably old enough to make it in with no problem.
Modern Muggle music blared out of speakers fashioned to the walls and the booths and tables were littered with young witches and wizards. The trendy wine bar had just opened, Morwen wasn't surprised that Hestia had suggested it for their meeting place. Glancing around she found the lithe blonde smirking to a wizard in healers robes, the dark haired witch rolled her eyes and strode over.
"I take it Audrey's not here yet?" Setting her bag on the table she ignored the wizard as Hestia shrugged.
"I don't know what she looks like," she wiggles her eyebrows at the healer, "sorry darling, girl time I'm afraid."
A smarmy grin slid over his face, "I dunno, sounds good to me."
"Oi weirdo," Morwen snapped her fingers at him, "fuck off already."
"Whatever," glaring he got up and left muttering something about dykes.
"Christ, what a loser," Hestia snorted, "though you could have been a tad less bitchy Morwen."
"A better man would have gave as good as he got," Sirius' unending sass at her sometimes downright bitchiness came to mind.
"Yes well, where is this Audrey anyway?" The blonde waved down a lanky waiter.
"I'll have a gin and tonic" Morwen ordered after Hestia asked for white wine. The blonde witch completely ignored the waiters bright smile and he sulked away when it became apparent she wasn't going to be paying him any attention.
"Probably locking the shop up," taking her coat of she threw it over the back of the booth they were seated in. "How's the wizengamot on a Monday then."
Hestia grimaced, "half of them look like they could crumble to dust with a sneeze. Sometimes I think Amelia Bones and I are the only people with any common sense in the place."
"Edgar Bones' sister?" The other witch nodded, "gosh, she was so tiny last time I saw her, time flies."
"I know, very like Eddie though, sensible sort," Hestia murmured.
"Oh, there you are!" A breathless voice interrupted their musings, Audrey dashed towards them.
"We were wondering were you'd gotten to," Morwen grinned, waving an arm to the space beside her.
Audrey deposited her coat beside Morwen's and sat down, attempting to flatten her thick auburn hair as she did.
"Poor old Flourish fell down the back stairs today, such a nightmare, poor old dear ended up at st. Mungos."
"God, he was there when I was at Hogwarts," Hestia shook her head.
"Yes, well, he must be getting on then," Morwen replied dryly.
"Excuse you, I'm only a year older than you," Hestia mock glared as their drinks arrived.
The waiter set their glasses down and turned to Audrey, "anything for you Madam?"
"Leprechaun spritz, Thanks."
"So, hows Gringotts?" Hestia turned to the dark haired witch.
"Not nearly as exciting as traipsing through foreign countries," Morwen pulled a face.
"Goblins are such a suspicious bunch, it's a wonder they let wizards work for them at all" Audrey remarked.
"Oh, I mostly deal with wizards for them," she explained, "I value all the stuff they've been hoarding and then help them carry out transactions."
"Lots of traders are wary of dealing with them, regardless of their treasures," Hestia agreed.
"I went to Borgin&Burke's with Griphook last week."
"Did you meet Burke?" Hestia raised her eyebrows with a smirk, " a year or two ahead of me at school, handsome devil he was."
"I've never been in that shop," Audrey admitted with embarrassed grin.
"Oh you nerd, we'll have to take you someday. Eh Morwen?" Hestia cackled.
"Hmm, it's an interesting place. Do we know much about the owners then Hestia?" She responded after a slow sip of her second gin and tonic.
The blonde's smirk deepened, "one owner in particular I assume? The other little mole is so boring."
"Whatever you say," she shrugged as Audrey smiled with delight.
"Sharp, if only Maggie invited him to her dinner parties. Rather partial to married women though."
"Married women?" Audrey asked.
"Oh yes, had an affair Octavius Pritchard's wife," Hestia finished her wine with relish.
"The editor of the Prophet's wife?" Morwen could remember her vaguely, a tall statuesque blonde.
"Yes, who knew she had it in her," Hestia laughed loudly before whispering to Audrey conspiratorially, "as dull as dishwater usually."
"Perhaps it wasn't her brains he was after," Audrey shook her head giggling.
"Yes, So convenient her being the editor's wife," Morwen replied.
"Now Morwen, maybe he maybe was just thinking with his trousers," Hestia singsonged at Morwen's scepticism.
"I really want to visit this shop now," Audrey remarked dejected looking.
An hour and a half later they were listening to Hestia recount some of the more absurd wizengamot cases, like the man who'd been having relations with a pet kneazle, and demolishing three more rounds of drinks.
"A delicious as that snack menu was, I still feel decidedly tipsy," Audrey declared.
"Oh dear, perfect, pondering Percy will not be pleased!" Hestia laughed at the younger woman's wince.
"Oh, stop, he's a little uptight is all," Audrey smiled.
"A little?" Morwen grinned at Hestia.
"I told him I'd only be an hour or two, it's nearly eight o clock!" Audrey jumped to her feet rather inelegantly and reached for her coat.
Morwen swore and moved to get up too, "I have somewhere to be."
Hestia protested but they waved her off.
"Really Morwen, where are you going? Have you a man stashed somewhere?"
"Oh yes, I only let him out by the light of the full moon."
"So it is a man?" The blonde leapt from her seat, reaching for her bag.
"Didn't you know, Montague and I have been seeing each other for three nights now. Completely wild."
"Really?" Hestia replied archly.
"Of course not, I'll owl you," Morwen pecked her cheek before following Audrey's path, calling out,"be good, don't stay out too late!"
"Yes mother."
Morwen made the apparition journey across London to Grimmauld Place with all her limbs intact, it had been awhile since she drank gin, which always hit her harder than she realised at the time .
Pounding the door knocker, she stood in the balmy night air of Summer rolling round fully and waited.
The heavy door opened with a gasp of delight, "Morwen, we were wondering when you'd show up."
Molly stood aside to let her in, "I was out with a couple of friends first."
The redheaded matron hugged her soundly, "you stink of gin, girl."
Scolding Molly fussed as they made their way down the hall.
"Molly!" A voice hissed from the stairwell, "you're supposed to question her!"
Arthur emerged looking exasperated, "Morwen, stay there."
Turning around he called for Sirius and bounded down the stairs.
Before long the two men emerged, Sirius grinned taking in her slightly ruffled appearance which was at odds with her usual neatness,
"slightly tipsy Morwen, my favourite."
"Oh give over, you great lout." She rolled her eyes, "you're supposed to ask me the question."
"Alright, alright," he held his palms up. "What was the last red me, you and Remus drank."
"That's not the question," she huffed, muttering under her breath about his terrible grammar.
"Fancied a change," he shrugged, looking dapper even in his fathers clothes, "It's the little things."
"You're engagement bottle," sighing she pushed past his laughing form and headed to the kitchen.
"What on earth?" Molly asked as she followed the younger witch.
"Oh you don't even want to know Molly," she sat down at the table.
Kingsley, Tonks and Mundungus Fletcher were already there and the latter perked up at her arrival.
"Morwen," his gold teeth glinted, "anything interesting with the goblins these days?"
"Make an appointment Dung," rolling her eyes, she took the cup of tea Molly poured for her.
"Giphook's not on great terms with me at the minute," he scratched his bald head.
"Not my problem," she waved him off. "You shouldn't have ripped them off."
"Morwen have you received that invitation yet?" Kingsley asked her quietly, when Sirius' appearance at the table distracted Dung.
"Which one then?"
"The Flints Summer Ball," he pulled an embossed invitation out and Morwen groaned.
"I haven't been home home to check the post, but it's likely arrived," she sipped her tea glumly.
"You thought you'd done well wiggling out of the Parkinson's Midsummer Ball," Kingsley chuckled.
"You'll have to go," Sirius barked with laughter, suddenly in the conversation, "missing two in a row is the height of bad manners."
"Don't rub it in flea bag," she threw a short bread biscuit at him.
"How can you not be looking forward to it; the food, the wine, not to mention the excellent company," Sirius smirked.
"All those eligible men, of course," she rolled her eyes. "Yes, maybe I'll finally find a husband."
"You went there," he shrugged lazily, "I was simply mentioning it would be a fun night. You're grandmother would be so proud of you."
"Oh don't bring her into it, besides all you need is a drop of poly juice potion and you wouldn't be missing out, Severus could whip it up…"
He made a face at her words, "Who would I go as though?"
"I would very reluctantly give you my beautiful visage for the night!" Kingsley boomed laughing.
All three of them laughed and Morwen nodded at Kingsley and looked at Sirius, "you'd have to keep up Kingsley's charm."
"I wouldn't last a minute," Sirius said ruefully.
"It is difficult sometimes, if I were you I wouldn't miss these events either," Kingsley assured him.
"I do miss Ollivander's Annual soirée though," Sirius thoughtfully murmured after a moment,, "that house was a treasure trove. Regulus and I used to hide in the rooms they kept the wand cores and stuff in, Mother and Father never could find us until we wanted to be. Like a faerie house, the place encouraged mischief."
"It was beautiful," Morwen thought of the mansion in East Sussex, a otherworldly place built with magic and filled with the oddest things. The library of wand lore was famous but Morwen remembered balmy, sleepy evenings in a place whose only counterpart was Hogwarts. "Uncle Izzy's House was a strange place what with all his knickknacks, but Ollivander's house was just so old. Years of magic."
"What happened to it?" Morwen hadn't noticed Tonks arriving, but the young woman and all the Weasley children were looking at the small group curiously.
"Oh it's still there," Kingsley replied, "no parties now, nobody visits and Ollivander doesn't have many guests. The current Ollivander that you know of, his wife died in the first war."
"Very beautiful, Findabhair Ollivander," Morwen smiled, "and very kind, she used to come play with the children in the nursery at their Ball."
"Rumoured to be descended from Irish faeries," Kingsley nodded.
"One of the better pureblood balls," Sirius agreed.
Dumbledore arrived as they all mused, an explosion of flames and red feathers, he sat down at the head of the table. The meeting began without a word, Molly ushered the disgruntled young folk out and sat down beside Morwen quickly.
The old wizard looked on expectantly and so Kingsley launched into a report of the auror office, Tonks and Moody interjected as they needed and Dumbledore frowned as the grim news ended.
"So you have been dissuaded from looking into former death eaters?" He sighed.
"Cutting back on Diagon Alley patrols can't be good either," Sirius muttered angrily. "We need to do something."
"Until people believe that he's back, until the Ministry says so…" Tonks replied softly to her cousin.
"We need to keep as we are," Kingsley nodded, "keep up the vigilance, the Ministry won't let us watch death eaters but we can do that on our own."
"Remus and I can do some surveillance in between my shifts," Tonks agreed. "Follow Malfoy, Nott..the usual suspects."
"I can help," Sirius interjected.
"You can't get caught, we need this house," Dumbledore shook his head and Sirius growled in his chair, screeching the legs against the floor as he shifted restlessly.
"He's right," Morwen murmured setting a hand on his arm, "maybe later when we have no choice…"
The dark haired witch looked to Dumbledore who nodded, "this house needs protecting around the clock."
The restless wizard nodded reluctantly, looking down at the table.
There was a thump at the door, the portrait got set off and Sirius dashed up to answer the knock. Everyone sat in silence, the sounds of Walburga dampened and the front clicked open and closed.
When he arrived back down with a sodden Remus was in tow, Sirius laughed as he took his friends cloak to throw it over the stove,
"It's fair lashing down out there tonight."
"Hate to be the bearer of bad news but someone was lurking around the Ministry last night," Remus was flushed and more unusually running late.
"Sturgis and I chased them clean across the building to the atrium," The werewolf sat down. "I think it was Rookwood."
"Do you think they've come for the prophecy Headmaster?" Kingsley looked to Dumbledore.
"Everyone must be alert on duty," the other wizard replied seriously, "it's possible, Tonks and Remus, tail Rookwood this week."
The pair glanced at each other nervously but nodded at the elder wizard nevertheless.
"We must keep watch, that's all that can be done on that front. Hermione Granger will be arriving here next week," he continued, "Harry sometime in the week or so thereafter."
"Harry's coming?" Sirius lit up and Dumbledore finally smile.
"Yes, Sirius," the familiar twinkle was back, "and he's rather chomping at the bit to see everyone I hear."
The meeting ended with Morwen telling the headmaster and Kingsley about Umbridge, the brilliant wizard looked a little unsettled.
"Of course, she's a great influence on the minister," he pondered, "I shouldn't be surprised really."
"Dolores in a school?" Kingsley looked doubtful.
"I'm sorry I don't have more," Morwen looked apologetic.
"I was wondering who it would be," Dumbledore shook his head, "you've given us some warning Morwena."
"Warning?" Kingsley snorted, "with that women, we need Merlin himself resurrected."
"Yes well, we shall have to simply deal with it. Kingsley you're heading to the Flint Ball aren't you?" Dumbledore changed the subject quickly.
The auror nodded, so Dumbledore continued, "make Morwen's acquaintance with Ezekiel Greengrass, he is a business man who has never shown a clear side. Useful or not, I'm not sure but something tells me he's important."
Kingsley expressed his agreement and so it was decided, Morwen would, rather reluctantly, go to the ball.
Finally the meeting was declared over when Dumbledore suggested the youngest Weasleys be allowed back into the kitchen. The twins immediately situated themselves beside Sirius and Dung.
"Well, what's on the agenda lads?" One them asked drolly.
The other leaned around his brother, "Yeah, go on Sirius."
Sirius merely shook his head, eyes crinkled with amusement, "Sorry boys, you're mother is giving me the evil eye from here."
"Nothing?" One of them pouted.
"Nothing" Sirius tried to be resolute, the boys pleaded and when Mollys attention had been diverted by Ginny he sighed.
"Just be careful at school this year," he put his hands up as they tried to cajole more out of him.
"Tell me more about these snack box things?" Morwen interrupted, "I have a feeling you're going to need to think about your sales network very carefully."
"You'll need to get sneaky, you can't be caught with them or you'll never get out of detention long enough to make a business," Sirius leaned back on his chair legs lazily.
"Oh don't worry, Dung's been giving us loads of tips," the twins slapped the little rotund man heartily on the back.
Sputtering at the force he glared and wrestled them away, "now Dung, you're our favourite supplier, don't be cross!"
"What are you scheming about?" A rather tired Remus appeared behind the twins' shoulders but his gaze was directed towards Morwen and Sirius.
"Lighten up Moony, the kids at Hogwarts are going to need a few jokes," Remus threw a warning glance at Sirius' careless words.
"I think the boxes are brilliant," the twins puffed up proud, Morwen was fishing through a box they'd given her to look at.
"Merlin you're as bad as Sirius," Remus rubbed his face as he sat across the table from the witch.
"Peruvian instant darkness powder!" She grasped at little packet with a little wonder, "great idea. Just think Remus, perfect escape from bullies."
"Bullies?" He shook his head, "stop encouraging them."
"Honestly, if the Slytherins are anything like they used to be the Gryffindors will need this stuff," The confundus bombs were interesting, when set off, much alike to dungbombs, they let out a vapour which muddled your enemies long enough for you to get away.
"You know, she's right," Sirius was digging through the box, "you should sell a contract on this for the order, they could do with some of your inventions."
"Sirius!" Molly scolded as she heard the 'o' word.
"We'd better stop," Morwen smiled sheepishly.
"I've got another damn invite," Hestia whined as she leaned against Morwenas desk in Gringotts a few days later.
"Yes," The dark haired witch muttered as she finished up the last set of evaluations before lunch. "I got one as well this morning."
"The Flints are so…so…," Hestia wrinkled her nose in disgust.
"Vile?" Morwena replied helpfully.
"Well have to go of course," The blonde continued matter of fact, "more than half the wizengamot will be there. The other half are too old and infirm to stay out that late or they'd be there too."
"Who is this 'we'? Who said I was going?"
"You must! I'm not going by myself when I know you have an invite," Hestia frowned.
"Haven't you some poor sap to string along with you?" Morwen closed her ledger and stretched, relishing the cracking of her spine.
"Show some female solidarity, we are strong, independent women who can go to a damn ball alone." Hestia marched about Morwen's small office like a suffragette.
"I never said I wasn't going alone, I just said I wasn't going. Full stop."
"You have too, because I have too. I refuse to miserable and let you sit at home happy as a lark!"
"You won't be miserable," Morwen sighed, opening her bag and pulling out her lunch. "Men will be fawning all over you and you'll be happy as a clam."
"Shut up," Hestia huffed, opening her ridiculously large Muggle tote bag to retrieve her own lunch, "they'll probably all be ugly."
"The Flint Ball, it's all in the name," Morwen chewed her sandwich, "besides we all know troll plus bad teeth gets you all hot and bothered."
The dark haired witch cackled as Hestia flicked tomato and basil pasta at her with her fork.
"I need to call into malkins for some new robes," Hestia picked at her pasta, "have you something to wear?"
"I've got some in the wardrobe, they'll do," Morwen shrugged.
Hestia stared agape, "you can come with me, you aren't going to the Flints in old robes."
"They are nice robes," Morwen replied defensively.
"You need new ones, what if Burke's there?" Hestia raised an eyebrow.
"So what if he is?" Morwen shot her a look.
"He's handsome, single, wealthy," the other witch listed off on her fingers.
"Of course grandmother, I'll be marrying him right away," she bit back dryly.
"No one said anything about marrying the bloke," Hestia smirked, "all those affairs, women must be banging him for a reason."
"You seem very interested in him, perhaps I'd be getting in the way."
"I'm doing you have a favour Morwena, you need a good man to loosen you up," the law witch dodged a pocket watch Morwen lifted from her desk.
A red headed Bill popped his head around the door, "perhaps I should come back?"
Morwen shot a warning look at a preening Hestia, "stop it, his girlfriend's a Veela and prettier than you."
The blonde pouted, "Oh be quiet Morwen, I'm just being friendly. Come on in Bill darling."
The younger man grinned good naturedly and leaned against the door frame. Morwens office wasn't really big enough from him to come in properly.
"Was just wondering if you heard back about our project?"
"Oh no," Morwen frowned, "I actually haven't, sorry Bill but I'll chase it up."
"No worries, we think they layered the curses, like a weave," he explained with a wave of one arm, "it's very intricate, I'm going to talk to Griphook about it. He's off in Austria at the minute, some big deal."
"In Austria?" Morwen wondered, the clan of goblins in Austria were notoriously blood thirsty. "Spell weaving though, very unusual."
"Rather ancient," Hestia murmured, "a lost art I'd thought."
"Goblin swords are woven in magic though, I'd hoped Griphook could help with that," Bill replied.
"What's he doing with the Snickclaw clan I wonder," Morwen remarked.
"Yeah, no one knows. They're keeping tight lipped," the red head uncurled himself from the door, "I'll leave you to your lunch ladies."
Morwen nodded absentminded, so the goblins were up to something, interesting. Still when Hestia left she must write a letter to Sirius, hopefully he'd come across something by now.
