Today Corvus would be visiting the Ministry of Magic. She had two tasks to accomplish: apply for any permits that she and Crys would need to open their magical Starbucks, and hire a freed house elf.
After receiving directions to the Ministry from Herbert (who had to inquire as to its whereabouts from other more recent portraits), Corvus was off to find the red telephone box that was the visitors' entrance.
The red telephone box turned out to be an elevator (more like the Tower of Terror in Corvus's opinion) that led to an atrium. After receiving her visitor's pass ("Corvus Black - Entrepreneur") and registering her wand, she was on her way.
Sort of.
It turned out the Ministry of Magic had no departments dealing with permits or licensing of businesses or food establishments. This only took Corvus two hours to figure out after being shuffled around three different departments, each on a different floor.
"For a government that really seems to like being in control of so many aspects of magical life, they sure are pretty laissez-faire when it comes to business," Corvus said to herself. "No wonder The Leaky Cauldron was disgusting. Never eating there again."
Corvus made her way to the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures.
"May I help you?" a young witch asked as Corvus stepped off the elevator on level four.
"Yeah, I need to hire a house elf."
"You need to go to the Beast, Being, and Spirit Divisions, just down this hall and second door on the left," the young witch said.
Corvus stepped through the door into a waiting room that was filled with magical creatures - goblins, house elfs, a ghost, and one man who looked like he'd seen better days - all sitting in chairs and waiting for their number to be called.
Corvus took a number - 1,736 - and looked up at the counter on the wall. It read 628.
"Holy Christ. I'm going to be here forever," she muttered.
Three and a half hours later, and one awkward conversation with the shabby man who turned out to be a werewolf, it was Corvus's turn to approach the window.
Forms were filled out (with quills on parchment! Was this the Middle Ages?), a fee paid, and one freed house elf was hired.
The elf, who's name was Twitchy, would be arriving at Corvus and Crys' property the next afternoon.