In the summer before his final year in Hogwarts, Fabian had successfully applied for work placement at the Ministry, in the Department of International Magical Cooperation. Through his job shadowing actual diplomats, he came into contact with Philomena Ambrosiadou, who was on the council of economic cooperation within Wizarding Europe.
He recognised her immediately through Evan's description of his mother, although she knew nothing of him, which was a relief. There was some recent turmoil in the magical economy, caused by the drastic change in the exchange rates of wizarding currency to muggle currency. The muggles had gone and decided to play with the value of their own currency, so it was said, and in doing so managed to accumulate a vast amount of gleaming golden galleons for themselves all while depressing the real wealth of the magical peoples.
The financial crisis had sparked a series of mass outrage at muggles and muggleborns, who were blamed for this havoc by their sheer insistence on imposing their muggle ways on the magical world.
The purported lack of integration on the part of the muggles and muggleborns soon led to the rise of the populist magical nationalism movement, which posited that the magical world should cleave itself from the muggle world and become a fully independent nation of its own.
Being in the department of international magical cooperation placed Fabian at a very good vantage point. He was able to observe that many senior officials inwardly supported the idea of the fully independent magical nation, but the paradox of the statute of secrecy meant that each world, the magical and the muggle, had to exist in the cracks of each other's spaces. To become independent was to admit its existence, and in doing so risk exposing the magical world, once more, to the threat of violence and persecution that had birthed the statute of secrecy in the first place.
Several emergency meetings were called to rein in the damage of the financial crisis. It was through those meetings that Fabian came to work closely with Philomena Ambrosiadou, taking care of the dreary but essential tasks such as taking down the minutes of her meetings, formatting her policy paper presentations, warming up her tea and buttering her scones.
He soon found inconsistencies between her actual person and Evan's description of her. She was articulate and commanding, and had a voice that people listened to. Though Fabian could not fully agree with her point of view, he found her receptive to his opposing views and the fact that she was willing to engage in conversation with him, a mere intern, rather impressed him some.
Towards the end of his internship, to thank him for his efforts, and also because she knew the allowance given to interns was much too paltry, Philomena left Fabian a gift. She asked him to open it after he left the office and went home, but Fabian sneakily unwrapped the gift in the privacy of the loo and found that it was a gold watch that looked incredibly, unbelievably expensive. It was not something he would ever be able to wear. He was not even sure he should accept such a gift, for a gift of this value was sure to have strings attached.
Just before the end of his final workday at the department, Fabian approached Philomena and told her in the politest way he could that he was unable to accept her gift of a gold watch.
"I understand your concerns about its value and suitability for someone of your standing as you have no established position," Philomena replied, "but in turn I ask you, how much is an item, any item for that matter, truly worth?"
Fabian was puzzled. Was this a trick question? "An item is worth whatever value we ascribe to it," he said.
"Very well, then let it be known that this watch is worthless."
"How could it be?" Fabian exclaimed.
"This watch was meant as a gift for my son on his seventeenth birthday, as is our tradition. However, he has rejected my gift as it meant nothing to him. Hence this watch is worthless to me too, as a reminder of my son's rejection. It is my hope that you will take this and find it of more value to you."
Fabian tried not to look too shocked at her reply. Evan's mother had meant to give this incredibly beautiful watch for his seventeenth birthday but he refused it. For Fabian to refuse this gift was then to reject Philomena once more. Fabian could not bring himself to do it, and besides, she meant what she said in all honesty and it made a kind of sense. She could not have known of his special relationship with Evan, but by fate he was in a position to make amends.
Fabian decided that he would accept his gift without qualms, and that it was his purpose to pass this on to the original intended recipient.