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Harry woke with a soreness in his shoulders and a lightness in his head, the hints of a fog over his brain made itself known seconds after he rose. After a particularly interesting and affectionate evening with Elaine, he had left her to rest in their wonderful bed under those silken sheets she'd insisted they purchase. He had wanted to rest with her, of course, but there was a bit of work that needed doing and so with a bit of help from Laddey — with whom Harry tasked with sending for alcohol — Harry went off to the office. Thenceforth until an hour and a half passed, he sat in a large, ornate and fabric-covered chair with paperwork and reading on his mind.
Corene had sent to him a missive, as had Aster and, queerly enough, a joint letter had been addressed to him from Sarah and Marcus. It had been a good bit of time since he'd taken the time to interact with any of his friends from outside of Slytherin; Marcus, Veronica, Sarah, all of the Goldhorns, really. Harry had been so very busy with the Ministry, and now, his time was eaten up all the more so. He was the Deputy Minister so that he could help Elaine consolidate her power over the Ministry as a whole, and he was tasked with aiding her in keeping public favour and ensuring Grindelwald's followers, were destroyed.
His task was all but complete with the few survivors tucked away in Azkaban, but Harry wouldn't rest. That was what he received by way of words from Corene and Aster, assistance. Assistance in locating tales of Grindelwald that ranged from places the man favoured to simple, lesser-known facts about the man. Harry wasn't sure how Elaine had heard about the little druidic-like place in Belarus or why Grindelwald had been so interested in it, but the job she had done proved itself to be exceedingly beneficial to them. If they assumed that was the only Horcrux the man had ever made, it was all the better, but neither she nor Harry believed that to be the case.
Grindelwald put much stock in tales, especially those related to Harry's house, Peverell. He had commandeered the Peverell family crest and beyond that, seemed intent on the Hallows. Harry had an interest in them, everybody did including Elaine, but he had not the power of all three nor the knowledge thereof to unite them should he locate and take Death's Cloak. It was with the Potters if he remembered correctly from what Dumbledore had told him all those years ago. Marcus might have it, or his brother, or their Father or possibly even the other branch altogether.
Harry didn't know which member of House Potter was the one with the item that was, in his mind, rightfully his. Thankfully, it wasn't required for the defeat of Grindelwald either. Betwixt his wand and Elaine's, the man had fallen under their joint efforts… Dumbledore and McMacson deserved their own deal of credit too. The two had weakened the man, mostly the former and less so the latter, but in this timeline, Dumbledore would not be remembered as the man who bested Grindelwald. This time, it was Harry and Elaine, and it was the young couple the wizarding society of their homeland would look to for guidance, safety, security, and more.
Corene's information should lead me to a small place in Austria. I could have Aster take a team and do a look around before Elaine and I head off to it… we don't need to waste our time and he's definitely not happy just to sit around at the Ministry all day. Aster fancies himself an adventurous lifestyle. That's never changed.
Finally done with his thoughts and daydreaming, Harry rolled over in the bed, that sense of fogginess still weighing him down as the previous night of drinking caught up to him. Elaine, as he had suspected, had left for the day. She had likely left early in the morning, around five or six, for she wished to arrive early for the day and see what had happened in the day they'd taken away from the Ministry; she thought of it so oft and with so much care in her mind, it was like the entire organisation was her first child.
He supposed that level of dedication was a good thing so long as she didn't act recklessly or like her counterpart back whence he had come. Harry smiled at himself as he stood up from the bed, his legs swinging out from the sheets; he had stopped her from murdering hundreds, thousands, and she'd taken the Ministry without so much as one extortion or murder.
Well, I hope.
Harry snorted when he realised he wasn't quite sure if that was true. Maybe she'd done something without him knowing, but so long as he didn't know, he could think to himself that she did good and acted upon no innate sense of evil that need not exist. That would bring him peace and happiness.
Just like the note that his eyes soon after found upon the dresser near his side of the bed. Even from where he was standing a good few feet away from it, he could see her ornate, beautiful and flowing handwriting. He smiled again, this time out of a sense of affection rather than accomplishment. There was something sweet about her taking the time out of her morning to write him a missive.
He went over to it swiftly with a pep in his step and a clearer, more focused mind despite the lingering sense of grogginess.
'My eternal love,' it started out, ensuring that Harry's smile grew in size on account of her choice of words.
' I saw that you were resting most comfortably when I rose for the morning, and sans a kiss that I stole in the midst of your dreams, I did not wish to cause you to rise accidentally. I've left for the Ministry to ensure our work is not undone by those we left to lead in our stead, and whilst I labour at the Ministry of my own volition, I am of the opinion that you should rest the day away. You need not go to work, leave the politics and those who think they can play such games with us, to me.
With love, Elaine '
Harry placed the letter down, backpedalled a few steps, and fell back atop the bed behind him. He was more than content to take the day to rest… well, not rest, not really. The Ministry could still send him what he wished for, if he wished for anything, and it was only time away from the Ministry that would see him relaxed as he used to be; he had liked his time as an Auror, but by Merlin, anybody who liked working for the Ministry of Magic was barmy.
Elaine excluded. She wasn't barmy, though he'd say she could be a bit mad at times, she was just driven and wished to exert control over the entirety of Magical Great Britain. From what he'd spoken with her about thus far, most of her desires and wishes when it came down to the safety aspect of the wizarding world were for the better. She even intended on helping the Muggleborn to integrate with society rather than leaving them out of the loop of everything. That was something some of her more devout friends from Hogwarts wouldn't be too keen on, but it was necessary.
Now, with those thoughts coming to an end, Harry was left to his own devices. He didn't mind that, but that letter from her did prompt him to think while he was still atop the bed with his eyes looking aimlessly at the ceiling. What did he want to do?
There were all sorts of possibilities, in truth, and some of them would be more problematic than others. For example, if he chose to make a trip of his day and say, find himself accidentally in Germany or Austria to do a bit of exploration, he imagined he could get himself into a fine fit of trouble. Especially without Elaine and especially because of his title as the Deputy Minister of Magic. On the other hand, if Harry were to go and take a trip back to Hogwarts or pay a visit to Corene or the Goldhorns, neither would be all that difficult or problematic. In fact, with Corene's newfound closeness to Elaine and the fact that Elaine was — known to all — to be Harry's eventual bride, he doubted she'd mind if he visited Sarah and her family.
The Goldhorns were good, kind people and the library at their home was incredibly bountiful. He would be wise to pursue that friendship and raise it as he previously had done whilst he'd still been attending Hogwarts.
I suppose I could take a bit of a cat nap. Mortem hasn't visited me more a long time, and if I recall, she won't do so again. That should mean some good, uninterrupted rest… and then I'll make my decision, Corene or the Goldhorns.
"Laddey," Harry called out as he scrapped the idea.
The ever-faithful house elf appeared in the blink of an eye, a smile on his face as he hopped from foot to foot in anticipation of receiving an order or request. "Master Harry, how can Laddey help you?"
Harry grinned at the house elf, constantly reminded of Dobby on account of their similar personalities. "Would you visit Corene and ask if she'd be fine with me paying her a visit in the coming hours? I'd like to speak with her and pick her mind to see if we could discover something together — oh, and please see to it that I rise in an hour and a half, will you? I just want to take a small nap, not sleep the day away."
"Laddey can do that, Master Harry. Laddey will wake you up in an hour and a half as you said, and Laddey will visit the Mistress Corene to speak with her — sleep well, Master Harry, sir," and with those final words, Laddey vanished when Harry nodded at him, intent on going off to Corene as soon as they'd finished their conversation.
Harry couldn't help but think fondly of Laddey. He had been one of the greatest, most helpful house elves Harry had ever had the pleasure of interacting with. Many were good and kind, much like the majority of Magicals, but rarely there would be those that spoke and acted like Purebloods; the Malfoy sort too, not the Weasley sort or even those in the middle, like the Abbotts. Those were the poorest of house elves, though they fit with their masters well enough.
It's not like we can change that, Harry thought to himself with a sigh as he changed his position atop the bed, stretched his arms above his head and finally, slid under the sheets. He intended on taking a decent little nap, and after, he'd probably shower again.
He couldn't help but feel the Horcrux and the presence of it near him, and beyond that, the stink of those ruins and worst of all, the scent of the spiders on his nose. Harry remembered all of those scents so clearly that he swore he could still smell them even if that couldn't be farther from the truth.
When next he woke from what he hoped would be a restful nap, he could only wish that those lingering scents and the soreness of his muscles would be gone.
"Wake up, Master Harry, sir. Wake up. Laddey was told to wake you up when an hour and a half passed."
Slowly, Harry came to with a prodding sensation at his left side and the voice of Laddey gracing his ears. For whatever reason, the house elf sounded worried or agitated, but as soon as Harry blinked his weary, blurry eyes, those emotions were gone from the elf's next words.
"Good afternoon, Master Harry, sir," Laddey said with his usual friendly and energetic tone of voice.
"Afternoon, Laddey," Harry returned with a yawn as he looked at his friend. "So? What did Corene say, am I good to go and meet with her here soon, or did she decline my request?"
"Mistress Corene accepted, Master Harry. She said she will expect you as soon as thirty minutes after I spoke with her, sir. Mistress Corene was in the library and she said she looks forward to speaking with you — would Master Harry like anything? Coffee or Tea, sir? Food?"
Harry smiled at the little house elf and reached forward to pat Laddey on the head. "No, thank you, Laddey. I'm good. And you did a great job, thank you very much," he stood up and threw the covers off from himself as he slid out of bed for the second time that day. "I'm going to go and take a wash. Would you have the bed made for me?"
Laddey waited for Harry to take a step away from the bed, and as soon as he did, the little house elf snapped his fingers together but once and the sheets began to fold in on themselves intricately and expertly. In the blink of an eye, the same amount of time it took for the house elf to appear when called, the bed Harry had only just mucked up for the second time was back in pristine condition with not one wrinkle present. It was actually pretty impressive like all house elf magic was. Not for the first time and most assuredly not for the last, Harry wondered why the vast majority of those who owned house elves thought so poorly of them. The little lads and lasses were the greatest friend of a wizard or witch, and their magic was vastly underrated for no reason sans an innate sense of superiority that seemed prevalent in Magical societies across the world.
Harry left with one last fond look at the house elf and one last "Thanks, Laddey," before he entered the washroom. Shortly thereafter, he heard the tell-tale pop of Laddey leaving, and whilst his friend popped away, he washed and dressed in a new outfit that Elaine left out for him — she tended to leave out a week's worth of outfits since her style was very specific — and entered back into his room at large. Aside from the bed having been made, everything seemed polished and cleaner than before, with even the rug looking as if it were cleaned from every last piece of fabric or hair that had fallen atop it.
Laddey spoils us, without a doubt, Harry thought to himself fondly as he yawned, again. I'll need a coffee before I go and see Corene. I'm too tired after everything we did yesterday and in the midst of the night. I don't know how Elaine functions, the mad woman that she is.
Harry exited the kitchen with a pep in his step and sugar coursing through his veins. Elaine oft complained whensoever she saw him add cream and sugar to his coffee, but when he felt tired and to make the coffee taste how he liked it, he would add eight sugar cubes and a second's worth of cream. By the time that was done and he'd drank every last bit of it, including the sludge at the bottom, he was ready to go and speak with Corene.
He hoped that she had some information for him and a lot of it. At the very least, more than her small missive gave to him the day he'd been away. If Corene lacked information in regards to Grindelwald and tales thereof, he doubted there was anybody left alive that knew him intimately or enough for his favourite locations to visit to be known to the world at large; that would make hunting down whatever remained of his soul incredibly hard.
And as he'd thought before, despite Elaine's words, they truly couldn't be certain of whether or not he'd made multiple Horcruxes. They had found and destroyed one, but there was no telling if that was everything, or if they had two, six, or even thirteen more to go… Harry doubted it was either of the latter two numbers, but he couldn't quite be certain of that.
Either way, he would be having an interesting conversation with her at the very least. Corene never failed to impress him with her knowledge and connections, and today would prove no different; if she failed to have knowledge regarding Grindelwald, his other points of curiosity would be expanded upon. Hogwarts, the secrets thereof and the hidden room he still thought of passingly… there was so much to learn and think about.
"I hope that house elf is still with her, that was the best tea I'd ever had," Harry mused aloud. He also remembered quite fondly the hot chocolate they'd drank together. That house elf of hers was extremely talented when it came to drinks of any kind.
Maybe he'd see if he could get the recipe and have it made for Elaine just as Corene had used to do. He was certain she'd appreciate the sentiment, he knew there was little if anything that compared by way of taste to the tea or hot chocolate in question.
Well, I just have to make sure Laddey, Momsey and the others don't know about it. They'd be quite cross, I'd imagine.
He snickered lightly at the thought as he made his way to the parlour room, and upon reaching it, he did what was necessary; he grabbed a handful of Floo powder, entered the aforementioned Floo and threw it at the ground as he called out Carrow Castle.
It was always such an impressive sight to behold. There were Medieval British elements mixed with artefacts from Vikings and even, at the core of the Keep itself, bits of Roman architecture. If only for the Roman history therein, Harry was jealous. It didn't matter to him that his home and the private museum on the second floor had bits of Roman artefacts from that missing legion, the Ninth Legion if he recalled correctly — what were a few small vases to knowing that you dwelled where Romans had dwelt?
Corene was very lucky. Mayhaps one day he'd take a look in the basement and clear all of the other old, leftover items to ensure there wasn't anything else of note or importance down there. Maybe, but that wouldn't be anytime soon. Not when he had tim—
"You can step away from the Floo. I do not believe there is a reason for you to stay near to it as you are."
He jolted when the voice struck him and he turned to look at the source of it. Corene was sat primly with her hands folded in her lap, and her expression was that of the slightest smile; for her, it was massive enough to show that her lips were raised.
"Corene," Harry said, a smile of his own breaking out. "It's good to see you! How've you been? What've you been doing?"
Corene cocked her head at him in the fashion he did so remember. "Hello, Harry," she greeted politely and in response to his greeting of her. "As I'll oft say, I have been well. You would know, but small talk is expected from you by now — I have been searching for information in regards to Grindelwald on behalf of you and Elaine, and as my missive likely stated, the information is either extraordinarily well kept or lost on account of so few being alive that could recollect memories involving the temporarily fallen Dark Lord."
"You know, I think that's the most words I've heard from you in months. I've missed you and the others, but you were usually my favourite. Aster tends to get me into too much trouble when I'm with him, Ash and Joseph too," Harry couldn't quite remember what had happened to Ash and Joseph. It'd been a while since he'd heard from either boy.
"I recall very clearly the mischief you and the others would get up to," Corene said neutrally, clearly recollecting and remaining unimpressed despite the time that had sense passed from such happenings. "I am glad to know that you have missed our conversations, and I too have missed evening conversations over the warmth and roar of a fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate in our hands."
"That was always fun."
Corene nodded once. "Agreed," she said simply. "Would you?" she asked as she stood and her eyes fell to her arm as it formed a small loop for his to slide into. She'd always been one to maintain such formalities.
Harry didn't react verbally, he let his actions answer for him as he drew closer to Corene and slid his arm through hers in a manner that was very familiar by this point. They'd done such a thing dozens of times when they'd been back together in Hogwarts, what felt like years ago.
"As always, yeah?"
"As oft, we did, yes," Corene agreed with her typical choice of lesser-used words. He would never truly understand why she spoke the way she did, but which the slightest of accents that she had, he'd admit it definitely made her sound fancier, and before his time with Elaine, possibly even fanciable. "Will you be staying for dinner? It is only myself in the castle this eve, and I would not be against you sharing a table with me as we'd done in the Great Hall."
"I'll stay if you really don't mind," Harry responded with a shrug, and then he scratched his head and furrowed his brows. "No grandma of yours… and, uh, Elaine?"
"She has returned whence she'd come and thought it necessary to do so weeks ago. Grandmother often rapidly changes her mind and leaves us to guess as to why — I believe she recognises our familial distaste for randomness and acts that way on purpose, so as to teach us to be less predictable and, in her words, mechanical," Corene spoke the words with as sour a voice as she was capable of, and her lips did as they did when she was bothered by something, that being to flex downwards into the slightest of frowns.
Merlin, it had always been so hard to guess or understand her feelings and wants. That hadn't changed in the time they'd spent away from one another and Harry truly did doubt it would ever change at all. That didn't mean he wouldn't like her as much as he used to, no, she was wicked and helpful, and sometimes, she could be sweet as if she was finally cutting loose in regard to her self-imposed emotional sanctions.
One day, I'll make her giggle uncontrollably. Elaine too. Maybe we could get to the kitchen and bake or something of that sort… I don't think either of them would think too fondly about the Muggle world, so any of those ideas are right out of the window.
"You remain curious about my grandmother?" Corene asked, her mouth a narrow line and her eyes searching, though they didn't seem to move all that much, just as the rest of her.
Elaine and Corene each were so methodical in their actions and movements, it almost felt like nothing was ever wasted whensoever they acted. He wanted to learn how they could do that, but he reckoned it wasn't worth being like either of them, at least not personality-wise. He couldn't live without his fun, pranks and time with his mates like Aster.
"I've heard about her before, but I didn't initially realise it, you know?" Harry huffed. "You remember what I talked to you about that's tucked away at Hogwarts, right? I don't think I ever gave all that much away about it, I can't really recall. Not with everything that's happened since our time at Hogwarts — it was like the Chamber of Secrets that Elaine used for us and the others, but smaller and kept by a man I'm still not certain was Slytherin himself."
"Memories are fickle," Corene said, her eyes seemingly sterner or more intent. "I can vaguely recall mentions of such a room, though it's as you've said. Sans my notes that I keep whenever I speak with one I deem important or matters that are much the same, I could not accurately recollect what we spoke of the many times we'd shared words at Hogwarts."
"Humour me?"
Corene blinked and cocked her head. "My jokes were ofttimes as blind as justice," she said. "But, say what you will. I will 'humour' you as best I can."
Harry smiled widely at her. "Wicked, thanks, Corene," and after that, and whilst they walked to wheresoever it was that she was leading them, he discussed the room in question. "It was small, filled with books and demanded a signature, and whilst I never completed all that it had to offer, I can't help but wonder if I missed something. There were many that came before me from a select group of houses, but so few of them have information floating around that I can find. Your grandmother was one such person that had studied the contents of the room but was later reported as missing, but she's turned out to be… fine, right? The only other recent one was a boy around our age, and he was killed in France if I recollect, though his body was never recovered."
"One cannot confirm a death without a body, I would caution you to adopt and constantly remember such a phrase," Corene said with that same intensity she'd been looking at him with before she gestured for them to enter a nearby room. He didn't remember it, but he entered nonetheless. Corene was, without a doubt, one of the three people he trusted most in the world. "My grandmother is fine, her power is vast and her mind is sharp for one of a semi-advanced age. I will admit that I know not of a hidden trove of knowledge, for if it exists, she kept it hidden from us all. I would be very intrigued to visit it with you, and when you depart, I will search my notes for knowledge thereof."
"Thanks, Corene. Really, it's been bugging me for quite a while, and thanks to Grindelwald and the Horcruxes we've been chasing, I haven't had any time to spend on Hogwarts at all. Not his Chamber, the room, the man in the portrait, any of it… there's something else, too," Harry swallowed as a sudden streak of impulsiveness struck him. He would have to be careful, but again, he reminded himself of the trust he placed in Corene and the vast knowledge she always possessed.
Corene held out a hand, small, pale as the rest of her and with the blue of her veins visible. It was dainty as ever and silenced him as she intended before she took her arm away from his and, turning on her heels, swiftly sank into a seat a foot or so away from where he was standing. Her eyes, intently gazing at a chair straight across from her, conveyed her desires with ease.
Harry sat down and no sooner than when his arse hit the chair, did Corene speak, her tone slightly less monotonous and her lips back into that soft, fleeting smile.
"You aided me when first I told you about my mutual relative with Elaine. I shan't break your trust, and if not for that, for a myriad of other reasons including the friendship we have with one another," Corene folded her hands in her lap and looked at him, finally, a full-blown smile coming to her face; well, not one by most peoples standards, but for her, he could see her teeth.
She was adorable, and her words of kindness made him feel an internal warmth he appreciated beyond belief and words.
"You and Elaine make for a great pair, I just wanted her to see that. Ever since she's found out that you're her cousin, she's gone to you even more often than she used to for 'information' as she says. I think she's just trying to get closer to you, she doesn't have much family and for you to have been that close to her all that time must be a wonderful revelation for her — between you and I, I think Elaine's got all the happiness she ever dreamt of," Harry meant every word of what he said too.
Elaine had always seemed deprived of genuine affection when first he met her. With him and Corene together, that would change, most definitely. In fact, it already had. Her tendencies had grown lighter, kinder and more genuine as time passed them by. If only for that change, his worries had melted away in spades.
"Glad," Corene said, before she paused, blinked once, and spoke again after a fleeting, perhaps dreamt-about expression of queerness came across her face. "I am glad that you think so, and that Elaine has grown kinder. What was it you wished to me?"
"I," Harry paused. "I have the ability to dream with a foresight of events that'll happen, or rather, that could happen, in a limited capacity. When I was new and didn't completely trust Elaine or many of the others, I sought out Dumbledore. He thought I'd come from another time, if you can believe that, and when I tried asking him again, he warned me about others that might have done so. He seemed very strange at the time."
Corene cocked her head at him. She likely hadn't expected this to be the place their conversation went. If that was true, he couldn't blame her. He hadn't intended on sharing it with her, but the more he thought about it and the vast changes Grindelwald had made in his time when compared to this one, he couldn't help but wonder if Grindelwald was one such person. With Corene as he was, and sans Elaine for the time being, he needed to consult with her.
It was proven that she wouldn't go and betray his trust, and she was but one step behind Elaine in intelligence and magical knowledge. Maybe she could say something that would be revelatory to him… he doubted it, but still, there was a chance. He just couldn't reveal that he had come from a future time too. The questions that would bring forth would be very problematic, yes indeed.
"I am uncertain of time travel or anything of that nature, though many have said magic is without limit. If that is true, mayhaps it's occurred, though I know not — as for your affinity with divination, I had thought you might have a gift, for so often you played angles of Elaine in the earliest stages of your companionship that most would not, and with confidence that I was assured would see you hurt or reprimanded," Corene hummed as she switched to the other side with her cocked head, her long, black hair flowing behind her. "I believe it would be most beneficial if, with your gift, you were better able to control it. There is a chance that you need only grow highly attuned, and if you do so, you'll find the answers to many questions, including Grindelwald and the Horcruxes he might have created beyond the one you found with Elaine."
"She to—"
"I had confirmed its presence to her in all but common terms," Corene interrupted blandly. "She chose to put little stock into what she couldn't see and feel first-hand, but upon your return and without any instability at the Ministry when Elaine went back to work, I was of the opinion that you found and did as you wished with it."
Bloody hell, she's sharper than I remembered.
"We should take you with us next time," Harry remarked with a snicker as he sat back in the seat. "Merlin knows we'd be better off with you by our side than anybody else."
Corene's smile grew, if only ever so slightly. "I am pleased to know that you think taking me along would make tasks easier, but I couldn't do so. Elaine is a combatant of a very high calibre, and whilst I am no push-over, I would surmise by this point in your training both with and without her, that you could best me, and as such, I would be a hindrance. My abilities are best used when I am away from any vanguard capacity, and when the knowledge I've collected along with the rest of my family is at the tips of my fingers."
"Can't blame a bloke for trying, can you?" Harry asked with a grin as he finally leaned forward again.
"I cannot," Corene agreed, and then she summoned that elf of hers. She did so silently, and while that confused Harry, he registered the words 'tea' and 'two cups' and perked up in an instant. He'd almost forgotten the other reason he'd wanted to come and visit Corene and her Castle.
The refreshments!
"French cuisine is not abhorrent for your tastes, is it?" Corene asked with the little house elf still by her side, as still and without expression as she was; those big, emotional eyes made it difficult, but he could tell the little house elf was trying to mimic its mistress.
It's just as adorable as she is.
"Whatever you want us to eat is fine by me. I trust your tastes just as much as I trust your mind," Harry said with a laugh as her cheeks faintly coloured before she spoke rapidly in French, relaying no small amount of information before the little house elf nodded and snapped away.
"Would you have more to ask of me whilst we await our meal, Harry, or would you be content with a walk to the central courtyard?"
He slowly got up with a groan, the one that all menfolk seemed to have once they got past the age of sixteen or so, and held out his arm just as she'd done when first they'd met with one another again. "That walk sounds lovely right about now. I think I've burdened you enough for the day."
Corene's smile stayed on her face as she stood up and looped her arm through his.
He hadn't realised it, and it wasn't with any sort of lustful intention, but he'd truly missed Corene and their conversations and time together far more than he'd thought he had. It only took seeing her for him to realise as much.
"Curious," Corene said out of the blue, and whilst the two were sat at a long, ornate wooden dining table. "Never have I gone to remnants of a Magical Society. Would you tell me what it was like? I would like to make notes after our supper so that if the time should ever come in which we need return, we would have a good recollection rather than aged memories."
"Whatever you wanna ask, I'll answer," Harry said with a grin as he relaxed the hold of his glass of wine, she'd gotten out an old vintage for the pair of them to enjoy and when he'd shown a hint of reluctance, she assured him that it was fine.
"In those woods, there were said to be Acromantula of a sub-species thought to be extinct or on the verge of extinction. Elaine prepared with potions when I told her as much, though neither of us knew if they would still be present — were they?"
Harry cringed, and then he nodded, his grin forming into a thankful smile. "I think there's more Acromantula in those woods than anywhere else in the world. I don't know how they support themselves, not with how few animals seemed to be in the area, but there were definitely a lot more than we could have fought had they noticed us. It could've gotten very bad, and thank you for helping with the prep. Elaine had dozens of potions in her bag and mine, I'm guessing you helped with more than just the Acromantula anti-venom."
"I aided her with any issues that might be prevalent in the area in which the two of you would explore, including illnesses local to Belarus and uncommon when compared to here," Corene said, her words flowing as if they were as normal dinner talk as local news.
"All the same, you definitely helped us more than I realised," Harry then had a memory strike him after those words left his mouth, and he couldn't resist the temptation. "Your mother, she was very bothered by Grindelwald, right?"
"Mother taught me not to hate, but she used the very same word whensoever the man was discussed by any who visited us. Much and more of my family thought of him the same way," Corene answered.
He nodded at the words. Harry still remembered the words that had been said about Grindelwald across various newspapers, most specifically, the slaughters and massacres he would commit against those who didn't submit to him the way that he wanted them to. It wasn't hard to understand why Corene's family most of all — French as a great deal of them were — hated the man.
"I hope it brought your family peace when he was killed and killed again recently, and I hope that peace will be a lasting one when we can confirm his Horcruxes are all destroyed," Harry hoped she could hear and see just how genuine those words of his were. Grindelwald in this time was worse than Voldemort had ever been, and the man deserved whatever the most horrid afterlife was.
Corene cocked her head at him and one side of her mouth tilted upwards. "Mother has expressed a desire to meet with you, as has much of my family, but I thought it appropriate to wait until a time in which you're free from much of the stress and trials you currently face. My apologies if I should not have done so," she uncocked her head and looked at him with less certainty when she'd finished speaking.
He shook his head rapidly. "No need to apologise, not at all," he assured her. "Whenever you want, I'll join your family for a meal, maybe we could even do Yule or what have you, yeah? You Carrows are great, I couldn't think of a family Elaine and I could both get along with as well as yours."
"You are very kind," Corene made a small noise, halfway between a squeak and a noise of remembrance. "If you would like, before you leave, we could do as we did many months ago. Hot chocolate of your favourite type by a warm fire."
He couldn't say no to that.
When Harry finally left Corene's home hours later, and well past their meal, he did so with a comfortable warmth in his stomach and a feeling of tiredness weighing heavily upon his shoulders. As he'd suspected, she had made for a wonderful conversation partner, and she'd helped him work through a few things that were on his mind — she'd hopefully be helping him with them soon enough too. She seemed interested in the study when he'd revealed more about it to her, and when her grandmother came up, it seemed as if that would be a selling point for the girl. He hoped it would be, and he hoped each of them could find some answers therein.
As for the time travel, he hadn't expected her to know much, but maybe her idea would work. He could delve deeply into himself and study divination magic going forward, mayhaps Mortem would help him in a manner that didn't require her to reveal herself; he could hope. Dumbledore's words hadn't left him, and even if the man had been crazed or not himself on account of whatever that illness was, they'd stuck within Harry's mind with a fierceness so great he couldn't displace them.
If only Dumbledore had lived, Harry could have asked him so much and learned more from him; Elaine would be more helpful, he knew, but the wisdom of age could never be understated. It was so important in his time, and it could have been important in this one, unfortunately, he'd have to rely on Slughorn Senior by and large. Maybe, just maybe, the Carrows could expand all the more so on their mutual friendship.
The Carrows were most definitely a group of people that would see any 'friend' of theirs advanced heartily.
"Welcome back, Master Harry, sir!" Laddey greeted as soon as Harry had left the parlour room, intent on reaching the stairs. He planned on going up, taking a warm bath and relaxing in the heat of the water. If this was to be a day of rest, by and large, he'd make the most of it after a nice nap and time with a good friend.
"Hey, Laddey," Harry returned with a nod at the house elf. "Could you have dinner ready in an hour or two? I'd like to eat whenever Elaine's home if you could keep it warmed up for us to eat together — you and the others could eat whatever you'd want to as well. I've told you that before, I think, but I figured I'd say it again."
Laddey blinked his eyes and blinked away after a rapid series of 'thank you'.
Harry, after the little house elf left, went up to his room and as soon as he entered, he was set upon from behind. He needn't reach for his wand, for the coolness of the touch, the embrace of the body and the laughter of Elaine made his assailant known.
"Welcome home, lover."
Her voice made him grin, and he turned on her, and the night passed them by much the same as the previous had.