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The man across from them looked older than he'd have thought. Forty by Muggle appearances, meaning well older in the lifespan of a Magical. That hadn't seemed like Grindelwalds typical demographic, not when most who followed him were young and naive, with only a few grizzled older witches and wizards buying into all that he sold. There was no mistake either, the man across from them was most certainly a veteran based on the numerous scars adorning his face alone.
His robes, that of a prisoner like any other, always showed the scars his hands and forearms seemed lined with. It was likely Harry and Elaine were sat across from a man who'd taken part in multiple invasions against other Magical societies, and perhaps even alongside the Muggles as well, given there were occasional reports of both elements of a country fighting alongside one another.
Harry couldn't be certain unless he looked at the man's folder, laid out as it was for them… but it didn't matter much. Not enough to waste the time they'd been given.
"You followed Grindelwald," Elaine said, cocking her head as she looked the man up and down, seemingly unimpressed with his unassuming physique and person. "What do you know of him?"
The man didn't speak, he simply continued looking at the pair with the utmost malice in his eyes. Their accents had already given them away as foreigners, and it was likely the man could identify from where they hailed; if he could do that, maybe he realised he was talking to the pair that'd slain his former master.
Harry hoped he did. A bit of humility was the least he deserved.
Elaine sighed, and then she started tutting at the man whilst shaking her head as a scolding mother might. It was altogether comical given the difference in ages between the two. "When a Minister of Magic asks a question, it's impolite not to answer. Wouldn't you say, darling?"
"Grindelwald at least introduced himself." Harry remembered all too well the man's love to hear his own voice. Oh yes, whenever they'd meet, he'd have to speak about his cause or Harry's legacy; a legacy that man had infringed upon.
"He did, multiple times," Elaine smiled, and then looked rather exasperatedly over to the prisoner. "I must admit, he's rather forgetful, isn't he? I can't even remember his last words, any of the set of them. I'd have thought we were going up against a better class of man, in truth."
The man's eyes flashed, and he shot forward.
Or rather, he attempted to. One couldn't so much as lift their legs from the ground, much less rise from the chair itself. No, there were a dozen straps keeping him in place with cuffs that severely weakened one's magic adorning him; there were even runes dug into his 'throne' for an added layer of security.
"Well that's certainly woken you up, hasn't it?" Elaine smiled and curtsied as best as one could whilst remaining seated. "Elaine and Harry Peverell, Minister and Deputy-Minister of Magic. Your pleasure, I'm sure — now that you're finally present, why don't you tell us about the many places your master visited."
The man muttered something vile-sounding in German, harsh and spitting, but Harry hadn't a clue as to what it was. Elaine didn't either, but her face turned decidedly unhappy… and then her hand shot downwards, into her footwear.
"Oh, Veritaserum," Harry said aloud.
Elaine smiled his way. "Not strictly allowed, but, once it's finished it'll have served its purpose. A sizable donation to our new German friends will see them turn the other way as well, you've seen the state of things."
He had, and he reckoned this was well worth it even if they didn't want it done here. "Here," Harry said, pulling out his wand and causing the man to freeze in his chair altogether. He opened his mouth next, enough for Elaine to levitate the potion into his mouth and force it down his throat.
Once that was finished, Harry dropped his control of the man and watched alongside Elaine as it took effect. Soon enough, the man was staring blankly ahead at them, his face decidedly sour-looking, if a touch vacant-seeming.
Her potion seemed a touch different than how he remembered it being.
"Why don't we try this lovely conversation again," Elaine said, clapping her hands together and smiling wide. "Don't you agree?"
The man nodded. "Ja."
Elaine huffed. "English, if you'd be so inclined — now as I previously asked, why don't you tell us all about Grindelwald's points of interest. Be it a safehouse, hidden cache, castle, home, mountain retreat and anything else you might remember. Leave not a place out."
The man nodded again, and a second before he began to divulge place after place, Elaine and Harry each took out a piece of parchment. One with a list of all places they already knew about, and the other, a blank paper with an autonomous quill to note down all that he said.
It'd go on to take an hour, and that was only the first of nearly three dozen total prisoners they had an interest in speaking with.
Harry had a feeling it'd take far more than just a day.
Ten hours later, Harry and Elaine were finally on their way out of the Ministry as a whole. His mind was well tired even if his body wasn't; the hundreds of questions and tediousness of speaking with so many who disliked them so vehemently made all the interactions draining. But what they were doing had proved fruitful, even if they'd not gone through more than half the prisoners.
No, there were plenty more to speak with for certain, but they already had three places that seemed promising. Enough so to have been mentioned in Corene's original notes, those she'd made whilst at the Ministry with the Yankee, and in the records Elaine had taken the previous day.
If they were so present, the places had to be something of note for certain. Harry only hoped they weren't already searched from top to bottom, lest the item they were looking for be taken away and stored someplace they'd never find it. If that occurred, it'd certainly make the matter of finishing Grindelwald off rather troublesome.
"What do you think?" Harry asked, his hand in that of Elaine's as the couple strolled out of the stairwell and into the main hallway that'd see them back to the centre of the Ministry. "Be back tomorrow? Think he'll let us bother him that long?"
Elaine sniffed. "Bother? It's his pleasure to have us here. I had Aster summon two dozen of our personal Aurors to aid the Ministry for the duration of our stay — it'll give us extra pull and see to it that we're not a burden on him. Not nearly one enough to have him see us out."
Of course she'd have thought of something like that. Elaine always seemed multiple steps ahead when it came to political manoeuvring. Her and Corene combined were simply overkill.
"I see," Harry raised a brow at her then as they continued along. "How many days do you reckon we'll be staying here for then? Three? More?"
"At most, a week. But less, I'm fairly certain," Elaine nodded to two Aurors standing guard by the hallway's entrance; both wore English flags on their otherwise American-looking uniform. "We'll not be the only ones looking either."
Corene and Aster, perhaps even a few of their other Aurors as well would likely be joining them. That was good. It'd make everything a touch easier.
Harry pushed open the door as they came up to it and held it open for Elaine afterwards. Once she was through and he let it swing shut behind him, he continued speaking. "Will we be the only ones going out to continue our search?"
"Corene or Aster, mayhaps the both of them," Elaine tapped the piece of parchment they'd left the interview with, fresh and ready to be given over to Corene; it was she who'd be finding out all that could be known about the locations as presented. "None of the other Aurors need be present, not when they're not tried and tested as we know Corene and Aster to be; best to keep them here where they'll provide assistance and earn us favour."
A form of currency then, in a way. He supposed that made sense, given how few men the Yanks had seemingly spared, and how little there seemed to be for the Germans themselves.
"Makes sense…so when do we leave?" Harry knew Elaine enough to know she wasn't one to waste time.
"After a nap and meal, and when we're certain our two friends are prepared as we need them to be."
That was that, then.
Harry and Elaine changed the topic of their conversation as they turned the final corner. No longer would they be discussing the future locations to be visited or the people they'd speak with on the morrow, instead, they switched to what they'd be having for dinner.
It was something strangely domestic. He liked it.
The food they'd ended up having was, surprisingly, fish and chips. One of the Aurors they'd brought along that was home and on break from his 'shift' at the Ministry had insisted he cook for all that were present. Elaine hadn't minded if it meant the food was prepared faster, because, with Corene and Aster there right alongside them, it'd see them gone all the sooner.
And that proved true.
It took nearly an hour overall, but not long thereafter the four were finished their preparations with the clothing made for each of them — including a hastily made suit for Aster — on their persons. All were enchanted, most to high degrees so as to keep most forms of damage, such as slashing, piercing or those of most elements, far from realising their hopes of hurting one of them.
Fire was the most prominent given how many spells and wards utilised it defensively.
Harry took a deep breath as he fixed the gloves around his wrists, hoping to loosen the hold a touch. As before, it was a tight fit, one that he didn't much like. He sighed when he failed to realise his hopes of loosening the material, and from there, he picked up one of the three potions laid out on the table; there were two others, one for Corene and one for Elaine, for they were the other two that'd been awake since the start of the day.
Aster, meanwhile, had been resting on the opposite schedule, hence his eager attitude as he all but hopped in place near the Floo access.
He was very eager to go and see the various places of interest, even if there'd likely be nothing at all to find, or, dozens upon dozens of traps and potentially even creatures waiting to seriously wound them.
Harry had to admire his mate's attitude he reckoned as he set down the now-empty potion. Corene and Elaine were still going over the map a little ways behind them, they'd be doing so for another minute at the least, given they weren't quite aware of the exact geography around the first castle they'd be visiting.
Castle was no exaggeration either. No, this time around, the place would be proper massive, perhaps similar in size to Hogwarts.
Such was the reason Harry reckoned it'd be empty of anything useful already. A place that size didn't go unnoticed, or unraided. Not when there could be so much hidden inside of it. But it was worth perusing at the very least, and it wasn't as if they didn't have two other options the same night if the first proved a bust; if they found others later, after speaking with those they'd not gotten to yet, they'd do those as well.
They would have the time to do so eventually.
"Looking good, Aster?" Harry looked the other bloke up and down then, ensuring there wasn't much skin showing; his suit might not be as good as Harry's, but it was better than nothing. That quick look revealed the suit was a little less snug a fit too, at least compared to Harry's own.
The other bloke plucked at the clothes, layered as they were atop him. "Fits well enough, but I don't reckon it'll be all that useful. Not with the three of you going ahead of me."
Harry snorted. He knew what Aster meant. A glance over at Elaine alone could show how eager she was to delve once more into someplace that'd likely be dangerous, or under guard. Perhaps even both, as had been the case where last they'd gone. He still couldn't shake the strangeness thereof either; why had there been traps if nothing truly significant had been stored there?
Perhaps a Horcrux had been present, but it'd been moved. He doubted they'd ever know exactly what the place had been used for. "You know how she is, and Corene, she's practically a seer with everything she has access to, isn't she? Reckon I'd be more inclined to believe words she'd spout than anybody else."
"Who wouldn't?" Aster asked with an amused little round of chuckles. "Her father knows just about everybody, and then he tells her and her mum. Once Corene started making full use of her family's contacts, it wa— ah, here they come. Turn around, yeah? I was meant to make sure your nape was covered."
Harry snickered. It was just like old times, getting lost in a conversation while they waited for the witches. Well, almost; back then there'd been five or six blokes and five or six witches. Now, everybody was all dispersed, if they were even still alive.
Aster tapped him on the shoulder right as Elaine reached them. Corene was a few steps behind the other girl, folding up the map in a very cautious, careful way before she tucked it into the satchel that rested against her right hip. There were potions and other items of note in there as well, he knew as much considering he'd seen her and Elaine pack the day prior, when they'd been home.
He had to admit, having another person there certainly made everything feel less empty.
"It's time," Elaine grabbed hold of Harry's hand. "You're both prepared, is that right?"
Before Aster or Harry had so much as a second to answer, Elaine's hands were on Harry's person. Her gloves hands plucked and pulled at his clothing, testing the elasticity of it and ensuring there wasn't so much as a speck of him showing aside from his face.
Harry managed his response when she went around him, to stand toe to toe whilst her hands sought out the front of his shirt. "We're good," he caught her hands with his own, interweaving his fingers with hers. "Let's get this finished."
Corene spoke up then. "Agreed." For a second, it almost sounded like there was malice in her tone.
There wasn't time to question it before Harry was pulled forward by Elaine, his witch only separating from him when she stepped into the Floo, grabbed up a handful of powder, and threw it at the ground. The location she'd said was crystal clear and exactly as dictated, and in a few second's time, Harry went in after her.
Harry hoped this place would prove to be the last they needed to visit.
He doubted very much that'd be the case.
When he appeared, he found himself in an old, rundown-looking pub. There was a second fireplace off in the corner, and there was a haze of smoke in the room from all those who had pipes lit up. Spacewise, the building was about as big as the Hog's Head, making him think it also allocated space for people to stay the night; he didn't much fancy that based on how old and beat-up everything seemed to be.
Even the bartender seemed beyond his best years by no small amount. His visage as he glanced his and Elaine's way revealed a cold-looking man with a scowl set deep in his face. Guests, it seemed, weren't given the royal welcome as they were in most other places. He supposed that wasn't all that surprising given why they were there or what'd only just ended.
Another flash of the Floo revealed Corene, and she came out as a dancer. Fluid and with nary a sign of stumbling on the rug right before it. Harry hadn't been quite that good in his movements, but he reckoned he'd done well enough to avoid looking like a complete fool. He hadn't seen Elaine's arrival, but as he made it by her side and as Corene did much the same opposite of him, he turned to look over his shoulder at the last arrival.
Aster. Merlin, the other man, didn't disappoint.
From the moment he appeared, his footing seemed uneven and his visage showed he was uncertain of himself. As he started forward, his left foot hit a table that Harry hadn't come close to, and his right, at that same time, caught the rug; it shot up and into the air immediately.
But Aster righted himself when both hands found the head of the chair. There was a little scuffle therewith of course, and the noise of wood being dragged against wood, but he managed falling and went behind the trio that'd already started towards the far ender of the bar.
A drink and small meal later — no more than fifteen minutes it was — and the four were out, on the 'streets' of the little hamlet.
The castle that towered over the local landscape, trees and hills alike in the distance that came into view as soon as they were out of the building, Harry decided, was ominous; Hogwarts had half the spikes and pieces of architecture jutting out of it that the gothic-seeming place before him did.
Harry leaned his head back to catch Elaine, Corene and the dark Castle in the dreary sky altogether as they started towards it. The three complimented one another well.
Once they'd made certain they weren't followed into the woodsy path that'd take them around the hamlet, they shed the uppermost layer of robes — those that'd been covering what they were truly wearing — and changed the way their faces looked with a quick illusion cast thereover. Apparently, all but Aster's had a set of runes meant to obscure and modify, at least partially, how they looked; the aforementioned boy's only had a lower face mask that'd stay in place.
It'd been the prototype for Harry, after all. One that was quickly resized for Aster to make use of.
After the robes were firmly tucked back into their packs, they travelled by way of apparating rather than walking as a Muggle might. It was quicker, safer and far harder to track given the lack of footprints left behind.
And so soon enough the four reached the edge of the treeline around the castle. Close as they now were to the place, they could see no signs of activity. There weren't any lanterns lighting up the various windowspaces, no torches lining the ramparts or tops of towers, no people — so far as they could see — walking the grounds or manning the entryways, which were raised.
Harry glanced at Elaine, and when he saw her eyes, alight with an eagerness, he sighed. He imagined they'd be going inside the place and scouring it from top to bottom. Unless they found signs of previous looting. If that were the case, Harry would ensure their departure.
"It has to be looted." Aster said from his side, the whisper only just louder than the ambient noise of the woods. "Look at the size of it."
At least he wasn't the only one that thought it was too good to be true.
"Possibly," Corene's whisper was softer, and carried on the wind. "Barred and undamaged. Worth a look."
Quick and to the point as always, she was. Harry supposed she was of a similar mind then. Take a peek, if it's been looted or searched in any fashion that'd make it clear to them, then they'd leave and head to the next point of interest amongst the three they possessed.
Based on how popular all three seemed to be when it came to being mentioned by Grindelwald's followers, Harry reckoned all were cleaned out of anything worthwhile. He certainly wasn't holding his breath. Not when it'd taken a place in Belarus that nobody knew of for them to find another piece of Grindelwald's corrupted soul.
"We'll find out when we're inside," Elaine said, and only a few seconds before she grabbed Harry, and apparated down to the very front of the Castle.
It was far more staggering a sight to see when one was standing directly before it and gazing upwards. Harry imagined it'd have been horrible to try and capture.
Aster and Corene appeared behind them, the former looking more apprehensive with every step. It was like he was thinking of the many ways it could be trapped, or perhaps even an ambush. His mind always worked overdrive whenever something could so much as have a chance of being strategic.
Such was one of the reasons they'd made him their Head Ministry Auror.
Elaine's wand was out and hastily moving to and from in a series of elaborate gestures, all the while she remained silent. Harry took his own out leisurely, watching as she did one of the many things that brought her happiness; tearing down wards or other hints of magic.
Corene and Aster, meanwhile, each saw to their own task. The former, already updating her notes of the place and the latter, watching their rear whilst erecting a shield around their persons. Silent as everything was, the four worked well together, with Harry dead in the middle and keeping an eye on the other three; he'd coordinate them in the event of an attack or some other form of event.
But none came into being by the time Elaine was finished with her search over the entryway. Nor when she forcefully raised the two gates that barred their entry. When that lattermost action was done, Harry had stepped into line beside her and allowed Corene and Aster both to take over their watch of the rear; he would busy himself with looking for anything of the Muggle variety.
Past the first two gates as they were and into the walled-in area behind it, there was nothing of note. Trees, benches, the occasional item such as a wheelbarrow or the like strewn about on the grounds. But no bodies, no guns, no Muggle uniforms nor suits of armour. It seemed the place hadn't been used in some time, in truth.
Harry wasn't convinced. Magic could cover up all signs of one's presence, and Muggles were just as smart as Magicals. Just as cunning too.
"Wait," Harry said, grabbing Elaine's upper arm in his bid to stop her. "Let me make sure there's nothing between the trees and bushes."
The aforementioned nature was on either side of the main entrance towards which Elaine had them started towards. With how much shrubbery was present and the number of leaves on the ground, it was an ideal spot for something to have been placed. Harry brought up his wand and cast forth a Lumos to brighten the area, and Elaine, to assist him, had the wind increase in speed only just enough to brush aside much of the deadfall.
He took a cautious step forward, and then another, and a third, until he was closer still to the place that'd given rise to his suspicions. There seemed to be nothing of note, no tripwires, no places to fall into. Nothing.
Until he spotted a little glimmer of something under a nearby bush. It was a brass sort of colour, and small, very small.
Harry hadn't a clue as to what it was… but he reckoned somebody else might.
"Aster," he whispered to the other wizard. "Come here for a second. Think there's something here you'll be able to identify — it's Muggle army stuff."
As soon as the final few words were said, Aster came over, switching places with Harry so as to not leave the rear to Corene alone. Just like Elaine had possessed since they'd learned of the places, Aster's face had turned eager and excited, undoubtedly at the prospect of finding a Muggle 'artefact' as he'd call it.
The thing could be as strange and insignificant as a button, but Aster would love it all the same.
Harry kept taking the occasional peek over his shoulder, in the direction of Aster as he looked at the time closer and closer. Elaine had taken enough steps back to be towards the middle of the group in the time that the two had swapped.
When Harry looked the third time around, mayhaps a minute in total having passed, Aster was on his knees in the dirt right before the little item was glinting; Elaine was observing their surroundings and Corene, managing the notes once more. Neither of the two Witches were interested in whatever the item was, so long as the path ahead was safe.
Aster's hand shot forth then, a grin on his face when he plucked the item from the ground and turned to Harry. "It's a bullet."
Harry took a second to remember just what that was, but then, a flash of recognition ran through him. That was what Muggles fired from their guns… but why would one be laying in the push?
"It's not been fired either. I wouldn't know what it belongs to, before you ask," Aster pocketed the item, his grin turning toothy. "I'll keep it as a memento. It'll be a fun puzzle to solve when I'm older."
"It's safe though, yeah?" Harry started back towards his original spot as Aster did much the same, the two passing one another near where Elaine was in the middle.
Aster slapped him on the shoulder as they did so. "Stepping on them won't make them shoot you, and I didn't see anything else, so it should be. Call for me if there's anything else you're unsure of — beats twiddling my wand and peering into the dark."
And with that, Harry was back at the front with Elaine at his side. She was right before the door now, and tracing it with her wand whilst muttering an incantation; he'd seen her do so enough times to recognise she was checking for runes inlaid and covered. Wards were easier to spot than the little symbols that could be just about anywhere.
Harry tucked into the space beside her and started seeking out anything of a Muggle nature. Traps on a doorway were something he'd not be the least bit surprised to see, were the place untouched as they hoped; but a two-minute look over revealed nothing of the sort.
Elaine's own search came up equally as empty for any signs of magic therein, and so after a moment's hesitation, she pushed open the massive, wooden door. The creaks that sounded were like that of a truly ancient building, and annoying to the ears.
As for the interior of the place, the grand entry hall where they entered, was truly deserving of such a title unlike most other locations they'd gone to. It had pillars, ornate, carved and spiralling to the top of the ceiling. The stained glass windows present all throughout were a nice elegant touch too, but the furniture seemed a touch… spiky, for Harry's preferences.
The busts throughout the place were also a touch strange. He was happy they weren't magical. Nor the portraits and pictures placed very specifically, based on the spacing betwixt them all.
"Lots of halls," Harry said quietly, his voice echoing despite how soft he'd spoken, the vast corridors taking to the new sound like a moth to flame.
"Splitting up would be more viable, but perish the thought," Elaine grabbed his hand, her words not whispered as his had been. "Corene, Aster, stay close. We'll not be separated."
Harry hadn't been about to suggest they split, but he was glad she was already so against it; Corene and Aster wouldn't beat Grindelwald, even whilst weakened. If he were back already, or if a follower of his were here, it was best they stay back and avoid any fight that takes place.
"Be towards the centre," Harry said as they grew closer. "I'll take the rear." It didn't need to be said where Elaine would be going.
Aster winked as he passed him, and Corene shot him the smallest of Corene-like smiles. The quill and parchment that floated behind her made him snicker just as much as Aster did, especially when the other boy nearly bumped into a bust as they continued through the main archway.
"Basement as usual, is it?"
Elaine shot him a look over her shoulder, a brow raised and a look on her face that read; did you even need to ask?
He supposed he hadn't, but the look it earned him was well worth it.
"Corene," Elaine said the other witch's name, and that was all.
In an instant, the girl was moving forwards with her wand still in hand. When she reached Elaine, she withdrew something. A map. It looked to be the plans of the place's first floor, but dated. Not even the Marauders Map had seemed half as old as this did.
He imagined they'd be referencing many a map Corene had somehow 'found' before this night was up.
Thrice was the number of checks it'd taken thus far, and it seemed thrice was all it'd take before the four reached the basement door. It wasn't half as large or secure as most others seemed to be, which was rather strange given the wealth that'd been invested in not only the ornateness, but the security as well; the walls, the layered gates, it was clear the place was meant to be defended.
Something of note, however, was that magic had been present on the aforementioned basement door. There had been a set of runes in the woodwork, and kept from view, at least initially. Unfortunately for whoever had laid them, Elaine was thorough in her checking for any and all signs of magic. Especially if it meant there was a chance to encounter something that was rare, powerful or thus far, unheard of; a challenge was her idea of fun.
Such was the reason she found those with a spine more worthy of companionship than any who'd always do as she asked. There were few enough Corenes or Asters in the world, but there was always another person who'd tell you 'yes' whenever you wanted to hear the word.
"Lover, you'll be managing the light and seeking out Muggle traps. Cousin, you'll be responsible for the illustration of a new map, should we ever need it. Aster. Watch the rear," Elaine had a small smirk on her face when she gave the lattermost person their responsibility, a groan coming from the other wizard, and then she pushed the door open a smidge.
Harry blinked when she didn't continue to do so, only the faintest bit of his light shining forth. When she looked at him, he moved right in beside her, squeezing between her body and the wall as he put his face right close to the door.
The thing itself was thinner and newer-seeming than much of the place seemed to be. There were minor scratches and other damages to it, but nothing that seemed indicative of centuries worth of punishment. Not unless it'd been restored. There certainly weren't any holes that'd been patched up with something hidden inside. As he peered up and down the crack, he didn't see any wires, string or other such material that might be used to fasten a trap.
Harry put a hand on Elaine's shoulder and gently moved her back a little ways. Well, he'd attempted to, at the very least. Elaine wasn't having any of it as she wrapped an arm around his chest as far as it would go, holding firm as her wand came up to point at the crack.
He smiled and shook his head; if he were ever in danger, no matter how much he'd wish to protect her, she'd never have it. No, she was adamant in her refusals time and time again. Muggle explosives would wound them both severely, he reckoned there wasn't much magic to prevent that, but she'd not be deterred.
No, nothing could ever stop Elaine from doing what she desired when it came to seeing to his safety.
"Opening it," Harry said as a forewarning to the others, and then, with the tip of his wand, he applied enough force to see the door opened altogether.
Harry didn't enter immediately though. No, with the door now opened to him and his wand shining forth, breaking the darkness that's likely lasted for quite some time, he took in the new sight before him. The stairs were made from stone and descended deep, into a darkness that his Lumos didn't show an end to. As for the path itself, it was thin, wide enough for one person and one person alone.
Thankfully, no cracks or sign of damage were present, and every stair in the dozens upon dozens he saw, seemed to be completely fine with nary a chip or chunk taken out. Based on how compact the thing was, he reckoned it'd be hard to destroy… but it also seemed quite easy to trap. All it'd take was one false stair, be it Muggle or an illusionary Magical one. Tripwires wouldn't be prominent, but pressure plates might.
He'd be cautious, Harry decided then as he and Elaine began to descend into the darkness. If anything arose in which he wasn't confident he alone could handle, he'd call for Aster to take a gaze as well — he reckoned henceforth taking the other bloke with them alongside Corene would make for a great team of four.
The stairs were far deeper than had initially been suspected. They'd been walking them for three or so minutes thus far, and still, the light shining forth from his wand had yet to show the end thereof. As far as one could tell, it simply continued on into a dark void. But that wasn't possible, and as no magic had made itself known to Elaine thus far, illusions or mind-affecting spells were ruled out altogether.
It wasn't some form of magical trap, no, but indeed and quite simply, a very deep stairwell. Harry reckoned the only reason somebody would need something of such a scale was for a dungeon, or a wine cellar… dungeons being the more likely culprit of the two.
"Corene?" Harry asked, breaking the silence that'd fallen since they'd started downwards.
"Yes?" Her voice sounded free of exertion, but her quill didn't cease the faint noise it made from working on parchment.
"Would this more likely lead to a dungeon, or something else?" He was curious, and it'd certainly break the tediousness that'd begun to take over as they ventured ever forth.
"A dungeon would be considered a good guess. A personal vault would be another," Corene answered. "In times that pre-date a bank for one to store their wealth in, families with much to lose would fasten a chamber to keep their belongings secure. It would not be impossible for this to be one such chamber."
So Harry was right then, to some degree. It was a plane that'd have a unique purpose.
After thanking Corene for her knowledge and willingness to answer, they'd returned to a state of silence. Harry, of course, paused them a few times, saying enough to keep the other three up to date with what he was doing — that being ensuring anything suspicious was unjustly so — before having them continue again.
He did so only half a dozen times, but each, he figured, had been warranted. Where little cracks were, a trap could be, and in the one spot where a chunk was taken from the wall, who was to say an explosive of some sort hadn't been stuffed in?
Mayhaps he was paranoid.
But he did his job. The end finally came to be in sight, the light shining forth from his wand and showing a wide opening up ahead that fanned out into a room.
In no more than another minute, the four finished their cautious steps down and emerged — after Harry and Elaine each had ensured there was nothing in store for them — into the aforementioned opening. It wasn't half as large as he'd initially expected.
There were two doors, one large and with an archway that seemed wide enough for a troll to get through with nary a problem, and one much smaller. Small enough for a person of Harry's size to have to squeeze through. Anybody larger wouldn't likely manage it, but he was the largest of the four present.
It wasn't like magic couldn't fix that though.
Aside from the two doors, there was little else aside from loose stone in the space as large as Slytherin's common room. It was scattered across a floor that had one, central crack in it. One that was little more than a metre in length, and wasn't more than a few centimetres wide.
"Which door first then?" Harry turned towards Elaine, curious on what she'd pick for them.
Elaine rose a brow and turned towards Corene in-turn. "Which is more likely to be troublesome?"
Corene pointed, immediately, towards the smaller door on the side. "If it is untouched, there will be traps."
"If it's not untouched, there might still be traps of a different sort," Aster tacked on when she'd finished.
Each raised a valid point in favour of caution, not that they'd been without it since they'd started their search herein.
"The small door it is," Elaine looped her arm through Harry's and pressed a kiss to his cheek as she steered him towards the door in question. "We always pick the most wondrous spots for dates, don't we?"
He shook his head with a little grin coming to his face. "We do," his eyes sought out the door, and then he looked back whence they'd came, at the staircase. "I hope you know we're never having a staircase like that. Not even at that second home or the little storehouse in the bog."
Elaine tutted. "Please, do you think something so ordinary is what I'd go for?" she brushed her wand against the door, and it shrank, receding into either side of the wall as it split down the middle. "Ours would be far more… fun. I like the usage of water."
Harry was left to ponder that as Elaine squeezed in first, that eager smile returned to her.
When he saw her rear finish getting through — a good rear too — he shook himself from thinking about what she'd do with water and looked over his shoulder at his two friends, and then pushed in after her.
The immediate interior of the little space was a corridor, thin and tapered towards the centre, before it continued, widening at the end. He reckoned with how small it seemed to be, th—
"Another point for my lovely little cousin," Elaine said aloud, faint wisps of magic trailing from her wand and forming a little series of chains that criss-crossed across the entirety of the floor before them. "It seems our presence isn't wanted."
There were a lot of traps.
"Doesn't seem to be, does it?" Harry huffed when he didn't detect so much as a glint in the illuminated hall. "Looks like this is going to be all you."
"You can watch my rear while I work." Elaine winked at him, her dark eyes ever the endless pools of desire. "I know you'd find it fascinating as ever."
Her confidence was just as attractive as that aforementioned rear.
She started work after that cheeky comment, and Harry contented himself with watching her… for all of a few seconds. It was always interesting, of course, to see what and how she'd disable such sophisticated work, but his altruism won him over.
He didn't like that the other two were separated, even if only by the small-sized door. So Harry, whilst keeping up the light, very slowly began to reshape the door. As he'd felt before, the material itself seemed unwilling to move if he didn't focus and pour his strength and will into having it bend.
It gave way slowly, the material resisting him the whole while, but eventually, it yielded enough for him to see both his friends entirely.
When he turned back around to set his eyes on Elaine once more, he noticed something as she progressed. The ending was… well, void of anything. He'd gotten a touch distracted, and as a result, his light had shined brighter whilst he'd worked, and now, with all of the ending in sight, it looked to be a dead end.
That wasn't right.
Why would a place with so many traps be completely empty?
Harry reckoned there was an illusion, or a false wall. Something of that ilk. He squinted then, his eyes locked on the space before her; it was empty, yes, but it still seemed darker, foggy, almost.
"Elaine?" he called.
"Yes, lover?" She turned whilst her arms continued to move, her work of disabling all the traps continuing even whilst she spoke with him.
"Inferi ahead, or something of their ilk, seems like."
Elaine winked at him. "We'll handle them like we have before."
She finished what seemed to be the final trap, stepped forward, and with a theatric wave of her wand, tore down the centre wall made from stone.
A path revealed itself. One with no small amount of figures standing thereon.