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It hadn't.
Whatever secrets the place possessed, if any were left undisturbed, were to remain secrets. It wasn't as if magic of any kind revealed anything that seemed important. Not when Harry cast a myriad of spells that all returned nothing, and not when Elaine and Corene did much the same whilst Aster all the while sought out anything of a Muggle design.
They'd run out of road, as the saying went, and with that being the case, it meant other places would need to be investigated. There was certainly no shortage of such places, but there was a shortage of time. The upper-echelon of the Ministry — which they were — could only stay away from their homeland for so long, especially with it still requiring much and more in the way of attention.
Dozens upon dozens of homes and businesses alike needed to be rebuilt, their signatures would be required for the continued funding and allocation thereof from their vaults as well as what they retrieved from storehouses Grindelwald's followers had set up, and beyond that, there were still a vast array of empty billets in the Ministry. Some of which, of course, they needn't be involved in the filling of, but others, their explicit permission was required. Especially in the case of their expanded Minister's office. From their private aurors to secretaries to aides and more, they would be required to fill them all.
Thus, after a rather lengthy conversation betwixt the four upon their return, it was decided a contingent would be left behind. One led by McMacson, with staff from three departments. The number of witches and wizards involved neared thirty, and the home they'd be given would easily fit the lot of them after a few minor expansions.
McMacson was a right solid choice too, Harry reckoned. The man was more than adept when it came to combat or diplomacy, and he certainly knew how to keep things organised. Elaine agreed with each and every point in his favour, and added one of her own atop the list of pros he had; his presence elsewhere would ascertain no issues in building up their powerbase.
He had a bloc of his own behind him, one that, whilst not nearly as large as Elaine and Harry's put together, was still powerful. With him not present during the rebuilding, it would give her time to pull some of his support to her, and leave the others isolated, thus removing any potential issues. Harry wasn't especially fond of such tactics, he couldn't say he'd ever been fond of politics or the like, but he was rather pleased it was dealt with in that way rather than having him killed or banished or something else along those lines.
Elaine from when first he'd met her to the present day had changed time and time again. Her followers — those closest to her — had shifted as well. Daphne was given less time, Abraxas was all but gone, and in their place, more oft was Corene, Druella, Emilene and Aster.
He much preferred those four to the other two… but when such thoughts struck him, he couldn't help but think back to the very beginning of it all. When Yaxley — Cliff — had been around, weird and skittish as he'd been. When Cade and the others had aided him in his duelling.
When Reinhard had still walked the earth alongside them.
Everything changed, given enough time. People came and went, some had their fates left unknown and others, the luckiest of the lot, simply drifted apart from their former friends. Harry supposed it was good for the Malfoys that Abraxas hadn't been so close to them. He'd likely not have done very well through much of what they'd gone through.
He cast a look from the balcony of his and Elaine's bedroom, to the vastness of their grounds. With many of the trees and overgrowth removed therefrom, it was much easier to see the ruins that littered the area. The tower they'd found near the bog-like area had been repaired, and the secondary home stood in defiance to the time and dereliction it'd been left in. Those two places were where they'd set their focus, and in time, other such homes and areas they desired would spring up alongside them.
Harry hoped to see a dozen houses or more filled with his children and grandchildren by the time he was similar in age to Dumbledore. Perhaps with how long-lived magicals were, he could see even more of his family tree come to fruition. Such a sight would be so very lovely — by Merlin, how he longed for a large and happy family.
Such a longing wasn't only possessed by him either. Elaine too desired a family of great size, and greater affection.
He looked over his shoulder then, towards the bed where she laid atop with the thinner silken sheet pulled up to her nose. Elaine had always slept in such a manner; her head set upon the bottom of her pillows with the sheets pulled high and only the top of her face made visible. Her curtain of dark hair concealed what little their sheets left to the open air.
Harry couldn't contain the smile he had whensoever he looked her way. Asleep, awake, in the bath, at her desk; Elaine was as an angel to him wherever and whatever she was doing.
Yet, he felt she looked truly at peace only in their bedroom.
He turned to look back at their lands for a scant few seconds.
And then he started towards the bath.
Much like any other day, there was work to be done, and there could be no dilly-dallying.
Harry took in a deep breath when he returned to the Ministry. It felt great to be back; the air, the area, the people, all of it was something Harry didn't know he'd missed until he'd come back — and to think it'd been a week or thereabouts!
He could only imagine how much he'd miss the Ministry after a month.
"Deputy Minister," it was the voice of one of his secretaries, and not a minute after he'd returned. It was rather impressive, her quickness.
"Come in," Harry said as he fell into the chair with a huff; it felt wondrous. Maybe he'd pour himself some firewhiskey McMacson had gifted him. He reckoned a nice drink went well with his first day back at work.
The door to his office pushed open and she peeked her head through. "Director Urban would like to speak with you, sir."
"Urban, is it?" Harry snorted. "Thought he went by his last name."
"His children are increasingly more common in the Auror youth program, and so as a result of that, he was adamant the three go by their first names and title." The Secretary then rose a brow at him as she summoned forth a clipboard and held it aloft. "Should I tell him you'll have him come here in thirty minutes, sir?"
He shrugged. "Yeah, that works — I assume we've got a few other things to go over as well?"
"We do," she floated the clipboard over to him. "There's currently twenty-three people awaiting a meeting with you, along with thirty-two appointments that require you or the Minister's signature. Which would you prefer to handle first, before your meeting with Director Urban, sir?"
Harry blinked. That was… more than he'd thought he'd have to do upon his return. He couldn't say he was entirely surprised, and it had been his idea to have Elaine take an extra idea with Corene now that they were home.
He sighed. "Signatures first."
Harry had ended up approving thirty appointments of the thirty-two awaiting his signature. The other two he reckoned it was better if Elaine handled them, given the positions and record they had.
And luckily for him, he'd finished it all right in the knick of time, for not more than a minute later, a knock sounded on the door to his office. This time, the voice that called to him didn't belong to his secretary, but to an old friend.
"All good, Pev?"
Harry grinned when he heard the gruffness that was Urban, and as he made to respond, he summoned forth that familiar bottle of firewhiskey from his shelf. When he did so, he brought forth a glass and whiskey ice cubes as well. "Come on in, mate," he flicked the door open right as that final word came from him.
Urban entered in a second's time, and his eyes immediately sought out the glass atop Harry's desk, and pushed before one of the two seats meant for guests. Just like McMacson, Urban was fond of his drink. Harry couldn't blame either of them. With all the stress of their work, the occasional glass or two of whiskey certainly helped to take the edge off.
Elaine does too. He snickered to himself for all of a split-second, before he recovered with a snort.
She was entirely too bad of an example for him. It was most definitely her fault his mind was corrupted these days. Not his. Never his.
"Having a fun thought, Pev?" Urban raised the glass of firewhiskey to his mouth and took a sip.
"Always," Harry nodded to Urban then. "Thinking it's good to be back too. Never thought I'd miss the Ministry."
Urban snorted. "It has a way of growing on you. Mac said it was like a fungus once, just the good sort — it's a part of us," he took another sip, and then withdrew something from his shirt's pocket. After doing so, he slid it across the table, to Harry. "Here you are. I've been waiting to propose something while you were gone — good Whiskey too, yeah?"
Harry grinned. "Courtesy of our favourite McMacson." He picked up the parchment, folded as it was, that Urban had slid to him, and began to open it.
As he did so, Urban set down the glass and spoke, addressing it as Harry set about unfolding it over and over again. "While you were gone, I had a few Yanks that I spoke with raise a good idea. After hearing them out, I figured it could do us some good if we imitated it," Harry finished unfolding the parchment, and Urban's words grew more specific. "They call it a militia, over there, but I like the phrase 'Defence Force' more than anything else."
Harry's eyes scanned the parchment through and through, the thing surprisingly longer and certainly more filled-out than he'd have thought. He reckoned he'd need to give it a more thorough reading later on, but with Urban here before him now, it was best to get it from the 'source', more or less.
"Defence force?" Harry leaned back in his seat, but not before taking another sip of his own glass of whiskey. "You have more information, yeah?"
Urban nodded. "They'd augment the Aurors, both the Minister's office and the Department's, but only when needed, otherwise, they'd work their normal jobs."
Harry shrugged at the offer. "It wouldn't hurt, I suppose… but who would train them? And would we equip them with any enchanted clothing or the like?"
"We'd see them trained by a mixed group of our Aurors, picked on account of their experience. We could use the older equipment in storage to outfit them, and assign retired Aurors interested in aiding us as those in senior positions to take control," Urban took another long sip and grinned. "Seems like a good idea doesn't it? I could only imagine if we'd had something along those lines when this started."
"We wouldn't have lost as many civilians as we did if we had it back then," Harry would most certainly grant that point in favour of establishing some sort of 'militia' or 'defence force'. "I'll speak with Elaine tomorrow, see what she thinks, but you've got my approval already. Three forces definitely beats one."
"Maybe it'll help in having a lasting peace settlement too. This war shouldn't have happened after the Great War," Urban scoffed, took another drink and refilled his glass before he spoke again, his tone mocking. "The war to end all wars. Some title, isn't it?"
"Here's to not having a third one of these world wars," Harry raised his glass and toasted to Urban, and afterwards, he tapped idly his fingers atop his desk. "So… have anything else to go over?"
Urban shook his head as he mirrored Harry in leaning back in his chair. "Just the militia, defence force or whatever you'd have it called. Everything else I handled during your absence."
Harry sighed.
And immediately, Urban picked up on that. "You have a lot to do?"
"Too much — twenty something meetings to schedule with me or Elaine, as soon as this one's over," Harry nodded towards the whiskey then. "Fancy one more glass while we go over ranks and the like for this new force? And an office space, of course. We'll need a cadre."
Urban snickered, but he didn't get up or otherwise make to leave.
Harry reckoned this could push those meetings off for at least another thirty minutes.
At the minimum.
That evening, when Harry returned home at nearly nine, he immediately sought out the bedroom. When he appeared therein, he stripped out of his work clothing and dressed in the comfiest pyjamas he possessed. The desire to lay face down on their bed struck him something fierce, but he still had to eat, speak with Elaine, bathe and check on their potion store in the basement.
He was sorely tempted to have a gander over at the secondary manor, considering it looked different from how it'd been earlier when he'd been atop the balcony. Mayhaps their house elves had started work on it, or Elaine had done a bit of work in-between her and Corene's time together.
Harry yawned and 'accidentally' fell backwards, onto the earlier mentioned bed. When he landed on it, he swore his body felt as if he'd started floating atop a cloud. He sank into it, the sheets giving way just as readily as the mattress, and the coolness feeling wondrous against his skin.
His eyes closed.
And when next they opened, it was to the sight of Elaine standing before him, her back and rear filling up his vision as she changed her clothes with nary a rush or worry.
Naturally, his eyes opened wider and one of his hands rose up to rub at them, ensuring that this wasn't a dream whilst at the same time cleaning them. He swore he'd not fallen asleep…
"Awake, are we?"
Her words came whilst she stayed looking forward, at the mirror which she filled whilst dressing.
Harry blinked a bit more, cleared his throat, and spoke. "Didn't realise I'd fallen asleep. Must've been a bit more tired than I thought I was," he took in a deep breath as his limbs shook themselves back to alertness. "Can't say I complained with the sight I woke up to."
Elaine peered over her shoulder at him then, her hair covering one eye and concealing in some part the other. "I'd certainly hope to hear no words of complaint when I'm naked in our room," she finished pulling on her nightgown and stretched in a cat-like fashion after doing so, the sight as tempting as her bare rear had been earlier. "Dinner, lover?"
"What time is it?" Harry rose into a sitting position, his feet connecting with the ground as he moved closer to her.
"It's only just turned ten. Not remotely late to either of us." Elaine twirled on the balls of her feet and slid into his lap, her arms wrapping behind Harry's neck so as to secure herself. "Carry me to the dining room, lover? Or would you prefer we take our meal here?"
He made to stand, and as he did so, Elaine wrapped her legs around his waist, further securing herself. "Fancy eating by the bath. Could get some wine too and make a night of it."
Elaine smiled wide at him. "You'll carry me all the same — your prize will be taking off this nightgown I've only just adorned. Do be gentle with it too. I'd not have this torn."
"You say that like I'm the one that's usually doing the tearing." Harry fixed her with a knowing look that she played off.
She laughed and pressed kiss after kiss against his neck and along his jaw, and when one hand went lower and lower, as Harry grew nearer and nearer to their bath, he reckoned he knew what she had in mind for the rest of their night.
He called out quickly, to Laddey, so as to have Cadry and Goopy prep their dinner.
And then he was pulled into the water by a tug from Elaine.
When next he rose the following morning, it was to a coolness that wrapped entirely around him; Elaine.
She was sapping the warmth he put out just as she always did when the two spent their time cuddling, the cost of rituals done perpetual, just like their benefits.
Again, he was the first to wake, the first to make to rise… and the first to be unable to do so given the hold she had of his person. He'd forgotten the strength she possessed. It was uncommon for any witch to have, any Magical, really, given her relatively thin figure.
By Merlin, did she know how to take advantage of that too.
Harry yawned, the morning getting to him.
The moment he did so, Elaine tightened her hold as her eyes fluttered open. Her morning voice was very similar to that when she was desirous of him; husky. "Morning, lover," she pressed in closer, taking a deep breath as she did so. "Always so pleasant a morning, those which I wake up to the sight of you."
Harry couldn't stop himself from smiling upon hearing such words. How could any bloke not smile?
"Stole the words out of my mouth," Harry said before he leaned in close and pressed his lips to hers; their joint morning breath made the pair share a laugh… and then Elaine went in for a second kiss.
And a third.
Perhaps a fourth as well.
Eventually the pair got out of bed and sought out their individual morning routines, but nearly an hour later saw the pair join back together, and this time, with a guest joining them for breakfast; Corene.
Aster had been invited as well, but he'd declined… by way of not responding, given he was likely still asleep.
Corene never seemed like she was asleep though. No, she seemed up and able to respond just about whenever Harry or Elaine had need of her. He'd made mention of that before, and regarding Elaine as well — the two worked themselves to the bone and beyond, and he wasn't too far behind them in that regard.
He'd not be so long as a bit of Grindelwald remained.
That was the most frustrating party of it a—
"Daydreaming, lover?" Elaine's voice roused him from his thoughts, and so immediately, he looked her way.
"He seemed to be lost in his thoughts." Corene agreed, the pair each looking his way after their words.
"I was just thinking about when this'll all be over," Harry said, sitting up in his seat. "Can't be soon enough — I'd like to have some rest without worry that he'll be back with whatever remains of his followers."
"Once we've finished him and his off, we'll take a month's break, all of us," Elaine said, reaching out a hand so as to take up one of his. "We'll go somewhere far and away, where we'll not be recognised, and where we'll rest sans the stress that comes from doing as we do."
Corene blinked at her. "Your positions."
"Our positions," Elaine corrected, and then she waved her hand whilst scoffing. "And I've not a worry in the world as to the security of them. Who would topple us? Who would try, much less have a chance at succeeding?"
"A month is a long time." Corene didn't seem entirely convinced.
"We could be gone a year and still, I'd remain confident that all would remain under our control," Elaine raised her nose, her voice confidence as could be. "You forget our allies keep tabs on one another. They ensure that each is doing as is asked of them, and keeping to the rules we've set amongst ourselves."
Harry cut either off lest they go down a rabbit hole. "Heard from McMacson today?"
"No." Corene's answer was straight forward as ever.
"We'll likely hear from him once a week, assuming nothing of extreme importance occurs," Elaine moved closer to him, and with a flick of her finger, raised a piece of watermelon up towards his mouth. "Open."
Harry wouldn't complain about being fed, even if she was a smidge forceful; the food here had rivalled, if not surpassed Hogwarts' standards. So he did just that, and she popped it in with all the care in the world.
After chewing and swallowing the dish, he closed the little distance that remained betwixt their seats, and wrapped his left arm around her. With so little space between them, it made her feeding him far easier, and the attention, well, he certainly enjoyed it.
Until he remembered Corene was seated opposite of them, content to eat in silence and take the occasional sip of tea.
Once Harry remembered that, he swallowed the most recent bite of apple she'd sliced and floated into his mouth, and addressed her, raising a hand in the process so as to stop Elaine from continuing. "Do we have any idea how long McMacson will remain in Germany?"
"Three months at the most, based on the amount of data to review and the prisoners still trickling in," she cocked her head to the side. "Two months are more likely than three, but I wouldn't wish to give a wrong date."
"As thoughtful as ever, my cousin," Elaine said, a certain fondness filling her voice. "I do hope you'll not be thinking of nothing but business whilst we take our month trip. You could do with the rest too."
"You could. Merlin knows we'll deserve it once he's done for good — we already deserve it, we just can't afford it at the moment." Harry was quick to agree with Elaine, especially when he hadn't thought he'd hear such words from her in the first place.
Corene blinked at them. "Where?"
He looked Elaine's way… and then he looked back at Corene. "Hadn't really thought about someplace specifically. Just warm and away from the country for a month or so."
"Warm?" Corene's nose twitched. "I dislike anything that's excessively warm."
Elaine shrugged. "I'm always cold and no amount of heat lest it be direct will prevent that. Where were you thinking?"
Harry reckoned he knew what she had in mind, and when she spoke, he was proven right.
That island which her family had the vast majority of their holdings; Saint Pierre.
"You wish to have the regular Magicals trained by our Aurors?" Elaine seemed unimpressed, and displeased by such an idea. So much so that she folded her arms and wrinkled her nose. "And what if those newly-trained Magicals wish to commit a crime with the new skills they've been taught? Or if they desire to wage some sort of war out of disgruntlement or perceived slights?"
Harry nearly snorted. Instead, he folded his arms in the same manner that she did. "Why would they wage a war? We've done everything for them — and I doubt knowing or not knowing a few more spells or the counters thereto will stop them suddenly killing or attacking somebody."
"They'd have a greater chance of success with our training regime." Elaine shook her head. "I desire not to see this through. Nor should you."
"What if we thoroughly vet those who apply, and appoint officers not only with experience, but with loyalty?" Harry reckoned that'd be done easily enough, especially with her contacts, wide reaching as they were.
Elaine all but rolled her eyes as she set to reading the parchment Urban had first given Harry. Still, even in the midst of reading, she responded to him. "Would you like to directly oversee this? Or have another one of our friends do so?" she didn't wait to hear his answer. "If that answer is no in both regards, then I see no reason to create a potential problem for ourselves in the future."
"I could oversee it alongside Aster. The main Auror force is nearly ten times the size of our own." Harry had handled it then, and with nary a problem, so he reckoned he could do the same with the 'new' force, especially with most working their main jobs unless an issue arose. "We could put them between us too, see to it that they're tucked away from the main body of the Ministry."
"And you think that'll keep it more peaceful? And controllable?" Elaine tapped her left hand idly atop his desk while the paper floated closer to her face and her eyes squinted. "You wish to give them the old Auror uniforms and use the old ranks as well?"
"The—"
"Give me a list of names by tomorrow evening of those who'll be in-charge, and what you'd put as requirements. If I like it, I'll give the final stamp of approval and allow you to do as you like — you should know, if we're home when you do this, you'll have a greater chance of success," she rose from her seat, went around his desk to press a kiss, passionate as ever, to his lips, and then started towards the door to his office. Elaine paused when she reached it, the slightest movement of her right hand opening it for her, and then she spoke as she turned to shoot a look over her shoulder. "I like especially hot baths. And wine."
And with those parting words, she was off.
He already knew that, but he reckoned her little tip to buy her off for the morrow would be helpful.
What wasn't helpful was having to get a list of names and the requirements hashed out by then.
He sank into his chair… and then he called to have Urban and Aster sent to him. With it being mid-day, the latter should be up and alert, and hopefully here already.
Reckoned he'd just go and nab him from home if he wasn't.
"Fancy a break from all this?" Aster, who'd only been at the Ministry for two hours thus far, asked as he pushed back his cup of tea. "Getting names is fun and all, just like going through this organisation and sorting where we'll store the active people… but I'm rather peckish, and we'll lose our minds if we stay staring at parchment for too long."
"Agreed." Urban said not a second after Aster's words had hung in the air, the man already making to stand as he clutched his leather jacket and slung it over his shoulder. "I have just the spot in mind. You're joining us, Pev?"
"Of course he'll be joining us. No fun sitting here and doing it all by your lonesome, is it?" Aster pulled on Harry's shoulder as he set down his satchel in the seat he'd taken. "We'll come back here after lunch. Elaine won't mind."
Urban shrugged. He didn't know Elaine very well. To him, she was still Minister Gaunt… Minister Peverell, she preferred, even if it wasn't 'official' yet.
"Fine, fine," Harry knew she wouldn't mind; she wasn't even fond of the idea to begin with, lest it was firmly under their control with nary a possibility of anybody else being able to make use of it.
He supposed he'd have time to think about how to do just that while they took their lunch break.
Harry, Urban and Aster hadn't gone to Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade, or anyplace else for their lunch. Well, nowhere where one was meant to have some sort of break; they'd gone to the Auror corps place of operation, and at the behest of Urban.
It wasn't in regards to anything else defence force related, but instead, it was to meet with many a veteran Harry hadn't had the chance to see for a very long time. Immediately, the pressure resting atop his shoulders from the load of work he had for the day, and the thought of the many meetings he'd soon be undertaking, one after the other, were washed away.
In place of them was happiness, pure and full, at the sight of so many wounded or tired Aurors present.
Many had been here from when he was the Deputy Director, then the Director. Most he saw these days, had been recruited whilst he'd been in the Minister's office alongside Elaine; they still needed to do a public ceremony for all to see, and that still couldn't happen until a lasting peace was presented.
Merlin, did his hatred for Grindelwald and those who followed him grow by the day. How couldn't it when it was the man and his followers' fault that so much couldn't happen? That so much had to be put on pause?
The public, as Elaine had said, yearned for happy happenings to raise their morale, and what better than their two 'heroes' marrying for all to see?
Better yet, she thought it smart to invite all to attend in person, rather than allow them just a few pictures to be viewed in the Daily Prophet. He'd blinked when first she'd recommended that, but she spoke of giving them all a good meal, a good show, and a good day filled with entertainment.
All of it made sense.
"Day-dreaming, mate?"
Aster's voice made him snap back to reality, and with a few blinks of his eyes, he sought out the other bloke with his eyes. "What's that?"
"Asked if you're day-dreaming — think I've gotten my answer, huh?" Aster grinned cheekily, and then he nodded towards Urban's office, or as it was referred to on occasion, Harry or McMacson's old office. "Gonna use his floo to head somewhere quiet for lunch. We'll have all the options we'd like and he'll have the chance to look-in on some of his newer hires."
"Huh," Harry blinked. He shrugged a second later. "Alright." Harry couldn't complain so long as the food was good and the company better. A fact he knew would be true given the pickiness of Aster.
"That a lad," Aster had nearly his old smile on his face as he nodded towards the door which a moment later, he'd lead Harry to.
Not five minutes later, the trio emerged into a second floor sitting room, with not so much as one other person present alongside them. At first glance, it seemed like it was a home, albeit one that was made from nought but wood, and old as could be, but still, a home. It wasn't what Harry recognised as Urban's though, and it certainly wasn't Aster's. No, his mate still lived with his family, and that place was anything but average and old-looking.
"Follow me," Urban said after a few seconds' silence, the man fixing his tie with his right hand as he started towards the only door the room possessed. "We'll take a meal on the balcony."
"The balcony?" Aster seemed amused. "Fancy, that, isn't it?"
"Sounds it," Harry agreed.
The pair then followed after Urban, who had a strange pep in his step as he led them about. When they reached a door at the far end of the hall, farthest away from the staircase and near the opposite end to the room which they'd been in, Urban pushed it open and spoke. "I'll be back in a minute. I'm going to check on the boys and girls down on the first floor and in the basement."
"Water or tea?" Harry asked as Aster went right in with a nod of acknowledgement shot to his old boss.
"Water. Whiskey too, but just a shot of it," Urban grinned and patted him on the back, and then he went off, his pace quick as he sought out the stairs.
"Bloke's got a right good taste in alcohol, you know," Aster said as they watched him on his walk. "Not that you or Elaine don't, but you two are better with wine, aren't you?"
Harry snorted. "I drink just about whatever you'll put in front of me — or whatever Elaine puts there, I guess is the better answer. She's the one that always picks anything, or Corene, and earlier on, Druella and Daphne too. It's like they have a club for how to know their wines and cheeses."
"Wouldn't be surprised if they did. Witches in old families are raised differently than us blokes are," Aster shrugged. "Is what it is though, isn't it? No use thinking about all that when we can see if there's a menu over at that table."
Harry snorted again. "You've been hungry as could be since Hogwarts. How do you manage that?"
"I'm always out and about, working and the like, now aren't I?" Aster gave him an accusative look as he slid into a seat at the table, plucked a parchment and rose a few seconds later. "Forgot he said the balcony."
"Forgot there was a balcony," Harry took a glance around the space after he closed the door behind them, and found two separate balconies, one on each side of the room. "Which side you fancy?"
Aster shrugged. "Whichever," he seemed more interested in the food options.
Harry waved his hand and opened the doors of the closer balcony… and then he blinked. "Thought we weren't going to someplace in Diagon Alley?"
"I thought this looked familiar," Aster followed out after him and blinked as he took in the sight the balcony allowed them. "I don't remember any restaurant being here — this is part of the lesser-used, emptier bit of Diagon. That shop we met you in all those years ago isn't too far from here."
"Huh," Harry couldn't tell. He wasn't familiar with most of Diagon, given the vast majority of these shops hadn't existed in his time. "What do you suppose they serve he—"
"Polish and Yankee food, by and large. And some British as well," The voice that answered wasn't Aster's, but Urban's. The man had come back quiet as could be, the loudest sound being the door as he closed it behind him. "Order a bit of everything. It's all my favourites from the years I've been here and those before."
"You own the place?" Harry hadn't known that.
"We all do. It belongs to the Auror Corps, and so I figured we'd use it as a secondary base for monitoring Diagon Alley itself, and I'd bring a house elf of mine here to cook," Urban joined the pair on the balcony, and slid into a chair that was right against the railing. "I cover the cost of the food too, but I did think house elves taking care of a personal cafeteria for the Aurors would be beneficial."
"Give us a few months, and I think we could manage it," Harry wished they could do it sooner, but the funds were tight as it was, and the cost of all the food everybody would go through would be high. "If the Ministry continues to confiscate various funds from the storehouses we find, and we open the few businesses we have in mind, that'll right itself soon enough."
Aster grinned… but then his face fell. "We'll have one too, yeah?"
"You think Elaine would say no to having one in our office of all places?" He scoffed at the thought. "She'd likely see our eatery as the best in the nation."
"I'm not hearing a negative to this," Aster was happy as could be upon hearing such words. "Urban, any recommendations on the Polish stuff? I know absolutely nothing about it."
Immediately, Urban set to work telling Aster about the various items and what they contained.
All the while, Harry was browsing the menu by himself whilst listening in; Urban was the right man for the directorship, that much was clearer than it'd ever been.
He hoped he'd be around for a long time coming.
Sometime later, after a good lunch with pleasant company and privacy to boot, the trio started back… but Urban gave them reason to pause. He made mention of going to the first floor one more time, but this time, Harry went along with him; Aster didn't, he was plenty pleased with dining and dashing.
"So what's the contingent down here do?" Harry asked as he strolled down the stairs after Urban. "I hadn't heard the door or all that many voices down below. I'd have thought if this was a secondary base of sorts, it'd be busier, being in Diagon Alley as it is."
"It's not a place we openly make mention of. Better to keep it silent, and away from the eyes of others," Urban nodded back towards the room a second or so before it disappeared as they turned the corner. "You and Aster didn't seem to notice, but there's a charm to ensure the vision herefrom, is one-way. Such was the reason nobody looked up at us."
Harry had thought he'd felt a bit strange, but he reckoned that'd been on account of Elaine's feelings bleeding through to him, or maybe he was coming down with something. In other words, he reckoned it was, more or less, nothing.
"Not a bad idea, keeping it all silent, I suppose," Harry mused aloud. "How'd you make sure the Aurors don't say anything about it? The ones that work here, I mean."
"They get fed free of charge and leave work directly into Diagon Alley. Not much to complain about, now is there?" Urban laughed, and then, he spoke good-naturedly a second later. "If this place becomes public knowledge, I'll have it remain open as an alternative to going to the Ministry to report an incident, and enlarge it… and open another someplace else. It's nice having a spot to watch over Diagon without any fear of interference or intervention by way of criminals with more power than sense."
Harry reckoned that was true enough too. "Wha—"
He was interrupted before he could pose his next question, and by something that was like some form of a caterwauling charm, but subdued.
Thank Merlin for that.
"You can continue," Urban seemed to pay it no mind. "Means there's been a disturbance on one of our charms in the area. Two or four of the boys in the waiting room will apparate and take a look around before returning to report what they've found. If it's closeby, the sentry up top will do the same and expedite the process."
"Have it all planned out, don't you?" Harry had to admit, his work was impressive.
Especially when, not a few seconds later, the tell-tale noise of apparating sounded off. One after the other after the next, for a total of three.
"Sometimes," Urban nodded his head. "Only sometimes."
"I'll put together a few other names and have them sent to you by tomorrow. See you then?" Harry reckoned he'd seen enough.
"That works for me," Urban started off towards a room further back. "You know the way?"
Harry gave a nod, and then he was off.
Some few minutes later when he found himself back in his office, he was left looking at the nearest wall. He really wished he could see the end of everything already.
But that wasn't the case.
Not yet.
"Laddey?" The little elf appeared as soon as Harry had finished saying his name. "Check with Corene for me? See if there's any likely place she's come up with since yesterday."
Laddey didn't ask what he meant in regards to 'likely place', instead, he dutifully nodded his head and popped away.
That left Harry with a few minutes whilst Corene wrote something and sealed it, before she'd hand it off to Laddey. He reckoned in that time he would go over a tome he'd brought along with him from home; Elaine had circled parts of importance and made notes therein as well.
Grindelwald had shown to be no match for the pair of them every time he returned. It almost seemed like he grew weaker and weaker, and yet, one on one, and without the elder wand, it still seemed like the man was a titan. Harry did all that he could when last they'd met, and he'd fought the man to a stand still then.
One that'd been broken with ease when Elaine had arrived, and one that saw him slain, again, not too long thereafter.
He opened the book to the seventh marker she'd left for him — such was the one she made mention of, and started his work.
For all of three minutes, before Laddey returned with a folded parchment that had a still hot-to-the-touch Carrow stamp upon it. Once he did so, Harry grinned wide as could be, and ripped it open without so much as a second's pause.
He read the words just as quickly, and learned that in the day that it'd been, she had found one place of interest.
One she personally believed was still occupied, given the relative remoteness of it, and seldom mentioning by those captured.
Harry reckoned that was good enough for him, and this time, he'd bring it back to the way it used to be. No personal Aurors. No Corene or Aster. Just him and Elaine. Their friends wouldn't be at risk, nor would any of the others.
And if it were just them, then neither he nor she would be in any real danger.