Once back in the village, Taylor headed to Claymore Gregg's office. She heard movement inside, so she knocked on the door.
"Just a moment!" Claymore called out. Taylor waited for him to answer the door. "Hello! Can I help you with something?"
"I was hoping you could arrange someplace I could stay for a month or two," Taylor said. "I'm in town doing research on coastal communities…:
"Oh! Come in! Come in!" Claymore said eagerly, ushering her inside. "What would you be looking for?"
"Something small, and inexpensive," Taylor said. She noticed a slight physical reaction from Claymore when she said "inexpensive."
"Let me see what listings I have…" Claymore pulled out a paper with various addresses. She could see a notation next to Gull Cottage indicating that he was in the process of leasing it. That was certainly going to be interesting when Captain Gregg found out he would be sharing his "ship."
"Here's one you might like," Claymore said, pulling out a snapshot of a tiny shanty.
"Would you mind if I did some… work on it while I was living there?" Taylor asked.
"Only if completely at your expense," Claymore replied.
"Oh, that won't be a problem," Taylor said. "I'll take it."
"Excellent! I'll just go draw up the contract!" Claymore disappeared into the next room. Simultaneously, Captain Gregg popped into the office.
"I shudder to think how much money he's going to extort from you for that shack," he commented.
"I can fix that," Taylor assured him. The door started to reopen, and the Captain disappeared.
"Here we go," Claymore said, setting the paper in front of Taylor. "Now, I wrote it up for three months, just to be on the safe side…"
"I supposed I can work with that."
"And here is the monthly rental costs, deposits, insurance coverage, and so on…" Taylor looked at the amount, and struggled to hide her shock. The monthly rent amount looked like something a person would expect to pay for large house, not a tiny shanty.
"Could I trouble you for a glass of water?" Taylor asked.
"Why, certainly," Claymore said. While his back was turned, Taylor took out her wand, and pointed it at the paper. The rent amount decreased to a third of what Claymore had typed up. "Here you go!"
"Thank you," Taylor said, taking the offered cup. "Now, where do I sign?"
"Right here at the bottom," Claymore said, pointing with one hand, while holding out a pen with the other. Taylor signed the lease agreement, and placed the pen back in Claymore's waiting hand, then he signed it. Smiling broadly, Claymore looked the paper over. "Wait! That isn't right!"
"Pardon?"
"The rental amount, it's…"
"More than generous of you," Taylor said brightly. She offered up a warm smile, and that seemed to stop Claymore from objecting further. "Is it possible for me to move in right away?"
"Well, I usually wait until the tenant's check has cleared…"
"I have cash," Taylor announced, and she withdrew a wallet from the satchel. Claymore's eyes grew wide eagerly as Taylor counted off enough to cover the rent. "That should cover everything, correct?"
"Why, yes… If you'd like, I can drive you out there?"
"That would be wonderful, Mr. Gregg," Taylor said. As they walked out to Claymore's car, Taylor caught sight of Captain Gregg standing off to the side, smirking. He offered her a small salute, before fading out of sight.
It did not take long for Claymore to show Taylor around the shanty. There were only three rooms. Taylor shuddered to think the predicament she would be in living there if she did not have magic on her side. The walls looked like they were barely holding the roof up, the windows were cracked, and the seals were practically non-existent. She cared not to think of the condition of the roof.
"Here are the keys," Claymore said cheerfully. The smile had not left his face since Taylor's money entered his hand. "If you need anything else, just let me know. Except, of course, for the maintenance we discussed earlier, which you stated you would be taking care of."
"I'll be sure to give you a call," Taylor assured him.
"Okay, then, I guess I'll be taking off. Lots of work to do!" With a bit of a hop to his step, Claymore turned heel, and headed back to his car. Once he had driven away, Taylor summoned Krikky.
"Yes, Professor?" Krikky said, the instant she materialized.
"This is going to be our home for the next few weeks or so," Taylor said. "As you can see, it needs a lot of work. Let's get to the essentials, like securing the stability of the building, fixing leaks, cleaning up, things like that, first. Then, gradually, a little each day, we'll fix something else. Remember, it has to look like a Muggle is doing it."
"Got it, Professor," Krikky said excitedly, and she began bustling around. Taylor, likewise, pulled out her wand, and went to work insuring the roof would not cave in on them. It took several hours between the two of them, but they finally managed to make the place look somewhat livable. Since there was only one bedroom, Taylor sectioned off a corner of it magically to serve as Krikky's room.
"Sorry it can't be bigger," Taylor said, but Krikky was already spreading out the cushions and blankets she slept on.
"Krikky finds it cozy," she said. She snapped her fingers, and paintings of flowers, and butterflies, covered the dingy gray walls. A tiny pot-bellied stove popped up in the corner opposite of where Krikky had arranged her cushions.
"You certainly have a knack for these things," Taylor complimented. She walked over to the rickety bed in the middle of the room. A few wand waves later, it was shiny and new again, with a plush mattress, and luxorious bedding. "Lacarnum Inflamare," she said, pointing the wand to the fireplace.
"Do you want Krikky to decorate your walls, too?" the house-elf asked eagerly.
"Not yet," Taylor said. "In a few days you can. Put a little up each day, like someone is gradually working on it."
"Yes, Professor," Krikky confirmed. Taylor walked back out to the front room, and magicked a perch near the window. She trusted Aramis would be there soon, having flown from the safe-house as soon as Krikky left.
Taylor looked out the window, and watched some seagulls flying around the bay. There was a quaint peacefulness in Schooner Bay. It was sad that someone bent on using magic for evil purposes threatened that peace.
"I'm going to find you," Taylor promised. "You won't get away with this."
Two weeks passed before Claymore Gregg drove back out to the tiny cottage Taylor rented. Smoke poured from under the hood as he pulled to a stop. When he stepped out of the car, he finally got a good look at the cottage, and stopped dead in his tracks.
The yard was now filled with bright, colorful flowers. The flagstone path was flat, and secure. The walls were clean, and sporting a fresh coat of paint. The windows sparkled in the sunlight. The door looked brand new. The metal fixtures reflected the sunlight with their shiny polish. Claymore could hardly believe how much Taylor had done in such a short time.
"I wonder what she's done with the inside?!" he said with a greedy chuckle. "I'll certainly be able to up the rental price for the next tenant!" With a skip in his step, Claymore scurried up to the door. He tapped the knocker rather giddily.
"Just a moment!" Taylor called from within. She signalled to Krikky to hide, and walked slowly to answer the door. "Hello, Mr. Gregg. Is there something I can do for you?"
"I just wanted to come out, and see how you're doing," Claymore said, struggling to hide his glee at the improvements.
"Oh, everything's going wonderfully," Taylor said.
"I can see," Claymore said, gesturing to the yard.
"Well, it looked worse than it actually was," Taylor lied. "You'd be surprised how quickly it all came together."
"I take it the inside is coming along as well?"
"Why, yes, have a look," Taylor said, stepping aside so Claymore could enter.
"Oh… my…" he stuttered. The floor looked completely redone, not just polished up. The wallpaper likewise looked new. All the places that where drafts used to come in were now sealed. If Claymore had not known better, he would have assumed the cottage was newly built. "You wouldn't want to come over to some of my other properties…?"
"Not without some sort of compensation," Taylor said, and Claymore whipped around instantly.
"You agreed to do this without compensation!"
"I'm renting this property," Taylor pointed out. "I benefit from it just as much as you do. I would not benefit from renovating other properties." Claymore scowled, unable to argue the point.
"Fine," he said. He walked back to the door, and halfway out, turned back around. "I do like what you've done with the place."
"Thank you," Taylor replied. Claymore offered up a small smile before strutting back to his car. As Claymore pulled out, Krikky covertly poked her head around the corner.
"Claymore Gregg is nosy," she said.
"It's a good thing we moved as slowly as we did," Taylor commented. "I guess we could've gone a little slower, but I couldn't stand living in a wind tunnel…"
"Mr. Harry Potter and his friends lived in a tent while they were on the run," Krikky pointed out.
"Yes, I know," Taylor muttered. "I don't know if I could've done it." She looked at the time. "Want to help me with dinner?"
Shortly after they were done eating, Taylor heard the distant rumble of thunder. However, looking out the window, it appeared to be clear. No clouds, nothing. Immediately, Taylor had her wand in her hand, and headed out the door.
"Stay here!" she shouted back to Krikky. "I'll call if I need you!"
Taylor jogged to the road, and looked around. Still no sign of a storm. However, she heard another rumble of thunder. It came from up the road, in the direction of Gull Cottage. Taylor had a feeling she knew why, now, but decided to investigate anyway. She tried not to use magic for transportation too often, to not attract attention of her target, but occasionally she dared to Apparate. This was one of those times. With a twist, Taylor disappeared. When she reappeared, it was between some trees just up the road from Gull Cottage. Peeking out, Taylor saw Claymore fly out the door of Gull Cottage, and tumble down the stairs onto the flagstones. As soon as he was on his feet again, Claymore raced for his car. He looked back up at the house, and Taylor followed his gaze. Captain Gregg was standing up on top of the house, shaking his fist at Claymore. Scrambing with the gears, Claymore sped the car back down the road.
"He must've just told the Captain about the forthcoming occupants," Taylor chuckled to herself, before returning to her own cottage.