The Golden Kitten

The start of the new day didn't bring much improvement for the people who had betrayed me either. Parvati Patil was more than happy to retell my story in Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff had attentive listeners in Corner and Padma, who had girlfriends in both faculties. The Gryffindor group of two Weasley's and one Granger hated the Slytherins' opinion.

In the morning, at breakfast, I watched as my enemies were surrounded by an empty space at the table, no Gryffindor speaking to them. And there was a magnificent bruise on Ron's face, pouring all the colours of the rainbow.

- Luna, Fleur," Neville summarised, seeming to have finally moved to the Ravenclaw table, looking at the changes taking place in the Lions' Faculty. - You were right.

- Girls are devious creatures," I said thoughtfully, raising my eyes to the ceiling. - Neville and I would have caught Weasleys in the corridors after lights out and punched them in the face, but you've come up with a much more effective way.... Neville, we should be afraid of them.

Luna looked over to Fleur and deftly flicked me on the forehead, and Fleur elbowed me in the side.

- There you go... - Neville said ironically, watching me catch my breath. - It's best to keep such thoughts to yourself, my friend.

- Neville, I'll talk to you about it," Luna laughed, but then looked at Ginny Weasley's unhappy face and grimaced.

- Do you feel sorry for her? - I asked bluntly.

- 'A little,' Luna replied quite seriously, not mentioning any of the strange things in her usual style. - Still, she's been my mate for almost a year and supported me while me and Neville...

She was slightly visibly embarrassed, and looked up with a happy smile at the young man, who gently drew her closer and pulled her against him.

- Snape is looking at us," I said, meeting the gaze of my most disliked teacher.

Snape had gone quiet since that unfortunate duel, no longer trying to humiliate me. The defence lessons in all his classes were conducted in his usual manner of periodic mockery of students from other faculties, but I was not called to the barrier by this servant of two masters, confining myself to lengthy remarks about the mental abilities of his students.

The look on Ginny Weasley's face as she glared at us was inimitable, and I reminded myself once again to watch my back very carefully, and Fleur's even more carefully. It was hard to tell what Weasley could get from Voldemort's spirit, but she was at least worth being wary of.

- Forgive them," Luna said quietly. As I understood it, Fleur wasn't defending the people who had betrayed me out of Veela impulsiveness and vindictiveness, but Luna had something to say that I wouldn't accept from anyone other than the small circle of people closest to me. - They will be punished already by having all their hopes for a happy future at your expense dashed.

- Maybe you're right, Luna," I couldn't help myself and stroked the girl's hair. - Я... think about it.

Neville frowned defiantly at us, then laughed at my face when Fleur caught my ear with her sharp claws, though she couldn't help laughing.

* * *

1 October 1996. Black House.

- Sirius," Remus peered into the small room, where the magically kept tongue of fire burned in the centre of the room, where Sirius had been resting lately. - The owl brought you a letter from Gringotts.

- What more do they want from me? - Sirius frowned, absorbed in his own thoughts. As Remus had noticed, Black had been gloomy and brooding lately, apparently seriously considering their last conversation in the ruined Muggle village. Even the constant attention and care of Alika Greengrass, who seemed to have a serious crush on Sirius, didn't bring the wizard out of his musings.

Unbinding an official-looking scroll decorated with images of a hammer and anvil standing on a pile of gold, the coat of arms of Gringotts, Black began to study the document. As he read, his eyebrows rose higher and higher. Reaching the end of the letter, he tossed the scroll to Remus.

- Read it," he hummed. - 'My sister, without wishing it herself, ended up bequeathing all her money to me.

"Lord Black.

I inform you that today the terms of the terms of the will of Bellatrissa Lestrange, née Bleck, expire. According to these terms, upon her death, her personal safe with all its contents shall pass to the surviving members of the Black family in equal shares with the exception of you. In the event, however, that no Bleck claims the inheritance before the end of the term that has expired today, it shall pass to any survivor of the Black's currently bearing that surname. Thus, since no one has claimed Bellatrix Lestrange's inheritance until today, her personal safe with all its contents passes into your possession.

Crooked Tooth "

- That's... impressive," Remus remarked tactfully.

Bitterness reflected on Sirius' face.

- My family hated me most of all, and if it hadn't been for the lack of a male heir in the family - even my mother's support wouldn't have managed to make me the head of the family. I realise now that the main reason for our disagreement was not our views on dark and light magic, but who we gave our allegiance to... and we were all wrong in the end. They knelt before the serpentmage, after which both Regulus and Bella were killed. And me... I chose Dumbledore, and I too paid for my choice in the highest terms.

Sirius stood up from his seat.

- In any case, the contents of her safe are of little interest to us. - He said calmly. - The gold will go to the Alliance, and she didn't keep any serious artefacts in there, as far as I know her habits. But it's worth a trip to the bank just to be on the safe side.

After a brief fireside chat between Sirius and his manager, the wizards moved into the office of Hookwolf, who had aged slightly over the past year, but still had a firm grip on the management of the Black fortune, which he had been doing for fifty years, trying to multiply the gold in the accounts even during the First War, investing it wisely in various enterprises of the magical and even - as Sirius suspected - the Muggle world.

- Good afternoon, Lord Black, Mr Black," the goblin greeted them, sitting behind a monumental desk piled with papers as he always did. The only thing that had changed since Sirius' last visit was the addition of another deliberately carelessly forged steel knife on the wall.

- It was forged by my youngest son," Hookwolf grinned, for he knew that Black, unlike most wizards, treated goblins as equals.

- A worthy skill for a young goblin," Sirius remarked understandingly, settling into the offered chair.

- Is this about Mrs Lestrange's will? - Waiting until the guests were seated, the goblin began. Receiving a confirming nod, he pulled a folder out of the safe. - The safe contains half a million galleons in gold, less than a quarter of what it contained when the account was opened for your sister. Judging by the money transfers we can trace, most of that money was used by her during the First War to fund the Dark Lord's movement.

- Well, that's to be expected," Sirius smiled sadly. - What's in there besides money?

- A few dozen trinkets, not particularly rare, plus maybe something that wasn't on my lists," the goblin replied.

- In that case, it's worth seeing for yourself," Sirius scribbled his quill on the scroll, confirming that he was accepting his sister's inheritance.

The wizards followed the young goblin down many levels and found themselves in a gloomy corridor lit by few torches, the ceiling of which looked like it was about to fall from the countless years that had passed since it was built, but both Sirius and Remus knew that the sky would fall to the ground sooner than the passage created by goblin magic would collapse from old age.

- It's here, Lord Black. - A tiny key appeared in the goblin's hands, which he handed to the wizard.

Placing the key against the rough stone door, Sirius forced it open. Together, the two Blecks stepped into a large room where, at the snap of Remus' fingers, several large glowing orbs flared up under the ceiling, casting a bright light on the dark room.

- Look out! - Sirius was instantly enveloped in a cloud of gloom, barely sensing the emanations of some very dark artefact or creature.

Several protective spells flashed around Remus, and the wizards walked cautiously to the far corner of the room from the entrance, where stood an incredibly ancient table, carved from mahogany and heavily gilded. On it stood an object covered with a silk shawl.

- It looked like a Druid altar," Bleck joked wryly. - What is this abomination?

With a long stick, transfigured from the gold coins lying around, Bleck tossed the shawl aside, revealing to the wizards a simple wooden bowl. Thin golden threads slipped through the dark wood, making the bowl seem to glow from within. The polished sides were adorned with the finest carvings along the very edge. Not a penny of gold, silver, or any other metal, just polished wood, the type of which neither Bleek nor Remus knew.

- The Hufflepuff Cup! - The werewolf was the first to recognise it, having spent more time in the library not studying combat spells, but reading books on magical history.

- Are you sure? - Sirius snorted incredulously, not taking his eyes off the ancient bowl.

- More than sure," Remus reached to take the cup in his hands, but Sirius sharply nudged his friend under his arm.

- Don't touch it, there's some kind of dark curse on it," he hissed.

Pulling out his wand, Black began to swirl it around the bowl with concentration, not trusting the non-verbal charms.

- Alastor, may he rest in peace, showed me these spells," he explained, still working.

The nobleman's face grew darker with each spell he read.

- Lunatic," he said in a grey voice. - It seems we have found another Horcrux of the Dark Lord.

- Are you sure? - Remus tensed, gathering all the magic available to him to strike.

- Completely. - Sirius stared at the ancient bowl in disbelief. - Voldemort is completely mad if he used a priceless artefact on his Horcrux. And I don't know if it's possible to destroy the Horcrux while keeping the Chalice ...

Remus mumbled indefinitely, looking at one of the four surviving relics of the Founders, which, according to legend, multiplied the healing effects of potions drunk from it.

Sirius pondered for a while, then, with the same stick on the end of which he had transfigured a small spatula, dragged the bowl to the centre of the room, making a sign to Remus to clear the gold coins from the floor. Setting the bowl down on the floor, the wizard began to rapidly cover the floor with even rows of Runes. After drawing more than two hundred symbols, the wizard thought for a moment.

- Bring me the black volume from the sixth shelf, fifth shelf from the bottom," he commanded sharply, summoning one of the House elf. - Remus, I'll try to extract the Horcrux into another object.

With a wave of his hand, Black pulled some sort of golden statuette towards the bowl. The housekeeper appeared and handed his master a thick, dark leather-bound volume whose worn cover and greened copper decorations spoke not of old age, but of antiquity.

- If it fails," Sirius grinned, "the Cup will explode like a good bombardment. Cover me with a shield just in case.

- Why not take it to the Bleck house? - Remus grumbled, not liking the risk. - We'll have the support of stationary artefacts there.

- I don't want to bring another Voldemort creation into our house," Sirius scrutinised the pages of the book. - His medallion has already been there, and we don't want to give the lord any more beacons to detect us.

- Okay," Remus stood behind Sirius' back, preparing to support him with his magic.

Sirius, once again looking carefully at the open page and moving his lips as if silently mouthing some words, finally set the ancient talmud aside carefully and raised his wand, pointing it at the bowl. The rough, angular words of the spell rang out, and the Runes that Bleak had drawn began to glow in time with them.

Sweat beaded on Sirius's face, all his magic working to keep the lump of darkness beating in the centre of the room from escaping.

Remus whispered a spell quietly and poured his magic into the spell of the head of the family as well.

The minutes stretched slowly, sweat dripping down the faces of the wizards trying to overcome the evil spell of the Horcrux. Finally, a swirling cloud of darkness escaped from the Hufflepuff bowl and hovered over the statue.

- Well, just a little more," Remus wheezed, doing his best to support Bleak's spell.

The mages held the spell until the black cloud was absorbed into the statue - they didn't have another person free from maintaining the spell who could destroy Voldemort's incarnation of immortality while it was out of the material medium.

- Damn it," Sirius sat upright on the stone floor, wiping away the copious sweat. Remus sank down beside him, tucking his wand into its scabbard. - Next time we should do a trick like this with at least three of us.

- Yes, the spell will be more stable if it's supported by three wizards," Remus was the first to recover, as the werewolf's abilities gave him more stamina, and helped his friend up off the floor.

- Well, now the cup is clean of dirt," Sirius gently lifted the priceless relic from the floor. - You'll drink the aconite potion from it, Lunatic, here you go.

The werewolf gingerly cupped his hands around the polished wood. He ran his fingers along the thin wall, listening to the sensations.

- Thank you," he said at last, "but I'd rather have it in the lab Slughorn set up in your house. It's more useful there.

- It's up to you," Sirius scrutinised the statue that had become a Horcrux. - I don't think there are any heirs or owners of the cup other than us, and it's unlikely that Voldemort or Bella would let anyone know about the possible loss of the cup. Which means it's been cleaned up in the easiest and safest way possible.

- I've been thinking about what you said, Lunatic. - Suddenly he's talking about something else entirely. - Sooner or later, we're going to have to take over. Even if we bring Voldemort down, he's just the result of what's been happening in our world for the last two hundred years. Which means we have to change a lot of things about good old England....

- The last time I spoke to Lady Augusta, she had similar thoughts about why the last two wars were possible in England," the werewolf said, raising his wand. - Fiendfire.

The veins on Remus's face swelled with tension, but the Hellfire that had burst from his wand remained in the narrow space where it now raged, burning the statue and the black cloud that had tried to escape, gradually melting away in the flames.

- It remains to be seen who gets the position of Minister of Magic if we do try to stage a coup, and what exactly needs to be changed," Sirius stretched out. - I've been thinking about it all these days, Remus, and so far I don't see how to get England out of the quagmire that Begnold, Fudge, and Dumbledore have put it in. Crouch at least did what he believed in and sent men to the scaffold for a brighter future for England. And he basically won the bloody First War on a whim. And these people only believed in the power of money and backstabbing.

- What did you come up with, Tramp? - Remus clapped his friend on the shoulder.

- In Germany, among the other people Wallenstein introduced me to, I met a very interesting man... I'd even say he was the strangest person I've ever met.

- What do you mean?

- Well, he's a squib for starters, and yet Wallenstein has a genuine respect for the old man. He's a squib who's known in Germany as one of the best lawyers of his time. And he has a whole group of people that - which is out of line - includes both muggles and two muggles. For all that, his Felstein & Sons is one of the highest-paid firms in Europe. They handle both court cases and proceedings between families who don't want to take disputes to court.

- Do you think they can help?

- I think that if we raise enough money to buy the services of most of Felstein's people, he might be able to help with the changes we'd like to make to the laws of England. - Sirius grinned. - But he'll be asking a lot, really, and we'll just have to point out the main provisions that we'd like to keep or make.

As he spoke, Bleck looked around the room for interesting artefacts or jewellery, but nothing noteworthy was found in the safe, just gold and trinkets that contained no magic at all, as if it were the safe of a muggle rather than a hereditary dark witch. Apparently, Bella had taken everything of interest to the Dark Lord's case from the safe back in the First War.

- That's... interesting idea," Remus scratched the back of his head. - How much would he ask for such a job?

- I don't know, but I'd have to give him the entire contents of Bella's safe, and I don't think I'd have to pay extra," Sirius picked up a trinket in the shape of an arched golden kitten with tiny amber eyes and slipped it into his pocket. Noticing his friend's mocking look, he mumbled: - Yes, I'm going to give this kitten to the girl who only got an invitation to the Bleck house because of you.

- Well, well, well," Blek saw the utter disbelief in the werewolf's eyes. - First Mr Tramp stares at this girl's charms at every training session in the underground hall," and then he declares: "you're the only reason I got an invitation."

- I wish Monsieur Lunatic had remembered how those training sessions ended for him," Sirius smirked, fending off the friendly poke the werewolf gave him in return.

- I don't think that's how the training ended for Mr Tramp," Remus chuckled as he left the underground room and walked out into the corridor where the goblin was waiting for them.

Shaking his head, Bleek followed his friend.

- 'Prepare a full inventory of the investments in this safe,' he tossed a key to the goblin. - House Bleck wishes to turn the valuable items in the vault into ringing coin.

- Very well, Lord Bleck," the goblin bowed. - Some of the jewellery will be auctioned in the Muggle world through intermediaries, some will be sent to the shops of Diagon Ally, but don't expect quick results. However, Guardian Hookfang can find quicker ways to solve this problem.

- Well, thank you, Corkus," Sirius nodded, "I'll take your advice.

The goblin's eyes glittered contentedly - he didn't think that the head of the Bleak family, who had seen him only once, had remembered his name.

* * *

- It's finally over," Alika Greengrass moaned as she found herself in Nymphadora's room, where she had often stayed in the Bleak House after Tonks had moved into Remus's rooms.

Nymphadora, until her husband returned from the head of the family, decided to keep her friend company, watching her pull off her sweat-soaked gym uniform with a pained grimace.

- Uncle Siri has outdone himself today," Nymphadora nodded, stretching and wincing at the pain in her tense muscles. - I have a feeling he's going to send us to storm the Lord's residence tomorrow, wherever it is.

- I don't think he's going to send us into battle," Alika wrinkled her nose, disappearing into the bathroom with a terry dressing gown and a large towel.

When she returned a few minutes later, wrapped in the dressing gown, she stretched out blissfully beside her friend, pulling the pillows closer.

- Lord Black is too afraid for us to allow us into actual combat. - The girl pounded the pillow with her fist. - The only time he took you and me with him was Hogsmeade last year, when the Alliance didn't have enough fighters.

- Uncle Siri is too afraid we might die," Nymphadora frowned. - But if he's going to keep us in the training room until we can at least beat him in a duel, when he's using his grandfather's techniques.... Then for the rest of the war, whatever it is, we're going to sit here.

The houseboy, who had appeared silently, obeyed Nymphadora's gesture and placed a tray of cakes and coffee on the table beside the bed. A second tray - almost the same set, only instead of cakes there were eclairs - went to the side of the table closest to Alika.

As she reached for her coffee, Alika noticed a small velvet box that had inexplicably appeared on the tray.

- Wait," Nymphadora's Auror instincts, which had been carefully nurtured by both the dead Alastor and Black, who had picked up the same paranoia from his friend, demanded that she check the box for curses and portals first.

Pulling her wand out of its arm sheath, used by all the aurors under his command, as well as anyone the old auror had managed to reach in his sermons on constant vigilance, Nymphadora began to recite diagnostic spells. To her relief, however, there were no spells on the box or the item it contained, except for the strength charms woven with the finest threads of power.

- Open it," she grinned, "there's nothing in it.

Patiently waiting for her friend's professional paranoia to end, Alika quickly untied the silk cord that held the box crosswise, and the girls saw a small golden kitten with amber eyes. A pale golden cloud of sparkling snowflakes condensed under the ceiling and flowed into the statue, as if giving it life. Under the stares, the kitten stretched and yawned, showing tiny white teeth, and then climbed out of the box and rubbed its face against Alika's wrist.

- There were no charms! - Literally hissed Nymphadora, stricken to the core, as she watched Alika stroking the kitten's back.

- Alika put the kitten on the table, and he began to walk round all the dishes with cakes, trying to climb on them. - But he is just adorable!

The girl looked at the animated toy with delight - even in the magical world such a complete and high-quality animation was a rarity.

After wandering around for a while, the kitten froze, only its tiny eyes watching the girls carefully.

Looking into the box, Alika pulled out a small note.

"Miss Greengrass, I thought this little toy would amuse you.

Sirius Black."

- I don't understand Uncle Siri," Nymphadora giggled. - One minute he's staring at you for the entire training session, making a stern face while trying not to show it, the next he's sending you a present.

Alika fondly stroked the kitten, which came to life again and purred softly.

- It's a wonderful gift," she whispered. - 'I don't understand Lord Bleak either... Sirius. He refused my father's proposal, and when I overheard him talking to Alastor Moody, he refused even the idea that he could commit to someone for the rest of the war.... And now he sends me a present.

- Uncle is a master of jokes," Nymphadora grinned, "and his motives are sometimes the strangest. But now I understand how he made this beast. The animation charms were brought into the mansion's magical fields and only flowed into the toy when the box was opened. He had once quarrelled with his family to death, abandoning all the principles of the purebloods, unafraid of even being banished from the clan. And now he was probably still clinging to the remnants of his freedom.

Alika didn't answer, continuing to stroke the kitten and looking thoughtfully at the ceiling.

- Aren't you afraid to give a girl hope? - Remus asked bluntly, sipping from his glass of aged brandy.

- It's a difficult question," Sirius looked serious, against the werewolf's expectations. - If I'm to follow the late Alastor's logic, I need to continue the Bleck family as quickly as possible, and she's the only candidate I can think of that would suit me.

- And you're trying to convince me, who knows you like the back of my hand, that your motives are purely mercantile and that you've deliberately chosen this girl to...? prolong the bloodline? - Remus smirked maliciously. - I think you're lying, Tramp.

- All right, all right," Sirius frowned, but then, changing his mind, laughed. - She's a devilishly pretty girl.

- That's it? - The werewolf said shrewdly, looking at his friend through the brandy in his glass. - Just the devilishly cute 'hot stuff' you said while we were having fun at Hogwarts?

- James was the one who made that joke up," Black muttered, then grinned, "Good times...

- Don't dodge the question, Tramp," Remus laughed.

- Okay, the thought of me... continuing my lineage, to quote you, with this particular girl doesn't disgust me," Sirius stood up from his chair, listening to something. - They opened my present.

- Can you sense everything that's going on in the mansion? - Remus asked, realising that he wasn't going to hear anything more definite from his friend.

- I deliberately detach myself from what goes on in the inhabited rooms of the Bleak House," Sirius grumbled. - It's bloody difficult sometimes, especially when Alika sleeps there.

- Oh, you slut! - even the very delicate werewolf couldn't help laughing.

- Monsieur Lunatic is going to get it in the ear if he doesn't believe I can resist the temptation to peek at a girl changing clothes! - Black laughed. - Though the temptation, I repeat, is great.

- All right, all right! - Remus raised his hands in a conciliatory manner, "I believe you, Tramp. Though...

The werewolf laughed even louder.

- Having fun? - Remus came into the room where the girls were sitting, still having fun with the kitten created by Bleek's magic.

- I missed you," the girl's wide-open blonde eyes were right next to the werewolf's face as she pressed herself against him.

Tilting his head, Remus kissed Nymphadora on the corner of her lips and pulled her closer, stroking the fluffy hair that changed colour under his touch.

- I missed you too, my Rainbow," he said softly, bowing to Alika, who was watching her friend's changing hair colour with a smile.

- Miss Greengrass," he turned to the girl, "allow me to steal my wife from you.

- Of course, Mr Black," Alika giggled, "may I ask you a question?

The werewolf raised an eyebrow questioningly.

- How long did it take Lord Black to animate the kitten?

- An hour and a half! - Remus laughed suddenly. - And I helped him with the arithmetic calculations of the system of controlling charms!

Taking his wife in his arms, the werewolf left the room, leaving the girl smiling at his own thoughts.

* * *

Sirius Black was already far away - a chain of apparatuses and portkey travels had transported him to Germany, to the Wallenstein family castle, a gloomy, Gothic-style building that really deserved to be called a castle. Tall, thin turrets, growing in abundance from the tiled roofs, covered the castle from above, and on the spire of each of the turrets glittered a magic crystal, to which were drawn thin threads of power from the magical defences that hung over the castle - having lost most of their family in the war with Grindewald, the Wallensteins took security more than seriously. Therefore, even though he was a close acquaintance of the head of the Wallenstein family, and possessed an enormous amount of power, Bleck appeared on the guest platform in front of the castle entrance, not wanting to tempt the stationary defences based, as in the Potter, Bleck and Malfoy mansions, on an underground source of magic. Defences of similar strength were, judging by his godson's stories, only at the castle of Cimus, who was as paranoid as Alastor Moody, though outwardly he always remained a cordial host.

Waiting for the delicate touch of the castle master's mind that confirmed Bleak's right to pass through the outer shield unhindered, Sirius walked leisurely forward, making his way inside the low ring of stone walls.

Several servants - the Wallenstein family preferred human servants in addition to House elf - bowed respectfully to the guest of their hosts as Sirius walked past the stone statues that guarded the passageways along with the steel armour abundant along the walls.

- My respects, Lord Black," Wallenstein, dressed in a ceremonial suit, stood up to meet Sirius in the dining hall.

Clasping the German wizard's outstretched hand firmly, Sirius sat down at the table, where, besides the castle master, there was only one gaunt old man, whose snow-white hair was held back by a thin golden hoop with a few jewels. The hoop, as far as Sirius knew, was a very rare artefact that could protect the wearer's thoughts from Legilimenship - there was no other way for the old squib Felstein to protect himself while in the company of wizards.

- My respects, Master Felstein," Black bowed his head respectfully, having been introduced to the squib last year.

- It's good to see you in good health again, Lord Black," the old man smiled slyly. - How can Felstein and Sons help the descendant of the oldest and noblest house?

- I think you'll be interested in my order, Master Felstein," Black grinned. - I want nothing less than a completely revised set of laws for magical Britain, with some revisions based on my lists.

On the table lay a voluminous scroll, written, as anyone who read it would have noticed, and not burned by a multitude of protection spells, in two hands - Sirius Bleck's and Mark Greengrass's.

- Even so... - The old squib stretched out, tearing the seals off the scroll with tenacious fingers. - I won't ask why you need this, Lord Black, people who ask such questions don't live long in a situation like this.... But I am truly honoured that you have come to me.

- I don't know of any other specialist of the same level in Europe," Sirius smirked, deciding to further flatter the rather vain Joachim Felstein. - It remains to decide on the advance payment and the final price.

The wizard pulled out a sheet of parchment with numbers written on it from a small folder - the result of the inventory of investments in Bellatrix's safe. After circling the total, the value of the valuables he had inherited from his sister, Black pushed the sheet towards Joachim.

- That's more than enough, Lord Black," the squib grinned as he looked at the sum. - Judging by some of my guesses.... I'll take three quarters of that sum, my ego is flattered by such a rare opportunity....

"- It would be flattering to be able to actually participate in the creation of the future system of laws and codes of an entire country," Sirius thought to himself against his will, outwardly remaining impassive.

Outwardly he remained impassive, but aloud he said something else.

- I rely on your skill, Mr Joachim, and the skill of your men. How long will it take you to complete this order?

- Subject to your revisions... And as far as I know your legal framework," the lawyer rubbed his forehead with a gnarled, dried-up finger, "at least six months.

- That's quite enough," Sirius grinned, giving the old man a satisfied smile that caught the hint perfectly.

- I see you've got a deal," Wallenstein grinned, who also understood the implication of the conversation. - It will be wonderful if in... another country. in another country.

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