5

Chapter 5

It only took Harry three days to confirm that at least two of the tunnels Warthog found led outside the school wards. There were two others that Alex had discovered, but one was collapsed, and the other had been booby trapped by the school caretaker, Mr Filch. The traps were easy enough to circumvent, but dealing with the constant physical monitoring that went along with it was more trouble than he could be bothered with for a regular route.

Harry nudged Draco, drawing the blonds attention from their homework. The quiet hum of murmuring from the other students scattered around the common room provided the perfect cover for their conversation.

"I'll be out for a few hours tonight. I'll need you monitoring things here while I'm gone."

Draco's eyes widened before he caught himself, nodding slightly.

"What do I need to do?"

"Not much. I'll give you a Pepper Up potion to help you stay awake, and a charm to alert me if there's something here that needs my urgent attention, like a teacher checking beds or the castle burning down." Harry grinned slightly. "I'll be back before dawn. If I'm not, then contact your father. I've left instructions with him for if the Hounds are unavailable."

Draco nodded again, returning to his homework. Excitement tightened his gut, and he found himself struggling to focus on the final touches of his essay. This was the first real task Harry had set him, as it related to Vahan. There had been the set up for the train and a few other minor things, but they weren't the same thing. This was a task.

He took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. It was simple, yes, but being lookout was important, right? If he screwed up he could really make things hard for Harry, or worse get him caught and mess up one of Vahan's plans. His spine crawled at the thought of upsetting the mysterious figurehead that his best friend served. If his father was to be believed, Harry was Vahan's right hand man, and the only person with direct regular contact, so whatever the dark haired boy was up to tonight was probably vitally important.

Harry breathed the night air, Warthog at his side as he looked up at his Fortress. Potter Manor loomed dramatically in the dark; the building surprisingly menacing in the gloom. The boy found himself smiling fondly at the sight, and relaxing for the first time in a month.

Getting out of the castle had been ridiculously easy, something he was making note of should a quick exit be needed in the future. Warthog's friendship with Mrs Norris was beneficial too, in that the little kneazle had shown the larger cat how to freeze the Whomping Willow so they could use the tunnel leading to a ramshackle building known locally as the Shrieking Shack. Apparently the place was severely haunted, though judging by the claw and teeth marks in the wood it was more likely to be some sort of large animal using it regularly and making a ruckus.

"Are you ready?" He asked his familiar.

"Yes. I want to see Shot."

Harry smiled and stepped forward, the wards on the gate recognising him and swinging open silently. He giggled as Alpha ran up, scenting him carefully before falling in beside him to escort them to the front door.

"How's my big boy?" Harry cooed, rubbing Alpha roughly on the neck.

Alpha's purr rumbled deeply in his chest as he lowered his head so Harry could scratch him behind the ear.

"That good, huh?" Harry chuckled, obligingly scratching the itch. He really did love his Kahlidah.

The front doors swung open for him even as Tippy bowed low.

Harry nodded hello to the little elf, smiling when he squeaked and blushed an odd purple colour.

"How are you, Tippy?" He asked.

"Tippy is well, Master," the elf squeaked back, shutting the door quietly and waiting attentively for orders.

"Last I saw you, you'd injured yourself when you helped Lucky with the horses. Are you all healed up now? Do you need anything?"

Tippy trembled, his eyes growing watery.

"Oh, Master is too kind! Tippy is fully healed, Sir!"

Harry smiled kindly, lightly resting a hand on Tippy's shoulder.

"I'm glad you're ok. Try not to get kicked and trampled next time, yes?"

Tippy nodded vigorously before popping off back to the kitchens, eyes shining happily.

Harry turned, seeing Jinky and Brix waiting patiently for his attention. Grinning, he allowed his personal elf to remove his light jacket, straightening his clothing for him in the process.

"Jinky?"

"Yes Master?" The elf replied calmly.

"I'll be meeting with the Hounds later. I want you to report on what the elves at the Haunt and Nest have observed, as well as anything else you think relevant. You have two hours to collect what information you need."

Jinky nodded and popped away, eager to attend to his task.

"Brix?"

The elderly elf perked his ears slightly to show his attention, but otherwise didn't move, retaining his dignified pose.

Harry mused that the elf reminded him of an elderly butler indulgently awaiting a command from his young master.

"Do you have anything to report for here, or is everything going smoothly with the golem?" Harry walked towards the dining room, Warthog and Brix walking beside him.

"No, Master. Your father has been managing the estate with no difficulties, and no situations have arisen that require your personal attention."

Harry nodded.

"Good. Anything you wanted to discuss?"

"No, Master. Everything is running smoothly, and now that the estate is under proper management again, output has increased by approximately 200% over the past two years."

"Good. Keep up the good work, Brix." Harry smiled at the elf, who recognised the dismissal and popped away.

Harry took a deep breath and pushed open the dining room doors sharply, striding in with a smug look.

"Hello boys, how's business?" He called cheerfully, before slowing to a stop, blushing.

Swit looked up from where she was polishing the dining table, the room completely devoid of any other life.

"Sir?"

"Er, never mind," Harry mumbled, mortified. So much for his dramatic entry. He turned to Warthog. "You knew they weren't in there, didn't you."

Warthog watched him from where she sat by the door, bright blue eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Of course. But you were so determined, who was I to stop you?"

Harry glared slightly, and the cat huffed, her approximation of a laugh.

"I think they're in the library. Connor is probably in bed though, since it's nearly midnight."

Harry nodded and swiftly headed upstairs, padding quietly down the halls and slipping into the library without drawing the attention of his men. He was pleased to note that Shot was sitting with Alex and Sergei, a sketch book open in front of her and several texts scattered around on the desk for reference. Alex and Sergei were frowning in concentration over a game of Go. Harry smiled and lowered himself into a chair, waiting to see how long it would take before they noticed him.

"How do you think the boss is coping at Hogwarts?" Shot asked, sketching a new design into her book.

"I'm sure he's fine," Alex answered. "He's probably quite frustrated, but he won't let that crack his chosen character."

Sergei grunted and lay a black stone on the board.

"I'd be surprised if he isn't imagining how to kill every one of those fuckers on a daily basis. Poor bastard's probably tearing his hair out by now."

"Yeah, it's been a pain in the arse," Harry agreed with a nod. He cracked up laughing when the other three leapt to their feet, drawing wands and weapons on him. "Oh, put those away." He smiled cheerily. "You especially, Shot. Seriously, who's bright idea was it to give you a gun?"

"So much for your dramatic entrance; though I think I liked this version better."

Harry glared slightly at his familiar and refused to acknowledge the light blush on his cheeks.

Alex and Sergei lowered their weapons sheepishly, tucking them away and sitting back down. Shot just grinned and put the gun on the table, circling around to wrap Harry in an awkward hug.

The boy cringed, prying her off him. "Please don't do that again, you know I dislike being touched."

Shot grinned impishly, and Harry sighed in resignation.

"How did you get out of the school, Sir?" Alex asked curiously. "I'd have thought it would take you longer to work out a way."

Harry leaned back, resting his elbow on the arm of the chair and dropping his head onto his fist.

"Funny thing. Turns out castles have these things called doors."

Sergei's lips twitched slightly at the abashed look on his best friend's face.

"One of the secret tunnels?" The Russian asked.

Harry shrugged, changing the subject. "So, now that you know I'm here, you have two hours to prepare anything you need to report, and get Marcel and Alice here for the same. I don't have a lot of time tonight, so make sure that everyone knows to keep it as brief as possible. I'll take any files I need to personally review back with me."

Shot frowned. "Two hours? We keep everything ready to report at a moment's notice, you insist on it. Why the extra time?"

Harry raised an eyebrow.

"None of your business."

He stood, leaving the room and heading up another flight of stairs and into the family wing.

Coming to a stop at the room opposite his own, he knocked quietly and cracked the door open.

The room was painted with a blue sky, white fluffy clouds drifting across it, and the walls covered with a mural of rolling meadows dotted liberally with wildflowers. The floor was covered in a soft thick grass green carpet, patterned rugs scattered around like forgotten picnic blankets.

A large four poster bed stood in the middle of the far wall, shaped from a single piece of wood and looking like it had been grown like that instead of carved. A mass of auburn curls poked messily from underneath the blankets, and Harry grinned at the sight.

Crossing the room, he sat on the edge of the bed and rested a hand on the tiny lump under the blankets.

"Connor?" He shook the lump lightly.

The blankets stirred slightly, and a sleepy hazel eye peeked out.

"Mm?" The little boy mumbled, a tiny fist appearing and rubbing at his eye. A moment passed before what he was seeing actually settled in his mind. Sitting bolt upright, he threw himself at the older boy. "Harry!" He wrapped his spindly arms around the older boy, practically sprawled in his lap. "You're here!"

Harry chuckled, hugging Connor back tightly. "Indeed I am," he smiled, burying his nose in the wayward curls.

They sat that way for a few minutes, enjoying the closeness.

Finally, Harry stirred. "I hope you don't mind me waking you up, but I can't stay long. I wanted to spend some time with you before I had to deal with business."

Connor beamed. "I don't mind! I've missed you heaps!" He wiggled out of bed, dragging Harry into the playroom attached to his bedroom.

Harry sat at the small children's table and listened happily to his boy chattering away about anything and everything as he flitted around the room gathering various objects to show to his hero.

He was very pleased when the first thing Connor showed him was a workbook he'd been practicing in outside of his lessons. The boy had been practicing writing with a quill, making notes of whatever caught his interest in the textbooks he poured through at every opportunity. In the time since Harry had disappeared with Hagrid, he'd managed to fill three of the books, and his penmanship showed clear improvement.

"This is excellent," Harry commented, flicking through the pages and reading a few lines here and there. "Your penmanship is getting better, and your notes are very good as well. Has Alex started teaching you how to put reports and essays together yet?"

Connor nodded eagerly. "Yeah, he has! He said that with how hard I work, I'm ahead of where I would be if I went to a normal school. He says I'm about halfway through the next years' work!"

Harry raised his eyebrows, impressed. "I'm proud of you. You work very hard, and I'm glad to see it's paying off. Are you taking time to play? It's important you don't spend all your time in lessons and training."

The little boy nodded seriously. "Yeah, Alex makes sure I do. I've been exploring the grounds with Snake and Swit, and Alex has been teaching me how to ride the horses. Sergei takes me fishing and bird watching, and Shot takes me to the muggle park a couple of times a week so I can play with other kids. And last week, we all went to the movies! Sergei bought me popcorn and a fruit juice, and Alex let me have some of his chocolates! Shot bought heaps of lollies and ate them all, and Alex said she would get a stomach ache from eating so much sugar all at once. She said she wouldn't, but I saw her drinking a stomach soother later than night when Alex wasn't looking." He paused, panting slightly, and Harry chuckled, pulling him closer for another hug.

"What else have you been doing? Are you still enjoying your piano lessons?"

Connor lit up, beaming up at Harry.

"I love it! I still practice every day for an hour. I haven't missed a single day! It makes me really happy when I play. Do you have anything that makes you really happy when you do it?"

Harry smiled. "I do, but it's a secret. Nobody else knows I like to do it to relax. Would you like to see?"

Connor nodded eagerly.

Shifting the boy in his lap so that he could reach his cuff, Harry tapped a bead, pulling out a small trunk which he placed on the floor and expanded by tapping the design on the lid with a finger. He opened it slowly, smiling at the awestruck look on the child's face.

"Do we go inside?"

Harry nodded, standing and leading the boy down the narrow stairs and into a magically expanded room filled with every kind of medium an artist could desire. An easel stood in the middle of the studio, a half finished painting resting on it, and an angled table against the wall sporting a beautiful landscape drawing.

Connor stood in the middle of the room, jaw dropped and turning in slow circles to take it all in.

"You do art?"

Harry nodded. "Just like you do piano. It makes me happy. Would you like to see my favourite piece?"

The little boy nodded, his eyes still wide.

Harry moved to a cupboard that had expanded racks inside to house all his completed works. Sliding the rack along until he found the one he was looking for, he pulled out a black and white sketch that was roughly the size of a large photograph. Harry sat on a chair, letting Connor lean against his side.

"Is that, us?" Connor gasped in awe. He reached out and gently touched the edge, careful not to brush against the picture itself.

It was an ink sketch that showed Harry and Connor sitting together at a table, heads together as they leaned over a thick book. Harry was pointing at something, and Connor was smiling widely in excitement. They looked happy together, relaxed and just enjoying each other's company on a lazy afternoon. The picture was so detailed that at a casual glance it could be mistaken for a photograph.

"It is. Do you like it?"

"Yeah, it's really good!" Connor breathed, unable to tear his eyes away from it.

Harry chuckled, and gently pushed the boy away so he could stand. He opened a door, walking into the previously concealed store room, and came back with a plain black and silver frame. Carefully putting the sketch behind the glass, he grabbed a cloth and polished off the fingerprints.

"Here you go." He handed it to Connor. "Where would you like to put it?"

Connor clasped it carefully to his chest, staring up at Harry with adoration. "Can I put it on my bedside table so I can see it every morning when I wake up?"

Harry smiled and ruffled the wild corkscrews that sprang in every direction thanks to a major case of bedhead. "Sure you can. I'd be honoured."

Making their way back up the stairs, Connor went to place the picture lovingly on his bedside, and Harry packed away the trunk into his cuff again. Glancing at the clock on the wall, Harry was pleased to see they still had about an hour before his meeting.

"So, what would you like to do now?" Harry asked when Connor came back.

Connor yawned widely, rubbing his eyes with a tired fist.

"We could play a game?"

Harry looked at the sleepy child in the oversized pyjamas he insisted on, and smiled. He really was adorable.

"How about we sit on your bed and I'll read to you?"

Connor smiled, before yawning again.

"That sounds good. Can we read the Selby book again?"

Harry cocked his head. "That's the one about the talking dog, right?"

Connor nodded. "Yeah. You read it to the Nestlings when we were still staying there, and I really liked it. It was funny."

Smiling, Harry agreed and went to the shelf, looking for the book while Connor settled himself in bed. Finding it, he joined the boy, leaning back against the pillows. Opening the book, he began reading.

Harry slipped silently from Connor's room, closing the door behind him gingerly so as not to wake the sleeping boy.

"How is he?" Warthog asked, materializing out of the shadows in the hall.

"He's grown a bit, and he's pushing himself hard with his lessons, but he seems happy. I think he'll adjust, but I want to visit regularly. I don't want to miss seeing him grow up."

Warthog grunted in agreement, nudging Harry's hand comfortingly.

"He's lucky to have you."

Harry patted her head softly. "Thank you."

They continued in silence, descending the stairs and entering Harry's office. He dropped gracefully into his Extremely Comfortable Chair, and looked over the assembled people across his desk.

"So, what do you have for me?" He asked as he dropped a barley sugar into his mouth.

Alice shifted, drawing everyone's attention.

"I'm sorry, I know that I should really be going last, but Elise is a bit sick, and Mark keeps getting out of bed to try to look after her. I need to get back as quickly as possible."

Harry nodded in agreement. "Alright. What do you have for me?"

Alice handed over a folder full of reports, then settled back in her chair and glanced down at the notepad in her lap.

"All the Nestlings have been progressing well. Elise is doing fantastically well in her studies. She isn't so keen on the more academic subjects, preferring things with a more tactile element, but she's applying herself to everything we throw at her regardless of her personal opinions. She shows a talent towards explosive devices, and I think given time will probably take to infiltration as well. She's approached me about learning the sort of things I was taught before I came to you, so I would like to recommend enrolling her in a Finishing course within the next year.

"Your theory about putting Mark in charge of his own team was dead on the money. He's taken it very seriously, and settled down a lot. My only concern is that he may come to take too much responsibility on his shoulders. He doesn't just lead his team for missions, but also fusses over them on a personal level during off time. It's lead to a close knit team that works very well together, but they're so close that changing the team around or entering someone else into it could become problematic in the near future. He's almost… possessive of them."

Harry shifted his lolly to the other side of his mouth thoughtfully.

"Alright. I'll review your notes on him and give it some thought. In the meantime do nothing different. You mentioned he's hovering over Elise?" He continued at Alice's nod. "Offer Finishing courses to all of the Nestlings, but I want Elise and Mark to definitely take it. It won't be required of the others, but it will be strongly encouraged. Any other issues?"

"Sophie and Brian are still inseparable, and I think they're ready to take on more jobs as a two person team. They show aptitude for theft, and the more complicated the security on the target, they more they enjoy it. Given their short stature and slim build, they excel at getting in and out of tight spaces; I recommend gymnastics and dance classes for them to help their flexibility. From what I've seen, they could easily become good enough to make a name for themselves on stage with the right sort of training."

Harry nodded. "Do it, but don't push the career option just yet. Mention it as a possibility and leave it at that for now. What about Lizzie?"

Alice's face fell slightly.

"Lizzie is… a conundrum. She'll interact with the other children if invited, but seems to prefer to be alone. She definitely prefers to work alone on a job too, but if put in a team will actively avoid any form of leadership position. She's quiet, and efficient, but I really don't know what to make of her. Emotionally she seems calm, but it's more of a shutdown, rather than genuine calm. They only time she seems genuinely happy is when she's out in the garage. She convinced Greg to teach her mechanics, and she spends every free minute tinkering with a wreck of a car Greg got her to practice on. I'm at a loss for how to reach her, though if I remember correctly she always responded well to you."

"Hmm," Harry pursed his lips as he processed that. "Alright, leave it with me. I think I have an idea or two. Anything else?"

The redhead glanced at her notepad again.

"I've included a budget review, and projected costs for the next three, six, and twelve months."

Harry opened the folder she'd given him, confirming that it was in there.

"I see. I'll review it and get back to you; thank you. Feel free to head home. I'll look over these and let you know what I think. I'll try to arrange a visit in the next few weeks too, but don't say anything to the Nestlings just yet. I'll make it a surprise."

Alice nodded and stood, bidding everyone else a quick farewell as she exited.

"Marcel? Do you need to hurry back as well?"

The Healer smiled.

"No, I'm in no rush tonight. My three are all perfectly healthy and tucked in bed. Soot and Puff are keeping an eye on them while I'm here."

"Do you have much to report?" Harry reached for another barley sugar, but changed his mind and summoned Jinky instead, requesting a platter for everyone to share. He felt a little embarrassed that he hadn't thought to do so while Alice was still present, but quickly shrugged it off. It didn't matter.

"Not much," the Italian replied, handing over his own - much thinner - folder. "Probably my biggest issue is needing another hand or two around the place. The elves manage everything in the house well, but outside it, juggling the needs of three kids is a bit challenging."

Harry frowned as he glanced through the file.

"All three should be getting their Hogwarts letters next year," he paused, glancing at the Hounds. "Do we have any more potentials for either house?"

Alex shook his head.

"Nobody specific, but it's possible that we'll find more unexpectedly."

"Alright," Harry decided. "I don't want to bring in someone else to the Haunt when they won't be needed very often after a year. It's more of a security risk than I'm willing to accept. If I had the Goblins create another golem or two, would that suffice? If you don't need them during the year when the Ghosts are at school you can stuff them in a cupboard, or hire them out to do gardening for someone, I don't really care."

Marcel perked up.

"That would be perfect, actually. Though if you don't mind, I'll keep the fact that they're golems secret from the Ghosts."

Harry waved a hand dismissively and nibbled on a grape from the platter Jinky put on the desk.

"Whatever you think is best. Alex, arrange two golems if you please. Confirm the knowledge and personality requirements with Marcel, and make sure I can link to them. Actually, see if Alice wants some as well. Don't go overboard, but approve them if they're needed."

"Yes, Sir," Alex jotted a note in his ever present book.

"Oh, Marcel, is Isabella still insisting on being called Tink?" Harry asked curiously.

The Healer grinned, chewing a tiny sandwich. Swallowing, he discretely licked his teeth.

"Yes. She won't answer to anything else. Though for teachers she will answer to Miss Grey, grudgingly."

"Any idea why?" Harry picked out a cracker and piece of salami, adding some cheese as an afterthought.

Marcel shrugged.

"No idea. Do you want me to address it? She seems well adjusted in every other area. She even asked about taking classical ballet lessons the other day. I thought I'd leave that decision to you since she would only have a year before she'd have to leave for Hogwarts."

"Ok. I'll see what I can arrange. Have you included a budget review as well?"

"Yes, though the Haunt is pretty well set. We don't need an increase or anything, even if all three kids start taking lessons. The infirmary is set, and there's enough money in the budget for any necessary supplies."

"Good. Have you had a chance to experiment with Snake's venom at all?"

Marcel lit up with excitement. "Oh, yes! It's fascinating, really! I was curious about why Snake claimed to be second to only a Basilisk when it's venom was so deadly, and I think I finally have an answer. Excluding immediate treatment with Phoenix tears, a Basilisk bite will kill without fail in under two minutes. Snake's venom, however, is changeable in its toxicity levels. I mean, even at its lowest point it would still kill you, it's just a question of how fast and in which way. It's also treatable if you get to it time with a suitable antivenin - which can take a bit of guesswork since you'd have to match symptoms and work out which regular venom is the closest match. Watching the changes week to week is really quite something!"

Harry sighed and ate another grape.

"Ok, great. Did you want to stick around or go play while the rest of us talk business?"

Marcel gasped, a hand fluttering to his chest dramatically. "And miss hearing about what new toys Shot has come up with?"

Harry snorted. "Fine, though your refusal to leave the food platter is not well concealed."

The Italian shrugged and smiled charmingly, grabbing a few slices of apple.

"Alright, Sergei?"

The massive Russian grunted, tossing his reports onto the desk for Harry.

"Nothing new. Everything is on track, and we haven't had any issues with supply or distribution. Your reputation is growing as well, and we're getting more jobs in. Nothing major yet aside from Flamel's job, it's mostly been low to mid-level thefts and hits."

"Fine; keep up the good work. Are you having any trouble managing everything on the wizarding side of things?"

Sergei shook his head.

"No, no problem. I've been collaborating with Alex to keep everything running smoothly between the muggle and magical; though I have to say that I'm glad you divided the business the way you did. It's working very well, and nobody has noted your absence."

Harry nodded distractedly as he skimmed the financial reports.

"Good. Alex?"

"Profit is up. We've had to dispose of three dealers, making a suitable example of course, but their replacements have been reliable so far. Adama is being fed a few false leads to keep him chasing his tail, and he doesn't seem to have uncovered anything we don't want him too. We've identified three other children's brothels and fed the information to the police; all three have been raided and the children rescued. We're monitoring the cases, and keeping a weather eye on the kids. So far, everything seems fine. We've been approached for a few jobs, mainly theft and a bit of smuggling, and they've all gone off without a hitch. We had a hit go to hell and lost Sven and Ian, but Leon pulled it out of his arse and got the job done, and dealt with the collateral as well. Honestly, I think Leon needs a promotion of some sort, and probably a team of his own."

Harry grabbed the offered file and added it to the pile.

"Fine. Talk to him, see what he wants to do. If he wants his own team, let him put it together himself. If he wants someone from outside the organisation, he needs to recruit them himself, but I want one of you to vet them as usual."

Alex nodded and made a note.

The boy sighed tiredly, rubbing a hand over his face.

"Shot? Got something good for me?"

The slender girl perked up, flipping open her design book and grabbing a bag from the floor next to her.

"Actually, I do! All sorts of goodies for you, and a few things for Warthog, if she approves!" She beamed at her boss, placing the bag on the desk and digging into it. "Ok, so the first thing is something I've been working on for a while, with Marcel's help." She nodded to Marcel who blew her a kiss, then went back to his sandwiches. She placed a cylindrical object on the desk, the size of a box of mints. "This," she proclaimed dramatically, "is my liquid grenade! As you can see, it requires activation, before that it's completely inert. I designed it to be able to be used one handed, just in case, but it's impossible to set off by accident. To prime it, you need to lift this little cap on the lid here," she demonstrated, "and press the button underneath. This drops a tablet of the activating ingredients into the potion. Once the button is pressed, there's no going back or way to disarm it. Besides that it will function like a normal grenade, minus the shrapnel. Big boom, lots of gore, bit of fire. Fun times! It also dissipates without residue, so there's nothing to trace afterwards. Cool, huh? And best of all, all the ingredients are really cheap to procure, and the potion itself is really easy to make once you know the trick to it. The hardest part is the activation pellet. The ingredients have to be dried a special way, ground down and compressed... and, you don't care about that right now. Moving on!" She dove back into the bag.

"This is a prototype for a mobile phone that should work around high concentrations of magic. It's very basic, but I thought you might like it for emergencies or something. I managed to make it smaller than anything currently on the market, but I think I can get it smaller over time. I might be able to build in more features eventually as well, depending on how it all develops. I've heard rumours of some big tech companies working on new phone models that might do what we need."

Harry took the phone, fiddling with it make sure he understood how it worked.

"Excellent, Shot. And I'll take a few of those grenades with me tonight as well, if you have them ready?"

Shot nodded with a grin.

"Thought you might. I have about a dozen in the bag, and two of the phones. I thought you might want one for Draco."

Harry smiled at her.

"Yes, thank you. Do the grenades have a shelf life?"

Shot shook her head.

"No. The mixture's stable, and once each device is capped it's completely sealed. You could leave these babies on the shelf for a hundred years and they'd still be ready to use at a moment's notice."

"Excellent. Put them into the regular production schedule. I want a stockpile. Once the phones have been properly tested we'll see about that too." He thought for a few moments, idly turning the phone over between his fingers. "Shot, investigate the companies producing the best and most innovative phones. If they're sound, pass the details onto Alex. I want shares in the top five through my shell companies. Alex, look into manufacture, see if it's worth the investment. If so, we'll see about getting into the game. If we can get the contracts for that, it might prove lucrative not to mention convenient for producing our own modified versions."

Alex and Shot nodded, and added notes to their ever growing lists.

"Forget all that," Warthog huffed. "Ask her what she has for me!"

Harry glanced at his familiar, amused.

"Shot, Warthog is impatient to see what you have for her."

"Oh! Alright!" Shot sat back in her chair, angling her notebook so the puma could see.

"Alright, missy! Remember we talked about some form of portkey arrangement for you, and possibly some form of armour? Well, I think I have the solution. I originally thought some sort of cuff around the base of your tail, similar to what we all use, but the problem with that is it's too easy to come off, and I suspect it would be horribly uncomfortable for you. Am I right?"

Warthog dipped her head in agreement, snarling slightly at the thought.

"Right. So, a hidden collar would be out for similar reasons. Not to mention that it's the first things someone would look for if they managed to get hold of you. Cuffs around your legs would in all likelihood restrict your movement, and again, would be very uncomfortable." Shot sighed, running a hand through her hair before flipping to another page in her sketch book.

"So, I know you said you didn't want anything beneath the skin if you could avoid it, but I really think that's the way we need to go. I designed this, and hoped you might consider it?"

Shot pulled out a small pouch from her cuff, putting a drop of blood on the drawstring before it would open. She tipped it, spilling a series of beautiful but odd looking jewels into her palm.

"These are something I made specifically with you in mind. To touch, they're just like a normal jewel, but they're actually a form of liquid. Sort of a suspension matrix? It's a bit hard to explain, and it's beside the point at the moment. Basically, this large smoky one contains your armour, if you agree. It would be set into your sternum at the highest point. It needs to be visible above the skin, so really it would be the setting attached to the sternum and the jewel imbedded into your skin. Once it's attached, it'll attune itself to you and Harry, leeching a small amount of the magic from your bond to sustain itself. If either of you will it, it releases the potion which forms the armour around you." Shot looked at the cat eagerly, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Now the armour really is a stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. It's a semi solid reactive mist! It surrounds you like… smoke or shadows? And because it's attracted to the magic it's attuned to, it'll follow you when you move, and because it's a mist it'll trail slightly and make it harder to pinpoint your outline."

Harry frowned.

"That sounds like excellent camouflage, but how does that translate to armour?"

Shot actually bounced in her seat, earning her a raised eyebrow.

"That's the best bit! It's just mist, so completely unrestrictive and weightless, unless it's hit with something! If there's an impact against it from something that doesn't contain the same magic as your bond, it solidifies in that section and repels the magic or impact! How wicked is that?" She beamed, glancing around for approval.

Harry was stunned, and judging be the look on the Hounds faces, they were as well. Shot had clearly kept it a secret from everyone except Marcel, who was still steadily raiding the constantly refilling food platter.

"Are you serious?" Harry finally coughed. "What are its limits? Will it deflect spells or only solid impacts? What about something like a bullet or arrow?"

Shot looked smug, and took a mouthful of whatever concoction she'd requested from the elves.

Harry was pleased to see that her manners had improved immensely under Alex's tutelage.

"It'll deflect any solid impact. You could stand in front of a machine gun and not feel it. You still have to deal with the inertia of course, but the impact itself won't hurt you. As for spells, it'll repel everything except the Unforgivables, as near as I can tell. I haven't tested it against the really really Dark Arts, but theoretically as long as you have the magic to power it, it will stand up to pretty much anything. Hell, you could lay down on one of the liquid grenades and it would take the damage. You'd probably get an impromptu flying lesson, but you wouldn't take damage from the explosion."

The boy could feel himself practically salivating at the potential.

"And you say that the person it's bonded to controls if it activates or not?"

Shot nodded again, the smug look never shifting.

"Yep. And you can even shape parts of it if you want, since it's really an extension of your magic. So you could shape a particular helmet for example. I haven't found a way to vary the colour without making it useless, but I figure that's a small concession since you can shape it. I won't lie, the ingredients are fucking hard to come by, and I completely tapped out all my contacts to get enough for this."

"How many were you able to make?" Harry asked.

"Four. I wouldn't be able to use it anyway, since my magic is screwy, but once I realised what I had I knew that you'd want one, and if possible you'd want the Hounds to have one as well."

"Excellent. Warthog, will you tolerate it?"

"Of course. That's too good to pass up, not to mention the jewels look pretty. Ask if it can be hidden somehow. It wouldn't do to have someone get curious."

"Good point. Shot, can it be concealed at all?"

"Oh yeah. Magical concealment won't affect it at all. I figured you'd just charm it so that it can only be seen by people who already know about it, since that would be less noticeable than a glamour."

Harry smiled widely, and actually rubbed his hands together with glee.

"Alex? Sergei? Are you willing?"

Both men nodded eagerly, seeing the clear benefits.

"Excellent. Next time I visit we'll implant Warthog's and mine. Do the Hounds as soon as is convenient for them. What about the others in your hand?"

"Oh, these are portkeys. I thought that if we attached them the same way as the armour, down the sternum, they couldn't be taken off her, and will always be in contact with her skin. If we set each with an activation phase that she says with intent, then she can come and go from your properties as necessary."

Harry looked at Warthog again.

"Are you willing?"

"Oh yes. They're very pretty, and she's right about them being the most practical option."

"Alright. Have them all keyed as necessary. Also, see if you can throw one in to protect her from potions or mind altering anything. I'd rather go overboard with the protection than overlook something and cause trouble later."

He stood, gathering up the reports and putting them in the bag with the phones and grenades, tucking the whole thing away in his cuff.

"I'm heading back to Hogwarts before I'm missed. Keep up the good work; I'll be back when I can."

He swept out of the room without waiting for a response, Warthog slinking gracefully at his side.

"Jinky?" He called quietly when he was sure he was out of earshot.

The black clad elf popped in at his elbow, handing him a report, and left again just as quickly.

Harry smiled, tucking it away.

Draco sagged in relief when Harry slipped quietly into the dorm at close to four in the morning.

"How did it go?" He whispered as Harry stripped off his shoes and jacket.

Harry tossed him a sharp look, even as he undid his shirt.

"Well enough. Any trouble here?"

Draco shook his head, stifling a yawn. The Pepper Up was wearing off, and he was starting to crash, hard.

"Not a peep. Everyone went to sleep with no issues, and haven't stirred since. No inspections, and as you can see, not a single scorch mark." He grinned at his friend.

Harry chuckled quietly, putting on his pyjamas, then pulled out a tiny bottle and handed it to the exhausted blond.

"Go to sleep, Draco. In the morning when everyone's left the dorm, take two drops of that. Take two more before lunch, and one just before dinner. Make sure you have it before you eat, but no more than thirty minutes before."

"What is it?" Draco wondered, tucking it carefully into the cuff Harry had given him.

"A customised Alertness Potion. It'll keep you functional tomorrow, until you can go to bed at a reasonable time. Just be aware that you might be a bit snappish and aggressive while taking it. Keep a lid on that, it's a massive tell. I've only given you enough for one day since it's highly addictive."

Draco stared, eyes wide as Harry casually slipped into bed and went to sleep, Warthog comfortably sprawled across the foot of the bed. He glanced at his cuff nervously. He couldn't believe that his friend would casually give him something highly addictive and probably heavily restricted or even illegal, just as a convenience. He blinked, forcing himself to settle down in bed, pulling his blankets up to his chin.

He supposed that this was the sort of thing he would have to get used to, working for someone like Harry. He knew, technically, he worked for Vahan, but it was Harry who held his loyalty. He just wondered how much loyalty Harry held for him in return.