Office Calls
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Chap. 7: Office Calls
Moira Wallside was not, precisely, what Harry had imagined when he had received the response she had written for her office months ago. The Department of Housing and Relocation subset, however, was more or less exactly as Harry had imagined: Tiny. Within the larger Department of Citizen Welfare, which fell under the jurisdiction of the Administrative Registration Department, which again was part of the massive, sprawling Department of Magical Law Enforcement, it was nearly a mile away from the lift that had dropped him and his companions, Lilith (as Lilian Vergot) and Sirius, on the second floor.
The Housing and Relocation Subset had a staff of three, Harry knew, because he'd checked. They had a larger office (much larger, actually), than Arthur Weasley and his subordinate, who Harry only knew as Perkins, used to have. It was, at least, three rooms and two cubicles, including a small office, the central room with the other cubicles, and a records room. All of that, Harry took in at a glance.
The office on the left had an open door and a simple nameplate, while the room at the back, labeled, "Records," was closed. He and Lilith were alone, as Sirius had business elsewhere on the second floor for the moment. At the further of the two cubicles, which faced the office, he could see a shock of fluffy white hair atop a rotund woman, though she was hunched over her desk, writing slowly. At the nearer, a small placard read the name of Ms. Wallside herself, which was how Harry was able to school his features into something akin to neutrality rather than surprise.
Moira wasn't stunning or gorgeous, but she was quite pretty, and much younger than he had expected; probably in her mid twenties, perhaps a few years older than Fleur at most. Wavy auburn hair fell just below her shoulders, framing a tan face covered with stylish, thick-framed spectacles that were definitely muggle-made, Harry thought. She wore robes, but they were of a clean, professional cut he'd rarely seen even in the now several trips to the Ministry of Magic he'd made... yet they were also simple cloth, no doubt because the department simply couldn't afford to pay her enough for, say, Acromantula silk.
She looked up a moment after he stepped into the office, "Hello, welcome to the Depart- you're Harry Potter!"
"Last I checked," Harry chuckled, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly as he fought a blush, somewhat unsuccessfully. At least, by now, he was able to keep from staring at the attractive woman's inch and a half of displayed cleavage, thanks to Lilith and the many changes she'd brought to his life. "You must be Ms. Wallside."
"Miss, actually," she corrected, blushing a bit herself, as her older coworker looked up in surprise and alarm, then gaped at him too, "Not married. I, um... I'm happy to help with whatever you need, but I'm afraid if it's regarding the matter we corresponded about, there's really nothing I can do until your majority. My hands are completely tied on that, legally."
"Ah. Yes, that. Well, that is part of why I've come today, of course," Harry said, glancing at Lilian, whose golden-blonde hair shook as she nodded with a smile. "But it's not the sole reason. You see, I might have a work-around for that whole birthday bottleneck. A legal one, of course, a hundred-percent above-board. But there's a separate matter, too."
"I- I see," Miss Wallside replied quietly, then leaned forward, "If you have indeed found such a thing, it would probably be my- er, our- supervisor, Mrs. Warrington, you will need to speak with. I'm afraid going about any such thing without her approval would not end well."
"Mrs. Warrington?" Harry asked, surprised. He hadn't seen that name on the office list, but he supposed he hadn't looked, either. "Does she have a son named Cassius? Was in Slytherin until last year?"
"That'd be here," the older woman snorted, "Though she's not happy with him at the moment. Something about the... well, never mind. Gossip's no place for us, we're a professional lot."
"We have to be," Moira said quietly when Harry glanced questioningly at Lilian, then back at her, "Honestly, we if engaged in much or any of the usual backstabbing and infighting the other departments seem to do, I doubt we'd get anything accomplished at all. And we'd probably have to do it with even less resources. Mrs. Warrington does alright, but Betty and I aren't really the type for that. We just want to help the less fortunate."
"Good," Harry smiled, "because that's what I intend to do. Does speaking with Mrs. Warrington require an appointment, or...?"
Moira shook her head, "No, so long as her door's open. If it's closed she's already in a meeting. You can go right in."
"Thank you, both of you," Harry said, smiling and nodding to the two women. "Incidentally, my godfather will be stopping by soon as well. If it's not a bother, could you send him in, as well? I wanted him to be here for this anyway, but he's being held up in the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts department. Something relatively benign, which I know is unusual these days, at least."
"We'll send him in, of course, Mr. Potter," Moira smiled pleasantly, "Um... if you don't mind, would you share even a brief overview of what you need to discuss with Mrs. Warrington? Just so we know what to expect if she comes to talk to us about it, of course."
"Ah. Yes, well... it's simple. I know I can't legally set up a trust, but I can transfer funds, and as it happens, I have a godfather who has a reasonable amount of gold himself, and who is happy to help. So if all goes well, it's a simple matter of me sending him money, him setting up the trust, and moving ahead. Of course, when I'm of age we'd have to add what I'm sure is a truly abhorrent amount of paperwork to transfer the trust to the Potter family, but... I'm sure the administrative staff here and in any other department are up to the challenge. As long as my signature-writing hand holds out, of course."
Across their bond, Harry heard a very distinct chuckle, "Laying in on a bit thick, but it's no doubt you've got her charmed, Master. And no magic needed! Even this Betty person's a bit taken with you, you handsome devil."
Even as he shuddered a bit internally, completely unwilling to use his fame for any reason at all, he smiled confidently externally. "Sounds easy enough, right? I've already checked with the Department of International Law, and both Sirius setting up a trust in my name, and me taking control of it later are perfectly legal around the world. So if you could maybe prepare those documents while I meet with Mrs. Warrington, I'd... really appreciate it. Of course, I do still intend to give the donation I mentioned before. Possibly more than one, in fact."
She blinked twice, staring directly at Harry's eyes, then looked away after several seconds, red-faced, when Betty huffed. "Get hold of yourself, girl! Yes, he's a handsome young lad, but he's awfully young for you, for heaven's sake, Moira. Sorry about that, Mr. Potter. Been looking for a man too long, that one."
While poor Miss Wallside's blush turned as red as Ginny's hair, he only laughed it off, "Don't worry about it. Apparently I have that effect on people sometimes. I mean, even Miss Vergot, my assistant, can't say no when I'm trying to get her going. I promise, I don't think less of you, Miss Wallside. You're perfectly charming, and not at all too old. I bet you're younger than Lilian here, anyway, at least by a few years."
Thankfully, Lilith seemed to catch on to what he was doing early enough to age herself subtly, just a bit, to help sell the illusion while he spoke. Both women glanced at her, apparently just noticing the Succubus for the first time, as she held out a hand. "Charmed, and it's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Wallside, Mrs...?"
"Dunstan, Betty Dunstan," the older witch replied with a smile as she stood to shake Lilith's hand as she moved across the small office. "The pleasure's all mine, I can assure you. I haven't heard the name Vergot before...?"
"You wouldn't have unless you're from the old country," Lilian shrugged cheerfully, "Old name, it's been updated a bit by most of the clan. Not a literal clan, of course, we're not barbarians, just a figure of speech. Now, I've Mr. Potter's own records right here, if you would be so kind as to help make sure they're all in order, while Miss Wallside puts together your end...?"
"Of course," Betty smiled happily, "charming, simply charming. I'd be happy to help. Nothing I was doing can't be put off a few hours if need be, though it won't take that long, I'm sure, a capable witch like yourself."
Harry smiled once more, "I'll go see Mrs. Warrington now, thank you, Moira, Betty, I appreciate all your help. And Lilian, try not to sweet-talk them too much? It steals my thunder, and they're both well worth a bit of sweet-talk myself."
That had all three of the women chittering as Harry adopted what he hoped was a rakish grin he'd stolen from Cedric Diggory, then gave the two office workers a slow nod as he turned toward the open door.
Mrs. Warrington, in contrast to Moira, was exactly what Harry had expected. A little younger than Betty Dunstan, but still white-haired, though hers was kept back in a severe bun, with a thick, stocky build similar to her son's but a little shorter, and a somewhat pinched face. At least, that's what Harry thought as he stepped in.
"Mr. Potter. Flirting with my staff will not help you with what you want to accomplish. Come in, have a seat. Shut the door."
"I- I wasn't trying to convince them, actually," Harry chuckled, quite untruthfully, "I kind of... do it out of habit, these days. Seems you attract more flies with honey, or something."
Cassius' mother rolled her eyes as she gestured at one of the three chairs in front of her desk, each high-backed and straight, much like the ones he'd seen Professor McGonagall conjure on more than one occasion. "So you intend to bypass the age requirement- being of majority, seventeen- simply by asking your godfather to set up the trust and begin the paperwork and filings necessary as soon as possible?"
Harry nodded, a bit surprised that she wasn't trying to hide overhearing things, "In short, yes. It's quite legal and all-"
"I'm aware, thank you," Mrs. Warrington interrupted dryly, "And again, legally there is no reason I shouldn't facilitate that to the best of my office's ability. As such, I will, of course, do absolutely nothing to impede the process. I've read your correspondence with Moira, and assisted her with writing hers. I agree that it's an admirable goal. There's just one little problem."
His eyes narrowed, "And what would that be? If you're looking for a bribe, I-"
Warrington's eyebrows rose, and she actually lifted her nose into the air a little, "I would never! Mr. Potter, you don't know me, but you do know my son, who I raised as a single mother. There is a reason I choose to work in this underpaid, understaffed office, and it is not for the financial benefits, I can assure you. If you wish to make a donation to the department, that is one thing, but I will not sit here while you suggest I would do such a thing for my own personal gain."
"Good," Harry replied quietly after several seconds, "because I was going to finish with, 'I will not do that.' I do know Cassius. I have to admit, our first several years at school together were not on the best of terms. I was too bigoted, shaped by my friends, to see that not everyone in Slytherin was a terrible person. He was forced by his housemates to act the same, whatever his personal feelings toward me or the Gryffindor House. But I've come to at least get to know him a little over the last year, and I have no issue with him at all. He's been quite pleasant and accommodating, in fact, quite helpful. I feel as if any rivalry we may have once had was entirely left on the Quidditch Pitch. I would hope that, as a fair man, his mother would be the same. Thank you for proving that. But let me ask again, then. What is the problem?"
Mrs. Warrington leaned back in her chair, a quill twirling between the fingers of her left hand. "Simply, you aren't ready. You're all-but a child yourself. How do you expect me to remand as many as fifty children to your care and responsibility, with no proven track record of caring for others? With no actual facility built to house them? No medical care, no food, no cook, no beds... you aren't ready, it's as simple as that."
"Damn. Well... would it help if I said we're working on it?"
"Working on it isn't good enough, Mr. Potter. If I remand even a single child to your custody before your majority, I will be imprisoned, as will any staff that aided me. If I let a single child leave our care for yours before you are fully prepared to take custody of that child, I would turn myself in. I admire your goal, Mr. Potter. We haven't had a true orphanage for Wizardkind in Britain since I was a young girl, and we desperately need one. But to be perfectly honest, even as bad as the conditions are for some of our Fosters, it would be better than sleeping in the grass."
"They wouldn't be sleeping in the grass," Harry snorted, "we've got a building under construction now. It should be ready in a few months at most, to the highest standards. Shielded against magical interference for electronics for the muggle-born among them, and concealed from outside muggles by the best of muggle-repelling enchantments, the same sort you'd find at Hogwarts, or even here, at the Ministry."
"I see," the older witch replied, "And 'in a few months at most', then, I would be willing to first dispatch my associates, Ms. Wallside and Mrs. Dunstan, to tour your facilities. If they are satisfied, I would be willing to do so myself. Then, and only then, if you provide adequate staff for the care and feeding and education of a number of children, then I will permit that many and only that many to be remanded to your care. Is that clear?"
"Perfectly," a smooth, masculine voice replied for Harry as she finished. The young wizard turned in his seat to smile at Sirius as he stepped into the office and slid into the last chair on the other side of Lilith, "which is why my godson has me to thank. He didn't know of several permits that were needed, which I've just taken care of, to accelerate the construction of his orphanage with magic. Nothing too major, as there are definitely muggle crews working on it as we speak, but I estimate the building itself will be ready for furniture within two months."
"And the furniture is already ordered, it's simply waiting for its turn from the maker," Harry added. "Fifty beds, fifty dressers, fifty desks for kids of various ages, eight hundred and sixty total chairs, fifteen adult desks. Supplies for an infirmary, though we haven't been able to source ten beds for that yet. The man who made Hogwarts' died without an heir, and no one's replaced him. We're currently looking on the continent. More than a thousand books, just to start. Half textbooks, half for enjoyment. We really have thought this through, Mrs. Warrington. I have two medics, one Healer and one practicing Nurse- that's like a muggle medi-witch, not quite a full Healer- ready to go, both licensed in their own way."
Again, Warrington sniffed, "Who's this Healer you conjured up from nowhere? I don't know of anyone qualified who isn't already at St. Mungo's, or Hogwarts, or who doesn't directly work for the Ministry in some way."
"Andromeda Tonks, my cousin. She's retiring a little early to come work for us, after she saw the light during her stint at Potions Professor. Seems the year-long sabbatical encouraged her that a lower-stress environment like St. Mungo's just wasn't the thrill she was looking for, any more."
This time, the older witch snorted as her mouth twitched up into a smile, "I see. Well... that, at least, bodes well. Here's what I propose, then. I'll have Moira, Miss Wallside, draw up a list of the requirements we'll be looking for when we inspect your facility. When you have a date for it to be what you think of as fully operational, we will arrange that first tour, and again, if they are satisfied I will look over it myself. I will expect to see a list of your staff, both current and potential, and their background checks, at that time. I'll give you a chance to fix any mistakes or gaps we find, of course. I'm not unfair, and I do want you to succeed. But we can't keep a lid on this for long. People will find out and start asking questions. So if you want to do it all and have it ready to go by the end of summer, you won't have a lot of time if Mr. Black's estimation is correct. Weeks, at most, after it's finished. Then, as I understand it, you have another term of school to complete, whether you're of-age or not."
"Yes, I do," Harry nodded, "That's one of the reasons we're hiring on full-time caregivers and a full administrative staff. I'd like to administer the place myself, but I've no idea how to do so. At least, not yet. And of course I'll probably be at school for nine more months, aside from some weekends and holidays."
"Just so. Does that plan meet your approval, then?"
Harry looked at Sirius, who nodded with a grin. Lilith, too, smiled at him, "I don't think you'll get a better offer, sir. Honestly, it sounds like her arguments are quite reasonable, and nothing we can't handle anyway, with a bit more investment. Widen the work crews, and so on. Perhaps pull an extra shift. It'll get more expensive, but you can definitely absorb the cost if needed."
That, he knew, was something she'd been practicing with him. Lilith had, by now, some idea of his finances, but Harry and the Goblins were the only ones who really knew. Well, and Hermione, but that would only matter if she did the math month by month based on the investments they had made, and his estimated average growth. But she was quite good at acting, and what he'd told her sounded perfectly believable coming from her mouth, too. "Alright, then, Mrs. Warrington. I agree. Two months, two inspections, and a chance to make things right as long as it's before school. Oh, and the full staff of course."
"Very well. I'll have Moira draw up that list, then. Is there anything else I can do for you?"
"Well, yes, actually," Harry told her as he stood and offered his hand to shake, which she accepted, "Where exactly do we leave donations...?"
"That's Mrs. Dunstan's department, Mr. Potter. I'm sure she'd be happy to help you. Wouldn't want people to think you're dropping gold in my personal pocket, after all. She handles all the accounting for the office, though."
"Alright. Thank you again, it's been a pleasure. Next time you see Cassius, tell him I'm sorry he and Milly couldn't make it to the party, we missed them."
For some reason, that made the older witch sigh with a somewhat pinched look, but she nodded all the same as Sirius and Lilith joined him on his feet. "I'll do that. Thank you again, Mr. Potter, Mr. Black, a pleasure to see you again. Ms... Vergot, was it?"
"Indeed, a pleasure as well," Lilian replied, "I hope you have a wonderful afternoon."
Five minutes and ten thousand Galleons split between he and Sirius later (at his Godfather's insistence, again to help remove any suspicion, and also because 'Lils would have my hide if I didn't,'), they headed down the long, meandering path to the lifts. There was still a lot to do, not least of which was on the uppermost, administrative floor.
Setting up an orphanage, it turned out, was a lot of work.
But the Potter Orphanage and Refuge for the Needy was worth it.