'Bringing dinner to Remus?'
Percy's gaze was immediately drawn to the cloth-wrapped package in Sirius's left hand, his expression freezing momentarily.
Whether at the Ministry during work hours or at home during the family dinners, he had heard reports and enthusiastic gossip about the booming, almost unprecedented success of the learning machine workshop run by Professor Watson and Professor Lupin. The business had exploded in popularity over the past year.
According to internal estimates from the International Magical Cooperation Department, the taxes paid by the learning machine workshop this year alone were expected to increase the Ministry's overall commercial tax revenue rate by several percentage points compared to last year!
So... would Professor Lupin, who commanded and managed such a large, profitable workshop, who was clearly making a fortune, really have nowhere convenient to eat? No access to restaurant delivery, no catering services, and especially no personal house-elf?
His career at the Ministry had taught Percy many things, including how to read between the lines of what people said and didn't say. He knew better than to point out this obvious inconsistency directly. Instead, he stammered, trying to sound casual,
"I, um, well... I'm also heading to the learning machine workshop, actually"
Sirius's casual words made Percy realize with relief that Professor Lupin was probably still working late at the workshop. Under Sirius's surprised, curious gaze, Percy raised the sealed document envelope in his hand, showing it as proof.
"Professor Watson asked me to deliver this to Professor Lupin—"
"Bryan asked you??"
Sirius was even more puzzled now; his dark eyebrows were drawing together in confusion.
"Isn't he at Hogwarts right now? When did you see him?"
Percy was profoundly grateful that Sirius apparently hadn't heard about the task the Minister of Magic had assigned him. Otherwise, given Sirius's known 'preferences' and his open contempt for Ministry politics, he probably wouldn't have given Percy anything approaching a pleasant reception either.
Might have hexed him, actually.
"I, um, some Ministry business took me there, um routine matters."
Percy spoke quickly, uncomfortably, his words were tumbling over each other. "I just came back from Hogwarts this afternoon... Professor Watson asked me to deliver this document to Professor Lupin on my way back through Diagon Alley. What should we do with him?"
Percy didn't want to delve any deeper into this uncomfortable topic, didn't want Sirius asking follow-up questions. He gestured awkwardly toward the criminal still pinned under Sirius's boot, trying desperately to change the subject to something safer.
Percy's clear little tricks naturally couldn't escape Sirius's notice—he had been a Marauder, after all, expert at deception and reading others.
But Sirius didn't particularly want to pry too deeply into Percy's obvious secrets either, didn't care enough about Ministry business tonight.
After raising his eyebrows and giving Percy a meaningful, knowing look that said "I know you're hiding something but I'm letting it go," Sirius glanced down with disgust at the unconscious Colcant.
"Well, I'm afraid I don't have time to personally escort him all the way to the Ministry right now—"
Sirius paused, thinking quickly. "I've got it—"
He looked back toward the still-lit Leaky Cauldron.
"I can ask Tom, the barkeeper, to help watch him temporarily. He has owls there for sending messages. I'll write a quick letter to the Ministry to Amelia Bones directly and she'll send someone competent to pick him up and process him properly."
With that plan decided, Sirius flicked his wand in a motion to levitate Colcant's bound body. The criminal floated stiffly behind him like a grotesque balloon as Sirius jogged across the cobblestone street and back into the familiar courtyard of the Leaky Cauldron with Percy trailing behind uncertainly.
Ten minutes later, after Sirius had explained the situation to Tom and scrawled a quick note to Madam Bones, a brown barn owl spread its wings and took flight from the courtyard. It circled twice over their head, getting its directions, before its body merged seamlessly into the deepening blue of the night sky, disappearing toward the Ministry.
"Come on, Percy, let's get moving—"
Sirius waved energetically at Percy, who was still standing somewhat dazed in the courtyard, looking around at the familiar yet somehow different space. Sirius called out with a friendly smile.
"You came from Hogwarts today, Percy. Did you happen to see Harry while you were there?"
Sirius led Percy at a brisk pace toward the industrial district of Diagon Alley. He knew well that Percy, like himself until recently, wasn't in the best professional situation at the Ministry, he was struggling more actually.
So he deliberately avoided discussing work-related matters, steered clear of that minefield, and focused instead on safer topics like Harry's.
"Oh, Harry... Yes, I saw him today, and Ron and Hermione too, all three of them, actually—"
Percy's eyes flickered nervously, darting away from Sirius's face. His cheeks flushed red that might have been from the exertion or might have been from guilt.
He had not only seen the three of them but had nearly gotten into a fight with them in Professor Watson's office. But he absolutely couldn't tell Sirius about that disaster. He just nodded stiffly and said with forced casualness and hesitation,
"They... um, seemed in good spirits overall... quite healthy... But you know, Sirius, I was in rather a hurry to get back to London, so I didn't really talk to them much."
"Is that so?"
Sirius glanced sideways at Percy with those knowing gray eyes, his eyebrow was furrowing subtly with suspicion. Something in Percy's tone, his body language, wasn't quite right. But Sirius said nothing more.
He had been Percy's Defense Against the Dark Arts professor during those memorable year of teaching at Hogwarts, and he had also lived with Arthur's family for a significant time during his fugitive period. He could honestly say he understood Arthur's third son fairly well, probably better than Percy would have liked.
Among the generally good-natured, easygoing Weasley family, Percy could definitely be considered the most ambitious one, the outlier. He made no effort to hide his determination to advance rapidly in his career after joining the Ministry of Magic, his hunger for recognition and power and status.
To be completely honest, Sirius didn't particularly admire Percy's approach or style. Wanting to become a high-ranking Ministry official wasn't an excessive dream in itself—ambition wasn't inherently wrong.
But Percy's problem was that he was somewhat blinded by his desperate desire for power and position, unable to distinguish clearly what was truly important in life—family, loyalty, integrity from what was merely impressive-sounding.
The oppressive atmosphere hanging uncomfortably around them as they walked made both Sirius and Percy profoundly uncomfortable. So, they quickly delved deeper into the industrial district's zigzagging alleys, moving faster, letting physical activity replace conversation.
When they entered a certain area crossed an invisible boundary—thunderous mechanical roars and the clang of metal shattered the early evening's relative tranquility completely. This place wasn't nearly as deserted as the commercial areas they'd passed through.
Even after nightfall had properly fallen, workers still shuttled back and forth busily between the various workshops, carrying materials, shouting instructions.
Percy followed Sirius through narrow passages until they reached a large compound surrounded by high walls. This compound clearly contained the most workshops in the entire area, it was the heart of the industrial district.
Even so, despite all the existing structures, on a large empty lot within the compound's boundaries, three enormous new workshops were still under active construction. A dozen wizards in work robes waved their wands in coordinated patterns to send massive steel beams flying through the air and positioning them correctly in the growing frameworks, guided by shouted instructions.
With difficulty, Percy tore his fascinated gaze away from the tall chimneys belching thick smoke into the darkening sky and looked toward the only proper office building in the compound. It was a modest three-story structure, but nearly every single office window in the building blazed with light, and Percy could see many shadowy figures flickering behind the windows.
Guarding the compound's main gate were not only wizards in security robes but also several sharp-eyed goblins in what appeared to be private security uniforms.
However, they were clearly already familiar with Sirius Black and recognized him instantly on sight. After Sirius briefly explained who Percy was and why he was there, the sharp and capable-looking guards let them both enter the compound without hassle.
Meanwhile, Percy noticed with shock, the ordinary workers waiting to transport raw materials at the gate had to pass through multiple security checks like Probity Probes that detected concealment charms and Sneakoscopes that detected untrustworthy persons before being allowed through.
The security was extraordinary, unprecedented in Percy's experience.
"The security here seems even tighter than at the Ministry of Magic!"
The spectacle at the gate shocked Percy considerably. He couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement.
"In fact, the security measures here are even more comprehensive and sophisticated than what you can see on the surface—"
A knowing smile appeared at the corner of Sirius's mouth. He pointed casually to the workshop rooftops and the dense row of tall pine trees and thick shrubs behind the compound wall which were barely visible in the dimming light.
"There are highly skilled wizards secretly monitoring the entire workshop complex from those strategic locations at all times. In addition, the compound is protected by numerous powerful, overlapping spells like Anti-Apparition Charms, Disillusionment Charms, detection wards.
I'd wager confidently that even if all the Aurors from the Ministry's entire Auror Office tried to storm this place, they couldn't break through these defenses."
"I don't understand, why go to such extraordinary lengths?"
Sirius's detailed explanation made Percy even more astonished and confused. This level of security seemed excessive for a business, even a successful one.
"You'd have to ask Bryan about the reasoning behind that decision—"
Sirius shrugged.
"This was his instruction from the beginning... building the workshop's defenses as if we were operating under actual wartime conditions. Remus went to considerable trouble and expense to achieve it."
The air throughout the compound was flooded with a sense of urgency, not because something was on fire or there was an emergency, but because the general atmosphere here made Percy feel constantly anxious, on edge, as if he should be doing something productive.
Every single person moving through the compound wore an expression of focused urgency on their face. No one strolled leisurely or chatted casually; everyone jogged to their destinations, intent on their tasks.
Watching those people coming and going, seemingly with endless tasks needing their attention, the workers in their protective gear, the administrators with their clipboards, and the alchemical experts in their specialized robes—Percy suddenly felt sharp twinge of envy.
It wasn't simply envy of their obvious busyness, of having too much to do. Rather, it was envy of the spirited, genuine enthusiasm that surrounded these people, a feeling of purpose and satisfaction that couldn't even be found at the Ministry of Magic, where most employees seemed to be merely going through the motions, counting down to retirement.
"They seem to really love their work—"
Percy observed with genuine surprise as he followed Sirius toward the brightly lit office building. His gaze tracked a group of well-dressed wizards hurrying with urgency toward one of the active workshops.
"Oh, of course they do, naturally—"
Sirius said, his tone half-joking but also half-meaningful, carrying truth beneath the humor.
"Remus pays them very, very well, better than almost anywhere else in the wizarding world. Even the most ordinary workers here, doing basic manual labor, earn over four hundred Galleons a year in base salary, not counting bonuses.
Meanwhile, experts and mid-to-high-level business personnel earn salaries directly comparable to Hogwarts professors—imagine that! Honestly, if the Ministry doesn't give me a significant raise very soon, I'd seriously rather quit and come here to work as a guard instead!"
Over four hundred Galleons annually was just the minimum baseline salary?!
Percy's eyes widened intensely in genuine shock, his mouth was falling slightly open. This salary was actually even higher than his current income at the Ministry, significantly higher, in fact and this was supposedly the minimum standard here!
Percy's startled, almost comical expression satisfied Sirius greatly. He grinned and patted Percy's shoulder in a chummy gesture, then gently pushed him up the office building's steps.
"Come on, let's get moving. I bet Remus is absolutely starving by now."
"Oh, wait—doesn't this place have somewhere to eat? A canteen or something?"
Still reeling from shock, trying to process the salary information, Percy unconsciously said his lingering confusion from earlier.
"Why does Remus need you to personally bring him dinner if there are hundreds of workers here?"
"Oh—well—"
A trace of awkwardness crossed Sirius's face, his composure slipped slightly. He coughed twice, clearing his throat unnecessarily.
"Ahem... You know, Remus has been living with me at Grimmauld Place all along. We're... roommates. Um... he's gotten quite used to Kreacher's cooking over the months."
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