"Given his mother and I were both Slytherins, he was unlikely to be anything else," Severus said mildly. He was pleased that his son seemed to be heading for his house, though he wouldn't have objected if the boy had seemed inclined towards being a Ravenclaw.
Severus inclined his head. "He did. He was more interested in the mechanics of the spell and its effects but I presumed he was most interested in the one surrounding Upper Slaughter."
"I do," he said, arching an eyebrow with interest. "I had thought that they were merely the meanderings of a pained mind seeking something else to think about but I see I was wrong."
He leaned back in his chair and listened to what Stephen had to say. "It is not so much the Fidelius that stops magic as the other wards surrounding the town," he said thoughtfully. "I identified some of those while I was living there but I don't know all that Rodolphus has put there. I suspect some are dormant until and unless needed."
He snorted. "Yes, I believe Muggle weapons would go through the wards though I believe there may be an easier way to designate the outer limits of the wards than actually making them go boom as you put it. Doing that will merely alert Rodolphus that something is being planned. This will work far better if we apply a little subtlety."
He tapped a finger on his desk for a moment as he thought through the logistics. He didn't bother asking what Adrian thought of this. If the man's reactions when Stephen had been kidnapped were anything to go by, unhappy would be the least of what Adrian felt.
"Four points equidistant around the perimeter would be sufficient to determine the exact positioning of the wards," he said thoughtfully. "How well does Boot fly? Or would it be better if you took that part? Rather than explosions I would recommend using a thin beam of light to pinpoint the perimeter locations. It would have to be done at night, of course, and I believe I would have to be the one doing the ground part of this. I know Upper Slaughter the best and could more easily make my way around the perimeter without being seen."
It occurred to him that Draco was going to be extremely unhappy with this plan, especially given Faustus' presence in his life, but it was the best available. He wouldn't trust either Stephen or Adrian to do this. It required a subtlety and a knowledge of the town and its surrounds that both lacked. He also had a safe place he could apparate in and out of without being seen. Perhaps he could make a small request of Harry... he did have a most useful cloak after all.
He thought for a moment then grimaced. "It does lack some elegance but that doesn't mean it can't be given some. Targetted bombing would be more effective than simply hoping for the best but leave that with me for the moment. I would need to work out a method that is safe but reliable since I have no intention of being on the ground when it is actually happening."