Marlene frowned. "What sounds wrong? That I pay someone to clean it? I'm sure our former house elves would understand considering the state the house is in. It's not like I've ever cleaned the house before."
She smiled. "Nerds make for the best something. I'm not sure big bad are the words I was looking for... I think giant Teddy bear is more like it."
She chuckled when he went on. "That seems rather strange, doesn't it? I warned her that after I told you, you'd avoid her forever and ever. Her suggestion was that I didn't tell you, but I couldn't spring that on you. I might have shagged her, but you're you. Besides, you're the big bad, right? Everyone is afraid of you, you said. What could she possibly do to you?"
The teasing would have been a lot more fun if her eyes weren't on those perfectly wrapped present, but she was doing her best to keep her mind from going there. When Alastor hugged her, she couldn't pretend anymore. She turned in his arms and hid her face in the crook of his neck. She could fee the tears escape her closed lids while she was fighting to keep her breathing steady, crying while making no sound.
She didn't know how long she held on to him before pulling back. She wiped her cheeks with the hand and then shook her head. "You can't do this for me, but I think I'll hold off on the present opening."
She went around the desk and opened the drawer on the right. She pulled out a sharp letter opener, and then turned around. There were shelves all around, covered in books. She didn't have to think, because she was forty-four years in the future and had been in this room only weeks before. She pulled a book and the shelves slid open to reveal a golden lion similar to the one on the front doors. Marlene used the letter open to cut her palm and pressed it against the lion that came to life, roaring before licking her blood, tasting it and then quieting again, before a door appeared in the all, another lick and the door opened.
"McKinnon blood, willingly given," she said, mostly for Alastor, while she reached into the safe, emptying its content slowly, putting all the papers on the table. "You might want to take them back. Grandpa had files on all the major players, and I'm sure you'll find more than what the Ministry would have on the Death Eaters of the time. You can make copies, but I want the originals back." She didn't need them, but they were her grandfather's. "All right, were are you?" she said as she lit her wand to look inside the safe. Even then, she couldn't find anything. "Never could make things easy, did you, grandpa?" She put away the wand and began feeling up the inside of the safe, reaching every corner. "There you are." Attached to the ceiling, covered with glamours, but still there. Marlene pulled out the key and showed it to Alastor. "Gringotts vault. We're rich." It would have felt much better if the money weren't the result of her family's death, but at least she could restore their home."