Khaat had just begun to breathe perhaps a slight bit easier. She and her father were back at work. Her father was working on securing the safety of England, at least as best they could now. And he had started the rebuilding of the Ministry itself.
Her father had gotten the support of the muggle prime minister, and the wizarding offices were temporarily in unused underground offices left from almost a century ago--from the muggle world wars.
There had been very little attention to detail put into this temporary loan of space, other than just the barest of necessary office equipment. Surely nothing valuable. All of that remained secure, in deep hiding. These offices were merely spaces to conduct business, or at least the barest essentials of it.
She was sure Gideon Pierce had not been entirely forgotten, but she was glad not to be having to think of him for the moment. She was trying to get back into some sort of a routine at St. Mungos and at the Wizengamot.
And then the owl came--a note warning her that Gideon Pierce had been to Spain buying a large quantity of polyjuice. It was an anonymous warning from what appeared to be an ally.
She handed the note to Marcus Belby. He read it and sighed.
"Well, that will make things just bloody difficult, won't it?" he said sarcastically.
"Impossible," she said. "He could be anyone and could be anywhere. I had hoped we'd be done with him for awhile longer. I don't even know how to stay safe from something like that."
"The same way you always do," he said. "At least for now. You don't even know if the intelligence is reliable. You need to know who sent it."
"How do you suggest I do that?"
"Well, perhaps its time you became visible again," he said. "Approachable. Maybe someone will contact you."
"Go out? I haven't been out in...well, forever."
"Exactly the point. No one sees you anymore. Perhaps you put yourself out where..."
"Where Pierce can find me," she scowled.
"No," he frowned. "You let me do my job. What do you say? Shall we go out? Let's call it early Christmas shopping or something."
"Can't we just call it tea?" she asked.
"I suppose," he shrugged. He picked up her cloak and draped it over her shoulders. "Sparks, then?"
"Fine," she said. He took her to Diagon Alley and they casually made their way through the crowded street to Sparks, went inside, found a table by the front window, and ordered tea.
by 
