"Yeah, probably," Harry answered absentmindedly. It hadn't been why he had engaged Draco in conversation, and while it was certainly necessary, it wasn't in line with Harry's immediate train of thought, making it hard to even process.<br/>His eyes had already drifted back onto the files, something on his lip he couldn't quite articulate.<br/>Instead, he pushed himself away from the table to stand.<br/>"What I wanted your take on -" Harry said, dismissing Draco's offer in the kindest way available to him. He had already stepped forward to the abstract map on the floor. Not for the first time, Harry missed his wand, resolved to illustrate his point in on two dimensions.<br/>"There aren't really many things to guard," he resumed, instinctively glancing over at Draco in an invitation for him to join him. "It's not really the stuff that's left. We haven't cleared out a private home in years, and safe houses were abandoned too frequently for things to really gather there."<br/>Eyes once again to the floor, Harry gestured towards a seperate few pieces of parchment gathered in a loose pile. "Those are really the cases that fit the bill, because -"<br/>Harry stalled, catching on his own intention. The attempt he had initially made to consider his point before speaking had already escaped him. "I guess we're back to the question of whether it's intentionally slow working or whether its - well, gone bad."<br/>Picking at his hands, Harry once again paused, trying to recall what he had settled on; why those cases in particular had been dismissed, even with that considerarion in mind.<br/>"Those have been removed due to their age. They are all older than five years, and at that point its unlikely to be a watered down remnant of an immediately mortal or harmful curse," he said, with more security. While wards were wards required more upkeep for them to remain stable, cursed objects remaimed active with the intended curse for much longer. "It wouldn't have taken five years to present any adverse symptoms."<br/>Having spoken the argument out loud, Harry remained satisfied with that decision. However -<br/>"These," Harry instead started, a wide gesture made over the bulk body of the parchment, another cluster of about eight photogeraphs of various confiscated objects, "- are where we get to why placement doesn't serve us any good. These objects all appear to be discarded without any consideration, or removed from their place of function by others and tossed, making their<span style="font-style: italic">intended</span>effect virtually impossible to decide. We know what it does<span style="font-style: italic">now</span>but not whether thats as intended fifteen years ago."<br/>Finally, Harry's attention returned onto Draco. Even though he had drifted while speaking, having almost done half a lap around the pile, Harry hadn't lost Draco, eyes immediate finding him. "Are there any of them you recognize?"