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Harco Empire	By : Toddy Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Draco Views: 34430 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or films. I do not make any money from the writing of this story, just enjoyment.

Chapter List
- 111
- 112
- 113
[Note: conversation =: “speech” & ‘thoughts’ & *telepathy* & #Parseltongue# & {telephone}]
~~~ DRAGONS ~~~
Dean and Seamus celebrated the Irish mage’s twenty-first anniversary in great style on the thirteenth of May, one day earlier than his official birthday. All the Dumbledorians and Milkwood staff, used the portals after church on Sunday. Now that Seamus’s relations had taken over as custodians, Finnegan’s Fortress hosted a ceilidh in his honour.
Dudley and Draco decided to make a big splash but delayed it for over a month until Harry and Neville could celebrate their twenty-firsts. In fact, they started the celebration a few days earlier on Friday the twenty seventh evening. Partying with their friends in the cruck-barn all night and well into the Saturday morning. They were rested sufficiently to celebrate Mary, Martha and Lazarus Day on Sunday with the rest of the congregation at St Godric’s. Monday started their stint as full time aurors for the month of August.
~~~ INVESTIGATION ~~~
Almost immediately, Harry was sent away; investigating some magical happenings near Maes Howe, the Neolithic tomb on Orkney. The Monday following; Kingsley called Draco to his office: “Ah, Draco. Charlie has asked that you come and investigate some mysterious substances that they are finding in proximity to the Dragon Sanctuary. Do you still have your passport?”
“Yes Kingsley, both of us have one for when we apparate to Maison Malfoi for the surfing, or Le Chateau for some cultural happening or other.”
“I’m afraid you don’t have permission to apparate as far as the Sanctuary, Draco. So you’ll be travelling by train. Tomorrow morning the 08.27 from Waterloo will eventually catch the Night train to Bucuresti. You are booked first class and have a single sleeper overnight. Charlie will meet you at Brašov which is the stop but one before the terminus. He’ll apparate you from there. Here are the tickets and a timetable. I’ll tell Harry where you are when he returns.”
Draco sighed: “It’s a good thing I have no potions on the boil isn’t it?”
Kingsley chuckled: “I checked first and with Theodora. She says she has it all in hand.”
“You’ve got me buttoned up, haven’t you? So I’d better not argue, besides I’d like to see the Dragon Sanctuary.”
Tuesday morning had Draco at Waterloo well in time for checking into Eurostar. Promptly at 08.27 the train began to move, within quarter of an hour of departure a pretty hostess was supplying him with the complimentary breakfast and, by the time they left the tunnel in France, Draco was feeling fairly replete. Kingsley had supplied various reports and Draco started to read them, however he was far more interested in the sunlit countryside flowing past the window.
The quarter of an hour for a change at Brussels was ample – down one staircase, peruse the indicator-board and up an escalator to an adjacent platform. Once moving Draco intended to read a few pages before the descent into Liege caught his attention. However, lunch was served as the train moved on. The valley towards the German border was delightful and he noticed the folded rock formations in the escarpment on one side. After the crossover in the forest, Draco applied himself to the reports again, quickly being surprised by the train’s arrival at Köln for his next change. Here he had half an hour to wait and popped outside the station to admire the next door cathedral’s reconstructed gothic architecture.
The next train was quite full, but being first class and having a reserved seat Draco had little worries. Draco set out his reports, but had hardly read a few pages before the scenery through Rhine gorge drew is attention away from them. From Mainz to Stuttgart he managed to concentrate on the reports until the Bavarian Scenery caught his eye pending the creeping dusk hiding it from sight.
At ten-past-nine he alighted at Münich and went for a stroll. Not far from the station he found the Augustinier-Keller; a restaurant which had been the refreshment house of a monastery in the long distant past. It looked interesting so he entered. It was down market to the usual establishment his father used to frequent, but Draco had altered his standards since then. There were long tables seating about eight people; he found a seat at one end of these and awaited the waitress, practicing his minute German vocabulary in the meantime. She arrived and offered him the menu for which he thanked her. The menu was extensive and written in Bavarian German script. Draco puzzled over it not really being able to decipher anything.
The ample-bodied waitress hove in sight and watched Draco’s puzzlement for a few seconds. With a matronly smile she suggested: “Britisher Menu, Mein Herr?”
“Ya danke.”
She produced a menu and he now had something that resembled dishes he recognised, although some of the translations were slightly doubtful. He made his order by pointing and awaited its fulfilment.
Meanwhile a couple had chosen the other end of his table and were perusing the menu with the same baffled incomprehension. Draco heard some remarks between the two and realised that they came from France. In his best French he introduced himself to them and explained that there might be a menu in their own language.
When his meal appeared a few minutes later he asked, “Frankreicher menu, bitte?” of the waitress and indicated the couple.
She smiled and within half a minute had produced the said item; the couple perused it for some minutes and eventually said that they would have whatever Draco had ordered. Thereafter continued a very pleasant period of ‘conversation française’ before Draco had to return to the station for eleven.
Draco’s ‘Kálmán Imre’ cabin was ready waiting with the crisp sheets made up and the various complimentary items on the small table. He quickly undressed and was just about to get into bed when the train moved off. He slept fitfully and longer than normal, but was sufficiently rested by the time his attendant served a continental breakfast in nice time to arrive at Budapest Keleti Station in the mid-morning. Having four hours to wait, Draco bought a day ticket and took a metro and tram ride down to the Danube, crossing the river and climbing up Gellért Hill. The climb gave him some exercise and an appetite for lunch in a café with a delightful view. He spent some time reading the reports and gazing out at the sunlit scene, sipping a few glasses of an excellent Hungarian vintage. More strolling and tram rides had him ready for dinner.
Returning by six o’clock he found the ‘Ister’ train and his private compartment made up with seats. During the evening’s travel he spent more time gazing out of the window and visiting the restaurant car than reading the reports. On returning from a leisurely dinner he found his seats converted into a bed. By now he had the gist of what the reports contained and a plan forming about how to deal with the problem. Just before six in the morning Brašov came into view. An obviously ginger Weasley brother was waiting opposite the carriage and claimed the potions expert quickly. After introductions they went to a quiet alleyway and Charlie side-alonged Draco to the Sanctuary.
~~~ THURSDAY 9^TH ~~~
Having slept well on his second moving bed Draco was fully refreshed and enjoyed sharing breakfast with Charlie and his colleagues.
“Okay, Charlie exactly how big is this dragon range the reports talked about?”
“It covers most of Romania and Bulgaria, Draco; but the bit we’re most worried about is in the southern mountains. Something there is preventing the dragons from eating some of the special trees which form part if their diet. As they are omnivores they need meat as well and if the range is removed more domestic animals will start disappearing. We really cannot have that happening or the Romanian and Bulgarian authorities will start searching for the reason. The area we’re talking about has many wild mountain goats – they are prolific breeders and the Dragons’ natural prey. Unchecked, these goats will start to forage further down the mountains and eventually start eating crops, so the authorities will send out hunters; something again that we really do not want to happen.”
“So why have I, a potions guy, been asked to come?”
“Whatever is causing the dragons to keep away seems to do this by marking the trees with a milky white substance. The problem is that the marks appear only on the Betula-Numviridis trees, which are the Dragons’ special food. Whatever is marking them choose these and the continued marking seems to cause them to eventually wither and die. As yet things aren’t critical, but unless something is not done it soon will be.”
“I see … Do you have any samples for me?”
“Since the last poisonous substances warning came out we felt it would be better to let an expert do the collecting. That’s why we hope you’re here.”
“Hmm … Well … I suppose you’re right. How dangerous is it, where we’re going?”
“Not very, if you’re with us the foraging dragons will recognise us and not attack.”
“What about the beings doing the marking?”
“We haven’t come across any yet. They seem to be as shy as the goats. We make too much noise, or smell wrong, or something. The wild goats keep well away from us whenever we go looking.”
“So how do you know that there are any there?”
“By flying. Like the dragons, who swoop down on their prey, we on our broomsticks can surprise the herds from above.”
“So … My broom-riding skills will be useful as well.”
“That’s what Dad said when he suggested you be asked.”
“So … Ministerial approval … I suppose I can’t refuse … Let’s get on with it then!”
“Firstly you have to meet Theo [here Draco looked alarmed] not your horrible one, but Theodorakis Misikoulu; he knows more about those mountains than the rest of us. He used to be in the Greek Quidditch team, so he’s shit-hot on a broom like you.”
This Theo turned out to be about Harry’s build, but with a swarthy complexion, and piercing black eyes. As they shook hands Theo held on just that little bit longer than Draco expected. There was a glance downwards and then a beaming smile containing many gold teeth. To be fair, Draco had also briefly glanced downwards at the very promising bulge below the new Theo’s belt.
“Mister Draco, how very nice to meet you. I have heard you are a good flyer. Perhaps when we return we can chase a few snitches together … eh?”
Draco replied politely, and wondered whether ‘chasing snitches’ was a code word for other more personal types of exercise; after all, the brunet was quite fanciable.
There were to be four in the expedition, Draco and Theodorakis as leaders and Nick alias Nikolai with Tib [Tiberiu] as their supporters. Draco ensured that he had committed to memory the place from which they would apparate before Theodorakis side-alonged him to the Sanctuary hut in the Rhodhopes Mountains.
~~~ MOUNTAIN CAMP ~~~
On landing Draco found that there was a fairly basic mountain hut of two rooms one for sleeping and one for living in. The hut was situated on a ledge in the mountain and there were bushes on the mountain behind them; some trees flanked the wooden building giving it shade from the hot sun. There was also a gorgeous view south across the mountain ranges. The earth closet was outside as well as a small pool. Draco realised that the pool represented the washing facilities and was dreading taking the plunge. When he did he was pleasantly surprised to find it quite warm.
“It is fed from a thermal spring,” one of his new colleagues informed him.
Once they were bedded in and the two keepers they had relieved returned to base, Draco and Theodorakis went on a short reconnaissance flight. Draco was worried about being seen, but Theodorakis was not.
“No-one ever comes up here, Mister Draco. Those that do, go back with strange tales about flying reptiles.” Theodorakis grinned at Draco: “Nobody believes them, saying that they have the mountain sickness. We encourage those who insist about their visions to have a memory lapse, if you see what I mean.”
Draco recognised the reference to the Oblivators’ work and set about learning the characteristics of the dragon trees [Betula-Numviridis] and the most likely places to find them. He also remembered that Orcas had eaten some when Harry and he had defended Laggen Lodge.
As there were a number of muggle-type tents available Draco borrowed one, cleansed it and set it up as a potions field-laboratory. That took up most of the remaining day whilst Nikolai and Tiberiu were carrying out their normal patrols. In the evening they sat out under the porch to eat their dinner and Draco was tempted to sleep outdoors in the balmy air. The others dissuaded him, saying that there were predatory and unpleasant insects with nocturnal habits. However, they did leave the hut’s windows open, but with heavy mesh screens over them.
~~~ FRIDAY 10^TH EXCURSION ~~~
Early morning and breakfast under the veranda with Nikolai and Tiberiu telling the other two where the trees were that had been marked most recently and where they expected to find the next markings. It was about three-quarters of an hour’s broom-flight before Theodorakis took them down to land. As they landed Draco heard an amount of scampering and assumed that there were goats in the vicinity, however the scrub and canopy negated any possibility of seeing the animals. After the other two had taken off to continue their patrol Draco and Theodorakis sat quietly hoping that whatever was lurking might show itself. After a couple of silent hours watching the birds and insects they decided to go and search with a view to collecting some samples of the marking fluids.
Once inside a grove of nearby dragon trees Draco could see the milky white substance clinging to the trees at about waist height. He also saw some trees that appeared to be rotting away in rings at about the same height. He produced some gloves and some phials; carefully scooping up a dozen or so samples of the fluid. He also collected a number of bark samples from the trees. Some were healthy and apparently un-marked and at the other end of the scale were the stumps of dead trees where the rotten ring had eaten through the trunk. Phials carefully labelled and securely held in his specimen-bag, Draco and Theodorakis flew back to the mountain hut.
With little to do, Theodorakis gave the hut a thorough spring clean. Meanwhile Draco was totally absorbed in his makeshift laboratory, testing the samples. Of course he forgot about lunch, chasing Theodorakis away when reminded. Eventually, as dusk drew in, Draco emerged.
“Well … What’re your ideas?”
“Not entirely sure yet, however the fluid seems to contain some form of animalcule. I suspect that this eats into the tree, or else dies and decomposes into some kind of acid which does much the same thing. Tell me … Do other trees get marked and do they decompose?”
“Not that we’ve noticed. But then we only realised what was happening when the trees started to wither and the dragons started avoiding the areas where the withering had taken hold. I take it that you noticed the slightly musky smell.”
“Yes?”
“Well … We think it puts the dragons off … A bit like those sprays for gardens that keep cats at bay. They’re very sensitive to smell.”
“So something to counteract the smell is needed as well?”
“Mmm … I suppose so … But if the affected trees are poisonous or something, we don’t want our charges eating them, do we?”
“Yes … I can understand that … So once we have identified what the substance is, we need a remedy, a test about toxicity and a balm potion to resuscitate the trees.”
“Yes … And we need to find out what’s causing it in the beginning and eradicate that.”
“If I can produce a spray to counteract the substance would that be a help?”
“Yes. Whatever is doing this seems to move round methodically in something like fortnightly cycles. We could spray the trees in the morning afterwards. That’s why we took you to that place this morning. Tomorrow the marking will be nearer to here.”
“Okay … tomorrow I go on a plant hunt and will afterwards make an antidote spray for you to try.”
The others nodded in affirmation. The party relaxed a little chatting inconsequentially before retiring early to bed.
~~~ SATURDAY 11^TH CAMP ~~~
It took most of the morning for Draco to scramble around and collect the extra fresh plants he needed before he set about brewing. However, he managed to send a birthday owl to Ginevra’ whose twentieth it was; he also remembered lunch, mainly because he had to wait for the experimental potion to cool and settle. Meanwhile Theodorakis had apparated away to collect some bottles and sprays to put the potion in. He returned at much the same time as the potions were ready to be decanted. They managed to spray both the first area that Draco had visited and the one that had been marked the night before.
That evening they worked out a rota that would spray some of the previous areas and the expected new one – that would take two days – some of that time Draco would have to re-brew at least once. He worked out that if he harvested in the late afternoon, he could brew just before dinner and everything would cool overnight ready for decanting and spraying the following morning.
~~~ TUESDAY 14^TH ~~~
It took only a couple of hours for Draco and Theodorakis to spray the recently marked area; after which they sat supping coffee.
“Have you noticed that that musty smell has gone?”
“Yes, but we still don’t know what’s causing it do we?”
“No! I think we’re going to have to risk a stake out soon.”
“Will we see anything in the dark?”
“The moon helps, and it’s getting towards full moon.”
“Okay … When?”
“Tomorrow night, I think. It’ll give us some time to check that the sprays are doing their job properly and have a rest first.”
“Fine … I’ll go and harvest some more plants and make another batch, so’s to keep us ahead.”
“Okay, I’ll report in and see you later,” Theodorakis disapparated.
~~~ DINNER ~~~
“It’s working,” Tiberiu reported: “There are signs that the dragons are grazing the trees and Nick saw what looks like the remains of a couple of fresh kills.”
“I’m beginning to worry about overharvesting the potions plants nearby, so as well as the stake out I shall have to gather further away from the camp.”
“We’ll do the spraying if that will help.”
“Thanks, it’s the furthest one away – that’ll give us time to do things here and then go to the hide.”
~~~ MORNING 15^TH ~~~
Nikolai and Tiberiu went off leaving Draco and Theodorakis in bed. When they arrived back after spraying and patrolling, they found the two rested ones had already gone out. The two patrollers made dinner just as they would have done on any normal day and after some chat went to bed. The following day, not expecting the stake-out two, they went out again to spray the expected new marked site, and continue the patrol. As usual they stayed out all day noticing signs of resurgent dragon activity. They were latish back and were surprised that Draco and Theodorakis were not in camp.
“I expect they’ve decided on another hide site; they took more than enough food with them.”
“Yes … We’ll go out tomorrow and see if they need anything. I notice that Draco had put some more spray out for us to use.”
“I didn’t see any.”
“It was in the shade just inside the tent.”
“Thinks of everything, that guy, doesn’t he? Best place to keep the potion cool, in the shade and in a draught.”
~~~ STAKE OUT ~~~
Draco and Theodorakis spent an almost lazy morning whilst the extra brew was proving. Before they left after lunch, Draco put out two sets of supplies, one under the shade of his lab-tent flap and the other where the two patrollers would find them easily. They chose a dark camouflage tent and set off on their brooms.
Theodorakis knew a place inside the circle of marked sites where a number of game trails passed through a rocky defile. He told Draco that he was eighty percent sure that whatever was doing the marking would have to pass through there. Draco backed his decision and they chose a ledge ten feet above the floor of the defile, where they hoped to observe whatever passed through. Having pitched the tent, they scrambled around cutting occasional camouflage branches to put over the canvas. And then Draco sprayed a disguising potion so that human scent did not alert any animals and scare them away.
A few of the branches were used to form a lookout where each of them could keep watch in turn, the other one would doze inside the tent. They organised themselves into three hour watches; Draco first. It was difficult sitting still for that length of time so Draco started spotting plants. If he used the pad at the correct angle to the moon he could see what he was writing; so he slowly drew a diagram of the plants he could see and where they were situated. He was so absorbed that he jumped when Theodorakis came to relieve him. His mate settled down and Draco went to snooze in the tent. Just after midnight Draco woke, shook himself and went to relieve Theodorakis who retired bleary-eyed to the safety of the tent.
After about an hour whilst Draco was intent on his drawing he heard a rustle; he carefully put down his pad, intending to shake Theodorakis. However, something impinged on his hearing first. It seemed to have an edge of music in it, something just on the brink of a tune. Fascinated, Draco looked round to find where this intriguing sound came from. The more he concentrated; the more alluring the sound became; it seemed to be seeping into his brain. Quite soon his feet began to twitch to the beat, and this slowly spread to his whole body. Without realising it, he had stood up and was jigging around quietly. Those steps imperceptibly led him away from the hide and its sleeping mage. Only when he stubbed his foot of a rock did Draco realise that he had moved away from their encampment.
He shook his head to clear his brain, and opened his mouth to shout a warning to the comatose Theodorakis. All that came out was a crooning song, singing a counterpoint to the melody that was slowly enveloping him in its compelling arms. The magic inside him screamed a negative, but Draco ignored it, unconsciously raising the same kind of barriers that he did when Harry was trying to intrude into his thoughts. By now he was joyfully skipping towards the source of the music anticipating the glorious moment when he met the flute player in person.
Meanwhile, Theodorakis felt disturbed, he thought Draco had left the hide, but then some sort of drowsiness overtook him, its music seemed to whisper that his mate was safe and not to worry, so he sighed contentedly and snuggled back into his sleeping bag.
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