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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
- 119
- 120
- 121
[Note: conversation =: “speech” & ‘thoughts’ & *telepathy* & #Parseltongue# & {telephone}]
~~~ DANCING ~~~
D&H spent the rest of Friday messing around in the boat with the other two couples and then retired to their room at the cottage.
On Saturday morning they were woken up by Otto.
“Schwartzmeisters wake up, you’re oversleeping.”
Draco rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, stretched and glanced at his watch: “No we’re not it’s only half-past seven. Normal time for us to get up and we’re on holiday so we were laying-in.”
“No Drameister it is half-past eight.”
Draco realised Otto’s mistake: “Your clocks are set an hour earlier than ours here, Otto. It takes sunrise that much time to reach here.”
“If you say so, Drameister, I shall alter the clocks.”
“No Otto, please don’t, just remember that once you arrive in Britain we are an hour behind. Now, what was so urgent?”
“Mistress Duchessa wishes you and Harmeister to accompany her to the Synagogue at ten, our time. There is a special service.”
“I thought she was a Christian?” said Harry pulling a sleepy face.
“Yes, Harmeister, she is, but this is a special annual meeting. It is not only for those of the Jewish faith. She especially wants you to be there.”
“I expect she wants to show off The-saviour-of-the-wizarding-world, Harry.”
“One of those meetings eh? Well, I suppose, we’d better not let her down. What kind of clothes do you advise, Otto?”
“Nothing too flamboyant, Harmeister.”
“Fine, normal church festival type; that okay with you Draco.”
“Yes! Otto, please tell your mistress that we’ll be there at half-past nine, your time. Now scoot so we can get prepared.”
One of the Corps brought in orange juice and bacon butties for the Blakes to eat whilst they showered and dressed, followed by coffee and a croissant. They did not feel too rushed when they ported to the Grunrasenhof and met Grandmamma.
###
When asked why, the Duchessa replied: “Enough to say that your grandparents, Harry, and my late husband were very helpful in hiding refugees during the Second World War,” she saw Draco looking baffled: “The one in which Dumbledore defeated Grindlewald, Draco. I will explain more afterwards, boys. Now come along we cannot appear rushed and it’s a good ten minutes’ walk.”
“Could we not apparate, Grandmamma?”
“No Draco, not into a very busy street, and this is the nearest thaumic establishment.”
“I understand. Who else is going?”
“No one you will have met, Draco. There will be a few magely families there, mostly Jewish in origin. I have arranged for Amos to translate for you. What is not in their native language will be in Austrian German. I’ve been to these ceremonies before and can understand most of the formal Hebrew that they use.”
Grandmamma did not rush, greeting various muggles as they walked, and introducing her pseudo-grandchildren. They learned that ‘Gruß Gott’ was the normal greeting.
“What does that ‘angeshen frau’ that they call you, mean Grandmamma?”
“It is ‘angesehenen frau’ Harry, respected lady, is about the English equivalent. It’s mainly because I’m ancient and reasonably well known, not much else. Ah, here we are.”
“It looks like the entrance to an apartment block, Grandmamma.”
“It’s a form of muggle glamour, Draco. When it was built, only churches were allowed to be seen. However, it is very elegant inside.”
There was quite a fuss when the Duchessa appeared at the Stadttempel, and a lot more greetings. They were polite to Draco and made a little more of Harry.
In a break Harry whispered: “What does ‘enkel’ mean?”
“Grandson,” the Duchessa whispered back and then greeted another dignitary. Next, Amos was introduced and the Duchessa went off with the ladies.
Having passed through the greeting party they entered an oval church-like space. It was lit by an oval skylight and there were twelve pillars, which the mages supposed represented the twelve tribes, supporting the balconies.
“That is correct, I see you know something of the Torah.”
“Yes, our church calls it the Old Testament, but I believe they are very much akin. Please explain the tapestry with what I suppose is a golden Hebrew letter on it.”
“That covers the Ark, where the scriptures are kept. Later on the Rabbi will read from them. Now if you would sit here, your Grandmamma is directly above on the ladies’ balcony.”
They sat in silence for a time whilst other people took their places. Various people rose and gave short addresses/readings there was a reading from what D&H knew as psalm sixty-one. There were intoned prayers and then the leader started a sermon. During this he kept pointing out people and, as they briefly stood, acknowledging them with an inclination of the head. And then he said something and looked directly at Harry.
“He says that your Grandfather has been their shelter and strong tower,” Amos translated: “I suggest you stand and acknowledge the reference.”
Harry did so, and there was some polite applause. When he sat the sermon continued whilst Harry puzzled what it could mean, not wanting to interrupt Amos’s translation. The service ended and their party was ushered towards the exit where they joined Grandmamma. She arranged them one on each side of her and an informal procession followed on behind. There were people wearing chains of office and others in what were obviously special robes. The parade drew quite an amount of attention and some applause, plus the popping of photographers’ flashes.
Grandmamma led them into her abode and upstairs into the ballroom. This was now set out informally with chairs and tables in groups. There was a long trestle table set out with crisp linen and on it was an enormous array of food, all carefully labelled so as to inform the guests of the ingredients and methods of preparation. D&H were left with Amos again because the Duchessa was ‘mingling’. All Harry and Draco could do was nod and smile at the greetings they were receiving.
Draco found an alcove and manoeuvred them into it. “Alright Amos, tell us what this is about.”
“Did the Duchessa not inform you?”
“No, her Hauptdiener woke us up and said we should be present.”
“Ah … Now I understand … Well … It has to do with Herr Potter and his wife. Your grandmother and grandfather, Harry. They were instrumental in removing many Viennese Jews from the destructive clutches of the Gestapo. Every year at about this time we have a service of gratitude and all the civic dignitaries attend, from whatever religion. There is the Lutheran pastor, and over there some of our Muslim friends; they were persecuted too. Most of the locals adhere to the Roman church, but we support each other now, in this irreligious age.”
Draco looked puzzled: “Hmm … Who were the Gestapo?”
It was Amos turn to look puzzled. Harry knew about things muggle: “A very nasty secret police during the war we were talking about a couple of days ago, Draco;” *Dumbles and Grindlewald*, “They were trying to exterminate all the Jewish Europeans by herding them into barn like structures and gassing them;” *More painful than Avada*. “So many right thinking people tried to help them escape.”
*Got the idea, thanks*. “So Amos, you’re saying that Harry’s grandparents were heroes.”
“They worked miracles, Draco. No one is sure how they did it. My parents were among those who were saved, but they won’t tell how. All I know is that they were part of a group that ran to your Grandmamma’s house with the Gestapo on their heels. The agents searched the house and found no-one hiding there, the Duchessa was gracious toward those pigs and opened every cupboard for them to look through, but they found no-one. She was firm with the authorities and they issued an apology to her. From then on they kept a close eye on her house but never again entered it. This is where Harry’s grandparents came to the fore. They had ways of spiriting people into the Grunrasenhof as if by magic and they disappeared safely too. Quite often reappearing in Switzerland or Southern France, going on from there to places of greater safety.
D: *Do you think the vanishing cabinets had anything to do with it*?
“There’s an almost unbelievable story about a group of us rounded up by the gestapo and put on a train. However, your grandpa was with them. When the guards opened up the cattle truck eight hours later there was no-one inside. I believe that kind of incident happened more than once, too. Very mystifying, if you ask the survivors they just shrug and say that they were very lucky to have such friends in the Duchessa and your grandparents. I am afraid that Charlus and Dorea were caught eventually. Although they were tortured to death, they never implicated the Duchessa. Her safe house remained so because there were others like your relations who sent persecuted minorities via that escape route. In our eyes your forbears are great heroes and the Duchessa is the last of them. Does that help?”
Harry looked very solemn: “Yes, thank you, Amos. That explains the nods and courtesies. It looks as though my parents were of the same ilk, they were killed by some nasties too when I was very young; so I know little of my family. I think I must have a long talk with Grandmamma, I’d like to know more about my grandparents, as well.”
D: *Heroism seems to be endemic in your genes. Lover*. “Thanks from me too, Amos. In a way I’m luckier I still have a loving mother. However, my father has turned bad. We’ve managed to remove him from his Austrian base, but not yet capture him, I’m afraid. Harry’s working on it though.”
Amos chuckled: “Good for you Harry, keep up the good work. Now … I think you should go and do what the Duchessa is doing. I’ll translate as before.”
“Fine … We’ll follow on.”
Now he had some idea of his great-grandfather’s exploits Harry could make suitable replies. They met one rabbi and when they shook hands he tingled.
“I see you have your grandfather’s talents Young Men,” he said in quite passable English. He then turned to Amos and said something in German.
“Rabbi Garfunkel says he would be most pleased to act as your interpreter. If you do not mind, I will go and be with my family.”
“Thank you for interpreting for us, it was most kind,” Harry shook hands with Amos.
Draco followed suit: “I know it is quite wearing, I act as our French interpreter occasionally and find it quite difficult.”
“Your Grandmamma can be very forceful sometimes,” replied the rabbi: “She almost ordered Amos to interpret for you. He’s too much of a gentleman not to accede to her wishes, especially when she said you were special guests. Now I understand in what way you are special. He’s not privy to your special talents and has probably told you the story of the empty cattle truck.” The rabbi chuckled: “I imagine you could explain that phenomenon quite easily. Many of the rescued still wear their amulets around their necks.”
He introduced them to a couple of Jewish mages and their families. They had had their parents and/or grandparents killed in the holocaust and knew something of Harry’s involvement in getting rid of Voldemort. More than in Britain our two mages felt a combined unity of purpose to try and make the world a better place to live in.
###
After the extended lunch was over many of the participants wished them goodbye, indicating that they would see them later on in the evening.
D: *Grandmamma’s organised us into something else and not told us*.
H: *Tor did warn us that she was like that, you know*.
D: *Point taken, I believe we are taking tea with her*.
H: *Otto did mention it*.
D: *So we will find out what this entertainment is, I hope*.
H: *Mmm … Me too*.
Before they could tax Grandmamma she told them more about Harry’s grandparents and their involvement in the rescue efforts. Managing to find Harry a picture of them. He recognised them as being some of the shadowy people he had seen in the Mirror of Erised. He cherished it and, later on, fixed it on one of the spare pages of the album that Hagrid had given him.
The Duchessa told them that she expected them to grace her ball, that evening.
“Draco can dance, Grandmamma, I’m hopeless,” Harry objected: “I sat out the Yule Ball at school, you know.”
“You do yourself down, Harry. Think of all those parish dances we’ve enjoyed.”
“I can, we’re all so busy concentrating on the intricacies that we have no time to chat. This kind of ball, I’m supposed to be pleasant to my partner. If I concentrate on her I shall forget what my feet are doing and walk on her toes, or kick her, or fall over.”
Grandmamma burst out laughing and Harry scowled at her.
“I have the remedy Harry. I’m surprised that one of such thaumic powers has not thought of it before.”
“Tell me,” he demanded, not too politely.
“It’s called the ‘Dance-me’ charm, Harry. Did they not teach it you at Hogwarts?”
“No Grandmamma. Minerva had us out one by one making a spectacle of ourselves.”
“And you Draco?”
“I had a dancing teacher. She would beat time with her stick on the floor. When I got things wrong she would sometimes beat time on my bottom, too.”
The Duchessa chuckled: “It should be easier for you Harry; you don’t have to have a wand showing or say the words of the charm. I take it that you can hear the tempo of the music.”
“Yes, Grandmamma.”
“Good, it’s called the Dance-me charm and has the same flourish as Tarantallagra. Only you say: ‘Pedes meos saltaro’ and add ‘tres’ if it’s a waltz ‘duo’ for a march like tune and ‘quattuor’ for one like a polka or tango. In order to start it off you tap your right foot three times in time to the music. That means you can enchant your feet before you ask your partner and only tap your foot when you are ready to start. Thereafter you can chat to her about anything but your feet won’t give you away. Once the music finishes so does the charm. The advantage of the charm is that it affects your partner’s feet as well and you will both appear to be very accomplished ballroom dancers.”
“Why did no-one tell me of this before?” Harry looked daggers at Draco.
“Probably because it was invented in Vienna, Harry,” Grandmamma tempered. “Would you like to try it out?”
Harry had not the heart to refuse and, once they were in the ballroom, whilst Otto played some gramophone records he tried out the charm. Drawn by the music Ginevra and Astoria appeared; not so long afterwards Neville came in, so three couples tried out the charms. Harry did not feel bashful once others were dancing. Because there was plenty of room the charm induced some quite fancy footwork and they floated around the large space like butterflies.
“That was great, Grandmamma, thank you.”
“Yes, I agree with Harry,” said Draco: “Much better than Madam Quickstep’s teaching … Hmm … What happens when the dance floor’s crowded?”
“The charm adapts itself, Draco. When a space appears it will do something showy and then revert to the polite saunter when in a congested area. There is an unseen barrier around each couple that stops any embarrassing collisions.”
“I take it that you didn’t know about the Duchessa Charm, then?” queried Astoria.
“Duchessa … Oh! Congratulations Grandmamma, well invented!” Draco bowed towards her.
“Yes … Very well crafted,” added Harry: “I hope I’ll not make a fool of myself at the ball tonight.”
###
Harry did not make a fool of himself; managing, after casting the charm, to concentrate on charming his dancing partner instead. Afterwards, Grandmamma complimented her two pseudo-grandsons on the way they had entertained her guests and indicated that they were likely to be included in further special occasions at the Grunrasenhof.
Feeling fairly self-satisfied D&H retired to their beds at Chantry Cottage and proceeded to sexually satisfy each other before dropping off to sleep.
~~~ MOVING ~~~
One November Sunday afternoon as they were returning after the usual parish pub lunch they noticed a flurry of activity at Rose Cottage, Washington’s parents old house. On enquiring, Draco was told:
“I am settled in at Woodyates now, I don’t have much use for this house really,” Washington replied: “It holds no memorials of my parents that I wish to keep, those I do I have already transferred to my new home. Horrty suggests that I realise the capital, either as a straight sale, or as a letting to give us a supplement to add to that of the farm’s income. It would probably suit one of your friends, once Dean’s and Seamus’s team have done the place up a bit. The remaining furniture is going to replace some worn out fittings in the Alms Houses, and the clothes etc. are going to a charity collector.”
Harry had one of his promptings: “I think I have the solution for you, Wash. However, I must go and talk to someone first.”
“Okay, Harry, I’ll still clear the place out, but put other arrangements on hold until I hear from you.”
###
Not much later Draco and Harry flooed over to Andromeda’s house for their weekly visit to Teddy.
“Aunt Dromeda, a couple of weeks ago you mentioned your worries about Teddy’s education. We think we have a solution.”
“I do hope so. The Satraps had another go at the wards this week. Not that they got through but they set him off crying. It took a number of hours before he would venture into the garden again, and both of you know how much he likes whizzing round on his toy bicycle. Ideally I think we should move, this place holds quite a few sad memories, but for Teddy’s presence I would brood on them. I think I would like to do what Sissy has done, start a new life in a new place. However, a Number Twelve apartment is not the right environment for a young healthy child. Then there’s his education to think of, next year he’ll be old enough to start his first school … There, I beginning to brood again.”
“How about coming to live next door to us? Rose Cottage has become available; you know the one that Wash’s parents lived in. He wants to sell or let. Teddy’d have much more room to zoom around because we could make all of Chantry Cottage’s grounds available to him. It’d solve his educational needs, because Minerva has come to an agreement with Dolores about primary education for budding mages. Teddy’d be mixing with other Magicals’ children too. Then you could easily visit with Gran at the Mill, because we have a cabinet connection.”
“Yes, she told me about you rescuing her and Griselda from the Satraps.” Andromeda still looked slightly worried.
“You know, Auntie,” Draco suggested: “We could make a temporary loan or buy the house out of the trust’s money. Especially if it were to enhance Teddy’s education. Or, if you want, we could act as guarantors for a bridging loan from Gringotts, whilst you sell this place.”
“I’m not sure any other Magical would want to buy it.”
“Gringotts have some tame muggle agents … Hmm … Eldred and Smith-Jones I think they’re called. They were involved in father selling our Scottish domain to muggles.” Draco chuckled: “However we got the money, not him.”
Andromeda smiled: “I remember you telling me of that incident. Augusta thought it a very good joke too … Well … I think I ought to take up this offer.”
The consequence was that within a couple of months Andromeda and Teddy became the newest parishioners of St Godric’s Church and D&H saw much more of their Cousin/Godson. Teddy developed two new pastimes as an immediate result: getting covered in grass seeds by rolling down the slope at the practice ground and learning to swim properly, not only in the cottage’s pool, but also making friends with the broonies and splashing around with them in their temple pool.
Eldred and Smith-Jones obtained a good muggle price for the quaint country cottage that had been the Tonks’s domicile. It freed Andromeda of the constant worry about making ends meet. What also helped was the fact that she soon became part of the extended family/trust and many of her day to day needs were cared for by the corps of elves and the communal food-supply system. She became involved with Molly and Winky in developing a magical cookery course.
###
The next event was Justin’s Twenty-second birthday dinner and the Saturday afterwards Francis invited a number of interested people to visit his office.
“I must apologise to you all, but proving Samantha Kidson’s will has taken some time. Her husband died some time ago and as far as we can ascertain had no living relatives. Thus any call on the property the Kidsons owned is discounted. Ms Kidson’s antecedents were much better documented. It seems, Harry; that you and she were extremely distantly related and you automatically received the gift of squire’s rights once she was deceased. In fact, her ancestry goes back via a number of squibs as far as Godric Gryffindor and beyond to Ignotius Peverell.”
“What does that actually mean?”
“A few more rents in kind and that you no longer usurp the use of the squire’s pews above saint Godric’s chapel but use them as of right. It also confirms the reverting of derelict properties to the original owner and his heirs as long as they have remained uninhabited for a year and a day. Something that we knew from our earlier researches. As you have vested that right in the trust that means that the trust now owns them. What the trust did not own is Godric’s Grange, the house she lived in. Finding heirs was the main cause for delay, or, I should say, not finding any despite diligent searches and advertising. The house and its grounds are gifted to the trust and there can now be no challenge to that. Her remaining fortune is divided equally between the church and the trust. The churchwardens are charged with using the money in improving the alms houses and the trustees are charged with promoting magical further education and research. The terms suggest, but do not stipulate, that the house be turned into some sort of college attached to Hogwarts and allowing bright NEWT’s holders’ space to increase their knowledge.”
###
The middle Sunday of December had Draco and Harry inspecting the premises and then they discussed their ideas with Minerva. Followed by talks with their close friends and Wizengamot supporters and then by discussions with the various guilds. The end result was the formation of a special section of the trust with the Hogwarts’ governors electing a trustee and the guilds electing another, with a goblin representative plus one from the elves; thus the Godric’s Institute of Further Thaumic Training [GIFTT] came into being. Colloquially it became known as ‘The College’.
###
Christmas followed the same pattern as before but with two extra ‘family guests’ in the shape of Oddball and Alexandrou. This time the Dumbledorians celebrated the New Year twice. Once in Vienna at Grandmamma’s Neujahrbal and again, an hour later, in the company of the parishioners when they enjoyed the WWW firework display at Godric’s Hollow. Just over two weeks later enjoying Astoria’s birthday party.
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Harco Empire