Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

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
- 126
- 127
- 128
[Note: conversation =: “speech” & ‘thoughts’ & *telepathy* & #Parseltongue# & {telephone}]
~~~ AFTERMATH ~~~
After the fracas in Venice Lucius made himself scarce again. There was a suspicion that he had overheard Tracey’s advice, because a number of unexplained minor robberies took place in the British Isles. With magical insight, however, most of them were explainable: but, for various unexplained political reasons, the latest muggle Prime Minister had declined the help that Arthur offered in solving the cases.
The magnificent silver-gilt dinner service was returned to the Blakes. Narcissa was most put out when her sons suggested putting it in the Gringotts Museum and waged a one-woman war of attrition on them. Tiring of her nagging the two mages gave in and the service was restored to the grand display dresser in the Sala-da-Pranza. The Matriarch did give in to the boys importuning by ensuring that the best sticking charm was given to each displayed platter.
###
The weekend after Justin’s Birthday the forecast was good. The sun was shining and made the suntrap at the chalet very pleasant so a number of the mothers were having a weekend together there, Narcissa was present as well as Molly and Petunia; both of whom felt a proprietorial responsibility for Harry. A number of stories were being retold about their magely offspring’s antics whilst young. Petunia related her side of the ‘Dementors in the underpass’ story; saying how worried she had become later because of the odd characters who wandered around looking at the house in Privet Drive.
The revelation of Petunia’s fears rang a bell with Molly: “There are a number of unsavoury looking characters ambling around Ottery St Catchpole nowadays.”
“Could it be because they know the Minister’s house is in the vicinity, but hidden by an occlusion?”
“Quite possibly, Sissy; I hadn’t really thought about it that way before. Still … We do have the best wards possible and Arthur always uses the portals … so I shouldn’t really need to worry.”
“Aren’t you afraid about being attacked when you go out shopping?”
Molly chuckled ruefully: “As the Minister’s wife, I always have an Auror escort; they’re very good at holding bags and parcels for me.”
The ladies giggled and the conversation idled off on to other subjects.
~~~ ROADS ~~~
At Godric's Hollow, there were intimations of more isolation to come, because the County Council was considering a bypass for Great Grumblewell. The market town was based on the old mediaeval ground plan and had accrued various edifices since then, in a haphazard building pattern. The result was charming, but the narrow roads caused the traffic to build up. One solution was to have bulldozed a dozen or so listed historical buildings, but the local civic committee and English Heritage raised such an outcry that that plan was shelved.
On the other side of Godric’s Hollow was Goldover Hill where a number of fatal accidents had happened on the steep and twisting road; this also exercised the planners’ minds. An arrangement was formulated to re-route the main road away from both urban areas along the foot of the fells, instead of over them, as at present. They planned to close Goldover Hill to all but pedestrians; thus turning Godric’s Hollow into a cul-de-sac.
Originally, some years ago, Richard and the shopkeepers had objected to the plan because it would take away passing trade, but now, with the coming of the annex, the budding college and the mages, the village economy was picking up and specialising. Thus, catering for the new residents’ needs became an increasing priority. The result was that their objections were withdrawn and a number of surveys commissioned by the County Council. Then, like so many labyrinthine institutions, the flurry of activity ceased whilst planning applications and monetary support were sought from the various governmental departments.
However, spring of this year had seen renewed hope for the completion of the project. Unfortunately, it was as a result of some further deaths on Goldover Hill during a cold spell during February. Almost mirroring the incident when Washington’s Parents had been killed when returning home. Because his father had been well regarded in county circles this added impetus and urgency to the bypass arrangements. So by the end of March contractors had started the preparation work.
~~~ PERSONNEL ~~~
After various skirmishes with the satraps there were very few unscathed members of the Order of the Phoenix left, some of them wished to retire and some, including Kreacher and Percy, merged with the Dumbledorians, making Harry and Draco joint chairmen. They heard from prison that Mundungus had intimated that he was all for becoming a member but the idea was vetoed by everyone and he was castigated in-abstentia, yet again, for causing Mad-eye’s death. There were a few seniors whom the Dumbledorians wished to have as advisors so a category of Dumbledorian Praetors was made. This group included Minerva, the two Weasley parents and Kingsley. As well as that, each set of sixth and seventh-year students was scoured for likely additional ordinary members with the result that Ganymede, Probert and Selwyn became the first Goblin Dumbledorians.
Mackenzie had been voted onto the Praetor’s Roll and, with others of that rank, enjoyed the quieter surroundings of Le Chateau des Sorciers; although that party were quite often seen taking afternoon tea on the Chalet terrace overlooking Lake Geneva.
The work on the Grumblewell bypass was taking longer than expected because a number of archaeological sites were unearthed by the preliminary clearance of the ground. During the autumnal months on a fine day it became a weekend village pastime to wander along the Pastures Way and view the slow, painstaking excavations taking place and to eavesdrop on the arguments between the deliberate head of ancient artefacts and the impatient modern drainage engineer. His other project was to ensure the village sewage outfall was brought up-to-date. The old one was on the route of the bypass so a new one was built at the confluence of the river and the Pastures Beck. It also entailed the re-routing of the pastures footpath and moving the plank bridge.
The new works took place just outside the parish boundaries and there were to be well over a thousand by-pass screening trees to be planted that autumn. John, using his clerical influence, managed to get the landscape people to agree that each tree should be properly dedicated to a member of a village family either living or dead. The number of trees far outstripped the number of residents so Madeline became involved and found enough students and ex-students who wished to have dedicated trees. The result was that the practical group’s trainees became involved in plaque making.
~~~ BRRR ~~~
A cold snap just before Christmas had had winds as well as snow and had brought down the power lines yet again; snapping some of the rotting poles in the process. It was a blessing in disguise for the Hollow’s residents, because it spurred Michael Miller to start generating and, before the electricity company had started to think about re-erecting the pole-route, the whole village was connected to the mill’s supply. As the practical team had also fitted a waterwheel on the end of the barn, that spurred them to purchase their promised generator. The roads were impassable for over a week; so a multiple Mobilliapparatus from the snowbound lorry had the machine transported and fitted into position. The driver was given a false memory of having delivered it and had become snowbound on his return. With the two local generators now available, one could be switched out for maintenance in periods of low electrical demand, whilst the other maintained the supply. This green solution pleased Luna and her adherents no end.
To say that the electricity company was miffed was an understatement, but Francis found a flaw in their by-leave contract for the original pole-route and the company decided that it was not worth all the legal hassle and cost in order to re-connect the village; especially when every household wrote a letter of complaint to the company asking for their money to be returned and quoting not only the present time of disconnection, but all the instances of failed supply during the past seven years. It was Francis who had advised on the correct wording of the demands, so that it implied a threat of legal action for recompense and damages without exactly saying so. What added to the electricity company’s decision, was the problem of crossing the new elevated by-pass by high pylons.
###
The cold weather continued throughout Christmas and so a White Christmas was celebrated at Godric’s Hollow. Of course the more athletic members used the winter sports facilities that were available around Chalet Cadmus and the Schwartzberg as well. Despite the snow on the ground, the two Blakes and their close friends managed to be athletic in another way too. The water in the basin at the chalet never seemed to freeze over, so they were tempted to swim at least once. It must be said that certain Lymnads and their underwater charms had quite a lot to do with it, though. 2003’s New Year and Fireworks were as usual.
From the start of the next term at the academy Draco and Harry would only be taking the seventh years for some lessons – Pullet and Phealey being quite capable of covering the whole syllabus, but there were not quite enough periods in a week for just one professor to truly cover the syllabus of every student in each year in both Potions and DADA. Especially as Blaise was now concentrating on his apothecary business.
###
That same winter saw Harry and Draco attending an important Wizengamot meeting, it was called whilst the Country was still in the grip of snowstorms. It was a good thing that the Burrow was connected via the portals because it was completely cut off for nearly a fortnight.   It enabled a food supply to be taken in when Molly started to run out of certain basic provisions. Arthur along with the Dumbledorian contingent arrived at the Wizengamot just in time to vote against a motion, formulated by the ultra-conservative contingent, which would have frustrated the increasingly good relationships between the various magical races. To try and hold up the proceedings Minerva had instigated, with Filius’s help, a filibuster speech, telling a long and complicated story about Hogwarts teachers and their shared responsibilities. By the time the members realised what she was doing and she was being shouted down, the relief party had arrived on the benches.
That incident added to the celebrations of Astoria’s birthday celebrations on the 18^th. Thanks to a thaw all her guests were able to attend, although the village still resembled a winter wonderland.
###
One day in late February, when John was instructing the choir boys Peter stated: “I didn’t know our Godric Gryffindor was a saint.”
“No he isn’t, why do you ask?”
“Well … the church is dedicated to Saint Godric, and I supposed that it was because of him.”
“I think you’ll find, Dear Boy, that our Godric was a hermit living somewhere near Durham. He was a very wise man and legend has it that important people would rely on his counsel. Maybe your Godric was named after him.”
“Oh yes … what a good idea.”
That month Hamish and Dolores [the organist – not the nasty one] formed a partnership based on their love of music. There was no formal arrangement, but in time, when one was asked to a meeting, party, etc. the other one was assumed to accompany them.
~~~ MILKWOOD ~~~
At the Annex the bottom pool had been drained over the winter months and the practical team had checked the supporting walls and lined it with tiles. As the result of two bequests – one muggle and one magical, two parishioners had each left a legacy resulting in a glazed roof being purchased and erected over the pool. Thus the Academy and the Church School had excellent swimming facilities in the quarter-size Olympic Pool. Certain weekday evenings the adult parishioners also had access. Saturdays were aimed at families who wanted to have fun with their small children. Sundays were cleaning days; left to drain whilst the church service was on and cleaned after the parish lunch. As it was a public bath there were stringent muggle hygiene rules to be followed. In contrast, the pool at the cottage was kept pure by magical means: it was kept private and was available to the Dumbledorians always.
####
Now that the portal system was established Harry and Draco spent more of their leisure time at The Schwartzberg for snow sports; with Guéthary and Lac Léman for water-sports, as did many other of their friends. The older family members and praetors tended to prefer the Scillies, the Palazzo and the Grunrasenhof.
~~~ VILLAGE ~~~
Slowly, as incomers moved away, or the older residents died, more and more magical families bought houses in the village; especially those who were in the Society or their relations. Occasionally when no mage wanted to buy, the Blakes would do so, renting them out to suitable families or groups of college students. Some of the larger houses were divided into undergraduate flats as well. These scholars were those who might have studied further at university if they had been muggles. Thus Hermione’s extramural department of Hogwarts came into its own, using rooms in Samantha’s old house, Godric’s Grange, for their studies with various ad hoc tutors.
A few weeks after her outing to the chalet Samantha had died naturally at the age of ninety-two and, as we know, having no heirs, had left her estate to the Blakes Educational Trust for further education purposes. One of the surprises was that her maiden name was Peverell and after various searches Hermione linked her via squibs to the three brothers.
Harry felt slightly peeved at being landed with yet another building, but Draco and Hermione soon soothed his ruffled feathers, saying that Gran as Chancellor would help with the administration. Gringotts found a few bursaries for impoverished applicants as did some of the wealthier magical families. The result was that Godric’s Institute for Further Thaumatic Studies [GIFTS] became, in effect, the first magical university in the British Isles.
Because Samantha had been a Churchwarden there had to be an election at the Parish Annual Meeting. Technically the two churchwardens, Secretary and Treasurer were elected each year. However, in practice, each person, once voted in, held the position until they resigned. A number of Dumbledorians wanted Harry and Draco to stand but they refused not wanting to pit mages against muggles. A happy compromise was reached and Petunia was elected.
Another set of appointments followed on. Samantha had been a Justice of the Peace and her demise caused a vacancy to occur. John was approached to see if there were any likely candidates for the Lord Chancellor to consider. Naturally he pounced on Harry.
“No John, I want to take on no more responsibilities like that, thank you,” Harry replied: “Anyway why did you ask me?”
“Because you are a major landowner in this area and are level headed as far as justice and equality are concerned.”
“How about another Dumbledorian, say Hannah, she’s our designated helper at school and sees fair play between young muggles and junior mages”
“I’d support Hannah too,” interposed Draco: “She has developed a commanding presence, something you need as a J.P. She also gets on well with Dan. Recently she has gained her Muggle qualifications and helps out with the teaching at school; we ought to consider Dolores, she’s another level headed person and with Hannah’s teaching help could have time to spread her wings a little.”
“Okay, as you recommend so I will pass on their names. You know, J.P’s have quite a bit of influence in the area, it would be good to have a mage in such a position and a black woman too. But I had to ask the Lord of the Manor first.”
That received a very scathing but jocular reply from Lord Blake.
Some few months later the Dumbledorians all went to witness Dolores’s and Hannah’s swearing-in ceremony.
###
About the same time that Augusta was establishing herself as Chancellor, Annabel and Kevin Entwhistle’s home was menaced. Not by satraps but by muggles. Like many old magely family homes, it was untraceable by normal methods, showing up on ordnance survey maps as open country with ruins. The muggles chose that bit of countryside as a route for a new motorway. The Blakes called a conference to see what could be done. Hermione came up with an idea to move the house, quoting various examples of muggles doing so using frames and rollers.
From that idea came a proposition to magically move the house and, as an addition, to move the adjacent glasshouses with their collection of rare and delicate plants. The next problem was where to put it. David the farmer was approached and he agreed to sell a suitable plot, which adjoined Harry’s wood. As an experiment the glasshouses were moved first. Wrapped in a thaumic envelope with Harry, Draco and another dozen Dumbledorians helping. A combined Mobilliapparatus was successful in transferring them. The house required all the Dumbledorians plus Minerva and Filius to move it. Once settled in, Seamus and Dean’s squad connected the house to the various drains and water-mains etc. Hortulanus made an agreement with the Entwhistles that his students could also help with the cultivation.
It worked well for the magical community at large, because the muggles did not become aware of magical residences, just finding the ruins that were on their maps. Their bulldozers and levelling machines went through the former Entwhistle farming estate and Francis was able to negotiate some recompense on behalf of the former owners.
Annabel and her parents were herbologists, with Kevin not quite as enthusiastic. They had been supplying the apothecaries in Knockturn Alley from their previous estate, but the disruption helped them to disentangle themselves from the shady operators. They were very pleased when Blaise and Gilda offered them a supply contract. It helped the Zabini Apothecary shop too, because the demands of their growing clientele were almost outstripping the availability of supplies.
~~~ EASTER ~~~
For once Ronald’s Birthday celebrations and the Easter holidays were not spoiled by a Seignior incident. When Sybil and Luna informed the Dumbledorians that there would be trouble instead during the summer holidays, Tracey had pooh-poohed the idea and Michael had shrugged noncommittally. The result was that Ginevra and Astoria persuaded Harry and Draco to be careful. One or other of the girls decided to be their unofficial guardian whenever they were off-duty if their partner was not around. Harry did not mind too much, they were friends after all; Draco, like Michael, just shrugged his shoulders. As Harry pointed out, when Draco mumble-grumbled, the arrangement also stoked their joint smoke screen. This became very pertinent when the Prophet carried scurrilous headlines about two older Aurors, who had been partners at work for a long time.
All sorts of innuendos were made plus pictures of them holding hands and supposedly kissing. Eventually the fuss in the Wizengamot forced them to retire early. Minerva was incensed by the reactionary actions of the ‘fuddy-duddy members’ and, because Filch was about to be pensioned off, hired the two to become caretaker-protectors.
There was more fuss but, when challenged in open court, none of the protesters could actually prove that the appointees were a risk to the youngsters they would be guarding, or that they would not be efficient at their job. The enlightened school governors backed their headmistress and as a result there were a number of stormy Wizengamot meetings. Only two Slytherin students were withdrawn by their protesting parents. They returned one term later; once the fuss and need for political niceties had died down. The Quibbler, as they had before, supported the school’s stand; reminding their readers that they were trying to integrate all magical people into their already minority society; not castigate them. 'That way only led to another dark lord and further warfare'; the newspaper pointed out.
Because of the fuss, the make-up of the Wizengamot was called into question and a very long lasting debate started about having an elected house, instead of the present archaic way of appointing people as representatives from various enclosed groups, ancient families, and/or outstanding members of the community such as Harry. Like many nine-day-wonders the debate fizzled out when Rita wrote some more prurient revelations in the Prophet, but it chuntered on beneath the surface of magical life for many years.
When he retired at the end of the school year, and with a little persuasion, Argus came to live with his son and daughter-in-law at the station in Godric’s Hollow.
~~~ IRISH ~~~
One Saturday evening a number of Dumbledorians were sitting around discussing various aspects of the previous Wizengamot meeting.
“Seamus, why did Dónall Malone have that special dispensation?”
“He’s from the south, Harry.”
“I thought you were.”
“No, I’m from Ulster. The very southern tip, I admit, but still owing allegiance ter Her Majesty. Our Fortress was one of the border posts during the troubles. It had been that at least since King Billy’s day. Rodger’s dad’s family comes from near Kilmallock and can trace its origins ter a pre-Christian Celtic heritage. At some time, they intermarried with the Fitzgeralds and can trace connections with the Frankish Gaels as well.”
“More of this pure-blood baloney, I suppose.”
“Careful, Harry, Draco’s looking daggers at you.”
Harry made a rude gesture at his lover.
“You are part of that system now, Mr Potter. So don’t knock it too hard. After all, you can trace your ancestry to pre-Christian times too. To put it in context the Wizengamot has a Celtic foundation. In days long past it had a stabilising effect on the warring petty-kings; both here and over the water. So when partition came the Irish mages still respected the old traditions. Thus our Wizengamot, although it meets in London, is still the main magical authority for the whole of the British Isles. When the muggles decided to separate we had to do something about inter-governmental relations. Thus Dónall Malone became the Cainteoir to the Irish President, very much the same position that Arthur holds with our Prime Minister. Although in his case the Malone family holds the position in perpetuity.”
“I see, so that’s why he was so worried about the President’s safety.”
“It’s more than that Harry. He’s worried about the safety of all the southern Irish mages too. Now we’ve ousted Lucy from Wales. He fears that my father might set up his headquarters somewhere in the remote southwest of Ireland”
“For safety’s sake,” Seamus put in: “The students all meet at his house and come en-bloc ter the Fortress, don’t yer know; then they use the public portals ter gain Hogwarts.”
“Um … Would it be an idea to offer him a public portal connection via your Fortress, Seamus? Then he could ensure the safety of the young ones and contact us easily via the daffodils. The Spring Equinox will soon be here and we haven’t yet decided where the next portal should be located.”
“It might be politic if you offer it to him, Harry,” suggested Astoria: “It would be good to have the Irish mages on the side of reforms. One or two of them are quite hidebound. Not Seneschal Malone, I grant you, but some from the far south-west.”
Following the Wizengamot’s Easter recess meeting Seneschal Malone and some of his supporters were asked to dinner at Number Twelve on the Tuesday after Easter, with Narcissa and Astoria acting as hostesses for the meal. Afterwards the party retired to the tapestry room and Harry was inveigled to show off his family tree, which by now, had started to creep along the ceiling because of its ancient roots being revealed. There was also an ancestor who had married into the Fitzgerald family.
“That was about the same time that the magical gene showed up,” mused Dónall: “Maybe we owe your family our thaumic talents.”
*He’s given you an opening*, urged Draco.
*Um … Yes*. “A bit ago we found we had the same type of connections to the McLaggen family in the Scillies. They felt isolated so we made an arrangement to come to their aid. Perhaps we could do the same for you?”
“Family, you say! Erm … Well now … We have an unofficial connection between our families already. We used the vanishing cabinets to connect the various magely families together. We call it the honeycomb, although it has whiskers on it to reach the outlying islands.   Basically they’re the ones in my constituency because, like you, we can trace common ancestors. Note that I say ancestors in the plural, like your tree, it’s difficult to prove that say,” here Dónall pointed to the tapestry: “Lysandra Yaxley and Meliana McMillan are related except by some tortuous means through the Blacks.”
“So if we could offer a public portal to your demesne that would be helpful, yes?”
“Please? Our school party was attacked coming home at Easter. I think the satraps though we were just a small family party, but twenty-one families travelling together was a little more than they could handle. Our Rodger had taught us some of your new defences, they proved very effective. So much so that we suffered a few singes and the aurors took away three comatose satraps. Some of the young ones were slightly traumatised by the battle, thinking that Voldemort was on the rampage again. We quietened their fears, but it would be much better to travel secretly. If that were possible?”
“Because the travel thaums are strongest at the magical equinox we could make your portal then, if that’s fine by you?”
“That seems very acceptable, thank you. Because Easter and Beltane are so close there is no immediate returning to school, therefore the new arrangements would be in place for us taking the children back to Hogwarts. Erm …” Dónall adopted a quiet whisper: “Well now … You know I’m a Watch Committee member don’t you?”
“Yes?” Harry replied, sotto voce.
“Well now … I know about our connection to Huskier Island and that you and your fellow officers use a vanishing cabinet to Longbottom Mill …”
Harry chuckled quietly: “… Yes, of course you could use it.”
“Thank you. To put your mind at rest I am aware of its restricted use and knowledge.”
“As a senior member of the Watch Committee I expected that you had a high security clearance.”
“Some of them don’t, you know.”
“I’m not surprised, knowing the fuss they caused about mine and Draco’s promotions.”
“Exactly so!” Dónall tapped the side of his nose and winked conspiratorially.
At midnight-thirty on Thursday 1^st May 2003 Draco and Harry ported to the Fortress, with two WWW-made cabinets miniaturised within stasis boxes. By arrangement with Dónall, Harry flooed from there to the Fitzgerald Rath. There he set up the Portal and he and Draco initialised it with a standing stones motif. Draco came through, just to prove that it worked.
"Thank you for testing it,” Dónall said: “Meet my wife Geraldine, and a close friend Niall O’Driscoll. You already know my son Rodger and my daughter Sinead started at Hogwarts last year.”
Our pair shook hands and murmured the usual pleasantries. Draco then handed Dónall and Niall through to the Fortress. Explaining, as he did so, about the initial need to hand people through whom they trusted. As a sign of courtesy Dónall offered them the hospitality of his Rath for their May Day celebrations. Not being sure of his attitude about them sleeping together they accepted his offer but said that they preferred to sleep in their own familiar surroundings. He gave them a secretive smile and accepted their excuse with good grace.
Draco and Harry woke early and ported through to the Fitzgerald Rath for the promised Irish breakfast. And what a breakfast it was too. They started with porridge and then the Malone elves brought in two enormous platters. Draco thought for a moment that they were open dishes to choose from. Not so, when he looked around he saw everyone had the same platter in front of them. Two of everything: liver and bacon rashers, sausages of two kinds, black and white pudding slices, fried eggs, fried bread, potato cakes, baked beans, hot tomatoes and a large spoonful of sautéed mushrooms. All accompanied by a large mug of strong tea and some soda bread.
H: *I thought the Hogwarts breakfasts were large, but this is enormous*.
D: *I think we’re expected to take our time, Lover. I’ve detected a keep-hot charm on my platter. Watch the others, they’re acting casual, not like Ron or Vince used to, shoving everything down at a fast rate*.
Despite the leisurely meal, Harry felt bloated by the end of it. The mages were shown around the Rath. Instead of being one large high building the rooms were situated in single storied buildings arranged in a ring with a continuous inner corridor on the inside, resembling a circular cloister. There was a break where the entrance was; being enclosed by a high gate.
“In days long gone,” Rodger, their guide, informed them: “There was a lake surrounding our Rath and where the causeway is, was a wooden zigzag bridge. However, in more peaceful times my ancestors drained the lake and created kitchen gardens there. As you see, inside the Rath, the flower beds are confined to the edge of the close, and the grass there will soon grow back after these bonfires have burnt out.”
Invited to light the fires, Harry was given some tinder, a small log and a stick. It seemed that that part of the ceremony was to use the ancient frictional way of raising fire. He cheated slightly when it became too difficult and cast a small ‘Inflamarae’ not that anyone noticed bar Draco.
D: *I was just about to do that to help you*.
The flaming tinder was divided in two and the two bonfires lit from each piece. The first half of the ceremony finished with everyone taking a candle and lighting it from the bonfires. Within the close but outside the great hall of the Rath, there was a hawthorn bush in flower. Not that the flowers could be seen that well, because the bush had been decorated with many coloured ribbons. Once lit, each person took their candle with them and circled round the bush three times before they went to the various assigned rooms. Despite not sleeping in the Rath, our two mages had been assigned a guest room. So, being conducted by Rodger, they took their candles and, after having lit the firewood set in their hearth from them, walked towards the window. On the window ledge was a wide vase containing various yellow spring flowers. In its centre there were two places set to display the lighted candles.
Having placed their candle, they next had to ritually wash in the bowl of cold water before stepping out into the enclosure again.
There was an assortment of domestic animals arriving there and they were ceremonially led between the two fires. Draco reckoned that there must have been some calming charms cast on some of the more spirited creatures. Rodger explained that object of the new fire ceremony was to increase the fertility of the farm animals, and that the ashes from the fires would be scattered over the fields that had been newly planted this year.
The ceremony took most of the day without any real break, except to drink from the large earthenware friendship cup that was passed round. Draco reckoned that it contained a form of mead and intimated that he was thankful for the large absorbent meal beforehand.
D: *Um … despite that, I’m beginning to feel hungry again*.
He was not starved for too long however, because once the animals had been stabled and the cows milked, the throng repaired to the Rath’s great hall. The tables beside the entrance end wall groaned with the food set thereon. Next came groups of chairs set around small tables, but at the other end there was a space for dancing. At that end the ceilidh-band in the musicians’ gallery enticed people to partake in the various organised capering – much like the dances at Godric’s Hollow. Needless to say the rest of the evening was spent in very convivial surroundings. Somewhere about two o’clock the following morning our two bade their host farewell and ported back; before collapsing nakedly into their double bed.
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