Birthday Celebrations

Breakfast was slightly late and the duo apologised again for waking everyone in the middle of the night. Various last minute instructions were given and received then a mass Apparation took place to the Burrow. Molly hugged everybody; Harry could sense Draco feeling both chuffed and uneasy about it.

H: ‘Now you know what I felt like when your mum first hugged me.’

D: ‘Shut up, Potter. I thought we said we were trying not to have these conversations in company?’

H: ‘Point taken, but it was only a quick remark.’

“Beware of those two, Mum, when they get that glassy stare.” Ron pointed out. “It means they’re having a private conversation in here.” Pointing to his head.

“Not another set of twins,” said Molly, in mock exasperation. “One lot is bad enough.”

Draco apologised and introduced Neville.

“I have a surprise for you three, come with me.”

On one part of the lawn were three magical tents, almost identical to the fourth one which Dobby and Sempra were erecting. Stepping inside one of them, Molly beckoned to the three boys. There sitting in the deep chairs were three people.

“Grandmother!”

“MOTHER!”

“UNCLE!”

It was Augusta who first spoke.

“Well Grandson, once you had suggested the Burrow as a venue for your party, I flooed Mr & Mrs Weasley to see how I could help. They suggested a room in a tent they were erecting and, remembering the international Quidditch matches of my youth, I thought it would be a grand adventure. When I arrived I prevailed upon Narcissa, with whom I have been friends when Bellatrix was not there, and she in turn twisted Severus’s arm.”

“I remembered your offer of solitude and books Draco, then I realised I would prefer some company. This tent helps me to have both, I dare say Narcissa and I will be up chatting all hours again. Draco and Harry we need to talk urgently about the wards here, or should I say lack of them.”

“YES UNCLE, WE AGREE.”

“They’re here to enjoy themselves, Severus. Trust you to put a damper on it.” Molly scowled at Uncle.

“He hasn’t, Mum. Draco and I had already agreed that we would do some work on the Burrow’s defences. So many people of the light gathered in one place will be a magnet for malevolent murderers. Once the protectors are up, then we can all relax properly.”

Just then a car’s horn was heard.

“That’ll be Hermione’s folks.” Molly rushed out to meet them.

Draco, Harry and Neville were left hugging relations and introducing each other. They heard the slamming of doors, and the sound of voices they did not recognise. Coming towards the tent were two middle aged people with Hermione in between them, behind them were three black teenagers who were looking about them uncomfortably. Ron was hovering nearby.

“This is Gerald and Mary Granger, Hermione’s parents.” Molly started the introductions, followed by general handshaking.

“These are my Muggle cousins, at least those of them brave enough to attend. Alan, Betty and Connie.” It was Hermione’s turn. Some contemporaries attempted high hands.

“I thought it would be all shimmering and sparkly,” whispered Alan to Harry, after they had greeted.

“We try to keep it low key wherever possible,” was the sotto voce reply. “We are hoping that the fireworks are just ours, tomorrow. Draco, my brother, and I will be doing things to make us safe but you may well not see any of them. I believe you are staying in another tent near our relations”

The three teenagers were shown into the tent next door to the team’s tent. That was their first shock. Once inside, they shot back out again, walking round the outside in measured paces. Going inside they paced down the hall.

“Err … Harry is it?”

“Yes Betty. I can see you’ve found your first piece of real magic.”

“But how does it all fit inside?”

“I’m sure Hermione or Draco could explain it to you. Whether, of course, you’ll understand the explanation is another matter. They’ve tried with me; I’m still foxed, so I just accept that it appears to be different on either side of the walls.”

“Oh Yes! Hermione can quote text books for ages, I know what you mean. So it’s all right to go inside then?”

“Come and look at ours.”

The next shock was Sempra and Dobby greeting them as five teenagers stepped into their common room.

“Just think of them as small people,” suggested Draco.

“But they’re not properly dressed.”

“That’s how we like it, Mistress Connie,.” replied Sempra. “Please don’t mention it the Mistress Hermione, she has a bee in her bonnet about it.”

“YES WE AGREE. PLEASE DON’T GET HER STARTED; SHE GOES ON FOR HOURS AND HOURS.”

“You two spoke that it perfect unison.”

D: “Yes Alan, we are not blood brothers, but have been magically linked …”

H: “… It was not against our will, more in fulfilment of our wishes …”

D: “… Working together we are probably the strongest magical force around here …”

H: “… To make things quite clear, we are gay and it’s my coming of age party tomorrow, as well as Ron and Hermione’s engagement …”

D: “… I’m two months older than Harry, but I had no party so this is my delayed one also …”

H: “… You’re here to celebrate Ron and Hermione’s engagement, they're our dearest friends.”

Neville popped out of his room.

D: “This is Neville; he was born on the same day as Harry, so it’s his big do too.”

Just then a motorbike could be heard above the tent.

H: “Come outside for another bit of magic.”

Hagrid was just making his approach run, and he had a pillion rider too.

D: “Oh no! It can’t be! It is! Come and meet our Headmistress.”

McGonagall was wearing a very neat set of leathers. “My, that was exhilarating. Thank you Reubus, very enjoyable indeed.”

More introductions were made.

“I can’t imagine our head in leathers; he’s far too staid and fat,” Alan whispered to Draco.

“Until today, neither could we. By the way Hagrid is a half giant, watch your fingers when he shakes.”

As Ginny was already here, the two girls drifted towards her. Alan seemed to be more at home with Draco and Harry. When they went out to start on the wards he drifted along with them. When the Duumviri cast the revealers he tripped and was holding Harry to right himself, quite by accident. However he jumped when the coloured lines appeared forming the weak ward dome.

“I can see them, he marvelled. Ooh sorry Harry I didn’t mean to touch you … Now they’ve gone.”

“Alan, try putting your hand on my shoulder,” suggested Draco.

“I can see them again.”

“OK! Now we’re going to make some really strong ones. If you want to watch just keep touching one of us. Please don’t get in front as we’d hate to hex you by mistake.”

The work was quite long. Alan was a great help when it came to pulling bushes out of the way and spotting where tree branches might snag the dome.

There were two simultaneous bangs almost next door to where they were working and the twins appeared.

F: “Whose this and …”

G: “… Whotcher doing?”

H: “You know Draco; this is Alan, Hermione’s Muggle cousin. His dad’s from Africa …”

D: “… Strengthening your pitiful wards. Touch me and you’ll see them.”

F: “Wow that’s a good Charm …”

G: “… Show us what to do, please …”

F: “… Can you see them as well, Alan?”

A: “Yes when I’m touching either of the Duumviri. Is that the right word?

G: “Oh yes, congratulations Mighty Ones.”

D: “Oh not you two as well. Have you been talking to Blaise?”

F: “No; but when we heard, we went and bought a book about Duumviri …”

G: “… It was written by one of Blaise’s ancestors.”

H: “Alan, Blaise is an African colleague of ours, who’s guarding our school at the moment.”

A: “You sound as if you’re under attack.”

D: “Well we might be, this is why we’re enhancing the magical wards.”

F: “By the look of things they’ll be like cast iron or steel …”

G: “… What happens if the Death Eaters attack?”

H: “A very nasty surprise for them. Firstly, because the dome will bite back significantly: Secondly, because two very angry Duumviri will be there: Thirdly, because half the Order and Company are here.”

D: “Uncle taught us a lot of new tricks whilst we were at his cottage. Oh sorry we’ve adopted Severus as an uncle.”

F: “What Snape?”

G: “An Uncle?”

H: “He’s all right once you get behind his snide defence. He says he can’t deal with crowds.”

A: “He does look a bit sinister, but his smile makes him look better.”

F: “We are talking about the same man, aren’t we?”

G: “I can’t imagine Snivellus smiling.”

F: “Come along Bro, these three have work to do, and I just caught a glimpse of Ma with her hands on her hips, scowling at us.

The Next two bangs were Fleur and Bill. Much the same conversation took place. Charlie and Arthur were next. By this time Hermione and Ron were manufacturing grey recognisors for everyone.

A: “What do those do please, Draco?”

H: “They allow only the person for whom they’re made to come inside the dome, when it’s finished.”

A: “Will they make one for me, my two cousins, Auntie and Uncle?”

D: “Those two are going to experiment, we rather hope they can. It’ll give you a place of refuge if things get really bad.”

A: “So it’s very serious then?”

H: “Not yet. But the bad guys want to take over everything Muggle and magical. We’re trying to stop them.”

A: “That serious? I want to help if I can?”

D: “Thanks for the offer. At the moment it’s on the magical plane. And we hope to defeat him there. We need to experiment a bit more, this touching business has opened up some intriguing possibilities. Your best help would be to become our guinea pig as we test some theories. That is if you’re brave enough, our world can be extremely frightening.”

H: “This dome is very tame compared to the fireworks of combat. We can construct shields for ourselves, or domes like this one, they shelter everyone inside.”

“Come along everybody, it’s late lunch time.” Molly was calling.

The trio finished what they were doing, but left the revealers on.

The trio went to sit next to Severus.

“Uncle, this is Hermione’s cousin Alan. We’ve found that he can see the wards whilst he’s touching one of us. We made the revealers Secretus so if you touch us you’ll be able to see them won’t you?”

“Yes Harry that’s the theory. I've not heard of a Muggle being able to do that before, but then it is a new charm after all. Draco will you show me the charms please?”

Draco willed Uncle to see the dome and they touched hands.

“Right, I can see the charms now. Alan, please touch palms with me and tell me if you see the dome?”

“Yes Uncle … Oh … Can I call you that, please?”

“Of course, all the younger ones her seem to be doing it … Betty?”

“Yes Uncle?”

“We are trying a magical experiment, would you care to take part? I can assure you it will not hurt.”

Betty looked at Connie then at Hermione who egged her on.

“What have I to do, Uncle?”

“Very simple, hold my hand for a minute, like Alan is doing. Not yet … There is a magical dome over this place which you might be able to see when you touch me …”

“Sorry Uncle. I can’t see anything.”

“Don’t worry. This all part of the experiment ... Who else can see the dome?”

The twins indicated that they could.

“Right George, go and hold hands with your Mother, see if she can see it …”

“No Severus. I can’t.”

“Alan, go and hold hands with one of the twins, please …”

“I can see it again.”

“Harry, will you show Connie the dome, please …”

“Ooh! It’s wonderful.”

“Connie, now please go and hold Alan’s hand …”

“It’s still there but very faint.”

“Now swap places with Alan …”

“Mine’s gone faint Uncle.”

“Mine’s as bright as it was.”

“Now twins come and hold Mary’s hands one each side …”

“I can see something I think, but it’s very misty.”

“Thank you all for your help. Harry and Draco please go and charge up everyone so they can all see it. It appears that our Duumviri can affect Muggles in some way. They appear to charge up the people they touch. The magical ones retain the effect as we already know. Our Muggle friends, once charged, can see them as long as they are in contact with a charged magical person. This fades, second hand. It will be interesting in the morning to see whether charm aging affects this magic or not. Again thank you all very much.”

By teatime Alan, Draco and Harry had finished their work, so when everyone was linked, the duo switched the revealers off.

“Does that mean they’ve gone, Harry?” Connie asked in a slightly worried voice.

“It’s all right, we just switched off the charms that show us where they are; that’s all. It hides them from other witches and wizards, especially the bad ones, as they don’t know that charm yet.”

Betty gave a little scream. “There’s a big snake. Look!”

“It’s all right, Betty,” Draco soothed, “He’s a friend of ours … Erm Alan?”

“Yes Draco?”

“Would you like to try another experiment?”

“That last one was spectacular, why not?”

“This one might be unnerving more than spectacular. Ron would you mind bringing your flower garden, please? Harry I shall need your help too, would you ask Sossogenese to be part of it please. Now hold Harry’s hand please.”

“Ron, which flower do you think would suit Alan?”

“It’s a bit difficult. Alan, hold my hand a moment … Ah yes! Err … Tony’s turquoise one I think. Now hold the head whilst I say the charm … Good now pin it to your lapel. Here’s your gold one Draco, let me connect them. Alan, when you talk to Draco you must whisper, Okay?”

Alan nodded a mystified agreement.

There was a ring of eager faces watching the experiment.

Draco turned his back on Alan and walked away a little distance; then whispered, “Can you hear me Alan?”

Alan jumped, nearly shouted; then remembering Ron’s warning and whispered back, “You're talking inside my head.”

“I can hear you as well,” added Harry.

S: ‘Hello Alan, I’m Sossogenese, Harry and Draco’s friendly snake.’

Alan’s face was a picture of amazement. “Am I really talking to a snake?”

S: ‘Oh yes. Ask me to do something.’

A: “Okay. Coil round Harry’s leg … Wow! I am really talking to a snake.”

Everyone else was listening to Ron’s daffodil as it relayed the conversation.

D: “OK Alan, leave go of Harry’s hand and hold Ron’s … Can you still hear me?”

A: “Yes Draco. Thank you Sossogenese.”

S: ‘My pleasure Alan. You know its always interesting being around these two. You never know what they’ll try next.’

Uncle had winked at Draco and purloined his Dark blue flower. Ron caught on and rearranged the vines. Severus invited Alan to hold his hand.

U: “Alan is at the end of the link now Sossogenese, I take it you can hear me?”

S: ‘Yes Severus I can. Can you hear me Alan?’

A: “Very well thank you. Is there any more to this experiment?”

D: “Yes please two more goes, if everyone can stand it.”

Nods of assent all round.

D: “Headmistress will you help please?”

“Yes Mr Malfoy, of course.”

“Please will you hold Alan’s hand, without touching anyone else …”

S: ‘You’re stretching the link further then?’

A: “I’m still with you. What next?”

Draco looked at Ginny questioningly. She nodded and held out her hand to Alan.

“I think the chain has broken,” Ron put in. “I felt the Aura change.”

Alan whispered something but no one heard it.

D: “Thank you Alan and Sossogenese for being so patient. Ron you’re looking a little strained and I can feel Harry going that way too. May we put the flowers back as well?”

Sossogenese still listened with Harry’s ears, there was much less strain on him that way.

“This is the same effect as the dome. If one of us Duumviri has charged up a Muggle then another connected magical person can help them realize the charm. The break came when Ginny held Alan’s hand. Ginny had never used the flowers before whereas the headmistress had.” Draco went on to explain the reasons.

Ron explained the flower bed and its limitations. Fitting up people with flowers as he matched them: “Just in case we have an emergency; please don’t use them otherwise it drains me. Mum, have you some sandwiches please?”

Molly brought out a plateful, offering some to her son first and then the remains to Harry and Draco, after that it was a free-for-all.

“Err Harry, what does Sossogenese eat?”

“Rats mainly I think.” The snake nodded his head up and down. “He says he’s quite full now, there was a nest of them behind your cooker.”

“So that’s where the came from. Thank you Sossogenese, that was most helpful.”

S: ‘Harry, is Molly aware of the tunnels under the house?’

H; ‘I don’t think so, how did you know?’

S: ‘I went exploring when you both were making the protectors.’

D: ‘It’ll make nonsense of the wards if we don’t block them too. How big are they?’

S: ‘Big enough for Ginny to stand upright in, at least. There's a small hole in the coal shed which you could easily enlarge.’

H: ‘How many are there. I think we better get Arthur involved Don’t you?’

S: ‘Three and yes, in that order.’

The trio went to find Father Weasley, took him to the coal house and talked to him.

“I think we’d better open it up. Our fires are magical so we don’t use coal. The bit that’s there is to confuse the Muggles if they come round.”

Alan and the twins appeared. “Whotcher doing Dad?”

Arthur explained what Sossogenese had found, Alan immediately grabbed a shovel.

F: “Don’t do that Mate, we have better ways …”

G: “… More magic coming up.”

The coal was moved into a neat pile, then the twins enlarged the hole after the snake had showed them where. The twins were a bit flash and shaped steps to go down. Father made a glowing length of light to illumine the way and they crouched to explore one tunnel. That led to a broken down mine head. So the duo got their wards to work blocking that entrance with wards. As they came back the Weasley twins cleaned and levelled the floor. The next passage came out in a thicket. It was the drainage adit for the old mine after which the Burrow was named. As there was a marsh at its mouth there was no way that could anyone walk in that way. Alan asked if they could all fly, mentioning Hagrid’s spectacular entrance earlier.

“Yes, we have broomsticks. I reckon a reasonable Quidditch player would be able to fly in here.”

After the wards had been set, the walk back was a dissertation on Quidditch, much of which Alan failed to understand. So a demonstration was promised. The last tunnel was shorter than the others and came out behind some bushes in the sheer side of a small cliff.

“Oh look, it’s the large pool where we go swimming. We own this bit don’t we Dad?”

“Yes. I've often wondered why, as it’s not connected to the property.”

“It is now Dad. Hey, You two?”

“Yes, You two?”

Could you put wards over this, we’ll cut steps down; then we’ll have our own private swimming pool?”

H: “Why not?” ‘You can go skinny-dipping in it.’

D: ‘OK. You first! “Right! You two do the steps Harry and I’ll do the wards. Alan would you go and get the others and ask Sempra to bring the necessary costumes and towels for us, please?”

Father Weasley went back with Alan. Fleur and Bill were the first out.

“We must have a springboard, mon Cher?”

“Oui, ma Cherie, of course.”

Alan emerged and stood flabbergasted as a set of springboards erected themselves before his eyes, all at various levels. Ginny pushed him along so she and the girls could descend the steps. Molly made tables and sunshades to fit on the little beach, Arthur created matching chairs. Narcissa used her flower charms to create scented creepers on the rock face. Each person added a little extra something to their miniature ‘Coté d’azure’.

They splashed and swam, joked and played until well after Dinner time. When they went back, they found one of the protectors had been triggered. On inspection they found Percy sitting outside the front gate looking quite peeved.

“I can’t get in to my own home now,” he shouted, grimacing.

“I didn’t think you called it home any more,” Ron yelled back.

“Please let me in, I have very important news.”

Molly had come to the gate now. “I didn’t think to include you in the recognisors when the Duumviri made the new wards.”

“What Mother? I don’t understand. You must let me in, we’re in danger.”

Harry had a quick thought. “You know the old mine building you showed me once, go there and we’ll meet you.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. Try not to leave and obvious trail too. Now Go.”

Draco was already on his way and Harry ran to catch up with him. They undid enough wards to be able to climb through. Percy was there waiting, as soon as one of them touched him he was amazed at the protectors revealed. Once through he was equally amazed at the skill the Duumviri showed in closing the gap. Asking the same question as Betty had when they switched the recognisors off. The family was a little stiff with the new arrival, until he told them of an intercepted owl ordering the Death Eaters to attack the Burrow at midday tomorrow.

“I think they’re in for a surprise when they arrive. They think you’re very lightly defended,” he finished.

Much of the old animosity was forgotten. “We have an accommodation problem Percy, your old room is spoken for.”

“It doesn’t matter Mum. I’ll sleep on the floor.”

“No you won’t,” it was Alan who spoke up; “there’s a spare room in our tent, all mod cons.’

Next there was a round of introductions and explanations; then the Duumviri switched on the dome of wards for him to see momentarily. Various elves came to collect his things from store and put them in his tent room.

The alarm sounded again, everyone brought their wands to the ready, only to find Mad-Eye at the front gate and unable to get in. He was trying hexes and having no effect whatsoever. Once he saw them he stopped.

“I see you have been warned already, would you like some extra help? I’ve brought the three Company Officers and a tent with me.”

“Are you on broomsticks?”

“We have them with us,” Blaise replied. “Do you want us to bubble up?”

“No, not really … Ron will come out and lead you in. In about five minutes.”

Ron got his broomstick and joined the duo as they undid the wards at the marsh entrance. “When you redo the wards, could you make them sensitive to Potfoy again? How about an inner and an outer, like an airlock?”

H: “Good idea Ron. We’ll start work on the inner one directly under the dome’s wards.

D: “Come to think of it we could do the same for the mine shaft too, and a special in the pool shaft.”

When Ron and the others came back the inner ward door was finished.

H: “It won’t open until the outer door is closed, and we haven’t made that one yet, so I’m afraid you’ll have to wait a few minutes.”

D: “If you all touch us once you will see what we’re doing. We’ve practiced this enough times so the speed might confound you.

Five minutes had the outer door sealed and the inner one opened. As an extra precaution, Draco and Harry magically lined the tunnel between the two gates, and fixed a releaser charm inside the inner one so that only an inmate could let others in.

On arrival, Ron and Hermione got to work making recognisors for the newcomers and Percy. The elves got to work edging the tents up in order to fit in the extra one, and Molly set too making more food for dinner. Harry and Draco were glad that the meal was late, because it meant that they could have a quick shower and massage beforehand.

The meal was served alfresco as the Kitchen was now far too small. Harry and Ron kept watching Mad-Eye’s mad eye as it whizzed round and round tracking all their complicated protectors.

Afterwards he came up to them. “Wonderful work boys, I can’t find a hole anywhere. I’ve written down a few additions for you. They’re borderline curses, not quite old magic, but some that the Aurors are considering banning. Perhaps some of them would enhance your dome?”

Uncle was next. “I think we’ve forgotten one entry, the floo system. I know there’s a guard on it so that an inmate has to let someone in. I think that our enemies might circumvent it though, how about a few Incendio, guards?”

It was after midnight when the Duumviri sank into bed. Mad-Eye’s extras had been difficult at the beginning, but the stings so arranged caused the pair some amusement. Every chimney had been blocked with Incendio and a small fire lit as an extra.

In bed they had a gentle exploration, but had fallen asleep before anything too boisterous could be undertaken.