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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
- 149
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- 151
[Note: “x-x” = speech & ‘x-x’ = thoughts & *x-x* = telepathy & #x-x# Parseltongue]
~~~ NEW VISTAS ~~~
The Sages said goodbye to their counsellors and returned fom the Grunrasenhof to Kaiser Wilhelm.
Draco looked at his watch when they arrived back in Berlin: “We have time for one more. Which one is it to be?”
“This remaining one looks watery and green. I reckon it’s an island in some marshes and it glows differently.”
“I don’t remember it here before, do you?”
“Yes! I did. Why’s it glowing, the others don’t?”
“No idea.” Ginevra conjured a map and measured distances with her fingers: “Talking of equal distance, I reckon Pripiyat Marshes is about right; and it divides Viennese and Scandinavian directions in about half. That’d be an excellent place to hide a something magical.”
“Okay, let’s have a look at the marshes; see if your guess about Pripiyat was correct, Ginny. I must say it feels right.”
The others nodded their approval and Draco opened the portal. There was another halfway stage and Astoria, after peering through a small round window, burst out laughing.
“Okay, okay what’s the joke?”
“I wonder if Stalin ever knew,” she answered and burst out laughing again.
Ginny peered out through a porthole: “Well were not at sea, we’re in the middle of a city.”
Astoria ceased chuckling temporarily: “Yes Love, it’s Warsaw and we’re nearly at the top of the Palace of Culture.
Draco looked peeved: “So why is it funny?”
Astoria howled with laughter again and then managed to pull herself together enough to explain: “It was Stalin’s gift to the City of Warsaw and caused much resentment when it was built. As you know he hated the church, and as for mages; well …!”
They all chuckled, especially when Ginevra wondered who had been the cheeky mage that fitted the halfway-stage into the spire. Still giggling they opened the other portal. This time they arrived in an airy upper-story room. Being octagonal it almost appeared circular. Arched windows alternated with arched doorways with emblems upon them. Beneath the windows were internal planters, all bedecked with colourful and heavily scented flowers. Looking out of the windows they could see that the building was surrounded by a dense thicket of willow trees, beyond that were pools and streams forming a very wet looking environment, not helped by the fact it was pouring with rain. Astoria found a door with a familiar emblem on it – Dragons – another one was a wooden house with a veranda emblem; plus the orb and cross one they had emerged from. The wooden house portal and an evil feel to it and Astoria stated that it smelt slightly unpleasant.
Draco opened the unmarked door and they trouped downstairs emerging into another pleasant room divided up into areas: four comfortable seats around a fireplace, four place-settings round a circular table; bookshelves and four places on each side of an enormous square desk.
Pop: “I’m Igor, Puissant Sages; will you be staying for a meal? Guardian Merlin said you might be coming to visit soon.”
“Um … Not today thank you, Igor. We are just getting the lay of the land, so to speak. We will return in a couple of weeks’ time and you can tell us all about this place.
“Very well, Sage Harry, I shall look forward to that day. I see you used the gazebo room; does that mean you intend using the portals?”
“This is our first time using this one, Igor. We have made portals and use them elsewhere, so we imagine we might be using the ones already made, yes.”
“Very good, Sage Draco. I shall set up the philosophy table for you. The Guardians and the previous sages preferred to fly, I cannot think why. The result was that most of the gateways dissolved. All the other previous Sages chose to port themselves.”
“So you know about Guardians?”
“Oh yes! I am their servant and have been for many, many years and now we have four Sages to help them again.”
“But you don’t look that old.”
“Thank you Sage Ginevra. You see … Here in the Tabernacle time has no meaning … I only age if I leave on some errand for the Guardians or the Sages … Usually they prefer to do things themselves.”
“So it’s like living in some gigantic time-turner, then.”
“Not really, Sage Harry … You see … The Guardians and Sages have sometimes to make quick decisions in very complicated matters … So they come here and deliberate about what should happen … Having decided what to do they return to the world only a few seconds after they left it … Even if their decision making seemed to last for weeks. That applies to you four Sages as well, now.”
“So it’s like the pause button on Dudley’s CD player.”
“Sage Harry’s Cousin, yes? In a way; Sage Astoria, but without the replay button. Time turners cause havoc with space-time. The Creator doesn’t want the big disturbance that this place would cause. Sage Harry’s earlier escapade with Mistress Hermione had the Guardians all in a dither, but they fixed it in the end. They were a bit cross with Sage Albus for condoning it, but as usual, he talked them round. Ivanova has a record of how they did it; just in case someone does something like that again.”
“Ivanova, who’s she?”
Pop. “I’m Igor’s spouse and the Regulator. If you encounter a problem please ask me first; my records go back to before cuneiform. It’s easier to see what other Guardians and Sages did: hopefully to avoid their mistakes”
“What was before cuneiform, Ivanova?”
“Mainly pictograms, Sage Astoria, but I have a cross reference system that understands the ideas behind them.”
“I think we’d better be going.” Draco looked at his watch. “Hey it isn’t moving, I must have caught it on something,”
“No need to worry, Sage Draco. As Igor explained; you are in a Tabernacle Suspended Moment. It will only start again when you leave Kaiser Wilhelm.”
“Coming through the spire at Warsaw was fun. How on earth did it get there?”
“One of he previous sages slipped it in when the builders were doing things elsewhere. It used to be in the spire of one of the churches that Stalin was closing and knocking down. Sage Severus had a wicked sense of humour. Did you like the false chimney staging post in Dresden? That was one of his.”
“That doesn’t fit in with the sober-sided teacher I knew.” Harry looked puzzled: “He was much younger than the others. How does that fit in?”
“He was much older than you think. He was the victim of Voldemort’s Firmamens-juventis potion experiments during the first war. In fact he regressed; so the other sages invented a new persona for him. There was still that attraction that’s why he made such a good spy, that monster still trusted him.”
“But he loved my mother secretly.”
“Of course he did – just as you love Seer Ginevra and Seer Astoria. He used to send her gifts of expensive perfumes, just as you two do.”
“That reminds me; the portal with the wooden house on it seems to smell of evil. Can you explain why?”
“Yes, Sage Astoria. It eventually leads, via a staging portal to the Dacha Malfede further south in the Ukraine. The so-called Seignior has taken it over fairly recently. The Guardians were unsure how to deal with it. They wanted to evict him but felt that, as he was the father of one of the incoming Sages, maybe they should not. They spent many Tasmo’s talking about what to do. Eventually they sealed the dacha focus so that he could not access the portals. Not that they thought he knew about them anyway, but they were not going to chance him finding out.”
“Tasmo? What’s a Tasmo?”
“Oh … Sorry … It’s our shorthand for a Tabernacle Suspended Moment.”
“Thank you for that information, we shall have to deal with him soon. However my father is smarting at the moment, trying to recover from us denying him access to his headquarters and then thwarting a takeover bid for the silver swans.”
“How ever did he do that?” Ivanova giggled slightly.
Starting with Draco the quartet told the two elves about some of the recent happenings, eventually accepting some tea and homemade cake. It was quite odd sitting there for four hours chatting, and yet knowing that no time had passed in the world outside. Eventually the new Sages thought they ought to go.
“Before you go Sages; please tell me where you want the monitors to be?”
“Monitors?”
“Yes. The Guardians are quite up-to-date, you know. Why not sit at the desk and press one of the red buttons. Then you’ll see what I mean.”
They sat and Astoria pressed her red button. A bank of four TV screens rose in the middle of the desk and keyboards plus mice slid towards the Sages from under the consoles.
“There are cameras outside each connected Focus entry; like the one at Kaiser Wilhelm Kirche or the Grunrasenhof; not that the muggles can observe them. You can also call up the regulatory files, and many other functions of a normal computer and the World Wide Web. Once you had connected, at the Grunrasenhof, your portal system to the small existing one here; there were cameras installed at your establishments as well. I find it very interesting to see new vistas. I hope you will connect your hacienda in due course, Sage Harry.”
“I thought electronics and magic didn’t fit together.”
“Well, Sage Ginevra … Sage Harry has, thanks to Mages Seamus and Dean, specially isolated electrics at Chantry Cottage, as you already know. They replaced the experimental system that was tried out when your friends rebuilt the cottage. His Uncle and cousin had computer connections at their safe house too, so your two practical friends copied that instead. This is just another step further.”
“I suggest we leave things as they are for now. We may want to alter things later after we’ve talked to the Guardians, or in light of our experience.”
“Very well, Sage Harry; it shall be so, for the time being. However, before you go, we must give you these.”
Harry looked at his new pendant before placing it on the chain with the false galleon on it. Made of gold it was star shaped and had various religious symbols enclosed, he recognised the cross of Christianity and the moon sign of Islam among others: “What are they, Igor, please?”
“They’re perpetual Portkeys attuned to the Tabernacle, so you can get here quickly in case of emergency. They’ll also take you back to where you started. The activating word is ‘Zeus’. Ivanova and I can also call you in dire emergency by making the emblems vibrate.”
“That’s useful! Before we go. Why did the portal at Kaiser Wilhelm glow?”
“The Gateway only glows when Sages or Guardians are present. This is, after all, a very private place. No other mage or muggle can see any of the doors that lead here.”
After bidding goodbye to the two new elves the sages gated back to Kaiser Wilhelm and went upstairs to sit in the chapel; wondering about the things that they had just experienced.
“Another pair to join Kreacher’s Army, do you think?”
“Um … I’m not sure … Perhaps this is just for us and the Guardians. Everything was made up of fours.”
“Harry has a good point. It’ll be a marvellous place for study – dead quiet – no people to disturb us – I think it is our retreat house where we can think things out.”
Draco looked at his watch again; the second hand was now revolving: “We have quarter of an hour for the train. Let’s move.”
~~~ STATION ~~~
The Blakes strolled back to the station in what Astoria said was a cloud of rose-scent. As they passed the muggles in the streets the friends could see the smiles appearing on the haggard passers-bye’s faces and the foursome started to realise their effect on people and some of the responsibility that they had inherited. By the time they reached the station the ‘happy mist’ had almost dispersed and they joined Maggie and the others at the extreme end of their allotted platform.
“The train is due in a couple of minutes, Guys,” explained Hyatt, with a big welcoming smile. “The carriages went off for servicing. Ah … Here it is.”
The muggle train was long so only the front driving cab of their set came to rest at the platform edge, but that was enough for them all to board. Once they were on a very harassed looking official, disembarked and locked the door; indicating to the main train conductor that all was well.
After walking through their carriages, they reached the balcony at the back where they found Iggy who was chuckling.
"Why the mirth, Iggy?"
“All the doors on the rest of the train are locked internally by the conductor before moving off. They seem to have lost the regulations for private slam-door stock, so Jobsworth insisted that we bolted the other ones and he rode with us until you were all safely on board. Officious little bastard. I think he came from East German Railways originally – everything has to be done by the book. So, I found him the book; even then he remained very bossy; silly man.”
*Was your interlude informative, my children?*
*Yes thank you. Fawkes. We found the Tabernacle.*
*A timeless place, that. As you no doubt found out. Are Ivanova and Igor well?*
*They seemed to be in good health.*
~~~ EVENING RIDE ~~~
Berlin Zoologicher Garten: 18.30 – Rostock HBF: 21.25
After freshening up in their cabins, the friends met for the normal pre-meal aperitifs. Hermione’s group had been to the Zoo and she was eulogising on how well kept the animals looked. Dudley’s group had visited to the Reichstag and were enthusiastic about the views to be seen from the dome. Quietly the Blakes encouraged the others to explain in more detail; thus, avoiding the need to explain what they had been doing. Eventually, after the meal had finished, Hermione and Pansy cottoned on to what was happening.
“So, what did you four do then?” asked Pansy.
“We found part of another portal system,” said Harry. “There was a hidden crypt like the Room of Requirement; it had a door or two in it. One led to the Grunrasenhof and another to a place with a Viking ship on it, not that we had time to explore that one.”
“Mmm … We thought it was something like that.” Gregory was being perspicacious. “You all came back smelling of roses, like you did after the ceremony in the mountains.”
“It was stronger when we came out of the church,” observed Astoria: “All the nearby muggles started to look happy when the mist touched them, not that it was visible to them, of course.”
“How many gifts did that dragon-ceremony actually bestow?”
“Still finding out, Greg; although we’ve now stopped counting.” Astoria gave him a side hug and pecked him companionably on the cheek.
Harry felt her emanate the slightest redirection charm: “I’m for a game of bridge. What are the rest of you doing?” he said to back her up.
Enquiries forgotten the party settled down to their normal evening pastimes. Draco caught Hermione looking at him quizzically and drew the other three’s attention.
*Make it a soupçon stronger next time, Tor. Hermione still wears her suspicious look. She knows to expect at least three connections at a node from her research.*
*No need to worry … I’ll chat to her later; involve her in something I feel she can be told about, she’ll understand.*
*Are you sure, Harry?*
*Yes … I’ll include her in some sort of conspiracy, but without revealing anything. Ron and I developed the technique a long time ago, it got us out of all kinds of scrapes and tellings-off.*
*Good luck with Mrs Suspicious.* Seer-like giggles sounded through their network.
*Gee, thanks.* Harry sounded falsely sceptical.
Fawkes was listening in and conveniently forgot to remind them that the Tabernacle door was only visible to Guardians and Sages. He was much more intrigued by how Harry was going to misdirect Hermione.
Later on, Harry took Hermione aside.
“Um … Hermione … We’re experimenting with this scent thing of Astoria’s, we don’t yet know how it works. If we come right out and tell people, they might not react unconsciously. If they realise what’s happening, they may try to give us the results they expect us to want, not what is really happening. You understand, don’t you?”
“Of course, Harry. When we get back, I’ll raid the library and let you know what I find out.”
“That’d be great Hermione; you know how I hate too much reading, just tell Tor the results please.” Harry gave her a hug and a thank-you peck on the cheek.
Hermione went away satisfied, without Harry having to cast the light belief charm he had been harbouring, just in case. Harry met the other grinning three in the female Seer’s cabin.
“All we have to do is make various smells occasionally,” he said, grinning back.
“Old socks do? Ginny’s very good at those.” Astoria smirked.
“At least I don’t fart in bed and then blame it on my companion,” riposted Ginevra.
“Then there are those who like lots of garlic.” Harry gave Draco a meaningful look.
“That, coming from a companion who scoffs pickled onions by the dozen; then breathes the results all over his lover.” Draco wafted a derogatory hand in front of his wrinkling nose.
“Seriously though; Harry’s excuse is a good idea. Astoria’s observed the rose-mist effect, perhaps we should experiment a bit.”
“I noticed that, when we were in the middle of that mist, each of you had a stronger scent of oranges, mint etc.,” said Astoria.
“So … It seems that the smell thing is roses for the group and individual ones as well. It’ll be good in the dark we’ll know who’s the nearest.”
“Mmm … Maybe everyone has a signature smell, but Tor hasn’t really noticed.”
Draco suggested various derogatory smells and the people to match them. They giggled for a few minutes more and then got down to half-heartedly planning how to organise their research. As Draco drowsed off for the third time, Harry opened the connecting door and carried his semi-comatose lover through it.
“No sex for me tonight by the look of it,” he said ruefully to Astoria, as he left.
“Mmm … Same here,” she agreed, indicating a snoring Ginevra.
###
Once the carriages had been turned on the triangle; it was very relaxing in the quiet secluded siding at Rostock, especially without the train wheels clicking beneath them.
~~~ WEDNESDAY 25^TH AUGUST ~~~
Rostock: 07.45 – Bad Doberan: 08.15
At seven o’clock Viktor appeared on Rostock platform and was invited to join them for breakfast. The dining car was set out with individual tables; the Blakes had one, Hermione, Ronald, Pullet and Phealey made a five with Viktor, and the others had two tables of four. Harry noted how easily the two Americans had integrated themselves into the Seamus/Dean group.
Draco caught on to his musings: “I think they’re going to become part of the village community; the Amis connection is intriguing. She is getting on a bit, so maybe some helpers would be welcome.”
“Don’t push it too hard Draco,” Ginevra urged: “I agree about your conclusions but let them make the decision for themselves. I get the feeling that their father is very pushy and they’re running away from it. If it’s in the Creator’s plan, they’ll come to it of their own accord. We all know what it’s like to have our lives ruled by other people, don’t we?”
The other three nodded their agreement, grimacing slightly.
~~~ STEAM ~~~
Bad Doberan: 08.35 – Kühlungsborn: 09.15 & return for 10.15
Viktor knew a quiet alley from which to apparate, so his party disappeared as their short train started off backwards. At Bad Doberan their three carriages of train moved into a short siding. The party looked around as they were led across the platform and boarded a local train. This one was different; firstly, the four small carriages all had open balconies at each end – enough for a half dozen people to stand. Secondly there was a hissing machine on the front, made obvious by the clank of a fireman’s shovel as he fed the fiery monster. Thirdly the lines were much closer together and were laid down the centre of the main street. As the train moved off, they took turns to stand at the back and gawp at the resulting tail of motor vehicles.
The air was quite cool, and the engine had a bell on it which swung side to side, presumably to warn unwary pedestrians. Not that the populace paid it much heed. On the first part of the journey there were no real stations, they were more like bus stops and people held out their hands if they wanted the short train to stop. Later on, once in the countryside, the lines ran in their own tree lined right-of-way beside the road and the bell stopped clanking. After that happened there was a hiss and a cloud of steam enveloped the watchers on the back platform, much to the delight of the local seasoned travellers sheltering inside the carriage. One of them managed to explain that the steam was now heating the carriages and needed an outlet. They also explained that, as well as drawing the carriages, there was not sufficient remaining steam output from the engine both to heat the train and work the bell.
This got others chatting, Astoria spoke fluent German, who with Aggie and Maggie could translate if necessary, soon the whole carriage guessed that they were on honeymoon and when they reached the terminus an impromptu choir sang a German good wishes song to them. Harry was not the only one to become embarrassed by the backslapping, hugging and handshaking. Their group were pleased when the return journey re-commenced.
This time te staff had cottoned-on, with the result that pairs were invited to ride on the engine between one stopping-place and the next. Net result, sooty faces and happy smiles when they boarded their three larger gauge carriages to continue the journey.
They left Bad Doberan to a chorus of steam whistles and diesel horns.
~~~ COUNTRYSIDE ~~~
Bad Doberan: 10.20 – Wismar: 11.10
Wismar: 12.15 – Bad Kleinen 12.30
They departed from the steamy station with their carriages still in the same reverse order in which they had left Rostock. They forgot their sootiness as they sat reliving the short steam journey; sipping coffee and watching the comfortable agrarian scenery pass by. All became clear when the train reached Wismar; it was a dockland terminal station. There was no triangle there, so their unit ran onto a spare platform ready to return; stopping where they were, ready for the next stage of the journey, but awaiting clearance from the controller. There was a water-point available so hot leisurely showers removed the clinging coal-dust from their bodies and hair.
Showers completed, their carriages departed. Four stations later the carriages were being held for a timetabled path between service trains yet again.
~~~ REPORTING BACK ~~~
Bad Kleinen: 12.45 – Lübeck 13.50
In Bad Kleinen they had a short wait for a spare train path; as well as for Viktor and the four mages to reappear. They were all smiling when they walked in to the station.
“Well … How did it go?”
“The Durmstrang Governors were impressed by our two elfin professors’ performances,” Hermione reported. “Viktor had put together two classes for them to teach, with the governors looking on. The first DADA class was somewhat unruly to begin with, but a couple of disabling spells soon had them listening. We found out that they didn’t know hex tennis. As we departed one of the students said that they were going to practice some more of it after we left. After coffee came a short potions lesson, nothing too complicated, but the once-unruly learners were all eagerly compliant. I reckon our two professors have done a lot for inter-race relations.”
“Some more persuasion, it will take yet, but their reactionary minds, we have started to move just a little, I think.” Viktor beamed.
F: *Another piece of the jigsaw is in place, my children.*
Viktor stayed with them, partaking of lunch and chatting amicably until they arrived at Lübeck. He declined to stay for tea on the next leg of their journey and disapparated.
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Harco Empire