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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
- 157
- 158
- 159
[Note: “x-x” = speech & ‘x-x’ = thoughts & *x-x* = telepathy & #x-x# Parseltongue]
NEW ISLANDS
~~~ SUNDAY 8^THMAY ~~~
The whole company came to John’s service and the subsequent Parish Lunch where Heironimo, Estéban and Giuseppe joined them.
Over the meal; Draco and Astoria had a chat with the ward team, sharing the ideas they had uncovered, and then it was time to Port to the Dragon Sanctuary; that was the easy part of the journey. From there Charlie and Paulus started to side-along them and the rest of the company.
“Side-along me next,” suggested Pullet: “As far as the safe house. Phealey and I will set up a traction beam; that will be much quicker, and less draining on you two.”
“Can muggles use them?”
“We’ll side-along them; it’s only the Yates plus the priestly party. They’ve all got medallions”
###
The central golden dome of the white marble cathedral seemed to float above its supporting green half domes. That external sight was stupendous, making them wonder what was inside.
At the cathedral door they were met by a very harassed official: “Oh dear, I thought there would be only a few of you not sixty.”
“Some of us have been asked to robe, Brother. So that will reduce the numbers slightly.”
“Yes Baschas, thank you, if you would follow this brother he will take you to the vestries. The Patriarch said there were four other VIP’s in your party.”
“It’s these four,” said Seamus: “They are our seers.”
“Very well, Seers please follow Brother Stigmata, do you have robes also?”
*Accio gowns in a case!*
There was a thump and a small suitcase appeared in Draco’s hands: “Thank you, they’re in this valise.”
“We have a retiring room, Seers,” Stigmata informed them: “Please follow me. We would like to get you seated before the full procession; I understand you are to be a surprise for our beloved Vasil. No doubt you will be part of the retiring procession afterwards. I will be your verger, so to speak.”
They followed the Brother down a side corridor into a small side room, it took only a few seconds to don their outer robes; Draco had chosen some royal blue ones for them. The verger led them in a semi procession, up some stairs into a hidden balcony above the royal screen, bowing them into place on four seats among some other seated robed figures. They were obviously very privileged because Astoria noticed the rest of the congregation having to stand. From there they could see into the holy area and also diagonally out over the crowded congregation.
The first things Harry noticed were the elaborate chandeliers, closely followed by the myriad saints depicted on the walls and arches. Not that there was much time to stare because low chanting started, and the priestly procession came in. When Vasil looked up and saw them, he smiled a welcome and then surreptitiously dabbed his eyes.
The service was long and complicated, the St Georges helped a bit, but they were not tuned to old church Bulgarian. It started in the daylight when the cathedral was pearly white inside. By the time it was over the chandeliers had been lighted and the whole atmosphere changed.
*You should feel at home Harry,* sent Astoria.
*Why’s that?*
*It’s all red and gold now.*
The seers stood when others did, crossed themselves and bowed in unison with their surrounding peers. The music was beautiful, and the four guest clerics were included in the ordination process. Two hours of praise left the seers in a daze of holiness. At the right moment Brother Stigmata came and bowed them and their peers down the stairs and into the retiring procession along the rich red carpet.
###
The crypt was used for his reception afterwards where Bishop Vasil greeted, hugged and double kissed all his supporters, and when asked by Astoria, replied that he was to be a special envoy to the other autocephalous churches, some of whom were not fully in communion with his own church.
“It’s all very new to me, but I suppose I’ve been chosen because of the scrapes I have managed to avoid. I cannot think otherwise, can you?”
The seers had many other ideas why he was suitable but allowed the new bishop his humility.
###
On the Monday the Seer Family went to see the ghosts on Sziget Karola. In the afternoon, whilst Ginevra and Astoria sat quietly under the weeping willow, with James gurgling in his carry-cot; Harry and Draco used Paulus’s canoe to explore the river. It was not energetic because the sun was hot, So, they took turns to paddle the boat.
“Tor was saying that the lady she stayed with told her that there used to be trading vessels on the river.”
“I hope we don’t meet one. Its wake might upset us into the water.”
“Um … You have no need to worry. I had a look at a European Waterway Map, the locks further downstream are out of use, so we should be fine.”
“I seem to recognise that bridge?”
“Are you sure?”
“Hmm … I think I crossed it in a train when coming to the Dragon Sanctuary. You know … When we discovered the satyrs.”
“You must have crossed lots of bridges.”
“Hmm … Yes … But I think we stopped on this one waiting for a local train to clear the station ahead. It does seem familiar.”
“Maybe it was a precedent for us using the island.”
“Hmm … Could be.”
~~~ SUGGESTIONS 14^TH MAY ~~~
Dean’s quarter century was celebrated by a Dumbledorian Dinner in Number Twelve’s Dining Room.
In the evening, after the repast, the sated members continued to sit around the dinner table.
“How do we deal with resignations, Hermione?”
“Why do you ask, Justin?” Harry looked up.
“Zacharias asked to be taken off the role, he’s never been active, and doesn’t feel he’s cut out to be a combatant.”
“Marietta’s still on the books and she never re-joined,” put in Nigel.
“The Patil twins have moved back to India, both of them are married to Indian Wizengamot members,” said Leanne: “They handed-in their medallions and Hermione has them.”
“Well Hermione?”
“Justin did mention it to me, and I have found a way of removing them from the roll. I have the galleons that would have been Marietta’s and Zacharias’s too.”
“Does that mean that Zacharias’s Dad will no longer be on the daffodil route?”
“The Forge will still be attached, Leanne. There are a few others attached who do not have Dumbledorian children.”
“Is it still the wish of the members that these four should be removed from membership?” Harry regarded the faces in surrounding him.
A few “Aye’s” from the crowd precluded a growing forest of raised hands.
“Anyone against?”
No-one stirred.
“Fine … Those four to be removed from membership.”
Some discussion took place about maximum membership numbers, with the Arithmancers suggesting forty-nine, with family and Praetors bringing the total to eighty-one. No real decision was taken.
~~~ NEW VISTAS ~~~
After two weeks of hectic activity around Easter and Beltane the recovering inner circle sat in the Chantry lounge around an evening fire. When Harry returned from putting James in his cot, he saw Hermione and Ronald looking extra glum.
“Okay you two, what’s wrong.” Harry was not one to beat about the bush with his friends.
“I’m not getting pregnant Harry, despite everything,” Hermione said, seriously.
Draco looked equally serious and then giggled nervously. “You are fucking her properly, Ron, aren’t you?”
Ronald went red and bristled; then remembered he was no longer at school, noticed the concern on Draco’s face and smiled wanly. “Yes Draco. We’ve had tests done to see if one of us was infertile, but everything is okay. Poppy says it’s our magics that are incompatible, and she doubts we will ever be able to have children.”
“Shake on it mate.” Draco held out his hand: “It’s the same for Tor and I.”
“I s’pose we could adopt, but it’s not quite like having produced your own, is it?” said Ronald abstractedly shaking hands.
“Before James came along, we were seriously considering adopting one of the war orphans. However most of the magical ones are now spoken for,” interposed Ginevra.
“How about a quick holiday in Ireland?”
“I’m not in a holiday mood, Harry.”
“Um … I mean … Catlin’s Island … You know green magic and all that. It worked for Ginny and me, didn’t it?”
Ronald looked hopefully at his wife, who looked thoughtful for a few minutes and then nodded. “It’s worth a try, Dearest. I could teach Ginny the unravelling spell; otherwise we’ll both be worn away in six months. It’s my fertile time very soon, so that should be a help.”
“What d’you think Draco? I’d like to have a go too. Our calendar says next week is the right time too.” Astoria looked at her husband.
Draco wrinkled his nose: “Hmm … I’m not so sure. It might just run away with us.”
“Loosen up, Lover. I’ll be there. If necessary, we’ll do a repeat, but with me behind you – like you did to me.” Harry stroked Draco’s hair encouragingly.
“Our next match is with the Kenmare Kestrels at home next Friday. The Finnegan’s have already said we can stop over, if we’d like. It’s already booked in the joint diary. It’s my first match after the birth and GG has given us comps. Besides Seamus’s Family haven’t seen baby James yet.”
“We can use the public portals to get us there can’t we” said Harry.
“Oh well … As you’re all so set on it, I won’t object.” Draco pretended to be resigned: “I’m told the County Fermanagh area is very beautiful and then there’re all those interesting plants in Slieve Rushen Bog and the multiplicity of loughs nearby. We need to make some quick arrangements at the office. How about we go over next Monday?”
As usual, Astoria’s eyes lit up at the mention of rare plants.
“It’d be nice if all the children’s birthdays were around the same time wouldn’t it?”
“James is three months old next week, so to do that we should go immediately.”
“The week after I have a number of experimental potions to finish, but I can do little until they have proved for at least seven days.” Draco suggested: “We could stay over until the match.”
“I’m not due in court until the following Monday. The people I’m defending have been remanded for reports,” ventured Hermione.
“I have just completed my deposition on the last job,” Harry reported: “Kingsley wants us to take a rest period between assignments, so we’ll use that excuse. He can’t grumble, as it is his idea, after all.”
“Bertie and my four can look after the estate, they’re very capable,” Astoria looked wistful: “Sometimes I think they’d do better without me being there.”
“So it’s settled then, we leave Monday lunch time. Then we can have almost a week there.”
“I’ll go and tell me folks,” said Seamus. “Hermione, when yer teach Ginny that charm, may we look on, please? I think we should have a fair copy in the Fortress’s library.”
“Mmm … Of course … Good idea to make a copy, add it to the collection of manuscripts about Catlin’s Island.”
“It might be an idea to ask Poppy if she’d like to supervise. It’d be good to let other infertile Magical couples try.”
“Here we go again,” Draco sounded exasperated: “Harry’s do-gooding tendencies making a public spectacle of our most intimate moments. That’s why I was hesitant at the beginning of this conversation; I could see this coming a mile off.”
“Come off your high horse, Draco, Dean and Seamus have been involved with us before, then again you had me parading around showing off my hard-bits in public a few days ago. Come to think of it you were fairly visible yourself, those garlands left little to the imagination, and you got hard ogling my magically enhanced staff, anyway. Just for that; I’m going to think green thoughts in bed tonight and see what that extra width and length does to your insides.”
“Merlin, Harry, it was an illusion – at least I hope it was.”
“Well we’ll see, tonight, won’t we?” Harry grinned nastily at his partner.
“All right, all right, I give in.” Draco held up his hands in mock surrender: “we leave for Catlin’s Island after Monday lunch.” Then he snuggled up to Harry, gave him a big wet kiss and whispered. “I like your normal size best, Sweetheart. Promise you won’t try to expand me that much, please; you might do some irreparable damage.”
Harry just smiled enigmatically at his lover.
Seamus came back from the floo: “It’s all set up fer Monday. Kiernan and Clara think it’s a good idea ter help others too. For a change me family’s talking about being discreet; very much unlike their usual big-celebration attitude. Me cousin/heir says there’s a good weather forecast an all.”
They sat and planned for a little longer, teasing each other about prowess. In the end all the couples felt that a few nights of abstinence might well enhance the performance of the spell.
In the bedroom Draco looked relieved, still being unsure of his lover’s intentions as to ‘thinking green’. They had a few comforting kisses and then cuddled together sleeping.
~~~ SUNDAY 15^TH MAY ~~~
After the Parish Lunch the group ported to the Hacienda and collared Heironimo, explained what they were about and asked him for a special blessing. Something that he was very willing to give; with lighter hearts the mages ported back to their Cottages. Heironimo also said he and Estéban would pray for each couple during their evening prayers before the mages’ ordeal and were left with their intended schedule.
~~~ MONDAY 16^TH MAY ~~~
Before breakfast Poppy, Lavender and Ernie arrived via the various Portals.
Yesterday they had all decided to conduct their experiment in stages, with Astoria and Draco going first. That would enable Hermione to oversee the relief-bubble making. Somehow Blaise and Gilda had heard of the expedition, wanting to come along to see Slieve Rushen’s special flora. Once they realised that it was not really a plantsmen’s outing, they blushed, and then admitted they were having reproduction problems of their own. So they were added to the list and Seamus made another quick floo-call to his cousins to arrange the extra accommodation.
~~~ FINNEGAN’S FORTRESS ~~~
Just before midday the party ported to Innishfin and Seamus’s ancestral home.
The friends were ensconced in Finnegan’s Fortress well in time and, noticing the fine weather decided to go plant hunting immediately. Kiernan suggested the Burren and explained that it was at a greater distance than the bog.
“Not in magi-leagues it isn’t,” he was corrected by Clara, his wife: you and your muggle miles make it sound far distant. We’ve always maintained a bothy there and we have a suímh-na-glóire to the dolmen next door.”
“A suímh-na-glóire, what’s one of those?” asked Harry.
“It translates as a seat-of-glory, Harry.”
“I’m still no wiser, Seamus.”
“Each clan had one, so their mages could visit a distant property. In a way it’s like yer portals, but yer sit on the stone and ask politely in Irish. The magic is very ancient. The Burren’s much more interesting than the bog.”
“Probably the same as portal thaums and we just rediscovered it.”
Fawkes: *Your surmise is quite correct, my son; transportation thaums come in many guises.*
“Okay let’s go. We can always do the bog plants later.”
Robbie and Bobby promised to supervise the setting up the necessary tents on Catlin’s Island and the Fortress’s elves made up a number of picnic baskets for lunch. Ginevra opted to stay with James and his new Auntie. Seamus led them out and under a trilithon. Draco remarked that it reminded him of visiting Stonehenge as he sat on a round boulder set beneath the top stone.
“Okay, now what do I say?”
“Le do thoil Burren,” replied Seamus.
Draco repeated what he had been told and disappeared; each mage in turn did the same.
###
There was a light breeze blowing as they scrambled over the limestone karst. It was an almost treeless landscape and at first looked extremely barren. Then a series of whoops from the plantsmen drew everyone’s attention to the deep cracks running through the weathered rock. Quite soon everyone was crawling around peering into the grikes and admiring the multitudinous flowers and plants growing therein. Astoria, Draco and Blaise, deftly plucked leaves, placing them into small bags.
“Draco, you’re not supposed to do that,” Hermione groused: “You’ll ruin the ecology.”
“Not to worry Hermione, we only take one leaf, and then only off a very healthy plant that shows no signs of having been harvested recently. I doubt we’ll have more than half a pocketful each, when we’ve finished.”
“I still don’t think it’s ethical,” she scowled.
Draco drew her attention to some of the myriad butterflies and, after chasing some to get a better view when they settled, Hermione forgot all about the plantsmen’s harvesting.
They paused for lunch, taken in the lee of the transportation dolmen. By teatime they were all worn out and wanted to return to the Fortress.
“‘Le do thoil Innishfin,’ will get yer back,” Seamus informed them. And it did.
###
“I know what yer need,” said Kiernan: “I’ve just reconstructed a Fulachtai Fia.”
He chortled when he was met by Blaise’s and Dean’s worried expressions and the other mages blank looks.
“It’s a big trough full o’ water, and yer put hot stones and herbs inter it. It’s really invigorating … Like ter have a go?”
He got nods of assent plus some slightly worried looks.
“There’re lots of remains o’ them around here; mind yer, no one’s quite sure whether they were fer bathing, cooking meat, or brewing light ale. I favour the bathing idea meself. C’m’along; I’ll show yer where ’tis.”
There was a dome like structure standing next door to one of the castle’s entrances. It was made of bent birch wood and clad in sods of earth. Draco wrinkled his nose at the idea, but Harry would not let him back down. Inside they found that canny cousin had placed a layer of plastic sheeting over the wood, so that the earth did not drop down inside. He had also laid smoothed split logs to make a passable floor. Each be-towelled participant was given a pair of tongs and they had to lift a large stone out of the fire and take it inside with them. They placed the stones at each end of the trough and sat stirring the heating water in the space between. The steam caused by dropping the stones in, made them sweat and there was a heady aroma of herbs and fresh cut birch.
“It’s more like a sauna than a bath.”
“Not been in one before, Tor. This is quite an unusual experience.”
“Harry, do you think we could set one up at the cottage? This is fun.”
“Um … Yes … Maybe we could make it somewhat more permanent and hygienic, too.”
They revelled in the steamy atmosphere and came out pink and freshly relaxed.
Robbie and Bobby met them: “We elves have set up a barbecue on Catlin’s Island, if that’s all right, Master Harry?”
“Um … Yes … Sounds like a good idea; okay Guys?”
He recieved affirmation from the others.
###
It was dusk when they took to their broomsticks, flying straight to the crannog. The elves had created a rough circle of tents and there was a bonfire and barbecue set up in the middle.
“We’ve excavated some pits for you,” offered Bobbie to Harry: “The earth is beside them and we’ve applied a slight heating charm to the earth in the first one. We’ll warm the others as necessary.”
“Will that affect the green magic, do you think?”
“It seems to excite the island’s magic. However, it could be that it wants to help and knows what you’re about. A bit like the parish magic transfigured your dong when you went on the fertility circuit of the village back home,” the elf replied, with a knowing grin.
“Um … Fine … Thanks … I think.” Harry blushed heartily.
Draco grinned his thanks at their two personal-elves, as well.
Ginevra left James peacefully sleeping with Clara Finnegan and Winky. The moon was full that night, and gave a silver tint to all that they did. There was sufficient light for the ceremonial burying of Astoria by Draco using the Gaelic words Seamus had rehearsed with him. She was pleased that the warming charm kept the chill of the earth at bay and was laughingly reproved by Ginevra who had had to endure the full chill of the island. Draco, in an unusual fit of possessiveness, laid his sleeping bag down next door to his buried wife, holding her hand whilst they dozed. Harry felt slightly miffed about this and in retaliation snuggled with Ginevra in her tent for the night.
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