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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
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[Note: “x-x” = speech & ‘x-x’ = thoughts & *x-x* = telepathy & #x-x# Parseltongue]
~~~HAND IN HAND~~~
This year [2010] Easter was at the beginning of April. After the self-imposed discipline of Lent the Dumbledorians let their hair down in the Scilly Islands. A number of tents appeared on the shoreline mostly belonging to those who still lived with their families. Some tented just for a change of scene. The Seers took the Sirius out for a couple of days. Although the children could swim, having been regular water-babes in the cottage’s pool, it was felt that a life jacket would be an extra precaution. Of course, George had invented suitable ones that were unobtrusive and self-inflating, worked by the panic feeling engendered by the youngsters themselves, all clever magic!
One of the reasons for using the sloop was that it was time to visit the merpeople. One day it was the male seers turn and another the females. That meant that two parents were always with the youngsters. The pattern was to find a suitable sandy cove, preferably untenanted, and allow the children to romp on the sand and in the edges of the surf. It was a short holiday as a trial to see how the children liked it. The trial being a success, they decided to have a longer holiday in the summer.
~~~ JOINING ~~~
The Magical Principals met during the Easter break. This time there were five because Gabriellus had been asked to come. As usual they discussed staffing.
“Bathsheba is retiring this year and I need a replacement,” said Minerva: “Trained Arithmancers are few and far between. Especially those who can actually make the subject understandable. I went to their annual conference in February,” she tittered: “You know, they live in their own private world. It was hopeless trying to interest them in teaching.”
“Faustus seems to keep his students’ attention. He’s even given me a few hints. He has little jingles and cartoons that give the numbers a character. He has spare days, I know. Because when he joined Mediterra, he gave up his private practice.”
“So, what we need is a way to connect in,” suggested Gerhard: “We’ll have no-one qualified now Bathsheba’s retiring. She used to floo over and stay the night, you know. She used to be exhausted when she arrived.”
“I think her conscientious commitment wore her out,” mused Minerva: “She never had a morning session after she’d flooed back.”
“Harry, could the seers make posterns to connect the academies together?” asked Gabriellus: “We could use our phaetons, possibly, but they’d take too long.”
“It should be easy to fit my academy into the present southern network,” remarked Olympe: “At forty-six magi-leagues we are within cabinet range of Chalet Cadmus.”
“Good idea Olympe,” Harry said: “But we can only make three connections per adytum. If we intend to link in the other schools somehow, then the chalet is the furthest north.”
“If I remember my continental geography correctly, you’re south of the chalet, aren’t you?”
“Yes, Gabby. Why do you ask?”
“Mmm … shorten the Montecristo postern to an adytum at Beauxbatons. I take it you could charm a pair of cabinets to fit between Olympe’s school and the chalet, Harry?”
“Yes … Got that idea but we’d need at least on staging post to reach either London or Durmstrang and then another to join those two together.”
“At the moment the posterns between the schools are almost private. Lots of people use the Gringotts link to access the Manor Rehab Centre and the Irish mages use the link from Godric’s Hollow and thence via the Fortress. It probably not a good idea to mix the public with the scholastic during term time.”
“Two Adyta!”
“Explain, Gerhard, please?”
“You told me when we visited the annex that you use another place for the public to apparate from the place near your cottage … Hmm … If the London and Irish posterns met in one adytum, the academic posterns could meet in another.”
“Use the old lamp room!”
“Lamp room?”
“Yes Harry. It’s a lean-to on the side of the goods shed. When the station was lit by oil, that’s where it was stored. It’s just inside the village dome. Like the apparating area next door but outside the dome. Nobody remarks about people arriving at the station by train or at the terminal bus-stop either. You already have a way of making magicals hold on until there are no unknowing muggles around, don’t you?”
“Um … That seems feasible, but it lengthens the distance.”
Minerva made a pass and muttered something. A map appeared on the table: “Now, Milkwood is here,” she opened her tin of biscuits and placed one on the map. She offered one to Gerhard.
“No thank you, I’m not over fond of them.”
Harry giggled: “I think Minerva wants you to place a biscuit roughly where Durmstrang is.”
“Oh! There!”
Olympe and Harry placed their biscuits also.
Gabriellus clicked his fingers and a large compass appeared in them. He measured off the scale, did some maths to convert miles and kilometres into magi leagues and set the instrument. He drew three arcs using each biscuit in turn to define the maximum distance. All three arcs overlapped very slightly not far from a southern bulge of the Belgian border with France. He marked the area and then reset the compasses carefully. Using his firestick, he caused faint lines to appear on the map. In studying them Harry realised that they represented phaeton tunnels. Very carefully the goblin measured off from somewhere near Folkestone. One end landed in mid channel the next on the French coast south of Calais. As Harry watched, Gabriellus constructed a series of hexagons until one of the points landed in the area that the three arcs surrounded. He then placed his biscuit there.
“I shall have to see if we have a way-station there. I’m not familiar with the phaeton-ways that side of the channel. However, I do know it’s a coal-mining area. So, we have a good chance.”
Olympe and Gerhard knew nothing of goblin transport so that had to be explained, too. In their turn they promised not to spread the secret. Because Gabriellus suddenly realised he may have overstepped the mark. Harry thereupon had a mental colloquy with his fellow peers and promised to put forward the two principals as fit to become nominal praetors to the Dumbledorians, thus relieving Gabriellus of his worry.
~~~ EXHAUSTION ~~~
Moving the adytum at Godric’s Hollow proved fairly easy. Olympe bought a pair of cabinets and had her professors install them. Harry and Draco charmed the pair into a portal. It was Ginevra and Astoria who found a way to walk a part of the chalet adytum through that portal and install it at Beauxbatons. Having a postern at each end made the portal automatically alter to fit. Faustus found he had some extra students when he started his Arithmancy class the following week. Wearing the given St Georges there was no language problem either. The artistic girls fell in love with his little cartoons and made him a superior set as a thank you gift at the start of the summer recess.
Saturday 31^st April had the three seers hard at work. Carlos had agreed that if Harry were too bushed afterwards, he would glamorise himself and take Harry’s place in the May Day procession.
Gabriellus had found a Waystation close to Les Lacs de L’Heure. The magely family up-top were reliable and already were into the secret. They owned an ancient farm whose land had been drowned when the reservoirs had been constructed. Now, instead of looking after animals and growing crops, they were looking after tourists and feeding them. They were more than glad to receive the protection of enhanced wards, because they were a little worried about some of the customers they were receiving. They had a deep cellar which they did not use so this was cleaned up and prepared for the big day. This was where the shaft to the way station came to the surface.
The big [idiot?] seer in the middle was to be Harry he had three pre charmed portals in stasis boxes. Astoria went to Durmstrang, Draco to Beauxbatons and Ginevra stayed home – well – at the Milkwood adytum. Just after midnight the stasis boxes were opened, and the charms pronounced. Three of the seers felt quite weak afterwards. As for Harry, he was out cold for nearly a day, with a worried Draco administering pep-up potions.
Harry woke up suddenly with a grimace: “Merlin’s Balls! I’m not doing that again. I could feel my core being pulled in three directions at once. Circe’s Calumny, am I hungry?”
Robbie and Bobbie popped in bearing trays. One of them was full of treacle tart. Harry ate as though he had not been fed for a week. He also drank five glasses of Winky’s special chocolate.
Harry burped loudly, patted his stomach and settled back into bed. Draco kissed him and stroked his hair: “I think it was worth it. We tested them after lunch, and they work perfectly. Gerhard and Olympe are over the moon. Faustus now has a full portfolio and is busy arranging joint classes in each academy.” Receiving no reply, he found Harry had fallen asleep again, so the blond climbed into bed and cuddled his special brunet.
~~~ SUNDAY 2^ND MAY ~~~
All hustle and bustle after the usual crowded service in Saint Godric’s. John and Timothy had been in fine form, Heironimo and Estéban joined them for parish lunch after their service in the Pueblo. Not having any new students there made a difference; everyone seemed to be more decorous, especially when the senior practical course students went back to Milkwood to splash around in that pool.
In the cottage’s environs, the new trainee professors were going over their Gran approved teaching plans ready for the coming week and wondering if they were still up to it. The seers wandered around giving quiet encouragement where necessary, but by nine-thirty they had the place to themselves. This quietness set the scene for the rest of the evening; even having to get up in the middle of the night to sort the children did not intrude that much. Scorpius had had a nightmare and disturbed the others.
~~~ MONDAY 3^RD MAY ~~~
That peacefulness lasted until the morning and as far as the breakfast table. Their final cups of coffee were interrupted by Minerva being announced.
“Ah, there you are. We’re having some problems with the new posterns. All the teachers can get through and the greatest majority of the students also. The few remaining ones are unable to see the door through which they wish to gain access. Even when someone holds the door open for them, they are unable to walk through, and say that they feel and see a wall. They admit that they can see the part of their helper that is within the adytum, but they appear to be sticking out of a solid piece of masonry. I do hope this new invention isn’t malfunctioning already.”
“Shall we come with you and see it for ourselves?”
“Yes please! I have no problems with any of the posterns.”
“Perhaps we should have someone who has the problem available.”
“I have a couple of Viktor’s pupils in Durmstrang’s adytum waiting. Those two can only see their own postern.”
The quintet ported to the adytum via the Milkwood adytum and entered the Durmstrang chamber.
“Hi, Viktor; we hear you’re having some trouble.”
“Not me personally, Draco; but Ludwig and Kremhilde say that the adytum appears to be a stone lined cave. They accept that others can see a door and use it but are unable to do so themselves.”
G: *I think I know what the problem is, seers.*
H: *What?*
G: *Their auras are positively pulsing with dark magic.*
A: *They smell off too.*
D: *I agree with Tor; their thoughts are churning and there’s some sort of occlumency shield in place. I could probably break it, but that might not be the best idea. I suspect that all our wards are rebutting them. I get the feeling that they’re planning something nasty* “We have one or two ideas about what’s happening, Victor,” Draco continued: “But we need to consult various books and other colleagues to be absolutely sure. Perhaps Herr Ludwig and Fräulein Kremhilde might like to return to Durmstrang whilst we do so.”
The two students looked daggers at Draco, seemingly about to protest; however, Viktor stepped in and sternly ushered them back through the schooner postern. The quintet then returned via the Milkwood and Hogwarts posterns and went up to Minerva’s office.
“I suspect you were being diplomatic Draco.”
“Quite correct, Minerva. Those two are brimming over with evil intentions and dark magic. They had an occlumency shield in place, not powerful enough to hide the gist of their intentions but blocking the actual objective. We think that it’s the strong protectors that our ward-team maintains which are barring those Durmstrang students.”
“Mmm … I see … I think I’d better floo Gerhard and Olympe and arrange a meeting. I do hope you can attend?”
“Of course,” agreed Harry: “I think one of the ward-team should as well.”
“Mmm … Yes … How about Probert?” Minerva allowed a little giggle to escape: “He surrounded the examiner when he took his Degree. Poor man couldn’t break out even using one of the almost forbidden Blasters. Never mind an ‘O+’ the examiner wanted to give Probert another two plusses as well.”
“We knew he was excellent, but that good?” Astoria was chuckling as she imagined the incarcerated examiner.
In a short time, it was agreed to have a conference over dinner and Harry offered the use of Montecristo’s round table. The offer was accepted so Cardio was given the tip-off and the seers returned to their various workstations.
Draco saw Kingsley first and was given another substance to analyse; one that some Aurors had found near a suspicious death. Harry had a long conference with Peter and, with Mackenzie, getting the low down on the cases in hand.
~~~ MONDAY 10^TH MAY ~~~
“Draco, are you ready yet?” came the muffled question through the boy’s bedroom door.
“He’s mooning around in a funk, Tor, and I’m dressing him; give me five minutes,” answered Harry on Draco’s behalf.
“Right, Harry! He seems to be puzzling at something.”
“He’s been given another mystery substance by Kingsley.”
“Oh! One of those funks! Got it! See you in ten.”
Harry struggled with the silent Draco, trying to block out the whirl of his lover’s thoughts. Draco even let Harry brush his hair. Eight minutes later Harry’s automaton was following him along the balcony and into the dining room; Gabriellus was already there. Luckily Olympe and Gerhard arrived just behind them. After Probert had been introduced as their wards’ expert, the seers joined hands in a circle, and made Draco put the problem away, despite his protests. He was quite surprised to find himself dressed and standing near the dining table.
“Okay guys, sorry about that. Now why are we here?”
“To discuss the adyta and the problem of blocked posterns,” Astoria replied patiently.
Minerva cleared her throat ominously: “Now we have Draco’s complete attention. We need to discuss the problem of certain people not being able to access all the posterns. We suspect that it has to do with the wards each of us have around our respective establishments.”
“Ze only student from Beauxbatons who ’as problems is the daughter of someone we suspect of being un sorcier noir. Ze rest can easily go through.”
“That bears out what we observed from the two Durmstrang students,” said Harry.
“How can you be so sure? You only met them for a few minutes,” Gerhard bristled.
“Are you aware of the special gifts our four seers have, Gerhard?” Minerva asked.
“I know they are very strong, otherwise they couldn’t have made the postern network to begin with. Do you have other gifts that we don’t know about, Mages?”
There then followed a long discussion about what gifts the dragons had bestowed on our quartet; including a couple of demonstrations. Even Minerva was astounded.
“So; you appear to be saying that these two are satraps in the making?” accused Gerhard.
“Not necessarily,” replied Draco: “They had some dark plot going on in their minds at the time. We didn’t feel it right to invade their thoughts; otherwise we would be acting ultra-vires in the same way that Voldie did. It is quite possible that someone had ensorcelled them; we have all seen that before, haven’t we. When we use them, our gifts show what is now; not the reason why from the past, or projections into the future.”
“Humpf … I see … maybe the ensorcelling idea is worth investigating, they come from two very respectable families, but we also know how some kinder like to throw over the traces to spite their upbringing, don’t we?”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
“I still think we have a problem.”
“What’s that, Harry?”
“Um … It’s about openness … If we start excluding people we don’t agree with, we’re in danger of following Voldie’s dictates. How would my partner ever have been able to turn to the light if he had been excluded from its influence to begin with?”
“Harry’s right! My father inculcated many dark attitudes into my psyche. I doubt that I would have been able to enter Hogwarts in my first few years had the present protectors been in place. There’s a fine line between protecting our students and excluding others. Estéban’s and Tim’s ethics debates require people to take opposing views and they get quite heated at times. Suppose one of the debaters went outside to cool off, but was still breathing fire and brimstone when they returned, would the protectors then allow him or her back in? Harry teaches defence against the dark arts, but he’s had to learn some of them in order to do so.”
“I’ve used Imperio more than once, albeit experimentally and the Def-Imperio when I was with the aurors; as you know Minerva. And then there were those blood-bonds we had to remake for the dwarves’ protection. Someone we know recently said that dark-magic is more about intention than the actual magic used.”
“I think, Harry,” said Probert in a tentative voice: “That you are counselling more open protectors for the schools and restrictive ones for personal areas, giving each person or group the right to enact stronger barriers if they so wish. We see this demonstrated at school where a student wishes some privacy and charms their bed-space so that no one can intrude. In a way, you have graded wards already; Saint Godric’s village charm is not as stringent as the one that surrounds your cottage or the annex.”
“Oui … You ’ave a point … Mon cher … I know of two applicants who were turned away from Beauxbatons recently because our wards ejected them. I am told you ’ave a genius for ward making; our Gabrielle is one such too. Perhaps you ’ave a budding genius in that field, Gerhard, and we could give ze trio the chance to advise us on ze best forms of protectors.”
“Humpf … Well … He officially left three or four years ago, but I’m sure I could persuade young Gottfried to join such a group. He’s a sort of DADA assistant with us. It’s supposed to be his post graduate studies. Brilliant mind, but he needs protection from himself quite often. Once he gets ideas into his head, he forgets about the practicalities of living. More than once he’s come into lunch in a thoughtful daze wearing only his sleeping attire.”
“We know someone like that, don’t we, Draco?”
“Oh, come on! I’m not that bad.”
“Okay, next time you can come to this meeting in your birthday suit. I’m sure you would have done today if I hadn’t dried and dressed you after your shower. You’re not the only one, think how Dean and Seamus forget about sleep and meals when they have a new project.” Harry hugged his lover comfortingly and Gerhard’s eyes opened slightly wider.
Minerva smiled and nodded at Gerhard’s unspoken question. “Back to the point please, Mages. How do we deal with the rejected ones?”
“Whilst our new warding group is meeting, we can postpone any decisions and we can say, quite truthfully, that we have some specialists working on the problem. In order not to exclude Ludwig and Kremhilde whom I suppose were coming for their Ancient Runes lesson, we’ll get Professor Babbling to hold them at Durmstrang. That is, if you have a classroom free, Gerhard?”
“Of course, Minerva; however meanwhile I’ll have a little probe into their doings over the summer holidays, maybe the Seignior has suborned them or maybe their parents are not as upstanding as they appear to be. After all, Draco; your father kept a very respectable front for many years, didn’t he?”
“It probably was truly respectable in my grandfather Abraxas’s day. I know that his son traded on the good-will more than promoted any real fine works. He was always trying to score off people, you know, and make a quick buck wherever possible, whether it was legal or not. Looking back, I shudder to think what he did. He’s no better now, is he?”
“Come on Love, stop beating yourself over the head about it, let bygones be bygones; eh? How about we reconvene here next Monday?”
“Thanks for the offer, Harry. Perhaps you might like to show off your academy, now that it’s up and running. I still have to get my organisational thoughts sorted. It would be good to see how you deal with mixed language groups.”
Harry chuckled: “You are wearing your St George aren’t you, Gerhard.”
“Of course I am! Why?”
“They all wear them too, when necessary. That’s how Faustus is able to teach four or five nationalities at once.”
Gerhard chuckled too: “I’m still stuck in the old way of thinking. I often jump slightly when I see goblins and elves in our classes.”
As they went around, they met some of the students and most of the professors, all of whom treated Harry as though he were the established headmaster, much to his continued surprise.
After the principals had left Harry expressed his doubts.
F: *It’s the only way the Italian professors will agree to serve, my son. Appoint any one of them and the rest will leave in high dudgeon. Perhaps in a year or so they will have grown to trust each other. You’ll be more of a figurehead because the professors are all mature. Set up an academy council and preside over its weekly meetings.*
Harry gawped at Fawkes, feeling totally inadequate.
A: *We’ll be listening in, Harry; and we can boost you as necessary, but you’ll need to be seen to stand alone, otherwise they’ll drown you out with petty squabbles.*
H: *Thanks Tor, I shall need a boost, what next?*
D: *Call a meeting for tomorrow then have a delayed welcome back feast in the evening.*
H: *Right Draco.* Harry looked determined.
Once the other heads had left Harry called Cardio: “Would you ask all the professors to attend a working breakfast tomorrow morning, please. Use my title if they sound uppity.”
Cardio grinned at Harry, obviously having overcome his feelings of inadequacy.
“Tor; I know it’s my turn to be on hand for the kids tonight. Would you mind swapping duties?”
“I’ll do it for free, Harry. I owe you one from last month.”
“Thanks a bunch. Draco, I’m staying here tonight?”
“Hmm?”
“I said …”
“… Don’t worry Harry. We’ll take him back with us. I’ll dress him in the morning and make sure he’s gets to his lab in one piece.”
“Thanks Ginny. Good luck!”
###
Harry stayed up, solitarily making notes in his room.
Fawkes flew in: *Go to bed my son, all will be well in the morning, you’ll see.*
H: *Yes but …*
F: *GO TO BED!*
Harry stuck his tongue out at the circling bird but complied reasonably meekly.
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