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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
- 188
- 189
- 190
[Note: “x-x” = speech & ‘x-x’ = thoughts & *x-x* = telepathy & #x-x# Parseltongue]
~~~ CHILDREN ~~~
Not long after the Granger-Weasleys left, four seers used their secret portal and entered a Tasmo. Explaining to Ivanova and Igor what the research was all about and then Accioing the books they had been reading.
Twelve meals and four sleep periods later they seers had reached a conclusion and went back to the Solar.
“The first requirement is a stasis chamber. I’m not sure that the Malfoy crypt is suitable or safe, and we don’t want to put the inmates at risk; they’re already fragile enough.” Harry was summing up: “Saint Godric’s could be a possibility but that is one Lucy would expect us to use. Kaiser Wilhelm has been stripped of its tombs and anyway isn’t an old enough establishment. So we’re going to ask Vasil if he has a suitable crypt, we know that that ecclesiastical foundation is very old.”
There was a knock on the door and Timothy was bidden to enter.
“The Spirit told me I should come and see you.”
There was another knock and Estéban arrived saying much the same as Timothy.
“Are you aware of Narcissa’s troubles?”
Both priests indicated negatively, so they were told about the incident and the mages’ conclusions so far.
“You may think it odd, but Petunia spends hours in church each day,” Timothy informed them: “There are times when I have been meditating when she has come in and gone straight to the side chapel in which Saint Godric’s statue stands. She chats to the saint about what is happening in the village. Not bad gossip, but worries and people who have problems or are sick. At first I thought this was wrong so I talked to John about it. He said it was her form of praying and a type of penance for the way she treated Harry when he was young. John says she has taken over Samantha’s role in praying to the saint in this respect. He then directed me to readings in the Bible, saying that he thought Petunia was another Anna. Although not a true widow, Petunia was making recompense in the same way that Vernon was by helping to make the prosthetic limbs for abused elves.”
“There is someone missing,” said Estéban, with his eyes closed: “Another priest I think. I’m getting a vision of three arms raised in blessing each arm holds something.  One holds a helmet, another some shoes and the third a shield.”
“Could that be Ephesians chapter six? If so there’re things missing: the sword of the Spirit for one … Mmm … the breastplate of righteousness too, oh, and the girdle of truth.”
“That’s it,” Estéban opened his eyes: “Helmet of salvation, shoes of the gospel of peace, shield of faith.”
“Perhaps the sword is the Gryffindor one?”
“Okay but why three arms, and where do the other items fit in?”
“Could it be the three great arms of the church, Estéban? You know … Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant,” suggested Timothy
“Vasil is an Orthodox bishop,” added Draco.
The other two had not heard of Vasil so an explanation of Draco’s adventure took place. Plus the fact that Vasil was magical as well as priestly and a bishop.
“So how do we get hold of him?”
“We’ve been meaning to visit the Satyr’s Seclusion for some time. Vasil is not a good broom flyer, and the sanctuary is too far away from the dragons’ den to enable apparating direct. So I suppose we’d better do that first.”
“Are you sure he’ll still be there? After all he’s now a bishop plenipotentiary.”
*Just get on with it, he’ll be there,* said Fawkes appearing from the fire: *You’re going in the correct direction. I know where the breastplate of righteousness is, it belonged to Salazar. Things only went wrong when he lost it.*
“Fawkes says he has the breastplate and that were on the right track.”
“Just the girdle of truth left, then?”
“Each piece put on with prayer … Erm … I wear mine, said Estéban: “It was given to me after my first fast … Do you?”
“Yes … look.” Timothy showed them the knotted cord around his waist. “Harry, that probably means that you have to fast in a chapel somewhere, then you can wear this as a sign.”
“The old knights used to fast before their dubbing,” put in Astoria.
“We do it before being consecrated.”
“Fine … I understand … It bears out what I was reading in the Black family’s Grimoire Blanche. Some passages were obscure but these items have made things much plainer. Draco, you’re much better at French than I am, will you come and read the passages with me, please.”
G: *I think you should go and find the resurrection stone, Harry.*
F: *Yes, My Son; that is your next task. My other Son, you must take the priests with you, the Grimoire Blanche, has biblical passages and references which they will understand more easily.*
Draco shrugged his shoulders, chuckled and looked at the two priests: “It seems, Fawkes here, has other plans for us. Will you two gentlemen accompany me to the Black library, please? We have a book to look at. Harry is being sent on a stone hunt in a forest.”
“I’ve written these references down, Draco, if they’re any help.” Harry handed over the long parchment list.
“Thanks Love, we’ll make a start on the book.”
The company dispersed to do their tasks.
~~~ TASKS ~~~
Ginevra’s next task was to find Vasil.
#We have been communing with him and he will arrive after his brothers’ office has been said,# announced Brilliance: #In approximately half an hour’s time.#
At Ginevra’s insistence the two Bolitho’s put on their dresses and charmed galleons. They were a bit dubious at first but dutifully followed her into the Dragon Node and then to the Grunrasenhof where they met Narcissa and Grandmamma Lily. The conversations were by thought transference using Ginevra as the go-between. Having admired some of the architecture the two Bolitho’s were feeling overwhelmed and so Ginevra went back with them to the Seclusion.
Vasil arrived a few minutes later and touched Ginny’s medallion so that they could both speak in their native languages. The two Bolitho’s held Ginevra’s hand and could then join in the conversation, with Vasil using Parseltongue when speaking directly to them.
#Why so awed by the Grunrasenhof’s architecture? You’ve visited the Monastery often enough?#
#It was the noise outside … There was no peace there … The monastery has peace.#
G: *I think it was the traffic noise, Vasil.*
#It will be useful to come to see the Dragons, but we may well not go any further. However, now we can see the doors; we might come to one of the quieter places that you told us about once this present crisis is over.#
#I understand … They’ve lived all their lives in the quiet mountains. Anyway, why did the Spirit want me to see you?#
#So you got the prompting too. Two priests at home want to meet you … something about holy armour and Ephesians Chapter six. One of them said you would represent one of the arms of the church.#
#Ah yes … I think I understand … Harry and Draco came from the Protestants and Blaise and Seamus from the Catholic arm. I knew about John, I think his name was.#
#Yes, but it is his curate you will be meeting and another from Spain.#
#This intrigues me. However, I do not fancy flying.#
#That’s why I’m here … We’ve made a portal … … …# Ginevra went on to describe what portals were and Vasil eagerly put on his new medallion. He was handed by her through the doors. However, he was not bothered by the traffic noise.
~~~ SHIELDS ~~~
Harry ported to Hogwarts, found Minerva and told her what had happened.
“I’ll get Filius to tell the two older witches a special shield charm to place on Narcissa.”
“Thanks Minerva, I’m going on a stone hunt.”
“Good luck!”
Harry needed all the luck he could find because after the battle was over, so much tidying up and replanting had taken place. It took him ages to locate where the death-eaters’ clearing had been. Many years of sapling growth had nearly obscured the place. Whilst he was thrashing around in the undergrowth casting hopeful accios, he heard the sound of galloping.
Some of the centaurs came into view with Ronan at the head: “Hello young foal; what are you doing?”
“Hi Ronan, at twenty-nine I’m hardly a young foal anymore.”
“When you get to my age, Harry, you’re still wet behind the ears.”
The centaurs all brayed with laughter.
“I’m looking for something I lost during the battle of Hogwarts. Not that I’ve had any success yet.”
“We could feel someone making magic and came over to see what was going on. You know; some of the really young humans and other foals come among the trees when they want to practice forbidden or doubtful spells. So we regularly patrol this area and shoo them back towards the school. Only if they give us lip do we report them to Headmistress Minerva. Quite often, the thought of being trampled by the herd, puts them off their incantation. Now for what exactly are you searching? Maybe we can help.”
“It’s a small stone about this size,” Harry indicated with his hands: “It has special magical properties.”
“Could it be the Resurrection Stone?”
“Yes?”
“You won’t find it here.”
“Why not?”
“We found it a few years ago. It’s at the herd haven. We’ve put it in a warded box. Now, what would you be wanting with it? It’s a very dangerous artefact.”
Harry went on to tell them what was happening whilst they galloped to the centaurs’ herd haven, with Harry riding his broom alongside them.
Ronan was very dubious about letting it out of its box: “It caused us no end of trouble. At one time we thought we had another herd trying to muscle in on our patch. Then we found it was our ancestral ghosts and they were very displeased at being disturbed from the fields of Elysium. It took nearly a month before we found it and then by accident. One of our young foals trod on it by accident and was suddenly surrounded by ancestors. He nearly had a heart attack and had to go and recuperate in Hagrid’s hospital.”
“Perhaps it would be better if I took it away all together.”
“It would ease our worries if you did.”
“May I have the box as well, please? There’s no point in disturbing the ancestors until we really need them; just as I did in that fatal fight.”
“I’m glad to see some mortals have their heads screwed on properly,” he gave another bray of laughter, this time tinged with relief.
The upshot was that Harry had the Hallow back and in a safe environment. Arriving back at the Solar he informed his fellow seers. Quite soon the small room was full of priests and mages.
“We visited your house and went to see your home church,” Vasil told Harry: “Your Saint Godric is very impressive. I think the statue contains one of his relics; that is why sister Petunia can communicate. The place is steeped in prayers quite probably from before your saint actually lived. Never mind holy crypts. St Godric’s chapel is a very suitable place for your vigil and transference.”
“In a way it’s a double bluff,” posited Draco: “Lucy will expect us not to use St Godric’s because it’s so obvious and handy.”
“So that’s settled then, now when do I start?”
“Not I, Harry, we.”
“I’m not sure I understand, Tim?”
“This is something that all seven of us have to undertake.”
“Oh … Fine … Um … All of us?”
“Yes each has a part. The seers in keeping your body alive whilst you are wandering the heavenly King’s Cross and the priests in giving you the spiritual support,” said Astoria.
“We all have to fast and pray,” put in Estéban: “Godric will be your guide and that can only happen if we support him with prayer. He it is who has to give you the articles by which you will overcome this evil one. We have to supply them by faith.”
“We shall start after your Mass, what you call it?” Vasil looked perplexed for a moment: “Oh! Communion - on Sunday, then we will all have been shriven properly. Keep vigil overnight and you can begin your travels on Monday; once we have vested you with the girdle of truth.”
“But that’s the day after tomorrow. I don’t think I’m ready.”
“That’s the Devil speaking, Harry,” the bishop said: “He’ll want to put obstacles in your way. Most of them will appear reasonable excuses; he’s very subtle that way.”
Harry took a deep breath and shuddered: “Fine … The less time I spend thinking about it the better, then, I suppose. We’d better get the various items together. Tim, does John know what we propose?”
“Not in detail, Harry, I’ll go and fill him in, shall I?”
“Yes please.”
“There is St. Kiril’s Bible at the Monastery, I will fetch that,” from Vasil.
“I’ll go and prepare the holy water. We’ll need a lot of it,” said Estéban.
Each seer had a book or item to contribute. Harry and Ginevra went back to Chantry Cottage for their more domestic items. In consultation with John, Saint Godric’s chapel was thoroughly cleaned and all spare books etc. removed. Quite a few Dumbledorians offered their help as well.
~~~ SUNDAY ~~~
Bishop Vasil presided whilst Estéban, Timothy and John celebrated High Mass in the village church, much to some of the congregation’s pleasure and surprise. John explained that the bishop, seers and curates were partaking in a special vigil without disclosing the reason. Special prayers were said asking the Lord’s protection on them. At the end of the service, the congregation sang the old Irish hymn tune: ‘Slane’ the third verse of which was very pertinent:
            Be thou my breastplate, my sword for the fight;
            Be thou my whole armour, be thou my true might;
            Be thou my soul’s shelter, be thou my strong tower:
            O raise thou me heavenward, great Power of my power.
Instead of leaving for the usual ball games and luncheon, seven people went to enter the solitude of the barrel-vaulted chapel. Four ex-Slytherins stood outside the door.
“Why are you four here, Mort?”
“We are standing guard on your place of prayer, to ensure you are not disturbed,” replied Septimus, on the Smiling Ones’ behalf: “We have a rota so that other Dumbledorians can do the same until you come out safe and sound. Others of us will be in church praying as well.” He indicated a group of solemn faced individuals in the south transept’s pews. There were all races and ages represented.
Gallus came into view, with an honour guard of goblins: “You will need these items for your journey, Harry.” He gave him Gryffindor’s sword which Harry handed to Timothy.
The next in the queue was Giuseppe: “This helmet is said to have been worn by Saint Mark.” That was placed on the side chapel altar, next to the shoes from the saint’s church in Spain.
Then the door was closed with seven people inside.
“Our primary meditations should be on the articles of faith represented by the objects on the altar,” commenced Bishop Vasil.
“Um … Not all the items mentioned are here, Vasil?”
“Saint Kiril’s Bible is the shield Harry and the girdles rest on the altar ready for later.”
“That leaves the breastplate missing, I think,” put in Astoria.
“Harry has that with him always.”
“I don’t want to bring discord into our vigil, so I won’t deny what you said … Um … Perhaps you could tell me?”
“It’s your cloak; it only is effective when you try to do good with it. Have you not noticed that when you are being sneaky with it for your own ends that you get found out?”
“Fine … I’ll put that on the altar too.” Harry did so: “The only thing that hasn’t got a place is the Stone.”
“May I see it, please Harry?”
Harry unlocked the box and handed the stone to Timothy.
Timothy looked at the split stone and then at Saint Godric’s statue. The effigy appeared to lift its foot revealing a small hollow beneath it - just the right size. Timothy looked at Harry enquiringly, the mage nodded back, and the priest inserted the stone. The statue’s bare foot closed over the hiding place.
“Good! Shall we be quiet for quarter of an hour?” Vasil asked: “Putting aside all the worldly things; that could include any ornaments or badges, or even the contents of our pockets. Items with meaning can be placed on the altar and those that would distract on one of the corner tables.”
An amount of shuffling took place whilst people jettisoned their trinkets.
“Now we will do the same with our worldly thoughts, imaginatively heaping them on the altar or table, there to leave them in God’s gracious hands until he commands us to pick them up once again.”
The silence lasted much longer than they had expected – having put wands and watches aside there was no way of telling the time. Eventually Estéban broke the silence by telling them of the shoes and what they were meant to represent and leading them in a biblical exploration of the relevant texts. Another silence followed.
Each person in turn told of one of the items from the altar trying to elucidate the true meaning of them. When it was the seers’ turn they were helped by the three clerics to find the relevant biblical passages. What had been a daunting prospect became a delightful adventure into where God was leading them. Occasionally when someone’s tummy rumbled they took a sip of holy water, not very much. Quite soon the pangs of hunger were forgotten in the pursuit of personal truth. The passage of time was noted distantly, dusk and dawn showed through the chapel’s windows. The church clock was muffled under the barrel vault, the sound of evensong filtered through, as did John conducting the Monday matins service with the assembled Dumbledorians – That was the sign that the vigil was over.
The vigilantes came out of their enclosure and at the high altar Vasil blessed the cords and presented one to each seer. In the vestry the desk had been moved and covered with a cloth, it was set for seven places. The food they ate was vegetarian because Vasil had insisted nothing that had been killed should enter their bodies whilst the task was in hand. Meal over; the second phase started; no-one knew how long this would last.
The chapel now contained a wide mattress and a comfortable chair. These had been added to the items that still remained on the altar and side tables. When he entered Harry stripped himself naked and Estéban sprinkled him with holy water. Timothy censed him and Harry lay down in the centre of the bed. Astoria was the first naked seer holding Harry’s body in her embrace on warming duty, because they felt she was the least likely to give Harry disturbing thoughts. Once he was in his coma / suspended animation, the other seers would take their turns. Vasil was the first cleric in the chair and he had the unique bible with him.
The door was closed. Harry took the special potion, closed his eyes and started to drift. Ginevra and Draco started the series of incantations that would separate Harry’s soul from his body and allow it to go travelling.
~~~ KINGS CROSS? ~~~
… Time passed …
“Hello, are you Harry?”
“Yes?”
“Do you recognise where you are?”
“Yes! It looks very much the same. Only there is no mewling piece of flesh under the seat over there. You must be Godric, then.”
“That is correct. I travelled around Europe on foot in my day. You seem to have a swifter mode of transport. Not that I can complain, I had many interesting meetings and conversations on the way. I think, perhaps, that we should go and find your train, don’t you?”
“So we’re going on a train journey?”
“Not really, if the train moves off then you will be unable to return here. The concept is alien to me, but the Creator thought that this representation would be the easiest one for you to understand.”
“Thank you … Um … How many trains are there?”
“One for each person alive in the world.”
“Wow … That’s a lot of platforms … I hope the indicator is working properly.”
Godric chuckled; “Yes, I hope your index thing works too. Just to help – each short train represents someone young, someone who has not too many stored memories. Very old ones may well have empty trucks attached, showing where they have forgotten what they once knew.”
“So Narcissa’s train will have quite a few carriages, won’t it? … That looks like the indicator.”
Harry moved towards the glowing sign it had seven lines on it. Drawing nearer he saw the names of the continents, so he chose Europe and followed the arrows until he came upon another board. This had nearly fifty lines he chose United Kingdom and continued the search. In this realm what could be interpreted as walking was not totally accurate, floating might have been a better epithet. However, when Harry thought that way the station environment seemed to change into something resembling his underwater voyage during the Triwizard Tournament. He quickly thought about train stations again and the environment became more understandable.
Counties led to towns and from thence into districts. From there individual streets came up. At the 12 Grimmauld Place platform, stood three trains. One was labelled ‘Kreacher’, another ‘Andromeda’ and the other ‘Narcissa’. Harry was very much tempted to board the elf train, it took all his willpower and a quick prayer to resist the Devil’s wiles. Before he boarded Narcissa, Harry saw the trains departed board listing a large number of past Blacks, Bellatrix headed the list and below that came Sirius’s name. Sorrow welled up in Harry’s consciousness and he was again tempted to linger and remember his lost Godfather. Shaking himself he and Godric boarded the last carriage – in fact, there only seemed to be one door.
Harry went through the vestibule and into the saloon each seat had someone in it. He recognised his mate in the first seat, but then a younger version of Draco sat next to him, and opposite another image of the blond. Harry realised that these were different memories of his partner and another harder compulsion had to be fought. The older ones seemed to want to engage Harry in friendly conversation, half way down they became abusive – just as Draco had been at school. Harry noted in passing that Draco had not said anything to Narcissa about their liaison at the Leaky Cauldron. Draco’s childhood was next; something that fascinated our Gryff. He dwelled here the longest chatting to the various versions of infantile Malfoy-hood. Only Godric urging Harry on, broke the Devil’s delaying tactics.
The next carriage was shorter; Harry was surprised to see himself sitting there. The urge to see himself as Narcissa saw him was almost overwhelming, but Harry now understood the whiles of this particular temptation and was able to ignore himself. They had to traverse a number of shorter carriages such as Petunia, Astoria, and a large number of Dumbledorians. It was obvious that Draco’s mother was filling her mind with her new acquaintances giving them precedence over thoughts of her husband. Eventually, Harry paused in the gangway and peered into the long carriage that was Lucius. The far end was quiet and beautifully decorated but to get there Harry had to traverse hate and uproar. This time the temptation was to give up, feeling he had inadequate strength to deal with hundreds of angry Lucius’s.
“Can I uncouple these carriages, Godric?”
“I imagine you can, but there are other carriages beyond that Narcissa might like to keep. For instance her Mother and Father have not yet appeared. There are also those happy memories of Lucius at the far end, aren’t there?”
“Fine … I understand … I’d better get it over with, hadn’t I?”
“Are you not forgetting things?”
“Um … Oh yes … How do I summon them?”
“I imagine you Accio them don’t you?”
Harry concentrated … CLANG … He was sheathed in mediaeval armour and had the sword of Gryffindor in his hand.
Harry pushed open the connecting door and was met by a Lucius in black armour with a black sword. They fought for some time with neither gaining any ground.
“She’s an unfaithful wife,” the angry image told Harry.
“No she isn’t, you deserted her,” the Gryffindor sword went into the image’s body and it puffed out like smoke.
“She never backed me up when I needed her,” shouted the next one.
Harry crossed swords with this one whilst he thought of an answer: “You showed her that you didn’t need her by torturing her.” Another went off in a puff of smoke.
The battle went on; sometimes Harry had to try more than one answer in order to combat the accusations.
“She was frigid to my advances,” was a sticky one to answer.
“You went whoreing after other males and females,” eventually won that one.
Godric gave him some refreshment after that bout.
At long last Harry came to the marriage ceremony. He felt he had been battling for hours. This was the time when the bond had been made that Lucius was using to try to force Narcissa to do his will.
Her knew what he had to do but felt totally imtimidated by the task - more of the Devil's wiles.
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