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Harco Empire	By : Toddy Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Draco Views: 34417 -:- 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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- 193
[Note: “x-x” = speech & ‘x-x’ = thoughts & *x-x* = telepathy & #x-x# Parseltongue]
~~ ALL SAINTS ~~~
On the Sunday following May Day Dolores [the organist not the witch] was not up to her usual standard of organ playing. It did not spoil the service, but some wrong notes were noticeable. At the parish lunch afterwards, she apologised to the company.
“We hardly noticed,” said Draco comfortingly: “Are you suffering from that summer cold we’ve all been catching?”
“No … I had that a week ago.” She looked sadly round the room.
“So! We’re your friends. Tell us?”
“It looks as though I shall have to leave and find another job elsewhere.”
“Don’t tell me they’re dismissing you. You do such a good job with our children here.”
“No. It’s not that. You see the authorities say that our school costs too much to run. So, they’re going to close this and two or three other village schools and amalgamate us into one central one in Great Grumblewell. One of the other headmistresses has been chosen to be in charge and another as deputy. Three of us are being made redundant. The county council says it cheaper to run a bus than pay three extra headmistresses and the ancillary staff plus all the maintenance costs.”
“Have they taken into account the money the trust pays for our special children?”
“They want to use it for the new enlarged Grumblewell Primary School. I don’t think they realise what it’s for and they definitely want to drop the Latin from the curriculum.”
“That won’t work. That’s part of the agreement.”
“I know, but I cannot tell them about the magical world, can I?”
“No!”
Vernon was listening in to the conversation: “There’s recently been some talk in our muggle newspapers of parent’s forming trusts under what I think is called ‘Free Schools, Alternative Provision.’ They seem to need a trust to support them. Could our trust do that?”
“I’m almost sure that lies within the Harco Trust’s purview, Vernon,” replied Francis: “Although I should need to check out the various legalities.”
“Should we not send a letter of protest, or something?”
“We already did so many months ago, but they disregarded it. You know; the usual ‘thank you for your letter, we will bring it to the notice of the relevant committee’ answer.”
“Did they say, that they would reply?”
“Not sure, I’d need to look it up. Why?”
“If they did; ask for that reply. If not, send a suitable letter asking why they disregarded the original one?”
“Got the idea … Erm … Could I say that the trust’s directors are disturbed by the lack of consultation?”
“I’ll ensure it is on the agenda for the next meeting,” Dorothy grinned: “I’m sure I must have missed that report off the minutes of the last meeting. So, one of the Directors would need to remind me.”
Both Draco and Seamus gave her the ‘thumbs-up’ smirking at her audacity.
There was a Board meeting that week and Dorothy recorded a missed paragraph from the previous meeting. She also recorded her apologies but forgot to write of the knowingly smiling faces that greeted her apology. That meeting also was informed, by Francis, about the legal requirements for setting up a Primary School Trust within the scope of the Harco Trust.
Two weeks later he reported to the Board on a very officious letter stating that they were transferring the present trust moneys to the enlarged Grumblewell School. It also stated that all the pupils of the new school would require the use of the Academy’s swimming pool.
“The cheek of them,” growled Francis: “This is officialdom at its most demanding. I sent them a mild request for more information and get this demand. No apology for not replying earlier. It’s a disgusting way of carrying on!”
It also incensed the directors. The Educational Department received a firm reply stating that, as they were no longer going to teach Latin to the selected pupils from Godric’s Hollow, there would be no grant available. It also stated that, whereas the residents of the village had been given permission to use the swimming bath at the Academy, use by other than residents would be regarded as hiring out the swimming bath. It also suggested that the fee would be on a person to person basis, at the same rate that the individual support grant to the school was.
Meanwhile Francis had been, on behalf of the Board, making enquiries about setting up an independent school. Concomitant with that he invented a suitable letter for all the village’s [supposedly] aggrieved parents to write to the County’s Director of Education. Within a couple of months, the Education Committee suddenly realised that it had a well organised political storm on its hands. It also realised that certain assumptions about payments of grants and use of swimming facilities were not tenable and in paying for it, it would leave a hole in its budget. Nevertheless, the ball had been set rolling towards a separate village school.
Harry went to see the Bishop and explained the situation. As the school and some of the others were a church schools the Bishop managed to ask some awkward questions in public, as to why the Church had not been informed. He also added official support to the founding of the private free school.
The next stage was a visit from the Inspectorate of Schools. It was in the person of a certain Captain Jeremy Lightfoot.
He met Draco and Astoria.
Jeremy smiled: “As you see, I wear a number of inspectorate hats.”
He then went on to introduce his two colleagues, one of whom they found out later, was a squib. The inspection seemed to go alright, but the inspectors revealed little apart from saying that a copy of their report would be forwarded both to the trust directors and to the headmistress. A fortnight later that report arrived through the cottage’s letter box. That evening a Board meeting was called and the letter opened. By-and-large is was positive, although it did suggest certain improvements, one in class size ratio of teachers to pupils and another about the accommodation proposed.
The next development was from an unexpected source. Somerford, a hamlet downstream from Godric’s Hollow decided that it did not want its children to attend the County School either. So, having heard of the Godric’s Hollow initiative, a delegation of parents came to see Astoria, John and Dolores. The upshot was that the parents all wanted to be included in the private school idea.
Looking at the geography it seemed that the old roman road connected the two villages by the easiest route. Their road to Great Grumblewell was tortuous and hilly, as well as being affected by snow in the winter and floods whenever there was a storm. This was tractor country, so a few trial trips were arranged along the ancient road, snags noted, and a combined party of villagers and practical students spent some glorious summer days cleaning and repairing the original stone surface. Griswold’s department turned out two covered trailers which would transport all the relevant children, plus a couple of adults.
The fun thing for the children was that one of their villagers, who happened to be a mage, was also a steam enthusiast and owned a number of Victorian steam agricultural machines. One of these was a traction engine which used to tow a threshing machine and its driver’s wooden caravan. Once stationary, it would power the grain separating apparatus via a belt which was run over its flywheel. Some of the local farmers still called for its services, partly out of nostalgia, partly because they thought the threshing machine was better at its job, and partly because it was cheaper than the alternatives. [No fuel charges – it was run on thaums instead]. On school days this engine was to be fired and bring the children to the new combined school, towing both trailers in a kind of road train.
The result of the Inspectors’ report and the increase in pupils made the Parochial Church Council think hard. An agreement was reached with the trust, whereby the school and the hall were to be linked by a covered passageway in the style of a mediaeval cloister, thus offering increased classroom accommodation and enhancing the ambience of the village square. Rooms in the Hall could still be used for meetings in the evening and at weekends whilst the Annex’s barn was offered for the social gatherings – in fact it was already used for many of those. They also had received a letter from the education authority, which agreed to grant aid the headmistress’s and one teacher’s full-time posts; although the tone of the letter was of disgruntled paternalism.
The early summer seemed to be filled with form-filling and inspections, syllabus fabrication and trial classes, building, renovating and interviews with an interested media. Those interviews were the most trying because of the need for magical secrecy. When asked about the insistence on Latin teaching, Harry was, at first, stumped for an answer. It was Hortulanus who came to the rescue:
“Many of the children will be employed in the agricultural and horticultural businesses. All you have to do is look at any book on these subjects and they are full of Latin Names.” He then went on to explain how the same species of plants had many local names, but only one Latin description. Using endless examples, he talked of genomes and affinities; becoming more technical as he explained. Once he saw that he had made his point by his listeners’ glassy eyed inattention, he stopped his spiel. Variations on this theme managed to quell that question every time it reared its ugly head. Occasionally Gilda was roped in to give much the same talk about dispensing medicines, not only to people, but also for cattle and horses. She quite often picked out a reporter who had a pet and used an example of accidental poisoning if the true Latin was not learned.
“After all,” she would say at the end of her speech: “We are establishing a rural academy to specialise in those suitable subjects. Nevertheless, we will also thoroughly cover the core curriculum that our nation expects.”
They did not get too bad a press. British newspapers rather like supporting the underdog, especially when the authorities seem to be being recalcitrant. Their cause was helped by a scandal when two affluent councillors were caught receiving gifts from grateful relatives for steering certain building contracts their way. It just happened that one of those contracts was for extending the Grumblewell School’s premises for the expected influx of new pupils. Some of which, as we know, preferred to attend the Church School in Godric’s Hollow.
There were now three teachers at the Parish School, all employed by the Trust, but under a different regime. That of housing, domestic help, food and gardening supplied. Plus, of course a commensurate wage. Dolores was still head teacher with the teacher from Somerford as her assistant, plus one of the Dumbledorians. The assistant had to be let into the secret, but, being a friend of the steam-magely family was already in the know.
###
After a few trial runs with the road-train at the weekends word got around. So, another visitor attraction was enabled which included an optional visit to some roman ruins. They were listed as probably a villa farmstead close by the road. Then again, Somerford was another unspoilt and picturesque hamlet whose residents soon set up a communal tea shop and garden.
The first Sunday run was a surprise. It contained some of the Somerford residents responding to the call of the bells. They had occasionally been served once a month, if it were fine, by an outdoor celebration, usually conducted by John or Timothy in the evening. They felt that, now easy communication had been created, they would prefer to attend the mother church in the mornings. It worked in the other direction also, because some of the Godric’s Hollow residents liked the idea of worshiping outdoors under the massive oak tree in the centre of Somerford. It was especially appealing on a summer evening with lights twinkling in the tree.
###
That first week in September was busy educationally. The four Seers were asked to be present not only at the Hogwarts Express but at the opening ceremonies of Durmstrang and Beauxbatons not forgetting their own Mediterranean Academy and the small teaching facility at the Dragon Reserve.
During the next couple of months Leo kept calling in, whenever he was in Europe. He had made quite a hit with Maximiliano and Vittorio from their ancestral research and had also made contact with a couple of Harry’s Italian family who were very distant relations. He stayed at one house or the other and avoiding hordes of adoring fans for a couple of days. He did not seem to mind the ancient buildings and the ‘quaint plumbing’ as he called it.
~~~ MONDAY 25^TH OCTOBER ~~~
“What arrangements are we making for the Samhain holidays?” asked Gerhard of the Heads at their Monday working Dinner.
“Um … Nothing official from Montecristo or Cerroverde,” replied Harry: “But the Dumbledorians are all converging on the cottage for a fancy-dress get-together after the fire jumping.
“The usual feast and abduction games,” proffered Minerva.
“Surely those are for ze young ones?” queried Olympe: “Do ze older ones not summon ze dead on All Souls Day?”
“We had some bad experiences a few years before, during Voldie’s first reign of terror and discontinued them. I suppose they ought to recommence now that he is no longer with us.”
“Um … I think this is a piece of learning I have not experienced. Is it important?”
“Yes Harry. Durmstrang has always inducted its seventh-year students into the ritual. How else are your ancestors and deceased friends going to guide you?”
“I agree with Gerhard. Beauxbatons ’ave continued ze rites, same as Durmstrang.”
“Um … Can you tell me more, please? Does it mean I can actually talk with Dad and Mum?”
“Yes Harry, and they can talk to you. In the ritual you make yourself available to them, but they only communicate if they wish to. It’s considered very bad form if you summon them against their will. That’s why Samuel’s shade was so cross with Saul when the Witch of Endor summoned him. Other deceased friends can also speak on the same basis. The coercive spells used to force attendance are definitely dark and akin to Imperio.”
“Most of the Dumbledorians and their friends don’t know about this either … Um … could we hold a joint ritual somewhere, d’you think?”
“Good idea … We could include the Mediterra seventh year and postgraduates too; but where?” mused Minerva.
“Durmstrang owns a large island next door to the one on which the school is situated. I’m sure our joint ward team could make it muggle proof for the night. It’s only a short apparate away from the main buildings and we could use the posterns to gather the participants. May I invite all the senior students from the academies to attend?”
“Thank you, Gerhard. On behalf of the older Hogwarts students, we accept your invitation.”
“A new era of European co-operation. Perhaps all ze students would like to attend ze open-air All Saints Mass at Beauxbatons, beforehand.”
“My students and professors tell me it’s a holiday in Europe – perhaps we could make the Montecristo sands available for the partakers to have a picnic and some lido sports?”
“What a good idea. Yes, please?”
###
Meeting over; Harry and Cardio made more detailed arrangements for the entertainments. Harry then went to the cottage to advise the seers.
“My father used to do it, but I thought it was dark, so I avoided going,” said Draco.
“Mmm … me too,” came from Astoria.
“Our family thought it was dark, too. Are you quite sure it isn’t dark magic, Harry?”
“Only if we force the spirits to come to our bidding, according to the other Heads, Ginny.”
“Oh! Okay then – I’m game. Andromeda offered to baby sit, so we could party. Now she won’t have to cast an ‘Obscuro Sonus’ to keep the bedrooms quiet.”
“Right then! Let’s get madam secretary busy telling the Dumbledorians.”
“I’m at Cerroverde with History of Magic tomorrow,” offered Astoria: “I’ll go in for breakfast and talk to the seventh-year tables and post-graduates.”
“I’ll visit Montecristo and do the same, as I’ve got DADA later,” said Harry.
Pop: “Don’t forget the vegetarian dinner beforehand, Harry; or the strictly no alcohol rule in preparation.”
“Thanks for reminding me, Kreacher. I hope that doesn’t put a strain on Winky’s menu.”
“No, Harry; you were having vegetarian anyway, and the dwarves have just sent a new batch of oranges; so you’ll have a choice of fruit juice because the wind blew some apples down in Woodyates’ orchard so they can be crushed as well. Which establishment will host the dinner?”
“It’ll be us; I think.
The other seers nodded.
“It would be easiest to use the Montecristo Hall, wouldn’t it?”
“I think chef Sporcaro would like to be involved.”
“Good idea, he seems to supervise the academy’s nutrition anyway.”
Kreacher grinned: “It stops him getting bored and getting under Sporcara’s feet.”
###
As they kissed and cuddled in their bed after coition the two male mages wondered who, if any, of their deceased relatives would want to talk to them.
~~~ MONDAY 31^ST OCTOBER – TUESDAY 1^ST NOVEMBER ~~~
Throughout the day there was a sense of growing excitement amongst the older and post graduate students. Astoria had done a quick piece of research earlier in the week and based her teaching sessions on that particular subject. The Latin professors were as ignorant of the procedures as was Harry, so a couple of working lunches had been called with Astoria present to instruct them. This started to ease Astoria in to the two Latin Schools – quite soon she would be regarded as Headmistress and carry as much authority as Harry. Naturally when Hermione heard about event, she did her own research and had held some teatime sessions with the Dumbledorians.
As previously, those who were to jump the Samhain fire and their sponsors wished to be quiet and so a vigil-like atmosphere pertained at the cottage. This happened also at the annex where all the seventh-year students had gathered both from Hogwarts and the Mediterranean Academies. Quite a few were jumping the fire also.
When the actual ceremony came around there was an air of solemn enjoyment, rather as though this was the beginning of the ceremony rather than a complete ceremony in itself.
Whilst the participants rested or meditated, the seers absented themselves in order to charm another batch of cabinets at Number Twelve. With Lucy and his Satraps still on the loose, there was a constant demand. People were forming links of cabinets with their neighbours so as to be constantly under the protection of wards. The links would terminate in little clusters in a room close to a portal entrance. Some of those links now brought a few primary-school-age children to be taught at Dolores’s school.
Arriving back at the bothy the seers were surprised to see people sitting under the Milk Wood Trees.
Draco went to the nearest group: “May I enquire why you are sitting here?”
“We hope you don’t mind, Professor, but those of us who are going to take their first adult mass wanted to keep vigil, as we understand our colleagues from the other academies do.”
“No! We’re very content that you take these ceremonies so seriously. Do you intend coming to Montecristo during the day before attending the All Souls ceremony?”
“Our Latin colleagues have arranged for us to rest there afterwards, and Father Timothy is conducting an Agape meal for us there before we go to Durmstrang. As you see we’re a mixed group here.”
Draco looked and recognised students in that group from all the academies, most of whom he had taught in his capacity as visiting potions professor.
The seers did have some bed rest after their exertions, but they were up early to use the posterns to Beauxbatons.
###
For the students, that further vigil had them prepared for the All Saints Mass. Estéban was there to celebrate with the Beauxbatons’ chaplain, having left Heironimo officiating at the Hacienda. With Timothy in the role of sub-deacon the high-mass took place in Latin, a language which most of them had some acquaintance with.
Harry was surprised how much it resembled the services at Saint Godric’s and soon felt quite at home with the rite. The thanksgivings for the lives of the saints had extra meaning for them because they were giving thanks for the ancestors they hoped to meet that evening.
After the service they went to the great hall at Beauxbatons, which was exquisitely decorated in pastel shades. The participants shared an early breakfast feast before the other students were awake. As those sleepy-heads started to appear so the Samhain throng posted to Montecristo equipped with towels and other recreational items.
Somehow the Dumbledorian nude bathing ethos invaded the understandings of the other students. Kreacher and Cardio had organised a mixed team of elves who had set up colourful umbrellas, a stall giving away Gillyweed to intrepid divers and any number of dinghies equipped with sails and/or oars. A soft drinks bar was there and around feeding times a long cold-buffet display made its appearance. There were two lifeguards in attendance also; sitting on top of two ladder-like observation posts – Adalbert and Maximillian.
###
There was a lot of naked talent on view. Harry’s and Draco’s roving eyes were everywhere. They only admired the scenery, knowing that their regard for each other and their moral code would not let them take things further. Alessandro and his mates were nearby, and the two male mages were almost positive they were parading their wares in attempted temptation. Seerly strategically placed towels would have given the game away, so the two mates adopted pubic glamours to make their erectile excitement non-apparent. Eventually the pressure became too great, so a hurried levitation tube ride took them to their private rooms.
“That Alessandro was waving it around and licking his lips at me,” opined Draco: “Gorgeous buns too.”
“Um … I know. His fair-haired mate Grandolo was doing much the same to me. A nice eyeful, I must say. I’m sure he was half hard. Still, I like what I see here much better.”
Harry demonstrated his liking by indulging his lover in a long passionate kiss. Naturally things grew out of this and after half an hour’s session in their room the two mages felt sufficiently relieved to re-join the naked throng on the beach.
In fact, many of the naked throng had retired into beds arranged by the Latin students with Cardio. The rest were sleeping on blankets under the sunshades
They noticed Alessandro and Grandolo were missing and supposed they were ensconced in a secluded place playing out their own passions. When they returned an hour later looking quite flushed Draco drew Harry’s attention to them.
Robbie saw his two masters watching the Italian couple: “They swam round into the next bay. It has no sand only smooth rock which slopes gently into the sea.” He gave a little giggle: “Their technique is not as refined as yours, Masters. In fact, it entails a lot of shouting and effort. They rolled off the rock into the sea twice before they reached fruition.”
“So why were you spying on them?” asked Draco.
“They disappeared just after you two did. Bobbie and I wanted to keep an eye on them in case they were going to attack you. There have been rumours that Master Draco's father is trying to subvert some of your new family, Master Harry.”
“Um … Thank you for watching over us. Surely their oath of allegiance would stop them, wouldn’t it?”
“Probably, but it wasn’t a true mages oath, Lover,” Draco answered on the elf’s behalf.
“So we could be in another Theo situation could we?”
“I think we would suss out any untoward attitudes, Harry. Tor would smell something, or Ginny might see something. I must say I have not experienced any bad vibes coming out of them. But it wouldn’t be a bad idea to be slightly wary until we know them and their backgrounds better.”
“Fine … I’ll be careful around them … Thanks again for watching out for us Robbie.”
“It’s part of my job, Master.”
“Nevertheless, we’re both grateful for your care,” Draco answered.
###
Before their abstemious dinner all the participants had had some rest. Potions were under the same ban as alcohol. Most of the Dumbledorians decided to meditate, sitting around on transformed dining chairs in Montecristo’s hall which now resembled a club’s lounge. The hush was only broken by the clicking of beads or whispered mantras
~~~ WEDNESDAY 2^ND NOVEMBER ~~~
The company posted to Durmstrang where Viktor and Gerhard greeted them; showing them the start of the rainbow coloured traction-beam which ended on Blaulindeninsel. A continuous stream of students and Dumbledorians landed; moving towards an enormous pile of deadwood in the centre of the island. In the growing dusk each participant carried a smiling head carefully carved out of a large root-vegetable or gourd, inside of which was an unlit candle.
Given papers on which the charm words were written the whole group walked widdershins round the bonfire-to-be reciting them. After three circumnavigations they stopped: “LACARNUM INFLAMARAE” rang out, as each Magical pointed their wand [finger in the case of the seers] at the pile of wood. With a ‘whoosh’ the flames reached high up into the sky. Next, each person pulled a burning brand out and lit their candle. They each had a prayer mat which they laid out; sitting in one enormous circle with their backs to the flames, with their lighted vegetable mask arrnnged to face outwards.
The four seers sat close to each other. Out came the beads again and, apart from the crackling of the bonfire and murmured mantras, silence reigned.
Slowly, from where his turnip was glowing, Harry became aware of a mist forming. It seemed to gather itself together becoming denser as it did. He glanced over to Draco’s mangel-wurzel and saw much the same thing happening.
TBC
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Harco Empire