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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
- 193
- 194
- 195
[Note: “x-x” = speech & ‘x-x’ = thoughts & *x-x* = telepathy & #x-x# Parseltongue]
~~~ SCANDINAVIA ~~~
With Easter on the second Sunday in April and Beltane at the end of the month, the seers were hoping for a slightly less hectic schedule, because the students had three weeks holiday. That time started with the Hogwarts Express early on Maundy Thursday and its equivalent Durmstrangesschnellboot and Beauxbatons Coche-rapide on the continent. Thus all the students were in their homes in time, should they want to attend the evening service celebrating Jesus’s final supper. Good Friday was observed by fasting and watching by the cross.
There were confirmands to be received by the Bishop on Holy Saturday evening and they were meditating. One of that group came rushing into the cottage looking for the seers. He found Harry:
“We were in the chapel and heard a voice, Professor. At first we didn’t believe it was Saint Godric talking to us, supposing it to be a prank, but Father Timothy said it was possible, and not the jape we suspected. Saint Godric wants to speak to all four of you.”
“Fine, I’ll go and get the others and we’ll go to the chapel.”
A D G:*WE ALL HEARD YOU,* sent the other seers and they met to see what Godric wanted; having a long private chat in the chapel.
###
After the other Easter observances, the Dumbledorians relaxed on the Monday bank-holiday. Most of them in and around the cottage.
Mid-afternoon Arthur breezed in, looking slightly worried: “Hello Seers, I was going to ask you to come to my office tomorrow; I think we have a problem. Before I tell you about it maybe we can clear your requests out of the way first. Have you anything planned for Beltane?”
“It’s Harry’s fourteenth year as Village Mage, so his equipment will be on display for another big session then,” Draco had an amused smile on his face.
“Oh No! I’d forgotten about that.”
The other seers giggled.
“Well, Dad, you know we had a different kind of session with the ancestors on Samhain, don’t you?”
“Yes, Ginny, your brothers and Hermione told me. I was somewhat worried at first, but they assured me there was no dark magic used. Maybe next year you can include the rest of the family.”
“It was new to us as well, Uncle; quite an eye-opener!” Harry smiled at the Minister: “We learned that Fawkes was the guardian angel of mages and that other guardian angels use holy statues to talk to their priests. Our Saint Godric also talked to Aunt Petunia and he told Aunt Narcissa where the Resurrection Stone was hidden.”
“Really? That’s interesting. I wonder if Fawkes will visit me … Mmm … I do hope Fawkes is pleasant with me, because I hear one of Draco’s ancestors mouthed off a bit.”
“Yes Uncle, one did. You know we helped out the Spanish Mages, don’t you? Well … Lucy had stolen an ancestor picture from the Royal Palace, so I quietly returned it. Don Luiz was a nasty-piece of work always making trouble for me,” Draco grimaced: “So I got my own back. He has to be a muggle portrait now.”
Arthur giggled: “I bet he gets a stiff neck. What happens when he goes visiting?”
“No idea – not that there’s another portrait of him anywhere anymore – I imagine he has to scurry back for opening time. That’s by the way. Talking of shades. Saint Godric called us into the chapel on Holy Saturday and had a chat with us; telling us that our ancestors’ spirits are unable to venture inside the Scandinavian Academy.”
“Oh! I think my worries are the same as yours. I was in Oslo on Saturday chatting to my Nordic opposites. They’re equally worried about its status. Half a dozen or so of their best operatives were sent to investigate and have failed to report back. They heard of your prowess and combined strength and wondered if you would be able to help.”
F:*This is your next task, my children. Give in gracefully.*
Harry scowled at Fawkes: “Perhaps you could introduce us, Uncle. I’m sure our Saint George medals would translate for us.”
“No need, Harry. The Scandinavians all use English when they talk to each other. It makes things much easier. Gunnhilder Thorensen is the current Nordic League Minister of Magic; she’s apparating over tomorrow afternoon. We guessed that you’d be willing to help. ”
Draco giggled: “Good thing we’re an amenable lot, isn’t it?”
Arthur chuckled: “What a change to hear a Malfoy not angling for preference. I’ll see you all at teatime tomorrow, when Hilde arrives, yes? Are you happy to come to the Ministry to meet her there?”
Harry shrugged and replied positively, after being prompted mentally by the others
~~~ INTERVIEW ~~~
Gunnhilder Thorensen was well-built and fair-haired. Her square jaw brooked no nonsense and her ice-blue eyes seemed to penetrate one’s deepest thoughts.   Her hair was done up in a vicious bun on top of her head. Draco sent *Viking Valkyrie* to the others and set them giggling.
“You must be Harry green eyes, and you Draco the fair one, Ginevra with the Weasley red hair, so you can only be Astoria of Viennese fame. Am I right?”
“Yes, Madam Thorensen.”
“Oh! For Merlin’s sake. Call me Hilde, everyone else does,” the smile that accompanied the request altered her whole persona into one of puckish geniality, with an Albus-like twinkle to match.
The seers let out sighs of relaxation and Arthur chuckled quietly.
“Well; do you think I suit horns and a helmet, Draco?”
“You can hear our thoughts?” Draco looked shocked.
“No! But everyone seems to think I wear them and I think your giggles were from some kind of sending like that. I imagine I’m as typecast as Harry is as the-boy-who-lived-twice. I hope we can get behind our public images and become friends; for that’s what we’ll need to be to fight whatever’s going on at Helltröllstimø. That’s the island with the Scandinavian School of Magic upon it.”
“Quite a mouthful, isn’t it?”
“Yes – it contains pieces of the various languages for the nations we represent ‘Magical School Island’ would probably be a reasonable translation. We tend to call it the Island for shorthand purposes. Anyway; to work! A number of parents alerted us to begin with. Two or three of them compared the letters that their offspring had sent home and found them to be blandly identical. There were none of the usual requests for things left behind, extra pocket money or sweets. None of the older ones wanted to return at Easter, either. As most of them were swatting for their Diploma. So, the parents were rather pleased their offspring were being responsible for a change.”
Arthur saw the mages looking puzzled: “The Scandinavian Diploma is the equivalent of our NEWT’s.”
“Oh, sorry! Well to begin with, they just thought their offspring were too engrossed at school and had employed some automatic quills, but the letters were in their children’s own handwriting – the only part that was difficult to explain away. On further investigation, even the known tearaway’s and serial grumbler’s letters were the same. To cut a long story short, our Aurors agreed to look into things. At first, they couldn’t penetrate the warded dome – nothing too unusual there; because of the current unease, we’d asked the school to add some new protectors. They came back, researched the new wards and tried again. We think that some of them managed to gain entry; the rest returned baffled. The six that entered have not returned; so, it’s possible that they are dead or under duress. The returnees had sampled the wards and came to the conclusion that blood had been used to create them. In other words: dark magic.”
“Perhaps we should ask Probert and his friends to become involved.”
“Who’s Probert, Astoria?”
“A very clueful goblin who has teamed up with two other Magicals from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. They’re aces at wards of all kinds; in fact, we hope to get them to teach it as another subject to the Latin Schools.”
“Latin Schools?”
“Yes Hilde, the Italian one on Montecristo and the Iberian one at Cerroverde.”
“I had heard of the clearance of Cerroverde, but Montecristo? It’s just a legendary Island, isn’t it?”
“Meet the current Conté,” said Draco mockingly, pointing to Harry.
“Does that mean that you’ve managed to tame all those independent Italian house professors, Harry? Well done!”
“He’s had to become headmaster to do it,” said Astoria with a chortle.
“More like a chairman, really,” Harry explained: “If they all feel equal they are not jealous; I mediate their bickering more than anything. Both sets of students combine for most lessons and some of the Dumbledorians also act as tutors. We also have quite a few post-graduate students as well. In fact, they are older people being groomed for NEWT’s equivalents, because of them having not yet reached a reasonable standard.”
“Ah yes! I see! So, your Probert could help with identifying the wards, could he?”
“Yes! And, with his team, probably create anti-wards as well. We have also found a non-dark way to make blood wards, thanks to a Spanish witch’s insight.”
“Well, well! So, what do you propose?”
“To have a gentle look-see first. No heroics unless we’re forced to by being attacked. Maybe see if we can sample the wards. A report back and then some research involving the ward-team and anyone else thought to be relevant. Okay?”
“Yes! Do you need a base nearby?”
“It would be helpful, but not debilitating if there’s nowhere suitable.”
“Well, Draco; the Island is quite near to the Väderöbod Lighthouse. It is now automatic but various ornithologists and marine biologists use its rejuvenated accommodation from time to time. I’ve used my influence and booked a party to take over the island for some research for three weeks; if that would be a help.” Gunnhilder had conjured a map and was pointing out the various places.
D:*If we knew where the other portal from Kaiser Wilhelm went, it might be useful!*
“Okay, how do we get there?”
“My Oslo door should be the nearest, but the Copenhagen door is only a little further away.”
“You must have a very large office,” said Draco giggling.
“They’re magic doors, Draco; one in each Capital City. I’m not sure where the actual Ministry headquarters are but we also use the doors to travel around. Each Capital has is a reception area, from that a door leads into the Nordic Ministry itself.”
“It sounds as though your offices are loculi leading into an adytum with a postern to each location. We’ve recently joined all our academies with something like that.”
“Interesting, you’ll have to look at ours and see if they match. I’ll give you each one of these passes, just show them to the receptionist and they’ll let you in, plus anyone accompanying you. If, when you come to one of the capitals, you touch your wand to this spot on the pass it will show you a map of how to find us. Touching this place with your baton will reveal the door when you arrive there.”
A:*If that gateway goes to Stockholm; that might be a better choice.*
“Thank you, Hilde. We have a few arrangements to make; perhaps we could come to see you tomorrow at ten?”
“So soon? Yes please. I’ll have a liaison officer available to show you to Väderöbod and where the Island is situated.
###
After the departure pleasantries the seers retired to the cottage, arranging with the various matriarchs a children-supervising rota, and with their various helpers a pattern of substitute tutors.
After dinner the seers contacted the Olympe and Gerhard, seeking permission for the Ward Team to become operative in a couple of days’ time.
“You really don’t need to get my permission, Draco,” said Gerhard, with a chuckle; “Gottfried is his own master and is rather taken by Probert’s and Gabrielle’s ideas. He’s even managed to remember to dress before appearing at meals.”
“I zink our Gabrielle ’as a crush on Gottfried,” said Olympe, smiling: “She is a post graduate, ’Arry, and, as such, creates her own programme. I zank you for ze courtesy of asking me, but just make arrangements wiz ’er in future.”
As Probert was technically an Auror, Harry asked Mackenzie, as chief, if he would second him for the time being.
Mackenzie chuffed with a smile on his face: “Arthur and Kingsley have suggested we co-operate with you.   We will give any Dumbledorian Auror you need, leave of absence. Thus, we are seen not to be encroaching on the Nordic Aurors’ patch. They’ll be helping you as society members, not public officials.”
“Got the idea. Thanks Mac!”
They returned to the cottage and started organising the Dumbledorians, so that various permissions from employers could be sorted in advance.
“Is there any chance I could be of use?” asked Proclus.
“Would you fancy being our liaison officer?” asked Astoria.
“What’s that?”
“A sort of messenger who seeks out people and information and delivers them to us, where ever we are.”
Proclus nodded: “If you think I would be of use, of course. Maybe I’ll see some more of the portal network I’ve heard you all talking about.”
“Fine. Tor, will you charm him, please?”
Astoria agreed and set about charming the werewolf and introducing him to some of the portal system.
~~~ FRIDAY 4TH MAY ~~~
In the morning, after breakfast the seers used the portals to go and see Ivanova, asking where the third portal at Kaiser Wilhelm went.
“Close to the Copenhagen entrance to the Nordic Ministry, seers,” was her reply.
Harry then went to fetch Proclus who accompanied him to Kaiser Wilhelm and then with the other seers as far as Copenhagen.
Their magical door was in a brick outhouse attached to one of Copenhagen’s northern suburban railway stations. Having emerged; Draco touched his pass to find out where the Nordic Ministry door was. He started chuckling.
“Come on Lover, share the joke!”
“It’s glowing now, look at the door we exited from.”
“That’s useful! I imagine there must be another door inside.”
“Stop chattering, you two; let’s all go inside and see Hilde.” Astoria was all efficiency.
They returned inside the outhouse to find another door had appeared. Draco opened it and found that it led into an airy office.
“Good morning Seers,” said a pleasant faced young man, comparing their faces to his photograph board: “Hilde’s office is on the third floor down, second corridor on the left and first door on the right. Do you need someone to show you the way?”
“I think we can manage, thanks for the offer. Third floor, second corridor, first door, yes?”
“That’s correct Mage Malfoy. I nearly said: ‘have a good day’, but it may well not turn out to be such a one. Our prayers and best wishes go with you; my son is one of the trapped scholars.”
“We’ll do our best to free him and the others unharmed.”
“Thank you!”
“This mage is Proclus Swinburne, one of our team, he will be conducting other mages to your desk as and when we need them.”
“Gunnhilder did say that there would be a guide, Mage Swinburne, I shall add your picture to the photograph board.”
“Thank you … Okay you guys, I know the way now,” said Proclus, as he returned to the cottage, “Good luck … No doubt I’ll see you quite soon.”
The Nordic League offices were light and airy, quite different from the British Ministry building. The corridor windows showed vistas of birch tree surrounded fjords or lush pastures with craggy mountains as a background. Their lifts were smooth and silent – a total contrast to the rattling cages of the British Ministry. They did, however, still have their contingent of flying memos.
Hilde’s office was not hard to find.
“Hello, seers, this is Olaf Amundsen who will be your guide.”
“Hello. Before you ask, he was an ancestor.”
A D G:*WHAT DOES HE MEAN?*
H:*Muggle Antarctic explorer. First known man to the South Pole.*
Astoria smiled: “So you have good credentials, then.”
“Thanks!”
General hand-shaking, name swapping, and good wishes took place. They had a long discussion about the Island, followed by Olaf taking them to the Oslo apparating station.
###
They landed on smooth rock in a slight depression between rounded rocky promontories. Hiding from the chilly breeze; what vegetation there was grew in grikes, as in Ireland near the Finnegan’s Fortress dolmen at the Burren. The whole scene was dominated by the slender bright red finger of the lighthouse.
“A bit barren isn’t it?”
“You should be here when the westerly blows in the depths of winter.” Olaf briefly curled up into a ball in illustration: “Do you see those maroon boarded houses over there; one of them will be our accommodation. Quite snug, even with a snow filled hurricane howling outside.”
The five of them walked over to the house Olaf had indicated. Entering by the front door they found themselves in a hot, hook filled lobby. They hung their cloaks up.
“The heat dries your outer garments quickly and helps you thaw out,” explained their guide: “Not that we need it today.”
Inside the inner door was a warm lobby with four doors and staircases leading both upwards and downwards.
“Kitchen, Dining, Sitting and Library on this level; bedrooms within the eaves upstairs; rock-hewn passages to the other houses and to the old lighthouse down below; essential in winter,” Olaf explained briefly.
The Dining room door opened; there stood Kreacher with their personal elves standing behind him.
“Kreacher, what are you doing here?”
“Serving you Seers, as I am supposed to do.”
“Yes, but how did you get here, it’s not one of our domiciles, is it?”
“No! But neither was the train was it? Do you give permission for us to be here?”
Draco smiled: “Pushing the limits again, Kreacher? Well, I for one am glad you came, what about the rest of you?”
The other three seers nodded their consent and all five elves shivered as the temporary constraint was lifted.
“We have lunch ready for you in here,” Kreacher waved his hand and stood back for the five mages to enter.
Whilst allowing their meals to settle the seers explored the house and their sleeping arrangements, then they were ready to investigate Helltröllstimø.
“Come down to the cove, please, Mages. We have a boat decked out to look like a fishing smack. I would appreciate it if you could mask your auras, they are a bit strong and might alert the Island’s wards. We think that that was why our operatives disappeared.”
Astoria set about making the masks, applying one to each of them and getting Ginevra to mask her partner. When they arrived at the jetty there were a couple of squib crew members who were introduced to them as well.
~~~ EXPLORATORY ~~~
There was a chill wind and a heavy swell; the five heavily clad mages all overbalanced at least once on the trip before they reached the lee of the Island. They had thought it unwise to use warming charms; hence the clothes. Next, they made a slow circuit of the shoreline ostensibly looking for shoals of fish. The occluding wards on the island made it look like a set of sharp and uninviting rocks, but Olaf had shown the seers pictures and maps of what it was really like – a very big difference. The seers surreptitiously compared the pictures to what they could see. After the survey; when the boat anchored, the squibs produced lines and nets and set about fishing so as to provide cover for the seers whilst they investigated further.
Harry and Draco mounted the duple Firebolt, donned the invisibility cloak and had their aura masks double-checked by Astoria. The Hendy charm would have been easier, but they wanted to keep their auras as low as possible. Because of the masks it would be impossible to communicate mentally unless they were actually touching skin. That proved no problem for the two on the broomstick and little difficulty for the two left on the boat, but no contact was possible between the two pairs.
Whilst Ginevra and Astoria made soundings and took bearings the male seers made some very careful circuits of the ward dome. Firstly, overflying and trying to make reference to the real island beneath; this meant taking bearings on the rock points and islands that they could see and noting them on a chart. The second pass had Harry steering whilst Draco sampled the wards and what was beneath them using his thought talents.   Next came Harry riding passenger with his eyes closed; trying to perceive the thaumatic happenings beneath whilst Draco flew the duple.
When Draco and Harry landed Ginevra and Astoria took over, making the same three circuits and covering much the same ground but using their aura and aroma expertise.
Meanwhile Harry and Draco had compared their charts with those the girls had made and had donned wet-suits. They ate some Gillyweed and took to the water on the side of the boat facing away from the Island. There they were met by a number of merpeople. Luckily, they had thought this might happen and had their shells on under the wet suits.
Silversand grabbed Draco’s hand: *I sensed that you are wearing your shell. Why are you here? It’s not that time yet.*
Draco explained what they were about and so the two seers had a shoal of merpeople accompanying them. Swimming almost up to the place where the dome entered the water they dived; noting that the dome touched sand all the way round and the bottom was nowhere more than three fathoms deep. They also saw that the wards appeared to have an undulating frilly edge. After further exploring both shivering seers said goodbye. Arriving back at the boat, all four of them opted to return to Väderöbod. The crew hauled in their fishing tackle plus an amount of fine looking fish and set off back to their base.
###
Despite being Spring, the air was still chilly in these latitudes and they needed to feel warm again, o there was time remaining before a dinner of the caught fish. Much of that time was spent making a model of what they had found and then placing it over a facsimile of the Island. The exercise took up a lot of the subsequent evening, as well.
The squibs came in to see when they might be required the following day.
“What’s that?” one of them asked.
“It’s a model of the dome-ward protecting the Island. Why do you ask?”
“Erm … I thought it looked like a model flatfish … Erm … Something like a turbot. We caught a couple in the net when we dragged a trawl along the bottom. We ate them for our dinner, the rest are in the fridge.”
“We thought we sensed the dome pulsing when we were flying above it, Harry,” put in Ginevra.
“Those bumps there could be its eyes,” offered the fisherman, pointing: “The tail end is missing, but sometimes they bury them under the sand.”
“Are we really imagining that the Island has been swallowed up by a giant Turbot?” asked Olaf, looking incredulous.
“Some wards do mimic natural shapes, you know,” mused Astoria: “The Godric’s one is no longer quite round; but an egg-shaped now we’ve included the station. I’m told that the Hogwarts one resembles a whale, not that I’ve flown that high to have a look.”
“Fine … Let’s keep that in mind whilst we examine the individual protectors,” suggested Harry.
A few of the protectors were immediately recognisable by the seers. Olaf identified the ones that the Nordic Ministry expected to be there; leaving half a dozen that were obviously blood-wards, a couple of which were the same as the ones at Cerroverde and the Dacha when Lucius had held them. That left four wards which were undecipherable. Carefully, a second model was made – just of the fish-shaped dome and then each of the known wards was dismantled. It was one o’clock on the following morning before the four remaining wards were isolated. These, the seers duplicated and miniaturised; placing them inside special isolating containers. With great sighs they retired to bed.
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