Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

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
- 234
- 235
- 236
[Note: “x-x” = speech & ‘x-x’ = thoughts & *x-x* = telepathy & #x-x# = Parseltongue]
~~~ MEDITERRANEAN ~~~
On New Year’s Day, after a late breakfast, many of the Dumbledorians inhabited the ballroom at Number Twelve. The society had grown slowly; each year three or four suitable seventh-years were added to their number when they graduated. Academical-excellence was not a prerequisite for acceptance, many bookworms lacked the resilience needed. Being brave or excellent in combat was no automatic entry ticket, either. A seeking after justice and a lack of prejudice plus the tenacity and patience to see a job through were the qualities needed. Every year had some magicals of that calibre and they were gently tested by the Dumbledorians who came into contact with them. Thus, in order for all the members to meet, the ‘L’ shaped living room at the cottage was too small. This day the ballroom resembled an overlarge common-room with a relaxed atmosphere, but there were undercurrents audible to those with sharp ears. One of them was about the use of posterns and portals.
“You know, Harry, the use of posterns really ought to be sorted out,” observed Zacharias, casually.
“How’s that?”
“There are families who are beginning to feel disenfranchised. What I mean is, when they were at Hogwarts, they could move around Europe from school to school depending where their lesson was to be held and which professor was teaching it. Then, they leave school, so, apart from Diagon Alley to The Manor Nursing Home, and from Diagon Alley to the Fortress via Godric’s Hollow, that form of sheltered transport is denied them. Unless, of course, they are a Dumbledorian or a professor. You’ve been telling us of magicals attacked by satraps or other disaffected mages, whilst they were outside their own wards. Other members have come across this as well. The floo system is a bit chancy sometimes too. Think of what you told us about landing in Knockturn Alley when you were younger. Well … The satraps seem to have been interfering with that and redirecting floo-users.”
“Valid points. What are you proposing? That we open up the portal system to all users.”
“No, that’s absurd. A number of us are thinking that maybe the posterns should become available to all magicals of good standing. As it is, we vet potential travellers at The Fortress. The Annex and at Gringotts. Each of the academies have stringent wards too. Then there’re those anomalies which are public.”
“Which ones?”
“Here to Diagon Alley and Berlin to the Schloss.”
“Yes, I can see what you mean about those. They were made to accommodate the hotels. The other two hotels are in the centres of their respective cities.”
“Dad enjoys using the portal to London because it’s safe,” observed Ronald: “Some of the Ottery magicals have been attacked following the same route, outside. It would be nice if he could offer them a safe route too.”
“The same has happened to the holiday makers coming to the Lodge,” added Berwyn: “Some were robbed of their money. Others had their children frightened. Not a good way to start a holiday, is it?”
“The muggle ‘Northern Powerhouse’ has attracted quite a few mages too,” observed Anthony: “It would be nice to have an adytum somewhere there, so we can set up a cabinet chain. Is it possible to split the present postern in two? Say, in the Pennines, up on the moors. Somewhere in reasonable reach of Manchester, Sheffield and Leeds.”
“Do you have somewhere in mind, Tony?”
“Well … I do have an uncle near Cat’s Clough. He’s a waystation keeper. Last of a long line of magely miners. It’s very private up there.”
“We’ll need to see if we can split them. So that’ll have to wait for more research,” replied Astoria: “I can see a good argument for making the present scholastic posterns open to light-minded magicals. I don’t know about you, but as I get older, apparating seems to get harder. Part of my kit is now the pink queasiness potion Draco invented.”
Many people murmured their agreement about apparating.
“The Ward Team has a slight suspicion that the satraps are trying to interfere with that, too,” put in Probert: “at the moment it’s just a developing theory. So don’t take it as Gospel, yet.”
A quick conference with Ivanova, and then a plebiscite of the various principals of the Academies was undertaken.
“That will help our parents when we have an open day,” remarked Gerhard, with approval. Much the same comment came from the other heads.
As Harry and Draco prepared to alter the permissions on the link from The Annex to Les Lacs.
“May we watch what you do,” asked Dean: “I think our linked powers have grown.”
“Watch what we do. Then you have a try.”
One pair observed what was done by another pair. Then they swapped roles. That covered to Durmstrang. Next, Dean and Seamus altered the one between Durmstrang and The Schloss, whilst the other pair opened up the les Lacs to Beauxbatons link. D&S went to convert the Fortress – Rath link. Meanwhile, A&G had double converted the two West of England portals into posterns; so now Ottery and Laggen Lodge were on the public network. D&H had converted the Beauxbatons link to Cerroverde; thus putting Abdulmuralla on the postern map – the postern was already public between those two adyta. They also opened up the halfway point in Andorra for the mages in the Pyrenees. The locals had already established a local cabinet link there, so they were pleased when their safety was enhanced. As a finale, D&S converted the Montecristo – Beauxbatons link.
As the sextet sat recovering in the solar at Number Twelve Dean remarked: “I think our pair would like to try charming cabinets at Beltane. We helped you last time and we seem to have had a thaumic boost since then.”
“George reports record orders for cabinet pairs, so any help would be welcome,” observed Draco: “We’ll watch whilst you do the first pair. Then, if everything is good, we’ll leave you to it. Please, don’t do what Harry and I did that first time. You’re too young to die.”
Seamus grinned: “Are you trying to say that you love us, Draco? Oh! How un-Slytherin of you.”
“Trust a Gryffindor to go all mushy on me.” Draco mock scowled.
Dean chuckled: “It’s basic self-preservation Dray. We’re not as wet-behind-the-ears as you were. Anyway, we cannot try yet, it’s nowhere near the equinox.”
~~~ SARDINIA ~~~
Early April and Harry had recently finished teaching one of his advanced adult DADA classes and was enjoying a cup of coffee on the terrace at Montecristo when Tomaso Fontana approached him:
“I’m sorry to spoil your break, Professor, but I need your help. Or rather, my family needs your help.”
“Would you like a cup of coffee, then we can sit and you can tell me what troubles you.”
“Thank you … … … It’s like this. For many years there have been a group of mages in Sardinia. As you are probably aware; our grandparents had been heavily persecuted during the Mussolini Area. Even when he was defeated that persecution continued on our island. It effected our parents almost as badly. However, the effect was more mental than physical. My mother, the Matriarch of the island, and her contemporaries kept the hidden nature of the magical community very strictly, and it took a lot of persuasion for me to be allowed to attend the academy here.”
“When you say ‘strictly hidden’; exactly what do you mean?”
“When I have visited the other academies in the course of my studies, it has come to my notice that other mages travel around the muggle world, only concealing their thaumic heritage. Until quite recently our island’s mages felt so embattled that they made no contact at all with the local populace. We lived in a magical ghetto, so to speak, although it was of our own making. Well … I suppose the fascist régime imposed it in a way. Now we are beginning to mix again, but that has brought us to the attention of the satraps. There have been a few mishaps and a couple of Sardinian mages were killed, but so far, we have escaped. What we need is to refurbish our tholus because it is very battered and nowhere near as strong as the one surrounding us now.”
“So you would like our ward team to come and erect a new one, yes?”
“Well … Actually … We’d like to be connected by a postern, if that were possible. I know that Beltane is approaching and, as you said today, that that was the best time for making thaumic connections.”
G: *I checked his aura a couple of months ago, after a prank incident. It’s cleaner than yours, Harry.*
A: *George has a spare set from a failed sale. *
H: *Thanks! * “Do you have a spare set of cabinets available, Tomaso?”
“Yes. Our group has one, but the distance is too far. It would entail at least another pair, probably two via the north of our island and Corsica to Montecristo.”
“We can convert your pair into a postern at the end of the month. The conversion adds the necessary distance.” *It might be an idea to connect the reserved pair to the Villa. Thus helping the Sicilian mages. *
D: *Yes, Blaise’s mother’s been on the rampage there again. Not that she’s attacked the Villa’s wards. She’s quite forceful so it would win them to our side if they had a postern. *
“Fine, Tomaso. We’ll come and see you at the end of the month.”
“Come and stay with us over Saturday 28^th, that’s our national day. A few extraordinary happenings won’t be noticed then, amid all the fireworks and celebrations.”
“Thanks, we will.”
###
Harry was side-alonged by Tomaso on Friday the twenty-seventh. He and Draco set up the cabinets and did a triple conversion to create a postern. The first people though were the relations of other Sardinian mages, all set on enjoying the festival. Then came the magely family. Lily enchanted Tomaso’s mother, so much so that she lost her fear of strangers. That had been one of the sticking points with Tomaso. Until his father died, his father supported his wife’s enclosed views. Partly because his parents had been caught and killed by the fascists. Now Tomaso, in his early twenties, was head of the family, his mother grudgingly deferred to him and some forward progress had been made. So, Lily, being a winsome girl, had won the stiff lady’s heart. That made things easier all round.
The third set of people were the ward team, who set about renewing the tholus around Boscorifugio, the name of the manor house, and its estate. It turned out that the Fontana family were regarded as the chief mages of the island. So, Tomaso’s confidence, having set the tone, immediately started a minor deluge of requests for each cabinet-attached magely demesne to be similarly protected. As well as enjoying the festival, the team’s members enjoyed the lavish hospitality of the Sardinian magely families; some of whose villas were situated in beautiful private Mediterranean bays. It took little persuasion for a couple of family heads to realise that there was now a magical tourist potential for their seaside villas, and by early June a number of advertisements had appeared in Prophet International.
It was Ginevra and Astoria who facilitated the postern to Villa Pirelli, whilst their husbands presided at the May Day celebrations at Godric’s Hollow.
~~~ ADRIATICA ~~~
A week or so later the seers were relaxing at the chateau. For some reason, the members did not discern the fact that there was an apartment there. It was regarded more as an adytum that led onwards to the delights of the chalet or of Guéthary. Therefore, it was fairly quiet. Then again, the seers, led by Draco, could indulge their gourmet fantasies, served courteously by Defrag and his staff. There was another attraction, too. A library full of maps. At least, Harry and Draco enjoyed them; Ginevra was less enthusiastic.
At some time, one of the maps of Europe had been expertly inserted under some glass and used as the centre table. Started by Harry’s inquisitiveness about Sardinia, Draco and he were plotting, with different coloured markers, where their various establishments were. They were also drawing lines between them, representing posterns in purple and portals in red. Next came the phaeton routes, where they knew they existed; followed by some light blue strokes representing the ley lines that had been construed by Hermione’s researches.
“There seems to be quite a void in the Balkans,” observed Harry, pointing: “Some of my students have mentioned thaumic atrocities there. Not recently, but when authoritarian regimes were in charge. I wonder if there are hidden enclaves like the Sardinian one.”
Astoria went to the library shelves and reached for a heavy book. “There are quite a number of magely families mentioned, but no recent entries. The few that there are, cease after the mid 1990’s.”
“That’s when the various muggle Serbian wars were taking place. There was a lot of ethnic cleansing happening,” observed Draco: “If I were there, I think I would have done what the Fontana families and friends did. Their wards were outdated, so Probes told me. So, if there’s an enclave it could well be vulnerable to my father’s depredations.”
“Do I get the feeling that you’d like to go and look?”
“Well … look at these ley lines. The Jerusalem line runs right up the Adriatic coast via the Palazzo and here, to the Rath. Then there are a number that cross it, Abdulmuralla to the Sanctuary, or Beauxbatons to the Seclusion.”
“I just think you want an excuse for a holiday on the Adriatic coast, Dray. That information’s all very sketchy.”
“What’s it like. I’ve never been there.”
“The muggles all rave about its beauty, Harry. Some of the Latin books I’ve read say that the roman emperors had summer palaces there. So, it must be worth seeing.”
“Where those lines cross, Dray?”
“Somewhere near Dubrovnik.”
“That’s called ‘The Pearl of the Adriatic’ in this book.”
“I think I fancy seeing how lustrous it is.”
“So that’s two of us. Are you coming Tor, Ginny?”
“When?”
“Dray and I have nothing pressing for the next couple of weeks.”
“I have meetings galore then, so that takes me out.”
“Lily’s still at school, one of us ought to be around in the village. Looks like it’s you two gallivanting off, again.”
Draco drew himself up in mock hurt: “We don’t go off gallivanting anywhere. It’s you ladies. I don’t know how many outfits you bought in Paris yesterday.”
Astoria looked archly at Ginevra: “I thought we’d been quite economic, didn’t you, Lover?”
“Definitely!”
“We’ll have to look like tourists, so we’ll go the muggle way. Can we get a train there?”
“I think you’re quite enamoured with muggle trains, Draco.”
“Yes … Well … Let’s go and talk with Douglas.”
~~~ PLANNING ~~~
At the station they put their case to Douglas.
“I’m sorry Draco but there are no trains to Dubrovnik the last one ran sometime in 1975. At one time there was a train to Ploce, but there was an argument between two governments and that train only goes to Caplinja. Even then you would have to get a bus or a taxi and cross two borders.”
Douglas produced a map and showed them.
“What about this place, Bar? That appears to have a railway station.”
“Much the same answer. My bet would be to take the almost daily night-ferry from Bari in Italy. You can hire a cabin and sleep whilst at sea. Those cabins have more space than the night trains, and you have your own small bathroom.”
“How do we get to Bari?”
“It’s eight hours from Venice, or you might travel locally from the station near the Patrimonio. Each journey means a change of trains.”
“Where do we change?”
“Bologna or Caserta, depending on the route you take.”
“Which station is the busiest?”
“Bologna with fifteen platforms. Caserta has six.”
“I seem to remember us rushing around somewhere, arriving on the wrong platform and only just catching the train when we found the correct one.”
“I think I prefer the quieter one too.”
“Okay then. Let me see. Bojano is the nearest station to the Patrimonio.” Douglas rattled the keys: Two possibilities: a quarter to two and a quarter to three. Mmm … No … the quarter to three one has three changes. So: 13.45 from Bojano; 15.34 into Caserta and out again at 16.03. Nearly half an hour for changing. Arrive in Bari at 18.49 for the ferry at 22.00.”
“But that’s over three hours in a port town.”
“You’ll need an hour for boarding procedures and finding your cabin etc. Perhaps you could have a leisurely dinner meanwhile? I wouldn’t recommend the next set of trains, they only give you three-quarters of an hour, and you have to get from the station to the ferry terminal. That’s ten minutes by bus, plus waiting time. Probably a little less by taxi, but you have to be careful of them, or they may take you via the scenic route.”
“That sounds interesting!”
“And you’ll pay through the nose, too!”
“Ah! I see what you mean. What we need is a decent restaurant, then. I’d rather pay for that than get bilked by a cunning driver. Any ideas?”
“Not really. The restaurant sites are all glitzy. You’d do better with local knowledge.”
“Hmm … Someone at the Patrimonio, possibly. How soon can we go?”
Douglas rattled this computer keys again: “There’s a family cabin vacant on Friday night.”
“Fine! Let’s take that. Now we’d better see if there’s any accommodation.”
“Dudley’s better at that. He and Millie have been to quite a few interesting places.”
###
Dudley’s front room was next.
He enquired about the standard of accommodation.
“What do you mean exactly?”
“Well. Hostel – that gives you a bed in a room that might be shared with others.”
“No! We want some privacy.”
“Bed and breakfast – often in a home or a small commercial house, family run, usually quite friendly.”
“Possibly not. Might want to know what we’re doing. So, only if they’re into our secret world.”
“How about a big swish hotel. Always courteous, never intrusive, costs quite a bit.”
Draco looked eager, but Harry quietened him down: “We want to be as incognito as possible, Dray. Melt into the crowd.”
Draco looked disappointed: “Oh! Very well.”
“How about an apartment – self-catering – no-one will bug you, come and go as you please?”
“That sounds about right. See if there are any vacancies.”
More rattling of the keyboard: “Ah! One week, starting on Saturday, not overlooked. Nice views too.” Dudley showed them the screen. “It must have been a cancellation. They’re fully booked for a couple of months ahead.”
“That could mean it’s of reasonable quality. Go on, book it. It’s only for a week, after all.”
Dudley had to quote their credit card and their passport numbers – they had to accio their passports. The first message off Dudley’s printer was the confirmation paperwork. Draco and Harry read it through. As they did so another message came through. It was from the proprietor, enquiring if they would like him to buy some provisions to put in the refrigerator.
“Does that mean we have to cook for ourselves?”
“You know I like to cook sometimes. I remember you helping me bake a cake and saying that the skills were akin to potion-making.”
“That was fun and a one-off, but for the whole week?”
“If we’re supposed to be tourists, then visiting cafés and taking in the local scene would be quite normal.”
“Very good. Breakfast items for definite … … …” They set about making a list. Which Dudley emailed off.
~~~ JOURNEY ~~~
They had asked Niccolo if they could stop overnight at the Patrimonio and received a positive reply. They also explained a little of what they were about. Over dinner, with the extended family including Vittorio and Maximiliano, our pair went into greater detail.
“Err … Harry?”
“Yes, Vito?”
“Max and I know of a good restaurant in Bari, we could take you there, if you like.”
“Draco grinned: “Is that a hint that you might like to be taken out for a meal?”
“Err … More than that, really.”
“More?”
“Yes … Err … It’s a couple of years since we went to Dubrovnik, but we do know our way around, a bit.”
Maximiliano chipped in: “It wouldn’t cost much more would it? You do have a family cabin, after all. Then the apartment …?”
Draco pulled a face: “I see the Dumbledorian grape-vine is still in good order.”
“Yes, it is … Oh … And Griswold has sent this little gismo for you to use.” Maximiliano held up something that resembled a video camera.
“Are we to make home movies then?”
“No, Harry. It’s a ley line tracer. So, he says. Here are the instructions.”
“Thanks!” Harry took a quick glimpse at the parchment and handed it to Draco: “You’ll understand that better.”
Draco gave his lover a withering look, not that it disturbed Harry’s equilibrium.
H: *Are we taking them? *
D: *Might be useful to have some extra pairs of hands. *
The two Italians were looking hopefully at Harry. “Fine! You can come along too.”
“Thanks! Now the restaurant we recommend is the Osteria del Normanni. We go there sometimes … Erm … We thought you might take us, so we booked a table.”
“Presumptuous, weren’t you?”
“Come off it, Draco. We know how the system works. You like people who take the initiative.”
“He’s got you there, Lover.” Harry nudged Draco’s side.
“Very well! How do we get to the station?”
“We’ll side-along you, there’s a quiet alcove we’ve used before. Or you can walk, it’s about three kilometres and over rough sloping ground.”
Draco sighed: “We’d have had to use you anyway; we don’t know its location. Alright! I give in!” Then he punched both Italians lightly on their arms. They didn’t retaliate, just grinned at him.
They had time in the morning to go and visit Salvatore and then the two Italians introduced them to a couple of magely families who had recently inherited houses there. Vittorio explained that the ward team had expanded the Patrimonio’s tholus to include their houses plus, in effect, Salvatore’s presbytery and all the dwellings in the square.
“We had the satraps attack us in our previous house,” one of the witches explained: “We fought them off, but were worn-out afterwards. Then one of our uncles died. No-one in family wanted his ancient house. So, we took it on. My son was on one the construction courses at Montecristo. Hasn’t he done it up well?” she exclaimed with pride. Something the seers agreed with.
Lunch was slightly early, so that their digestion had time to settle. Before they left, Draco made sure he had the pink potion handy. The side-along had the land just behind the gents’ toilet. So, when they came out into public view, the waiting passengers assumed they’d obeyed the call of nature as they entered. Maximiliano took care of buying the tickets, in case the clerk noticed their dyssynchronous lips. It worked out better because they all were given the locals’ discounts.
The train was a few minutes late and the journey was not helped by meeting a herd of goats on the line. When Draco got Vittorio to ask if they would catch the train, the conductor shrugged: “Possibilmente!”, but would not be drawn further. There were two minutes to spare when they arrived. To give the conductor his due, he held up his fingers ‘four’ as a signal to the conductor of the other train. They made the next train just as the next conductor was about to close the doors.
It took a couple of minutes for them to find four seats together. When the conductor was examining their tickets, he informed them that the first conductor had signalled to him that he had changeovers and that he had been looking out for them.”
“Grazie mille!”
He shrugged: “It happens quite a lot when we connect with rural trains. Enjoy your ride,” and moved on.
They alighted on time at Bari Centrale. They were amused to see societal stratification take place. Scruffy back packers looked at the town plan and ambled off. The locals glanced at the bus timetable and waited. Slightly better dressed ones haggled with the taxi drivers. Then there were those whose friends met them in cars. There were a number of well-dressed people who had travelled first class and were met by chauffeur-driven limousines. Our quartet followed the back packers for a couple of hundred yards and then branched off into the old town.
Osteria del Normanni did not announce its presence ostentatiously, but it was obvious from the satisfied smile of its local clientele, that it served good dishes. The proprietor hugged the two Italians and greeted them warmly, then he turned to their guests and smilingly hook their hands. They were conducted to a small alcove which overlooked a small paved yard filled with sweet scented flowers.
“What do you recommend,” Harry asked.
“We’ve ordered orecchiette for you.”
Draco scowled, but Maximiliano beat him to it: “You should try the local dishes, Draco. This restaurant has an extremely good reputation, and orecchiette is their best pasta dish.”
Almost immediately hot, deep plates were put in front of them. Then something that looked like a small cauldron placed in the centre of the table. It steamed and smelt delicious. As well as the pasta ‘ears’ there were meat balls and numerous vegetables, all in a smooth tomato sauce. There was a side-dish of broccoli and another of ricotta cheese to sprinkle. The usual condiments included olive-oil. There was a local dry white wine in a large carafe to make the meal memorable. They stuffed themselves so full that when a desert was mentioned, they declined; although coffee was imbibed as they relaxed.
Not that they could relax for too long because Draco looked at his watch and called for the bill.
“It’s already covered, Draco. Our treat. After all, you are taking us on holiday.”
Draco grinned maliciously: “Don’t you believe it, we’re going to work, didn’t you know.”
Maximiliano shrugged: “We know what you are looking for, and it won’t be all hard graft. Unless, of course, you intend to dig-out each ley line as you find it.”
Having thanked the proprietor, they ambled slowly to the quay carrying their luggage [thaumically lightened, but looking muggle] the two Italians had smart back-packs, and the two seers trailed wheeled cases. They joined the queue and went through the tedious formalities before boarding. The decks and cabins were adequately signposted. Even then they made a couple of mistakes before they found the right door. The purser’s office had not given them a key, but a plastic card. After a little experimentation they found that it had to be pushed in and pulled out rapidly, in order to get the green light to glow and the lock to click open.
The cabin had a double bed and two bunks. “We’re having the double,” Draco said, forcefully: “You two asked yourselves along, so you penance is the bunks.”
Harry saw the pair looking miffed: “Engorgio lectus!” and the bottom bunk grew wide enough for them to share. However, the luggage had to go onto the top bunk to give them room enough to stand and get to the ablution facilities, but everyone was satisfied. In the end, both couples hugged and kissed, maybe they were tired, maybe they felt restrained, because of the other pair. Whatever! They did have a good night’s sleep, before restoring the bunk and going to disembark.
QUAYSIDE
As usual Draco looked smart and he had smart matching luggage. As they descended into the melee on the dockside a number of eager taxi drivers surrounded him; offering the best taxi and the best rooms in the city. It was all flannel, of course, but Draco was quite discommoded.
Harry could feel Draco’s tension and realised that there would be an incident soon. Then he spotted something: “Draco, look, there’s someone over there holding a card with ‘Blakes’ written on it.”
“Where … … … Very good!” He adopted a haughty air and, using the slightest barricade charm, ploughed his way through the mob towards the young man. The other three just followed on.
Whether it was Draco’s determined look or his upturned nose, Harry did not know. But as they approached the young man’s smile turned into a grimace: “Are you the Blake party?”
Draco’s terse, “Yes!” Did not help either.
“I am Janos. I have to take you to the apartment you booked, Sirs.” The ‘Sirs’ was almost spat, but the driver did open one of the passenger doors before getting back into his seat.
D: *Surly brute, isn’t he! *
H: *You didn’t help. You were looking daggers at everyone who got in your way. *
D: *Was I? Those touts really pissed me off. *
H: *Don’t take it out on the driver, please? *
D: *Mmm! *
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