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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
- 244
- 245
- 246
[Note conversation=: “speech” & ‘thoughts’ & *telepathy* & #Parseltongue# & {telephone}]
~~~ SEARCHING ~~~
Haroun made a roll-call and then a search started for the two missing Orientals. Whilst that was happening, Harry heard a conch-shell being blown.
D: *You go, I’ll set up the postern with Ginny. *
H: *Fine! * “I’d better go and see what the merpeople want.”
“Merpeople?”
“Yes, Haroun, magicals who live in the oceans. One of them blew his sea-horn to attract my attention.”
“Being from a desert people we have not met any of those beings before.”
“Be prepared to be highly embarrassed if you need communicate with them. They speak in your mind like Fawkes does.”
“I love Shireen, but she can be very embarrassing sometimes.”
Draco thought that she was a cross between Grandmamma and Narcissa with a little of Petunia in the mix and passed his idea on to Harry, who had a hard time not giggling.
“Much more embarrassing that that … Um … It would be better to leave her behind, I think.”
Haroun glanced at his wife: “She’s busy organising the ladies. Come on, before she asks where we’re going.”
They went down to the seashore to find the merpeople holding a sodden carpet at the water’s edge. On it were two semi-comatose people. Harry stripped and went to talk to the leading merman, the one with the conch shell in his hand.
H: *You called me? *
MCS: *Yes. I believe we have found something you are missing. They are alive, but we couldn’t persuade them to eat gillyweed, so we had to keep surfacing. *
H: *Thank you for rescuing them. They come from a part of the world that has no water, if you can imagine it. *
MCS: *Not really, but I’ll take your word for it. No wonder they were abysmal at swimming. Is that blushing bloke their leader? *
H, giggling: *Yes. I did warn him, but he’s still processing the idea. Let’s not embarrass him further. Thank you again for saving them. *
MCS: *Neptune would have my tail off, if I hadn’t helped the friends of He-who-lived-twice, besides you have a very nice prick and I enjoyed it earlier. *
The merpeople flopped back into the water and Harry went to help Haroun levitate the carpet up onto the shore before attempting to resuscitate Jamal and Naira. While that was happening Harry explained things further, including the use of gillyweed and how to use your imagination to fool your taste buds into thinking that the slimy green plant was one of your favourite foods. In return Haroun explained that wet carpets lose their ability to fly until thoroughly dried out.
“Once we’re sorted, I must go and thank the merpeople,” posited Jamal, as he was recovering and able to communicate: “I didn’t really understand, I thought they wanted to drown us. The other part was most personal. I fought them off every time they invaded my genitals. I think my gratitude will be able to overcome my mortification. Once I am recovered I shall go and thank them properly.”
Whilst they were busy on the shore the others had been busy in the cells. The use of magic could be felt thrumming everywhere. The passageways looked cleaner and a start had been commenced to make a few of the cells into very comfortable looking rooms. There were other magicals wafting around too. They resembled elves but seemed to have no feet, not that they appeared to need them, for they never had any contact with the ground.
Haroun saw Harry studying one: “They’re genies, Harry. They live in those beautifully decorated lamps you can see in the middle of everyone’s mantles. One rub and they come out and help. We don’t mistreat them, partly out of gratitude for their help and partly because they can be very disruptive if they become annoyed.”
“I imagine that they’re the equivalent to our elves. Most of them take pride in the family they serve, but we do have others in different walks of life.”
“Same for us. When I was in our academy, one of the best charms teachers was a genie. No-one dared cross him, there were stories of him turning people into animals.”
“I saw that done once as a punishment.”
“So the rumours were true … I’m glad we didn’t annoy him that much.”
Draco came round the corner: “He turned me into a ferret and pushed me into someone’s smelly trousers. Because of that my patronus is a ferret and so is my animagus form.”
Harry chuckled: “He’s really cuddly and sleek as a ferret. I can lie in bed and cuddle him like a teddy for ages.”
Draco smirked: “He’s a stag! Can you imagine sharing a bed with one of those? His horns stick into my most delicate parts.”
Haroun hesitated for a minute: “Err … is that a way of gently telling me that you’re homosexual?”
“We are. But we weren’t intentionally dropping hints.”
“No need to worry about any reactionaries in our group. You may have already noticed that we have people paired up that way too. I take it that you came to tell us something else?”
“Oh yes! More of a reporting job, really: the postern’s in place. Our building team is coming to fit doors and windows tomorrow. The gardening goblin team will make a start on the terraces, and the ward team is already constructing a permanent tholus. Our Reve, Kreacher, and his Assistant Sonny, would like to talk to your elves about provisioning, but we cannot find any.”
“Their equivalent are genies, Dray.”
“That explains it then.”
“I’ll call my vizier.”
There was a puff and a genie appeared: “You wanted me, Haroun?”
“Yes, Sindbad, Harry’s reeve-elf wants to chat about domestic things.”
“Is that Kreacher?”
“Yes?”
“We’ve already met. If you don’t mind, I’ll go back and continue to sort things out with him and his second-in-command.”
“Sorry to have disturbed you. I should have known that you would be that efficient.”
“Yes you should!” There was a puff and Sindbad was no longer there.
Draco chuckled: “I see your genies are as forthright as our elves.”
“So it would seem,” agreed Haroun: “Err … What exactly is a postern?”
“Oh! Sorry. Have you used vanishing cabinets before?”
“I think so. We have armoires, you open the door, close it, open the other and you’re in a place some many parasangs away.”
“Parasangs?”
“Oh. Sorry. I think you call them leagues. We like to vet the people who use our armoires. Do you?”
“Yes!” Harry showed Haroun his scarab: “These are personally charmed, if you’re not wearing one touching your skin, you won’t be able even to see the door, never mind open it. The amulet doesn’t have to be visible. Also, a person who already has permission to pass, must guide a scarab wearing newcomer through each postern that he or she will be allowed to access.”
“That is the same for us, only we have rings.” Haroun showed Harry his.
“Our elves have rings instead of wands.”
“Our genies use the jewel in their turban. Erm … Would you mind if we set up an Armoire here. Flying seems to be a bit risky at the moment.”
“We had noticed!”
They chuckled companionably.
Harry had a quick mind chat with his partners and agreed. They also mutually agreed that only Haroun and Shireen would grant access to the armoires to suitable European Mages, and the same would pertain for the seers giving permission any suitable oriental mages. They felt that it would be best if there was no immediate universal enfranchisement, even of the very trusted mages. They all felt that, getting to know and have confidence in one another was a prerequisite step.
NOT MUCH LATER
Via Kreacher’s good offices the Harco directors and partners had obtained passage to the new Adytum and were being introduced to their counterparts in the Arabic party who were newly arrived via the armoire. During the general chat, Sinbad and Kreacher organised their respective corps, laid out tables in the large cavern, and stocked them with delicacies from both cultures. This helped with the generally co-operative atmosphere.
After the jollifications were over Harry and Draco slept aboard the Morski Konjic that night. Knowing that the curious Dumbledorians would soon be coming through to see the new addition, they decided that only quiet hugging was in order, to make sure that they were fresh for the onslaught.
They were woken by two familiar voices with an Italian cast.
“Don’t they look sweet, all entangled and hugging.”
Harry surfaced: “What are you two doing here?”
“Watching two obviously enamoured males in their bed,” replied Vittorio: “And wondering if they will give us a floor show before they disentangle.”
“Nah! They’re getting too old for that kind of thing,” observed Maximiliano, almost mockingly: “Need to conserve their energy for the occasional monthly splurge.”
Draco became compos mentis: “Is that all you have the energy for then? These youngsters, nowadays, they don’t have the staying power, do they, Harry? We’re made of sterner stuff.” He gave Harry an ostentatiously languorous kiss.
“Okay, we’ll stop playing. Janos and Rad brought us here through the new connection. They thought you’d be busy with the new mages, and Uncle Neb wants the bracera back for its first booking.”
Draco looked sly: “And you want to see some more of the Greek islands and experience the Corinth Canal.”
“There is that, too!” Vittorio admitted with a grin.
Two pops; Bobbie and Robbie appeared: “Do you intend staying in the caves or commuting from home? So we can move your things.”
“I fancy a floor that doesn’t heave around,” said Draco, “And I long for our big luxurious four-poster again.”
Harry chuckled: “You heard the mage. Commuting it is! Now … Please leave us for five, so we can get ready.”
Draco side hugged his mate and smirked: “Make it fifteen, Harry takes ages in the shower.”
Robbie grinned back: “We’ll serve breakfast in forty-five, then Draco can primp his hair properly.”
The two elves popped away before Draco could make a suitable retort. The two Italians, chuckling, also made themselves scarce; allowing the two seers room for their morning toilette.
All six mages shared a leisurely breakfast, before the two seers disembarked. After casting the bracera off and watching sail away; climbing the stairs they met Astoria and Ginevra and went together to see what was happening in the main cavern. Haroun and Shireen were there with two other mages. Draco and Harry went to them and introduced their wives.
Haroun looked puzzled: “Wives, you say, but I thought …”
He was interrupted by Shireen: “It’s obvious that they’re a little more open than we are, Haroun. I suspect you have the same kind of arrangement that we do. Four of us forming a parenting team. This is Rukram, Haroun’s mate and Gahlibah my lover, we tend to call them Roc and Gabby for short. We’ll introduce our children later, they’re all away at our Academy at the moment.”
As Rukram shook hands with Draco he observed: “My name derives from a supposedly mythical bird and I suspect yours also has an equivalent derivation.”
“I hadn’t heard that any rocs were still alive. But then, a few years ago we discovered a satyr community. More recently we have been discovering hidden magical enclaves with other supposedly extinct magicals in them.”
“Our rocs are in a reserve. I don’t think there are any wild ones left, although we do have some reports of large birds in the remote Himalayas.”
“I had heard of Yeti there, but not big birds. I take it that the rocs are as dangerous as our dragons, most of whom are cared for in a reserve, also. There are sentient ones with whom we can communicate using the sacred speech.”
“It seems that rocs are to us, what dragons are to you, then.”
Ginevra shook hands with Gahlibah who smiled ruefully: “It’s Shireen who is the dominant one, not me, despite my given name. She would organise everyone off their feet if I let her.”
Ginevra smiled knowingly: “Yes, Tor is the same.”
“Tor?”
“Sorry. Pet name for my mate Astoria. I think that you and I might be able to swap ideas about curbing their bossiness.”
“I look forward to our discussions. Do I suppose that, like us, you have a large network of connected adyta?”
“Yes, some private and some public. Am I correct in thinking that you four have a connected consciousness’s?”
“Quite right, and we have a flying conscience who goes by the name of Fawkes, he’s a firebird.”
“Well, well! He’s our moral guide as well … … …” that conversation continued as they slowly found out that the two quartets fulfilled equivalent thaumic roles for the Fluence. There were some differences, but they were slight and of little major consequence.
F: *Are you enjoying your inconsequential chat?*
D: *Do I suppose, Fawkes, that you want us to do something?*
F: *How clever of you.*
A: *I think I preferred the gentlemanly Fawkes, better than this sarcastic one.*
HR: *I agree with Tor; he’s usually more patrician than wisecracking. Do I suppose you want us to take things further – say – like visiting?*
E: *Now you’re beginning to think straight.*
S: *We seem to have been coupled together subconsciously. Do I suppose this is because there is a firebird in close proximity?*
F: *Yes, my daughter, that is correct. Once I’m gone, you will be your separate quartets again.*
S: *I imagine, therefore, that by two of us holding hands we could renew the connection.*
HR: *One of us has to make a start. As you saved our party and found us a base, how about we conduct you on a quick thank-you tour of the places for which we have oversight.*
HP: *That sounds quite interesting, yes please. All we need is to charm each other’s authorisation talismans. Any ideas, Fawkes? Hermione makes it all so complicated.*
R: *I think I know how. With our rings we touch a charmed one to a prepared and receptive one. I know the transfer charm. It’s a very ancient one so we use the ancient Galatian words.*
Harry reverted to speech: “I’ll be the guinea-pig, if you like. One of us has to try.”
Rukram smiled at him: “Are DADA and charms your best subject?”
“DADA is the best, but I got a good mark in charms, too. Why do you ask?”
“Those are mine too, slightly better at charms, I was. I felt a soul urge as you volunteered. Come on let’s try.”
They touched talismans and Rukram said “I trosglwyddo pob caniatad!”
Astoria chuckled: “I know that language, it’s from my home country. May I try the next one, please?”
Gahlibah volunteered her ring and Astoria made the charm. As when Rukram and Harry transferred, the octet of seers felt the surge of thaums. Thus, Rukram and Astoria conducted two more transfer charms.
“Let’s put them to the test. C’mon Roc show me the door.”
There was no need, Harry could see it and open it, arriving in a completely new environment with Rukram close behind him.
“Seems that I have all your permissions already. All I have to do is know where I am.”
“This is an Adytum close by Bodrum, we have a small semi-private enclave here.”
The others had joined them as they posted to Ankara.
“This is my home-town, not that I see it all that often now.”
“The charm that we used,” asked Astoria: “What language did you use. It sounded like the Brythonic I use for certain purposes.”
“It’s the ancient Celtic language of the Galatians, Tor. There’s an old standing stone in the gardens of my house. Our boffins say it’s a marker for a nearby thaum-focus.”
They went to inspect the stone, and Astoria translated the ogham script for them. As she did that the genies brought in coffee and set up deck chairs under a spreading cedar tree. They would have lingered but Fawkes urged them on.
Damascus had a very interesting underground street souk selling all kinds of magical items, said to be situated under a street that Saint Paul visited, when he was blind.
Bagdad’s magical quarter was on a hidden island in the middle of the Tigris. Harry detected the same kind of concealment charms that were used at l’ Étang de Gétorac.
Amman had its magical cantonment hidden amidst the roman ruins on the citadel and glamoured to look like part of a building being archaeologically explored, and therefore off-limits to muggle sightseers.
They had lunch in Jerusalem hosted by one of the few Jewish magely families. The enclave here was a tower-block with special entry procedures. To the muggles it looked like a throwback of the anti-terrorist steel doors with a check in vestibule. To the magicals it was entirely different. Using thaumic space and experimental gardening, this was a little haven of peace within the bustling multicultural city. Situated where it was, the rooftop garden had views of many of the sacred and ancient monuments.
In turn they visited the capital cities of all the Arab nations and some of their major cities. Their dinner date was on an island close to Abu Dhabi. Close by were a number of very exclusive residences belonging to oil magnates, all very private. So, the magical establishment fitted in quite easily. It was in full view, but no-one ventured near it. Their meal was served amongst greenery on a beach patio, looking out over the azure waters of the Persian Gulf.
Having agreed to do the European tour on the following day; it took half an hour to reach the cottage in Godric’s Hollow. The time wasted was because of the unfamiliar route and a number of wrong turnings. There was time to explain to the assembled Dumbledorians about the new domain, and to explain the limitations.
Seamus grinned: “So all we have ter do, is chat up an Arab mage, show him round our place and expect ter see round his.”
Harry giggled: “That’s the eventual idea, but at the moment both sides are being cautious. So, dear friends, please don’t all do what we normally do. Go and visit every new place en-masse.”
Draco supported Harry: “We’ve shaken more hands than at a victory celebration. But for toughening charms our hands would have been crushed to pulp. As it is, we’ve seen so many special views that my head has muddled them all up. I daresay that in a few days’ time I will have sorted it all out, at the moment, it’s a big blur.”
Astoria chuckled: “I think I’ll have to have serious face surgery; my fixed smile seems to be permanent.”
Ginevra added: “I’ve kissed hundreds of drooling babies, and have been given recipes which I cannot read.” The she smirked: “But we get our own back tomorrow, it’s their turn to be continuously pleasant with boring officials and their families.”
Neville looked around the assembled faces: “Let’s see if we can make the guest seers welcome, shall we? Trying not to bore them or overwhelm them.” That got a very good response from the others and promises of good behaviour.
Early in the morning the seers each took a different daffodil and spoke to many of the places where they wanted to take the visitors. Although some of the capital cities were included the seers wanted to include a couple of academies and some resorts plus quiet reflective places. Our seers had gathered that the other ones did not seem to have a place they called home. Instead they had apartments all over their domain.
Their tour missed out Adoresgariko but did go to Elysium; then for a gondola ride and coffee at the Palazzo. Beauxbatons was next, followed by Lunch overlooking Lac Léman from the terrace at the chalet. They passed through the chateau to visit the magical shops in Paris and from there to Abdulmuralla’s shopping centre. Tea was taken at the cottage with a brief look at the various educational activities there, plus a ride on the train to see the quarry and its mixed workforce. Then a long hop to see Schloss Buhler where some Durmstrang members of staff were introduced. There was time to sit and chat on the veranda at the Schwartzberg before dinner. The finale was a short concert in the Grunrasenhof, organised by the smiling ones and Hamish. A final nightcap on the elevated lawns of the Patrimonio allowed the mages to part amiably. Haroun’s party only had a few doors to negotiate before they reached their present domicile. Our seers went thankfully back to the cottage too worn out to do anything but hug each other to sleep.
The next few days were committed to tutorial duties, but the seers were soon reminded of their new contacts. Oddball & Julie came to visit them.
“I hope you don’t mind Draco and Harry, but we’ve set up a meeting of traders at the Grunrasenhof.”
“Your Austrian market traders?”
“Partly, but they’re in a minority. We have representatives from Abdulmuralla, the Venice Plaza, Diagon Alley …”
“… Alright, alright! No need to list them all. I take it that you have a joint plan to present to us.”
“Yes, but not just us either.”
“When is it?”
“Next Saturday. We checked and it’s not a Wizengamot Saturday, nor is Tor hosting a political dinner.”
“Fine! We’ll come.”
When they arrived, there were many faces that they knew but there were a few they did not, so they were introduced.
Once everyone was seated, Oddball stood: “It seems that I have been elected as spokesman, Seers. We’ve had this idea and would like your approval.”
“So? Tell us?”
“It’s about this new trading post the Arabian mages have started at Volvoditi. Many of us have visited there and found many interesting things. We seem, at the moment, to be at a disadvantage, because we would like to display our wares for them to buy. So … As there appear to be spare cells at Volvoditi we wondered if you would allow us to use them in order to sell our wares to them.”
“That seems reasonable, but I expect there’s more.”
“Yes, Draco, there is. Jamal and Naira, the two mages the mermen saved, are the only two permanent residents. All the others come and go setting up stalls for a few days and then departing. The problem is, that it’s very much up to chance whether you catch a merchant that you may wish to trade with. The whole thing needs organising better. It seems to us that it would suit both sides if, say, a week was set aside for potions traders, and another for books etc.”
“I can see where this is going, Oddball. You haven’t by any chance had a chat with Jamal and Naira, have you?”
“Of course we have. You’d want us to take the initiative, that’s how our society works, doesn’t it? In fact, Jamal and Naira are talking to their seers about the same subject. Their meeting was scheduled for the same time as ours, so it should be reaching its conclusion by now, allowing for the time difference.”
Draco grinned: “I see … Do I suppose that you have two resident mages in mind, to be our representatives?”
Grunter stood up: “Yes! Seeing the good job that Oddball and Julie did in organising the market in Vienna, we feel that they would be the best candidates.”
“Who takes over from them in Vienna then?”
“We propose Grunter and his wife,” suggested Julian.
“So, you have it all sewn up, have you?”
“Yes. That’s how we do it in the Dumbledorians, so it seemed okay to spread the same idea amongst our trading friends.”
“Are you happy with that, Grunter?”
“Why should I not be? I get a better apartment than the one in a corner of Gringotts.”
Astoria snapped her fingers: “Ah, now I know what the Viennese Gringotts manager was saying about hoping for some extra space.”
Harry did a quick mental poll of his colleagues and replied positively. “I imagine you want us to approach the Arabian seers? Possibly with the idea of setting up a managing committee. Or some such.”
“We did have that in mind, yes.”
Draco sighed: “I imagine that the first meeting is to be after this one closes.”
Oddball grinned and nodded, whilst the other mages in the meeting applauded.
“Very good! But lunch first.”
Oddball grinned: “It’s all set out at Volvoditi.”
~~~ TRADING POST ~~~
They were met by Haroun and the other seers: “I expect that, by your presence here, you are in favour of the idea.”
“It was cut and dried when the presented it to us.”
Shireen burst out laughing: “So your traders treat you the same as our do us. They had it all tied up before they presented it to us.”
“Did you really mind?”
“No Tor. We like to encourage this sort of thing. There’s no way we can organise everything ourselves.”
Harry gave Shireen a knowing look.
“Okay,” she added: “I do boss them around a bit, but it’s just to get the moving after they’ve decided what they might like to happen. Otherwise they would sit around and dream about it.”
Draco clap-wiped his hands and looked at Jamal: “A little more detail please?”
“Now we have explored and cleaned every space we find that there are three floors and a basement. We were surprised to find a basement because it was below sea level and full of seawater. As you might remember I said I was going to thank the merpeople properly. Well … that led me to learn to swim properly with them as my teacher. This led to me telling them about the flooded basement and they said they knew of its underwater passage. The upshot was that they want to trade too. The main cavern is on the lowest floor and the cells round it are not grouped. Whereas the cells in the two floors above are. So … one floor for Arabian traders and one floor for European traders. They would be bedrooms with attached stores. The ground floor would be where the temporary shops would be situated, with food stalls in the big cavern as well as the stalls of relevant traders. Over to you Julie.”
“Oddball and I would have an apartment on one floor and Jamal and Naira the other. We would be part landlords and part organisers, taking it turn and turn about. It wouldn’t be an hotel per se, traders would rent accommodation on a weekly basis, booked according to the theme of that particular week and be self-catering. Although we would have suggestions about themes the governing committee would have the last say if there were any conflict. They would also be able to suggest themes that we had not thought of. We see Saturday as the changeover day, halfway between the two major holy days, thus the trading floor would be open from Monday to Thursday in order to avoid any religious conflict. There would be some latitude for the Jewish traders, their changeover date would be Sunday. And one or two other sects would have the choice. With trading on the non-controversial days. As for the terraces, we see those as places of repose. Many a deal needs to be discussed quietly and a peaceful, private area with refreshments available would be inductive to quiet bargaining. Many of the traders like to share a meal together after having seal a mutually beneficial contract. Others see a meal as a way of treating someone in the hope of a contract. Whatever, the terraces provide that kind of environment.”
Harry and Haroun clasped hands and all eight seers mentally conferenced – again with a positive response.
“So, what is your first theme?”
“Fireworks and pranks – we even have a couple of Chinese entrepreneurs coming. Apothecaries the following week and then the clothing industry. We will be sending programmes to all traders. Not forgetting mages who produce food. The goblins are having a gem fair in a couple of months’ time, too. Then there’s this sort of idea. There seems to be the remains of an old Greek theatre stage, across the lake. Maybe we could have some cultural weeks, music, plays and the like. We’ve tried the acoustics and the water, as long as it’s calm, carries the sound very well. I understand than some of our mages have been practicing their calming charms quite recently.”
That remark caused a slight giggle and some knowing looks.
To seal their agreement, they had a meal together on one of the broader terraces, then after profuse goodbyes the Principals on both sides departed to their various realms.
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Harco Empire