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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
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- 247
[Note: “x-x”=speech & ‘x-x’=thoughts & *x-x*=telepathy & #x-x#=Parseltongue & {x-x}=Daffodil chat]
~~~ NEW HORIZONS ~~~
After the hectic time setting up Volvoditi and travelling back via the various trading demesnes, the four seers sat in an empty cottage and wondered what they were going to do. It was especially hard on Ginevra because her everyday mothering duties appeared to be at an end, and she was still awaiting the results of her veterinary exam. Nevertheless, she set about a thorough spring cleaning [although it was nearly autumn] and managed to frighten the other three away. They inhabited whichever residence she was not presently harrying the elves in. In a way it was useful because Draco and Harry managed to do those little niggling jobs they had been avoiding starting so, by the end of October all four seers were feeling less encumbered than previously. That feeling was not to last very long.
One of the few Christian mages from Volvoditi came to see the mages after attending a service at St Godric’s.
After the usual greetings and introductions, he explained why he was here.
“Some time ago when Stalin’s soviet régime was in charge of the Crimea, there was a pogrom against magicals of all types. Then when the new democratic government took over in the Ukraine they promised to look into the matter, but, as you can imagine, it was a low priority. When the new pro-Russian administration took over it appeared to be more enlightened but said they could find no trace of the supposedly abducted mages. During the first pogrom a few of us had escaped across the Black Sea and found asylum in southern countries. Some years later we were harassed by hard line islamist organisations and an even smaller group of us ended up on Volvoditi. We have heard that the abducted mages might be hidden away in a remote corner of the Ukraine. The present administration is more benign than the previous one, so we’d like your help to find the lost mages.”
“Why us?”
“Because you are the one who defeated Voldemort, Mage Potter, and you found us a trading post as well as your team keeping the satraps at bay. You will help, won’t you?” he pleaded.
Harry looked up at a gaudy bird perched in an open windowsill: *Well?*
F: *That is your next task, but get Vasil involved first.*
“Firstly, we should go and talk to Bishop Vasil.”
“Vasil the miracle worker, d’you mean?”
“That’s the one. He’s a friend of ours.”
“And then will you help us?”
“We’ll see what Vasil says first” Harry replied cautiously. He wanted to curb the obvious enthusiasm of the visitors.
###
It did not take long to find Vasil.
“I am aware of the rumblings about missing mages and have been developing contacts. Let me work on it for a couple of weeks, please?”
~~~ UKRAINE ~~~
Vasil managed to find a suitable representative from the new Ukrainian Régime who, so he said, was sympathetic to the Crimean cause. In fact, quite a few of the governmental departments fell over themselves to help the saintly old man. Draco and Harry found out later that he was regarded highly by the muggles in many Balkan States and their near neighbours.
Then came another Train journey because Vasil wanted to meet them in Kiev. This they managed in twenty-five hours from Vienna, leaving at 06.42 using seats in a night train as far as Budapest. To reach the Hungarian border at Zahony they changed again at Nyiregyhaza. There was an eighteen-minute ride to take them over the border to Chop where Douglas had booked them a sleeper compartment to Kiev.
###
Vasil met them in a small private area of Saint Sophia’s Cathedral there.
“This cathedral is claimed by so many churches,” Vasil explained: “That the authorities are perplexed who to allow to use it. Meanwhile, it is looked after by the state as a museum. I think they are hoping I can get the various sects to agree. A lady is coming to be your guide, she is aware of our magical world, although very reluctant to speak about it.”
Almost immediately there was a knock on the door. When bidden to enter, a lady a few years older than Draco and Harry looked timidly in through the archway. She was slim, almost gaunt, and had a slightly haunted look about her. Neatly-dressed she had her hair done up in a tight bun.
“Come in, My Dear, these are the two gentlemen you agreed to meet.”
Introductions took place.
“A living martyr,” Oxana said quietly, after Vasil had left her with the two seers. “I look forward to working with you; there have been too many unexplained disappearances in the past years. Holy Vasil said that you were specialists in your field of work, but failed to tell me what that was. He also said I had to be prepared to alter my outlook. Well … Everyone has been altering their outlook since the new government took over. Not that we were forced, mind you, it is such a relief not to have to watch every word you say in case it gets reported back to the authorities. Now, how do I help you?”
D: *You’re better at this than I, you understand muggle thinking.*
H drily: *Thanks a lot … I think.* “Now Oxana, how much do you know of the old peasant ways, before the soviets took over.”
“The land produced much more, and people were poorer but contented. There was a peace in the countryside, the priests and vidmas presided over that peace, healing and counselling the people. Now most of that has gone. The priests are beginning to rally but the mahiya has all but disappeared.”
“It’s that mahiya we intend to use to help. The old practitioners were rounded up and taken away; so we are told. We hope that not all of them are dead. We also hope that we can find their children, because mahiya is hereditary; although the gene is very recessive.”
Oxana looked slightly askance at them: “How can you do that? If what I’ve been told is true, only a practitioner can sense another one.”
“We agree. That is our speciality; we have the Fluence – so to speak.”
Oxana looked shocked and then asked worriedly: “Does Holy Vasil know this?”
“Yes, that’s why we are here; plus, the fact that we have been told, inside our souls, that this is our next task.”
“But you’re men, the vidmas were all women.”
Harry thought the lady was hiding something; but replied: “In our magical world the sex of a practitioner has little meaning. There are four of us with extra powers, our wives are equal in strength, but have opted to mind our village and administer our Pan-European educational trust whilst we search. We work as a co-equal team, with many thaumic friends backing us as necessary. For some time now we have been battling a very nasty sorcerer. One who wants dominion over all things magical; a sort of Stalin in magic and he uses much the same tactics.”
“I can relate to that … How did Holy Vasil become involved?”
Draco too, was almost sure she was hiding something, but was averse to using legillimency on a new, seemingly benign, muggle: “We met him when we went to the Bachkovo Monastery for an Easter service, only we were a week early. He conducted a private service for us that Sunday and we attended the following week too.”
“A week early?” Oxana was obviously relieved that the subject was drifting away from whatever she was hiding.
“Yes … The western and eastern churches have different dates for their major feasts quite often. Our church was a week ahead of the Orthodox, that year; hence our mistake. Why do you call him Holy Vasil?”
“Because he is credited with many healing miracles … Oh …! Is it possible that he is a practitioner as well?” her worried look returned.
“Yes … Although he only found out when we visited … Perhaps he’s been using his gift; it would be just like him to try and help anyone.”
“So-o-o … Healing and agriculture … What else?”
Harry felt that she already knew the answers: “Protection is our main aim; but the trust is into education. Vasil was lucky; the Spirit led him into good works without him really knowing. We have seen and experienced those who misuse magic for their own ends. However, there are a number of magical academies in the western world, so that youngsters with the gene can learn to use their powers for the good of all.”
“So Holy Vasil could magic the church leaders into agreeing about our cathedral?” Oxana still seemed to be trying to take them away from a subject too close to her heart.
“I suppose he might, but coercive spells are forbidden to us who work for the light. Add to that, the fact that he would have to hold the charms on all the people concerned all the time, so it’s not really practical … Using magic is equally as tiring as manual work.”
“So why bother?”
“Resuscitating flattened crops, increasing their yield, for one. Creating safe havens for beleaguered people and other minority races, for another. Speed in construction, or healing and so-on.”
“Minority races?”
“Yes Satyrs, Centaurs, Dragons, Elves, Dwarves, Goblins and the like.”
“Those are just myths, surely?” Her protestation sounded false to both mages.
Both seers were wondering why Vasil had chosen Oxana, but decided to stick with it.
“We can take you to meet some if you like. There are less of them than us mages, and we are not that many compared to the normal population.”
“This is a lot to take in. Holy Vasil was right when he said I’d have to alter my outlook.”
“Would it help if we showed you something?”
“I-I’m not sure … But yes … I suppose it might.”
“You do realise that this is very secret, don’t you?”
“Holy Vasil charged me with a confessional oath, so I would not tell.”
D: *Apparition charm…? Travelling a distance usually works? *
“Hmm … Oxana … Does your family own a farm?”
“Yes, on the Crimean Peninsula. I was going to drive there after our interview. It’s getting late now; I think I’ll put it off until tomorrow morning.” Some of the tension drained from her face.
H: So that’s the connection!* “Is your car nearby?”
“Yes … I’d love to show you my latest vehicle, it’s second-hand but doesn’t break down as often as the old soviet one.”
D: *You’re not thinking of moving the car as well, are you?*
H: *Ivanova thinks we can. The dragons are much heavier and they apparated with us to the Phrontistery didn’t they?*
D: *But they’re magical beings and we were lighter than they were.*
H: *Uncle Arthur managed something like it on that old banger and we’re much stronger than he was. Let me convey to you the formula …*
As they followed Oxana, Draco concentrated on the convoluted charm Harry was conveying.
D: *Very good … let’s give it a go.* “Hmm … Oxana would you drive us to somewhere that’s not overlooked, we don’t want to advertise our magic, as you can well understand.”
“There’s a place where the rubbish is dumped for collection. The lorries will have cleared it by now and the shopkeepers only put out their bags after they’ve closed. Would that do?”
“Let’s try it.”
It was slightly smelly but private.
“Okay, now please concentrate on an empty field or lane near your farm, one that you know will have no-one near.”
“There’s a clearing in the woods near the farm. It’s where I normally park, will that do?”
“Yes … Now hold both our hands and concentrate, try to tell us, in your mind where it is and picture what it looks like.”
“Okay!” Oxana closed her eyes whilst Draco used his Legillimens gift; conveyed the images to Harry via the link.
Oxana concentrated and so did the mages.
“Transportamus vehiculum et viatores in domus Oxaniensis!” Harry made some gestures with his free hand, drawing on Draco’s magical pool via Oxana.
~~~ OKRUH ~~~
Swoosh – dizzy – clump.
“Okay Oxana open your eyes and stop concentrating.”
“Some illusion this.”
“S’not an illusion, it’s real.” Draco looked at her piercingly: “You may as well tell us what knowledge you’re hiding. I think it has to do with the Fluence.”
“How do you know I am?”
“Draco has special mind-powers and they’re enhanced when I touch him.”
“I might … Later on.”
“Okay … We understand … Trusting people you’ve only just met, is a lot to expect. D’you think your family could offer us a meal, we’ve used rather a lot of energy getting us here.”
As Oxana opened the door a dog could be heard barking, the noise was coming towards them. She vacated her seat only to have the dog jump into it and bark excitedly at her.
“Is that you Kosty?”
The dog wagged his tail as Oxana petted his head.
“We’re not going for a ride yet; I’ve only just arrived.” She turned to the two seers: “He loves going out in the car, I’ll have to leave a window open, it’ll take at least quarter of an hour before he realises that we’re not going out.”
Kosty looked over the back of the front seat at Harry, wagging his tail. Harry allowed the dog to smell the back of his hand before gently patting him. For his efforts Harry had a well licked limb. Draco screwed up his nose and escaped before his digits were covered in canine saliva.
“Shall I introduce you as two new work colleagues?”
“That’s a good idea and we’ll be a little hazy about the time we left Kiev.”
“Make it before lunch time … Mmm?”
“Okay, if you say so.”
“You do know I work for the ministry of tourism, don’t you?”
“Yes, Vasil said you did.”
“Erm … Let’s use a special train idea … Encouraging visitors, sort of thing?”
“Good cover … We’re here to find out what our clients might be interested in … Okay?”
“Yes.”
By that time. they had walked down a path and were approaching a log-built farmhouse plus outbuildings. It had seen better days but still looked cared for.
D: *Look at those yellow flowers over there … See anything peculiar?*
H: *No, not really … The broonies are busy as usual … Oh … fairies … I see what you mean. Hold my hand and I’ll see if there’s anything dangerous about.*
The two seers stood for a minute whilst Harry closed his eyes to look for magic.
H: *There’s a tholus of some sort … Feels benign … Covers more territory than our village … Not really defensive … More like it’s containing the thaums … That’s not quite it either.*
Draco shook Harry’s hand: *Oxana’s looking at us peculiarly.*
Harry opened his eyes and smiled at her: “Just taking in the scents of the countryside,” he explained.
“Yes, I love the fresh smell every time I come here. Come along and meet my parents.”
The two seers followed her through an open door into a low-ceilinged living area. Harry was reminded of the Burrow, including the scrubbed table and odd chairs. Draco took to the almost overwhelmingly friendly atmosphere as they were introduced to Oxana’s elderly parents and two young children. The children ran off to play outside.
“These two are not my real children. We took them in when the authorities arrested their parents. My son is Leonid and he’s missing again, I’m afraid. My husband is on the lost people list.”
*There’s another connection!* “So sorry!”
“Don’t be … We’ve become used to the idea that he’s dead … That way, it helps us to get on with life. We lived for three years stuck in the hope he would return. It was not a productive way of thinking. I still have my stasis moments, but they are growing rarer. Mama, where do you think Leonid will be?”
“Where he usually is, hanging around the church with his friend Taros. Not that we’ve seen Taros for a few days. He’s a strange one, he is.”
“He’s just as strange as my Leonid, they make a good pair. I’m glad my son has made a friend; he withdrew from close contact after Farad was taken. Maybe he’s beginning to heal.”
D: *I’m picking up images of a tearful son clinging to his father’s legs as his papa was dragged away.*
H: *You shouldn’t be probing.*
D: *I wasn’t, but all three adults had the same picture in their minds, it was quite overpowering … That’s better … They’ve tucked the remembrance away again … I’m free of it … It wasn’t pleasant. I think Oxana’s a squib.*
“Now … You all must be hungry. It’s a long way from Kyiv; I have a nice stew on the fire and with chunks of dark bread that will make a good first course.” Mama started fussing around preparing the meal.
*Molly Weasley without a wand,* the seers sent simultaneously to each other.
“Yes, thank you, that sounds great,” Harry had managed to stifle his giggles by smiling at his hostess. “How can we help?”
Draco had a pretend fit of coughing to hide his amusement.
“Guests don’t help; we serve them …” Mama was going to say more but a thumping noise on the ceiling interrupted her. She scowled: “Go up and make sure the kids aren’t doing any harm, Papa.”
Papa looked quizzically at his wife and then understanding dawned on his face. He grunted and stomped off upstairs.
Both seers had clocked Papa’s puzzlement; remembering that the kids were outside. Harry grabbed Draco’s hand and closed his eyes again.
H: *There’s someone magical upstairs, very old, probably the maker or keeper of the tholus. The signatures are alike.*
D: *The three adults are worried that we’ll find out about something … It’s gone … They’ve tucked it away … It’s given me an insight into what living under a totalitarian régime was like … Echoes of the Manor with Voldie in charge.*
A worried Papa came down and took Oxana outside. They could be heard anxiously whispering.
Oxana returned: “We have a bit of a problem, Harry and Draco … I’m not sure where to begin … Oh dear …”
“Is it about the old Vidma upstairs,” Harry blurted out: “We are aware of her, you know?”
“Oh … Yes … I should have known … It was I who told you that one practitioner can sense another … I shouldn’t have brought you here … We’ve kept her hidden for nearly forty years now.”
“Perhaps we were meant to find her, Oxana.” Draco sounded very sympathetic: “Just as our secret is safe with you, so your secret is safe with us.”
“Then you should know that my husband was a magister and could speak Parseltongue as well, but he’s a good man.”
“Harry has a natural gift for Parseltongue too. He can trace his ancestors back to one of the Peverell brothers; so maybe your husband can, as well. His wife you say; but you have no aura.”
“No … I belong to a magical family, but the Fluence bypassed me for some reason.”
D: *I told you I thought she was.*
Papa had followed the conversation and had had another revelation: “You have the Fluence too, don’t you? Her upstairs insists she wants to see you. She says she’s had a dream, the same dream for a few days now. ‘Hair as golden as ripened oats accompanied by a thunderstorm of hair and lightening,’ she says. There’s no doubt she means you two.” He peered at Harry’s scar.
“I didn’t tell him, honestly.” Oxana looked mortified.
“If this is something the Spirit wants us to do, Oxana, we couldn’t escape, even if we wanted to. Now come on, lead us to your great-grandmother.”
F: *You’re beginning to recognise things at last, my sons. Well done.*
The seers spotted Fawkes sitting on a branch, his imitation of a thrush would not have fooled any ornithologist.
“Not a great-grandmother, but a great-great-aunt,” Oxana corrected: “She’s well over a hundred, and smells a bit. She’s so frail we daren’t lift her. I think there are some fractured bones, but she won’t have a doctor anywhere near her, even if we could have found one to trust with the secret … Erm … Healing?”
“Let’s meet her and then …? *We might need some tears, Fawkes?*
F: *Yes, I think you will … I cannot make those whilst transformed … You’ll have to explain … This should be interesting.*
H: *Your turn, Draco.*
D: *Why me?*
H: *I told Oxana about magic at your behest.*
D: *That was a joint effort.*
H: *Fine … But you start off this time.*
By this time the party had climbed the stairs and entered a tiny darkened room. It was warm and Draco realised that it was situated within a hidden cavity next door to the chimney. Propped up within a nest of snowy white pillows was a dark-skinned almost bald personage. One hand rested on top of the sheet and seemed to have an awkward angle within its supporting forearm. She leaned forward and with surprising speed the other hand grabbed Harry’s St. George.
“You … Magister … You heal this other one, now!” a quavering voice demanded.
“I’m not sure I know how.”
“Yes, you do … Like this …” *The charms were passed into Harry’s brain.* “You’ve already got the gift. Why are you hiding it?”
D: *Are you going to have sex with her, then?*
H: *Eew … Definitely not!* “Are you sure?”
“Very sure! Now get on with it. I cannot charm myself, can I?”
Harry concentrated; stroking the place where the bone was twisted and using the words and ideas that the Vidma had passed to him. The arm straightened up and she began to wave it around.
“You … The other magister … Make up the healing potion for my innards. The apothecary is over there; opened at the right page.” Her wand appeared from concealment and she pointed it at a candle, which lit. “Where is your bird?”
“My bird …? Oh … Hmm … Oxana do you remember us speaking of other minority races?”
“Yes Draco?”
“Well … We’re going to meet one of them … In fact, I think there is only one of them in Europe, maybe even the world.”
“What’s he talking about, Oxana?” asked Mama.
“They look after other sentient beings, those we only know of from fables, like dwarves, or centaurs.”
“I think I saw a dragon once,” said Papa: “I sneaked up on Aunt Trephine when I was young, just before she rode off beside it on her broomstick. Does that count?”
“Yes, there’s a dragon sanctuary in Romania.”
“So, what are we going to meet?”
“It’s a who really. He’s a brightly coloured phoenix called Fawkes. He’s our guardian angel. I need a couple of his tears for the potion. It will help your Aunt Trephine become whole again.”
“He talks to us in our minds,” Harry explained as he grabbed Mama’s and Papa’s hands: *Like this.*
Mama: *Can we talk back like this?*
Draco was now holding Oxana’s and Trephine’s hands.
H: *You are doing … Fawkes … can you communicate this way to all of them?*
F: *Yes, my sons. There is no need to be afraid, children. We need Trephine well again to help with the tholus here. We also need Leonid and Taros to help in this. Taros has been injured and will need both my son’s skills, now that He-who-lived-twice has learned that he can heal people without fucking them.*
*Thanks for the vote of confidence, Fawkes.* Harry sounded slightly put out and Draco giggled.
F: *Do not chuckle, He-who-changed-sides, you have a potion to make, and quickly too. I sense danger approaching. My two sons left a magical trail almost like a flashing beacon with their latest episode of transportation.*
H: *What do you mean, Fawkes?*
F: *Apparating a car? Need I say more? The Glags have picked its trail up, but they follow on horseback, disdaining all things modern as inventions of the devil. Come along Potioneer; that concoction awaits.*
Fawkes and Draco went downstairs, borrowing a mug and a little plum-brandy from Mama. Under direction Draco picked certain leaves from the plants in Trephine’s scraggy herb-garden. During the potion making, Draco discovered he had a new talent: that of making heat without the use of fire and cooling without the use of ice or evaporation.
Whilst waiting for the potion to prove the two seers learned that the Glags were an ultra-conservative and supposedly Christian sect who disdained all things modern and especially magical. They blamed the rise of communism on the sins of those who had gone before. The sect had a way of following magical trails and possibly contained some hidden members of the anti-clerical party from the old secret police. Horseback was their fastest way of travel.
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