Toppers Wallow

The household rose early on Tuesday morning, but Draco and Harry found their smaller counterparts were already gone. Kreacher served breakfast saying that Phealey and Pullet had departed for Hogwarts and the second bout of more meticulous cleaning.



"I suspect that the staff meeting will go on for some time. Is the flat habitable enough for us to stay overnight if necessary?"



"Yes Master Harry. Would you want your meals there too?"



"Possibly. We may be expected to eat together on the top table or in the staff room. I\'ll try and let you know somehow. It might be an idea to think about a cold collation of some kind; then, if necessary, it can be kept for tomorrow."



"Yes Master, I\'ll tell Winky."



Draco and Harry were putting on their robes prior to Apparating when Regent appeared with a message. Upon opening it, Draco found that there had been a special Apparating area made for authorised galleon holders. It was situated on the top of the Astronomy Tower, being called \'Albus Severus\' for the obvious sentimental reasons. Minerva had added in a footnote that they had thought of \'Boar Sores\' in keeping with the humour of the other namings, but the governors wanted something more circumspect. She also told them that 09.07½ was their arrival path to avoid Splinching or collision.



"We missed our beauty sleep, just so we could waste time," grumped Draco. There’s over an hour yet, then when we get there the meeting isn’t until ten."



"Okay, Grumble-guts. Let’s do something you’ve been putting off doing."



"Trust a Gryffindor to stop a Slytherin enjoying his gripe. What is it?" Draco tried to look resigned



"Billy, Seamus and Dean have put up the shelves in your workroom to your plan. If we label them up, the house-elves can put the jars and books away for us. Kreacher makes a good librarian, he’s sorted my books out very well and I’m sure Winky could sort out your ingredients. Her herb collection in the kitchen is very well ordered."



"Okay, why not."



Harry obtained an automatic quill and made labels at Draco’s direction, writing them on self adhesive ones; Draco stuck them on the shelf edges. By nine o’clock most of the labels were in place and the two magicians were walking to the Apparating Area dressed in their new professorial robes.



When they arrived on the Astronomy Tower there was a goblin just about to open the door to the stairs, he was dressed in new robes also.



"Hello Harry Potter," he said, holding out his hand. "I’m Hamish Holderness, the new Magical Beings professor. I know you from all the publicity you’ve had and we have a mutual friend in Griphook Grumbleweed. You must be Draco Malfoy; young Gregorian Grumbleweed was so excited about being in your class when I saw them yesterday evening. Apart from a recent aberration there’s been a Malfoy adherent in the post for hundreds of years. I’m glad you’re keeping that particular family tradition going."



Hamish smiled pleasantly as they shook hands. Two more cracks occurred, Ron and Hermione appeared and more introductions took place.



"We\'d better move on or there\'ll be a collision soon." said Ron as one of the Governors almost landed on top of him.



Hamish was given a quick tour of Hogwarts by Hermione as she had found they had a mutual interest in history. Ron looked slightly glum as he trailed after them and Hamish looked overwhelmed by Hermione\'s enthusiastic discourse.



Draco and Harry excused themselves and went to look at their apartment. It exceeded the description that Winky had given; being set in the western staff tower. Hamish had the flat below them, Ron and Hermione shared a two bedroom flat above them. Harry and Draco were intrigued by the double loo and astounded at the four-man Jacuzzi which Winky had failed to tell them about. Draco’s study had a spiral staircase connection to Snape’s old potions lab. Harry’s shared another staircase leading down from the HermiRon flat. This opened into a suite of rooms similar to the one they had used to teach the DA in the Room of Requirement.



The new professors spent quarter of an hour sitting on their balcony. Partly as a refugees from two enthusiastic house-elves who had the chandeliers in pieces, and partly reminiscing about past Quidditch matches, pointing out to each other places where spectacular dives and saves had taken place. Too soon came the time to enter the realms of magical academia.



The meeting started with introductions; staff to governors; some of whom were new, then new staff to older ones. Next, Minister Creswell made a patronising speech welcoming the inclusion of Goblin students, to which both Harry and Hamish took vociferous exception.



“Your tone, Minister,” Harry fumed, “suggests that wizard-kind is doing the goblins a favour; whereas the legislation welcomes them as equals. On top of that you have failed to mention the elves or the centaurs; all of whom are classed as category one sentient beings, like us.”



The staff and governors applauded. The Minister spluttered and looked daggers at Harry, trying to steer the conversation away. Hamish backed Harry up, confounding the Minister with his wit and encyclopaedic knowledge. At coffee break the Minister beat a hasty retreat, mumbling under his breath. Hamish, on the other hand, was greeted warmly by the new chairman of the governors, Amelia Bones, saying how much she abhorred the Minister\'s attitude.



One of the meeting\'s big discussion points was about houses, noting how Slytherin had tended to attract the less wholesome adherents, with apologies to Draco, who in fact agreed with the statement. It was decided that the house system would continue because some form of competition spurred the students on to greater achievement. The next thorny question was about fitting in the twenty or so young goblins who had applied and been accepted. Because there were dietary and cultural differences there was an argument for a new house. Against that, was the need to see an even hand in matters that could be construed as racial. Draco and Hamish were of the opinion that Slytherin would be the best house, because of the emphasis on practical magic, and the fact that goblins recognised the blood ties their families had. When shouted down, Draco replied that the aristocratic families had a duty to everyone else, a duty of service and quiet leadership, not of domination and force which had been his father\'s failure. That argument won many hearts, including Harry’s.



This was quite a heated debate, to which the Sorting Hat listened intently. However no new house would be declared as yet, mainly because the entrants were all first years and the competition would be unfair and therefore be seemingly racially biased. However the decision was left on the table, to be discussed when there was a reasonable age range available a few years hence. Harry said that he thought that they should wait to see what kind of friendships sprung up, allowing time for the new students to adjust to their surroundings; saying that the seniors in a house tended to protect and support their juniors, quoting Draco’s service and leadership argument, and their own very recent experiences.



The next discussion was about the Slytherin Housemaster. Horace Slughorn had resigned quoting old age and ill health, which was why the DADA post had been available. He had also been the Slytherin Housemaster. In an unprecedented move, Draco and Hamish were appointed jointly; Draco, as deputy, because he knew the system and Hamish because he had the seniority.



Lunch was taken in the Main Hall, but not on the podium. Discussion took place about the lack of elfin applications, but the house-elves who served them would not be drawn into the conversation. In the end Draco and Harry were deputed to see if their two bright sparks might be encouraged to take part, as a way in; even if, to start with, it was on a very informal basis.



Lunch over, the governors left and the difficult business of scheduling took place. The new professors were surprised by the magical timetable which Minerva conjured. It filled the whole wall of the staffroom containing boxes for each different subject at each different level. What happened was that the whole wall display was laid flat and the professors walked all over it, taking a student at a time putting a bead from their string of beads into the boxes as they went. The beads represented a period and a subject at the right grade for the student concerned. Some beads were doubly bound, to represent double periods. The object of the exercise was to get each student\'s string of beads placed in a near-horizontal line; diagonals of various angles were allowed but no back-verticals. To ease matters the magical beads could pass through each other. The quantity of permutations was innumerable, and the boxes could only contain enough beads for the size of a comfortable class.



Far from being boring, it became an absorbing game. Ron and Draco, chess players that they were, became the stars at moving beads around until a fairly even mix of box levels was obtained. DADA was the most awkward one to work out, closely followed by potions, about which Draco was pleased. Hermione agreed to help out with one of Draco’s overwhelming classes. Both Draco and Harry agreed to have an evening class each, on a Thursday, allowing them a free period on a Monday morning as compensation. Ron was induced to help Rolanda as she feared problems with different races and sizes of broomsticks.



That conversation led into Quidditch practices and the duelling club. Draco and Hamish, backed fervently by Ron wanted a proper wizard chess club and tournament set up. More movement of beads took place. The resultant spider’s web of connections would have done Aragog proud. Magically sealed, it was placed on the wall again, and the enchanted quills began writing each student’s game-plan for the forthcoming term. Somewhere in the middle of the game, tea with sandwiches and cake had been served and Harry had quietly ascertained that each professor would be responsible for their own delayed dinner. He managed to summon Phealey who let Winky know the state of play.



Naturally Ron and Hermione accepted Harry’s and Draco’s invitation to dinner/supper, Hamish looked lonesome so he got an invite too. Minerva was looking lost, and agreed to their request that she join them.



The newly cleaned chandeliers sparkled invitingly, four house elves in new costumes were attentive and, of course, Winky had done them proud. The cold collage contained dishes that each one fancied and was served as a buffet on the apartment\'s long dresser. Invited to join them the two older house-elves were diffident, not so Phealey and Pullet. Hamish had a fund of stories to tell all of them, each one of his sparked off one from the headmistress. Some were hilarious, some were touching, and some had a nasty sting in the tail, usually containing much philosophical thought. Eventually, at about two in the morning, the happy party split up. Minerva had the furthest to go, but that was only to an adjacent tower, leaving Draco and Harry exploring the delights of their new abode.



“At least we won’t have to wait for the other to finish on the loo,” remarked Draco. “Though, I’m not sure sitting naked next to you would help me concentrate on the job properly.”



Harry giggled as he thought about it for a minute or two. “Never mind that let’s give the Jacuzzi a go, I reckon the bubbles will do a lot for our libidos.”



“It’s more likely to sooth us to sleep. I’m in a cuddling mood at the moment.”



Draco was right, the bubbles did soothe, especially when set at medium. Harry nearly dozed off, but Draco rescued him before he swallowed too much water. Their four-poster was warm and comfortable; they made a nest in the middle and hugged each other lovingly to sleep.



In the middle of the night, Harry awoke from a nightmare not knowing where he was. His feeling of insecurity was not helped when he could not find his glasses in their expected place. Draco, disturbed by his partner’s vibrations, came-to, and soothingly explained where they were, placing his lover’s spectacles on his nose.



“I was walking through the forest again.” Harry shuddered. “Only, this time there were no comforting presences with me.” He sighed. “You’d think I’d have done reliving that experience, wouldn’t you?”



“Harry, I wouldn’t have had the guts to do what you did. I might possibly, if I was in a flaming temper and not really in charge of myself, but not how you did it so coolly. At the risk of you shooting me down; doing that, showed your right to be hailed as the saviour of all things magical. I’m still surprised that you have it in you to love me, who for so long was your sworn enemy.”



“Well … Um … I’m surprised too … Sometimes … Dumbledore once said … Love and hate are close bed-mates … If you care enough to love them … You care enough to hate their bad bits too … Probably when I’d got all uptight about feelings of letting him down.” Harry sighed and looked sad.



“Enough of philosophy … I’ve got something more urgent … Put your hand down here.”



Draco had sussed that Harry needed something to stop him brooding. He was right, sometime in the early hours of the morning; two teenage magicians learnt that their bed had an intriguing squeak. Not loud enough to become annoying or wake the neighbours, but a fitting accompaniment to their frenzied lovemaking.



There was a lie-in on Wednesday morning, with Phealey serving them breakfast in bed, a luxury Harry had never experienced before, and Draco had only heard about his mother partaking.



Pullet came to clear away. "Masters, I\'ve had a look at Mrs Pierce\'s hens, poor things. They have the run of her garden, but most of the nutritious edibles have been eaten. So they\'re pecking at what greenery there is left. They\'ve also been eating yellow flowers in their desperation, but hypericum and buttercups are not good for them. They\'ve even taken to eating the foxglove seeds, as well as being poisonous; they\'re a soporific so they\'re semi conscious most of the time. Master Draco, please will you make up a potion to counteract the poisons. If one of you should get Father John to ask Mrs Pierce to buy grain for them, that would be a help too."



"Will that really help them?"



"Yes Master Harry. Once they\'re on a proper diet, I should be able to see which ones are capable of laying again and which ones need to go to the pot."



"With all that stuff inside them, I\'m not sure they\'d be fit for the pot. All we\'d be doing is passing the poison on."



"You have a point, Master Draco. However there are ways of leaching it out. It also makes tough old birds more palatable and tender." Phealey suggested.



"Okay. If Pullet and I go to the lab and make a suitable remedy; would you, Harry, chat up some of the farmers we helped to see if we could have some grain?"



"Seems a reasonable plan of action; are you going to soak the grain in the potion? I\'m not sure holding the hens down and pouring it down their beaks is a practical option."



"Yes Master Harry, that\'s what we did at my last home, when we had to physic the poultry."



Before leaving Hogwarts Harry felt he ought to visit Hagrid; Hermione and Ron agreed with him. Hamish said we would like to be introduced too. Harry warned him about Hagrid\'s rock cakes.



Draco looked slightly disgruntled. “I don’t fancy breaking my teeth on his rock cakes, thank you very much,” he mumble-grumbled in Harry\'s ear. Nevertheless he accompanied his lover.



When they arrived at Hagrid’s hut, they found some additional buildings attached to it. Some held a magical veterinary hospital, holding various magical creatures still recovering from wounds received after they had come to help Harry in the Battle of Hogwarts. Another part held Firenze\'s quarters; there had been a rapprochement between him and Bane, which had been helped by the recently passed equality legislation.



The group went on a tour of the hospital and found a dragon there. She was the one that had carried three of them out of Gringott’s. Due to Hagrid\'s good offices, many of her wounds had been healed, with his pink umbrella Hagrid had managed to restore her sight somewhat, and the centaurs had made her a large pair of spectacles with light sensitive lenses, as brilliance still hurt her eyes.



To his great surprise, Harry found that Parseltongue was also the dragon\'s normal language, so a hissing conversation took place. Orcas, the Dragon, thanked them for freeing her and promised her help if Harry ever needed it. That promise was soon to be fulfilled.



They sat on the porch of Hagrid\'s hut having elevenses of tea and sucking small portions of rock cakes when three things happened almost simultaneously.



Erwin arrived with a parchment for Harry. When opened it read: ‘Just found out that Death Eaters are training to ride Thestrals. Viktor.’



Kingsley\'s Patronus arrived saying: “Expect Death Eater attack soonest.”



Bane galloped in. “Please will you help, the herd is being attacked.”



Harry, realising that their broomsticks were at home, immediately went to Orcas and asked if she was fit to take off. Receiving an affirmative; all four young teachers climbed upon her back. Ron and Hermione sat back to back, covering the dragon\'s flanks, Draco faced backwards and Harry rode on Orcas’s neck explaining what was happening. Almost as soon as they took off, the area of attack became apparent. Gryffindor’s sword came flying towards Harry who grasped it, ready to use it like a wand.



Meanwhile Hamish had gone into a communing trance and had asked some of his friends to come and help.



The fire breathing monster surprised the assailants; even more so when her riders fired disabling hexes in all directions. If Orcas shot flames to the right Harry shot multiple hexes to the left. As they flew into the fray they cleared a swathe through the massed Death Eaters, who scattered in all directions, being hit by side hexes from Hermione and Ron. Orcas and Harry seemed to be able to act in unison using mind contact only. Dragon fire and multi-hexes made intricate patterns round each other, as they banked and took another run at some of the still grouped Death Eaters, scattering and singeing them left, right and centre. Various hexes were aimed at Orcas but a hastily projected mirror charm from one of the four riders deflected the curses; but not always directly back at the sender.



Hamish and two friends marched into the fray with their fire-sticks at the ready. Harry got Orcas to fly high forcing the Death Eaters to dive and look upwards. This tactic provided adequate non-attentive targets for goblin fire from below. Quite a few Death Eaters’ broomsticks were now smouldering as they regrouped and spelled aquifers to put out their fires.



A new batch of Death Eaters arrived, riding Thestrals.



“That\'s my bastard son, leave him for me,” came a familiar shout from a silver robed, golden masked man. “He should not be consorting with lesser races and Mudbloods.” Lucius swooped down towards the rear of the dragon.



“You\'ll not have me, Father. You’re a disgrace to the noble name of Malfoy.” Draco shot off a disabling spell.



Lucius dodged it, only to be hit a glancing blow by Orcas’s tail. Draco managed to set his Father\'s broom-tails alight with his next shot. Shouting imprecations, Lucius Malfoy retreated promising horrible retribution on an erring son.



The second part of the battle was quickly over, as the Thestrals fled in panic from the dragon. Those Death Eaters who were still seated on broomsticks retreated, many with their broom-tails still on fire or dragon-singed. The worst hit broomsticks were abandoned and their riders Apparated away from the scene. Three Incarcerous arrests were made.



One of Hamish\'s friends had been hit, so Poppy took him back to her wards to help in the healing process. Hagrid set to, in his hospital looking after Bane and another couple of centaurs, who had also been hit.



Hermione took Firenze aside and explained about her new mirror wards, asking that they work together to establish a herd-haven, in case of another such raid; she promised to adapt the magic to suit that of the centaurs. Hamish and his other friend had captured Albert Runcorn, who had been found stunned, lying on the ground. Dawlish arrived, apologising for being late, he was given Runcorn and the other two to take into custody and Apparated them away almost immediately.



Invited for lunch, Hamish and Porlock accepted. Hermione and Ron excused themselves, saying they would be spending time with the centaurs making the herd haven. Before eating they went to Poppy\'s ward to see how Tarmindale was faring. He was still out cold, but Poppy said he would mend and had a quick discussion with Hamish about a suitable recovery diet.



“We need something like the galleons, or maybe adapt them so we can call reinforcements,” Harry suggested, over lunch. He then had to explain about the DA and the present use of the medallions. Hamish and Porlock showed Draco their fire-staffs and explained their usage and drawbacks. Draco then went into teacher mode about wands, their deficiencies and advantages, after some discussion very little difference was found; so it was teatime when the two magicians returned to Magnet Cottage.