Toppers Wallow

It was Draco who suggested, at Wednesday breakfast, that all three DADA tutors should see their new students together for the first time. Augusta’s first visit was in four weeks time, so the time set aside for her tuition could be spent getting to know the students and explaining why Harry was unable to carry out all the teaching. Hermione volunteered to come with Draco to his potions classes as she would be helping out with that. Ron too, had arranged with Rolanda to help out with the first-year’s initial broomstick practice, as he had some experience with both the goblins and elves in their trials at Magnet Cottage.



Arriving early in the practice room, Harry first saw some Slytherin seventh-years loafing around. They were somewhat truculent in providing a professor, no more than one year older than themselves and from Gryffindor, with a demonstration of their current prowess. Harry asked Septimus Cresswell, who seemed to be the leader of the claque, if he would like to hex him.



Septimus drew his wand and pointed it at Harry. “Aren’t you going to draw your wand Potter,” he enquired sneeringly.



Harry, who was already holding the mirror shield silently, replied that there was no need.



“Confringo!”



Septimus’s attempt to blast Harry away only resulted in him and his coterie being knocked flat on to the ground. Harry promptly thought ‘Mobilicorpus’ and had the three young men floating in the air.



Once they had recovered sufficiently and had been set back down Septimus asked, “How did you do that Professor?”



Harry noted the use of the honorific, and assumed some change of attitude was taking place. “One of the reasons I have been appointed to this post is that I use silent, wandless magic. That was just a demonstration of the possibilities. Should you wish to attack my partner, Professor Malfoy, I must warn you that he is just as proficient in this form of magic as I am.



“So it’s true then. Someone hinted that you were reconciled … Even the dark lord had difficulties with silent magic.”



“Is that an accolade or a criticism?” Harry smiled winningly.



“Err … An accolade … I think.” Septimus gave the ghost of a smile.



“Okay! Let’s start again shall we?



The young Slytherins nodded acquiescence and then Hermione and Ron came into the classroom.



Harry continued, “I was using a mirror charm that my colleague Professor Granger invented.”



Hermione bowed slightly.



“My successes in defeating Voldemort were mainly engineered by Professor Weasley’s tactics.” Harry indicated Ron.



“You may also have heard that they had a more recent outing when some of the Master’s minions attacked my house and the three hundred Muggles sheltering there. Needless to say we defeated them with only minor burns and scratches on us to show for it.”



“Yes! We’d heard about that. One of my uncles was captured and is now in Azkaban because of it.”



“I’m sorry about that, but he was attacking us with rape and murder on his mind.”



“We weren’t on the train, but we heard it had been attacked.”



“We and some of the DA managed to defeat that too. You will have noticed the name of this course; ‘defence’ is the primary word and that is how we hope to conduct the curriculum. We will be teaching some combative skills, but keeping people safe is our main objective.”



More of the seventh-years were now trickling in.



“You say ‘we’ Professor what exactly does that mean, please?”



“Bar about three students everyone at school has signed up for this DADA course. Our failing numbers have been augmented by the first year intake of goblins and elves, as they are regarded as our equals in magic.



“Bloody lesser races!”



“For your information, Mr Harper. A goblin’s fire-stick is just as efficacious as a wizard’s wand; in any case, most magic depends on the strength and skill of the user. Mr Weasley is equally proficient in using both media and Professor Granger has used an elfin ring on more than one occasion.”



Ron and Hermione held up the items for inspection.



“In the end,” Harry continued, “this means that, in order to give you quality training, there are not enough hours for me to act as sole tutor. The Governors, in their wisdom, have asked Professors Granger and Weasley to help out. I will also have an elfin assistant called Phealey whom I will introduce to you at a later date.”



“Are you saying that elves are good at magic, too?”



“Yes Mr Urquhart. If you think about it, they are the only people not affected by the very powerful wards surrounding Hogwarts; being able to Apparate through them without any hindrance.”



“Oh yes …! Never thought of it that way before.”



By this time the rest of the class had gathered and had caught the gist of Harry’s introduction.



“I see we have a couple of DA Members here. Just in case our Slytherin students don’t feel happy about the partisan nature of Dumbledore’s Army, I would like to tell you of four new members of the squad. They are Draco Malfoy, Daphne Greengrass, Blaise Zabini and Gregory Goyle, all of whom have shown prowess in defence of other innocent beings; they were voted on unanimously by the other members. Now I suggest you form groups round each of us Professors and we will commence the tests.”



The erstwhile recalcitrant Slytherins homed in on Harry, and were now eager to show him what they could do. The double period was over almost too soon; over coffee Hermione and Ron shared their findings with Harry.



The groups before and after Lunch were of the new first years. Harry made a shortened introduction and then challenged them to form study groups.



“The study groups that you will form in our classes will be the basis for your learning all through the year. They are not just for your friends; they have to represent the new mixed culture of Hogwarts so there are rules:

First: One person from each house.

Secondly: At least one person from each race, but no more than two.

And Third: An equal number of boys and girls.

Once you have formed a group, go to Professor Weasley and register your names.”



General mayhem took place with all kinds of horse trading taking place. One enterprising group of friends had to be stopped from swapping gowns and identities in order to stay together.



Once the students were settled again; as this was the intake of twenty-eight, Hermione and Ron took two groups each, whilst Harry had three. They had the new students showing each other the uses of their favourite magical instrument; also the teachers encouraged their pupils to try the different media available. At the end of the first session Harry announced that they would be going away for the weekend and that they would mass-Apparate immediately after classes on Friday.



With the second group after lunch the same procedure held firm; except that they would be away on the second weekend and being twenty-four students; Harry had two groups instead of three. They had also made inroads into the second-years’ tests by the end of the day. Came the evening; the first night of the Duelling Club was to take place. Ron had made tables for the desirous participating fourth-years and upwards giving enough time for two bouts at each level plus one eighth-year and a staff demonstration.



Harry and Draco gave the staff demonstration, using some of the more flamboyant hexes and shields. What horrified and fascinated the audience was the total silence in which the pair duelled without the use of wands. Before they started, Harry explained that he and Draco had rehearsed this in the privacy of their own rooms first, realising that a deadly fight would be totally undemonstrative.



“Two people standing scowling at each other, saying nothing and occasionally dodging is definitely not good theatre,” he remarked to a puzzled audience.



He introduced Phealey as being an observer of the practice and said that he would be making a running commentary, describing the hexes and defences used. Ron kept the score announcing a dead heat as the two protagonists panted, perspiring heavily, at the end of their quarter hour.



“That was a fixed match!” someone yelled.



“Yes Mr Nott, it was; as Professor Potter said. Had we really been duelling silently you would most probably not have seen anything,” Draco replied, levitating Theo with no obvious spell. “Have I made my point?” Draco now had Theo Nott revolving head over heels in the air.



“Okay …! You’ve … Convinced … Me … Please … Put … Me … Down …?” pleaded the ensorcelled student, each time he faced Draco during his revolutions.



The other students were unsure whether to giggle or be afraid, heaving a communal sigh of relief when Theo landed safely.



“A bit melodramatic,” remarked Minerva, quietly to the pair, as they were leaving; “but it surely made the point. I doubt anyone will challenge your authority now. Very well thought out … Oh yes …! There have been some no-shows in the seventh year, so you need only to divide them into two groups. I suggest you abandon the Thursday evening classes, they would have been unpopular anyway.”



“Okay Minerva! It will give me space to bring some of the Slytherin students up to speed in very small groups,” Harry replied. “I’ll bill it as small group tutorials, students expect them to be held at odd hours.”



“Is there really any need?”



“I think so. They’re very good at aggressive hexes, but poor on defensive ones and, as we agreed, defence will be the main thrust of the classes.”



“Very well! You are the Professor; I’ll back your judgement.”



In their flat two exhausted Professors had a private snog in front of the blazing fire, sitting on the very comfortable sofa; only too soon to be interrupted by someone knocking on their door. It was Dean and Seamus.



“We watched your bout, very spectacular, even the left-over nasty ones in Slytherin will have second thoughts about challenging you.”



Dean and Seamus hugged their two buddies.



“We have the plans for you. Try as we might we are unable to put twenty eight students in the barn area without making it into an army barracks. We had a chat with Minerva’s elfin secretary and she reckons that twenty-four or less will be the norm. Now twenty-four we can accommodate easily in the barn, four to a bunk room as at present. We turn the side one round and have another next door, then do a mirror image of the garden end at the shrubbery end. Then we put elfin rooms in the top surrounding the lookout, there’s just enough room.”



Four people knelt on the floor looking at the spread parchment with the plan drawn on it.



“Billy was okay with windows under the approach loggia, but worried about them in the big barn doors facing the lane. So we had a small experiment; we can disguise the windows to look like the wooden doors outside, so no one can see in. They look normal inside and that gives us this plan. As you can see we’ve added two washbasin cubicles as well as those in the loos and shower rooms.”



Draco and Harry asked various questions and then approved the scheme.



“Oh yes! Billy has a message for you,” added Dean. “He says that he has enough glass and framing to make the patio warm and watertight, and more coming in two weeks to cover the swimming pool. If you like we can put up that glass tomorrow and Friday as well. It will form a dining area for the hordes.”



Dean showed them the seating plan, and had approval for that also. More hugs and two enthusiastic lovers Apparated back from Albus Severus to Toppers Wallow.



Sitting on the sofa, Draco and Harry held hands. They fed off each other’s peaceful feelings, gazing into the flames and stroking each other’s hair. It took a great effort to rouse themselves and walk towards the bathroom, but it was worth it. The medium setting of jacuzzi bubbles was very soothing and Harry had to rescue Draco when he started to nod off. Harry had to almost carry his dozing mate to bed, it squeaked once when they got in, but their lack of energy forestalled any bed-music.



§§§§§



On Thursday the team of three worked through more classes, covering the second and third years, and making a start on the fifth-years too. They spread the word about weekends and tested the students to see what level they were at. Phealey’s reading and writing skills had improved enough for him to be able to mark down, on a chart, all the skills students were able to perform, which greatly speeded up the trials.



Harry approached the three seventh year Slytherins just before lunch. “Mr Cresswell, would you and your two friends please come to the DADA suite at five-fifteen this evening, please?”



“Yes Professor, of course. Err … Why?”



“You’ll find out when you get there, won’t you?”



“Err … Yes Professor … we’ll be there.”



All three students gave Harry worried looks throughout the meal, but he pretended not to see. Draco, who was to be there also, knowing why, kept on giving the trio ‘you’re-in-for-it’ looks.



Classes over; Draco and Harry quickly made some tea and were seen to be sipping it unconcernedly when three worried Slytherins knocked and were bid to enter.



“Professors. We’re very sorry if we upset Professor Potter earlier in the week. It won’t happen again, we assure you.” Septimus said, almost grovelling.



“Please don’t dock us any house points.” Crassus Urquhart pleaded.



“Professor Malfoy, you’re our deputy housemaster. Plead our cause, please,” added Honorius Harper.



“I said we’d start again didn’t I, or have you committed some other misdemeanours in such a short time?” asked Harry.



Draco smiled knowingly as he watched his three charges mentally wondering what they might have done. “Have you done enough soul-searching yet?”



That got him quizzical looks.



“Please sit down,” Harry continued, “you are not here for discipline but to learn. When we carried out the tests, in which you did quite well, certain defence charms were wanting. Students in the other three houses are well ahead of you in those, so I would like to coach you privately, until you reach their standard.”



“Private tuition; that costs a lot doesn’t it?” Honorius asked.



“Not really! We’re more interested that you can defend yourselves properly than in extra cash,” Draco answered.



“That’s most un-Slytherin of you, isn’t it?” asked Crassus.



“Blame it on Gryffindor generosity, if you like. However we do genuinely want to help,” said Draco. “Are there any more of your friends whom we haven’t yet tested, who might like to avail themselves of our offer?”



“There’s just one, I can think of, Mordant Bletchley.” Septimus looked at his mates, who nodded. “He’s the younger brother of Miles.”



“I remember his brother from playing Quidditch.”



“Yes that’s the one.”



“Would you like to go and fetch him, please?”



“Well … Actually … he’s just outside, waiting to see what punishment you were meting out to us.”



“Right! Bring him in.”



Mordant was all obsequious smiles when Septimus brought him in. Harry explained the position, and the smiles turned genuine.



“Some of the spells I’m not sure about, boys,” Draco added. Professor Potter was going to bring me up to NEWT’s standard privately, so I’ll be learning alongside you.”



For the next hour or so, the group practiced hard and willingly, receiving praise and gentle correction as necessary.



“May we come again, please professors?” asked Septimus.



“This time next week? We’ll call it a group tutorial, shall we?” suggested Harry.



“Yes please, and thanks again. Didn’t think a Gryffindor could be so pleasant.”



“Didn’t think four Slytherins could be so co-operative,” was Harry\'s smiling rejoinder.



At Dinner Harry and Draco noticed smiles from the Slytherin table.



“I think you’ve scored a hit with those four,” Draco murmured.



“Mmm, yes! I like spreading happiness, don’t you know,” Harry replied jocularly.



“Don’t I know it? This ex-student thinks he’ll start a Harry Potter fan club for reformed Slytherins.” Draco put on his smarmiest smile, engendering in a light kick under the table from his lover.



After dinner five new professors hung-out in the pair’s apartment. Draco had found some very acceptable port, so they sat sipping, recalling what had happened in the last two days. Filius came to see them, enquiring how they were getting on, and was treated to a repeat of the less scurrilous events.



“Sorry Filius, we have no cherry liqueur to offer at the moment, however we recommend some of Draco’s port,” suggested Harry



Filius accepted. “Here’s to our new professors,” he toasted.



“Here’s to our new deputy head,” they toasted back.



Filius looked slightly abashed, but still managed to smile proudly. General chit chat went on for another half hour; then the others wished our pair goodnight and strolled off to their respective rooms.



“Nice of Filius to come and see how we were, wasn’t it?” Draco remarked.



“That’s the kind of gentleman he is, he shows he cares, sometimes almost too much,” rejoined Harry. “Then again, a certain Slytherin I know would have been scathing about the motives behind the visit just a few months ago.”



“Yes! I remember only too well, but you do still love me don’t you?”



Harry’s answer was to lift Draco off his feet and kiss him soundly. Whilst Harry’s hands were full of him, Draco used his to full advantage so that Harry’s bottom half was completely exposed. Very soon they were both déshabillé and in the shower enjoying the hot water and each other’s hot bodies. The bed played beautiful music that night as each lover played out his lust for the other one.