Toppers Wallow

During Thursday in between giving lessons, the Blakes wrote their letters of acceptance, but deferred owling them until after the weekend. Nothing startling occurred, even when the first group of sixth-years came to stay for the weekend. The students made an agreement on certain hurtful hexes not being used, but, within the confines of the wood, everything except Apparation was allowed. Gregory and the four Yates had thought up some extra twists to the games designed to test the ingenuity of the participants. Seamus and Dean had charmed the Muggle quartet, who wore special amulets thanks to Hermione’s expertise. The talismans increased the charm’s potency and held it; so that the young Yates could detect and deflect various spells. Fawkes had fun flying round the woods and creating havoc, calculated his sallies to test the participants further.



When he returned to his perch later, H&D got a distinct drift of ‘By Merlin I needed that!’ and a phoenixian fiery chuckle.



§§§§§



On Saturday Francis informed Harry that he was truly the lord of the manor and an amount of ribbing took place between Harry and his lover Heir of Malfoy. This also revealed Michael’s water-rights as resident miller; not that he seemed to be pressing forward very much. In fact two mills had been authorised, the other one had been pulled down when the dower house was built at Milkwood. This gave Gregory and Billy ideas of reinstalling a wheel at the end of the big barn, once phase three was complete.



The students and DS Members nearly filled the two side galleries at church on Sunday; the Blakes reckoned that, with the addition of the seventh-years yet to come, there would be no more room. Harry was surprised when a couple of the older Aurors turned up as well. The impromptu football and netball matches had assorted supporters cheering for each side as by now teenage Muggles, goblins, elves and Magicals mixed quite freely.



At lunch, Ginny reported that she had failed on one of her Quidditch trails but was going to try out for the Holyhead Harpies after Christmas.



Hermione and Ron had another row, because he had seen her talking privately with Francis. It had been a particularly scholarly chat about a case Francis was involved in, and had titillated Hermione’s grey matter. Eventually Ron apologised, but only after Harry and Draco had reiterated more than once that Francis batted for their side. Nevertheless there was almost a week of ‘tell-Hermione-this’ and ‘inform-Ronald-that’; before the rift was properly healed.



§§§§§



During the following week the Blakes received contracts in reply to their acceptances. Minerva told them that Mr Nott would not be returning to Hogwarts. She had been informed, by letter, that his parents did not feel that his best interests lay in academia. Even Hermione could not read anything more into the terse words of the missive. That now meant that Harry and, to some extent, Draco had two Slytherin female admirers to deal with. This was not helped by congratulating the two girls on another superb performance at the duelling club.



After their group tutorial, whilst they were drinking chocolate, the Smiling Ones laughed at the Blake’s predicament.



“Why not take them off our hands for us?” Draco whined pleadingly. Harry could feel his lovers laughing insincerity although it did not show



“Not on your life! They’re too far advanced in hexes thank you,” replied Honorius. “Besides, pug faces and battle-axes are not our favourite hunting ground.”



“Now if you were trying to get us off with a couple of Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, who rather like serious music, that would be an entirely different matter,” added Septimus.



“I suspect you are quite able to make sweet music with them without much help from us,” Harry put in slyly.



“Yes … Well … Professor Holderness has inveigled them to join our music classes. Like us, they’re a quartet, but they play various saxophones. Ham … Err …” Crassus looked sheepish; “The professor is adapting some scores for us to practice together.”



“Really?” Draco winked his eye lasciviously.



“You see,” continued Crassus, ignoring Draco’s imputation. “We’re going to give a couple of concerts at Christmas – one at Hogwarts and one at Godric’s Hollow for the Muggles.”



“Good! We’d love to come and listen, will the programme be the same?” asked Harry.



“Some, yes! We’ll be doing a few more ‘pop’ items in the school concert, and extra carol ones for the Muggles,” explained Mordant. “Thanks for the chocolate; we’d better get going as we have a late rehearsal.”



Harry admonished Draco silently, because he could feel some more sly Slytherin innuendos about to be voiced. Draco scowled and then smiled; admitting it would be most un-professorial to make the comments he was imagining.



Tuition over, Draco and Harry went into their studies, brought out various student essays and sat companionably on their sofa in front of the fire, marking. Occasionally one or other of them would read out a particularly brilliant piece, or sometimes they laughed at some of the more hilarious gaffes. This was the first time they had worked together in close proximity and found, contrary to their expectations, that this helped their work instead of inducing erotic lapses of concentration. It was nearly two o’clock in the morning when Draco saw Harry drooping and looked at the clock. After their shower it was cuddle time in bed.



§§§§§



That weekend, whilst the second group of sixth-years were at Godric’s Hollow, Harry received a telephone call from Douglas.



“Hi Harry. I’ve got a bloke about your age asking where he can find you; he says he’s your cousin.”



“Is he substantially built?”



“You mean fat? Yes he is; says his name is Dudley.”



“Yes, I know him. Do you want me to collect him?”



“No! I’ll tell him how to find Magnet Cottage; only I wanted to make sure he’s okay, he looks kinda brutal to me, if you know what I mean.”



“That’s Dudley all right. I used to be afraid of him, but now the boot tends to be on the other foot.”



“Right! I’ll tell him where you are. Cheerio!”



“Goodbye! Thanks for your protection, we appreciate it greatly.”



Quarter of an hour later Carter showed Dudley in.



“Bloody hell, Specks! You’ve got a butler,” was Dudley’s greeting. “Dad’ll be really envious.”



“Hello Dudders. No need to tell him if you don’t want to. What brings you out into the country? I thought you were a hidebound city dweller, up to his ears in computers. This is my partner, Draco. Fancy a cup of coffee?”



“How-do-you-do! Thanks; with milk and no sugar. I like your parrot. What breed is he?”



Harry and Draco could feel Fawkes’s indignation.



“He’s a phoenix Dudders; and feeling very sore at you just now. He might even incinerate you if your thoughts continue in that vein.”



“Oh! Yes I learnt about them at school some time ago. Erm … Something to do with fire … Erm … Mythical … So were wizards, but I know better now … How do I apologise to him?”



“He reads your mind, and accepts your apology,” said Draco. “Is this a friendly visit or do you have some purpose?”



“You see, it was all right doing my father’s computer work for him, but that’ll soon be ended. His firm’s been taken over by a multinational and both of us are to be made redundant.” Dudley looked sadly at Harry. “On top of that, Mum’s getting quite fearful. Your friends’ wards have kept the nasty attackers off, but she flinches when they come, she even flinches now when a normal stranger walks by. You know Mum, how she doesn’t like the neighbours talking about her. Well … They’re doing so … And with a vengeance. They also gossip about these unsavoury characters that appear every so often and prowl round.”



Harry smiled wickedly: “You mean the gang you used to hang about with?”



“All right, Specks! Yes I know I was beastly to you, no need to rub it in. All of us, but Smithy, have grown out of it; he’s inside for robbing an old lady. I think the turning point for me was when you rescued me from those mind-sucking things; not that I acknowledged it at the time. Then, when we were in shelter during that war of yours, I really rethought my position. I think those nasties are your enemies trying to hurt you by attacking us.”



“So? Why come and see me?”



“I was hoping you’d have some ideas about helping. Not that Mum and Dad know I’m here. Perhaps Mum would ask for help, Dad wouldn’t. You know how he hates to be wrong. I think he knows deep down that he’s been nasty to you and, in a way; you rubbed it in by sheltering him. He was astounded by how well regarded you are in your world. I think … What I’m saying is … Will you shelter them again, please?”



“Not you as well?”



“I’m still young and resilient; I dare say I could change my name and start afresh, but they’re not up to it any more. It broke Dad’s heart when he was told he was no longer wanted. You know how inventing and selling tools were his life; now he’s moping around feeling totally worthless. Mum’s become quite jittery; I think she’ll have a nervous breakdown if they say at Privet Drive much longer.”



Draco thought about the idea: “Come on Lover, I know you can’t be hard hearted and Slytherin about this. You finished your ranting and raving some time ago. Dudley’s appeal hits you right in your Gryffindor conscience, I can feel it. What if they bought a house in Godric’s Hollow with the redundancy payment?” ‘You and I could help out, if they don’t have quite enough,’ Draco added through the mind-link.



’I approve also; it is part of the scheme of things. Vernon has an important part to play in the future,’ supplemented Fawkes from his perch.



“Would that be possible, Harry? Not that they’d admit it, but they’d feel safer near you. Come to think of it, so would I,” admitted Dudley ruefully.



Harry acknowledged Draco’s and Fawkes’s sendings. “I suppose you’d want to carry on with your computer thing.”



“Not really; I really did that to help Dad. After you left and I got over my gang days, I started to help Mum in the garden; now she hides in the house most of the time so I look after it all. I started growing vegetables in my spare time on that spare plot. It helped when Mum had a thing about people trying to poison her; I could show her that what she was eating was wholesome. I rather enjoy that and think I’d like to try something in that line, getting outside more might just slim me down a bit, and that’d please my medic.”



‘Okay Lover, I hear you,’ thought Harry at Draco’s prompting. “We have a farm and acres kitchen gardens, perhaps you could try that out. Billy, who’s in charge, could do with some more help. His team are all Muggles, although they know about us Magicals; we’ll take you to meet him if you like.”



“There’s that house at the end of the Manchester owner’s row,” suggested Draco. “They’ve just put up a for sale notice. They were incomers of the same ilk as those others who moved out recently.”



“Um yes … I always thought it looked like my old home; the garden’s much the same size too, but without the extra plot at the back. Dudders, if you get along with Billy and his gang, we could use that as an excuse for you to move here, and you could invite Uncle and Auntie along to live with you, so to speak.”



‘You’re becoming more Slytherin sly, every day, Lover,’ sent Draco.



‘It’s all that very close contact I have with a certain ex-pupil; it must be rubbing off.’



‘Rubbing up, would be better, you’re starting to have a bulge.’



‘It’s thinking of close contact with you, you gorgeous hunk.’



‘My Sons, don’t be so crude; apply yourselves to the task in hand!’



“Why are you two silent? Is it something I’ve said?” Dudley looked worried.



“No Dudders. Because we’re magically paired, we can share thoughts. We try to be up front before other people, but occasionally we lapse. Draco was being suggestive, as usual.” Although Harry scowled at Draco he also squeezed his hand lovingly.



Dudley thought a minute and then realised the Blake’s true relationship: “How many people know about you two? Isn’t it awkward?”



“Our friends do,” Draco explained. “Most Magicals put it down to our combined auras and so impute little. We’re not going to join parades or anything, but if someone asks genuinely then we tell them. We have a couple of lady friends who feel much the same about each other; we occasionally pair up to stoke the smokescreen, as, by and large, the Magical establishment is extremely straight-laced. Things will eventually come out, but we ain’t going to push it down their throats.”



“Mmm … I understand … I think Dad would have a fit if ever he found out.”



“So you’re one of us then?” asked Harry in surprise.



“Don’t know really. At school we boys messed around with each other. Dad hinted that he had too. For a year or so I was very pally with Oscar, I’m supposed to be visiting him now. Then Deidre came along and we had some fun too, but that fell through. I find myself fancying arses, no matter which sex, as long as they’re the right shape and firmness. You wont’ tell Dad or Mum will you?”



“Your secret’s safe with us, just as ours is with you. Savvy?” asked Draco.



Dudley nodded his head in agreement and Fawkes snickered, simmering on his roost.



Harry wondered if Dudley would throw a wobbly at the idea of house-elves, but felt he’d better grasp the nettle of introduction; only to find out that Dudley and the other Dursleys had met house-elves before whilst being sheltered. Kreacher arranged for them to go over to have lunch at Woodyates, on the way they looked in at the house for sale. Apart from the fact that the house was reversed, it resembled the layout of Privet Drive inside as well. After the lunch discussion with the Yates and a tour round the farm, much of the idea was set to go ahead. Dudley rang Oscar, to let him know what to say and then departed on the 16.08 train. Tea over, Draco and Harry conducted the usual student debrief.



§§§§§



Sunday was crowded but uneventful. In church John announced that the next dance, in three weeks time, would be on a Victorian theme: “Knee britches and crinolines, Dear People, cravats and shawls. Plenty of time to plan and make them. Don’t forget, next Sunday is Advent Sunday so there will be the usual candlelit service in the evening to mark the beginning of the Church’s year.”



‘That dance’ll be just after our NEWT’s,’ sent Draco.



‘The end of term ball follows on Tuesday. Then we’re guarding the train back to Kings Cross the following day,’ Harry thought back.



Over lunch Harry was caught up by the Weasley gang giving Ginny useless advice about her next Quidditch trial, based on what she had thought she’d missed at the last one. Draco and Daphne sat together planning the costumes for the Victorian evening.



§§§§§



The owls on Wednesday morning brought official looking envelopes for all the staff members.



‘The Right Honourable Dirk Creswell, Minister of Magic, requests the

pleasure of the company of Harry James, Lord Blake and his companion on the occasion of the annual festival dinner and ball. To be held in the Grand Reception Rooms of the Ministry of Magic during the evening of Thursday 17th December.’



Draco received an identical one except it was addressed to Draco Travis, Lord Duindhu.



“It’s the place to be seen, Harry,” said Draco preening his hair.



However Harry remained dubious. So they discussed this with Minerva during coffee break.



“I strongly advise you to accept; all our professors go. A word of advice, find two presentable girls to accompany you; the establishment isn’t quite ready for openly gay couples just yet.”



‘If ever,’ Draco added mentally and Harry agreed.



‘It is important that you attend,’ supplemented Fawkes from his perch on Harry’s shoulder.



“Let’s ask Ginny and Daphne,” suggested Harry, with slightly more enthusiasm; although Draco could still feel some pessimism lurking in Harry’s thoughts.



When asked, both girls were very willing to be escorted to their first official engagement. Knowing that quite a few Quidditch stars would be there clinched the deal for Ginny. The appeal to Daphne’s hauteur finalised her decision. The two girls started planning their gowns and how to make-over their male escorts; whilst their escorts replied formally, and tried to avoid being measured; not that they succeeded.



§§§§§



The Advent weekend had the whole of the remaining seventh year group on their training days. Gregory, Dean and Seamus had inveigled Hermione and Ron to set up an inverted ward dome over the Milkwood woods. It took in all of the Woodyates orchard and stew-ponds plus a small part of Harry’s wood. Marker stones were set at intervals round the perimeter and an anchor stone at the centre. Within this area the participants, all having passed their tests, were allowed to Apparate as well as use broomsticks plus many hexes and charms. The dome could be occluded so that stray flashes and bangs did not disturb the neighbouring Muggles. The students conferred and came to a mutual agreement as to which spells were taboo. Two small refuge areas were allowed, representing warded houses; one at each end of the combat area. When he explored the battleground Harry felt it was very authentic; especially when the participants let rip. Draco flinched slightly and nearly replied with a hex once or twice, almost forgetting the warded observer ball which surrounded him. Fawkes really went to town, creating lifelike horror images and suchlike.



Ernie and Lavender were in attendance as was Poppy Pomfrey. The magi-medics had little to do apart from the usual burns and scrapes. Various students had to be un-hexed from freezing and binding spells, but luckily there were no broken bones this time. There were, however, a number of participants to be dried out, as they had fallen or been hexed into the stew-ponds. All in all, everyone was happy with their practices, even the remaining Slytherins were, now that Theodore’s baleful presence was no longer looming over them. Millicent and Pansy came out top; having created a most formidable team. Draco though that maybe they should be asked to become members of the DS, but both Harry and Fawkes advised caution.



§§§§§



On the Sunday afternoon, whilst the seventh-years were carrying out practical charms, Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia arrived at the Farmers Arms, accompanied by Dudley. Vernon smiled wanly at Harry and took him to one side.



“Your Aunt’s going to have a nervous breakdown if we don’t move soon. Can you guarantee that this place would be any better?” Vernon enquired haughtily.



“There will be magical people here all the time, Uncle. The right sort like Draco and me. You’ve met Hermione and her parents already, haven’t you? She and her fiancé Ron have put a warded dome all round the village, like the one you have at Privet Drive. It excludes all the undesirable types automatically. There’s a special cover for the pathway to the station which is where the protection finishes. If someone strange comes looking for us, Douglas, the station master, rings us up to see if he should tell them where to come. He’s already seen a few nasties fighting the invisible domes, it makes them look drunk, and he has the Grumblewell police arrest them and take them inside to sober up. The dome’s circumference is about six miles; we could walk it, if you like?”



“No! Not just at the moment.” Vernon patted his extensive stomach and looked pained. “This house that Dudley recommends, is it far enough away from the edge?”



“About quarter of a mile. It looks like a mirror image of the one at Privet Drive. There’s one drawback though.” Harry quirked a very Draco-like smile.



“And what’s that?”



“No cupboard under the stairs, that’s where the central heating boiler is placed.”



“Yes … Well … I’ve apologised for that many times; haven’t I? I hear you have made your cottage into a rather nice domicile now.”



“You must come and see it, once you’ve looked at the house Dudley has in mind. I’ll show you our flat at school too, it’s rather grand.”



“So the school has moved here then, I thought it was in Scotland?”



“It still is, but we have a special way of getting there which works for everyone, not just us Magicals. It’s so simple, you won’t believe it.”



“Hmm … Well … Maybe … Are you quite sure we’ll be safe here?”



“Much safer than anywhere else. On a par with where you were sheltered but slightly better, as our friends have made superior wards. On top of that, there will be much more room. The height of the dome is twice as high as the church tower over there, and the area covers the whole village plus quite a few fields and woods.”



“Dudley says he’s going to try working on a farm.”



“Yes! It’s one that I bought after it was confiscated from a nere-do-well, who’s now in prison permanently for torturing young boys.” Harry was rather pleased with the guilty lurch Uncle Vernon gave.



‘You’re growing more Slytherin-like by the minute, Potter.’ Draco hove into view.



“Uncle Vernon; this is my mate Draco, Lord Duindhu. We’re a magically joined pair.”



“Pleased to meet you my lord.” Uncle Vernon held out an ingratiating hand.



“I hope you said that to your nephew as well,” said Draco, giving Uncle Vernon a limp shake.



“Who? Harry?”



“Yes. He’s titled Lord Blake and is lord of the manor round here; been in the family since before the Romans came, so I hear.” Draco used his best aristocratic voice.



“Who? Harry?” This response was slightly louder and definitely more fearful.



“Yes! The connections are mostly maternal, but legally proved by our tame legal eagle. I recommend him; he obtained very good prices for the Manchester connections.” This was Draco at his loftiest.



Harry had a lot of trouble keeping his face straight. “I’m traced back to the keeper of a druidic temple whose ruins are in the cottage grounds. I’ll show you, if you like.”



“Very interesting runic inscription, so I hear. Not that it has been fully deciphered yet. However one of our best people is working on it.” Draco laid it on thickly.



“Erm … Harry … Exactly what do you own?” Uncle Vernon’s re-think was plain to see in his expression.



“Let me see. The cottage; which sleeps thirty-five plus a couple of dozen house-elves. Woodyates farm with four people in residence – room for more and with a medium sized acreage. Various paltry feudal fees, mainly in kind, from the landholders hereabouts. Then we have grace and favour use of the apartment at Hogwarts School. Oh! And a town house in London with innumerable rooms, not fathomed them all out yet.”



“Erm … Does all this come with the lordship of the manor?”



“Only the feudal fees. The Cottage and grounds are via my parents, as you already know. The London house is from Uncle Sirius and I bought Woodyates just to help out four friends, who are now my tenants. I have plenty of funds, so if you’re a little short, I’d love to help buy your new house.” Draco had projected Slytherin pride into Harry, so that he had recovered from the prospective giggles and had delivered the précis deadpan.



“How is it we didn’t know?” Vernon was looking quite impressed.



“It seems, Mr Dursley, that you didn’t enquire too diligently into Lord Blake’s background. Perhaps better treatment might have been forthcoming. Something like the way you treated his Auntie Margery.” Draco saw Vernon flinch.



“Yes … Well … She still hasn’t forgiven me for her balloon ride. Funny thing though, I seem to have only remembered it quite recently. I’d better get back to my wife and son; we’re due to see the house in ten minutes.” Uncle Vernon gave both of them a slight bow by way of leave taking.



Once out of the room the two young men fell about laughing.



“I could kiss you for that,” said Harry wiping away his mirthful tears.



“I hope for more than just kisses, Lover,”



“Okay! Now? Here?” Harry gripped Draco’s shoulders and peered into his eyes.



“Err … Harry … What if someone sees.”



“Now who’s the spoilsport? Okay, we’ll reserve it for later. Anyway, we’d better go and support the Smiling Ones and Hamish’s Choir. John says that they are doing special pieces of Advent music in between some of the Bible readings.”



Dinner was slightly late, but it was worth it to have listened to the inspired readings and beautiful music.



Uncle Vernon met them as they came out of church: “Don’t tell me you’ve got religion as well?”



“How do you tell right from wrong if you haven’t?” riposted Draco.



“Our inner voices give us guidance regularly,” added Harry.



“Mmm … Well … Will we be expected to attend if we reside here?”



“Only if you want to, Uncle. Where’re Auntie and Dudders?”



“She’s in our room at the inn, she feels safer there. Dudley’s gone to see his new friends. Oh; there he is. Hey Dudders, have you been to church as well, then?”



“Hi Dad; yes. You missed some inspiring readings and the music was wonderful. Meet my friends; three of them are in the choir. This is Billy … and Cole … and Grey … and Wash.”



The Yates all shook hands with Vernon.



“I’ve booked us in to rooms at the Farmers Arms, Dudders. The firm owes us some leave, so I rang the new manager and told him we were taking some. He wasn’t best pleased, but I no longer care. I got introduced to the local solicitor at lunch and we have an appointment tomorrow. Harry, were all those youngsters at lunch your students?”



“Yes Uncle, why do you ask?”



“There seem to be an awful lot of them. Do they all go to church?”



“The ones who are here do, a few don’t. We’re not quite sure whether they go because we do, or whether there’s a real spiritual awakening happening, like it has with us. I think the attitude of the vicar helps. Ah; here he comes, honing in on newcomers as usual. John, this is my Uncle Vernon Dursley and his son Dudley.”



“Hello Dear People, nice to meet you.” John shook hands. “It must have been quite a trial bringing up a budding mage. He tells us all a lovely story about a snake at the zoo. Though most of us haven’t worked out exactly which is truth and which is his invention.”



Dudley blushed: “If I think it’s the one that happened to me, then I got soaked, and Harry got grounded.” Then he giggled.



“Yes it was quite difficult,” ventured Vernon; “for all of us.” Then he looked at Harry meaningfully. “Harry’s aunt is feeling delicate so she’s retired to bed at the inn. She’s very wary of strange people.”



“Quite right too,” supported John, “Harry hid us all under the cottage dome when they attacked the village. Now his friends have made a village-wide one and we don’t see any more peculiar persons around, unless you class all these budding mages as such. Oh, Harry? Are Ernie and Lavender around? Only Mrs Pierce was asking for them, she’s beginning to fail, you know. There’s no family and she tends to regard them as the children she never had.”



“They were at the evening service John, try Galina Cottage, if not there, then they’ll have gone to school and be with Poppy at the infirmary.”



“Right oh, Harry, Nice to have met you Dear People; bye!” John wandered off down Almoners Row.



Dudley went with the Yates to the farm. After arranging to have a look at the cottage on Monday evening, Vernon went back to the Farmers Arms, and the Blakes went to let off sexual steam in their bedroom.