Toppers Wallow

This week was ‘last minute revision week’. Augusta had set papers for Hermione, Ron, the Blakes, Pullet, Phealey, Gregory and the two practical tutors. “These are the equivalent of OWL’s in tutoring, you should pass them with ease,” she said.



In reality it gave them all more to worry about. Harry was mugging up for a Potion’s NEWT and Draco for DADA at the same level. Harry had his preliminary paper to complete on the use of defensive Imperio. Draco was finishing an equivalent paper on antidotes. Ron and Hermione had two extra subjects each. Dean and Seamus were the worst off, having had Augusta’s paper added to their already full portfolio. Greg floundered a bit, but Harry and Draco helped him out.



§§§§§



The Blakes managed an hour or so to show the Dursleys round the school and their apartment, suitably impressing all three of them and, after they had gone, burnt the midnight oil on their papers and revision. There were still classes to take and essays to mark. By the time the weekend came round the Blakes felt that they could have slept for two days. The Yates, seeing the Blakes exhausted state, took over the first-years in an effort to give the harassed professors, coach and tutors a break. Although they stayed in bed late on Saturday morning, it was with hastily summoned books and parchments. Somehow, Harry’s work ethic encouraged Draco’s, who in turn set and example for Harry.



Minerva, aware of what was happening, arranged a number of light-hearted physical competitions on the Sunday after lunch had settled. She inveigled the Yates to supervise some students-verses-staff jeux-sans-frontiers challenges. She almost ordered her younger staff into these games, knowing that their bodies needed the exercise more than their rapidly clouding brains. To begin with there were excuses made, but she overruled them. After a time the young ones appreciated the respite, throwing themselves into physical exertion with a will. Tired out, her examinees ate a late supper, showered and crawled into bed, intent on nothing else but sleeping soundly.



§§§§§



The recipe worked, because by Monday breakfast all the previously-cobwebbed brains were in top form as the examinations commenced. Lessons and examinations were expertly dovetailed; altering the bead-box timetables wherever necessary. Harry’s DADA paper was perused and questions asked, followed by practical demonstrations of wards, hexes and charms. Draco had to decipher surprise poison-potions and make antidotes for them. Each of them had to teach a class about a certain aspect of their subject, observed by the examiners. They then faced a clinical analysis of what the examiner had observed and had to give explanations of their intentions and expected results. Their papers were discussed by a panel of adjudicators, and then they faced a barrage of questions, most of them encouraging and sympathetic, but backed by a shrewd logic.



By the end of the week the Blakes felt as though they had been squeezed through a clothes wringer; content to really drop out whilst the Yates looked after the second wave of first year students. Awaking late on Saturday morning had their libidos return in force; cuddling turned to frotting, to manipulation and then to full blown sexual antics. A lascivious shower returned them to bed to recover their stamina and the whole process started again. An hour’s snooze before lunch refreshed them enough to be able to have a sexless second shower before descending for the meal. They found that Dean and Seamus, Pullet and Phealey had enjoyed much the same exertions, even Ron and Hermione looked like cats who had stolen all the cream.



After the meal Dudley came round to say that the house sale was going forward and that he would be staying at Woodyates with the others. He also asked Harry to go and see Douglas at the station. The Blakes walked back with him as far as the farm and then followed the road towards the station.



“Hello Draco and Harry,” Douglas greeted. “I have a strange tale to tell you, come in and sit down, my wife’s minding the ticket office.”



Once they were settled in the front room of Douglas’s warded house sipping tea, he commenced the story.



“Mr Fitzsimmons the postman came round earlier-on to deliver our mail. He re-mounted his bike and went to take the footpath to the village, only he fell off it just by the gate. I went to help him up and he said his bag had slipped. He rode off again and the same thing happened. While I was helping him up I realised that the place where the incident happened was where the village ward dome started. He was quite shaken by the second fall so I had Marilyn look after him whilst I picked up the bike and his mail bag. Once he was out of sight I tried to carry the sack through the wards, but it wouldn’t budge; quietly I looked inside found a small package addressed to Harry, and removed it. That was the thing that wouldn’t go through the wards, so I hid it. Fitzsimmons drank his coffee, thanked us, and went on his way with the delivery. I kept the package for you Harry; it’s near the Apparating room.”



“Thanks a lot, Douglas. We’ll go and have a look at it magically.” Harry also acknowledged Draco’s mental admonitions about being careful.



The Blakes worked alternately, one holding a shield and the other probing with care. They tried quite a few charms until they found some that resonated. After half an hour there were a number of results which they carefully correlated.



“It will be activated when you open it, Harry,” Draco observed.



“It doesn’t seem to be too explosive,” replied Harry.



“No. More like a tracer beam.”



They probed further and found a ward breaking hex.



“Got it! When you open it, it stuns you, destroys the ward dome, establishes a locator beam to whoever sent it, and they come to pick up your insensitive body.”



“Okay. Let’s get the DS in on this and lay a trap. We’ll use that ruined barn in the furthest farm fields.”



Draco picked up Harry’s thoughts; they thanked Douglas and started to use the medallions to call in reinforcements as they walked to the ruined barn. An hour later they were assembled round the old barn.



“Thanks for coming guys,” Harry started. “The Death Eaters are planning to stun and kidnap me.” Harry explained the happenings up to date.



“Justin, could you charm this pig to look like Harry?” Draco asked. Some of the DS Members thought it would be easier the other way round, causing a few chuckles.



“Yes Draco; how long for?”



“Half an hour after they’ve abducted it, if possible?”



“No longer than an hour. I can do that.”



“Can someone charm this barn to resemble Magnet Cottage, please?” asked Harry.



Blaise volunteered.



“Okay guys; this is how it goes,” explained Ron. Hermione and I will set up a dome of mirror-wards round the barn. Blaise will make it look like the cottage. The pig will look like Harry – no more comments please – then he’ll open the package by remote spell with Draco holding a shield over him. You are all to be in hiding; once the package is open we expect it will bring some Death Eaters to capture Harry, we spring out and capture them. Susan and Hannah will try to ensnare the beam and isolate it. Draco suspects it will lead to Malfoy Manor, so we will use it later to attempt to get in. We’ll let them have the pig if necessary.”



There were a few questions before the plan went into action. Mackenzie the Auror arrived as they were nearly ready; Draco gave him a quick run down.



Justin’s charm was very lifelike, only it grunted instead of talking. Blaise excelled himself, the room where the pig lay looked just like Harry’s study, and the outside glamour was an accurate facsimile of Magnet Cottage. Harry started his false hands forward until he could feel the package via the Weasley-invented extendable-hand charm. Opening a small package with gloved hands and not being able to see what you were doing was quite difficult. Harry struggled; dropping the package twice before the bindings started to ease. There was a quiet pop, and a rush of air.



A six-foot wide beam of magic light burst from the parcel, it stunned the pig-look-alike and carved a hole through Hermione’s and Ron’s recently fabricated dome. Blaise made a hole appear in the pretend roof as the light burst through. The tube went eastwards in a high arc, landing somewhere beyond the horizon.



“I’ve captured the spell!” yelled Katie.



“And I have a tracer attached to the pig,” called out Angelina.



Two Death Eaters rode the light-tube on broomsticks, landed and attached a Portkey to the pig, which disappeared. A number of stunning and binding spells shot out and two struggling Death Eaters fell to the ground in the de-glamorised barn. Mackenzie took charge of them just as the light-shaft winked out.



“Sorry Harry, we couldn’t capture it,” Hannah apologised.



“Doesn’t matter too much, I have the spell formula,” said Katie, “and Angelina has a tracer beam.”



“It has gone into another warded dome, Harry. So I’ve detached it from the pig and fastened it to a tree. This end’s anchored in the old fireplace here, where that red mark is. It’s almost invisible so I hope it won’t be detected.”



“Well done guys. I wonder what they will do with the pig when they find out?” Harry joined in the general mirth.



“I think you know this one, Harry,” observed Mackenzie. “The other one is Lonsdale, we’ve been after him for some time. Thank you all for the capture.”



The Members looked at an unmasked Theodore, and a couple of them also recognised Lonsdale; then Mackenzie Apparated away with his two incarcerated prisoners.



Hermione and Ron were a little sore from having their dome broken, but still had enough magic to make an inverted sack trap, placing it at the end of the tracer beam, just in case.



As they went back towards Magnet Cottage, the Blakes went into a huddle with Angelina.



“How far do you think the tracer stretches, Angelina?”



“About ten miles, Draco.”



“Mmm … About what I expected … I’m almost sure now that it leads to Malfoy Manor … Once it’s thoroughly dark let’s follow it. I doubt we’ll be able to get in, but we might just have a peek to see if it is my old home. What we need is one of their medallions.”



“I’ll floo Mackenzie if you like.”



“Better not. At least, not until after we’ve made a recce.”



“Okay!”



“Don’t forget it’s the Victorian Dance tonight, Draco.”



“I had! Recce tomorrow then, Partner?”



“Mmm yes! They might be expecting an immediate return attack. So a delay might be good tactics.” Ron entered the conversation.



“You will be careful, won’t you boys?” was Hermione’s contribution, as expected. Her remarks were backed up by Daphne and Ginny.



Those remarks elicited the usual withering looks from the males concerned.



“It’s just a look-see – no heroics – we promise; a couple with us and a couple here who know what’s going on. If what we expect is true, then is the time to come back and start planning. If it is the Manor and it’s their headquarters then we’ll need every Auror and DS Member. Right?”



“AGREED!”



§§§§§



Back at Magnet Cottage, there were a chorus of pops and bangs in the Apparating area, Harry felt alarmed until he realised it was the DS Members going home for their costumes and returning in their fine attire.



§§§§§



The netball court was covered by a refreshment marquee and the schoolrooms acted as cloakrooms. Muggles had invited friends to come, and Magicals had done the same. Samantha and her ladies had been busy not only with the decorations but making small dance cards for everyone; the cards contained an etiquette reminder. In the marquee were light refreshments laid out by Winifred/Winky and Mavis with their teams of helpers.



“You’ll get something more substantial later, Master,” Winky admonished Harry, when he laughingly complained about possible starvation.



Whilst the melee was happening, and according to the instructions on the card, the participants wandered round filling up their dance cards. Mr Foley found Harry and Draco.



“You know how to waltz, don’t you?” On receiving affirmative nods he continued. “I’d like you two to lead the grand march please. If you’ll collect your ladies and stand near the door I’ll marshal the others.”



Harry and Draco found Ginny and Daphne, bowed to them, and offered an elbow. Having curtsied in return, the girls placed their hands on the proffered elbows and commenced a stately walk towards the door. Samantha and Foley ushered the others into formation and then signalled to the players inside the hall. The orchestra included goblin and Muggle strings, the smiling ones’ wind-band and their girlfriends’ sax-quartet; not quite a real Victorian ensemble but the emanating music was true.



The grand march started with the Strauss Radetzky March and continued with his Egyptian March. Once everyone was assembled inside the hall, the introduction to the Blue Danube Waltz started. Harry and Ginny found a space and started to whirl, not far away were Draco and Daphne. [Vienna; eat your heart out!]



During the following dances, Mr Foley called some of the schottisches and reels; occasionally illustrating the dance steps with Samantha. Nearly everyone was up for every dance, however there was a short break in between, so that the gentlemen could be gallant and the ladies charming. Supper was taken just before eleven and the dancing recommenced until one in the morning. Lavender and Ernie were attendant on Mrs Pierce, whose eyes showed her joy even if her frame could not dance. There were others from the almshouses behaving in much the same manner and having attentive couples supplying their needs.



Harry and Draco noticed and their sympathetic feelings nearly overwhelmed them. ‘This is going to be a busy week,’ they confided.



During the meal break, Harry noticed the Dursleys and wandered over, introducing Ginny. Draco and Daphne followed them.



“Do you always have these balls, Harry?”



“This is the first Victorian one, Uncle. We and our schoolmates went Bavarian last time. That started a trend; I believe the next one will have a Gaelic theme.”



“Oh! That sounds interesting, tell me more about the social life round here?”



Whilst Harry was explaining Dudley took Draco on one side: “Who’s that big girl with the gorgeous arse?”



“That one?” asked Draco trying to suppress a giggle. “It’s Millicent Bulstrode; I’ll introduce you if you like.”



“Ooh, yes please!”



The four of them had a quiet giggle later at Dudley’s fresh amour. Funny thing was, Millicent seemed equally smitten.



‘So much for pure blood, Lover,’ Harry sent.



‘We could argue that he’s your relation, if it comes to being serious,’ came back.



Church was crowded on Sunday. Millicent disdained the galleries and managed to sit close to Dudley, alongside the Dursleys. She managed unobtrusively to help them with their books, receiving from and giving adoring looks to the son. Draco, Harry and the other professors and tutors sat in the old choir stalls, to help make room. Glancing up at the rear gallery Draco noticed four saxophonists and drew Harry’s attention to them. During the matches afterwards, Dudley and Millicent were nowhere to be seen. However the two trenchant eaters could not forego their food, reappearing, slightly flushed, just before everyone sat down.



“Does she come from a good family?” Vernon enquired of Draco.



“Yes Uncle, her line goes back before the Doomsday Book.”



“Oh dear! We’re nowhere near that.”



“Being Harry’s relation might help, you know.”



“Oh! So it might … Well I never.”



The Blakes watched Uncle Vernon undergo another transformation in his thinking.



Just before dark Mackenzie Apparated in: “Would you like an official back-up when you go exploring?”



“How did you know that we were?” Harry blurted.



“Kingsley guessed that you would, and you’ve just confirmed it, haven’t you?” Mackenzie beamed at them.



“We don’t plan any action, just a recce to see where the pig went. Draco’s almost sure the tracer leads to Malfoy Manor. He knows a few secret ways to get in, then, once it’s confirmed, we want to involve every Auror, Order and Dumbledore Member in some form of attack. Not immediately, but in a few days time, when they’ve got bored with extra lookout duty.”



“We would like Ron to be involved in the planning, he’s our best tactician.” Suggested Draco.



“Agreed, plus you two and Hermione, of course; Sturgis and Minerva will be the Order members as Kingsley and I will represent the Aurors.”



“We’re happy with that,” agreed Harry, at Draco\'s inner prompting.



Fawkes was flying around and added his support to the scheme.



Mackenzie agreed to have some light refreshment before they took off. Hermione was to be the person in charge at the home end; with Dean and Seamus actually in the old barn. Neville and Lavender were to be standing by in case of injuries. Draco, Harry, Ron and Mackenzie were to follow the tracer on their broomsticks. Fawkes was to come along in case of an emergency.



Angelina came with them to the old barn to show them how to use her tracing charm and then opted to wait with Dean and Seamus. Ron proved best at tracing so he was put in the lead. Draco and Harry were flankers with Mackenzie in rearguard position, Fawkes flying above them as lookout. The flight was cautious and uneventful. Nearing the target, the Blakes sent out quiet probes, finding where the occluded dome started. The party followed this down to the ground and landed.



“Let’s go this way,” Draco suggested quietly, pointing.



After half a mile of quiet country tramping, Draco called a halt. “You see that clump of trees over there. There should be a folly tower inside. If so, it has a passage like the one Harry has; but leading into the manor house.”



They were even more cautious, jumping every time a startled rabbit flew from under their feet. A couple of hunting owls had them ducking in case they were mounted patrols. Once inside the copse Draco found what he was looking for. Having recovered their breath, Draco and Harry sent tentative feelers towards the tumbledown structure. They became bolder, eventually being able to declare that there were no wards.



“I think Father knew not of this passage. I only found it when one of the more mischievous portraits showed me how. Harry; will you stay here please. We can use our mental link to call for assistance if necessary. I’d like Ron to come with me; we know each other’s reactions best.”



Fawkes decided to go with them, providing a dim light for them to see by.



Mackenzie nodded his acquiescence, so Harry did not argue, settling down near the now revealed opening. He could feel Draco’s gentle probes and sensed Ron’s shield by his lover’s reactions to it. They were very, very cautious and Harry’s nerves became hypersensitive during the wait.



‘Silly bugger, there’s no precaution at this end either. We’re coming back.’



Harry let out an explosive sigh of relief; making Mackenzie jump. Harry apologised and whispered what he had learnt. Quite soon two filthy, cobwebbed Magicals appeared at the entrance; Draco closed the access wall and all of them crept back to the tracer before flying home to the old barn.



Coming back from the barn Draco informed them that from a brief overheard conversation, and the number of beings Fawkes had sensed inside the Manor, that he was almost sure that it was still the Master’s headquarters.



“Let’s not tell everyone yet, we may leak, or someone might hear a whisper.” Everyone agreed to Mackenzie’s suggestion.



“Kingsley and I will set up a listening post, just to keep tabs on what is happening. The Weasley extending ears are a godsend to us eavesdroppers.”



Draco and Harry celebrated sexually that night, on the bedroom carpet, in the shower and twice in bed before going to sleep.