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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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[Note: conversation =: “speech” & ‘thoughts’ & *telepathy* & #Parseltongue# & {telephone}]
~~~ FISH FARM ~~~
Their stopover at the mill had delayed them somewhat, so the farm workers had had lunch. In continuing their walk, Draco and Harry were so intent on their search for the remains of the leat that they nearly walked into Washington and Graham who were digging carefully.
“Hello Harry, Draco. Are you feeling all right? We’d heard you’d done some flash bang magic and it nearly killed you. I must say you look fine to me.” Washington smiled at them.
“Hello Wash, Grey. We were a bit fagged out yesterday, we made a portal and joined three cabinets; however, they no longer reside at the Bothy, but still go to Hogwarts and London. We think that we rather overdid it and it surprised us, never mind all our magical friends. I know you’ve watched us flying and practicing Quidditch, perhaps you can chat up Greg to take you under his wing and see some of the teams practicing. Better still take a day off when there’s an inter-house match, I’m sure our headmistress would give you permission.” Harry hugged his two muggle mates.
“You sure? She’s quite daunting.”
“Yes we agree,” said Draco, miming knee trembling awe. “But hidden under the witch’s robes is a person who believes in equity and fair play. Anyway … What are you digging?”
“It’s an idea we had. There seems to have been a water-channel here, coming from the bottom stew-pond. There’re definitely culverts under the paths. So we were wondering if we could use some of the upper ponds’ overflow to act as irrigation in the greenhouses, there seems to be a slight fall in the land that would give us a decent flow without flooding the place out.”
“That’s funny. We’ve just been talking to Michael Millar about much the same thing. He says there was a mill leat running down here to work the water wheel at Ribbon Mill. We were trying to trace it and thought we saw signs further down. It should be three to four feet wide and a foot to eighteen inches deep. Probably lined with waterproof clay, though that may have disintegrated by now. Your little ditch is roughly down its centre. Would you mind if we tried a little magical excavation?”
“Better than us breaking our backs, any time.”
Harry and Draco probed the ground in front of them seeing if they could find the old channel. There seemed to be something there making a flat ‘U’ shape. Harry held the ‘U’ shape steady and hardened it temporarily, whilst Draco magically scooped out the earth in between. They cleared about a twelve-foot length of the old channel revealing the old grey puddle-clay which lined it. In places, roots and burrowing animals had made holes in it but much of it was still sound. The two boys were quite surprised at the width of the leat, being almost five feet wide and at least two feet deep in the centre.
“We were going to use the run-off from the stew-ponds, but this channel would be far too big for what we need.”
“Why don’t you go and talk to Michael Miller, see if he has some ideas?” suggested Draco.
Harry, meanwhile, had been staring ahead: “Um … Stew Ponds?”
“Yes Harry, we found some old plans and they were marked on it, so Greg and a couple of others scooped them out. Marianne was over the hoop and set about refilling them. She’s re-stocked some of them too. They were Draco’s fish from Scotland, I believe.
They chatted a little longer and left the two muggles scraping and repairing more puddle-clay and widening the channel to its full potential.
~~~ FISH ~~~
Having been made aware of leats, the pair now showed a greater interest. They wandered around the stew-ponds, noting how Marianne had carefully made the feeds and drains, widening them as each drain flowed out, and narrowing the feeds to create equal flows to each pond. She was there and explained the process of rearing and how each pond would have fish of different ages plus her regime for feeding them.
“They were in Master Travis’s ponds and some in a freshwater loch over which Castle Duindhu had fishing rights. I didn’t let the muggles see me taking them, so they won’t know. I’m not sure that they didn’t think the stew ponds ornamental. Cause their gardeners were making flower beds around them.”
Harry and Draco chuckled and commended her for her audacity.
“Thank you, Masters. In about two weeks the fish in this pond will be ready for the table. Kreacher’s talked to the Hogwarts kitchen-elves and we have a contract to supply them. Not that they’ll have the whole cull. Some will find its way onto your table, and into Mr Richard’s customers’ bellies, too. It was good that Masters Dean and Seamus cleaned out the reservoir, the water’s not as polluted now, although we shut off the supply until the mud had settled. Master Gregory said that the mud that was removed would be excellent fertiliser for the farmland.”
Marianne chattered on a little longer and then returned to her piscatorial duties.
Once they had reached the small dam holding the reservoir back they felt chilly and hungry; so opted to take the path from the head of the dam and through the centre of Milk Wood, meeting some Dumbledorians on the way. The pair had their legs pulled by their friends, who said that they were shams, pretending to be under the weather whilst their rosy cheeks seemed to speak differently. Draco pretended to faint, and had the girls fussing over him for a minute or two. When he recovered miraculously they started calling him names dredged up from previous more serious scholastic encounters. However, their smiles told him of the genuine regard they had for him, so no feelings were hurt.
~~~ LUNCH ~~~
Arriving at the cottage’s basement, they discarded their muddy outer clothes before climbing the stairs in their stocking-feet. Winky bustled up chiding them for being out for so long and ensuring they drank their foul tasting potion immediately. She gave them a strong citrus drink to take away the taste and then sat them down at a low table in front of the living room fire.
Steaming mugs of spiced vegetable soup followed. Harry could feel Draco enjoying the warmth as the soup trickled down his oesophagus. Soup finished, double eggs Benedict followed.
“They’re from the hens at the farm, fresh from the nest this morning.” Winky informed them.
By the time their chocolate sponge and creamy custard had settled, both lovers were in a hazy dream of well-being, holding hands and dozing in front of the fire.
~~~ TWO GIRLS ~~~
After their doze there was a gentle stream of people drifting in to see them, talking of mundane things or reporting on school projects finished. Among them were Ginevra and Astoria, who had been staying in their cottage for the half term and had wangled a couple of days extra. They invited our pair over for dinner. Saying that they could be quieter there than in the middle of the boisterous Dumbledorians. They added that it was a thank-you meal for being allowed to use the cottage’s facilities whilst Seamus and Dean repaired Bagshot Cottage. Harry and Draco were in two minds whether to accept the invitation, wondering if the girls had ulterior motives. In the end they accepted because they felt daunted by the prospect of the chattering hordes.
If the girls had ulterior motives, they were very adept at hiding them. They were not over solicitous as Winky had been [another reason for going to Bagshot Cottage] nor were they too distant either. The boys found themselves relaxing and chatting, something they seemed unable to do with their other peers now they were professors, except Blaise, Justin, Hermione, Seamus and Dean.
They found out that Dean and Seamus had built the bathroom out over the kitchen, although the toilet was working the hot water system needed finishing off.
“Not that it matters too much,” said Astoria, airily: “We can always use a heating charm.”
Astoria spoke of her love of horses and her hopes to set up a small riding school once she had finished her schooling, with some vet work as a supplement. Ginevra’s ambitions were equally athletic, but riding a broom instead of a horse. She told of trials with various Quidditch teams all of which were in the New Year. She also worried slightly that they may interfere with her getting good results for her NEWT’s in June. The boys chatted about future plans for their cottage and Woodyates. This led inevitably into some banter about Harry becoming lord of the manor.
~~~ BEDTIME REVERIE ~~~
“They sleep together,” Draco remarked, when the subject of their recent dinner came up in their post coital chat. “When I went to the loo I peeped into their room.”
“Good for them! That explains why Ginny was so willing not to make a fuss when we broke up,” replied Harry. “When we need to be proper, or they do, we can team up. We have various official social functions looming and taking one of the girls on our arms would deflect any flak from the less enlightened. You know how fuddy-duddy some of the older witches and wizards can be.”
“Mmm … Not thought of that … Good idea, Lover. I daresay we can be their alibi when they need to put up a smokescreen, as well. A few of the older seneschals were asking veiled questions at the award ceremony. That’d spike their guns.”
Their conversation drifted from the verbal into thought swapping and at some indeterminate time metamorphosed into dreams.
~~~ SUNDAY 15^th ~~~
Up as usual and to church with their friends. This time, things were different; there was no sermon and at a quarter to eleven the servers and choir formed up in procession to go outside. The congregation followed on and so did the magely party.
They crowded around the war memorial; luckily the mages were at the back, so it did not transform. Various members of the congregation read out names and a trumpet sounded. The church clock struck eleven and then there was silence. After a couple of minutes, the trumpet sounded yet again and some prayers were said. The congregation followed the procession back inside the church and the service continued as normal.
They were late so the mages expected another outside meal, but no, everybody behaved as normal and after a short game of football the Farmers Arms was serving its usual lunch. Draco was interested in what had happened and Harry was unable to explain the ceremony.
Draco found Grandpops Foley and asked him.
“Remembrance day is about all the people who died during various wars and especially the first and second world wars. The First World War finished at eleven o’clock on the eleventh day of the eleventh month and slowly became the commemoration of all the war dead. Now it is celebrated on the nearest Sunday to the eleventh of November and as a mark of respect we keep two minutes of silence.”
Draco conveyed this to the other mages and so, after lunch was over they all congregated around the memorial to remember the fallen in the recent battle. This time the edifice did change to reveal the Potter family group. Obsequies over, they walked back to the cottage in a sombre mood.
George and the other Weasleys were there and Molly hugged both Draco and Harry: “Those cabinets are most useful,” she explained: “I hope you don’t mind but Kreacher found us a cupboard in Number Twelve to hide a cabinet in it is connected to the shop. Now that the Ministry has opened an entrance in Physic Alley Arthur can remain inside the magical environment whilst travelling. Thanks to your good offices Harry, he quite often stays at Number Twelve during the week and I join him there occasionally when I have shopping to do. The satraps have been trying to disrupt Ministry officials when they apparate.”
“We wondered what they’d done with them,” said Draco: “Seems a good use has been found immediately.”
“Yes, Hermione equipped us with medallions, too.”
“Um … Fine … We can now get to Wizengamot meetings that way. That’ll be useful.”
As far as the young professors were concerned this serious atmosphere suited them and it urged them to complete their assignment for Augusta as well as continuing their studies. This disposition affected the others and so a studious air hung over the cottage until bedtime.
~~~ RESPECT ~~~
There was no mass-cab on Monday morning, just an orderly queue walking through the portals. Augusta was waiting in the room when the professors walked through.
“Sorry Gran, are we late?”
Augusta chuckled: “No Harry, I just arrived via the portals a few minutes ago. It’s very useful because I’m not over fond of apparating and flooing disgusts me. Hermione gave me this medallion; I hope you don’t mind”
Draco smiled: “Not at all. You could also use the other one to our London house and there’s one from there that gets us to Diagon Alley. Mrs Weasley told us that the Ministry has opened an entrance in Physic Alley too.”
“All under the same protection, how useful … Shall we find a room and discuss your latest assignment …?”
“We haven’t had breakfast yet, Gran.”
“Sorry, I’m an early riser and assumed you were.”
Draco looked sheepish: “Well-ll-ll … We were a bit later than usual.”
“Very well; you go and have breakfast.”
As they walked in to the great hall a silence descended upon the students and they all stood up. Even the short walk from the side door was quite unnerving. As the pair took their places Minerva tapped the side of her glass goblet, not that there was any real need because all eyes were already on the top table.
“Professors Potter and Malfoy, the school would like to congratulate you on your marvellous new portal charms.”
The student body broke out into cheers. Harry wanted to curl up in embarrassment and sagged, trying to sit down and hide behind the table.
H: *You can’t sit down, Lover. Stand up and smile at them*.
Harry looked at his Mate in surprise. Draco had put on his best noblesse-oblige face and was gripping Harry’s elbow hard. Harry had little choice but to do as Draco bid him. Eventually the noise died down and Minerva’s glass could be heard again.
“Professor Potter, please will you call a blessing on us and our food.”
“Um … Oh …! Lord God, we thank you for this food and for our abilities to help others.”
“AMEN,” came back from the assembly, who sat down and commenced the usual hullabaloo.
Draco could feel his lover’s embarrassment at being singled out: *That was great; I’ll do the next one, if there is one. I’m sure Hamish and Filius will take their turns as well*.
Harry looked at his partner and smiled his thanks, too full of emotion to articulate his words properly. Draco understood, because he could feel his mate’s internal turmoil.
~~~ WEEKEND ~~~
That week was a busy week and for the two seneschals was completed by a double helping of Wizengamot deliberations; which included the induction of Hamish as the first goblin seneschal.
Invited to tea at Grimmauld Place, Hamish sat with Draco and Harry in the tapestry room: “Thanks for offering me the use of the portal, doesn’t it make things much less uncomfortable. I wonder if I could ask a favour?”
“Go on.”
“It’s about the dozen goblins and humans who are interested in singing. I’d like to get them used to hearing others sing in public. It might encourage them.”
Draco smiled slyly: “Could it also have to do with the goblin-liking for praising the Creator?”
Hamish shrugged: “There is that part too, yes. That part of our traditions was slowly waning.” Hamish giggled: “The muggle Disney film about Snow White and the Seven Dwarves got it slightly wrong, it should have been goblins. We do, however make music whilst we work; especially in the mines, mint and jewellery workshops. The tellers at home also make music, only putting on a dour face in public.”
“Who’s this Snow White, Harry?”
“It’s what the muggles call a fairy story … Um … A legend, if you like … Rescue of a fair maid type story, only the dwarves – goblins if you like – are the heroes not the villains as in most muggle stories. Uncle Vernon has a tape, Dudley and I used to watch it when we were younger.”
“How can you see a story on a tape, Harry? Is it something like a scroll?”
“Um … Have you ever seen a television, Draco?”
“No!”
“Neither have I, Harry; but I’ve heard that they are a bit like magical portraits.”
“Um … More complicated than that … Um … I know … Let’s apparate to Privet Drive this evening, Uncle Vernon did say I could visit. Dudders has his own set … I rather fancy doing nothing for a couple of hours whilst someone entertains me.”
“He’s the one who mistreated you, isn’t he?”
“Yes Draco, but we’ve made it up since then. Unlike Lucy he’s altered his attitude and apologised.”
“Hmm … I think I’d like to meet him; what about you, Hamish?”
“Yes, I think so … I may have met him before … I visited the safe house a few times during Voldemort’s reign. There were one or two cantankerous ones who couldn’t see why they were kept in isolation. I was part of a team that went to teach them otherwise. His attitude was a little different the last time I was there. He was actually asking questions and showing an interest. I met Dudley too he was more open-minded.”
After school, Harry side-alonged both of them into the back garden. He saw the curtains twitch and knew Aunt Petunia was aware of their presence. However, it was Dudley who came out to see them.
“Hello Harry, oh … Err … Hamish isn’t it, nice to see you again. Is this a mate?”
“Meet Draco, my partner in magic.”
D: *Why only in magic, Love*?
H: *They used to be a bit homophobic – no point in starting off on the wrong foot*.
Meanwhile Dudley was shaking Draco’s hand. He then showed them in. Uncle Vernon’s face showed uncertainty, and Aunt Petunia’s fright. Things eased a little when they learned of the reason for the visit. The upshot was repairing to Harry’s old bedroom which Dudley had commandeered again. The bed was there but it had been set against the wall and disguised with rugs as a small sofa, room enough for four to sit – just. Vernon and Petunia stayed downstairs and Dudley found the DVD they required. There was an amount of amused misunderstanding when he tried to explain what it was. Eventually, because Draco knew about records, he accepted the idea of an electronic wand picking up the images.
In the middle of the film there was a bit of a kerfuffle downstairs, so Dudley paused the showing and went to see what was happening. It was Winky with the boys’ medicine and a picnic basket. Once ruffled feathers were calmed, the foursome sat back on the bed and continued the showing, munching on the delights of the hamper.
They decided that the Wicked Witch resembled Dirtitrix, and that Snow White was a close resemblance to Astoria. Hamish had his leg pulled as to which dwarf he most resembled. Afterwards they chatted a bit and Dudley disclosed that he was working for the same firm that Vernon was. He said that they were a bit worried because there were rumours of a takeover bid; not that anything official had been said. Bidding Vernon and Petunia goodnight, they apparated back to the cottage.
~~~ SUNDAY ~~~
At church in the morning Harry and Draco saw two new faces. Afterwards Angelina came towards them with the strangers.
“Hi Harry, Draco; this is my mum and dad. Remember a few weeks ago I told you they were moving, well they’ve come to live a couple of doors away from David’s farm.”
The usual pleasantries took place, without too much cloying adoration. Apart from ‘You’re that Harry, are you?’ Of course they received an invite to come to lunch, which they accepted.
“You are aware we eat with muggles, aren’t you? It’s also Justin’s birthday lunch.”
“Angel warned us beforehand, Harry, when we signed the Congregation's birthday card,” her mother said.
Draco chuckled unobtrusively:
D: *Never thought of her being particularly angelic before; especially after playing Quidditch against her. She has quite a mean fist*.
Harry managed to school his face, helped by the fact that Filius was there.
“Hi, Filius; what are you doing here?”
“I hope you don’t mind but I used the portal to come and visit Seamus and Dean.”
“We have objections; have we Harry?”
“No Draco. Come and meet Angelina’s parents.”
More handshaking and the adults sat together for the meal. It turned out that Filius was monitoring Dean’s and Seamus’s progress for their ‘practical magic’ thesis – somehow those two had inveigled Gregory to join with them, despite his loathing of bookwork.
Later, when our two joshed him about it he replied: “It’s something I can understand and see the use of. I get the feeling Filius wants to start some kind of course off. At least I’ll have one Diploma to tuck under my belt, even if it doesn’t become a full NEWT.”
~~~ SNAKE ~~~
During Wednesday’s Duelling Club Theodore got out of hand. His opponent was a Gryffindor who was mirror-charming his every move, therefore Mr Nott became thoroughly agitated. He tried a Serpensortia of much the same kind that Draco had done to Harry much earlier in their careers. Harry cast an attention calling charm at the snake and started to reason with it in Parseltongue, whilst Draco Levicorpussed Nott. That left him suspended in the air, thus giving Harry time to calm down the angry snake. Only when Theodore promised to apologise to the snake was he allowed to regain the floor. Mr Nott looked daggers at the pair after making his ungraceful apology.
The snake then came with Harry and Draco to meet silver in her domain in the Green Ladies Room. They shared a nest for a couple of days and, once the snake had recovered from its ordeal, it slid off back to its normal haunt.
Later on; knowing Theodore, Draco felt that he was planning some sort of revenge, warning Harry of the same.
~~~ RESIDENCE ~~~
That week Minerva indicated, when asked, the she was quite happy for them to sleep at the cottage.
“After all,” she remarked: “It’s only another door or two away.”
“You my use it as well, Minerva, if you so wish. Just let Kreacher or Dorothy know and they’ll have a bed ready.”
“I thought Gregory had the room I use.”
“There are two more single rooms now, also en-suite. Dean and Seamus made them in the part of the barn that they altered from the bunk rooms.”
“Those two young men are making quite a name for themselves altering things, aren’t they?”
“I hope that was complementary, Minerva?”
“Meant to be, Draco. Filius wants to start a practical course during the next school year. I suspect he wants to get them to organise it.”
“Would they become tutors, then?”
“That or professors. Why do you have any reservations, Draco, Harry?”
“No, none at all. It would get them out of a hole,” said Draco: “You’re already aware of their sexual proclivities. Well … Seamus’s mum’s dead set against that kind of idea, although she’s under medical supervision now. Like my father, Dean’s mum is rather against the idea too. Those two fear they will be split up once they leave the school’s environment. If they had a job they could be independent of their parents’ influence.”
“I take your point; I’ll keep that in mind. We’d have to find new money for that. Your two posts were easy to fund; they were replacements of previous posts … Mmm … I wonder if Albus’s bequest could be used … Mmm …”
Minerva looked into the air abstractedly, thinking; so the two young professors quietly took their leave and ported home to bed.
That weekend was one of their duty weekends and they decided to sleep in school. It was also the Saturday when the dance was held. Many of the Dumbledorians attended. Ginevra and Astoria sneaked through the portal as well.
Later the two seneschals found out that Mrs Pierce had fallen, breaking a leg. Ernie and Lavender had been at hand to apply first aid, not daring to try magical healing for two reasons. Firstly, they were still trainees and secondly because Mrs Pierce was not aware of their magical status. As it was, when the ambulance arrived, the paramedics praised them for their expertise. When she was in hospital Pullet and Phealey looked after her hens. John visited regularly, the outcome was that, at last, she agreed to enter the alms houses and allow the hens to go to Woodyates to be looked after there.
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