Toppers Wallow

Monday was a very relaxing day. The students were preparing to leave on Wednesday, except for a few unfortunates who, like Harry of yore, were not able to return to their homes, or preferred not to. By arrangement, Harry and Draco attended the Manchester Group’s house blessings in the afternoon. The parents being surprised at the number of scholastic supporters who turned up as well.



Mackenzie caught the Blakes: “It is their headquarters and they’re planning something really soon. Most of them are ducking the Master’s wrath after he found himself interrogating a pig. We’re trying to find out when and where, but we’ve had little luck so far.”



The concert in the evening was a success, with quite a few invited Muggle parishioners joining the Manchester parents; even the Dursleys attended. Afterwards Millicent was seen sneaking off into the woods with Dudley. She was back in her dorm at the usual time.



‘Unless it’s a glamoured pig – not much difference really!’ Draco sent to Harry as they carried out their school patrol.



Despite giggling about his cousin, Harry felt quite pleased that two fairly unattractive teenagers had found some happiness; Draco was somewhat more catty in his remarks, but Harry could feel the same sentiment lurking in the depths of his lover’s overly Slytherin heart.



By common consent, the school end of term ball was to be partly Victorian, Samantha and Mr Foley being drafted in to help out with decorations and the calling. The same orchestra officiated, giving some jazz renditions during the refreshment break, and then the younger ones let rip with pop for the final hours. What surprised the Blakes most was organist Dolores, who managed to keep pace with the youngsters on the great Hall’s organ almost drowning out the percussion in some places. One or two of the professors’ eyebrows shot up.



Minerva was heard to say: “My, my … Albus would have loved this and Severus would have hated it. I’m not sure where I stand, but our students are enjoying it. Perhaps I would have sided with Albus, if only to annoy Severus.”



§§§§§



The steam train arrived at Hogsmeade station two hours before it was due to leave. Douglas came through the portrait portals and had a quiet word with the guard. Two DS Members rode on each carriage holding an adapted, inside-out sack ward. Four more sat in each carriage’s reserved compartment ready to act as combatants and to relieve the ward-holders, turn by turn. Some of the most likely sixth-years were involved, seeing how they would behave under pressure with an eye to adding them to the DS sometime in the New Year. Not that they knew they were being tested. Harry had informed his sixth-year DADA class that it was part of the curriculum. One of the open plan carriages set itself up as a jazz club with eight seventh-year youngsters jamming away. There were a couple of scares, Harry and Draco engineered them later in the journey, just to see how the putative members responded. Otherwise the train arrived on time and the offspring rushed to see their parents, trying to wheedle out of them what presents they might be receiving.



The Blakes called in on the Weasley brothers, plotting with them how to transport the whole Weasley clan to Magnet Cottage for the festive season; knowing that the Burrow could no longer hold the expanding Weasley clan and its adherents. They gently approached the subject of a possible attack on Malfoy Manor.



“Yes we know,” observed Percy, “Mackenzie bought some more extendable ears from us. Not that we know date, time or place yet. He says they should have all kinds of interesting information soon.”



The Blakes went to Grimmauld Place for dinner with the Order Members, being pleased to welcome quite a few of their ex DA friends to their first meeting. The laughter was slightly strained as they waited for the putsch to come. Walburga obsequiously welcomed them, reporting a few incursions, which had been dealt with without needing to disturb her lords.



“Once this alarm is over, Lover. We must think about portals to here, I really don’t fancy Apparating again today.” Harry leant on Draco’s shoulder wearily.



“No problems, Lover. We’ll sleep here tonight.”



Pop: “Your room will be ready in half an hour Masters.”



“Thanks Kreacher, I knew you’d come up trumps.” Draco smiled at the Elder.



“Better reaction than at Malfoy Manor years ago. It would have been ‘What? Half an hour? Go and beat yourself you lazy elf’.”



“Yes … Well … I’ve mellowed slightly since then … Thanks to Lord Blake, here.”

Draco planted a wet one on Harry’s lips.



The two lovers indulged in a long luxurious shower, it filled in the time nicely before their bedroom was correctly furnished to Kreacher’s now meticulous standards.



Draco understood Harry’s weariness and secretly asked Kreacher to ask the two girls to Apparate to the London house tomorrow. So that the short floo trip to the Ministry would not tire them all out.



§§§§§



Thursday morning had a love-in to start the day off; showered and dressed casually the Blakes went down for a late breakfast. Ginny and Daphne had just arrived, plus the few DS Members who were due at the Ministry ball. Ernie and Lavender were there with Poppy joining them later, Dean and Seamus had persuaded Katie and Susan to be their partners, between them they were side along Apparating John and Isabel over after lunch.



“We liked your idea Harry; may we stay the night afterwards please?”



Pop: “I’ve assigned the rooms masters.”



“How many can we accommodate here, Kreacher?”



“I think eighty-eight attended Master Sirius’s fifteenth birthday party, Master. However, a couple of those chose the morning room couch, but that was for personal reasons, not for lack of suitable bed-space. Arthur and Molly quite enjoyed themselves that night, if I remember correctly.”



Ron went quite red, and then started giggling. “I wonder if that was when Bill was conceived?”



“Ronald, be quiet! It’s not seemly to think of your parents that way.” Hermione tried to look stern, but soon caught the giggling bug from her betrothed.



Grimmauld place was more like Piccadilly Circus that day; with Order and Society Members Apparating in and out. The house-elves set up a running buffet in the dining room so that people could nibble and chat as they passed through. Draco congratulated Winky on her foresight, making her blush prettily.



Mackenzie popped in; talking to the Blakes privately: “We think they might try tonight, some sort of preparedness seems to hover at the Manor. So, with your permission, my lords, we’ll set up the main post here, linking each floo with one to the main hall at the Ministry, so we can arrive en-masse if necessary.”



“Less of the ‘lords’ business, yours is a good idea, you have our permission. Won’t the opposition know?” asked Harry.



“My lords, slips off the tongue much easier than Draco and Harry, so you’re stuck with it.” Mackenzie briefly stuck his tongue out at Harry. “We have an advantage in that we have Ministry sanction, they don’t. Actually Kingsley and I cooked it up; the Minister will sign the back-dated order tomorrow if we need it. He’s not aware of the proposition as his office leaks like a sieve. If it comes off, a few of his lackeys will be quite short of funds tomorrow morning. You’d be surprised what we’ve picked up since we planted those ears, that portrait is almost opposite the Master’s library.”



“Oh yes! So it is! I’d forgotten that,” remarked Draco. “Luckily Weasley ears don’t have a detectable aura.”



“You’re not supposed to show-up with wands at one of these functions, you know,” advised Mackenzie.



“Our tails will have suitable pockets put into them and we’ll warn our compatriots. Where will the ladies hide theirs?” asked Harry.



“Bosoms or tall hair-dos usually, Partner,” Draco replied; “though I have known stocking tops and a slinky split skirt occasionally. Aunt Bella used to turn up like that regularly.”



“I don’t think I ever met her,” surmised Mackenzie.



“It was no great loss, I can assure you. She was sly before she went to Azkaban; she was atrocious when she came out. Thank Merlin for Molly Weasley’s fighting prowess … Oh Merlin … Listen to me, a Malfoy, praising a Weasley … Mr Potter! You have an awful lot to answer for.”



Draco’s skittish mood continued as they carefully went round and cautioned the Order and Society Members present. Mid afternoon everything quietened down as the attendees napped or prepared their costumes, and the others sat ruminating in rooms near their designated fireplaces. The mood picked up as more volunteers arrived and another running buffet appeared for those Cinderella’s not officially going to the ball.



Time came to floo from the morning room as it had the widest and cleanest chimney. Once at the Ministry, straightening their attire, the Society group sorted themselves into a reasonable procession and followed others towards the top of the grand staircase.



“Harry James, Lord Blake and Miss Ginevra Molly Weasley,” the major-domo intoned as they descended.



“Draco Travis, Lord Duindhu and Miss Daphne Esmeralda Greengrass.”



“How I hate that family second name,” whispered Daphne as they floated down to the main floor. “It’s almost a tautology.”



It turned out that Seamus was an heir to an Irish estate and Dean managed to surprise everyone by being Baron Thomas of Whiteleaf.



“You outrank the lot of us,” whispered Draco.



“Yes … Well … Whiteleaf for a black guy … How embarrassing; still I will inherit my father’s superior title someday.”



Their party chuckled and then dispersed, mingling, as Draco called it. The small orchestra was drowned by the chatter, not even receiving any applause when they finished a piece. Ginny and Harry reckoned that the two dance/balls previously were much more fun. Very few people actually danced, most were more intent on scoring of their neighbours. Harry was relieved that most of the participants had their wands discreetly secreted about their persons, admiring the ingenuity of the ladies as well as some of their other attributes.



Rita Skeeter and her photographer had a feast day, catching unwilling celebrities in liaisons with people obviously not their legal partner. The Dumbledore gang saw through her subterfuges and made sure they did not form dirt for tomorrow’s Prophet. When she came towards them, Society Members would make loud remarks about crawling insects, so she beetled away to infest someone else.



Draco suggested mentally that they liven the party up, so with a little encouragement the younger ones took to the floor remembering some of the dances from the previous two. The musicians were delighted to assist; having found a role much more interesting than that of ignored musical tootling in the background. Dean remembered the calls for one of the schottisches and, later on, for an eightsome reel. Draco and Daphne started a jive session, and things became more modern by the minute. The sound of people enjoying themselves almost drowned the attack when it came. As had been planned, the tables were between the main door and the dancers. Tipped over they formed a fairly effective first barricade to the onslaught. Society Members to the front soon erected a mirror shield disabling many of the attacking masked raiders by rebounding hexes.



The medallions had warned the Members outside who flooed in and started a counter attack from the rear, within half an hour the remaining aggressors had fled, including a vociferously swearing Master. The Aurors cleared away the captives and smouldering corpses. The only real victim of the attack was Dirk Cresswell, who had been on the receiving end of Lucius’s parting Avada Kedavra.



To quieten the hysterical guests, the young ones formed a conga line, snaking round and round the floor until nearly everyone had joined in. As people gasped and giggled at the dance’s end, Harry dashed up the stairs to the entrance landing, using it like a pulpit.



“Fellow Wizards and Witches, we have beaten off another attack by the evil ones. But for everyone being prepared, as Albus Dumbledore always maintained, we would have fared much worse. As it is, our Minister has been assassinated and you can rest assured that the persons responsible will be hunted down. However our society must continue to function and headless we will flounder. I suggest that we elect a wise Minister now, one who is not afraid to take risks, or to take advice. Someone with family experience, Muggle contacts and a wiser head that any of my age group. I give you Arthur Weasley.”



The audience, taken somewhat by surprise, yelled back: “ARTHUR WEASLEY.”



The semi-reluctant candidate was pushed to the front and propelled up the stairs, whilst Harry descended.



“Good people; thank you for your support, but I must be elected properly by the Wizengamot.”



“WE ARE THE WIZENGAMOT.” Came back almost unanimously.



Looking around Arthur had to admit that ninety percent of the Wizengamot were present. “So be it then.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Thank you all for attending this ball; it will probably go down in history, even if we would wish it not to. Please note that our Aurors are presently hounding those who killed the previous chief minister. We have seen a demonstration of the efficacy of those who have been so admirably trained by Hogwarts Academy, so you will have nothing to fear tonight. Those of you, who do not feel properly protected at home, should approach Professor Lord Blake, by owl. And he will dispatch some of his team to upgrade your defence wards. Do not approach him in person but through the proper channels, stating the wards at present in position, so that he can respond to the most urgent and weakest needs first. One of my Aurors will be in attendance on him and will note any personal approaches, ensuring that they immediately go into the lowest category of need. I ask that you make an orderly departure and wish you the best for the coming season of goodwill.”



As Father Weasley, new Minister, came down the stairs, he met his semi-adoptive son whose emerald eyes blazed with anger.



“Before you say anything hasty, Harry; hear me out. Your little team demonstrated the efficacy of Hermione’s mirror shields before all the most powerful Magicals in the land. Had I not said what I did, you would have been besieged by forcefully demanding adults. As it is, I can lend you a couple of clerks to sort out paperwork and the priorities, so then you can take on the jobs in due order. I suspect that the neediest will be those who can not afford to lobby you, thus we put into practice what your magical partner put most aptly at his inaugural governors’ meeting: ‘Leaders caring for the weakest’. Besides,” Arthur added with a malicious grin, “you got me a duff job, so it is only fair that I give you one in return.”



‘He’s right; you know, Harry. We have the Christmas holidays before us. Good King Wenceslas and all that, he brought firewood to the poor peasant, so we can bring protection to those who need it most.’



Harry looked at his partner and nodded, tears in his eyes. Then he held out his hand to the new Minister: “Congratulations, Right Honourable Sir.”



“Thank you, My Lord.”



Then the two of them hugged laughing, surrounded by the people whom they regarded as family and friends.



The party returned to Grimmauld Place, accompanied by Mackenzie. As they stood in the drawing room sipping fruit drinks, Ginny said, “Harry, I heard what Draco said to you in your minds.”



“So did I,” put in Daphne.



“How was that?” puzzled Draco. ‘How many more can do that, I wonder.’ “Did you hear that?”



“NO” said both girls in unison.



“Okay! What was different then to now?”



“Let’s stand as we did,” suggested Daphne.



They shuffled around, imagining the scene.



‘Did you hear that?’ asked Harry in his mind.



“YES!”



“So what’s the difference?” he said aloud.



“We’re holding hands; look!” Ginny held up hers and Harry’s clasped hands.



They tried a few more experiments, drawing others in as well. The phenomenon was quite limited; a recipient had to be touching the skin of one of the Blakes. A chain did not work neither could one of the pair receive thoughts from someone else. It worked best when the two of them were in close proximity. Friendship helped as did strength of magic.



“Might be useful to warn someone quietly,” Draco remarked.



They chatted for half an hour longer, coming down from their combative high. At four in the morning most people had wandered off to their respective beds. Harry and Draco washed each other under the shower, dried and then flopped into bed; going to sleep holding each other’s hands.