Toppers Wallow

Mackenzie had been up for some time when the Blakes came-to. As they descended the stairs they overheard him say. “I’m sure you would not like to have to wait until the middle of next year by approaching Lord Blake directly.”



“Well I thought just a private word to emphasise the urgency of my particular case.”



“If you do so, then the Minister’s instructions are quite clear. No matter how weak your defences are, your verbal request will automatically put you in the lowest priority category.”



Draco conveyed to Harry to stay where he was: then went down to join Mackenzie.



“Oh! Hello Lord Duindhu, perhaps you could have a word with your partner on my behalf.”



“For such an august personage as yourself, of course I will. Now let me see … I think he would have time in August the year after next … Would that suit you?”



“Oh … I see … Perhaps I might be able to put my request on parchment after all … Good day my lord … Auror.”



The slamming door denoted the exit of another annoyed ministry official.



“Thanks for that Draco, he was getting quite insistent. We’ve had a constant stream of them since six this morning.”



“Maybe we should have reinstated the Fidelius, after all,” said Harry, coming down the remaining stairs. “Let’s go talk to Walburga.”



After a brief chat, and making an invisible medallion-only access ward inside the hallway, the trio went to join those who were also partaking of a late breakfast.



Following a general round of greetings, Harry told them about the new arrangement: “Probably better if you use the back door for the moment,” he added amidst the laughter.



The laughter increased when Walburga’s screaming vituperation started in the entrance, soon to be punctuated by a slamming front door.



The visits had stopped by tea time. After silence reigned for an hour or so, the Blakes went to see Walburga.



“Thank you my lady Walburga.” Both of them bowed toward the portrait.



“No! Thank you, my lords,” said she, curtseying. “I’ve had a great time shouting at all those stuffed shirts. Much more entertaining than before, they tried to argue back. Your poor Mackenzie had a hard time of it this morning, I’m glad I could help him.”



Over dinner Harry discussed with the Members present what priorities should be adopted.



“All our families already have the best wards, Harry,” said Justin. “I know of a couple near our house who have minimal wards. If I extend our ward dome to cover them, we’ll include some Muggle families as well. It will become a sort of miniature version of Godric’s Hollow.”



Quite a few others agreed with that sentiment and said they would do likewise.



“Okay; let’s be good neighbours first. Don’t forget to remind the Magicals about Apparating only from outside their domes; things will get too complicated if we have to charm different medallions for all kinds of purposes. Imagine carrying more coin than you can spend.”



A few looked as though they might dissent, but after discussion they could see the sense.



“We’ll be planning a joint raid on a certain headquarters very soon, don’t forget.” Mackenzie ventured. “I imagine you’ll all want to be involved with that.”



Shouts of agreement greeted that call. So a meeting on Sunday afternoon after church was agreed upon; giving the Members time to set up stretched wards and recuperate. Mackenzie flooed Kingsley, reporting back that Kingsley thought that the Aurors should have finished the individual arrests by then.



It still being Order Headquarters, Molly arrived, looking for her errant husband. She was a little put out with Harry for landing Arthur with his new job, but soon melted when the Members of both companies said they would support him fully.



There was another shouting match at the door just as Arthur Apparated in at the back. Both Weasley parents joined in the joke when it was explained to them, and Molly rolled up her sleeves to make lunch.



Pop: “No need to labour madam.” Dorothy had appeared. “Perhaps you would like to tell me what you propose; we have a veritable army of house-elves just waiting to help. Ah Masters, there you are. We have many recruits to Elder Kreacher’s working corps. We are accommodating them in the spare rooms of Woodyates farm temporarily, if you approve.”



“Yes we approve, thank you Dorothy. Where did they come from?”



“Recent arrests have removed whole families because of their dark allegiances. With no master or mistress in residence the badly treated house-elves are taking the opportunity to taste freedom for a time.”



“But it’s not real freedom!” Hermione protested.



“Perhaps not to your mind, Mistress, but to someone who has been beaten and tortured just for fun, the kind of open minded society that we all practice here is an absolute heaven. Our freedom is in serving equitable Masters, not being cast out without any protection whatsoever.”



“Well done Dorothy! Nice to have an elf that will stand up to Miss Bossy-boots.”



“I think I agree with you Draco. She does get overbearing sometimes,” thought Harry in reply.



“They hope that Masters Harry and Draco will have educated their new Masters before they are given back their houses.” Dorothy gave the Blakes a hopeful stare. “Only a very minute proportion of us wish to be given clothes and most of those are maimed from abuse.”



“Are they being looked after properly?”



“Yes Master Ronald, Mistress Poppy and her two helpers have that all in hand. Some of the worst cases are without limbs, or so crushed that it will take years to rectify.”



“Perhaps we can help the limbless ones,” Percy suggested, “by making prosthetics for them.”



“Thank you Master Percy, I’ll bear that in mind. Now Mistress Molly, shall we discuss the luncheon menu, please?”



Molly and Dorothy went into the library.



That conversation had put fire into the bellies of all the listeners, and they started making plans how to protect not only the Magicals and Muggles in their neighbourhoods, but also the goblins and house-elves.



After lunch the place was deserted.



“Harry, are you up to portal making?”



Harry tuned into Draco’s thoughts and agreed.



At Grimmauld Place they found a small cupboard backing onto a chimney-breast and had help in emptying it from the numerous members of the new corps of elves. Draco Apparated to Toppers Wallow and went upstairs. With Gregory’s and some more of the corps’s help they built a temporary cupboard on the landing in the agreed place against the central chimney. One of the many elves popped to Grimmauld Place to tell Harry that all was in order. Harry went to the cupboard and concentrated on Draco and the place in Magnet Cottage. The two buildings shook slightly, but because the magical pressure was confined, it was nowhere near as catastrophic as previously. Afterwards the Blakes felt quite weak and sat on their bed in Magnet Cottage eating chocolate, whilst their new assistants cheerfully deconstructed the temporary enclosure.



“If we rid your Manor of its evil influence, maybe we could make one there as well,” Harry suggested.



“Let’s recover from this one first Lover. I’m feeling quite hot, so shall we go for a lazy swim?” Draco replied.



“Mmm … Good idea … In the nude … We have no students to worry about, have we?”



“It’s going to seem very quiet.”



“At least until tomorrow with church and the meeting. We’d better tell Kreacher about the portal it will help his helpers too.”



Pop: “Thank you masters, can the corps sort out some rafter rooms at Grimmauld Place please. It will help Dorothy to house the new ones that keep on appearing.”



“Use the attics as well if you like, they might feel safer there now that the houses are joined as one.”



“Yes, I’ll do that, thank you. Could we use the old nursery as a schoolroom for them? Pullet and Phealey want to help with literacy lessons.”



“Great idea Kreacher. Have you any contact with the Malfoy Manor elves?”



“Not at the moment, the Master and Mistress are still in residence. Do you want me to send some spies?”



“Better not, they wouldn’t glean anything, and might get hurt in the process. Will you attend the Members’ meeting on Sunday please? Better bring Pullet and Phealey with you too.”



‘Good thinking, it’s time we had some elfin members.’



John’s sermon on Sunday spoke of combating evil using peaceful means, just the sort of pep talk the Members needed. The Dursley parents had stayed on at the Farmers Arms because Petunia’s nerves were beginning to mend, so much so that she was able to join in the communal lunch. Richard made up a table of twelve in the back room in order to accommodate the Dursleys and the usual nine top-table people. Gregory reported the completion of Milkwood’s first stage, saying that the elf loft was full of temporary refugees. This led to a discussion about their treatment, and how some had been very badly injured. Percy and George joined them, on added chairs, and went on to say that they were having problems with the miniature prosthetics, going into fine detail. Vernon listened to the conversation with growing interest.



“Perhaps I might help?” he ventured timorously, “I have some skill in creating miniature tools. Some of the problems you’ve been discussing are very much like those I faced in a recent batch my old firm made.”



Over coffee the two Weasleys and Vernon went into a huddle and their end of the table became littered with parchment diagrams.



“Can we use your new portal, Harry? We want to take your uncle to Diagon Alley. He’d rather not be side-along-Apparated and it’s only a short walk from Grimmauld Place to the Leaky Cauldron.”



“Yes of course, anytime; you know where the entrance is, don’t you?”



“Is it like the one that we went through last Monday, Harry?”



“Yes Uncle, but this one leads to our house in London. We made it yesterday, mainly because, like you, I don’t like Apparating. I’m not very happy with that wrenching feeling or the dizziness afterwards.”



Before the afternoon meeting was held at Milkwood the Order, Society and Aurors had had a quick get together and agreed that all those involved should be present. Milkwood’s common room was big enough to hold everyone who needed to be there.



Kingsley, voted as chairman, started: “Friends, we all know why we are here. Some of the birds have flown, either abroad or to their headquarters. The arrested ones are being held in Azkaban because the Ministry holding cells started to overflow. We have surveillance which shows some forty enemy agents huddled in the headquarters, including the master himself. That complex is our next target. Any comments please?”



“There is a way that the elfin corps can enter the premises at much the same time,” added Kreacher. “Mistress Hermione has given us immunity medallions, so that we will not have to obey the Master of the house automatically, but their efficacy begins to wane after an hour’s use.”



“Angelina and I have been experimenting with the two charms which we captured,” said Katie. “When you are ready we can use the tracer to burst the ward-dome round our target. Then we will create a light tube which will and allow Muggle-invisible flying into the middle. We will also make light-tubes to get the members to the places that Draco will talk about.”



“There are two other hidden personal entrances which appear not to have been warded, those would give entry to small amounts of people,” stated Draco. “So about nine to a dozen of us could emerge inside the house at three given points. If you look at the plan on the wall, those places are marked with red dots.”



“The suggested plan is as follows.” Ron went over to the map. “Three light tubes to within quarter of a mile of the wards. Nearer than that risks aura detection. The blue dots represent the landing areas; note that they are all obscured by trees. Each of these also represents the entry into a tunnel for the house parties and for each third of the elfin corps. The three elf parties will be led by, Kreacher, Phealey and Pullet. The inside parties will be led by Blaise, Draco and Gregory because they all have visited the manor house before. Griphook, Porlock and Tarmindale will also go with the inside parties because they can communicate mentally, as will an Auror. That gives us good communication as Harry will act as co-ordinator for the outside parties using his mental connection to Draco. To complete the picture Orcas the Dragon will patrol with myself, Hermione, Hilda, Seamus and Dean on board. There is another link with Harry via the dragon’s mind and Hilda is a Parselmouth. There are lists of people, stating who is attached to which division, please peruse these and the plan, being ready to depart in half an hour’s time. The bulk of the Auror party will ride the main beam when it bursts the dome. Please note; no one is to move within the quarter mile perimeter until the Harry gives the sign. Then we move in quickly.”



There were a few questions which Ron or Mackenzie answered; meanwhile Katie and Angelina went outside the village dome and set up tracers to the blue dot areas. Once the teams were in place the girls opened them out into light beams. They then flew to the old barn where the Auror party was waiting. Harry had to use a mobile phone to tell the Aurors when all was ready. Angelina activated the bursting-beam and Harry ordered the troops forward. As the dome burst the inside parties came out of hiding and the elves went to incapacitate their counterparts. Almost immediately, the Auror party started arriving in the central quadrangle.



Many of the Death Eaters were stunned, not being in the least prepared for the onslaught from the inside, but there were pockets of resistance. One such centred round Lucius who was being attacked by Draco’s group augmented by others.



“You’re no heir of mine, you Muggle-loving turncoat;” was the mildest of Lucius’s expletives as the two Malfoys battled it out. Draco was equally damning of his father’s attitude. Different shades of green curses were hurled across the intervening space, none of them hitting Draco, who used his mirror shield to great effect. After an hour Lucius was beginning to tire. He started to realise his dilemma when faced with a very healthy teenager well versed in the tactics of magical warfare. As his energy began to ebb, the Master realised that he had to escape or be killed. Like Voldemort before him, he decided on escape, but how to distract a vengeful son?



Narcissa was cowering behind Lucius, enfeebled by his continuous abuse of her; all she could do was hold a weak shield. Lucius sent out a brilliant set of sparks, temporarily obscuring Draco’s vision, and in that split second placed Narcissa in front of himself. As Draco’s sight cleared he went into attack mode, nearly cursing his mother to oblivion. He threw the spell sideways, accidentally hitting someone else’s opponent instead. Narcissa collapsed and Lucius Apparated at the same time. Draco disentangled himself from his mother, but was too late to attach a tracer to the disappeared Master. Seeing their leader gone, a dozen or so Death Eaters also Apparated away. All that was left was the mopping up.



Narcissa was in a bad way, she had cuts and bruises all over her emaciated frame. Draco fell weeping by her side. Harry, drawn by his partner’s despair, came to comfort him and organised a stretcher-party. Taken to a clean bedroom, Narcissa was seen by Poppy, whilst next door Lavender and Ernie patched up the less serious injuries.



“There is nothing broken, Draco, but she will need the same type of treatment that Harry gave you to begin with. I’ll ask Lavender to look after her if you like. Would you make up some more of this fortifying potion for me please? We have found others like your mother in the underground dungeons.”



“Yes Poppy, straight away. Mother is going to be all right, isn’t she?”



“I think we have caught her in time. She has a tough constitution, otherwise she would have been dead a month or so ago.”



“That bastard of a father has a lot to answer for. I look forward to using Crucio on him when he’s caught.”



“I agree with you Partner. However let’s look after the survivors first shall we? Both of us can make the potion and I’m sure our two elfin assistants would love to help.”



Pop, pop: “You bet, we have some house-elves in a pretty bad state too.”



“You … Must … Tell … Them … To accept … You as Master … Mistress has spoken.” Narcissa relapsed into her coma.



“You heard the mistress, didn’t you?”



“YES MASTER DRACO,” a number of Manor-elves replied.



“Good! You are to obey Elder Kreacher’s orders until the Mistress is fully recovered. Do you understand?”



“YES MASTER DRACO.” The relieved-looking elves popped out of the room.



Lavender came into the room: “You boys run along, please. We have to undress Mrs Malfoy to see to her injuries. We’ll call you back when she’s in a fit state to talk to you, okay?”



Draco nodded a reluctant agreement; going, with Harry, to see how the others had fared. They looked into various rooms until they found where the junta was meeting.



‘The place is in a shocking mess,’ sent Draco. ‘Only a small amount came from the attack. What can my father have been allowing? He was always so proud of the manor.’



Harry squeezed Draco’s hand comfortingly, not wishing an outward show of the emotion he was feeling. Draco caught Harry’s support and squeezed back, in recognition.



§§§§§



“How’s your Mother?” was Kingsley’s first question. On receiving the report he continued: “Blaise was hit, but he’ll recover in time, not so fifteen of the ex Death Eaters. We’ve taken about the same number into custody. Minister Weasley has called an emergency meeting of the Wizengamot for tomorrow afternoon and asked that you both attend along with Ronald and Hermione. They have already accepted, do I take it that you will?”



“Yes we will, but now we have potions to make Kingsley.”



Despite his aversion, Harry Apparated to Toppers Wallow and the team of four set about making the resuscitating potion. After making it and whilst it proved the quartet went upstairs to have a late dinner. All the Society Members were there waiting to start the meal.



“You shouldn’t have waited,” Harry protested.



“Yes we should Mr Chairman. Will you bring the meeting to order please?” asked Justin.



“Okay if you want to, but we’ll start eating first, both of us are famished.”



Each chair had its attendant house-elf, many of them staring at Harry and Draco in awe. The soup was served and eaten before a further word was spoken.



“I have a membership proposal to make,” said Susan. “In recognition of their efforts and fighting abilities today, I propose Phealey and Pullet.”



“Does anyone second that?” asked Harry.



A forest of hands shot up.



“Oh! I see … Well … Let it be recorded that Hannah did. All those in favour? … Any against? … Passed nem-con. Next business after the main course please.”



That business was the formal presentation of medallions to the two elves.



After the sweet Neville stood: “I have further members to propose, not for bravery in battle, but for medical support in carrying out stretcher duties under fire. Despite their being charmed Muggles, they insisted on flying tandem with us to the manor, and rescued quite a few of us who were injured. I propose Billy, Cole, Grey and Wash.”



“Seconded!” shouted Gregory before Harry could ask.



Their presentation took place after coffee was served in the cottage’s crowded common room.



“A further proposition please? Mr Chairman,” it was Dean who stood this time. That this society recommends to the Order of the Phoenix that Elder Kreacher be made a member of that order.”



Seconded by Seamus, the Order Members present promised that they would take that proposition to the Order’s next meeting. The meeting then decided on the next most deserving cases for enhanced wards, based on the batting order the two clerks had produced; allocating people to carry out the tasks as Christmas presents.



Meeting over, the potions foursome retired to bottle up the now proved medicine, giving it to some of the corps to take to the various patients in need.



On retiring to bed, Harry hugged a worried Draco, stroking his hair until he went to sleep.