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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
- 76
- 77
- 78
[Note: conversation =: “speech” & ‘thoughts’ & *telepathy* & #Parseltongue# & {telephone}]
~~~ CONNECTIONS ~~~
The Monday afterwards was Solestitia. The nearest reasonably intact stone circle was on Orkney at Brodgar. Not as impressive as Stonehenge, but it had the advantage of reasonable solitude at the summer solstice. There were a few muggles present but they became lost in the quantity of Magicals. No fire leaping this time just the peaceful enjoyment of the calm atmosphere, enhanced by the magical charge that all with the gene could feel. There was no darkness, although the sun did set for about two hours it remained only just below the horizon. Full of refreshed thaums they returned to their humdrum world.
Well … Not too humdrum, because the exam fortnight started the next week. Draco and Harry had weekend duty also – they used it for revision. Most students were feeling far too harassed to attempt any pranks. As well as taking tests for those who were not sitting OWL’s or NEWT’s a program of classes had to be supervised. Each professor also had a day invigilating the main exams. On top of that the Ministry were examining the young professors on their teaching proficiency as a final to the Augusta taught course. Draco and Harry were extremely glad of the boost they had been given in Orkney.
The Saturday was a puzzling affair. All their friends started to use Americanisms and talk in mid Atlantic accents. Things became clear later in the day – the village dance was to be a ho-down. Draco was presented with a large Stetson which everyone had signed.
The next dance had a Chinese theme, OWL’s and NEWT’s students were noticeably absent – they were in the middle of their exams.
Next Saturday 10/07/99 had the Recess debate at the Wizengamot and the following one would be an uneventful Hogwarts express at the end of the school year, they hoped.
After the exam fortnight there and the recess debate at the Wizengamot – eight weeks of freedom? Possibly, but the next week was more about going through tests with their students before the Hogwarts Express left on the Saturday.
Meanwhile, those at the Annex had been conducting a number of short courses using the refurbishment of the Annex at Milkwood Hall as a teaching tool. In this all races were involved and, apart from the final decorating, it was ready for use.
Filius had acted as the supervising professor whilst these trial courses were conducted so the first week of the holidays was spent working out the longer courses. To be fair it was a very relaxed way of working. A chat over a prolonged breakfast had them agreeing about the aspect to be covered that day and each taking some responsibility. The morning session was reading – on the patio, on the lawn, whilst wandering around the woods, or at the new annex. They swam together before lunch, revealing their ideas over the leisurely meal and setting new goals for the afternoon – some were practical demonstrations. The hours between tea and dinner were the most concentrated; it was when their deliberations were amalgamated and set on parchment by the scribe-elves. As usual, the evening was devoted to recreation – although certain brilliant ideas did occur even then.
Gregory went to see Ollivander and came back saying that the old wizard thought he had possibilities. Ollivander had set him a task to see if he could find appropriate limbs on various trees which might be suitable for manufacturing wands.
“My Praelector says that every sentient tree has at least one limb that it will give to a wand-maker if he asks it. My job is to see if I can find any sentient trees first. To Ollivander’s mind that will confirm my status as his neophyte. If I am unable, that will be the end of it.”
“Praelector … Is that another new person?”
“No Harry, it’s the proper title for the wand-master when he has taken on an apprentice. Neophyte is the student’s proper title. It signifies practical instruction more that book-work,” Gregory chuffed: “Which, as you know, I’m not all that good at. He’s a bit mystical about it, but I think I know what he means. Some of the trees in your wood seem to call to me, so I’m trying those first.”
Over that first week Gregory’s frown disappeared to be replaced by a complacent look and then a genuine enthusiastic smile. It was the first time the Dumbledorians had ever seen the ex-Slyth so relaxed. He even felt able to take Draco into his confidence and describe most of the horrors he had been put through by his father. That helped to loosen-up Mr Goyle greatly.
The second week of the holiday was spent finishing off Milkwood Hall to Dean’s exacting standards. Harry and Seamus were rather slapdash in their approach to painting, whereas Draco and Dean shared the same meticulous attitude. The result was that Harry joined the cleaning squad, something which he understood from his muggle training under Aunt Petunia. Afterwards, when the floor coverings had to be put down the Stamp team came up trumps, managing to inveigle some of their parents to come and help. Whatever happened, the work teams did not rush and that allowed time for ample recreation. It also allowed the Stamps to earn a little extra pocket money.
Saturday the 31^st of July was at the end of that week and the village dance had a Harry Potter theme in honour of his nineteenth birthday. To the delight of the muggle villagers and the magely residents [and to Harry’s increasing embarrassment] each break between dances had a quick tableau, illustrating and poking gentle fun at various episodes in his life. He was besieged by a friendly crowd all asking combinations of: ‘Did it really happen like that?’ However, it was not like the false bonhomie that pertained after Voldemort was defeated. These were genuine friends, learning a little more of what it was like to be unwillingly cast into a hero’s shoes. Neville was also included in one tableau, but he was pleased that the limelight was not upon his nineteenth.
After sharing Sunday lunch at the Farmers Arms that week, Percy wandered over: “Harry … Now that we can easily travel between here and London I have put down a deposit on number four Darkwell Lane. Some time ago Audrey McKinnon accepted my proposal of marriage and we were going to stay at her grandmother’s house after the wedding on Saturday.”
“I had heard the banns called, you know, Percy. I believe Draco and I have received an invitation too.”
“Of course, I should have remembered.”
“Is it pre-wedding nerves, Percy?” asked Draco: “Were you wondering if Audrey would be allowed to use the portals?”
“Yes, that was the idea. She’s working at Flourish and Blotts, you know.”
“No problems, Percy. We’ll do it now.” Harry waved to Audrey, who came over: “Your husband-to-be was all nerves Audrey.”
“I think we both are, really. I must say that getting a cottage here is much better that having a couple of rooms in my grandmother’s house. You do know that both my parents are dead, don’t you?”
“Just like me, Audrey. I think I saw a picture of your mum in a photo of the first Order of the Phoenix.”
“Yes, the death-eaters killed all the rest of the family. I was sent away to Grandmamma’s and we managed to escape through a vanishing cabinet into Scotland just before they set fire to her house. Like you, I hardly remember my parents.”
They chatted for a few minutes and then Draco handed Audrey through the portals. Coming back, they went with the two betrothed ones to look at their cottage. It was very much the same pattern to the one Hamish lived in.
“Seamus’s coming to finish off on Tuesday; Dean has a bit more plumbing to do first. Kreacher says he has found a house-elf for us who is good at gardening also. It seems she belonged to another set of relations who are no more; Kreacher traced the connection. I’m not sure how Ron’s fiancée will take this.”
“Herms is less strident than she used to be, Percy. She’s learned that they wither and die if not attached to a household. She’s more inclined to get stroppy if you don’t treat them well.”
“Mum would have my ears if I mistreated Polyp.”
“So would my granddame! She’s going with us to Gringotts to make a transfer from the fund set up for my welfare. That and the money Percy’s saved will just get us the basic house. With us both earning, we’ll add the frills as we can afford them. We both come from fairly Spartan backgrounds, so it will be a treat to have someone helping out domestically. We’ve already told Polyp that she can visit with the other elves when she has time off.”
Percy chuckled: “We had a little difficulty explaining to her the idea of time-off, but we think she has the idea now.”
Pop: “Yes Master, I swim in Master Harry’s pool sometimes. Would you like your tea now?”
“Yes please, Polyp; for four please.”
“Yes Mistress,” pop.
After tea, Draco and Harry decided to take a stroll via the long way back. In number three Darkwell lane they spotted two more friends and an elf, working in the garden.
“Hi Lee, Hi Mandy, how’s it going?”
“Hello you two! Taking some time off? Now we’ve got the cottage we thought we’d sort it out a bit. Whoever had it before was no gardener. Have you met Dumdums, Kreacher found that he used to serve one of Mandy’s relations?”
“Hello Dumdums,” Harry held out his hand.
Dumdums looked at it with an open mouth.
“Go on Dumdums, shake Harry Potter’s hand.”
“Yes Mistress … Oh … What and honour!” The handshake was fairly perfunctory.
“Erm … Harry … Percy says there’s a portal connection to Three Doubleyous,” Lee looked cheekily hopeful.
“When you’re ready we’ll hand you through.”
“Does that include my wife to be?”
“Of course it does. Where will you be working, Mandy?”
“Not sure yet, Lee’s got this funny idea that a woman’s place is in the home. So the front parlour will become a sort of joke shop outlet, with me in charge. We’ll be available certain days once the new school annex gets underway. As for the rest of the time Dumdums and I have this idea to grow certain special vegetables. Your broonies seem very willing to help too, so that’ll extend the season. It’s no use scowling, Mr Jordan, I was good at Herbology and I intend to use my talent.”
Lee looked at Draco and shrugged smilingly: “What am I to do, tradition is being flouted once again.” Then he ducked as a clod of weeds flew past his ear.
“And, husband-to-be, it will continue to be flouted. Am I understood?” Mandy held a domineering stance with her hands on her hips, but the fact that she was laughing rather spoilt the effect.
Lee winked at Harry: “I like our rows, because the kiss and make up comes along at the end.” So saying Lee turned, took three steps towards Mandy and swept her off her feet into a big snog.
The two Blakes left them to their absorbing occupation.
*That’s two Saturdays spoken for*! sent Draco.
*Yes and the next is the village dance*.
*No; that’s the week after and I think there’s a wedding on the Saturday in between too*.
*We’ll look at the desk diary when we get back*.
They strolled down Darkwell Lane, turned left and ambled along Ash Street. Number twenty-three had someone beckoning to them from the window. It was Oliver Wood.
“Hi the Pair! Inspecting your domain, are you?”
“It’s turning out to be one,” replied Draco, pretending to be weary: “Even if we only planned a quiet stroll.”
*That’s the other one*! “We’re looking forward to your wedding, Oliver. Where’s Katie?”
“Cooking up something inside with Herms.”
Two female heads appeared in the open window: “That sounds disreputable Oliver,” his fiancée corrected. She then looked at the Blakes: “You’ve just arrived at the right time, do come in. We’ve got a couple of jobs that need your combined talents.”
Draco came in pretending to scowl; Harry caught his vibes, but was unable to hide his eagerness.
“It’s no use looking like that Draco; your partner’s giving the game away.”
“Very well, Herms, what is it?”
“Well … It all started with Neville being worried about Augusta. Longbottom Mill is a bit isolated and he and Hannah feel that she’s getting a little wobblier. Not that they dare say that to her face. However, she has said it would be nice if she could have an emergency button.”
“Like those things muggle pensioners in the alms-houses hang around their necks,” added Katie.
“We took the idea a little further, Guys. You know of muggle telephones, don’t you Draco?”
“Yes something like our floo system.”
“Problem is that people can deliberately overhear floo conversations – like the Toad-with-a-bow tried when Sirius was talking to us.”
Harry could see Draco looking mystified: *I’ll tell you later*.
“Yes, I caught Father listening in to my chats with Blaise, more than once.”
“So what we wanted was a sort of private floo system,” put in Katie.
“We chatted to Charlie and he lent us some transcribed hieroglyphs. Now we have a working system but it uses daffodils not lotuses. You charm the daffodil – not a real one but a silk equivalent – simultaneously. We managed an experiment using the floo between two houses to co-ordinate our efforts, but it was a bit hit-and-miss.”
“Fine … Got it … You want us to install the daffodils”
“Hmm … How taxing is it Herms?”
“Katie and I managed without losing too much energy.”
“You’re looking slightly worried. Is there a drawback?”
“Yes; according to the texts, no more than seven magi-leagues.”
“Um … Not sure what one of those is, Herms.”
“One magi-league is about three muggle miles, Harry – it’s not exact because water increases the distance and trees decrease it. Conglomerations of houses lessen the distance too, but we think that is because there is so much more electricity around. As you already know, that form of power affects the Fluence and vice-versa. However, there are ways of isolating them from each other; as Seamus and Dean eventually did at the cottage, Harry. Of course normal muggles don’t see the need to insulate them that way. Then again, passing through a highly magical place can either increase or decrease the thaums available. For instance, the stone circle we attended at Solestitia, would increase the range of the Fluence …”
“… Anyway,” interrupted Katie: “To make it short; we would need two sets of daffodils between here and Longbottom Mill. It just so happens, that Garner Garth, Michael’s parent’s place, is about equidistant, but not in a straight line. He’s had a chat with his folks and they would like to be connected as well. They’re pleased that Mundungus went down – if you know what I mean.”
“Fine … We can do that. Can’t we Draco?”
*I would have liked a little more time to consider it*.
*And while you’re thinking, Gran gets attacked and held to ransom. She may be an old battle-axe, but she’s been a good teacher for us*.
*Those two are looking a bit shifty – I bet there’s more*.
“Okay you two. Has your internal discussion come out in favour?”
“There’s more. Isn’t there, Herms?”
“I should have known you’d be suspicious, Draco. Well … There is. We have a chain of five and an offshoot, so far. And that connects my parents in.”
“That’s halfway back to London.”
“Yes … and a couple at Hogwarts to add Ernie’s and Audrey’s relations.”
“Very well … Let’s see how debilitating they are.”
“First, let me show you the gestures … … … …”
“… … … … Got that now, thanks Herms. You will be with us when we start tomorrow, won’t you?”
~~~CONNECTING~~~
*Are you with me Harry*?
*Give me twenty minutes – I definitely don’t like apparating*.
To help Harry recover his breath Mrs Corner had him sit down, she was the mage in the family. Garner Garth was a tied cottage that went with Mr Corner’s nursery job. The chair where Harry sat looked through the window into an alleyway between the glasshouses. It was open and so were the ventilators of the greenhouses, the delightful smell of growing things filtered through. Harry could feel the benign presences of the plants.
“Um … Do you use your magic to help?”
“Of course Harry; the public only see a small part of the growing area, thus I have plenty of cover to do our thing.”
“Do you have broonies to help you?”
“Not sure what you mean by broonies.”
“Oh … Of course, that’s the Scottish name. Fairies, you know pixies and nixies.”
“I see … No … only the house is covered by the wards, so they’d have no plants to look after.”
*Don’t push it partner. There’d be no one to give them their special feed, would there*?
*Um … Not thought of that, had I*? “I understand, I imagine you using the Fluence helps.”
“Very much so. I think I’d be slightly worried about muggle reaction to extra-long flowering seasons.”
“Um … Yes … Fine … Where do you want the two flowers to be?”
“Hermione said there’d be three.”
“Fine … That’ll be for when we extend the system. At the moment it’s an experiment.”
“I understand. How about here in this little niche? As you see I’ve set a narrow vase in it and the telephone is below it. If a muggle’s watching, I’ll lift the receiver so no one will wonder if I seem to be talking to the wall.”
“What a good idea … That’ll be fine. I think I’d better concentrate.” Harry closed his eyes: *I’m rested enough now, Draco*.
*Very well … three, two, one …*
“VIA FLORES FACEMUS ALVEUS!” Harry made the complicated gesture sensing when Draco was doing the same at the cottage.
“Alveus Apria Unum!”
{The trumpet sound almost blew my ear out.} Draco’s voice said out of the corona.
“Sorry, I wanted to see if it worked. I’ll close it down and you can try. Alveus Claudere!”
Ten seconds later a brazen fanfare sounded and Harry answered. Test over, he closed the system.
“That fanfare is quite loud, should we mute it, d’you think?”
“No Harry,” Mrs Corner said: “I need to hear it in the glasshouses. Some of the muggles have ringing tones like that.”
“Fine, we’ll leave it as it is … Um … Ringing tones?”
“Yes, on their mobile telephones.”
“Oh! Right! We just have a normal bell-like one at the cottage.” Harry turned to the daffodils: “I don’t feel that drained; are you porting to Gran’s house?”
*I’m at Longbottom Mill now. You’ll need to give me a bit of time whilst gran decides where to put it. Herms is at the cottage end, as we arranged*.
*Fine*! “Draco’s with Gran now, Mrs Corner, but he’ll need some recovery time.”
“Yes I need it when I apparate, too. I tend to use my broomstick and a ‘Disregard me’ charm. It’s much less taxing.”
Harry played for time, supposing the Corner parents were not aware of the portals. They chatted for quarter of an hour until Draco internally indicated that he was ready. Much the same procedure followed for the second set of flowers.
Having opened up Harry acted as intermediary between Draco at Gran’s house and Hermione at the cottage. The fanfare had a different notation from the Longbottom residence. Then Harry turned the flowers’ coronas to face each other and closed them down.
He listened internally whilst Draco said *Alveus Apria duo!* Then he listened aurally
to the slight buzzing as Hermione and Draco used the connection; drawing Mrs Corner’s attention to it, so that she would know when it was engaged. They noticed a slight green aura around the flowers when this was happening.
When Harry interrupted to tell his other two experimenters Hermione said: {It will be more visible when there are three. If it is an emergency, then it should glow pink.}
They tried that experiment, this time there was no buzzing conversation all the connected mages could join in a three-way discussion. The result of which was an invitation to lunch at the Corner’s house.
The next experiment was to turn the coronas away from each other and call the second station. When Hermione called: ‘Alveus Apria duo!’ the flowers turned to face each other; resuming their original position afterwards.
Gran also came over for the meal. In the conversation it turned out that Longbottom Mill had been a bobbin mill making wooden reels for the cotton industry. The family had taken it over because their original house nearby had been destroyed during the first war. The mill had closed when better machines came along and the old workshop roofs had been removed and glassed-over to make Neville’s plant nursery. Gran said she thought that there was a steam-driven muggle bobbin mill still working near the south end of Lake Windermere.
The other discussion was about names for the daffodil loci. Numbers would become muddling so they decided on single syllable words. ‘Mill’, becoming the Longbottom locus; ‘Garth’, for the Corner residence and ‘Pot’, for the cottage. Draco and Harry felt that they had sufficient energy to add at least another locus and so Alicia’s parents were approached; they ended up as ‘Spin’ and the Blakes proceeded south to ‘Fletch’.
Henry and Margery Finch-Fletchley lived in what had been a cotton mill owner’s house in a suburb of Blackburn as well as maintaining their house in the dales. Their family had invested wisely when the cotton industry started to decline and so maintained a fairly opulent style of living. They had a butler and a couple of servants. Draco was instantly converted; he now saw parallels between his own upbringing with elves and Justin’s with servants. Whereas a guarded truce had existed between them before, it started to grow into a deeper friendship.
Over dinner chez Finch-Fletchley a discussion took place as to where the next link would go. The Creevey’s in Liverpool or the Creswell’s in Manchester. Liverpool won out because the Manchester mages were moving to the village the following week.
Thus on Tuesday ‘Fletch’ was connected to ‘Milk’, because of the Creevey father’s profession. Lunch in Liverpool had Harry feeling disturbed. Not because of any bad vibes but because of the over effusiveness of Mrs Creevey. Draco counselled patience, whilst holding his lover’s hand under the table.
*I think they’re still mourning Dennis’s death, Harry. Think how Molly tries to overwhelm us with love*.
*Um … could be … She has been more smother-loving than she used to be*.
*I think the ladies take losing their offspring especially hard*.
Thereafter Harry kept his worries in check. However, Draco could feel the relief of his partner when they continued the connections.
Zacharias was very quiet when they visited his parents in The ‘Forge’. His Father no longer used quiet magic to shoe horses but, being situated in the tourist area of the Delamere Forest, made suitable wrought iron souvenirs.
“It’s much less taxing and pays better than the old hard work used to. I have a good line in animal potions as well – the muggle farmers call them herbal remedies. When the townie muggle visitors do that, they tend to be dismissive of such things, but the local muggles all swear by them. I cannot grumble, we live quite comfortably.”
Later on Papa Smith took Draco aside, pure-blood to pure-blood, and asked him to put more backbone into his son. Draco agreed to see what could be done.
*I don’t know how such an upright muscular mage could have such a snivelling son*, Draco confided.
*Probably his mother’s influence. She’s a bit like Aunt Petunia was with Dudley, far too mollycoddling*.
Now it was time to join Hermione’s dentist parents to the system and have dinner before apparating back home. During the trial Hermione arranged to come for the meal and brought Ronald with her.
“It has a very limited range Dad,” she explained: “You tell the flower which locus you want to contact.”
“So it’s like the one my parents had. We called the operator and she put us through.”
“No dad, you tell the flower the name of the place.”
“My grandparents had one like that,” her mother explained: “They wound a handle round a few times and that connected them to my great aunt’s house.”
Harry could see this becoming a very convoluted discussion and switched off; using his mental channel to Draco to discuss where they were going to connect tomorrow. Eventually Hermione’s parents understood and the mages used the mass-apparating charm to reach Toppers Wallow – they found it less confusing afterwards.
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