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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}]
~~~GUÉTHARY ~~~
The sun was out when Sousse, Nigèrre’s spouse, served breakfast in the dining room. The lounge in which they had warmed themselves was a mirror image. Between them, in the centre was the staircase which appeared to be inside a turret of glass. There were two bedrooms each side of the stairs; set back so that they had a covered open balcony partly above the two reception rooms. Above that were two more bedrooms, again set back to allow for a balcony; D&H’s on one side and Narcissa’s on the other. The elves had rooms and a balcony as well. Each balcony had a trellis of trailing vines making an arbour in front of its glazed roof.
Before the house was a wide slightly curved terrace seemingly on the edge of a cliff. On either side of the house were equally sized lawns; level as far as the retaining wall, up which a variety of creeping plants were trained; as they were upon the walls of the house. This retaining wall was approximately one storey high, dependant on the contours of the steep rocky land behind it. The effect was to camouflage the house, blending it into the trees behind. Anyone really perusing it carefully would realise that there was a building there, not just the tower of glass.
Because the terrain sloped steeply behind them the main entrance was on the first floor. Every bedroom had a glass covered balcony disguised by creepers. They were tiered back so that full sunlight fell into each room. Thus the house diminished in size as it rose up the cliff. All the bedroom balconies shared the same view as the terrace.
Nigèrre returned at coffee time: “There were six of them; they just wanted to hire boards. I watched them start; they seem reasonably proficient.”
“Tell us a little more about these trains, please.”
“The siding was built to serve a gun emplacement in the First World War; Master Draco’s great-grandfather was the officer in charge. It was a sinecure really, but because he had allowed the old house to be knocked down to provide the site. He got a new house – this one. According to my father it was no great loss because the old one was practically falling down. The emplacement saw little action then or in the second war. However, the Nazis were afraid the Allies might attack so they refurbished the armament and the line. This time the Malfoy family was ousted, but it didn’t last long; so by the middle of 1945 they were back in charge. But it wasn’t Master Abraxas, by then it was Master Lucius.” Here Nigèrre broke off and shuddered.
“He won’t come back, Nigèrre. You’ll be safe under the new wards we made.”
Nigèrre looked sidelong at Draco and Harry caught the worry emanation.
“Draco is quite different from his father now …”
“… I used to be an arrogant brat. I’m sorry for the beatings you got on my behalf. Harry’s made me into a more tolerant mage.”
“If you say so Master.”
Draco sensed the tentativeness: “Talk to Elder Kreacher, he’s seen the reformed me. Please continue with the history. Hmm … How is it that the railway authorities didn’t take up the siding when they modernised the main line?”
“There was a legal document between Master Abraxas and the S. N. C. F. about it being there in perpetuity. Your Father wanted a lot of money in compensation if they closed it. You know how it is. The managers shrugged their shoulders and just forgot about it.” Nigèrre gave a typical Gallic shrug as if to emphasise the point and continued: “Twenty or so years ago a muggle toff came and chatted to your father and they came to a deal. We get muggle rent for each train, which I bank, and it pays for our food and cleaning materials. The money I earn as an instructor goes to pay for upkeep of the building and garden. When the fiat arrived I prepared a précis of accounts for you to look at.” Nigèrre clicked his fingers and a long sheet of parchment appeared in his hand, which he gave to Draco.
“Thank you,” Draco raised his eyebrows at the parchment covered in figures: “This is a précis?”
“Yes Master, for nearly five years of trading. I can conjure the detailed accounts if you want to check.”
Harry could feel Draco’s awe at such efficiency.
“I think the précis is enough to be going on with, thank you. How about you show us how to reach the beach. Do I have to hire boards for us?”
“Master, what a shocking thing to suggest; of course not; I have kept the family’s boards separately stored and waxed, that includes the guest’s boards too. I think you’ll want a bigger board than the last time you tried. I shall get them ready whilst you change.”
The rest of the small party got wind of what was happening and all wanted to have a try.
In order to get to the beach, they descended two complete twists of the spiral staircase; coming out briefly on to the platform with the train between them and the sea. This and the track were immediately underneath the terrace and meant that the train-carriages had an equivalent view of the bay. A further twist and they were in a sloping pedestrian tunnel beneath the tracks, one half of which was used as a cool dry surf-board store. They emerged into a small shop. It had more board racks at the back and a counter plus a small display of surfing accessories. After being given their boards, a further downwards slope took them on to the end of the Jetée des Alcyons. Turning left they reached the small beach where Nigèrre started their land-bound instruction. A little later they timorously entered the water.
According to Ronald, Probert was a good Quidditch player. This was proved when he took to the board. His two mates were less agile. Fairly soon all the excellent broom-riders were becoming passable surfers, Draco and Harry being the leaders. Ronald found his hip bothering him and decided, like Hermione, that sunbathing and gentle swimming were preferable.
Sousse brought a picnic lunch to them on the beach, and a couple of large sun umbrellas were erected. After a suitable post prandial pause and applying some of Draco’s sun-blocker potion they took up their boards again until tea time. Everyone had aching muscles, even the good broom-masters; so less energetic pursuits filled the time until sunset and dinner.
“I think I prefer cuddling tonight Harry.”
“So you’re as sore as I am.”
“Yes.”
They squirmed around until their muscles relaxed and then dropped into a deep sleep.
###
Friday had others enjoying the sun and surf, with D&H as a constant presence. After tea they were resting as previously when Justin spoke up.
“I don’t think there’s a need to limit the numbers coming here. All we need to do is create a train occlusion to fill the gap. It need only be one sided in the openings under the terrace. Nigèrre has a list of the tour-trains so we can avoid those days easily. They normally arrive about once a month, maybe fortnightly in the height of the season, and then only for a complete day, at the most.”
Even then; Draco and Astoria chatted to the locals, implying that La Maison was on a time-share letting; hoping that that would explain changes in personnel, with some recurrences of the same faces. Some mages found the proximity to the Spanish border a great help, because the village dance was to be on a Spanish theme that Saturday.
Harry did not attend the Saturday dance; he was too worn out, having had the Aurors in the Milk Wood practicing defensive warfare. He had two willing helpers in Draco and Fawkes. Draco painted reactive potions on certain trees, not really damaging, but staining the person’s hands when they touched them. They also set off a howl and streams of multi-coloured smoke. That person was counted as wounded and out of that particular contest.
Fawkes did what he had been doing with the students; causing apparitions to appear from behind trees and rising up from hollows; just as might be expected in a true combative environment. The phoenix was harder on the Aurors that he was on the students.
The trio enjoyed a quiet time together in front of the fire at the cottage, whilst the Aurors joined in the fun with the Dumbledorians at the dance.
And soon it was bedtime.
###
From then on, whenever they had time and the sea was running, D&H made sure they spent at least half a day each week practicing their surfing. Their three godson goblins also took to the sport, even if two of them never quite reached Probert’s standard.
Back at school the calm routine started again. Both Harry and Draco were self-programming as far as their Ministry jobs were concerned. They had a couple of conferences with Kingsley, just to ensure they were following the right path but, by and large, they were allowed to do their own thing.
The Ministry had a large library on DADA as it applied to aurors. Based on the reports coming back, Harry researched the next most suitable charms and hexes and added them to their curriculum. In between times Draco had enough room to carry on his potions experiments, Guild-registering a new one every other month on average.
Because they were doing things they liked and had an aptitude for, they were able to work longer hours without feeling overtired. That is not to say that, on certain late evenings, they did not zonk-out as soon as their heads hit the pillows.
Ginevra was now training and playing full time with the Holyhead Harpies. This left Astoria at a loose end; she had elf-help at the stables and her veterinary work was confined to the six farms within the village. Draco gently involved her in the Progressive Party, where she showed a flair for the intricacies of politics. D&H were less able in this area and slowly became reliant on her counsel. Within the Trust’s budget they found her an income to act as the Trust’s Wizengamot Agent. Thus she was regularly to be found in the ‘Advisors’ section, and was occasionally asked to be their proxy on occasions when the Blakes were otherwise occupied.
Ash Wednesday came and went; heralding a time of contemplation and self-denial before Easter. A course of faith related meetings enabled the Dumbledorians to refresh their spiritual life before celebrating the first anniversary of their confirmation. Concomitant with that were disturbing reports of minor satrap disturbances in Ireland. A couple of times the Dumbledorians had been asked to help the Aurors quell some attacks.
###
Saturday the first of April came around:
“I’ve just realised why Fred and George were such jokers, Draco.”
“Really?”
“Yes … They were born on April-fools Day.”
“I doubt George will want reminding of his twin brother.
“No, I’ll be tactful when I give him our present this evening.”
~~~ FOILED ~~~
Just before Easter, Lucius had a surprise. He apparated to La Maison and found himself diverted to the beach. Rather crossly he picked himself up and went to enter Nigèrre’s shop. He found that the door would not open for him. So he walked up the path and round to the main entrance. The gates refused him entry too. Being in a quiet glade with no-one around he tried a few opening charms to no avail. Now thoroughly annoyed he tried a blasting hex. It rebounded at him and he found himself painfully entangled in a holly bush.
“Nigèrre, Nigèrre. Come and open this gate for your master.”
The elf appeared: “You are no longer my Master, sir. The British and French Wizengamots have issued fiats disinheriting you, because you assassinated the British Minister in front of many reliable witnesses.”
“Impertinent elf; go and punish yourself for disobeying a wizard … Immediately!”
Nigèrre just stood there, looking pityingly at his former master.
“Do you hear me?” Lucius shouted: “Go and sit in the fire.”
“My new masters have forbidden us to undertake those kinds of punishments.” Nigèrre gave his Gallic shrug, turned and walked back towards La Maison.
“And who are your new masters?” Lucius yelled at the retreating elf’s back.
Nigèrre looked over his shoulder feigning surprise: “Surely you know sir, most of Magicdom knows. It’s Master Draco and his purple partner He-who-lived-twice, Harry Potter.” With that he firmly closed the front door; shutting out the noise of a cursing, swearing Seignior.
###
Easter was celebrated with great joy and an amount of beach partying. At the end of the week the village dance had an Easter bonnet theme as well as being Dean’s birthday. The males were just as inventive as the females and some mages turned up in bunny suits and chicken costumes. Narcissa won the ladies bonnet prize and Vernon captured the men’s award.
And then it was Beltane eve on Sunday. Many mages of all races rested up in the afternoon after lunch so that they could witness the rite of passage of the ones who had left the academy the previous year. Niggle Edge was ablaze with firelight for the older teen-mages to jump through. Ginevra and Astoria, Luna and Colin were amongst these new adults as were the four Smiling Ones. Although this was not a muggle rite of passage, Washington, Coleman and Graham wished to take part and that encouraged Gilda to ask. As all of them normally wore medallions it was felt that they should be allowed. After the ceremony D&H noticed a slightly stronger emanation from their scarabs. On inspection it seemed that charging the emblems now gave the four muggles some extra protection.
In conference with Fawkes, D&H found out that the phoenix had added it to their medallions; saying that it was a permanent charm extra to the normal regularly charged ones. He also indicated that the year after next he would add the same to the Stamps’ emblems. Fawkes explained that, like Harry when he became an adult, the parental love protection ceased. Although it was of a muggle kind and not thaumic, that love had augmented the magical charging. He also stated that he was pleased that a rapprochement had been made between Coleman and his father because the estrangement had been affecting the protection offered by the amulet.
~~~ IRELAND ~~~
D&H felt the buzz again. Having previously consulted with their friends it had been decided that Ireland should be connected by a public portal. Naturally Finnegan’s Fortress was at the top of the list. Being situated as near the centre of Ireland as far as the Northern Irish border would allow, it was best situated for Dumbledorians to go to other mages aid. The area surrounding the Fortress was made up of rolling pastures with occasional knolls and loughs. Upon one of these knolls the castle stood. However, its warding and occlusion made it appear to be just another clump of trees in the bend of the river in an almost flat landscape. There was some discussion whether the Burrow or Chantry Cottage was the nearer. In the end the fact that it was to be a public portal tipped the balance towards adding it to the focus at Milkwood Hall.
The reason for using the Milkwood Hall focus was that the new portal was expected to be used by Irish students, because some had been attacked whilst transiting the sea; also, that their parents could visit without attracting the satraps’ attention. On its door it had a fortified tower and shamrock as its emblem. There was also another useful purpose: Dean and Seamus could visit the Fortress regularly with their trainees to reinstate the dead Finnegan patriarch’s rebuilding excesses. That portal was maintained within the fortress’s courtyard outhouses.
D&H were not too distressed after making the portal and enjoyed the typically lavish hospitality of their hosts at the Fortress before turning in early in the morning at Chantry Cottage. They ate breakfast at lunchtime the following day and swam lazily or sunbathed to recoup their magical and physical strength. That evening they sat by the temple and allowed the glade’s peace to creep into their souls.
###
There was a mounting suspicion among the aurors that the Seignior was based somewhere in a ruined Irish castle. Not that they could prove anything as yet. Those experimenters on Huskier Island explained to Harry and Hermione that it was much easier to make and maintain an occluding dome in the countryside than it was in an urban area. Moving trees and wind-blown vegetation very successfully camouflaged the slight shimmer of an occlusion.
~~~ FRANCE ~~~
Wednesday was surfing day. Justin made the train-glamour and everyone piled through the portals to enjoy the sea. Nigèrre had his hands full of beginners with every board taken. Luckily, Hamish and Gertie held life-saving certificates, so the elf could concentrate on instruction. Not that there were any emergencies apart from people trying to swallow the Atlantic when they fell off. One big surprise – little really – was Filius. It was he, with Probert, Draco and Harry who found the best breakers and rode them with aplomb.
Thursday had D&H accompanying Narcissa. They went to Paris and toured the thaumic couturiers. Draco was determined to re fashion Harry; so he gave in gracefully and toured the expensive shops. Five complete outfits later, plus three each for Draco and Narcissa they took the cabinet back to the chateau. Harry felt very strange in these up-market glad-rags, but the admiring remarks of his other friends made him feel that maybe the trip was not time wasted after all.
Friday saw many of them at Le Chateau des Sorciers. For all the apartments’ residents it was a special day called a Fête Champêtre. One of the reasons the Malfoys had taken Harry to Paris was to equip him with an outfit for this occasion. He felt quite embarrassed when he started to dress in the morning. But for Draco donning an equivalent get-up Harry would have called the whole thing off. His watered silk puffed-out knee-britches had a slightly pink effulgence whereas Draco’s showed green tints. They wore calf hugging stockings of much the same colouring and golden buckled shoes. Their shirts were ruffed down the front, being revealed between the cut of tight open jackets. These were of bright patterns typical of Georgian menswear. Their cloaks were of a contrasting colour and hung elegantly over one shoulder. A floppy hat, rather like the academic ones the guild wore, topped with a large, gaudy family badge completed the outfit.
Unbeknown to Harry, Narcissa had been ferrying his friends to the same Paris outfitters during the week previous. So, although he felt a ‘right-nana’ in the outfit, he wasn’t alone. The ladies, including Hermione and Astoria wore equivalent low-cut, tight-waisted frocks which blossomed out voluminously from the hips. Their heads sported jewelled feathers or dainty ‘almost hats’ covering a small amount of elaborately coiffured hair. A muggle hairdresser would have taken half a day to achieve what a wand had done in ten minutes. The whole powdered company ported to the Malfoy apartment. Self-consciously they wandered downstairs and out onto the lawns. Embarrassment was quickly dissipated because the French mages and their guests were all costumed similarly.
The Fête Champêtre was in reality, the equivalent of the Wizengamot Winter Ball, but held out-of-doors. More chatter and posing than listening and dancing. There were three small orchestras hidden in bowers of roses and other decorative flowers. The Beauxbatons girls had a flower bedecked stage where they performed tableaux representing pages from history. D&H decided that the history taught at French academy was quite effete when contrasted with Binns’ gory stories of the goblin wars.
They also noticed that the integration of species was not as far advanced here as it was in Britain. Although the elves had an amount of autonomy, as Harry had noticed especially with Nigèrre, they were still looked down on by the bulk of the mages present. As far as they could see there were no contemporaneous goblins, either; bar their friends.
There was plenty of insubstantial food available and large bottles of bubbling champagne. Draco amused Harry by placing names on them like Nebuchadnezzar and Balthazar; even the lowly flagon was called a Magnum. Harry’s fixed smile hid more than his boredom whilst Narcissa paraded him around her French magely chums. It hid a fairly intoxicated state as well. Not that Draco was any the less light-headed. By four o’clock the participants were beginning to drift away. At half-past D&H excused themselves and went home to consume large chunks of Winky’s freshly baked bread, with butter and cheese. She made them some jam roly-poly pudding for afters.
As well as filling the rumbling holes in their stomachs, which the fancies had not begun to address, the food intake acted like a sponge and lessened the effect of the overpowering alcohol fumes. At dinner later, Narcissa complemented her sons on being able to hold their liquor so well.
“… Unlike other mages whom I shall not name,” she concluded; staring balefully at a liverish Dean and a pale-faced Seamus; to whom Kreacher was supplying a sober-up potion.
###
Saturday was Hogwarts Express day. There was a half-hearted attempt to delay it on the moors. None of the defenders were quite sure whether it was intended, or whether they had come across a band of Satraps out for mischief. Either way, it gave some of the sixth-years and seventh-years a little practice in applied DADA.
Now was the time for feverish revision in preparation for the end of year exams. Not for Harry and Draco, though. They could watch the furrowed brows of frenetic students with and amount of equanimity. Apart from invigilating on a rota basis Draco had to present his second paper to the guild and Harry had to demonstrate his new aura suppressing charm to the Brigade’s examiners and, of course show them his skill in the set curriculum. The results for both of them were very gratifying. Draco became a Member of the Guild and Harry was presented with his captain’s insignia. Much of their qualification was based on their course work over the year.
###
On alternate Saturdays, after the Wizengamot met, the afternoon tea for the Progressive Party became almost mandatory, with Astoria being the hostess at Number Twelve. Although not in the majority, they now had the largest following in the Wizengamot. This meant that most of the legislation they proposed was passed; rarely did the other parties have enough unity of purpose to defeat them. Harry and Draco began to realise that they had to restrain the impetus to put-everything to rights immediately. The tea debates were infinitely more interesting than the dry proceedings preceding them.
###
Monday the Seventeenth of July had the new captain, a Sergeant and the special constables in Kingsley’s office.
“Welcome to the full time force, ladies and gentlemen. As per the agreement with the Academy you are with us for seven weeks. Hermione and Ronald, you will be stationed at Huskier Island looking at wards and security arrangements. After Glanville’s defection certain laxities were brought to light, these were temporarily plugged. Unless it’s an emergency, I would like you both to refer back to me before any alterations are made. We need to win Monan’s co-operation with any new procedures, so sound reasoning will be part of your report.
Draco You and Theodora have now been trying out various schemes for the Forensics Department. I believe you have the blueprint prepared. We will meet with the relevant subcommittee this afternoon. Harry, you have requested some active duty; I am seconding you to work alongside Mac. It’s not as though you haven’t worked together on projects before, now is the time for you to be exposed to the work-a-day side of things. You all know where you have to go. Good luck. Please don’t blow the place up on your first day.”
Despite being full blown Aurors for a month and a half there was time to enjoy the summer, especially at weekends. One such was the Saturday before Harry’s birthday. The village dance had a south pacific flavour. Grass skirts were sported by all sexes; females being recognised by a pair of strategically placed half coconut shells. Some of the more daring mages went commando underneath and had to be very careful whom they ogled. D&H were prosaic; they had swimming shorts to contain their modesty. Probably a good thing because Harry was well supplied with congratulatory drinks, and his gay mates took advantage to have a grope. After all, they were mingling with muggles and mages of all ages. There was no celebratory sex that night for Draco – alcohol and erectile material does not mix.
Because Harry and Neville intended a ‘big do’ on their twentieth birthday, Draco and Dudley put off their celebrations and Ginevra brought hers forward. Therefore, it was Saturday 29^th July when the joint celebration took place. They took over the Milkwood barn, hired the Weird Sisters, and partied until the early hours.
Bleary-eyed the magical part of the congregation just made it in time for Sunday Service. John noticed some wrong notes and late responses and, in his understanding way, ignored them. About the only bright-eyed ones were Hermione, Astoria and Pansy. Before lunch the house-elves handed out various potions, so that by the time the repast was served most people looked and felt normal.
“We can’t do that again,” said Harry crossly, as Draco and he retired early.
“I agree. Next time let’s have the combined celebration earlier in July, just after the school term ends. Hold it on a Friday night and it won’t matter if we lie in on the Saturday.”
The idea was put to the others and a general agreement followed.
“It’ll be like the Queen’s official birthday,” suggested Justin.
“We’re hardly royalty,” said Harry.
“You are a couple of queens, though!” Seamus had to run, because Draco threatened to hex his balls off.
###
The next Saturday had two weddings to celebrate Blaise Married Gilda and Justin married Susan. Because Blaise was estranged from his family after the law suits. John took the service at St. Godric’s and afterwards the reception was held at Myddlegarth Hall under Justin’s mother’s jurisdiction. Despite that, the Dumbledorians made sure that they gave their friends a proper send off.
When they returned from honeymoon, in Blaise’s Casa Padronale in Sicily, the partners opened up the Dales Health Centre in what had been the old Chemists’ premises. As mentioned before it was part chemist, part apothecary, part glamour clinic, and part thaumic massage parlour.
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