Toppers Wallow

Kreacher served lunch as soon as the two Apparationists arrived, so it wasn’t until after the meal that Dean and Seamus showed them their handiwork.



“Err … Guys … Where’s the door you made? I can see a statue where it should be.”



“That’s it Billy. The archway only took us quarter of an hour, so we had a look round inside the old barn. Up in the loft we found these two other statues, so we thought we’d disguise the doorway, by making three niches for them along this wall.”



“So it has a secret catch, then? Aren\'t you getting your numbers mixed up?”



“No. Give me your hand … Put it on this stone … Accipio Frater.” Dean touched his wand to the stone Billy was touching. “Okay take your hand away … Now replace it and walk through.”



“Do I have to say anything?”



“No. That’s your particular stone, touch it and walk through, there’s an equivalent one on the other side. Harry’s is the one above it. Go on, try it out.”



“But it’s solid, look. I’m standing on the pedestal.”



“Please get down, now touch the statue and then push lightly, keeping your balance.”



“Like this.”



“Yes. Now touch the stone.”



“Err … Dean … My hand’s gone into the statue, and I can’t feel the stone anymore.”



“Good. Now walk through.”



Billy’s head reappeared out of the statue, looking amazed. Dean waved him back inside and chose another stone; walking through after Billy.



Harry found his stone and said, “Accipio Frater,” touching it with his wand and following them.



Seamus was last. “We thought we’d tidy up in here a bit so we started ter clean the floor. Guess what we found two feet below the dirt? These lovely old smooth flagstones. We dug the dirt off them and levelled them up a bit at this end, ready for the construction.”



“No wonder I kept ducking when I went under those beams, there was a couple of feet of dirt on top of the proper floor. The flags are beautiful. I bet they’d polish up nicely and make a lovely floor.”



“That’s what we thought, so we tried it out in that corner, Billy. Look!”



“It’s a real deep red sandstone, doesn’t it shine.”



“Yes, and with dark green mats on it you’ll have the makings of a luxury pad. We thought we’d leave the rest until the walls were up and we were private. Besides, you mightn’t have thought it a good idea.”



“Harry?”



“Yes Dean?”



“We\'ve found something else too. The cleaning took half and hour or so and the statues a bit longer so we went for a walk outside. Does that wood on the other side of the pool belong to you?”



“Yes it does, being the end house in the lane I have extra land. I intend to leave it wild, there’re some very interesting plants growing there and Erwin, my new owl, needs somewhere to hunt. Why do you ask?”



“We found a very interesting ruin in there, looks a bit like a classical temple. It’s just about quarter of a mile away from the house. So we thought to explore it. Maybe it was a folly was our first impression. Then we found a way inside and the slightest tingle of an aura there. Seamus’s castle instinct kicked in and he reckoned that there was a secret door hidden. We spent a delightful half hour casting various spells, all to no avail. Then I noticed some peculiar marks on a pilaster. Seamus recognised them as Ogham, so he tried some Irish Gaelic. That didn’t work either. Then the penny dropped, in this area it would be Brythonic that was spoken and that became Welsh, so ‘Drws Agorewch’ worked the trick. The passage passes under the pool and comes out in the loo next to your study. You obviously live on a very old domiciliary site. Come and look.”



The passage air was very stale and the remains of cobwebs hung, dusty with age, but it was passable. Various defence and attack strategies were discussed based on the secret passage’s existence, and the fact that now the garage doors were accessible from inside, all the exits might be used as additional egress for surprise attacks.



Back upstairs, they found Mr Cartwright arriving with a very large lorry load of timber. Billy went to talk to him.



“We could unload that quickly if the old buffer wasn’t watching.” Seamus whispered to Harry.



“Okay, we have to sign some papers. You two and Billy look muscular, and I’ll inveigle him down into my study with the papers. Get Ron to help too and don’t forget Kreacher.”



The signing was over fairly quickly, so Harry engaged the old builder in talk about the forthcoming dance, pretending not to know what was required. - - - - - - Billy appeared, looking slightly pale.



“You got that lot unloaded quickly Billy.”



“Yes … Well … Harry has a few friends over, so they helped a bit.”



“Right then, I’ll bring the other load round in about an hour’s time, the men are helping me tidy up there, so they’ll load up. You spend time sorting it all out at this end.”



“Yes Boss, thanks.” Billy’s eyes were very round.



After the builder had gone, Harry asked Billy what was wrong.



“Err … it was flying Harry. They sorted it just as I wanted it; Dean even made a complete inventory of it on a parchment. Seamus is asking how I want the wood cut. Those two are amazing. I’m still getting my head round how easily they made it happen. Wow!”



“Perhaps we’d better go and stop them making the walls, until everything is delivered. Your boss would have a fit if he saw it all ready assembled.”



“Good thinking, Lover. Let’s go!”



When the masters of the house arrived, they were a little too late to stop the construction process, because the screen wall was already up, and construction noises were coming from within. Billy was emanating worry from every pore, so Harry hugged him to calm him. He explained to Dean what the problem might be. Seamus chipped in.



“Don’t worry, Billy me boy. I’ve cast a charm on the wall and from the far side it looks like the dusty old barn, filled with a big jumble of wood, come and see.”



The quartet went through another new door. Dean held it open so they could see where it was. When Billy looked back, sure enough there was no wall and a number of uneven piles of wood. The only thing that spoiled the illusion was the open door.



“I’m working on an equivalent charm ter the statue for this side, on the inside it’ll look like a door and the handle will open it. I haven’t quite got there yet. Please Billy, come and show us how you want the walls joined together? Oh; and where do you want the windows put in?”



A shell-shocked Billy went with Seamus and Dean to show them how he would like things, which walls would be permanent, and those that would be removed afterwards. At tea time Winky had a discussion with Billy about rugs and curtains etc. Next, he was unloading all the other items from the builders’ yard. This time Hermione distracted Mr Cartwright by getting him to tell her about the roses in Harry’s garden. Meanwhile the five male youngsters were supposedly sweating at unloading various plumbing items, about the fitting of which Dean had some know-how.



After his ex boss had left, Billy agonised about the bathroom suite not matching.



Dean soothed ruffled feathers. “Don’t worry Billy. Colour change is one of the easiest forms of Transfiguration; we learn it in our first year. Now if you wanted your sink to turn into a whale that would be a trifle harder, but you don’t. Now then, what colour would you like the bathroom suite to be?”



“That light aquamarine, I think. Yes please.”



By dinnertime all the construction work was finished, and Billy was wild eyed because the bulk of the painting was also complete and dried.



“It would take me a week to do all that painting, and they had everything rubbed down thoroughly and varnished it too. I’m beginning to feel redundant.”



Dean had a bright idea. “After the meal Billy, would you work out exactly how many man hours it would take to do the work conventionally, so then we would know how long to make the charms last. You could imagine us coming to help, conventionally, say at the weekend, and then a reasonable timetable could be worked out for the charms to vanish, so that the actual work will appear to have been done conventionally.”



Billy saw the sense of this idea and settled down slightly. With a little of the left over wood Dean and Seamus made two bunks to fit over their beds, bringing the total of twelve extra beds into the compliment. It was a good thing they did as more DA members began to arrive. Harry was hard pressed keeping an eye on Mr Foley’s marquee-gang and the Apparation Area.



Mr Foley had arrived in a pickup truck. “Hello Mr Potter, these ‘ere are the demountable poles un big items, could yere boys take un through to the lawn for me, whilst m’gang goes back for the canvas and ropes?”



“Of course we will, you can rely on us.”



Once the Muggles were out of the way the poles flew over the high hedge and into the positions marked on Mr Foley’s plan. When he returned the canvas formed a series of long snakes which wound through the cottage; occasionally snagging on doorframes or furniture.



Neville and Luna were the first to arrive.



“Hi Harry, I hope we’re not too early but we thought we’d bed in before the practice, then be fresh for the battle on Saturday.”



“Nice to see you both; we’ve got beds for you, but they’re hidden magically at the moment because we have Mr Foley’s Muggles putting up the marquee on the lawn. Leave your luggage here; otherwise Kreacher will be cross with me. There are sandwiches on the sideboard and some homebrewed Butterbeer, if you feel peckish.”



The pair followed Harry into the living area and they were met by Mr Foley.



“Ah; Mr Potter, I’ve a bit of spare canvas here ye could borrow, it’d just nicely fit over yere patio. Could ye get some un yere boys to fit un up?”



“I’ll get Billy on to it tomorrow morning. We’ve got some special home brew here, would you and your gang like a drink?”



“Oh ar, thanks, we’d love a drap, wouldn’t us, Boys?” General murmurs of approval came back.



The wards set off again, so Harry left Billy entertaining the gang while he went to the Apparating Area. Justin, Ernie and Anthony were there, all hoping he didn’t mind them being early; receiving the same sort of replies that Neville and Luna had had.



After an hour or so, Mr Foley’s gang wished everyone a peaceful night and went off in his pick-up truck towards their beds. Seamus and Dean had finished their bunk building and now had time to add people to the statue/door’s recognisors. Only this time they had to pat the statue’s head. Seamus explained it was a temporary measure only for the extended weekend. Angela, Susan and Lavender all arrived within five minutes of each other, so Harry was haring up and down the path to hand them in. By now everyone was beginning to settle in, Kreacher had conjured enough comfortable chairs for them all, and Harry\'s living area began to resemble a Hogwarts common room; complete with chat groups, wizard chess games and, of course, exploding snap.



The boy’s barn bunk room was full, with only Percy and George left to arrive. They would go in with Seamus and Dean on the newly built bunks. Half an hour later the said Weasleys arrived, complete with boxes and boxes of fireworks and other more lethal things, all of which were stored in Harry’s workroom.



Last to arrive were Hannah and Katie, who apologised for being late, not that it really was, being only ten-thirty. Everyone was pleased at Harry’s appointment and kept on congratulating him. Billy, Seamus and Dean sneaked out during the get-together and fixed up Mr Foley’s canvas; thus joining the house to the marquee. When Harry had a look inside the marquee he was pleased to find that the gang had pegged coconut matting over the lawn to protect it. He also found the three constructors planning how to make two coverings for the pool. One a canvas roof and the other a wooden dance floor which they proposed to float on large inflated rubber rings.



When they went to bed that night Billy had recovered from his awe, and was planning preposterous things, far beyond their combined capabilities. His high needed puncturing gently and Harry had just the implement needed. They shared a shower together, washing each other tenderly. Aroused, Harry grabbed a condom and put it on. Billy hugged Harry and then lifted his legs to encircle Harry’s waist. Harry guided his pecker into Billy’s pucker and commenced a languorous fuck with the hot water streaming all over their hot bodies and adding to the sensation.



After the first coition Harry remained hard, so they turned off the water, dabbed at each other with the towels to remove most of the moisture and then Harry carried his lover, still impaled, over to their love nest. After another session they were exhausted and then fell asleep with Harry inside; waking up hours later to finish the fuck with renewed energy. Spooning and kissing they went back into the arms of Morpheus.



Next morning was Friday, practice day and the eve of combat. They washed each other in the shower and dried each other lovingly, but without undue arousal. Billy realised that Harry was beginning to worry, so he tried to project a feeling of reassurance towards his mate. Once downstairs they found Hermione and her ever present book, sitting on the patio. Kreacher and Winky had set it out as the eating area with a breakfast buffet, and had arranged tables and chairs under the canvas roof.



Receiving her good morning light kisses, Hermione greeted the pair and then added. “Harry, various people asked me to ask you to practice various hexes and shields. In the end it was easier to make a list and here it is.”



“Thanks Hermione, that’s very useful. Have you perfected your new mirror shield charm?”



“Yes.”



“Good, please will you teach us all that first, as it appears to answer many needs? Especially if a malign person tries to hex us, they get back their own medicine if we aim the shield correctly.”



“I’d like to show them the mirror wards too, if you don’t mind.”



“How about showing them that after tea, it will remind them of the shield and they will be bored with practicing personal spells and my tuition.”



“Nice idea Harry. It’ll be a dry run for your new post as well, won’t it?”



“Yes it will. He’s been worrying about it since we awoke,” interjected Billy.



“Um … Yes … I suppose I have. I’ll be all right once we’re started, I hope.”



Harry was pleased Hermione had made the list, because many of the participants, before commencing to eat their meal, came over to his table to ask Harry to practice their particular hang-ups. Harry only needed to write down one extra item to his curriculum. He took his breakfast into the floo room and talked to Minerva about the arrangements and personnel, repeating the indications from Draco to a much relieved headmistress.



“Okay Guys, if we could head downstairs and onto the circular patch of grass, please,” Harry announced, when he came back upstairs and could see most people were just finishing their meal.



They sat in a semicircle on the bank and steps overlooking what would soon be known as the practice ground. It was over this area that Ron, Billy and he had played Quidditch with the tennis ball. The reasonably flat oval area was bordered by the path and stream going down to the Apparating area on one side, tall trees hiding them from the Muggle houses on the other side. The end at the bottom held the Apparating area and the remaining end was Magnet Cottage, sitting on top of its steep bank.



Harry commenced: “Firstly; thanks for coming to help, I appreciate it and the Muggles we’ll be guarding would, if they knew about it. That’s the first point. We’re trying not to let the Muggles be aware of what’s going on. So when we start throwing things around the Weasleys will give our captive audience a fireworks show, which I hope they will think is part of the celebrations.”



Harry paused whilst they took the information to heart.



“The idea is to stop Marcus and his hoard and then catch them, If some of them get caught by their own hexes and curses all the better. To that end Hermione, our very own charm maker, has invented the mirror shield. Properly aimed this gives the hexer his own hex back before he or she has replaced their defences. A bit late and you may well be playing hex tennis.”



A quiet giggle from the group indicated that they were attending to what he said. Harry then asked Hermione to demonstrate the charm. After the demonstration Hermione plus Ron and Harry went round teaching, watching practices, and correcting where necessary. Some of the grass became scorched, and an odd chip of stone flew off the cottage; nothing serious; the bilateral damage became less as their aims improved. Harry’s little joke actually became a game, as they bounced small fireballs around between shields.



Next came flaw remedying. Those who felt confident took those who were less happy with a charm or hex and they practiced together. Harry kept an eye on them helping out and demonstrating where necessary. Coffee break was ignored as the enthusiastic participants honed up on their skills. When Harry called an early lunch break; everyone jumped into the pool to cool down and clean up.



Billy asked if Seamus and Dean could be spared for an hour in the afternoon, because he now had the design for the dance floor perfected. He felt it ought to be made when there were no Muggles around and the ladies would be here from tomorrow morning. Once it was fitted, they would remove the sections to one end of the pool, so that people could swim to cool down again after practice.



Harry set up a duelling club in the early afternoon. And they started as soon as Madam Pomfrey had Apparated in, in case of injuries. Ron, the resident strategist, had a complicated chart that had everyone fighting everyone else, in multi five minute bouts. By a late teatime everyone had had a go and Poppy had treated the minor burns and sprained ankles. Kreacher and Winky served cake and tea to everyone as they sat on the slope listening to Hermione explain her newly developed wards. Teacups away, they practiced, knowing that these skills would protect their families and loved ones in the best way possible. Another splash in the pool preceded dinner on the patio.



The rest of the evening was supposed to be restful; however, youthful energy being what it is, a number of activities developed. A beach ball in the pool drew some, a tennis ball in the air, had would-be Quidditch players chasing it on their broomsticks, with Billy in goal. The biggest draw was on the ground beneath them as hex tennis was developed into a competitive game. The hex concerned was the giggling one; in the end it was impossible to tell a hexed person from a highly amused one. Only failing light stopped play, and another quick dip before they transferred their amusements indoors as per the previous evening.



Harry was just beginning to worry about people getting enough rest when Neville stood up.



“C’mon Guys, we need our wits about us tomorrow, lets get some sleep. Don’t forget we have Muggles among us tomorrow so we’ll have to behave, and that’s going to be a strain, isn’t it?”



Good humouredly the gathering got the point and started to drift off to their bunks. Both Billy and Harry were tired and they lay chatting, holding each other’s hands.



“They are fun to be with, you know.”



“Who are?”



“Your magical friends.”



“Why do you say that?”



“I thought witches would be sour old hags, and wizards were secretive bombasts. Not this lot, they want a good time, and they want to help. It’s amazing! Most of the Muggles of our age that I’ve met seem lazy and uncaring. I feel right at home here and your pals treat me as one of them. It’s great!”



“Maybe the hags and bombasts are on the other side, and we’re lucky. Look at those two who were guarding Malfoy, they’re magical louts if ever there were some.”



“Okay, okay; maybe I fell in love with one of the right crowd, but they’re still fun to be with. There’s something else too. You seem to be very special to them, I get the feeling they’d jump into fire if you wanted them to.”



“That’s my big problem. I don’t want to get any of them hurt and we’ll probably have casualties tomorrow. I just hope none of them gets killed. I remember how many got killed and maimed defeating Voldemort.” Harry let out a sobbing sigh.



“Oh Love; oh Love. Come let me hug you. I knew you cared … But so much?”



Billy gathered Harry in his arms and gently rocked him, until his sobbing fit was over. Still locked in Billy’s arms, Harry fell asleep. Stroking Harry\'s hair, Billy lay awake, suddenly having really realised the weight of responsibility Harry bore and wondering how he could best help.



He seemed to hear two voices saying, “Just be there for him when he needs to be a little child again. Hold him and hug him until he regains his equilibrium. The world needs him more than ever.”