Birthday Celebrations

The morning shower together tempted the Duumviri, but they managed to avoid anything depleting. At breakfast Ron and Hermione looked ready for battle as did Severus. Their combined appetites were not as trenchant as normal owing to worried thoughts about the impending exercise. Thus Draco had to use all his Malfoy charm on a slightly sulking Melanie, who suspected her first breakfast was not up to scratch.

Draco and Harry bubbled off first, then Uncle Severus, followed by the engaged ones, five minutes apart. Everyone met in the hidden hollow before going to their agreed tasks. Draco had found a place within the estate’s protections where Ron and Hermione could land and reset their bubble in seclusion, on an almost hourly basis. Uncle had a book with him that partly disguised the shell communicator, he sat within the garden’s security on the seat where Harry had first discovered Draco’s snake problem. Severus held a tracking charm which either of the Duumviri could trigger to call in the reserves.

Taking the cloak of invisibility with them, Draco and Harry approached a garden door which led into one of the unused rooms. Their aim was to be quiet but not surreptitious, so that any watching house-elves would not give the alarm. They went to Lucius’s trophy room and found where the cup was. Their first job was to identify the guards on the cabinet concerned. When they approached the cabinet, they found the same six grey recognisors that were on the gate. Harry and Draco had a quiet discussion about the other protectors that they could see. They decided to nullify those first using the Secretus addition; as at least one of the wards had a nasty looking Immobulus attached to it.

While they were working quietly there was a commotion in the main entrance hall. The duo stopped what they were doing, still leaving one of the protectors intact. Countermanding the revealing charm, Draco signalled to Harry to follow him.

Reaching down behind a picture, Draco released a catch and stepped inside. The space behind was a bit of a squash, but Harry managed to fit in too. There was a portrait on the other side, through whose eyes they could see into the main hall. There stood Auntie Bellatrix beating one of the house-elves.

“Which one of you has been interfering with my personal spells?” she yelled.

After a time Bellatrix cast away the unconscious and bloody house-elf with a snort of disgust.

“Cissy, where are you? Have you been meddling in my magic again?” Draco’s Auntie bellowed up the stairs.

A door opened downstairs.

“H-h-hello B-B-Bella; what are you shouting about?”

“There you are! Someone in your household has been breaking one of my spells.”

“Not that I know of, Bella.”

“You are supposed to be in charge of this place Cissy. What happens here is your responsibility after all; go back into your room. I’ll deal with you in a moment.”

Bellatrix looked suspiciously around, almost as if she thought she were being observed. Then she shrugged and followed her sister into the room. Draco had never seen his mother so shrunken and cowering. Sensing this, Harry had to hold Draco’s hands very firmly in order to keep him from hexing his Auntie and revealing their presence.

H: ‘It was us undoing her Imperio that caused her to come here.’

D: ‘We should have remembered that lesson, Uncle will be disappointed.’

H: ‘Is that how your auntie normally looks, she seemed very weary?’

D: ‘She had bags under her eyes big enough to go shopping with, didn’t she?’

H: ‘I don’t think she knows which curse we terminated, or she’d have gone straight to the snake pit.’

D: ‘I think that it hurt the old bag a lot, otherwise she would have been straight over.’

H: ‘Maybe we ought to warn Sossogenese, we don’t want her torturing or hurting him, besides which, he might be forced to tell her about us.’

D: ‘I want to hear what Auntie is saying to Mother.’

H: ‘Will you promise me not to lose your temper if I go to the snake pit invisibly.’

D: ‘I’ll try, but be quick. I’ll show you the picture I shall hide in.’

Draco and Harry went through a couple of rooms and Draco opened a fierce looking portrait of a Malfoy forebear in an Elizabethan ruff, doublet and hose. Harry put on the invisibility cloak and went out to go to the snake pit. As he passed the shady seat where Uncle was reading, Harry undid the cape and revealed himself, telling Severus briefly of the events surrounding Bellatrix’s arrival.

“Yes I thought she might. You two had forgotten to guard against the rebound, hadn’t you?”

Harry looked shamefaced.

“Never mind! Perhaps I should have reminded you. Let’s go to the snake pit quickly before your brother hexes someone and gives the game away. Harry folded the cape and ran with Severus.

Bowing to the heavily entwined snake, Harry explained the position.

‘I have to have permission from the one of the family before I leave the pit.’ Sossogenese explained, looking at the green and red love of his life with regret. Harry repeated what Sossogenese had said, to Severus.

“The wards treat you as one of the family; you should be able to give that permission.”

Harry explained this to the snake and gave his permission at the same time.

Following that Sossogenese slithered out of the pit. ‘Would the Uncle Professor please carry me to somewhere safe outside the manor’s protectors?’

Harry explained, and Severus sat down so Sossogenese could twine round Uncle’s body easily. Uncle departed quickly towards the side gate, saying he would go to the hidden hollow. Equally quickly Harry put on the cloak and ran to his partner, whom he could feel was becoming greatly agitated. As he approached the Elizabethan gent’s portrait Harry could feel his soul-mate starting to formulate a hex. Opening the picture, he grabbed Draco, enfolding him in a tight hug. Harry kissed Draco as voluptuously as possible. This had the desired effect and distracted Draco sufficiently for him to forget his anger momentarily. This space of time was enough to help Draco control his dangerous impulses. They were replaced by more lascivious ones.

D: ‘Well now, I didn’t know you could put so much passion into your kisses.’

H: ‘Oh yes … Especially when my loved one’s eyes are flashing so dangerously.’

D: ‘Was it showing that badly … I could undress you right now. ’

H: ‘My feelings about you too, Lover. However we have a job to do first. ’

D: ‘Aw! Spoilsport! ’

H: ‘Don’t forget the promised victory skinny-dip. ’

D: ‘OK! I get it. We have to obtain the victory first … I feel calmer now, thanks.’

H: ‘What got you all riled up? ’

D: ‘Auntie’s treating Mother like a prisoner. She even used the Crucitatus curse on her. Eventually Auntie thought Mother was telling the truth and went off to torment some more house-elves. ’

H: ‘So that’s what I saw through your eyes! Uncle knows she’s here and has taken Sossogenese to the hidden hollow. ’

D: ‘Let’s go and identify the protectors round the cup. Then we can talk with Uncle about them. ’

The Duumviri crept back to the trophy room, cancelled the final cabinet protector ward; then carefully examined the purple and indigo masking wards surrounding Helga Hufflepuff’s Cup. Draco made a parchment and together with Harry drew a fair representation of the various protector curses. Just as they were finishing there was a pop and the duo jumped, going for their wands immediately.

“Masters, she’s coming here. Go quickly.”

Another pop and the ancient house-elf disappeared. The Duumviri quickly cast one of their special protectors on the cabinet, attaching a telltale to it. Hurriedly they made their way outside, using the cloak and the hedges for cover and the side gate to reach the hidden hollow. Severus still had Sossogenese twined round him; Hermione and Ron were there waiting.

Uncle and the snake bubbled off first, then five minutes later Ron and Hermione did, followed by the duo a further five minutes behind. Draco kept worrying that Auntie might follow, constantly looking behind them, so Harry acted as steersman.

A slightly surprised Sempra served them lunch whilst each of them recounted their adventures so far. Whilst Sossogenese went off to explore his new home; Ron and Hermione explained that they had also warned Uncle about Bellatrix’s arrival.

“What we need is a way of communicating secretly between us all, something like the rings. I’ll go and research it.”

“Not now please Hermione, though it is a very good idea. We need your help with the protectors we’ve mapped,” pleaded Draco.

Harry continued, “I’ve just realised, one of the house-elves came and warned us. I thought they were too cowed to do anything like that.”

“Err … Master Draco?”

“Yes Sempra?”

“Well … I went to have a chat with some of them this morning. Then Draco’s Auntie beat one of them to death after she saw your mother. So they’ve decided that they would like to cooperate with the Two-masters, as they call you. They don’t like the way Bellatrix behaves towards the head of the household. I think you’ve got a small army of helpers now.”

“Thank you Sempra. Is there anything to be done for the one we saw being beaten in the hall?”

“Melanie is looking after her here Masters. If you had time for a few healing spells …”

“Take me to her immediately, Sempra,” Hermione interrupted.

The two of them exited at the trot, leaving Dobby to clear away the lunch debris.

The four men pored over the big tome on the table discussing the wards around the Horcrux cup. Half of an hour later Hermione almost crawled in looking quite drained; she was supported by Sempra and Dobby. They ensured she was comfortable in one of the deep armchairs, where she promptly fell asleep.

“Linux is sleeping peacefully now Masters, the Mistress nearly killed herself healing our friend. We’re all very grateful for her efforts. I don’t think she’s capable of doing anything more today.”

“That puts the exercise in danger today then.”

“It solves the communication problem temporarily though. If Uncle rides with me in the protection bubble, then one of the duo can have the shell communicator,” Ron suggested.

Just then the telltale rang. Whilst they were reacting to it there was a pop.

“Two-masters, I’m Gondolum. That Bellatrix has tried to open the cabinet and is lying unconscious.”

“Thank you Gondolum, We knew someone had tried to open it because our telltale alerted us. Do you think you and your helpers could carry her somewhere out of the way, please?”

Gondolum acted very surprised at Draco’s pleasant tone, but quickly recovered.

“It would be a pleasure Master Draco, can we tie her up?”

“Yes please Gondolum, that’s a very good idea.”

The house-elf disappeared with another pop.

“That settles it then. We’ll go in whilst she’s incapacitated.”

Two bubbles followed each other three-quarters of a mile apart. The four men met at the hidden hollow. Uncle and Ron took off for their vigilance patrol; the Duumviri took the shell and used the side gate. Once inside the trophy room the duo were surprised at the devastation their protector had caused, but the cup sat pristine on its shelf amid the tangled remains of other cups and shields.

Undoing their special protector the duo set about countering the wards round the Horcrux itself. They touched rings first; then in turn each of them held a shield whilst the other one undid a curse. There were plenty of sparks and much noise was made during the process.

Gondolum popped in. “Two-masters your Mother is coming to see what’s happening.” Then he popped out again.

“Harry. Hide under the cloak, I’ll play dutiful son. Okay?”

“Yeah,” Harry agreed reluctantly, and drew the cloak around him.

Narcissa entered almost as soon as Harry had made himself invisible.

“Draco … What are you doing here? I thought Severus was protecting you. You shouldn't be in this house at the moment; Bellatrix is lurking looking for someone who destroyed one of her spells.”

“Oh hello Mother, I came to look at Father’s trophies. Professor Snape is not too far away either. It looks as though someone has been trying to destroy Father’s pride, doesn’t it?”

“Why didn’t you say you were coming, Darling?”

Harry felt Draco cringe.

“I would have done, as soon as I had obtained this Hufflepuff’s heirloom, sorry Mother.”

“Don’t touch it Draco, it’s cursed.”

“Yes I know Mother. I was removing the curses when you came in.”

“Oh! That’s what was making the noise. How can you do that without seeing them?”

“I can see them, Uncle taught us how.”

“Uncle? What uncle?”

“Uncle Severus, Mother.”

“I thought you didn’t like him much?”

“Well, while he’s been protecting me, I sort of got to like him.”

“That’s not the kind of thing you used to say?”

“No it’s Ha … His good influence Mother.”

H: ‘You nearly slipped up Brother. Get rid of her then we can go back to work.’

“What Severus? I always thought of him as a slimy git.”

“That’s not the kind of thing you used to say, either, Mother.”

“That’s your overbearing auntie’s fault. Will you show me how you destroy these curses, please?”

D: ‘Give me a shield please Brother?’

H: ‘One heavy shield coming up.’

“Put up a shield please Mother. It’s to shelter you, I have already obtained one.”

“But you can’t hold two spells at once?”

“Please Mother.” Draco looked pained. “Uncle has taught me how to do so at school.”

Draco set about destroying the next curse before his mother saw through the lie. It was as spectacular as the previous ones, lashing out with little tongues of fire. Luckily his shield covered both of the Duumviri so Harry was safe too. Narcissa looked on in awe as her son seemed to perform miracles.

D: ‘This is the last one Harry. I don’t like the look of it.’

Harry closed his eyes to get a better view. ‘Neither do I.’

D: “Mother please come and touch me lightly? Then you will be able to see the curse round the cup.”

Narcissa did as she was told. “Oh no! It’s a killing curse. Come away from it Darling.”

Narcissa tried to drag Draco away. Draco reacted with an Immobulus Flippendo pushing his frozen Mother away and holding her beyond arm’s length.

The door burst open in a shower of sparks; Bellatrix stood there. “Now my little Dracokins, time to play in the nursery.”

As expected, the curse had no effect.

“So that’s what it was. Oh well … Imperio”

Harry had had enough time to realise what was about to happen and aimed Redero at Auntie via Draco. Auntie received back what she had been given. Harry’s cloak fell to the ground surprising both Auntie and Mother.

“Bellatrix, pick up Helga Hufflepuff’s Cup.” Harry demanded. The witch had no way of countering the demand and slowly moved towards the cabinet shelf.

H: ‘When I say now, drop the hold on Mother and shield the three of us.’

Harry could feel Draco making the shield as he watched Bellatrix’s slow approach to the Horcrux.

‘Now!’

Bellatrix grabbed the cup. Purple fire flew all over the place, engulfing Auntie completely. There was a horrible smell of burning flesh and the curse’s glow diminished to a pinpoint.

Ron and Severus burst in through the door.

“Destroy it now, while its energies are low, we’ll shield you.” Uncle shouted urgently.

“Accio Horcrux Mobilliarbus!”

“Reducio!”

“Incendio!”

“Evanesco ashes!”

The charms rang out clearly and very closely. The wail it emitted sounded despairing; Mother fainted and Uncle caught her. Draco passed out and Harry caught him.

“Gondolum?” Ron called out.

“Yes Master?”

“Please get some of your friends to help me put this fire out before the house catches alight.”

With house-elves help a number of Aquamenti’s were made including Ron’s, who stayed behind to ensure the blaze was put out. Meanwhile Harry and Severus had Mobilicorpused their two unconscious charges and were taking them to safety into the garden.

Ron came out with Gondolum. “The fire is out Two-masters, although you made quite a mess in there.”

“Sorry Gondolum, we had to destroy that evil thing quickly,” apologised Harry.

“Where would you like us to put the remains of her body, Two-master Harry?”

“What is normal when a member of the family dies, Gondolum?” Harry decided to let the supposition of Bellatrix being the evil thing, stand.

“We put them in an open coffin, Two-master Harry. Then it is put in the family chapel until the ceremony.”

“I think a closed coffin would be more appropriate, don’t you?”

“Yes Two-master Harry.”

“Before you do that, could you please show us a comfortable room where we can take your swooning mistress and her comatose son, please?”

The party followed Gondolum into a well appointed drawing room. The two insensitive people were carefully laid out on two settees and their heads propped with cushions. More house-elves appeared with blankets, tea, and a selection of stronger drinks. There were different sandwiches and a multi-choice of cakes. As expected Ron set-to immediately.

“Please don’t leave?” Harry asked the assembled house elves.

Again that shocked look passed their faces; then they looked at Harry expectantly.

“Thank you all for helping out. Sempra has told us of the reasons. In our turn we will not be treating you harshly, and we will endeavour to get your Mistress to do the same.”

A chorus of ‘Thank you Two-masters’ greeted Harry’s statement. Draco had come round during Harry’s talk and added a groggy nodding of his head. Narcissa took somewhat longer to recover.

Sempra appeared. “Masters, Mistress Hermione has woken up and is getting rather cross.”

Ron put his umpteenth sandwich down. “I’ll go and get her. Shall I?” He used the French windows to reach the garden and bubbled off hurriedly.

By the time the two betrothed arrived back, Narcissa had awoken and been given an abbreviated version of events up to that point.

“So now I have two sons,” she was saying when Hermione and Ron walked in from the garden. “I see you have brought some friends too. Perhaps I ought to be introduced?”

“SORRY MOTHER!” The Duumviri exclaimed together. Then Harry looked abashed.

“Well if I have gained an extra son, you have gained a new Mother.” Narcissa went over and kissed Harry gently.

That confused Harry even further, so Draco covered up for him by introducing Ron and Hermione. Polite chat ruled the conversation for some time then Gondolum appeared.

“May I clear away now Two-masters, Mistress?”

“Yes thank you Gondolum.” Draco replied.

Narcissa’s face looked astounded; there followed a long discussion about the treatment of house-elves, including Hermione’s views about clothing them. Draco adopted an oh-Mother-really look, when Narcissa appeared to be a supporter of Hermione’s views. Then Mother adopted a more conciliatory let-them-chose-for-themselves mode, more in line with the rest of the company’s ideas.

When the subject of protection came up; Narcissa was adamant that she did not want to leave the Manor. She supported her sons’ views about the elimination of the evil one, but had no intention of leaving her house to rot. The argument continued all through dinner until Ron had a bright idea.

“Why not make the Manor one of our headquarters? Harry and Draco could alter all the Protectors, and with their strength the wards should be impregnable. The Manor house is nearer the centre of things than where we were before at Hogwarts and the Cottage. Any Death Eaters trying to force their way in would be in for a very big surprise.”

Hermione looked at her betrothed with admiration.

D: ‘There are hidden depths in our Ronald.’

H: ‘Yes; and I think Hermione’s just realising some of them. ’

D: ‘We purebloods don’t wear our hearts on our sleeves, unlike one person I know. ’

H: ‘I’ll get you for that, Malfoy. ’

D: ‘Yes please! In the pool during the victory skinny-dip if possible. ’

H: ‘Okay! In the house pool when it gets dark. ’

D: ‘Prude! ’

H: ‘It wasn’t me who didn’t want to show his things off to the family and guests, was it? ’

By this time the Duumviri were giggling outwardly, and the rest of the party were staring at them.

“It’s a duumviri thing Mrs. Malfoy,” Hermione explained. “They can talk privately together in their heads.”

“Call me Narcissa or Auntie please,” Mother replied. She adopted a pseudo stern voice. “I think it’s very rude of my sons to exclude the rest of us, don’t you? Come along Harry, Draco; amuse us by your thoughts.”

Harry looked down at his shoes whilst Draco became defiant.

“Well Mother, if you must know. We were planning a nude bathing session in the manor’s pool. I promised Harry that we could have one once we’d achieved our aims. He was feeling bashful about it.”

The Mistress took it calmly. “No need to be abashed about it Harry, Lucius and I have done so many times. Severus and Bellatrix joined us on a number of occasions too, if I remember correctly.”

It was Uncle’s turn to look bashful.

Narcissa continued, “I think my sagging bits are better suited to a costume now. But you young ones should be able to enjoy yourselves.”

Hermione looked embarrassed and Ron hopeful. A quick whispering session took place between them.

“I see this secrets business is all the rage now. Severus, come here; we’d better join in the latest fad.”

“Sorry Auntie. Ron and I have agreed to go skinny-dipping later on.”

“Oh dear! Here was I hoping to resurrect a certain liaison of yesteryear. Oh well; I suppose it’s for the best.”

Four sets of young eyes looked from Narcissa to Severus and back, and then adopted knowing smiles.

“Would our seniors like to have first dip then?” asked Draco archly.

“No! Your seniors would rather sit and chat about old times, thank you, Nephew.”

Narcissa indicated, with a secret smile, that she concurred with Uncle’s statement.

Severus continued, “We seem to have gone off the subject somewhat. I think we were discussing wards and headquarters etc.”

Harry looked up innocently. “I thought we had decided. Perhaps we should ask Mother formally?”

“No need for that Son. Perhaps I should ask you to be my guests, though.”

A small chorus of thanks was all the affirmation she needed.

“Gondolum?”

Pop. “Yes Mistress?”

“It seems we have guests tonight, would you mind preparing rooms for them, please?”

“We have already done so, Mistress. The Two-masters have Master Draco’s old suite but with a larger bed. Mistress Hermione and Master Ronald have the Primrose and Tulip rooms, with the shared bathroom suite between them. Master Severus has his old room in the Rosemary Suite. Is that in accord with your wishes, Mistress?”

“Marvellous! Well done Gondolum! It feels more like the old times, before all this nastiness started.”

“Thank you Mistress. I think Sempra wishes to speak with his Masters.”

“Ask him to come, please.”

Two pops, one departing, one arriving.

“Masters would you like me to bring your things here?”

Harry and Draco looked at each other.

“Yes please Sempra. Do you require any help?”

“It would be easier if the tent were here, say on one of the lawns.”

“Right! We’ll go to the copse and remove all the Protectors there. Next we’ll bring the tent here and make a start on the protectors round the manor’s estate. Whilst we are at the copse, Ron and Hermione would you like to remove all the old protectors here, please? Then you could have your dip during the time it takes for us to set up the new wards.”

The two betrothed acquiesced and an evening’s session of hard work commenced for the Duumviri. Whilst setting up the manor’s protectors the pair couldn’t fight the urge to peep at the pool, all they saw of interest was Ron’s bony behind. The duo were both whacked when they finished and had a quick shower to freshen up. Sempra and Dobby gave them an invigorating massage, putting the duo in fine form for their swim.

Ron and Hermione succumbed to the same peeping temptation that the duo had had, but all they could see were two gyrating bodies in the water and a snake swimming not too far away.