Birthday Celebrations

At breakfast Alan and Blaise ‘came out’ to the assembled company, backed by the Duumviri. Apart from a few ‘Muggle/magical’ worries, everyone took it in their stride, much to the relief of the new partners. Most people congratulated Alan on his new position as well. He reminded his new partner about the promised Quidditch demonstration

“Let’s leave the Quidditch until the link is complete, then you can see our school, your new workplace and use the full size pitch under its dome.”

As no magical being knew the Stoke on Trent surgery Alan agreed to go with Hagrid on the motorbike. They carried a miniaturised cabinet with them. Three-quarters of an hour after they had departed Alan appeared out of the London end cupboard and asked the duo to follow him. Naturally Gerald and Mary followed them and, not long afterwards, the female cousins decided they wanted something from their rooms.

It was coffee break before Harry and Draco were satisfied with the wards and Potfoy entrances. Arthur went to the Burrow, shrank the Granger’s car, and put it in their garage before returning it to its normal size. That garage’s automatic door had given Harry and Draco a few headaches when combining it with a Potfoy door. The elves started carrying back the Granger’s possessions whilst Mary made Muggle refreshments and served them to the company.

Augusta lived not too far away, in her Dukeries home. She was promised the next connection, once it had been recaptured from the other side. Meanwhile she made an arrangement to come to the Granger house if everything looked like turning too nasty. Moreover, Tony suggested they turn the flat roof of the garage into a roof garden with a covered loggia at the house end.

“This loggia,” he said, “would disguise a magical airlock, as in the marsh adit at the Burrow. A few carefully placed potted evergreens would disguise the landing ground from any neighbours. It would then be possible to put stronger wards on Mrs Longbottom’s house, and have a bubble communication system.”

As the proposed door would lead into the box room they were using to house the cupboards, the company thought it was a good idea. So Tony set about making his aerial garden and Narcissa arranged for her elves to deliver the necessary plants from the Manor’s nursery. Alan added to the disguise by moving his computer equipment into the room and having Severus disguise the cabinets as a double door steel stationery cupboard; giving the whole room an office atmosphere.

“After all,” Alan surmised, “I shall need to make a thorough catalogue and proper labels, won’t I, Uncle? And I can use the computer for that.”

The duo sensed Uncle feeling quite content with his new assistant.

D: ‘Maybe he won’t be quite as irascible if he can find his ingredients more easily.’

H: ‘I’ll give Alan a copy of that ingredients chart Uncle and I drew up a few days ago; that might help too. I reckon the Potter pot of gold could stand two years salary. Especially as the Malfoy millions paid for certain junior staff members.’

D: ‘I’m glad Mother admitted that to us.’

When Uncle and Arthur arrived at the cottage Gudrun was surprised to see his master and even more astonished when, not long afterwards, his son walked out of the newly installed cabinet to greet him. Chetrum insisted that everyone stayed for her organic lunch so an expedition to see the ruin was organised in the meantime.

The Duumviri were surprised how quickly nature had taken over and mentioned it to Uncle.

“I think the wards kept natural decay at bay, so I imagine nature hurried up when there was nothing left to hold it back. We need some research doing on that.” Uncle looked meaningfully at Alan, who nodded and entered it on his handheld.

Alan and Tony put their heads together about another magical airlock, trying to have its end close to the cabinets. They came up with an idea to make a Swiss chalet type of balcony by extending the cottage’s eaves. They had the Duumviri make a warded tunnel to the outside of the protective dome; it was to be wide enough to take triple bubbles. There was some self-interest in this as Tony’s parents lived not too far from Penrith, and Susan’s guardian lived on the Cumbrian coast. All within reasonable bubble distance from the cottage.

McGonagall and Susan were the two who went to the school with their miniaturised cupboard. Hagrid followed them on the motorbike, as he had difficulty squeezing through the cabinets. The Hogwarts cupboard was installed unobtrusively in the junior staff common room. Draco and Harry were surprised how easy it was to make the cabinets blend in with the décor of each house where they were placed. Severus managed to disguise its outer door so that it matched every other door in the common room. To the uninitiated its interior appeared to contain a flight of steps curving upwards. When the four order members came in for tea they were very surprised to see so many people crowded into the common room and its adjacent multipurpose chamber. Once the links had been explained, Susan and Tony set about making recognisors for the Order members and distributing them along the chain.

After tea Alan got his Quidditch demonstration, using the duple Firebolt he was able to take part and joined Draco’s team. This time they won. The seekers had agreed to net the Snitch, as the previous one had needed some careful repair before it was playable again, but they still had as much fun as before during the game; because the new Snitch still had a quirky mind of its own.

After dinner the magical tents were collapsed at the Burrow and publicly brought into the junior staff common room. The rumour was soon spread around school by the early arrivals about them being there, but in fact, they had never been re-erected only stored away. When the new term started, this rumour was encouraged and managed to explain away the many people who kept appearing out of the now warded junior staff common room.

‘Going home’ took on an entirely new meaning for those in the know.

In the evening some thought was given to the use of rooms at school. Harry and Draco opted to use their one at the Manor house. Alan persuaded Blaise that, now his computer equipment was out of the way; there would be enough room for them at the Surgery. Hermione and Ron opted for rooms at their homes for the time being, but reserved one room at Hogwarts to act as their joint study room and for later marital developments. It was more complicated for the other three officers, as they were up to an hour’s bubble ride from each of their homes, so they opted for retaining their present rooms at school. The three rooms thus made available were offered to the patrolling Order members, on a rota basis, thus freeing the magical academy’s guest rooms. Thereafter, for an hour, the link contained an endless procession of elves, moving their owner’s chattels to their new abodes.

During the serving of nightcaps in the common room, Draco noticed Sempra looking slightly worried.

“What’s the problem Sempra?”

“Well Master it’s Melanie. There is a full establishment at the Manor where you two will be housed, so she doesn’t have a kitchen to call her own.”

Betty overheard the conversation. “Draco, would she like to have the Surgery’s kitchen? Neither Connie nor I are that good cooks. At the moment Auntie and Uncle are quite busy with the practice, so the one of us who isn’t acting as receptionist has to take the entire domestic stuff in hand.”

Sempra looked hopefully at Draco.

“Go and see if Melanie would be amenable, we’ll go and ask Auntie and Uncle Granger.”

§§§§§§

The two people were relaxing with Augusta at the Surgery. They had found a mutual interest in the theatre.

“Not only are we given a quick free link to the West End, but are offered free servants too. I’m very happy to have some domestic help thank you. There aren’t a few cleaners available are there? Our daily says she’s getting too old and we were about to advertise for a new one.”

Pop. “Melanie has two sisters, one of them is promised to a young Hogwarts elf, and they’ll need to find places soon.”

The Grangers had jumped when Sempra appeared.

“You’ll have to get used to that, if you take them on.” Draco chuckled.

“Oh I think we could live with that.” Gerald chuckled back.

A further three pops and the Grangers met their domestics, agreeing that they were on loan from the Harry/Draco putative household in Grimmauld Place. That last arrangement pleased all parties and fulfilled the legal niceties thus allowing Dobby and Sempra to have a house base too.

“Thank you Mistress. When you have Muggle friends to visit, they won’t see us. We have found a nice spot in you cellar, may we make our quarters there, please?”

“Come and show me, Sempra.”

The place was acceptable to both parties so the elves settled in.

By that time, the duo’s pre bed ritual was due to be indulged, so a little later the Duumviri settled into Draco’s expanded four-poster at the Manor. They glowed all over smelling of ‘Rose Seduction’ and promptly set about fulfilling its suggestions.

§§§§§§

On Sunday morning, their knockers up were Blaise and Alan still in their dressing gowns.

Blaise commenced, “It seems that the Grangers indulge in that quaint Muggle custom of going to church. Their nephew, my lover, has persuaded me to accompany him, so we aim to twist your arms too.”

Alan continued, “Hermione used to go when she was at home, and my sisters are in the choir, so they’re all going. Ron daren’t cross that monstrous army of women, so he’s accompanying them.”

“Ginny’s grizzled at the twins, so they gave in. Then Tony and Susan said they’d like to try it out. How about you two?”

Harry imperceptibly nodded to Draco. “What time do we leave?”

“In half an hour.”

“But we’ll have had no breakfast!”

“There’s a light one served at church after the service. The family likes to go to Communion fasting.”

“Okay! If that’s the done thing, Alan, we’ll follow your lead.”

After assembling in the Surgery’s front room, the small teenage army followed the two older Grangers and Augusta, walking for about five minutes before arriving at the place of worship. The Rector was at the door greeting people as they came in. Betty and Connie gave him a quick kiss and scampered off to put on their robes. The two Grangers were on sidesmen’s duties; so it fell to Hermione to introduce everyone. This she did under the category of: ‘school friends from her boarding school in Scotland’, and attaching Augusta as Neville’s grandmother. Hermione also explained that they had all been to a birthday celebration in Devon, and had taken a break whilst they were passing on their way back to school in Scotland; where they were undertaking some extra curricular work.

The Rector ascertained that they were not full members of any church and invited them to come up to the altar rail to receive a blessing at the appropriate place during the service. Hermione led the way and assembled them in three rows of pews towards the back of the church.

D: ‘It reminds me a little of Hogwarts with all its pillars and arches.’

H: ‘There’s a warm feeling about the place, you know, a loving one.’

D: ‘Mmm, I know what you mean. Can you smell the incense?’

H: ‘It’s even drowning your aftershave.’

D: ‘It’s not aftershave, its cologne.’

H: ‘Yeah, whatever! I like the organ music.’

D: ‘Mmm, me too … That Vicar was nice.’

H: ‘Yes … Oh ho; I think it’s starting.’

D: ‘There’s Betty and Connie, their robes are something like ours a school; better colours, though.’

After a couple of verses, Harry and Draco could follow the tune of the first hymn, and joined in singing the unfamiliar words. The opening prayers and Gloria foxed them completely, but they could feel the congregation’s joyous fervour as they sang. Then there were two readings from the Bible. Quite challenging; about the way people should behave towards each other. Basically the boys agreed with the sentiments, seeing parallels from their ethics lessons. Another hymn, the tune was different but easier to follow. The Rector read a story about Jesus; then everybody sat down. This bit was like the headmaster’s addresses at dinner. Thanks for people doing things, setting out the timetable etc.

Putting the notices book down, the priest gripped the side of the lectern and looked earnestly at the people in front of him.

“Once or twice in every priest’s life something very special happens: Something that makes him or her feel very joyous and yet very humble. Such a marvellous thing has happened to me today and I am moved to tell you about it. You know me; I spend ages in my study on Saturday looking up the texts for the next day. Praying about the meaning contained, and then writing down in my notes what I feel the Spirit is moving me to say. The Wardens keep telling me that I go on for too long and you all go to sleep half way through. So with that in mind I shall throw my notes away.”

The notes concerned consisted of six closely written pages; he tore them in two and tossed them over his shoulder. The congregation tittered as he did so, but paid closer attention too.

“I planned to say something about how we should behave towards each other, as the readings suggested, but the Spirit is leading me in another direction entirely. You will have noticed a group of teenagers who have come with the Granger family. They are not from church backgrounds and know little of what we believe. A couple of days ago they celebrated an engagement and three coming of age birthdays, or so I am told. They are also all just starting a new corporate life together. Now Saint Paul says that there are many forms of service to God, most of you are familiar with the passages. Also that they all say the Spirit will lead each of us to where we will do the most good. But what is the Spirit saying to us about these young men and women? ... Well now … That they have a very special role to play … That they will face great dangers … That their role must be a secret one … That if they fail, a great calamity will happen to all of us … That many people will not understand that role … Just as Our Lord and Saint Paul were misunderstood … The Spirit moves me to commission them … Even though we may never see them again … Do you feel what I feel brothers and sisters?”

There was an electric silence; then a few quiet yes’s were heard; they soon grew into a great shout of confirmation.

“Well then, having made that decision, let us proceed to the proper place in the service where they can be properly commissioned.”

Draco and Harry were stunned and they could see their friends were equally shocked. As the prayers took place Harry glanced round and had another big surprise. All their seniors were there, standing silently at the back of the church.

Draco noticed them too, ‘I think something very important is happening.’

Harry looked at Draco’s serious face and agreed with him.

The next ten minutes or so passed in a daze, the youngsters awoke from it when members of the congregation, having made their communion, came in pairs, took each young person to the altar rail. Here the new officers of the Defence Company were asked to kneel. This included the three young Granger Muggles, Ginny and the Weasley Twins. After they knelt, the congregation made sure that as many of their hands were placed on every teenager’s shoulders as possible.

Harry and Draco held hands, spreading them out to link Ron and Hermione on one side, Alan and Blaise on the other. Soon the whole Company were linked together in the same way.

“We commission you to uphold justice and peace, to fight for the true meaning of love in all its forms. Never be defeated; when all seems lost, soldier on; know that love will win in the end.” The boys marvelled at the unanimity of the voices.

The priest laid his hands on their heads in pairs. “Commissioned in the name of God.” He said simply and moved on to the next pair, repeating the words. Harry and Draco felt a special joy when it happened to them, and they could see the others had too.

They were still dazed as the last hymn started, and then their joy bubbled through; helping them to sing heartily.

The light breakfast afterwards consisted of a large mug of coffee and as many rounds of toast and marmalade as they could consume. The adult wizards and witches formed a slightly protective barrier round their charges, and countered any really intrusive inquisitiveness with suitably bland replies. Most of the Muggles, however, were content to shake the youngsters’ hands and wish them well in their endeavours, many of them said they would pray for them, when that happened the Duumviri found themselves overcome with emotion more than once. Molly joggled them along when things became too intense by making little jokes.

Uncle’s eyes said something else though. They had wonderment in them, as he came to grips with something way outside his previous knowledge. It was a mutual feeling too among those newly commissioned ones. Something, no someone out there, was intensely interested in their final victory and was willing them on. The simple commissioning words rang round constantly, as though a cosmic bell had been rung.

As they trooped back to the Surgery in a very leisurely and thoughtful fashion; Susan was the first to notice a difference.

“Hey guys, do you see a mist around each of you?”

No one else did.

“It’s becoming clearer. Ron you seem to be inside a large daffodil.”

Some of them tittered.

She looked at Harry and Draco. “You two have golden spinning rings round you.”

After a time Susan had managed to tell each of them what she saw.

Ron had been listening intently to her prognostications. “Hey Susan. The colours you say you see, they're the same as the ones I sense for use on the flowers. I think you are able to see people’s auras.”

“Really? Well I don’t like those auras surrounding those Muggles over there then. I feel that they're not up to much good.”

“Where?”

Susan pointed.

Draco vaguely waved his hand at them and waggled his fingers saying; “Go away; Susan thinks you’re up to no good.” It was pronounced in the most sarcastic Malfoy way.

The little group yelled as though they had been stung, and ran off at a great rate of knots.

“Err … Draco, how did you do that without a wand?” Tony asked.

“I didn’t do anything.”

“Oh Yes you did; I saw the spell leave your hands and hit them.”

“Err … guys … I think something is happening to us; let’s not discuss anything more until we’re inside some good safe wards.” Blaise was looking at Alan in a very peculiar way.

The Company’s dawdle turned into a purposeful hurry. Blaise seemed to take charge and he led them through the links into the common room.

“OK Guys, I think I know what’s happened. That commissioning has given us some new gifts. And I think they are coming out in order too … Susan love. Please would you put us in groups according to how you see our auras?”

Harry, Draco and Uncle formed a group, Ron and Hermione gained Lupin, Tonks took Anthony and Susan under her wings, McGonagall was given Blaise and Alan, next came Molly with Betty and Connie, the two Longbottoms added Ginny to their group and Narcissa put her arms round Fred and George.

“Next to show was Draco, I think … Perhaps you could give us seven settees in a semicircle, please; I have a feeling that Harry can help you as well. No wands to be used.”

Draco and Harry thought over what had happened with the nere-do-wells, felt the power in their fingertips and moved the heavy furniture around as requested. Everyone sat down in their groups.

“Did any one see what they did apart from Tony? I understand you saw Draco’s magic, Tony. With Tonks’s hue changing, I think colour is the common denominator for your group. Maybe we should sit in our groups and work out any links we have.

“I think ours is Duumviri as Uncle was one previously with the Headmaster. Keep that to yourselves please?”

“Blaise dear, I think ours is organisation and preparation. The headmistress does it, I shall with Uncle’s ingredients, and you’re doing it now.”

“That reminds me … Susan, how intense is my aura compared to Alan’s.”

“Very much the same, Blaise; why do you ask?”

“I’ll tell you in a minute … Harry and Draco, have you charged Alan with any magic today?

“No he was fully discharged last night before we went to bed.”

“Alan love, if I say experiment, are you willing?”

“You know me. Yes, of course I am.”

“Fred and George, would you come and catch Alan if he falls, please? Not that I think that he will. Let’s go into the multipurpose room for a minute.”

Once inside it was expanded into a flying space.

“Right love, get on my broomstick and fly. Just remember how we did it together and shove off.”

Alan looked hesitant then looked at Tony who confirmed; “I can see nearly everyone holding a spell ready to catch you just in case. Go on try it.”

Alan kicked off, and flew easily. He tried a few manoeuvres and landed grinning all over his face. “Err … Who was helping me?”

“I don’t think anyone was Lover. Did you see anyone Tony?”

“No.”

“I think we’ve got ourselves a new wizard. Is it possible there are two new witches as well.”

“They have strong auras; almost as strong as Molly’s.”

“Thanks Susan … Well girls, what do you think?”

Betty spoke first: “I can remember the spells Harry and Draco taught us, the freezing one and the lifting one.”

“I think the freezing one is too dangerous as we don’t know how strong you are. Alan dear, will you be a victim of the lifting spell please. We’ll catch you if anything goes wrong … Betty, please think about lifting him three feet off the ground when you say the words? I know the ceiling’s high but I’d rather not have to scrape him off it. Think of lifting him waist high. Okay?”

“You can borrow my wand Betty. As we share the same aura it might work.”

“Thanks Mrs Weasley … Mobilicorpus … Oh look, I’ve done it!”

Betty turned round to look at everyone, and they all scattered because Alan’s body followed the tip of her wand.”

“Ooh! Sorry Alan … Err … How do I put him down?”

“See if you can gently put him on that sofa … That’s it … Now walk with him … Bring the wand slowly down … Great … Now repeat the word but add Finis at the end … Well done.”

“Blaise?”

“Yes Alan?”

“I think I prefer riding on a broomstick, it was very unnerving whizzing round like that and having no control.”

“It’s okay Alan. I’ll be Connie’s body to practice on.”

“Thanks Neville, I was feeling quite queasy.”

Neville changed places with Alan on the couch. Connie had obviously been thinking about what her sister had done. Neville’s levitation was smooth. Connie lifted him over Ginny’s head and put him to rest on another sofa; remembering to add the Finis without needing a prompt.”

Round the edge of their meeting various elves were beginning to look anxious; Gudrun finally caught Blaise’s attention.

“Master, lunch has been ready for nearly an hour.”

“Sorry Gudrun, Where are you serving it?”

“We thought on the Manor’s terrace, Master.”

“OK guys, you heard him, let’s go.”

§§§§§§

Despite having filled up with toast and marmalade, the company found ample room for lunch. It was an informal buffet, but the new groups tended to sit together; those who had not decided on their common denominator puzzled over it.

It was when Fred and George were telling Narcissa about creating their various jokes, including how well they were doing financially, that the penny dropped.

“I used to like inventing things too, but when I became married it was considered not the genteel thing to do. I have a feeling that our role is to be making things for the Company and Order, so that they can make the lives of the Death Eaters miserable. Let’s go down to my workshop in the basement, I’ve still been dabbling, though Lucius never knew about it.”

Molly and the girls had their heads together.

“You know, I was quite a good flyer in my day. I think I’ll teach you that first, then we’ll learn the bubble charm. After that we’ll go for some of the more deadly stuff. I overheard Blaise say that you two would make good battle witches; I fancy a slice of that myself. Being a caring mum tends not to be too exciting. So let’s add a bit of spice, Eh? What do you think girls?”

Betty and Connie were with her one hundred per cent of the way; agreeing to go to Diagon Alley the following day to buy the necessary things and to alternate practice days so the surgery would not suffer.

Draco and Harry drifted by and heard the girl’s plans.

“I think you’re going to have to borrow wands. Ollivander’s has closed down. Go and ask Mother,” Draco suggested. “I’m sure she has lots of old Malfoy wands, I bet one or two of them might suit.

Betty and Connie found Narcissa and the twins in her workshop and explained about the wands. Narcissa produced a box full of them and a testing session got underway on one of the lawns. Narcissa taught them the Mobilliarbus charm so that a relatively simple spell could be tested on some old tree stumps. There were some alarming results, rather like the disturbance when Harry chose his first wand in Ollivander’s, so Tony was asked to come and translate the spells. Between them an understanding of exactly how a wand worked was beginning to be formulated. Alan became involved; using Blaise’s wand he Accioed his laptop in order to record the complex information. The five investigators became more and more absorbed in the recording of their finds that they forgot the original intention of supplying two suitable wands. It was Alan who remembered and called them back to their primary duty, by asking if they could find a suitable wand for him.

Once they had the various statistics it became possible for the three inventors to alter the nearest compatible wand’s performance to suit its user. Thus another idea for suitable line was born: the possibility of the manufacture of new wands. Narcissa showed a particular flair for this work and, once Susan was brought in, a scientific base was promulgated about auras, personality, colour of magic required and many other specifics. The three ex Muggles were satisfied with their wands and the girls went away with Molly to practice.

Alan stayed behind with his laptop whilst the inventors, aided by Susan and Tony classified each member of the Company and any of the other adults available. They found the results interesting and resolved to classify all the Hogwarts students and as many other magical people as possible.

§§§§§§

That afternoon the Duumviri went with Augusta and Neville to Longbottom Lodge, where they identified the present wards and strengthened them where necessary. They created a magic-lock and a bubble-port in the clock tower’s belfry. When the duo returned they tested the Surgery’s landing ground for complete secrecy. There were one or two minor adjustments needed to the camouflage, which Ginny made; Neville said he would return in the morning, once he was sure that his grandmother felt safe.

§§§§§§

That Sunday evening started a ritual that was to become established in the Company for some time to come. Narcissa talked her sons into another formal dinner, and persuaded them to twist the other member’s arms. In fact no terrible threats had to be made; most people seemed to think that it was a good idea. The Manor’s anteroom filled with formally bedecked witches and wizards in little groups. The chatter wasn’t the normal idle gossip of such Muggle gatherings, but swapping of news and ideas. The result was that different groups formed each day, depending on the subject that was most pressing. This first Sunday supper party’s main subject was the inventors’ group’s discoveries about the classification of magical spells, and how each person’s affinities could be gauged. Everyone had been tested so they all felt a personal stake in the revealed results.

After the main course had been cleared away; Susan, who had been sitting near McGonagall, Blaise and Alan, suddenly gasped and went white. Those nearby looked on to see if she wanted help.

“N-no T-thank you; I've just realised that some people’s auras are changing. Ron and I had discussed why Uncle’s blue daffodil colour was different from his gold star aura. I’ve just realised that the Headmistress has changed from orange into the red, thus matching Alan and Blaise; now all three of you are changing again. The two boys are starting to develop silver rings and Ms McGonagall’s aura is becoming a silver star. I have a deep feeling that another pair of Duumviri are soon to be joined together.”

Blaise looked embarrassed; Alan looked at him. “I’m going to tell them Lover,” he said firmly.

“You can’t. There can only be one pair at once.”

“Until today, it was impossible for Muggles to become magicians, or so you told me.”

“Yes … Well … It was true.”

“So if one idea has been altered, why not another. According to you people seeing magic and auras is extremely rare too. So, that glow of love this morning has changed things. You know we were both shocked with what our Rector said, but felt it was correct. I think you should tell them.”

“Err … Draco and Harry forgive me …” Blaise was uncharacteristically hesitant. “You’ll remember our many conversations about Duumviri. Well … Alan and I found out that we were having simultaneous dreams, even before we got together. I dismissed them as coincidence when we talked about them. I knew it couldn’t be true, because of the one pair at a time tradition. Once the Dumbledore/Snape pairing had finished, that induced the Potter/Malfoy pairing to come into being. So … Oh dear, how can I say this? ... Err … I thought something terrible might happen to you two … Besides which a magical/Muggle Duumviri had never been known … Now Alan is magical … So that has changed … Err … Oh dear … I don’t know what to think …”

Harry and Draco looked at each other, came to a joint decision and went to Alan and Blaise. The duo put their arms round Blaise’s and Alan’s shoulders.

“IF VICTORY OVER THE DARK CALLS FOR OUR DEATH, SO BE IT. WE SEE NO REASON WHY OUR SUCESSORS, IF THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE, SHOULD NOT SHARE TOGETHER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.”

Severus had that look of awe on him and spoke in a hollow prophetic voice. “Special circumstances call for special exceptions. Do not question the need for extra strength at this particular time. Accept the gifts given and use them to defeat ultimate evil.” The Potions Professor crumpled to the floor unconscious where the Headmistress supported him. Ginny went to the two seniors, laid her hands on Severus’s head and closed her eyes. Professor Snape woke, and had a beautiful smile on his face.

“Well? … Finish up your dinner … Then induct them ….” It was Minerva who spoke, looking directly into her colleague’s eyes.

So it was that, in the Malfoy family’s chapel, two new Duumviri swore their oaths to each other until after death. Using the opportunity offered, Narcissa was sworn in as a member of the Order, and the three new magicians as members of the Company. That started another tradition; both Company and Order used the chapel for their ceremonies from then on.

§§§§§§

Before retiring to bed the four met together in one of the manor’s many withdrawing rooms. They had a discussion about roles, duties, and other matters of concern. Coming to a common mind they asked Mother if Blaise and Alan could become residents of the manor, suggesting a suite next door to Harry’s and Draco’s. This had a smaller bedroom in between, which they proposed to convert into their retiring room. Narcissa was only too pleased, and had the house elves moving things around immediately. Once the heavy furniture was removed the retiring room seemed much bigger. There was ample room for six comfortable armchairs, a couple of bureau desks and a circular table seating six people. It also had a balcony overlooking the lily pond. The four had cocoa together before retiring, via the bedtime ritual, to the delights of soft four-poster beds.