Birthday Celebrations

Harry climbed into his new bed; it was wider that the other one, but just as comfortable. He thought about all that had happened that day. How their attitudes had been challenged; all through this he kept on returning to one person: Draco Malfoy. Harry worried about how they were to become working mates, and about Ron’s attitude towards Malfoy plus Hermione’s coldness. Harry started to list the things he had in common with Malfoy, and was surprised at the number of agreements they had. There were lonely childhoods, potions and transfiguration, flying and Quidditch. As he slowly drifted off to sleep he relived some of the Quidditch matches they had played. These games were changed subtly as Malfoy seemed to be on Harry’s side, though how two Seekers could be on the same side did not seem to be resolved, but it worked in Harry’s dream world. The locations of the pitches kept on altering too.

Harry was woken by Ron. “I banged on your door, Mate, but you didn’t answer. So Hermione said I should come in and wake you.”

“Sorry Ron, I had a lot of dreams about Malfoy. I tried listing the things we had in common and it became all muddled after that.”

“Malfoy? We don’t have anything in common with him!”

“Try thinking of him as Draco; we’re going to have to work with him, you know.”

“That slug! Look at all the things he’s done to us?”

“Maybe, but think of all the things we’ve done to him and his cronies.”

“All right … I’ll try. You two will have to kick me when I stray.”

“I kick you when you stray, now,” said Hermione walking in: “Harry, why aren’t you dressed yet?”

“Well! I keep having visitors.”

“Okay! We’ll leave, but you will get up, won’t you?”

“Yeah,” Harry sighed.

The six officers sat round the table eating breakfast. Unlike the great hall, food had to be requested in the alcove, but it came very quickly. In the same way the empty dishes were put on the table there, and they disappeared. Afterwards, Hermione stayed behind to teach the new officers about the Avio Incognito charm, whilst Harry and Ron used the headmistress’s floo to reach Diagon Alley and buy a suitable magical tent.

§§§§§§

Hermione went through the arrangement carefully, Susan and Tony soon had the knack, but Neville was nervous. At one time Neville overbalanced as he was casting so he grabbed a chair. On taking off the chair went with him inside the bubble causing a wobble and he crashed into a side wall. Luckily for him the bubble cushioned the worst bumps. Giggling, the others helped him to his feet, and he made a perfect takeoff afterwards.

“That mistake might be useful,” said Susan thoughtfully. “We might be able to use it to carry objects around. I’ll go and get my trunk; I know how to balance that.”

A couple of false starts and Susan gained the knack.

“How about trying to take me with you?” Tony asked.

“Won’t we collide and whiz round?”

“I think that’s with two bubbles, not two people in the same bubble.”

“Okay. Hop on the back of my broomstick. Let’s try.”

That experiment was much easier. Whilst Neville was manning the shell receiver he looked very thoughtful. “Hermione? What would happen if two people took both their brooms inside one bubble? We now know that ‘half mile rule’ only applies to two different bubbles, doesn’t it?”

When Tony and Susan returned they agreed to try the idea out. They came back looking quite ruffled.

“We both said the charm in unison so we were two separate entities inside,” Tony reported. “We didn’t spiral but when we tried to turn the person on the outside had to accelerate and bank, a bit like Muggle airplanes. So we had to talk to each other minutely about the next move we were going to take etc. We kept bumping in to each other too, but the bubble was definitely bigger.”

“How about, one of us makes the charm whilst the other one holds on? You know, a bit like Side-Along-Apparating with someone else?”

There were various experiments along the same lines. They worked out that one person could hold the charm, riding in the centre of a threesome. Four was unbalanced and therefore unwieldy, but if the centre charmer also held the outer broomsticks when making the spell, he or she could smoothly control all three broomsticks.

The experimenters were tired out by the time Ron and Harry returned with the tent.

“We’ve been experimenting with the Avio charm,” Hermione reported, lounging in an easy-chair. “Neville first thought of it; then Susan and Tony tried variations on his theme. One spell caster can take two others on their brooms with him or her and we can carry an object as well.”

“Great, Hermione!” Harry beamed at her. “That means we can travel together and see where we’re going. I didn’t fancy Apparating blind; besides it’s so tiring and you’re the only one licensed at the moment.”

Hermione looked daggers at Ron.

“It was only my eyebrow I left behind!” Ron blushed and looked defiant.

“It’ll be my birthday soon; then I can be licensed to,” Harry added. “It’ll be better if we can all travel together, one leading and the others keeping a lookout. Also we can go on for longer, as the tiredness factor will be stretched by three. Well … Almost … Anyway.”

“You Quidditch players can go on for ever, but I’m unused to zooming around all over the place, I get saddle sore sometimes.”

“Okay Hermione. You tell us when it’s getting too much and we’ll look for somewhere to stop.” Harry had forestalled Ron’s impatient looks. “You will need a rest first anyway. How about if we set off immediately after lunch? Where we’re going to is only about five hours flying time anyway. That’s two turns each with some leeway for finding certain landing stopovers.”

“There are some books I shall need. Ron, will you help me please.” Hermione seemed to loose her torpor and jumped up out of the chair.

The new officers remained, flopped-down in the easy chairs, but Harry, Ron and Hermione set up the tent and moved her books and their things into it.

Tonks and Lupin came and had lunch with them. They were introduced to the new officers and some of the workings of the Order were explained to them over the meal.

“Diggle’s on guard duty at the moment. Minerva says that Harry, Hermione and Ron have something special to do, so there’ll be six of us for the time being. It’ll be enough whilst it’s just the school buildings and grounds, but we’ll have to up the ante when the students return.”

“We hope to have things cleared up by then, Lupin. Plus another member of the team, so that should help; when the DA arrives back that’ll add extra helpers too.”

“We’re going to investigate the various stores and the Room of Requirement, just to see if there are any other possible hidden gateways; we could do with some help. Susan, Tony and Neville would you like to come along?”

The eagerness in the new officers’ postures spoke louder than their hurried yes’s.

As Harry’s team left, five heads were organising the night rota before starting their investigation.

§§§§§§

“Harry and I will take the first two turns, Hermione. That’ll give you some time to rest.”

“Thank you Ron, most thoughtful of you.”

“We will not be able to fly in a straight line,” Harry said. “There are some sprawling towns in the way, and we will need to find quiet private places to land. I have this Muggle map so we can see where we’re going.”

All three of them pored over it, discussing the pros and cons of various routes and stopping places. Next they went to see the headmistress to say goodbye; then they levitated the now packed tent and reduced it. Walking outside the school grounds they located a suitably private place. Sitting aside his broomstick and holding the other two, Harry pronounced the spell and they took off.

To begin with, their route followed the railway as far as the junction where the Hogwarts branch joined the main line. Not too far away there was a long loch reflecting the sunlight, at the furthest end of which was a ruined castle on a promontory. They flew round this, ascertaining that no one was around. Once they were sure it was clear Harry took them in to land. Hermione walked round for five minutes straightening her kinks; then Ron acted as steersman for the next leg.

Now they were following a chain of mountain tops that seemed to go on for ages. Some of them looked so alike that it was difficult to discern where they were. However Hermione had kept count of the peaks and when it came time to turn into the correct valley they were only one peak out. Harry was extremely grateful because he had spotted what he thought was the steam from the Hogwarts Express returning the students to their homes and in staring at it had lost all sense of direction.

This time a clearing in the trees beckoned and after the usual precautions and a short rest Hermione took charge of the ensuing part of the journey.

This time there was a city directly ahead and they knew they had to skirt round it, as the various up currents of air might destabilise the bubble. Then they met the city’s airport; hovering over the control tower until they were sure there were no planes taking off or about to land. It was twenty minutes before they could fly clear.

“I wonder if we will show up on the Muggle’s radar.”

“We’re not made of metal you know.”

“No, but there are quite a few metal objects in the tent, aren’t there?”

“They’ve been shrunk so let’s hope we look like their background snow.”

“We’ll have to land soon, there’s a flat topped hill over there. If we land we can wait a bit to make sure they don’t send a helicopter to investigate. I’m beginning to feel a bit sore.”

“I’m hungry!”

“You’re always hungry, Ron.”

They scouted the small plateau, landed and set up the tent in an area surrounded by bushes. Their break lasted for nearly an hour. Hermione lay down on her bed and had a nap. Ron and Harry wandered round the edge munching biscuits and inspecting what had obviously been a prehistoric encampment and the base for a mediaeval castle. They had a lot of fun imagining Arthurian knights, their quests, fights and tourneys.

Soon it was time to take off again; Harry had to take them over a leg of the sea. There was a stiffening wind directly ahead of them and they could see it blowing tatters of clouds. About halfway across the clouds thickened and it started to rain, the clump of trees, which they were aiming for, disappeared from view. There was one benefit though; the bubble shed the rain so that those inside it remained dry.

“If we keep the rain beating at that point we shall be flying in a straight line, Harry.”

“Thanks Hermione.”

Harry kept adjusting their course keeping the rain hitting the same spot on the bubble’s surface.

“Err … Harry! There’s water just below us.”

“There’s water all around us, Ron.”

“Yes but this one has waves in it.”

“The wind must have blown us down. I’ll take us up a bit.”

Harry’s adjustment was a little too bold, because they shot out above the clouds into clear blue sky.

“Isn’t it beautiful, like a cotton wool sea?”

“There’s one problem though!”

“What’s that?”

“We still can’t see our clump of trees!”

“There’s another problem too. We’ve only got ten minutes left.”

“Go that way.”

“But that’s not the way we were flying, Hermione.”

“The Sun shouldn’t be in front of us, it should be off to the right; the wind must have turned us round.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course I am!” Hermione gave one of her withering looks.

“OK. We’ll go your way.”

They flew for five minutes in the new direction; then went in a shallow dive through the clouds and into the rain. Ron became jittery after another close pass with the waves and kept a close watch below them.

“There’s some sand below, let’s go down,” he suggested.

They were about four feet off the sand when there was a loud pop and the bubble burst. They landed heavily but no one was hurt. Hermione soon cast a shield for them from the rain. They walked up the beach until they were sure that they were above the tide-line. The tent was quickly erected and they went into its dry interior.

“I hope this blows over soon. We daren’t take off until we know where we are.”

“It’s lighter on the horizon, so let’s hope it clears before the sun goes down.”

“I was feeling a bit sore, so the rest will do me good.”

“We’ll stop if you like Hermione.”

“I’d like to get where we’re going if that’s at all possible. I can put up with a bit of soreness.”

“I’ve got some of that potion we used to rub on after Quidditch if that’d be any help?”

“Yes please, Harry.”

Harry found the potion and Hermione retired to her room to apply it. Ron conjured up some soup when Hermione reappeared, and they sat sipping soup watching the blue sky slowly emerge from the storm.

“Look, we’re at the bottom of a cliff, facing almost due west.”

“There aren’t any cliffs facing west on the map; at least, not where I think we should be.”

“Look at the sun and at the time, we are definitely facing west.”

“It’s stopped raining let’s fly to the top of the cliff and see if we can recognise anything. We’d better go in the bubble in case there are Muggles around. It’s your turn Ron.”

The tent came down and was shrunk. Ron cast the charm and they rose up the cliff face. They were very pleased they had become incognito, as there was a small town on the top of the cliff, and various Muggles were out in their gardens. The Trio flew round and spotted the named post office. Rising, Harry studied the map and found the town on it.

“We’re in luck, that storm blew us much nearer our destination. Now, all we have to do is find a disused railway line.”

“There’s one over there.”

“Okay. We follow it until we come to a bridge, then we follow the river as far as a gorge, next we look for a star shaped forest, it’s got some holes in it though.”

It took ten minutes to reach the bridge and twenty to find the gorge. The shape of the forest was less regular than shown on the map. It should have had more clearings.

“Harry?”

“Yes Hermione?”

“If you wanted to hide a house magically, don’t you think you might pretend it was trees in a forest?”

“Mmm, I suppose so … Oh, I see what you mean. Ron, aim for that point of the star.”

“Don’t get too near though; it might be Voldemort’s house, not Snape’s.”

“I’ll land on the other side of the next point then we shall have some cover.”

Ron put them down in some recently cut meadow, and they spied a small area just under the trees where they might set up the tent, camouflaged from prying eyes. Once their camp site was sorted, Harry volunteered to go on a quick sortie to look at the holes and the points of the star. Ron manned the shell and Hermione got her books out to try and determine exactly where the houses might be, as they were not likely to be shown on the Muggle map they owned.

“Avio Incognito … I’m flying round our point now, Ron … I’ll follow round the edge of the trees … Some of the ones in the next point look slightly fuzzy … I’m going to climb up and look down on that point … I can just see the join between the edge of the trees and the fuzzy ones … It’s very good; I reckon no Muggle could tell the difference … I think it’s my being used to seeing magic that helps … Hang on I’m going down … Oops … Oh dear.”

§§§§§§

Harry felt his bubble bump into something and then he started to whiz round and round. As struggled with his broomstick he heard another voice close at hand.

“Potter … What have you done to my broomstick?”

“Oh blast! Malfoy, you’re stuck to my bubble. I see you know Avio Incognito too.”

“Never mind that, stop whirling me round, I’m getting dizzy.”

“It’s part of the charm. We have to land and Finis before we both pass out.”

They struggled to point their brooms downwards landing close to some prickly bushes.

“Malfoy, help me out of this bush please?”

“I’m not sure I will. You landed me in some nettles you know.”

“Sorry. Now help me out.”

With a show of reluctance Draco offered Harry a hand.

“What’s this about that roundabout being part of the spell?”

“Who taught you the spell? Did they not tell you about the half mile rule?”

“Half mile rule … What are you babbling about?”

“When Mad-Eye taught us the spell, he said that any bubbles within a half mile of each other will be draw together like magnets, and whiz round just like we did.”

“Uncle didn’t say anything about that when he taught me.”

“Uncle? I knew you had an Aunt Bellatrix.”

“Oh! Well he’s an honorary uncle really. It’s Severus.”

“What Snape? I can’t imagine even you wanting him as an honorary uncle.”

“He’s quite different here … Nothing like the Snivellus at Hogwarts.”

“Are you sure it’s the same man?”

“Yes! He brought me here straight from the Astronomy Tower debacle. Well not straight, we jumped about a bit to throw off possible pursuers.”

“That’s where you failed to kill Dumbledore.”

“How do you know?”

“I was there under my invisibility cloak.”

“Why didn’t you defend him then and attack me.”

“Dumbledore used an Immobulus on me to stop me attacking you. When he died it freed me and then I chased you and your uncle.”

“He wasn’t my uncle then.”

Just then Ron and Hermione came whizzing in on their brooms.

“I see you bought your cabal with you.”

“Harry, are you all right?”

“I’m fine. Meet our new gang member.”

“Hello Granger, Weasley.” Draco held out his hand in a show of impeccable Malfoy manners, trying hard to keep the sneer from his face.

“Yes … Well … I suppose I’d better.” Ron tentatively shook the proffered hand.

“Erm … Uncle suggests that we call each other by our given names.”

“Hello M … Draco. It’s going to seem to be odd calling you by your first name, but I suppose we’d better get used to it.” Hermione shook hands too.

“You seem different, somehow.” Harry tried a tentative smile out on his old enemy.

“What happened since school, has given me much pause for thought.” Draco timorously smiled back.

“Draco was telling me about his new uncle, it’s Snape.” Harry winked at Draco.

“What?” Ron’s eyes opened wide. He got a kick from both Harry and Hermione as he appeared to be about to make a derogatory remark. “Ouch! That hurt.”

“Tell me Draco, he seems an unusual choice for a new uncle, perhaps it’s because he saved you?” Hermione spoke in her most diplomatic voice.

“Partly yes, but he’s quite a different person here. You must come and meet him.” Draco filled them in about Dumbledore, house-elves and the hideaway cottage as he walked them to where the front gate should be.

They rounded the point of the star and there was Severus standing by said gate. “I see you have found some new friends Draco. Welcome to my cottage, Hermione, Harry and Ron.”

Ron’s mouth fell open at the change in voice and attitude. Hermione nudged him. “Thank you Professor, it has a very pretty garden.”

Draco looked at Harry and smirked, Harry giggled; then both of them started laughing, so much so that they had to cling to each other to keep upright. Ron’s eyes popped out of his head, Hermione looked faintly disgusted.

Severus had an indulgent smile. “I think we had better go inside, this reckless laughter might be catching.”

The still-giggling pair brought up the rear of the little procession down the garden path.

A worried looking Gudrun met them at the door. “Master do you require sleeping arrangements for all your guests. If so please will you create some more?”

“Yes, if necessary. However, just for the present, would you ask Chetrum if she could expand dinner for our extra guests?”

“I’ll ask her, but it may take longer, sorry Master.”

“Don’t worry Gudrun. I imagine we have a lot to discuss, including the provision of accommodation. Please apologise to her for the short notice.”

“See. I told you he was different here, didn’t I?” whispered Draco in Harry’s ear; then they both giggled at Ron’s and Hermione’s astonishment.

Sempra appeared at Draco’s side holding a tray of glasses and various decanters. “Is this the Harry Potter, Sir?” He whispered to Draco.

“Erm … Harry; you appear to have an elfin fan. This is Sempra.”

“Hello Sempra.”

Sempra blushed; then went to Hermione to offer her the tray; she poured herself a drink, then the others had the tray presented them in turn.

“My mum says that dinner will be slightly late, in abut forty minutes. My dad’s in a tizzy about sleeping arrangements Sir.” Looking at Draco, who in turn looked at Harry.

“Professor?”

“Yes Harry?”

“We have a magic tent pitched just round the corner. Would it be possible to pitch it on one of your lawns, please?”

“What a good idea Harry. It will be under the protection of our wards and it will also stop Gudrun fretting.”

“I’ll tell my dad, Master.” Sempra disappeared.

Hermione was looking as pleased as punch. “Professor, why can’t everybody treat their house-elves like people, as you do?”

“I don’t know Hermione; everything runs much more smoothly when you do so, don’t you agree?”

“Absolutely … Why not clothes too?”

Ron looked at Draco and Harry with an expressive shrug and ‘hopeless case’ look.

Severus saw it and understood. “Why don’t you talk to my house-elves about it one day? You can see they are well treated, perhaps they can explain why they don’t want to wear clothes; it beats me.”

“We need to get our tent before dark, Harry. Shall I go and fetch it?”

“I’ll come with you Ronald; someone needs to open the wards for you.”

“Err … Thank you Professor.”

“I think you had better adopt Draco’s title for me; that is if you don’t mind. Professor in my home seems terribly unwieldy. Perhaps you would like to look at my collection of books Hermione, whilst I go with Ronald.”

“Harry, would you like to see Uncle’s potions lab, we’ve got some experimental ones brewing?”

“Sounds interesting, why not?”

Draco led the way; then stopped on the garden path leading to the lab. “Erm … Harry?”

“Yes Draco?”

“Erm … Uncle has told me a few secrets recently. One was about V splitting his soul into several parts and putting them into Horcruxes. I believe you’re trying to find them all and destroy them.”

“Yes that’s right. I’m relieved that you know, I was wondering how to tell you.”

“Uncle thinks there’s one in the ruined house near here.”

“Yes, McGonagall thought that there might be one there too. I’ve also been told that we will fail if you are not one of our special team.”

“Oh? Who told you that?”

“Dumbledore through his Pensieve, in a remembered conversation with S … Um ... Uncle. They seemed to have a very deep regard for each other, much deeper that pure friendship.”

“Uncle told me that Albus was his grandfather six times removed, you know, the magic seven. He also said something about a special ceremony that they undertook, which increased their combined powers. He hinted that we might need to undergo such a ceremony too.”

“I think we’ll have to get to like each other first.”

“Last night I tried to count the things that you and I have in common …”

“So did I! Did it end in a peculiar Quidditch match with us as two seekers on the same side?”

“Yes it did. Well I never!”

“Um … Perhaps this ceremony thing is nearer than either of us thought,”

“We have to work with the rest of the team as well, haven’t we? I can probably get on with Hermione, we both love books and finding out things. But W … Erm … Ron is quite another matter.”

“Maybe you’ll just keep calling each other names, but in fun instead of hatred. Make it a sort of friendly competition. Ooh, talking of friendly competition, you like wizard chess don’t you?”

“Yes, but I can find few worthy opponents.”

“Have you played Ron yet?”

“No! Is he good?”

“He beats everyone in Gryffindor hollow, and, you’ll remember, he played chess to get me through to where the Philosopher’s Stone was hidden, he was a knight and sacrificed himself so I could make checkmate.”

“Yes I remember being told about that. Maybe it would channel our combative instincts positively.”

“I wouldn’t ask him about the sacrifice bit, he’s still touchy about it.”

“Okay. If he tells me about it, it’ll be a sign of trust. Then I’ll have to tell him something about myself to bind it.”

“It might work the other way round, you know. Not now, obviously, but you may just feel it’s right sometime.”

As Harry and Draco had stopped in the garden for this conversation they had never reached the potions lab. Sempra came bearing two steaming bowls of hot water. “Master says that Dinner will be served in five minutes, Sirs.”

“Thank you Sempra. I’m sorry Harry; we never saw the potions lab.”

“Don’t worry Draco, you can show it me some other time. Our conversation smoothed out some of the wrinkles. I bet we will have quite a few more of these as we become partners.”

They washed their hands and went in to the dining room. Harry admired the panelling and sat next to Draco on one side of the oval table. Hermione and Ron were opposite them and Uncle Severus at one end.

Towards the end of the meal: “Uncle?”

“Yes Hermione?”

“I saw a very interesting book on combining spells and charms, I’ve not seen that one before; might I borrow it, please.”

“Of course you may. You possibly will have to use one or two of them soon.” Severus glanced meaningfully in Draco’s and Harry’s direction.

Draco coloured up slightly; then asked, “Ron, I understand you’re good at wizard chess. Perhaps we might have a game or two?”

“What? Do you play? Why not, let’s see how good you are.”

“I’m good and the Slytherin champion to boot, so I should be able to whip a Weasley.”

Ron looked up sharply, saw a friendly smirk. “I reckon a Malfoy will be small fry really,” and smirked back

“You’re on! Now?”

The both excused themselves and went to the garden room to set up the pieces.

“Harry?”

“Yes Uncle?”

“You and I ought to talk about destroying Horcruxes and their possible guarding hexes. We can leave Hermione in the den reading, you and I can go to the sitting room, if you’d like?”

“Yes please, I’d rather not have to drink what your ultimate grandfather did, or be given a withered hand either.”

“I thought it would be quieter in there, our two combatants are getting quite noisy, and I always thought chess was a quiet game.”

“Wizard chess with Ron quite often gets noisy. Then Draco isn’t being too quiet either.”

Two or three hours later Severus suggested goodnight cocoa, so Sempra and Gudrun were asked to go and invite the others.

Hermione was first in: “Uncle, there are one or two points in the Iungatis Filii charm which I don’t understand.”

“I suspect I know which ones you mean, there is quite a long explanation; might we reserve time tomorrow possibly.”

“No! If you hadn’t moved your knight then I wouldn’t have had to lose my queen.”

“Not if you had moved the queen’s pawn two moves earlier, you wouldn’t.”

Ron and Draco burst in.

“Do I take it that you have each found worthy opponents then?”

“YES UNCLE!” was the unison reply.

“It’s one game each,” Ron volunteered, “and I can’t wait until the next match.”

“I’ll beat you Weasley.”

“Not a chance Malfoy.”

“I hope this is friendly banter?”

“At last I’ve found a worthy opponent, Uncle.” It was Draco, this time.

Ron went red. “Uh uh, thanks for the compliment Draco. You’re pretty good yourself.”

It was Draco’s turn to colour up. “I think we have the beginnings of a working partnership here.” He extended his hand to Ron, who shook it vigorously.

“Harry and I were talking about finding a Horcrux,” Severus started, “but I’ll let him continue.”

“Well … we thought to reconnoitre tomorrow; use seeking charms and try to diagnose if any hidden magical objects are there and what hexes guard them. Then we can come back here and work out strategies for defeating the hexes and procuring the magical object, which we hope will be another Horcrux. How does that sound?”

Everyone gave affirmative nods.

“Uncle?”

“Yes Draco?”

“Ron says that they have set aside a room for me in their tent. Would you mind if I use that one instead of your guest room?”

“Not at all, it will help you all to grow together. There is one stipulation however.”

“What’s that?”

“No playing wizard chess all through the night, or exploding snap etc.”

“Spoilsport! Okay, I get your point. We won’t be much good if we fall asleep mid spell and blow ourselves up.”

Sempra had been collecting the cocoa mugs whilst the conversation was ending. “Master Draco Sir, can I come and be your house-elf there, please?”

“What do you think Harry? Sempra says he’s friends with Dobby.”

“Why not! You could try things out Sempra, on a temporary basis, then if we all get on together, and if Uncle is happy about transferring you, we’ll make it permanent. Is that all right with you, Draco?”

“Yes! Would you mind Uncle?”

“How could I possibly object? To begin with, Sempra, you will be on loan to Master Draco, do you understand?”

“Yes Master! I’ll transfer Master Draco’s things right away,” and he vanished.

A short while later the new nephews and niece wished Uncle Goodnight and went to the tent.

Harry showed Draco his room and stood for a minute or two. “I’m afraid it isn’t quite as luxurious as the guest room, Draco, we have to share a bathroom between the two of us. That is; you and I on this side and Hermione and Ron sharing another one on the other side.”

“Don’t worry Harry, at school we had to share with many more students, so two sharing should be all right. The bed looks comfortable enough and Sempra has put my things away. He’s very good at massage. If you like, I’ll ask him to give you one.”

“I’ve never had one, do they hurt?”

“Not really, but he’ll get rid of all you kinks from flying today.”

“Okay! I’ll try it, if you wouldn’t mind asking him.”

‘Pop’ “I’ll teach Dobby, Master Draco; if Master Harry doesn’t mind.”

“Don’t worry Harry; he listens to all our conversations. He says it’s so he can anticipate our needs. I expect Dobby does the same.”

“I have another one Draco, he’s called Kreacher. Quite a nasty piece of elf flesh, I inherited him from a relative. He came with the house I own. I think he would prefer to be with your Aunt Bellatrix, but he obeys my orders.”

“Dobby’s told me about him Masters; he says the house-elves are taming him in the kitchen at Hogwarts.”

“That’s true, last time I called him he was covered in stale food.”

“Which one of you wants the bathroom first, Masters?”

“You go first Draco; I still have to find where I put my things.”

Sempra disappeared and the sound of running water came from the bathroom.

“Oh Harry, I’d better warn you, Sempra might come and sponge you down in the bath. It was a bit embarrassing at first, but it’s quite soothing.”

“I think I’ll have my bath whilst you’re having your massage. He can’t be in two places at once can he?”

“I’m not sure?” Draco giggled at Harry’s look of horror; then Harry chuckled back.

In his room Harry spent time finding where his things had been put and got undressed. Sempra came and told him that his bath was ready. Harry excused him the sponge duty so Sempra could massage Draco. It was quite odd lying in the bath smothered in bubbles watching a naked Draco having his massage on the table a few feet away.

Draco caught him watching. “Next time Potter, you go first and I get to watch you being massaged.”

“OK, Draco, no big deal, turn and turn about is quite fair, but I’m still Harry you know.”

“Right! Sorry Harry, it’s your turn on the table now, goodnight.”

Harry enjoyed his massage. Sempra found tight muscles all over his body, and the lavender oil gave him a glow. Relaxed, Harry got into bed and hoped he could remember what he would be dreaming about that night.