Birthday Celebrations

Harry had a shower and was cleaning his teeth at the basin wearing only his towel when Draco wandered in naked.

“I’ll be finished in a minute,” Harry mumbled through his toothpaste. “Do you always wander around with nothing on?”

“I sleep in the nude. Sorry; I’ll put my pyjama bottoms on if it worries you.”

“No; I don’t think it does. My pyjamas always seem to end up trying to strangle me. I think I shall do the same in future … I think I need a shave.”

“Don’t hurry; I’m having a shower first. Did you dream anything interesting last night? In one of mine we were crawling through some bushes and you were leading me into danger of some kind.”

Harry had finished cleaning his teeth. “That’s funny, in mine you were leading me; and then we were fighting something big, with lightening coming out of it.”

“Then we joined hands and cast a double hex and it disappeared,” came from within the shower cabinet.

Harry forgot about shaving as he and Draco compared notes on their dreams, both of them were quite surprised how many of the details were congruous.

“I think we ought to tell Uncle about these dreams. They’re obviously important.”

“Maybe we’d better try a double hex or two as well.”

“What on?”

“I’m sure Uncle could find us a Boggart or two for us to practice on.”

At breakfast Severus was indeed interested. “I think Harry and Draco are soon going to have to make up their minds to form a Duumviri fairly soon.”

“What do you mean?”

“Your dreams seem to represent the kind of experiences Albus and I had, before we took the plunge. If I remember correctly you have about four or five days in which to make an agreement and then undertake the joining ceremony. I suspect you would already be able to act conjointly if it were very necessary. Draco, you are left handed aren’t you?”

“Yes Uncle, my father thought it was a sign of V’s approval. Why do you ask?”

“When we have finished breakfast, I think we’ll undertake a little experiment outside. Then you’ll find out why.”

Breakfast over, they went out into the garden and then to where the rubbish was put in bins to create humus for the plants.

“Harry I would like you to levitate one of those bins please?”

“Wingardium Leviosa!” The bin dutifully rose into the air,

“Draco would you do the same please?”

Draco managed his bin just as well as Harry.

“Thank you gentlemen you may put them down again.”

“Would either of you like to try to lift two bins at the same time?”

Both of them tried but failed.

“When we were taught we were told that we could only lift one object at a time,” Hermione explained.

“That’s quite correct Hermione, for us normal magicians. Draco and Harry please link your hands, not your wand-hands, making sure your fingers are interlaced and the palms touching … Yes like that. Now Harry, try lifting two bins.”

Both bins rose. Draco was able to do the same.

“Thank you. Now both of you in unison try to lift three bins.”

“Well done gentlemen. Now you can see how linking like that amplifies your magical talents by about three. You are as yet, not properly paired, but the dreams showed that you can already act as though you were linked. That means that if you go through the ceremony and have your auras properly linked you should be between four and six times stronger when acting in unison. You probably would be able to play Quidditch with my potions laboratory, so to speak.”

Harry and Draco looked at each other first in amazement and then in calculation.

“Does this apply to all spells Uncle?

“I know that it does for positive spells, negative ones have some amplification but not quite as much. With the unforgivables such as Avada, dead is dead so there can be no amplification.”

“So Episkey would heal major hurts as well.”

“You would need a detailed knowledge of the human anatomy also, but yes. Don’t forget you have to say the words in unison for the full effect, but as you saw just holding hands, nearly doubles a single wizard’s capacity.”

“Does that mean that Ron and I could do that?”

“Probably not Hermione; unless you both have been having simultaneous dreams in the same way that Draco and Harry have. You see; it is their auras reacting on each other that cause it. If you and Ron get married and once you have had sexual relations then you will amplify each other to some extent. Harry and Draco are special for some reason, in the same way that Albus and I were. Harry’s parents were both strong magicians, and Harry as a result has strong powers. The same holds good for Draco and his parents, although I hope he doesn’t follow in his father’s footsteps.”

“I wouldn’t do that. Having seen my father crawling to V and how he treated all the people round him, including me, I have realised how pernicious the dark way is. I admit it looked very tempting at one time. Mischief is one thing, but as Dumbledore said, I’m not cut out for killing in cold blood.”

“Good, I was hoping you felt like that. You can let go of each others hands now, if you like.”

Harry looked at Draco and then disentangled his fingers. Draco smirked and Harry chuckled.

“There is another way of touching palms, you achieve it by clasping each others wrists lightly, but it is prone to gaps between the palms. Shall we have coffee and then depart?”

Nods all round produced Gudrun and Sempra with steaming mugs of that beverage. They crowded round the table whilst Severus made some sketches of what he knew of the ruin’s layout. They discussed possible hiding places and routes of entry as well. Then they set off.

§§§§§§

When they reached the border of the inner pentacle Severus used Revelio Artes to disclose the magical field. His students could see different coloured lines connecting the points on the Pentacle.

“I will teach you that spell, though it only works on object magic not personal. Think of the spectrum, blues and greens are enhancing, yellow to red are wards of various kinds, indigos and violets are black. The brighter they shine the more recent they are and therefore the most potent. As you have been taught, magic slowly leaks away. You see that faint yellow one there? I expect it will wink out in a few months time.”

Using Celare Artes, Severus closed the revealing spell, and then had them practice until they were comfortable using this new magic.

“I think it would be a good idea to climb through the lattice at that gap there, there is no purpose served in alerting any of the wards. Jump lightly through and we will register as wild life and therefore no threat.”

Once through; Severus had Draco cancel the revealing spell. Soon they were in sight of the ruined house. It was just possible to see where the garden boundaries had been. Hermione cast this time and another domed lattice was revealed. As before, they took note of the different colours and types of lines, and in finding another hole, jumped through that one also. When the front of the house was reached Harry and Draco were asked to clasp palms and work in unison to cast the revealing spell. No real lattice appeared but there were glowing patches in various places.

Severus explained, “I doubt that some of those wards would have appeared if one person had cast. Our pair’s strength should have revealed everything. Be careful of that broad purple line. If you look carefully you will see skeletons of small animals that did not sense the wards. I think that is one we will have to destroy tomorrow, preferably on the way out.”

Some of the green and blue patches turned out to be bird’s nests and animal hidey-holes. But in where the basement had been, there was a red patch glowing through a wall.

Severus asked, “That will be where it is, please take note of the colour and the halo round it? We will attempt to match them up when we return to the cottage.”

They scouted around for other likely hiding places but were unable to find any more strong references. Back in the ruined garden Harry and Draco closed the house ward whilst Ron opened the garden perimeter one. Hermione found a place in the wards where some old planks had made a bridge through them and a larger hole.

“Do you see the burn marks?”

“Oh yes. They look quite old though.”

Ron closed the revealing charm down and Draco opened the next one. There was no bigger hole so they jumped through the one they entered by. Harry did the honours as they left.

On reaching the cottage, each of them practised revealing its wards, and noting which ones resembled the ones they had seen. Six were identified that way, but the violet one, four others and the glow from the ruin had still to be identified. Severus brought a large tome to the garden room table. Chetrum had supplied a veritable mountain of multi-flavoured sandwiches and delicious homemade lemonade. So while they checked-out the tome they munched contentedly, making notes of the jinxes, hexes and wards to be expected.

Severus had them practicing making and destroying those various hexes, jinxes and wards during the afternoon, most of which they had never come across before. The only one he would not let them make or destroy was the purple one.

“That one is made from the old blood magic. We will avoid it if we can, if not Draco and Harry will have to join and destroy it. However it will probably backfire on them so the rest of us will hold other shields over them in case.”

Harry and Draco carefully memorised the words and actions, testing each other until they felt reasonably comfortable. Everyone was worn out by teatime, and tucked in to the Earl Grey and cakes with gusto. Then the students retired to their rooms to rest, whilst Severus decocted some of his new potions.

Harry was lying dozing on his bed when Draco knocked on the bathroom door.

“Come in Draco.”

“Can we go through that purple destroying spell a few more times please? I’m not quite sure of all the actions.”

“OK. Will you check my pronunciation in return, please?”

Harry took Draco through the gestures needed, standing close and holding his arm a few times. He found that it was an interesting experience; being so close to and guiding his one-time enemy. Next Draco leaned back on the bed as Harry lay beside him repeating the words until Draco was satisfied with Harry’s pronunciation. Then they just lay there chatting and practicing the hand clasps until they could make full contact in less than two seconds. Exhausted the pair dropped off to sleep still holding hands.

It was Sempra who woke them and hour or so later. There was ample time to wash and change before heading for the dining room. Afterwards Hermione’s head became stuck in the unifying charms book, Draco and Ron were niggling each other over wizard chess, so Harry helped Uncle in the lab. Nothing strenuous; just bottling up and labelling the potions needed for tomorrow, they chatted generally as they did so.

“Master Harry?”

“Yes Sempra?”

“Master Draco says that you are the first one for the bath tonight.”

“Okay! I’ll be with you in five minutes.”

Severus smiled knowingly as Harry said goodnight. Soon Harry was in the bath enduring Sempra’s sponge manipulations. As with Draco’s first bath, there was a point where the tension passed and the relaxation began. As Harry climbed on to the massage table a naked Draco wandered in and got into the bath that Sempra had newly run.

“I’ll have to polish up on my chess, Ron is now two up.”

From the bubbles Draco watched Harry, appreciating the muscles that had appeared and his lean fit look. Then feeling his own body and realising that Quidditch had developed his own physique too. He also realised that, now he was getting to know him, Harry was a good person to have as a friend, and regretted that they had not made friends earlier in their school careers.

“Draco, Draco, wake up. You’re not to go to sleep in the bath; you might drown. Sempra’s ready for your massage.”

“What … Harry … Was I … Ouch I’ve got cramp … Help me out will you, please?”

Harry helped Draco out of the bath and supported him over to the massage table, where Sempra took over, kneading the tightened muscles.

“Thanks Harry, you’re a real mate.”

“That’s Okay! Goodnight Draco. Goodnight Sempra.”

Harry retired, feeling rather pleased with Draco’s response, and slightly disturbed by the skin contact they had had whilst Harry helped Draco to the table. As he enjoyed the freedom from pyjamas for the first time; the Lavender oil soon had him relaxed. He resolved again to remember what he could of his dreams.

§§§§§§

The following morning both of them wandered into the bathroom at the same time.

“Well; did you enjoy the first time without pyjamas, Harry?”

“Yes thanks, it was much better, but a little strange. Do you want to shower first; I must have the shave I forgot yesterday.”

“OK Mate!”

“You sound just like Ron.”

“Well I hope I don’t look like him.” Draco did a quick twirl.

“Apart from his red hair, he’s taller than you. You know your hair is so fair it looks almost as though you have none.”

“I do have some where it really matters thank you. I think I shall call you Hairy instead of Harry.”

“I’m not that bad.”

“No, not really, you’re quite sleek in a dark sort of way.”

By the time Draco had showered Harry was clean-shaven. Draco went to the mirror whilst Harry ducked into the shower. Draco was still there when Harry emerged dripping.

“Draco, it doesn’t take me so long to brush my hair.”

“And look at the result, you’re always tousled. Don’t dry it, then when the rest of you is dry, while it’s still wet, you must let me try to do something with it.”

Harry dried off and went over to Draco, who brushed and combed vigorously. Harry could feel the warmth of Draco’s body as he moved from side to side trying to improve the coiffure, it was strangely comforting and Harry supposed it had something to do with their auras pairing. He jumped when Draco placed his hands on Harry’s shoulders and gripped them softly.

“There that’s a little better, you’ll have to let me work on it every day, please.”

Harry looked in the mirror and had to agree there were less spikes. He also caught Draco’s beatific smile.

“You must try that smile more often, Draco. You’re really very handsome when you do, not that you were plain to begin with.”

“Thank you for your compliment partner. Oh dear! I seem to be losing the old Malfoy. It’s entirely your fault, Potter.”

“I like the new improved Malfoy, please don’t revert?”

“I’m still Draco, you know. I’m not sure I like the old Malfoy either.”

“OK. Truce? I’ll not use Malfoy if you don’t use Potter.”

Draco gave Harry a quick hug. “Partners it is then. We’d better get dressed before Sempra comes to say we’re late for breakfast.”

‘Pop.’ There was Sempra with their clothes. “You still have ten minutes Masters.”

The Partners saw the funny side and started to giggle. Sempra looked hurt.

“We’re not laughing at you Sempra, it’s all right. It’s just that you appear with what we want, even when we’re just chatting.”

“That’s what I’m supposed to do Master Harry.”

“Yes! And we’re very grateful for it too. But I, for one, am not quite used to it yet.”

“I suppose my father was used to it in our manor, but I never had a personal-elf before either. I am enjoying it immensely; you are commending yourself towards a permanent position.”

“Ooh Master, really! How soon?”

“Probably as soon as Harry and I go through the Duumviri ceremony. We are going to do it, aren’t we Harry?”

“Eh? Um; well yes I suppose so.” Harry looked at a slightly disappointed Draco. “Sorry Partner, that didn’t sound very enthusiastic, did it? You caught me unawares. Yes! I think we must and … I would like it very much. We’d better tell Uncle and the others at breakfast.”

The pair clasped hands and shoulder hugged. In fact they were still holding shoulders when they came into the dining room. They were followed by Ron and Hermione who were holding hands.

“I feel quite left out, with all this pairing going on,” said Uncle with a slight smile. “Do I take it that Harry and Draco have something to tell us?”

Draco coloured and Harry looked bashful. Hermione had a curious expression and Ron’s mouth fell open.

“YES UNCLE, WE WANT THE DUUMVIRI CEREMONY, PLEASE?” came out in unison.

“How soon?”

Harry and Draco looked at each other; then Draco answered for both of them. “It would enhance our powers when we deal with the Horcrux and its defences, wouldn’t it …”

“… So as soon as possible, please Uncle.” Harry completed the sentence.

“Are you quite sure?”

Again the pair looked at each other. “YES UNCLE, QUITE SURE.”

“All right then, we’ll do it straight away. Then breakfast can be the sealing meal. Have you read enough to be able to perform the charm, Hermione?”

This time Hermione’s mouth fell open. “Err … Uncle? Can I? Yes … I would love to, thank you.”

“Good! We need another witness.”

“SEMPRA!” The pair giggled slightly.

“Yes he would be suitable. You will probably find yourselves saying things in unison for a time; Albus and I did. It settles down later, and one of you will speak for both of you and know internally that his partner fully supports him. You will still need to discuss and you will have your arguments too, but somehow you will come to a common mind on things that really matter. Are you still sure about pairing?”

“YES UNCLE.” The partners had adopted slightly impatient expressions.

Severus smiled. “Hermione, please commence.”

‘Pop.’ “Here is the book Mistress. My Mum and Dad say they would like to be here too, are they allowed Master?”

“If they bring your brother and sister, then we will have seven witnesses, very auspicious.”

Four pops and the assembly was complete.

“Draco and Harry please look at this page and remember the pledge written down … Now draw your wands, cross your hands so that each of you holds the tip of the other one’s wand in the centre of his connecting palm … You do realise you are making the unbreakable vow, don’t you?”

“YES HERMIONE.”

Hermione touched her wand on all four hands in front of her.

“I Draco, son of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, pledge myself as Duumvir to Harry Potter, in perpetuity and beyond death.”

A stream of red fire from Hermione’s wand circled the crossed hands and tightened round them, burning slightly; both partners winced.

“I Harry, son of James and Lily Potter, pledge myself as Duumvir to Draco Malfoy, in perpetuity and beyond death.”

Another ring of fire encircled their hands.

“Iungatis Filii Duumviri,” Hermione pronounced.

A third ring joined the other two. As all three rings sank in to the partners’ hands both of their wands fired off into the other’s palm. The tingle worked up Harry’s arm and into his whole body. He could sense this happening to Draco as well. The feeling reached his wand and it fired again, this time a glow followed the same course. Draco looked into Harry’s eyes and could see the wonderment they expressed. Their wands fired for a third time. The feeling was of overwhelming companionship and understanding, as near love as either of them had ever experienced. Each now knew he could trust his partner completely and understood how Albus was so certain of Severus’s alliance.

“Harry and Draco, you may let go now,” said Severus chuckling.

The partners looked round at their uncle, not really understanding. It took several minutes before they became properly compos mentis and disentangled their hands.

“Look Harry; I have a seven point star in my palm where your wand touched.”

“So have I Draco.” Harry's tummy rumbled, “I could eat a horse.”

Then Hermione led the others who all had to look and admire the unity marks.

“Those are more vivid that the ones Albus and I had. I think you will be a stronger pair than we were.”

Draco started to shake, so Harry made him drink extra sweet tea. This was an automatic reaction, as Harry had sensed Draco’s need. Draco understood and both of them stared at each other again.

“What’s wrong with you two?” Ron asked.

“Um … We’ve just realised that the one partner can sense internally what the other partner needs. It’s very disturbing,” replied Harry, with Draco nodding vigorously.

“It’s quite fun though.” Draco silently passed Harry some more sausages.

“It’ll help when we need to cast a charm together.” Harry put a spoonful of marmalade on Draco’s plate.

“Do you think you will be able to function properly today?” asked Severus.

D: “Yes thank you Uncle …”

H: “… We will need a few practices this morning …”

D: “… We could go immediately after lunch …”

H: “… If that’s all right with everybody …”

D: “… There should be plenty of time …”

H: “… To complete everything before dark.”

Hermione and Ron started giggling, Uncle looked quite amused too. Then the pair realised their conjoint sentence and joined in the merriment.

Harry and Draco sat for half an hour after breakfast, whilst they digested their enormous meal, far bigger than normal. Each one tested the extent of their experience of the other one.

“You know; I think we should try casting different spells at the same time, it might prove useful.”

“OK! Let’s go and try something. Uncle would you come with us please?”

“Are you sure? It sounds quite difficult.”

“Then we’d better try, hadn’t we?” Harry sounded just like a cocksure Draco.

The pair found some old logs that Severus had no use for. Some burnt grass later the Partners had perfected Leviosa and Incendio, so that the lawn was no longer singed by the ensuing conflagration. Harry made a shield and asked Uncle to aim the tickling charm at it. Harry released, Draco fired Relashio sparks into the air, and Harry put up the shield. There were some false starts and lots of squirming laughter; after three quarters of an hour practicing; the timing was so perfect that no tickling charm could get through.

“I admire your timing Nephews; I can see all kinds of uses in combat and other areas also. Some of the healing spells need two simultaneous charms. Imagine being able to hold a broken bone in position and heal it at the same time, or severed arteries for instance. That’s something that Albus and I never envisaged; very well done!” Severus walked off towards his laboratory.

“He’s never praised me like that,” whispered Draco.

“Nice to be in his good books for a change,” was Harry’s reply. Then they both fell about in helpless laughter.

“What are you two doing?” Hermione appeared; looking cross. “I thought you were practicing spells.”

“We were; then Uncle said: ‘Very well done’ and we were so surprised.”

“I see,” Hermione smiled. “Well I never … Do you fancy some coffee?”

“We’re quite hot, so lemonade would be more welcome.”

‘Pop:’ And there was Sempra with two glasses full.

Ron brought out Hermione’s coffee to her, and Gudrun had some for Severus.

Uncle returned with various flasks of potions, most of which Harry had helped to bottle the previous night. “I have two unguents which I think it would be advisable to rub on your bare skins and then allow to dry. One is my new spell disperser; it doesn’t make you impervious, but lessens the immediate impact. The other is a fire retardant; it should stop Incendio for thirty seconds whilst you charm yourself free. Don’t forget the soles of your feet and other hidden places.”

Draco and Harry went into their bathroom to apply their unguents and stripped.

“I’ll do your back if you’ll do mine?”

“Okay. Sit on the stool and I’ll do your soles too.”

Harry found that Draco’s feet were very ticklish. Draco found that the small of Harry’s back was also sensitive. As the creams had to dry and be absorbed it was nearly lunchtime before the partners dressed and went to meet the others in the garden room. Over the sandwiches the team reminded each other of the wards and jinxes, plus the various countermeasures.

“That purple ward is the one we will have to be careful of. We still don’t know all of what it contains. I will make additions to the book once we do know. I suppose eventually we will know all the nasty spells that V knows. We’ll have to guard against the temptation to use them ourselves, some will be very tempting.”

“Ooh Uncle! I hadn’t thought about that before.” Hermione’s admission helped Draco to realise that her knowledge wasn’t totally omniscient.

“Yes, but she’ll worry any problem for ages until she’s sure of the answer.” Harry whispered. Then the partners looked at each other in surprise.

Harry thought, ‘Oh dear! That means Draco knows what I am thinking.’

‘So we’ll just have to get used to it,’ Draco replied, completing Harry's thought process. Then they giggled.

Ron was looking at the pair in an odd sort of way.

D: ‘He’s feeling left out!’

H: ‘So we’ll go and hug him.’

And that is what they did.

Ron was quite surprised when two young men came over, putting an arm each round his shoulder and squeezing gently.

H: “We don’t want you to feel left out, Ron …”

D: “… It’s just that we are coming to terms with our partnership …”

H: ‘… We seem to be able to communicate thoughts …”

D: “… Then one of us speaks the conclusion …”

H: “… It’s quite confusing to us …”

D: “… So it must be even more confusing to you, Sorry.”

“It’s OK mates, Harry has quite often confused me, so now I’ll be doubly confused. Not much difference really!” Then he giggled and held out a hand to Draco. “Does that mean I’ll be playing both of you at Wizard Chess tonight?”

D: “Let’s hope we all can, after this afternoon …”

H: “… Trust us to put a damper on the proceedings.”

Hermione looked businesslike. “If we are going, we’d better make a start. Isn’t that right Uncle?”

Severus indicated that he agreed: “As long as our new pair feels up to it.”