A Dark Time For The Light

54

Hermione stayed in Manchester for a couple of days, then came back to London with George on the train. There were a great many phone calls flying about that Harry just seemed to miss, usually catching Draco signing off in a whisper then closing his phone. Draco was planning a surprise for Harry’s birthday and with the reappearance of George, this seemed more appropriate than ever.

George was ensconced in Harry’s spare room for now, but only until the House had moved their computer back downstairs, Ginny wanted her brother to live with her. She discussed this with the rest of the House and they agreed unanimously. George was to have the small room on the boys’ floor, and the rest of them set about decorating it for him, putting in a few bits of furniture and his own TV set-up, just as in the other rooms, but due to the size of the small room, they could only fit a three-quarter size bed in there.

They moved George in on Thursday night. “This is your home now, brother of mine”. Ginny had her arm around her brother’s waist as he took in his new room, then he turned, sobbing, into his sister’s hair, “This is so good of you all”. Ginny, in a practical manner, said, “Give over, George. We’re all like family to each other. Some of the horror stories that people can tell would make your hair curl, but we all hang together and support each other. We stay in touch, we talk and we hug. We feed each other and all contribute to the mutual good. We love each other and there are some amazing people that we are starting to know. Mundanes, Demi-Magiques, our colleagues that are becoming friends. You wait ‘til Saturday and you’ll meet them”.

Over dinner at the start of the week, Draco and Harry had discussed who to invite. At first it was just to be the House and themselves, but they couldn’t very well not invite Sev and Remus, now, could they?. And once that decision was made, they decided they liked the mix of Mundanes and Magicals and decided, “Stuff it, let’s just invite everybody”, so they did. Invites were issued to folk in Kilmarnock, but they had to turn it down, “Sorry, Harry, but the cadre paid for our last trip and we’re a teeny bit low on funds, we’re having a problem moving our new, erm, crops”. As Harry rang off he had an idea,

On Friday night, Harry detoured to Alice’s for fresh supplies. Matt was there again and on an impulse Harry invited his hosts and their friend. “If you want to bring, you know, a partner or mate, feel free. Oh, and beer or other drinkables are always welcome”, he smiled shyly at his new acquaintances.

He called Alice to one side, as it seemed to be her that took care of business, and asked her if she was interested in a regular supply of green. “I can get a sample for you, though it may take a little while. These people are growers, and if I say so myself, have produced mighty fine strains”. The woman leaned against her kitchen counter looking thoughtful. “Get me a sample, say a quarter ounce of each and a price. I don’t do this sort of business through intermediaries, though, I have to meet the source, you understand, but if we all get on, I could maybe put a chunk of business their way. These are more of your friends, aren’t they?”. Harry nodded, “They’ve got great pot, but not the contacts”. She smiled at him, “Just get me a sample, Harry. I’m quite happy to meet at a neutral place. I wouldn’t like to be caught by someone and my mind read or something to reveal the location they are hidden in, I’m aware that you people are in hiding and I will act with the utmost discretion, I can assure you”. They thanked him for the invite, he gave them his address then left.

Harry was smug as he entered the flat and Draco quizzed him, “I think I just found a way to help the Kilmarnock lot, though they can’t come this weekend, unfortunately. Alice mentioned she can’t get good grass, so I may have to go up there next weekend. She wants a sample and prices and stuff and they need to move their gear, so”, he shrugged. They ordered in take-out and slumped in front of the TV for the evening, enjoying a film about three escaped convicts then had a deliciously sexy early night.

He knew when he was being shunted out, but was glad of the distraction. Draco was sneaking off to make calls all morning. Harry drifted down the front door to pick up the mail. The gas bill and a catalogue for the previous occupants. No birthday cards. He sat in the kitchen and pouted over his coffee. Not even a card from his beloved.

After breakfast, Draco suggested that Harry visit the Post Office box. After all that was whence all cadre mail was delivered. Harry shuffled out. He could hear Draco back on the phone before the front door had even closed behind him.

He felt less grouchy as he discovered sixteen birthday cards amongst the mail. He spent a good half-hour, redirecting mail according to the list he had in his pocket of where each member of the London cadre had run to, those who had vanished into thin air all had e-mail addresses so he had to e-mail them to tell them they had mail. He made a list, then stopped in an Internet cafe and attended to this. They really needed their own computer and land-line, they hadn’t got around to sorting it out yet, although Hermione hassled him about it. She even offered to hack them the necessary for free, but Harry had gently declined. He wanted him and Draco to be completely legit. If they were going to live as Mundanes, then they’d jolly well do it properly.

He got back to the flat to see Draco busily unpacking carrier bags full of munchies and beer, loading the latter into the fridge. They kissed a while, then Harry sat down to open his stack of cards. A few collective ones from the cadres. A funny one from Minerva with a phone number inside. One from Kingsley and Tonks. A few personal ones from cadre members, the one from Justin in Leeds made him howl with laughter, it was very gay. Taking a small box of drawing pins from the drawer under the kitchen sink, he pinned all his cards above the mantel in the lounge.

Draco made lunch and brought it through. They ate as Harry related his morning. “We have to get a computer, Dragon. I’ll get ‘Mione to take me to that place she got all the others from”. Draco nodded, bowing to the inevitable. Computers scared him a bit, awed him, he found it hard, sometimes, to comprehend Mundane technology, but he had mastered the hi-fi and the TV and DVD and mobile phones, but computers seemed a whole order of magnitude away as far as understanding the beast was concerned.

After lunch, Draco gave Harry his card. “I wanted to give you this for your eighteenth birthday, but, well, I couldn’t. It was in my trunk when it was taken back to the Manor and it is the only remotely Magical thing I packed when Ginny and I ran. It’s tiny, can’t be detected Magically. Happy Birthday, love”.

Harry opened it and drew out the card. A Quidditch match being played, all of the players moving, then inside, a choir of Veela sang him Happy Birthday. It was signed in Draco’s flowing hand, “From your one and only. I love you. Dragon. xxx”

He dived on his lover, squeezing him hard, “I love you too, my sweet Draconis, now take me to bed for the afternoon”. Draco complied, after all, who was he to deny the birthday boy anything his heart desired.

Rising at tea-time, they shared a delightful shower then dressed. Harry lit some incense and readied a stack of CD’s for the evening’s listening. He was mighty glad that Ginny worked in a record shop, and every payday she walked out of there with a stack of discounted sounds.

Draco put together a light meal for them both and they were eating when the doorbell rang. Sev and Remus after their long drive. The boys went back to their meal as their guests monopolised the shower. They grinned at each other as they heard a barely repressed moan, followed shortly by a single shout.

After tea, the four popped a can each and chatted. Remus asked after George and Harry replied, “He’s still shaky, but he’s determined to stay off the booze and try and sort himself out. Ginny’s being a star with him, after doing the same with Hermione. That girl is so strong”.

Draco murmured, “You’re telling me, love. I know how strong she is, she’s brilliant. After being brought out from under the Imperius, she was understandably furious, but when I told her I had been under the same curse, she forgave me, trusted me, just like that. She knew what we’d had to do to get her pregnant, although neither of us could actually remember, thank the gods, and accepted everything with good grace, even though she wanted to die at times. I know she misses Reuben, I do too, but she bore him and she’s never whinged once to my knowledge, since we arrived here, although I suspect she’s grieved with Hermione”

The mood was sombre around the kitchen table. Harry held Draco, who shook himself, “Sorry, nearly got the glums there. Harry, show them the card”. Kissing his lover on the top of his head, Harry rose and fetched it, handing it across the table. The two laughed then sighed at the Veela chorus, the first bit of Magic they had seen in two years. With damp eyes, they handed the card back. “These things generally only have three hits of Magic in them, so I’ll save the last one until everyone’s here tonight. It’ll really do the Mundane’s heads in”.

“We have another demi-magique and her Mundane hubby here tonight. My colleague, Steffie’s, best mate, as it turns out. She is the lady who has been supplying us and who got Steffie the coke the other week, but you mustn’t say anything. She’s justifiably paranoid. What this lady does is highly illegal in both this world and the Magical. Oh, and she’s dying to meet with Magical folk. Be nice to her tonight, we may have found a way to help Kilmarnock with their little problem. This woman could be a great help”. They all nodded agreement.

Harry put some music on and rolled a couple of blunts of the grass from Kilmarnock. There was still a chunk of each sample left, but he’d broken off the tips of each, they were going to Alice tonight. The samples may not be the required weight, but there was enough there, surely, to get stoned on, and he didn’t intend to charge her.