Toppers Wallow

Ron was the only person who could walk easily in the morning; the others were slightly bow-legged to begin with. They all consumed a double fry-up before their breakfast appetites were sated and then just lolled around hugging on the sofas. A swim before coffee break had them feeling more energetic.



“Have you any more rubbers please, Billy?” whispered Ron as they were drying themselves.



“Not many. I’d better go into the village and buy some more.”



“Won’t they think it odd, you buying condoms?”



“Not really, being the youngest I had to run errands for the other workmen. I think they tried to embarrass me by ordering johnnies. The chemist knew what was happening and now takes no notice if I go in and order a couple of dozen or more.”



“Oh; right then. Can I pay for them, please? If I give you one of these bits of paper will that be enough?”



“If I spent that much, we’d have a year’s supply each. Give me one of those other notes instead, and I’ll bring you back the change.”



“I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to this Muggle money, ours is all coins you know.”



“Yes; Harry’s shown me some. I think your multipliers would make things difficult for me.”



Hermione was worried about Billy going by himself, in case Marcus had heard about him. In the end Harry rang up the Farmer’s Arms to see if they served lunch on Wednesdays.



“Of course Mr Potter, we’d love to feed you and your friends, would one-o-clock be suitable?”



They took a path through the fields and entered the village from a different direction; the walk took about half an hour. As there was still time to spare Harry went to Mrs Amis’s to buy fresh bread, and then took his friends to see the delightful interior of the parish church. Samantha Kidson was there polishing the brass lectern.



“Hello Billy and Mr Potter, are these two friends of yours?”



“I think you should call me Harry you know.”



“Ooh; I could never do that, not to a man of your persuasion.”



Harry smiled his most winning smile. “Use my formal name when there are lots of people around maybe, but not when there’s just a few of us, please?”



“Well, if you insist. It’ll still feel odd though.”



“Okay! Samantha, I’d like you to meet two very good friends of mine from College, Hermione and Ron. Billy is doing some shopping for us and he’ll be staying at Magnet Cottage when I return to college, he’ll be acting as my agent and looking after my home for me, as well as going into business himself.”



General handshaking took place and then Samantha took them on a guided tour, telling them of the history and pointing out various effigies and plaques.



“What’s this one, Samantha?”



“Err … I’m not sure you should peruse that one.” Samantha gave Hermione a very odd look.”



“Why not?”



“Well you might find it insulting, even though it happened over five hundred years ago.”



By this time all three intrigued youngsters were peering at the plaque.



Hermione started giggling. “Harry it commemorates a witch burning in the middle ages. Rosmerta Nigrus was her name. D’you think she’s a Black ancestress, if so she’s distantly related to both of you two.”



Samantha was looking extremely agitated.



Harry put on his best smile again. “Don’t worry Samantha, we all have things that happened to us in the past. I bet every family has a skeleton somewhere in their cupboard. I, for one, won’t get uptight about something that happened that long ago and I’m sure Ron won’t. It seems odd to commemorate a witch in church though.”



Hermione had been engrossed reading the Latin on the plaque and translating it. “The plaque gives us that answer. It seems the priest at the time was a fanatic martinet, and the witch wanted a more liberal approach. As she died she cursed the priest and within three days he went mad. Err … Samantha, do you read Latin?”



“I learnt a bit at school, why?”



“There’s a word I’m not familiar with, it’s plural and seems to refer to a public subscription of some kind.” Hermione pointed out the word.



“Oh that one! I’ve seen it in the old parish records, it refers to the parishioners. So the people subscribed for her to be re-buried in consecrated ground, look it says so here.”



“There was no need to be nervous, was there?”



“No, but Mr Goodfellow flew off the handle when he saw it.”



“He would. He thinks his kind should rule the world, we’re against that, thank you very much.”



“Just what we all thought. Nice to have it confirmed, though. Oh look; here comes the vicar, I’d better get back to my polishing.”



“Thanks for the guided tour Samantha, it was very interesting.”



“Hello Father John.”



“Good morrow Mage Harry.”



“Okay, I get it. John, these are two good friends of mine from college, Hermione and Ron. They’ll be staying with me for a couple of days or so.”



More handshaking.



“I’m glad I caught you here, Harry. I’m hearing disturbing things about Woodyates Farm, Araxes seems to have guests, and they appear to be unsavoury characters.”



“Thanks, I’ll get some friends to look into it. You do well to be suspicious, my friends know of him and his notoriety. Don’t let any young people go near that house; that includes those in their twenties as well. We have no proof yet, but the indications are of mutilated deaths.”



“I get the drift, thanks for the warning. It’ll be the foolhardy ones who have most to prove that’ll be at risk; there are three of them in the choir who like to get up to mischief. If I forbid them, or their parents do, they’ll just see it as a dare.”



“Would a picture of a sexually mutilated body help?”



“Mmm, it might. I know they’re experimenting with each other. Have you got one?”



“I reckon I can get one, would you share dinner with us tonight, and I’ll give it you then.”



“My wife’ll kill me if I miss another meal she’s cooked, can I pop round afterwards?”



“Of course, say about nine?”



“That’ll suit me fine.”



Billy arrived with his purchases, and a big smile. “Guess what Harry; Mrs Amis wants me to paint her shop for her.”



“Great, Billy; congratulations; come on, let’s make lunch a celebratory meal – your first real commission.”



Richard, the publican, had a game pie waiting for them. Harry got the feeling that it had been specially baked, and carried out a few surreptitious tests. Then he saw that no one else was eating and sussed that it was indeed specially baked for him and his guests. The problem was in paying for the meal afterwards. Richard didn’t want to accept payment; it took a lot of persuasion for him to accept the money. Harry felt like threatening to curse Richard, but resorted to the ‘we won’t come back if you don’t let us pay’ argument. Richard saw reason, no doubt wondering that, if the local mage didn’t frequent his establishment, then others might follow the wise man’s lead. Ron argued with Harry on the way back to the cottage, saying that he should accept goodwill offerings.



“I already get enough,” said Harry, tripping over the small pile at his door. “I don’t want to be seen as a freebooter, these things are bad enough.”



Further argument was cut short when Harry sensed somebody in the Apparating Area. Hermione helped Billy put things away whilst Harry and Ron went to see who was there.



“Harry Potter Sir, Kreacher is so glad to see you. Do you have a vacancy for a house-elf?”



“Hello Kreacher, shake my hand please.”



“Oh no! Kreacher is not fit to shake the hand of the great Harry Potter.”



“Well you’re going to have to do it this once; otherwise my wards won’t recognise you.”



“Oh! Such an Honour!” Kreacher extended a shaking hand, looking resolutely at his feet, with his ears drooping in a very sad expression.



“Why do you want to be a house-elf here, Kreacher? Were you so unhappy with Grimmauld Place?”



“Well, Harry Potter, Sir. There’s this Winky I’ve got my eye on. She’s sobered up quite a lot and is more presentable. However she says we can’t get married until I’m a respectable house-elf again, with someone to look after. The old Black house is more like a set of offices than a home.”



“So I get Winky as well then?”



“Yes Sir, Harry Potter, Master.”



“All right, but there are some stipulations. No filthy pillowcases to be worn, by either of you, we’ll find a smart get up for you. To get round your scruples I’ll buy the material and give it to you. Then you or Winky can make it into clothes; that should satisfy that rule and, I hope, will satisfy Hermione too. Secondly, I have a very dear Muggle friend who will be living in the house whilst I’m at college. He’ll be in charge when I’m away, understand?”



“Oh yes Harry Potter Sir, yes. Will you introduce me please, Master?”



By this time they had reached the sitting area of the living room. Billy was still in the kitchen so Harry went in to see him, leaving Kreacher with the others.



“Billy, we have an addition to our household.”



“Is it that enemy bloke you told me about? I’m dying to have a good look at him.”



Harry restrained Billy’s impetuousness. “No it’s not him. It’s a house-elf.”



“What; milk on a saucer type? You are pulling my leg, aren’t you?” Billy’s’ question died on his lips when he saw Harry’s serious expression.



“Come and meet him. He is small and has big ears, however he’s saved my life a couple of times, and I rescued another of them from a very bad master. Don’t try and shake his hand or he’ll be mortally offended. I had to force him to shake mine so that the wards accepted him. Don’t underestimate him, though. House-elves can produce very powerful magic.”



“Should I be afraid of him then?”



“No. He should regard you as a second master. Be careful what you ask him to do as he will take it absolutely literally.”



“So if I get annoyed and tell him to go boil his head …”



“… He’ll ask you for how long.”



“Okay, I get the drift. Let’s go and meet him then.”



“Um … By the way … He’s extremely forthright too.”



They walked through into the living area.



“Kreacher?”



“Yes Master?”



“This is the Muggle friend I told you about, his name is Billy.”



“Hello Kreacher.”



“Ooh! He’s a good-looker Master, is he your bed-mate?”



“Yes Kreacher he is.” Harry blushed slightly



“I’m honoured to serve you Master Billy.” Kreacher bowed low in front of Billy.



“Thank you Kreacher.”



“He’s polite too Master.” Kreacher looked at Harry.



“So you be polite back, Kreacher.”



“Now I am truly your house-elf Masters. I must tell you something.”



“You’re not on one of your missions leading an elf army to stop me getting killed are you, Kreacher?”



“No Master. You forbade me to do that. However, there is nasty Death Eater Marcus who lives nearby and he’s planning to kill all the people at the church dance this Saturday evening. No doubt he’ll play with all the nice young men, and his colleagues will rape the women. It’s part of the Master’s reign of terror. Would you like some tea now?”



“Maybe something slightly stronger, Kreacher?”



“Yes Master.” Kreacher clicked his fingers and a tray, with four glasses of firewater on it, appeared.



“Right then. Let’s get down to planning how to defeat them. Ron you’re the chess man and a good strategist.”



“Harry; I think we should tell the Order about this.”



“You know where the floo is Hermione, will you contact the Black residence and Hogwarts, please.”



“Kreacher?”



“Yes Master?”



“Can you be sneaky again and see if you can find out how many Death Eaters to expect. Please try not to get yourself too badly hurt.”



“Winky’s already doing that for us. She’s pretending to like one of Woodyates young house-elves. He’s trading info for kisses.”



“What we need to do Harry, is get all the people under some sort of shield, then we can defend them.”



“Would our wards do that Harry?”



“Yes Billy, and more. They’re designed to reflect hexes back on their senders. Hermione created the original charms.”



“Okay then; why not get Father John to bless the cottage and invite the villagers to attend. None of them would dare refuse the resident mage, you know; and the new incomers will want to see what you’ve done to the cottage.”



“John’s coming over later on to collect that picture. Oh I forgot. Ron can you floo your dad and get him to give us a copy.”



Ron went downstairs just as Hermione returned. “McGonagall says she’ll be here momentarily. I hope you don’t mind but I told her about Toppers Wallow. Like the rest of the Order and DA, she has her galleon with her”



“I think the Order should be told too Hermione. Emergency beats personal privacy anytime. I’m glad you told her. I can feel her now. Billy will you come with me, it might be better if you meet our headmistress privately. I’m not sure how she’ll react about us sharing a bed, but she’ll have to know now.”



“Is she arriving in a sailing ship, Harry? I don’t think the pool’s big enough.”



“What? … Um … No it’s one of those coins, like the one you wore when we were practicing flying.”



The pair of young men went down the path to the Apparating Area.